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- Looking For Freeware Tips: Tb 303 Tr 808 Vst For Mac Pro
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Music and Synthesis:. Related Sites: Discord/IRC: Reference:. Instructions and Manuals:. Hey there guys!
I'm a total newbie to synthesizers, yet I've been an 80's synthpop/electronic lover since forever. Today I decided that I would love to perhaps play / compose my own music, heavily inspired by music from Jan Hammer, Alan Parson's Project or something specially like Now, where the hell should I start? I searched on this subreddit for similar posts, but they seemed to focus on other subgenres or had something very specific in mind. I discovered tutorial which uses a VST (FL Studio?) to create a sound that I'm looking for.
However, wouldn't be using only software be a bit 'dull'? Can't there be semi-basic keyboard + a computer helping to make the experience more fun? I'd be glad to spend up to $1000 on both hardware and software, but I'd need some guidance, especially on the hardware side. I'd prefer to buy a new keyboard, as it would probably be less maintenance and be easier to make it work with software. Any tips / tutorials on how to compose or something like that would be really appreciated as well. Again, I already looked for similar threads to prevent necroing an old thread, but I did not find something as similar as I am asking, so, sorry if it is indeed.
Thanks a bunch! I'd suggest softsynths as a way to get into this stuff. You'll be able to get much more versatility of sounds and effects for much cheaper. Many awesome synths and effects are free. Controller the one thing you'll absolutely need is a MIDI controller. Testing and playing patches on your computer's keyboard sucks unless you really love only one octave and the C scale. Here are a few options.
49 keys seems to be the sweet spot for me. Anything less and you'll be running out of room, but 61 keys is too bulky imo unless you're already somewhat of a pianist or you have a ton of desk space. How much will you want the knobs/sliders/pads on the more expensive models? I'd say they can be pretty important.
If you make a template that auto-assigns them to a synth's parameters, they can give you that quick hands-on hardware feel. You can use the sliders for ADSR envelopes, and the knobs for the filter and LFO, etc. Another interesting option is to pick up a used. You can find them on ebay relatively cheaply. Unless you already know how to play the piano, wrapping your head around all the specific scale shapes on a piano keyboard is a real bitch.
The grid layout on the push allows you to transpose keys and memorize scale shapes easier (since the shape is the same, no matter the root). I haven't personally used one yet, but if anyone can chip in on how easy it would be to play a big fat jazz chord on a push, please let me know, because mashing chords out on the fly on a piano is practically impossible without extensive practice and internalization of the scales. Another cool part of the Push is that it can double as a massive 64-key sample pad, be used as an interactive animated step sequencer, can be used to trigger clips and scenes and loops in ableton. Actually the more I think about this, the better a push seems to be over a regular keyboard if you'll be using ableton. DAW You'll also need a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation program) that is capable of running VST plugins. VST's are synths and effects and other instruments that can be loaded into DAW music programs. There are a lot of free ones, and also a lot of nice paid ones.
Your DAW may come with a few synths and effects built-in, but anything extra you buy and add will be in VST form. You want one that allows you to load multiple VSTs in a chain, so for example, a synth VST that then runs into effects VST's.
I haven't gone through that list personally, but there has to be one in there that will work. Those will be good for just messing around, but if you want to make and record your own songs, I'd buy an actual good DAW and learn how to use it well. I personally would suggest Ableton, as it lets you work both in a traditional linear editor, and also using looping 'clips' and 'scenes' which are a lot more fun to play with. Bitwig offers a similar workflow, but I wasn't impressed with its built-in instruments and effects, and its multi-pane interface was confusing to me. I could just be dumb though.
The $79 Intro version of live is probably fine, as you can just download a bunch of free synths and effect VST's that are just as good, if not better than the stuff ableton includes in the Standard and Suite versions, and if you change your mind you can upgrade at any time. If you want to try it out to see if you like it before buying, there are a lot of torrents of it floating around. There's also a free 30 day trial on the Ableton website. Audio Interface last but not least, you'll probably need to buy a hardware audio interface that has ASIO capability. This allows you to hit a key on your controller and instantly hear the sound without latency.
If you try to use windows's built-in sound drivers, there will be significant delay that makes it impossible to do live playing and recording. A is probably your best bet.
Focusrite pre-amps are excellent quality. You can sort of half-ass ASIO by downloading a thing called. This replaces the default windows driver and lets you play with low-latency in your DAW, but one downside is that it mutes all other sounds outside of your DAW. So for example, you couldn't listen to a youtube in a browser and use your DAW at the same time, but it's good enough to use as a temporary fix. Free VST's there are a zillion free VST's and a lot of them are crap.
