Category Archives: News

Guitar Rig 7 Pro, Player, And LE Comparison

For the first time in 3 years, Native Instruments has released a guitar rig update…

Now, guitar rig 7 pro and player make this the 3rd iteration of the classic software guitarists have come to love since its debut in 2004.

2023’s Most Exciting Amp Sim News!

That’s right, easily one of the most exciting updates to any VST of 2023 is guitar rig 7 pro, LE, and player, both available as part of the wider update.

But before we dive in with the good and bad points of each, let’s look at why this was such a hotly anticipated update and what it has to offer.

and Guitar Rig 6 Compared

If you’re wondering ‘is the guitar rig 7 update worth it?’ it helps to recall what made the software defining when it first came out. Native Instruments released Guitar Rig in 2004. Since then, the last major update was Guitar Rig 6 3 years ago.

Ultimately if you want to see guitar rig 6 vs 7 compared, you need to know what new features 7 has that 6 doesn’t. In addition, many musicians question whether to go for Guitar Rig 6 vs Amplitube 5, the other most in-demand amp sim.

Guitar Rig 7 Overall Breakdown

There is some confusion online about whether the upgrade from guitar rig 6 to 7 is free. Some musicians mistakenly thought it was part of the complete 14 bundle but no, unfortunately, this is not a free update.

Is Worth It?

Is the new software worth it? the prices listed vary, however, most sites list Guitar Rig 7 Pro upgrade (assuming you already have Guitar Rig 6) at anywhere between 50 and 100 USD. So, it’s not that low but it also won’t break the bank. Some of you may find it’s a bit much given that you already own the software in another form.

Remember also that if you don’t have it, you will have to buy it from scratch, and it retails at 130 USD approx.

It’s beyond the scope of this article to go into any Guitar Rig versions vs Amplitube 5. if you want a detailed breakdown you can look at our comparisons of guitar rig and amplitube here, as well as with other contenders like Helix Native assuming you are purchasing from scratch.

But for Guitar Rig 7 alone, we will now give you a thorough and honest breakdown as to what it does and doesn’t have to offer.

Guitar Rig 7 Features

The biggest draws for the update is how this version has 4 new amps and 5 new virtual FX pedals. In addition, the new software includes the Ozone Maximizer, 100 new rack presets, and loop machine pro, as well as new methods of organizing the signal chain with the new sidebar.

New Pedals:

We truly are impressed with the variety and versatility of the new features here. Read on for a breakdown of why exactly:

  • kolor– based on distortion circuits from real-life hardware, you’re essentially getting more FX for the price of one. This one is great for adding character.
  • chainsaw – the first of two genre-specific pedals. We love how the developers are finally recognising the popularity of metal sub-genres, so this is a big bonus.
  • seattle fuzz – bonus for featuring a sound that is having a small revival at the moment but major designers don’t always cater for. If it’s not your jam, this may not be such a great feature, but remember this sound is also great for indie, shoegaze, and more
  • skreamer deluxe – a great all-round overdrive pedal
  • ivp stomp – bonus for modeling this off discontinued hardware. We feel the new gear with guitar rig 7 has its strongest feature in how it fills in gaps, and the IVP stomp is based off a pre-amp with an amazing clanging tone, sadly discontinued and much loved by many. It’s back now.

Ultimately we feel the stompboxes are one of the strongest parts of the update. They are good quality, although some audiophiles feel Amplitube wins out on this one. There have also been complaints that there is a discrepancy in quality with some of the other older features.

Personally, we feel the ICM technology is great if you’re not looking for perfection. For the creativity of these plugins combined with relatively high-quality sound, they do make the update very exciting.

LOFI FX and WHY We Are So Excited:

The second most exciting part of the new additions are the LOFI FX such as tape wobble, vintage vibrato, and noise machine (which can emulate everything from VHS to cassette noise to vinyl crackle!)

Native Instruments have seen a HUGE opportunity here with the continued focus on LOFI online and in adding these FX they have made the software appealing not just to guitarists but also sound designers, beatmakers and producers, who want to keep familiar sounds while branching out into guitar.

What Other New Features Are There?

The upgrade has over 100 IRs (impulse responses) as well as 4 new amps (bass rage, it’s great to have an addition to the guitar rig 7 bass amps in our view, as well as Super Fast 100, Reverb Delight, and AC Box XV).

There is also a new intuitive signal chain that is designed to streamline even the most byzantine signal paths.

We think there is a tiny bit more versatility and ease with the Amplitube signal chain organization software.

However, if you are already a user of guitar rig, the added simplicity is definitely worth the update.

Pro VS Player VS LE

How to decide on which version to get?

Of course, it depends on your budget. That said, what is the popular guitar rig 7 LE?

