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Massive
Massive by Native Instruments is a Virtual Instrument Audio Plugin for macOS and Windows. It functions as a VST Plugin, an Audio Units Plugin, a VST 3 Plugin and an AAX Plugin.
Product
Version
1.6.0
Product
Version
1.6.0
Instrument
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Online Activation (Challenge / Response)
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Massive combines advanced Wave-Scanning synthesis with a wealth of sophisticated sound-shaping and modulation options, resulting in a sound full of "warmth, punch, character and definition". Massive is a multi-purpose synthesizer for studio and stage that delivers powerful lead and bass sounds, complex pads and deep atmospheres as well as intriguing sequences.

Features:

  • Flexible signal flow delivers huge range of sounds: from deep, brutal basses to delicate, crystalline leads.
  • Wave Scanning oscillators generate sounds of both a digital and an analog nature.
  • Easy-to-use 'Saturn-style' knobs, drag and drop modulation assignment.
  • Integrated step sequencers and an effects section with 17 master and insert effects.
  • Massive uses the KoreSound format, ensuring perfect integration with Kore.
  • KoreSound Browser for easy searching of 420 Kore-configured sounds.
  • Advanced sequencing and remote features make Massive perfect for live performance.

Latest User Reviews

Average user rating of 4.08 from 12 reviews
Massive

Reviewed By Don Deluxe [all]
March 13th, 2023
Version reviewed: 1.5.11 on Windows

Love it or hate it, incomparable Massive (a pop culture watershed) might be one of the most popular and important soft synths ever conceived.

Massive is the sound of pop music, and it will be for many years to come.

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Massive

Reviewed By digitalboytn [all]
July 9th, 2022
Version reviewed: 1.5.9 on Windows

I have developed a deep appreciation for Massive and consider it to be one of the best soft synths ever created...

Initially, I didn't like the sound, but when I started programming it for the tracks, I realised just how powerful and flexible Massive really is...

It can run the whole tone spectrum from warm analog to harsh digital and the modulation options are extensive...

It feels like a "real" instrument to me and through the the use of modulation and the macros, you can get a lot of mileage out of just one program...

Perfect for a live synth....

As a bonus, there are a million and one presets available and there are some good ones that are an excellent starting point for research and development...

It has an excellent browser, so finding a few sounds amongst the million and one is quite effortless...

There are many reasons why Massive has become a classic and over the years, it has proven itself to be a real workhorse in so many styles of music...

I have a few nice soft synths in the toolbox and after all this time, Massive is still an indispensible part of the setup...

An oldie, but a 5 Star goodie...

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Massive

Reviewed By Xenos [all]
September 14th, 2014
Version reviewed: XP on Windows

Overview:

What needs to be said? Almost everyone out there already has it lol. It's a great synth and I like it a lot. Native Instruments is one of the top dogs in the VSTi game. They know how to make quality, and they offer enough features on their main synths that you never feel painted into a corner. Massive is one of the most stylisticly versatile synths out there. It even does 8-bit Chipmusic well enough to satisfy a diehard chiptune purist. For making Trap synth stabs, Massive would be my #1 recommendation. For techno/trance, it depends. You'll want it for the digital sounds and for making creative rise/drop effects, but Sylenth, Spire, Z3ta 2 or DIVA are better for the "main course" EDM sounds and house chord stabs.

Sound:

As far as personal tastes go, I'm right at home with Massive's character. It can be a dirty slut, and I really like that in a synthesizer. Brostep and hard DnB fans love it for those mean, "dirtier-than-porn" distorted basses, and fans of REAL dubstep enjoy the milder side of Massive, where you need the complex modulations and digital sound without the over-the-top distortion and craziness. It's a real pad machine, too - perfect for sounds that morph and twist, with subtle extra modulations adding texture. It does a pretty good job of EDM or oldschool sounds as well, but more effort and precise programming is needed to give it that warmth. IMHO, the sound of Massive's Unison feature is very "liquid" and "sterile", so I rarely use it for dance patches, but I do like it for Hip Hop and Trap leads since it more closely matches the character of the unison leads used on popular urban/hip hop songs. I think the way Sylenth and Spire handle unison are by far superior for those huge, party rocking EDM leads and synths.

Features:

It has a lot. All your standard needs are more than covered. What Massive really brings to the table, though, is the wavetable oscillators and how highly flexible those 4 envelopes and 4 LFOs really are. If you're a fan of sequenced patches, Massive absolutely has you covered. The LFOs have 2 other modes - a performer mode with a large variety of shapes for each sequence step, and a standard sequencer mode. You can even use the evelopes as additional LFOs via the "loop" function, with all manner of exotic shapes at your disposal. Another honorable mention is the insert FX, which you can really get crazy with. You can modulate those, and you can even modulate the global FX as well. Massive is a true workhorse synth and will likely be used quite often in your rig since it covers so much territory.

Presets:

They're awesome. Native Instruments are quite picky in that area and they don't just try to fill up space so they can brag about how many factory patches their synth has. Rest assured, you will not be disappointed. My favorites are the dark soundscapes, special effects and most everything in the Massive Threat factory bank. There's something for everyone in there. Self promo alert: I have plenty of Massive sets available at XenosSoundworks.com if you want to stop by and have a look.

Cons:

- Very digital sound, which some don't care for. Personally, I like that stuff, but I like analog warmth as well. In that area, U-He D.I.V.A. absolutely bends Massive over in the prison showers and calls it it's b*tch, then pimps it out to the other inmates for candy bars. There IS a reason why U-He fanboys are so devoted to Urs's work.

- Not the most efficient, CPU-wise, for those of us still using older computers. With today's machines, this won't be an issue.