I've gone through a ton of them. Below are some really incredible ones that I've kept and still use regularly:. 70's synth - 80's synth - modern synth -.
Reverb - delay - graphic EQ- simple 80's chorus - advanced chorus - tube saturator - overdrive/distortion - fuzz pedal - various guitar amps - clean compressor - dirty compressor - binaural 3D panner -. If you need help with any of these effects, or want to know what certain knobs do, PM me and I'll help you out paid VST's the only VST's I pay for are synths, as I am able to get equivalent or even better performance out of most of the free effects above.
($180) - my favorite softsynth. The first softsynth I tried that captured that authentic warm dirty analog character. Has a variety of different oscillator, filter, and envelope types to emulate moogs, junos/jupiters, oberheims, and more. The interface is pretty deep though, and takes a while to learn well.
Looking For Freeware Tips: Tb 303 Tr 808 Vst For Mac Pro
If I had to pick one desert island softsynth, it'd be Diva. ($130) - has a next-gen drag-and-drop interface that makes programming sounds super fast and fun.
Basically a really good professional version of Helm. The way you program this synth will honestly spoil you for everything else, it's that cool. If I had to pick the ideal first synth to learn on, it'd be Circle 2 hands down. ($60) - emulation of the Roland Juno-60, a classic synth used in many 80's songs. More limited in its sound programming options compared to the others on here, but this simplicity makes it a great easy synth to learn on. Turn the chorus on and turn on the arpeggiator and you'll be making Stranger Things noises.
Looking For Freeware Tips Tb 303 Tr 808 Vst For Mac
($93) - emulation of a Minimoog Model D. I'm actually surprised at how well this is priced. I haven't personally tried this one out yet, but I've seen detailed analysis videos and listened to a lot of demos and this is probably the best Model D emulation on the market. ($180) - emulation of the legendary Oberheim OB-X.
The small interface is starting to show its age, and unless you've used an OB-X before, the push-button interface is kind of strange, but it sounds great. Goes on sale for 50% off pretty often. All of these have free demo versions that let you try them out before buying. (continued below). Learning how to program synths the best way to learn synths is definitely Syntorial, but at $130 that shit ain't cheap.
If you have some specific simple synth sounds I can probably recreate it and explain how I did it for you. Coursera is also offering this. I took this dude's class on general studio production and it was really good, so the synth class should be just as good.
The class started on the 6th, so you can join now and not be behind if you'd actually want to do any of the projects. So, my crap's coming in the mail, but I don't want to wait. What can I do to start learning synths Right Now?
Either buy Syntorial and start working through that, or sign up for that Coursera synth course. Syntorial is more in-depth, but the latter is free and is also really good. You should probably do both honestly (I'm actually going to do both myself as a refresher). What if I just want to mess around with stuff?.download and install ASIO4ALL.either buy a copy of Ableton Intro or download a free DAW/VST Host, and configure it to use ASIO4ALL in its audio preferences.download all three of those free synths and play around, and pick one to focus on.
(I suggest Helm, as it's both the most powerful and the easiest to program for beginners).download TAL Chorus, Spaceship Delay, and epicVerb.set up your chain so it's going Helm TAL Chorus Spaceship Delay epicVerb, in that order.have fun and ask me if you need to know about knobs Summary if you just want to dip your toes in the water, just get a controller and play around with those free VST's using ASIO4ALL and a free VST host. If you like synths and think you're going to be doing them for a while, and want to record your own music, then get Ableton Intro and that Focusrite interface. If you want to pay for higher quality softsynths, I'd highly recommend both Circle 2 and The Legend, as both are easy to program, and that combination will give you a huge variety of sound and programmability. Any tips / tutorials on how to compose or something like that would be really appreciated as well.
Shit man, now that's a question. Uh basically the first thing you need to know is that every song has a 'key' or 'scale', and every note in that song falls within that specific scale.
To find a song's scale, noodle around on the keyboard while listening to the song. You'll quickly find the 'root', or 'home note' of the song, and you'll then be able to figure out whether it's a major or minor key song.
Once you've identified the scale of the song, you can hit any note or combination of notes within that scale and it will sound fine. Using that youtube you linked as an example, it starts out in D# minor key. Then it does something interesting. At 10:54 it changes key up into Ab major. It stays here for a while, before eventually returning back down to D# minor. Changing the song's key in the middle of a song is called 'key modulation', and I'm not really sure if there are specific rules as to which keys you can appealingly change to, or if it's something you just have to feel out.
