Just getting into recording and you need some VST’s but you don’t know which is right for you? 2021 has never been a better time to get into digital audio.
The world is saturated with VST’s and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming choosing the right one without getting let down of a horrible VST.
What is a VST?
VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology. It can be used for software instruments and different kinds of audio effects. VST’s are meant to be used in your DAW even though some VST’s can also be used as a standalone app. Once applied to a track, it will affect the sound the track. For example, a reverb vst will only affect the reverb to that track and nothing else.
You can think outside the box and start daisy chaining a handful of effects to a track or even a group of tracks depending on what you are going in your song. There are many different DAWs out there that will accept 3rd party VSTs and not just the stock plugins which is nice.
TAL Reverb 4
There are many many and many different reverbs out there to get your hands on and more and more keep popping up as well, its crazy! But fear not, TAL Reverb 4 is a fantastic free plugin that emulates that lovely vintage 80s sound. Works on all instruments and not to mention vocals as well! The controls are intuitive, and you will be making tweaks to taste quicker than you think.
Youlean Loudness Meter 2
We have all heard about “loudness wars” and if you haven’t your not missing out much. The concept is to have your song as loud as you can in today’s era. Well kind of… In the 80s, it was all about having that perfect mix with dynamics. Today, everyone is trying to have their song pushed as much as you can. Sometimes its good and sometimes its not. With Youlean Loudness Meter 2, you can master your final mix ensuring yourself having your song loud enough for streaming services and more. Adjusting your dynamics and monitoring the LUFS (loudness units relative to full scale) in your track will get your track where you need it to be.
Spitfire Labs
I recently stumbled upon this company and found an amazing collection of vst’s from them. These freebies you will want to have in your arsenal because they sound simply beautiful. Spitfire Labs are well known for their orchestral sample libraries. They have worked with some of the best composers, musicians, and engineers to create amazing realistic virtual instruments for cinematic scoring. Pick up some of these vst’s when you get a chance. They range from strings, guitars, pianos, brass, drums, vocals, percussion, synths, and experimental. They also have that retro look to the plugins as well.
Voxengo SPAN
Voxengo SPAN is a spectrum analyzer and a metering plugin in one that monitors the frequency range of your tracks. A pleasing visual that is intuitive to use so you can find frequencies that might be mudding up your mix or killing your ears in the high-end spectrum. Now you will be able to make sure you have enough headroom in your master when using this plugin. A tool every producer needs in their arsenal.
Native Instruments Komplete Start
Did you think I was not going to hook you up with an actual amazing instrument vst or vst’s?! Native Instruments is an excellent company to start investing in for plugins. They came out with Komplete Start that comes bundled with instruments, loops, samples, and other effect. Everything you need to get you started making music. Komplete Start also comes with free versions of Kontakt and Reaktor. Two well-known plugins that have amazing plugins to build your library of plugins.
These plugins are a sure great start to get you going. Already making music? That’s great! These plugins you will want to have in your library for sure. You can always upgrade them later and support the developers if you enjoy using the free versions. Now get in the studio and start making music.
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