Value for Money:

It depends on the person. Whenever Native Instruments has it on sale for $99 to $150, it's an absolute no-brainer, no matter what style of music you produce. If memory serves, the full price is $299? If so, i'd only recommend it for diehard dubstep fans, or brostep fans who need THAT sound, Trap producers (Massive's the best synth for that, IMHO), or people who are looking to make soundscapes and intricate sound effects/foleys without the headache of trying to learn Reaktor. If you're looking for sweet vintage sounds and need something as authentic as possible from software, U-He Diva is king. If your main style of music is EDM/Trance, Massive is prime choice for digital basses, but I would use Sylenth or Spire for the big leads and chord stabs.

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Massive

Reviewed By FarleyCZ [all]
January 2nd, 2014
Version reviewed: 7 on Windows

Massive. Up to it's name, really. It's as classic VST as it gets. It defined what we want in other VST's now. Violinists have their Stradivari's, Guitarists have their Taylors, Strats, DJ's have CDJs, and producers have Massive.

Sound 9/10
Sound is solid. It may be a bit tougher to push it to mellow tones than for example Spire, Sylenth or Diversion, but that just means it's much more "crystalic", much more pure. It's hard to tell whether it's a good or bad thing. Depends on your preferences. ...and on your patience. If you try long enough, you can make creamy sounds in there as well. The only con I can find is that it slightly changes sound going to and from 96 kHz, but as 96kHz is still kind of waste of your resources and as it's the same with a lot of other VST(i)'s, I wouldn't consider it a big problem.

Features 9/10, GUI 10/10
Ok, ok, I know. We have all kind of synths featurewise much better then Massive, but I don't know why, I still return to this one really often. Ease of assigning modulation to a target is still unmached. All those other synths evolved from different versions. It's a good thing, but once a while you just need a familiar interface. Then it's Massive's time. It's interface stayed the same for years and it's still briliant...

Value for money 10/10
No question about this. For 200 euro, you get thing that defined the modern sound. Thing that everyone else already uses. Think that's gonna stay for ever.

I honestly think Massive is the biggest synth in VST history. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Sylenth, but you see, I remember Massive being around and being legendary back from V-Station times. After that, Vanguard replaced V-Station in it's field, then Sylenth replaced Vanguard, Dune almost replaced Sylenth, Spire is kind of replacing Dune right now ... but Massive stayed, and it stayed as epic as ever. ...and that just counts.

Cheers,
Martin.

Read Review
Massive

Reviewed By womoma [all]
August 10th, 2011
Version reviewed: 1.1 on Mac

Massive is "modern hybrid" synth in many respects. It features a huge number of waveforms, filters and modulators, and it encompases various forms of synthesis, within a brilliantly elegant interface.

Massive is a synth people often associate with Dubstep and Jungle, but while it does a great job at making those sort of sounds, it also excels with beautiful evolving textures, delicate sequences, clangorous bells, gripping bass, and all sorts of alien tambres and weird special effects. The sheer power and complexity of this synthesizer makes for a huge amount of sonic potential. The view that it is a "harsh" synth or a "dubstep machine" is simply a myth. It is too "massive" to be a one trick pony.

When Massive was first released, a lot of people slated it for being CPU intensive, but more modern machines are better equipped to handle it, and even my modest 3ghz Core2Duo iMac handles it well enough that I can use a number of instances in any project.

It features a unique patch browser, and comes with a number of presets. While the presets don't do it justice, it is fun to browse patches, and easy to create, categorize and save your own.

Massive has become my most used synth because it allows me to turn the sound in my head into a working patch in a matter of minutes. Not only that but patch making is so much fun with Massive, I've built up my own library of patches, and I can access them very quickly with the built in browser.

I've used a lot of synths over the years, both hardware and software, and Massive is up on the top of my list, with the likes of Zebra 2, Sylenth, and Ableton Operator nipping at its heels.

Zebra 2 has many similar sonic features, but doesn't come close for spontanious patch-making, and sheer fun. Sylenth is quick and easy to program, but doesn't have anywhere near the amount of sonic potential. Powerful, simple, fun... Massive ticks all the boxes without making many compromises.

To sum up, Massive is a synth enthusiasts dream come true: It's quick and easy to adjust parameters and modulations, it's hugely versitile and capable of a very wide range of tambres, it has lots of advanced features which allow one to create highly expressive, dynamic patches. It's fun to explore, and it sounds absolutely stunning.
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Comments & Discussion for Native Instruments Massive

Discussion
Discussion: Active
sir cortes
sir cortes
15 May 2013 at 10:22pm

Salutations people! I'm having problems with Massive, each time i open say a bassline i made the previous day,i still have to go and re-choose that very present i had chosen when making the bassline. Am i using it the wrong way or it always resets itself....

mau5head
mau5head
26 March 2014 at 1:58am

I am looking to purchase Massive used.... how do I go about buying something which is more virtual.. and less physical.. =P.

snigelx
snigelx
26 March 2014 at 4:39am

You use the KVR Market Place. http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=43.

Read first all Announcements at the top of that forum. These are important rules. Below this you have "sticky" posts (with small light bulbs beside each post). These are not sales. Look then look for license sale announcements in the posts below this section, that do not have the small light bulb beside them.
Most often you will conduct business with the person selling his/her software via Private Message. Read and familiarise yourself with the guidelines in the Announcements section at the top and you'll be entering the Market Place on the right foot.

zisser
zisser
2 June 2019 at 9:21am

Hey Guys.

I'm starting to upload a full course on Massive!
Check it our on my YouTube channel were you can find more tutorials and synth reviews.

Lesson 1 - Native Instruments - Massive Tutorial - Overview

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