Fans of Native Instruments may notice that Guitar Rig 6 also had the LE feature. To make things easier, LE is a tier that has more features than Player but not as many as Pro.

We think LE is great if you want to try out the software without too much investment. However, whilst even in its free version, a sim like Amplitube is really great, we feel like most of the features that make the update worthwhile are available mostly in the Pro version (with some LE.)

These include specific amps, vabs, and stompboxes. Whilst LE does have some, like the tape wobble, the best stuff really does come Pro here.

That said, there is currently a limited edition upgrade from LE to pro that expires Jan 1, 2024.

If you are still unsure, there is a handy chart on the Native Instruments website that shows you what features you will and won’t get.

You can also check the price here, and if you buy using this link you will be supporting the website since we get a small kickback.

Pros, Cons, and How to Decide

Ultimately when you break it down, the update has the following pros and cons:

Pros

  • keeps up to date with trends in music
  • gives you genre versatility with a range of styles including shoegaze, classic rock, and LoFi.
  • As intuitive as former iterations, with the new sidebar as well
  • Great for more than just guitarists!
  • Decent quality emulations

Cons

  • If the new features aren’t hugely relevant to you, it may not be worth the update
  • Competitors like Amplitube 5 have more variety of IRs
  • Many musicians favor Amplitube’s cab modeling, too
  • ICM technology is great, but other amp sims do similar things equally or better
  • Some musicians find the sound a little generic and not true to life

Conclusion:

We are very excited here about this upgrade as native instruments thought of providing a really creative range of new offerings. Though there are more cons than pros, the pros are BIG if they hit the mark for you.

It also thinks of genres other than rock, indie, and those based on guitar. there’s stuff for sound designers who only want to use minimal amounts of guitar FX, too. In this way it’s super up-to-date and spans a lot of current trends in music.

Features like the Seattle Fuzz pedal offer great sonic character, and you don’t always find them in bundles of VSTs that cater to the more mainstream genres.

Our verdict is that some of the offerings fill very important gaps in the market. therefore, if they do for you what you need, the update is definitely worth it, hands down.

However, if you are buying an amp sim from scratch, it’s worth comparing Guitar Rig vs Amplitube, as we do here.

Guitar Rig as a series has many fans, but equally, its competitors hit the mark for an equal number of musicians depending on what you’re looking for.

2023 Music Production Hardware: A Rundown of the Best Options For This Year

This 2023 list of hardware for music production is by no means exhaustive and each of the headings here could deserve a list in its own right. However, to kick off 2023, this article is a snapshot of the BEST hardware to consider across multiple categories. To make this list, gear had to be both affordable for the average home sound designer or producer, as well as stand out somehow in its niche. Read on for a brief look at ways to inject some new energy into your studio for 2023.

2023 Music Production: Best Hardware Drum Synth – Korg Volca Drum

This is a really affordable and staggeringly sophisticated little drum machine which makes the bold decision to generate its kick and snare sounds through digital FM synthesis as opposed to via samples. This isn’t the only drum machine in the Volca series but it is the most creative. Billed as Korg’s bold experiment in introducing you to new sounds on their website, it lives up to the hype there by totally delivering on its unusual features whilst still making them sound great. The Volca hits the sweet spot between innovation and crowd pleasing, which is no small feat and at a low budget is a seriously exciting and compact drum machine.        

Features: 

  • Sound produced digitally from a six part DSP engine 
  • Automate up to 69 parameters
  • Wavesculpting and waveguide resonator effect 
  • 2 layers per part for lush, sonorous undertones and overtones 
  • Slice and accent features 
  • Clean and intuitive LED screen to keep track of your work 
  • Layer isolation capacity to give you total control over undertones and overtones 
  • Compact and intuitive control matrix with connection to LED screen 
  • Can produce both drum and synth sounds 

Availability and price:  circa 150 USD from Korg’s website. You can also scoop a great deal on Reverb.com by clicking here.

2023 Best Hardware Sampler – Elektron Digitakt MKII

At over 600 USD, this isn’t a cheap sampler. Yet despite the fact it’s in the higher range of the price spectrum, it absolutely delivers on what it promises. The ability to use both internal tracks and external MIDI sources means that you have limitless creative possibilities, especially in terms of tonal and textural variety. This is a sampler which has the processing power to cope with your wildest sonic imaginings. 

Like with most Elektron products, the sequencer is also top notch and the Digitakt MKII could have taken a spot on this list based on that alone. However, where it really shines is its workflow, opportunities for streamlining your music making, and ability to encourage creative sampling due to how it seamlessly blends internal and external audio. 