Yeah, the push 2 is super expensive. I couldn't justify buying one either. If a push 1 is hard to come by, it wouldn't be bad to just get a regular MIDI controller for now. If you still want to try out a grid layout in the future, you can always try out a Novation Launchpad Mini or something later.
If the choice came down between a launchpad and a controller with knobs/sliders, I'd get the latter, as the physical controls will let you program and tweak synths with your hands. If you're going to be using ableton or bitwig, I'd recommend the Launchkey 49, as it has those rows of colored pads you can use for launching clips and scenes. Do you play piano? Do you intend to become adept at it? You might not need a very elaborate setup or hardware if you can't really play.
Doing everything in a computer might be easier in that case. Learning synthesizers and learning to write full tracks are two different skills.
IMO, it's easier to compose on a computer if you aren't very technically adept at playing. You can learn a DAW (digital audio workstation) to help write down and mix down your songs. They often come With software synthesizers. If your on mac, Logic is incredible value. If you download the demo of ableton live, do their intro tutorial.
It's a very very good way to learn the basics of how a DAW works. If you just want to learn how a synth works, there are plenty of free options. Synth1, obxd, or any of the free offerings from u-he are very good starter synths for you to understand how synths work. I really liked zircon's tutorials for U-He zebra: Zebra is available as a demo with sound dropouts but you can still follow along 100%.
I think if you patiently go through those, you will understand a relatively complex synth and it will help to have an abstract idea of how synth architecture works that makes programming more linear synths the much easier. You don't need to spend any money if you are just starting out. You can use a free DAW like reaper and free softsynths and make some great music. A midi controller or synth with midi control is a good investment but I think you have a lot more investigating to do before you can ask the right questions to determine what hardware will best suit you.
Hope that helps any other questions feel free to ask! Thank you so much for your elaborate answer and for the great tips! It's a good point, I don't play the piano, but I would be glad to learn how to play it in order to get fully invested into this. I was thinking about getting a hardware synth, aside from the fact that I'd like to actually 'feel' what I play, because I'm a Software Developer, and getting away from my PC, at least partially, would be nice and somewhat therapeutic in this case. I could definitely follow your advice to play on free DAWs to get acquainted with all of this first, and then move on to something better if I feel/require it. I have a PC but also a Macbook, so I'd definitely want something multiplatform. Fl Studio, Logic.
Both look like appealing options. But yeah, it would be nice to get a hardware synth just for the feel of it as well. EDIT: Might as well consider a simplistic MIDI controller instead and just software synth for the moment.
With the Macbook, Garageband is already there. I recommend playing with that a bit. There are some good (basic) plug-ins inside of it. I know that there's a powerful softsynth in there - Alchemy - but Garageband might have the 'light' UI.
Good enough for exploring sounds, but maybe not quite enough to get into making your own sounds if that's more of your interest. Garageband is basically a free / basic version of Logic. It's a good starter way of evaluating just if the soft-synth / DAW composition environment might be right for you. (If it's not already there ). The way I started off was buying Ableton Live 9 Intro ($100) and a used Korg Minilogue ($400). I feel the Minilogue is a great intro synth - it's analog (actual oscillators making the sound instead of a digital recording), it 4 voice poly (you can play 4 notes at once, most analog synths under $1000 are mono) and it's mostly one knob per function (the synthesis is pretty intuitive).
If I were in your shoes though, and was willing to spend around $1000 I might pick up a synth with a better keybed like a used Elektron Analog 4 or used DSI Mopho 4x (or new if you're willing to go a little over $1000). I suggest researching which synths out there are in your price range and then watch youtube video demos for each of them.
My guess is that at least one of them will call out to you. Hi friend, My relatively brief opinion: We love hardware here, but truth of the matter is that hardware synths are an intense money sink. Since you will be using a DAW to record anyways, you'd be way better off using software synths to start. Take a look at Roland cloud, which has a huge number of offerings for 20 bucks a month, many of which are software versions of famous 80s synthesizers and come with great presets (you'll even recognize some of them if you like 80s synth pop).
Hardware wise, your comments lead me to believe you'll want a midi controller: but wait! Buy a digital piano instead. A yamaha ypg 235 or a Williams legato both have the ability to send midi information into your computer so you can play your software synths and have a keybed which is not the normal plastic, no-resistance garbage that comes on most midi controllers. Both come in around 250 dollars or less and, unlike midi controllers, can make their own sounds for times where you don't want to relive your day job by staring at a computer screen. Keep in mind, a good pair of headphones are cheaper than a good keyboard amp. Just my 2 cents, hope it helps. I encourage you to do more personal research about keyboards as well as to how setting up a keyboard as a midi controller works and the different DAWs out there.
