• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Some cool VST links

SuperDuck

SuperDuck

Sep 26, 2000
10,463
51
Wisconsin
#1
I started using Cubase a few weeks ago, and I think that half of the fun that I've had so far has come from scouring the internet looking for free VST synths and effects. Here are some of the better ones I've come across and like to use. I like synths or effects that come in sets, as you might be able to tell.

If you have any more to add, please do so.

(FYI - these are all free! :D)

Tweakbench
This site has a whole slew of awesome stuff. If you've ever wanted to do any old-school Nintendo music, these are the VSTi's you need! Between the Peach and Triforce synths and the Toad drum machine, you can make all sorts of NES-sounding songs. The effects are pretty cool too, though I have not had a lot of time to futz around with them.

Link Removed
The link above has a few other synths on the same page, but these three I think are awesome. CYGNUS has probably one of the coolest GUI's ever, and is great for far-out space related sounds. Gargoyle is cool for horror movie-type sounds, and EZ-Poly is a great overall synth that can do some sweet lead tones.

Kjaerhus Audio Classic Effects
This is a purty suite of effects that are really awesome. You've got all your bases covered here, from a compressor to chorus. I've used them all and they sound great. Each one has a lot of adjustable parameters, too, which is nice.

4Front Piano Module
This is a simple piano VSTi to use, especially considering there are no presets, parameters, or settings. You just turn it on and start programming notes. It sounds pretty good though, especially considering the nonexistant price tag. There are some other VST doohickeys on the site, though I haven't had the time to check them all out.

Loopazoid
Loopazoid is one of the easier to use samplers I've found. It's simple, straightforward, and gets the job done. What more can you ask for?

TubeBaby Amp Simulator
TubeBaby does a good job, I think. I'm no guitar player, but I like the way it's sounded when I've doodled around with it. Simple with a clean interface.

SoundEditor
This is actually a list of about 72 free synths, some of which I've tried. If you just like browsing around for various and sundy items, this is a good place to look.

Invalid Link Removed
Like the above link, this will lead you to all sorts of goodies. You can search for very specific items, which is nice. Just makes sure to indicate what OS you're using, and that you want Free VST items, as opposed to demos or trialware. (Unless you want demos or trialware.)

I'll post more as I find them. :)
 
#10
Thanks a lot, SuperDuck, that thing sounds excellent. :eek:

Is it normal that Cubase spits out silent wavs/mp3s if I select my SB Live as the midi output, by the way? I use my Zoom B2.1u to record instruments, but it can't do midi. I like the way my Live's organ and piano samples sound and would like to use them in my songs but they always come up silent after the mixdown when I record them in Cubase. If I use a VST as the midi output, it doesn't "vanish".

If there's no workaround for this, that's okay too, as I like "Drawbar" just as much as my Live's organ samples and I guess there are also quality piano VSTs out there.
 
#15
Well, I guess it was my speaker settings, I use 2x10 bass combo as a "PA" to monitor the output of Cubase and I think I must have fiddled too much with its gain settings. After audio mixdown of a single VST track, it is about as loud as the average mp3 I have on my computer.
 
#16
I've recently gotten into the vst thing as well.. ..and holy hell there is a lot of things that are possible to do.

My band and I are currently recording a new demo (using me and my computer), and vsti's and vst effects have been great to have this far.

I'm pretty confident that the end result will be pretty good, considering the budget we're on. :D

Here are some great freebies:

Link Removed
- great free drumkit. I don't use it personally, but it sounds pretty realistic. The drums have up to 23 velocity samples. It's supposed to be the absolute best you can get for the price.. ..which is nothing. :hyper:

Invalid Link Removed
- pretty decent drawbar organ. Has a nag screen that goes away after about 30 seconds if you haven't registered it.

Invalid Link Removed
- mellotron vsti that sounds pretty good.

I also downloaded a free piano soundfont called Splendid Grand a couple of weeks ago, but I can't seem to find it now. Shame, cause it really sounded good. That actually reminds me that you can't use soundfonts with cubase if you don't have some tools.. Of course, that's free as well:

http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfz.htm
- sfz is a great free vst plug that's good if you want to use soundfonts with cubase (or any other program that supports vst plugins, but not soundfonts).

Invalid Link Removed
- MiniMogue is a pretty good emulation of the MiniMoog

^^ Those are only some of the free stuff that's out there, and a little searching will get you lots of other stuff. :smug:
 
#17
phxlbrmpf said:
Well, I guess it was my speaker settings, I use 2x10 bass combo as a "PA" to monitor the output of Cubase and I think I must have fiddled too much with its gain settings. After audio mixdown of a single VST track, it is about as loud as the average mp3 I have on my computer.
Click to expand...


Click the midi track that you've assigned the vsti to, then look at mixer bar to the left. At the bottom of the other things there should be a bar with the name of the vsti. Next to the name, there is a button with an e on it. Click that one, and the mixer window for the vst will turn up. Adjust the volume there.
 
#18
jokke_v said:
Link Removed
- great free drumkit. I don't use it personally, but it sounds pretty realistic. The drums have up to 23 velocity samples. It's supposed to be the absolute best you can get for the price.. ..which is nothing. :hyper:
Click to expand...

This drum kit is awesome! I'm surprised I forgot to mention it before. I use it with Loopazoid, which I mentioned in the first post, and I have to say that the drum sounds are great. My only gripe is that I would have liked a more aggressive kick drum sound, though I can't really complain considering what it cost me. :smug:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back