Best Virtual Instruments?

[Burn4Him]

Hi!

Ok guys I have a quick question.

I am getting my midi rig going! (when traveling its so much easier to bring a laptop and AI [audio interface] than a s90es)

P.S. try flying with an S90es..... no good

ok well up until now i have been making all my own patches for midi and its getting kinda rough and I'm not all that great at it. Does anyone know some great virtual instruments i could buy?

as of now i think the best piano I've found has been from synthogy.com italian grand is just AMAZING! but i really need some good pads.... let me know if you guys know of anything!

Thanks a ton!

 

[Burn4Him]

bueller bueller anyone?

 

[goz211]

Hello

I switched to a software rig a few years back. Ran everything from a laptop and a roland a33 midi controller keyboard. Sounds were great. However ...

I did just over a hundred gigs but I occasionally got those "windows has had to close your application due to an unexpected error" messages requiring a complete reboot. Only happened twice that the band noticed but the second time was in an exposed piano bit - and the crowd noticed. I'm back to hardware keyboards for all live work.

I'll post more details of the VSTs I used if you're interested and still thinking about the software route.

Good luck on your serach for the perfect "flight portable" rig.

 

[Burn4Him]

hey goz211! yeah i use logics mainstage off my mac book pro and havent run into that problem yet and hopefully wont! lol
but yeah if you can post some of your favorate vsts that would be awesome!

 

[FrankJ]

All the native instruments soft synths are good. They actually just did one specifically for piano in which they sampled Alicia keys piano. Allegedly it's the most real sounding piano sample you can get, but I haven't played it. As far as pads go, I haven't heard any soft synths that are particularly grand. I think the soft synths in logic will be the best for those

 

[goz211]

All the native instruments soft synths are good.

+1 - and they'll run on your Mac.

I like and have purchased:

Sonivox Strings DVI: http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail.asp?Item=SymphonicStringsV2

Truepianos (I usually the Diamond Vanilla preset): http://www.truepianos.com/

Both of the above have demos so you can try them yourself.

I have the Native Instruments Kore 1 hardware controller (it has midi and 1/4 inch audio ins and outs) and the Kore 2 software that comes with it covers a lot of ground. I could get by with just the stock library sounds if I had to.

I have (and use) some of the Kore soundpacks:

'57 Organ (no longer available as it has now been replaced by a Scarbee organ offering - the Scarebee stuff gets a great rep)
Sax and Brass (great if you need those sounds)
Transient Attacks (I used to gig with a DX7)

I'm back to hardware but was about to purchase the following (for my live rig):

OP-X: http://www.sonicprojects.ch/obx/products.html
Lounge Lizard Session: http://www.applied-acoustics.com/loungelizardsession/overview/

I still use VSTs when recording but nearly all gigging is done with my Roland Juno Stage.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Burn4Him]

dude thanks a ton!