Ableton is the industry standard, Reaper is free and powerful but also technical, and Reason Essentials is a dirt cheap all-in-one option that will provide you with a soft synth and a drum machine right away. Message me if you have any questions, I'd be happy to explain more in-depth stuff if you need. Best of luck! Buy a midi controller with a decent key bed and then purchase a VST synth. Unless you're after a very particular kind of synth flavor, there's not much reason to buy hardware synths.
Often VST's can emulate most hardware to the point where nobody can tell the difference, with some exceptions of course. Hardware is expensive, takes up more space, has more limitations in what it can do, and is subject to wear and tear. That being said I own plenty of hardware because some hardware just has no parallel in software (yet). My opinion is beginners should go soft synth + midi controller route, until you develop certain wants/desires that can only be fulfilled by hardware. But people who are new to synths won't know what that is, because they haven't the ear for it just yet.
Having previously covered many of the best synths for and, as well as key processors from to to, we thought it was about time we provided an in-depth run-down of the very best drum plugin options available right now. There’s a wide-ranging selection, from classic hardware drum machine emulations to cutting-edge drum synths, samplers, step sequencers and all-in-one grooveboxes – as well as ROMplers and virtual studio acoustic drum kits for creating the most authentic-sounding ‘live’ drum tracks. We’ve included the well-known favourites and industry standard drum plugins alongside some of the more specialised or left-field drum tools out there, so whatever your chosen genre, budget, level of experience or preferred workflow, we’ve got you covered below.
How Do You Choose Which Are The Best Drum Plugins For You? D16’s Drumazon models the ubiquitous Roland TR-909 drum machine There are a lot of options, and while having the ability to select, sculpt and process your drum sounds and programmed rhythms in as much detail as possible within a single interface is often preferable, don’t be under the illusion that the more complex, all-singing-and-all-dancing drum plugins are necessarily the better match for your own preferred way of working. What’s interesting about drum machines, software or hardware, is how the apparently minor differences in features and workflow can add up to loving one and not quite connecting with another that on paper is similar but is just not quite “it” for you in practice. Drums are a very personal thing – (almost) everyone needs them, but perhaps nothing quite highlights the differences in how we each personally approach our music and our unique workflow than how we go about constructing our rhythm tracks. With all the drum plugins listed below, professional-level sound creation and sample reproduction is a given: they will all give you pro results.
But consider the more streamlined ones as potentially equally powerful, if they fit perfectly with your DAW and other production tools, or simply inspire you. They might also allow you to get more stuff done without getting distracted! “What’s interesting about drum machines is how the apparently minor differences in features and workflow can add up to loving one and not quite connecting with another.” Find the drum tools that suit you naturally, and you’ll likely know it almost immediately. Conversely, if you are finding drum programming a bit of a drag or you’re struggling to create the kind of grooves and feel you want, consider re-evaluating your current drum tools and experimenting with the different features and workflows presented by other plugins. Softube’s Heartbeat – instrument section One last thing: remember not to rule out drum plugins that superficially may only seem appropriate for a different style of music than your own. These tools could turn out to be exactly what’s needed to take your music in an interesting and innovative direction if used creatively beyond their typical or intended use. Noisia and many modern Drum & Bass prodicers cite Superior Drummer as key to their sound, for example; equally, there is a long history of rock bands, from Krautrock to Nine Inch Nails to Radiohead, employing vintage electronic drum machine sounds to create a pleasing tension between metronomic rhythms and their human playing. So keep an open mind and don’t discount any of the options based on arbitrary genre rules – it’ll help keep your music fresh and interesting.
With that in mind, whether you’re new to producing or want a percussive upgrade, spend a little time with a selection of the plugins featured below that catch your eye, and see which you “click” with (yes, drum puns, I went there) The 25 Best Drum Plugins – The List In a nutshell: Beat Production System. For total control over every aspect on your drums, Geist 2 is the closest thing to a dedicated DAW for drums – you can create, sample, sequence and arrange entire tracks without stepping outside the Geist interface. In a nutshell: The very best plugin emulation of the definitive Techno drum machine, the Roland TR-909. Key features / differentiators: The most authentic reproduction, not just of the drum sounds of the 909 hardware, but also the sequencing behaviour of the hardware, which usually results in quite different drum patterns than what you might end up with if programming drums from scratch; carefully considered additional features like extra Tune and Decay controls make it more flexible than the original machine and a far more convenient choice for modern DAW-based production. Particularly good for: Despite being released in 1984 as an update to the poorly received (at the time) TR-808 for accompanying gigging solo musicians, the Roland drum machines have ever since been entirely synonymous with Techno, House and Hip Hop.
