Recently, I've been scouring the internet for a variety of VST's and other software to pair with Ableton for composing purposes. Any of you DAW users out there suggest any specific programs? (Particularly 64-Bit compatible, but I can make do with 32-bit if necessary) What's your all time favorite Plugin? Favorite Program? Even just soft synths? Anything really .3.

Has Shane joined LBF yet?

Else, just tweet him or something. I know he loves VSTs way too much.

Ableton is incomparable.

This probably isn't the best place to ask, you'd be better checking out www.reddit.com/r/wearethemusicmakers or something like that.

Trust me, I've done my fair share of research on the subject in various other places. I just wanted to see if any "LBP individuals" had specific preferences. Thanks for the link tho.

omg i havent posted in here since forever woo

Buy Ableton Live 9, Lennar Digital's Sylenth1, Native Instruments' Massive and/or Steve Duda's Serum, maybe Reveal Sounds' Spire. That gives you a standard high quality subtractive synth, the industry standard(s) wavetable synth, and an easy-to-use FM synth. That's all I find myself using these days.

Ableton live 9- Check. Sylenth1- Workin on it. Massive-Seems very overrate, m8. Serum looks sexy as hell, and I'm not too familiar with Spire and its capabilities. What's your thoughts on the REAKTOR/KONTAKT/Guitar Rig Series?

REAKTOR is a decent synth-plugin, but I would rather go for Sylenth1, trust me, it's really good.

Guitar Rig has some good effects, but for Amp simulators, I'd go for Amplitude 3, because LOTS of good reviews.

And for Kontakt; the best sampler out there with unlimited numbers of excellent libraries, like I own Cinematic Strings and it is a simply amazing strings library. Then again, Kontakt is meant for realism, but there are also a lot of synth-ish libraries.

Also, Massive never really got me after I tried it at a music software event.

Never tried Spire, but I guess it's fine enough.

A great synth recommendation is Surge from Vember Audio.

Reaktor isn't worth it. Only decent synth I've ever used in there is Razor. If you're trying to sound like Singularity, go for it. Otherwise don't waste your money/time/hard drive space. Guitar rig and other stuff is pretty useless imo. Most effect units can really be properly simulated with the right knowledge, I'm pretty picky with my effect plugins. Massive is fantastic, disregard what anyone says. It does what it says it does, nothing more and nothing less. Serum has more capabilities but it far more advanced and you really have to know your way around Wavetable synthesis to actually utilize what it can do. (No use driving a Ferrari if you keep it in the first two gears the whole time) Spire is an FM synth, which is a pretty crucial part of your synth set to have, just in case you want to work with those sounds. Tchami and other deep house artists actually derive lots of their bass synths from Spire. It's easy to use and it has good results.

Thanks for the input guys. Out of sheer curiosity, what makes Massive so wonderful, aside from "It does exactly what it says it does"? In what manner does it carry out its goals, and what makes it better than the rest (Aside from serum, of course)?

Also, Friction, I absolutely love strings (preferably Chello and Stand-up Bass (grittiness + elegance, so good), but Violin/Viola are great too). Been looking for a decent sound library that houses some realistic strings, so it's nice to finally find a decent pack appear in someone's repertoire. Thx m80

8DIO adagietto, adagio and etc. are also great! I don't have any of those libraries yet, but from what I've heard I prefer them over cinestrings. There's also EWQL Hollywood strings, if you have the money.

The reason I prefer Cinematic Strings over a lot of other string libraries, is because it has an excellent out of the box sound, is very user friendly and has the core articullations I need. While it isn't the most detailed strings library that there is, when compared to EWQL Hollywood Strings, Berlin Strings, Spitfire Audio Sable Strings or LASS, it is worth the price (?380,-) for a big cinematic sound, thus the name cinematic strings.

Like Mr. Buttarms says, 8DIO strings libraries (and the others I mentioned) are extremely realistic and have more articulations, but problem being that the price for those libraries are extremely expensive for the complete package, costing up to ?1000,-

Massive is wonderful because it's a Wavetable synth, which is a more specific and rare kind of synthesis, and can allow lots of unique hand-made sounds. Serum, again, is more powerful (allowing the user to create their own waveforms) but if you don't know what you're doing, Massive is a much better choice as a starting point into Wavetable synthesis. (Google if you don't know what's different about wavetable)

You're probably best going with one highly capable synth as a "Go-to" rather than multiple synths, the only one I can really recommend from this is harmor, but like what has already been said, look into massive, sylenth and serum
I also just recently found this incredible free piano vst, might be worth checking out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ0UjmmuwLQ

Really cool to encounter a topic like this on a lbp forum!!

Would have never thought so many people are combining the 2

So... I just wanted to say, that picking a favourite vst or daw is a personal matter to me.
The reason why I liked massive so much, is cause the layout is really simple and easy to overlook.
Also it's a great synth to start with and learn the basics bout synthesis.
And it's one of the mainstream standards since 2007 (I believe?)

Ever since serum is out, I hardly seem to use massive anymore.
Main reasons is the flexibility within serum and the (almost) unlimited modulation possibilities.
Plus, drawing your own waveforms is something I've practically been waiting for my whole life

Picking massive over serum isn't really wise if you'd ask me.
The presets in serum are much cooler then in massive (even thou massive has more libraries) , plus everyone is able now a days to check out tutorials on YouTube. There are some very good ones on it.
A logic reason to choose massive instead of serum would be CPU usage. Serum is rather heavy if you use a lot of modulation.

Sylenth has a really cool and warm sound in the low ends.
Makes it perfect for creating synth bass and wide productions, if you'd ask me

Also, a simple and light synth is the operator from Ableton 9 (comes with the suite version)
I use it often especially for sub bass.

NI Kontact comes with awesome libraries. I've used them a lot!
Pianos, symphonic and even drum kits are just awesome!

The only cool thing I found in guitar rig, is the psychedelic space delay.
And use with a non-amped guitar, it can produce quite some violence!


Here are some other vst's I like to use:
- dblue glitch (it's an old one and it's a free download! Cool for old Skool stuff)
- izoptope stutter (I just love glitches music )
- lounge lizard (a great Rhodes simulator, sounds awesome)
- izotope ozone (great for mastering)

Other cool daw's:
- cubase
- protools
- logic
- fruity loops
Cause really, if used wise, all of them can create hits.
Most of the time it's more of a workflow thing.

At the end of the day, you shouldn't spend money on more VSTs until you learn how to make good music with what you have. Many FX can be replicated just by production techniques, (which then give you much more control over the sound.) The only stuff you should buy outright are the basics in each category of synthesis. (Other than granular because it's just insane and unpredictable outside of Omnisphere 2.) Sylenth1, an FM synth (Spire or FM8) and a wavetable synth, Massive, Serum, Omnisphere 2, whatever. I wouldn't suggest spending money on unknown VSTs, by the way.

ya know.. I have a suggestion.. not for VSTs.. but for a newer DAW. if you like how Ableton feels and works, you should seriously consider trying the demo version of Bitwig.. I think the learning curve is less on Bitwig as well compared to some of the others.

I am FL all the way! XD

as long as you can make professional sounding music with it and it feels right for you, then it's a good DAW. and I know that there has been plenty of professionally made electronic tracks with FL.