Features: 

  • Cutting edge power and processing 
  • Combines 8 internal tracks with 8 external MIDI sources 
  • Over 400 factory samples
  • 23 drum kits 
  • Two LFOs for double the modulation 
  • Full processing for external audio sources including stereo capacity, reverb, and delay 
  • One basewidth and multimode filter each per audio track for ultimate variation of parameters
  • Stereo compression 
  • Ability to send reverb and delay 
  • Smooth yet gritty high quality overdrive 

Availability and price: arround 800 USD, and available from their website. Also available on Reverb in both new and second hand options – click here.

Best Music Production Hardware Sequencer 2023 – AKAI Professional MPC One

AKAI actually developed the term MPC, standing for MIDI Production Center. The MPC One is basically a standalone sequencer and workstation, which can create beats and loops plus also lets you compose melodies both from built in samples and from your own sample uploads. Where it stands out is in its compactness and versatility; it really shines even when away from the rest of your studio equipment.

In fact, AKAI are adept at making gear which helps you be flexible. Their products are easily adaptable to the rest of your gear and always high quality at great value for money. Indeed, they’re still relatively underrated and you can check out another of their best offerings here where we cover the MPK mini MKII MIDI controller. The MPC One offers the same level of connection and fluidity in a standalone workstation.

Demos show how it can be used to create full fledged, seamless, and modern beats but there’s a lot more to it than just that. The MPC One Standalone lets you access you Splice library and other sound files too, so you can take your favourite sounds with you. Just remember it needs to be plugged in at a socket.

Features: 

  • Looping, sampling, and arpeggiation 
  • 16 backlit pads for playing at all venues 
  • Ability to sync with your MIDI technology in the studio 
  • Totally modern up to date sounds capable of producing trap beats or old school melodies 
  • The single most compact MPC from AKAI yet
  • Standalone capability makes it an ideal workstation for on the go 
  • Built in drum programs with a leaning towards urban and dance music but with real creative potential for all musicians 

Availability and price: Ranging from 700 to 850 USD. Not available on their site but can be purchased from all good retailers such as Andertons and Thomann. If you want to support the channel, use this link to buy from Reverb – we get a small kickback. 

Best Overall Synth – Uno Synth Pro From IK Multimedia

If there had to be one lesser-known modern synth to make this list as the absolute best recently updated machine, it’s the Uno Synth Pro from IK Multimedia. Although not a synthesis heavyweight such as Korg or Behringer in terms of output, this affordable and intuitive little synth has been met with rave reviews despite or perhaps because of features like it’s potentially polarising capacitive touchplate keys.

Plus, IK Multimedia also offers the Uno as a tabletop synth, which is a great dealbreaker if you have limited space or a small studio. 

Features: 

  • Variable waveshape oscillators 
  • FM and ring modulation 
  • Hyper-connectivity including midi inputs and outputs plus ability to connect audio input directly to FX and filters 
  • Studio grade delay and reverb 
  • Weighted keyboard
  • Free mac/pc editor 
  • Comes in black or red 

Availability and price: 300-350 USD for the desktop version and available from their website, and also on Reverb.com – click here to see the deals.    

Final Thoughts

This music production hardware roundup for 2023 obviously doesn’t cover every great bit of gear out there – just some of the most interesting in each category. Some entries could have easily taken a different spot, and the beauty of music is there are no hard and fast rules. However, these were chosen due to both their high quality, value, but also for their potential for inspiration to ensure new musical beginnings for the upcoming year. Happy music making!

Love music hardware? We have a whole section here.

Best New Hardware Synths: A Guide to the Top Three Instruments released in the recent years

The best new hardware synths call is a difficult choice to make. Finally rounding it down to three options, this article looks at what makes these synths stand a cut above the rest. To find out the results of this difficult choice and draw in some inspiration for the new year, read on.

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Tenth Anniversary New Edition

Ten years ago the OP-1 made waves for its unparalleled creativity and now it’s been re-released for its tenth anniversary. Modelled off a pocket calculator, it has more unique points than possible to list. The Op-1 has ultimately become one of the most talked-about releases of recent years – so let’s take a look at why…

Teenage Engineering Op-1 Tenth Anniversary Edition: Features Included

Don’t let the size of this little synth mislead you! Courtesy of the classic creativity of Teenage Engineering, it has a neat and efficient selection of features, including the following…

  • mixer and FX – it has a four-channel mixer with 7 distinct stereo FX to apply to your sound, giving effortless numbers of sonic permutations.
  • a wide range of synthesis options ranging from string synthesis (physically modelled) to FM Synthesis – 10 in total
  • unique fingerprint to EVERY OP-1 due to the fact its ‘DNA synthesis’ feature is modelled on a machine’s unique processor ID. No two machines sound the same! This is broken down further in one of their blog posts and is essentially a noise synth, but with a difference.
  • works as both a synthesizer, sampler, and sequencer
  • controller mode changes the synth into a portable MIDI controller
  • disc mode allows the export of sounds made on the OP-1 as separate tracks to be stored on your computer

Best new Hardware Synths: What Makes the OP-1 Stand Out From the Rest?