Producers of any of the myriad styles of electronic dance music will benefit from having ready access to sculptable 909 sounds in their arsenal, as opposed to static samples, and for those who are interested in the “classic” sounds of club music, Drumazon is absolutely essential. Available for: Mac/PC 32-64 bit VST/AU/AAX/standalone via.
In a nutshell: The definitive booming kick drum. To borrow from the Beastie Boys, nothing sounds quite like an 808. Key features / differentiators: That famous booming kick drum. The crispy claps and snares, and sizzling hats and cymbals. All with additional sound-shaping controls where the original hardware was found wanting, plus recreations of the sequencing and swing features. Particularly good for: Hip Hop, Trap and pretty much every urban and electronic dance style. Whether you’re looking to recreate the sound of vintage Hip Hop or are aiming to return to the source of those iconic booming Trap bass and kick hits, Nepheton will get you there.
Available for: Mac/PC 32-64 bit VST/AU/AAX/standalone via. In a nutshell: Whereas Geist 2 is FXpansion’s ultimate drum sampler, Tremor represents a similar approach to drum synthesis. Not tied to emulating a specific hardware unit, Tremor in many ways strikes a perfect balance between digital flexibility, usability and sheer analogue-style punch. In a nutshell: Live’s built-in drum plugin works with characteristic ease of use and speed. In a nutshell: Flagship drum synth/sampler/sequencer from the respected synth designer.
Key features / differentiators: First-rate drum sounds generated by synth engines optimised for percussion; great effects as you would expect from a respected designer of synths; despite the flexibility of the interface and range of sounds provided, well thought-out presets allow you to get up and running very quickly. Particularly good for: Trance and EDM producers looking to sculpt modern electronic beats with a high degree of control and nuance. Armin van Buuren is a fan. Also see, a variant that expands the kick section from Punch into a ridiculously detailed kick drum plugin. Available for: Mac/PC 32-64 bit VST/AU/AAX/standalone via. In a nutshell: The original acoustic drum studio-emulating virtual instrument, currently on version 3 with a streamlined interface and redesigned sound engine, is still the very best you can buy.
In a nutshell: Great all-round acoustic drum ROMpler from the man who made his name with drum libraries and pro mix processing software tools. In a nutshell: Drum synth/sampler/sequencer in the style of a hardware all-in-one performance groovebox from the makers of FL Studio. Key features / differentiators: A feature set optimised for rolling, live rhythm construction and performance includes 8 sampler channels, each with four layers; 5 hybrid subtractive/FM synth channels; 10 DJ-style effects; multiple outputs for further processing and linking into a larger studio or live rig.
Particularly good for: As with the original hardware grooveboxes of the 90s, the fact that one unit is covering so many bases does make it a danger that it won’t exactly be a master of any of them. However, while there might be better choices for some of the tasks Groove Machine can do, this would be to miss the point – and the attraction – of the groovebox concept, which is precisely that you can make things quickly, in a fun way, and all within the single interface. Groove machine is also clearly optimised for live performance, with DJ-style effects and a performance-oriented workflow, which is where the groovebox feature set really comes into its own for house, trance, dubstep and other electronic genres. Available for: Mac/PC 32-64 bit VST/AU/AAX/standalone via.
In a nutshell: Swedish master modellers Softube bring a typically smart and characterful, “best-of-analogue”-inspired drum machine with a high-end, boutique feel. Where are you sourcing your drums, and which tools do you like for putting together kits and crafting drum tracks in your productions? Do you mostly chop up loops and single hit samples, or prefer to record or synthesize your drums from scratch where possible? Do you lean towards the tried and tested sounded of the classic drum machines, or are you looking for fresh sonic ground to explore? Leave your comments and share your tips below so that others can benefit from your experience! To make the most of your drum samples and plugins, proper knowledge of the fundamentals of compression, EQ and reverb is crucial. For more tips and techniques for getting the most out of all of your plugins and studio gear and giving your tracks the weight, clarity and focus they need to stand out, don’t forget to check out: If you found this post useful, you’ll probably also be interested in some of our other related posts.