The OP-1 is billed as ‘the portable wonder synthesizer’ by Teenage Engineering and it’s not hard to see why. It is versatile enough that it has been used by both Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails as well as French ambient and electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre.

A real innovation is how you can use its FM radio feature as a form of input, meaning you can sample real radio stations and then modulate them with the synth’s effects. the possibilities are endless – ultimately, this is just a snapshot of what has made the OP-1 so popular.

Price and Availability:

At the time of writing, the Op-1 Tenth Anniversary Edition costs 1683 USD and is available from Teenage Engineering’s official website. You can also check the options available on Reverb.com by clicking this link.

Best New Hardware Synths: Behringer 2600 – A Much Needed Gap in the Market

The Behringer 2600 is a version of the 1970s classic ARP 2600, updated for the modern age. This is a synth which plays with nostalgia yet remains innovative. It comes in three colours – black and orange, also known as Christmas Tree, Blue Marvin, and Grey Meanie. The synth is semi-modular, so if you’ve always wanted to get into modular synthesis it makes both a great intermediary as well as a fantastic value high-quality synth in itself.

Behringer 2600: Features Included

For a full breakdown of features, visit Behringer’s website. However, the below is just an example of what the 2600 offers for different purposes…

  • 3 VCOs which also double as LFOs, VCA, and VCF
  • Completely analogue circuitry modelled off the original ARP 2600
  • Semi-modular synthesis possibilities don’t require patching, although the Behringer 2600 also offers the option of 83 patch cables for those who really want to shape their own sound
  • Attenuator, mixer, inverter and post-filter distortion, and other interesting creative options
  • Noise generator
  • ring modular, lag processor, sample and hold modules and much more

What Makes the Behringer 2600 Stand Out From the Rest?

Ultimately the Behringer 2600’s only competition is the Korg 2600, which is much, much more expensive, clocking in at over 1000 USD. The original ARP 2600 was responsible for classic seventies tones and fat bass sounds. If you want a budget replica, the Behringer is your only real option, but it’s a very good one.

However, this synth also stands out on its own merit. It manages to be both a crowd-pleaser and an innovative homage, and its semi-modular capabilities and technical possibilities make it an option for modern styles of all kinds too.

Behringer 2600 Price and Availability:

Currently, the Behringer 2600 sits in the 400 to 600 USD price range and is available from a variety of retailers including Andertons, Thomann, and Sweetwater. For other options including second hand, click here to check out our partner Reverb. We get a small kickback if you use this link to buy so you will be supporting this website.

Arturia MiniFreak: Best New Hardware Synths – Keyboard Synthesis

And to round up the list, we have chosen the Arturia MiniFreak, adding a keyboard synth to the top three. The MiniFreak has been subject to rave reviews and when you take a look at what it includes for the price, it’s not hard to see why.

The Arturia MiniFreak: Features Included

The MiniFreak excels at being intuitive with its keyboard and OLED screen, however, it has many other draws to it such as the following:

  • two LFOs
  • 6-voice polyphony
  • ability to modulate everything up to and including filters, FX, and sound engines
  • FX ranging from bitcrusher, multi-comp, 3-band EQ, phaser, flanger, distortion, reverb, and delay
  • randomisation capacity for all new permutations of sound
  • chord mode which turns notes into chord stacks
  • scale mode ensures effortless harmonisation
  • OLED display
  • USB capability
  • stereo outputs
  • can work with MacOS 10.13+ as well as Windows 10+ (64-bit)

Best New Hardware Synths: What Makes the Arturia MiniFreak Stand Out From the Rest?

Described on Arturia’s site as producing sounds which are ‘curious, beautiful, and chaotic’, this keyboard synth generates stunning results at a low price. The MiniFreak is clearly branded as non-linear and creative, with a ‘modulation matrix’ which can modulate virtually any part of the signal. Basically, this synth is designed to give you fluidity and intuition. If you want high-quality sound and an artsy, left-field bias, the MiniFreak offers plenty of possibilities.

Price and Availability:

The MiniFreak can be bought from Arturia’s website for 599 EU (628 USD) but alternatively you can get it from Reverb.com by clicking here.

Final Thoughts:

Choosing the top three new hardware synths was not an easy task. However, this roundup offers both the pinnacle of classic mini synths with the OP-1 as well as two other options which won’t break the bank.

if you liked this but still want to look at more options for hardware synths, we have a whole selection here in our hardware section.

Best Black Friday VST Deals 2021

It’s finally Black Friday 2021! With that in mind, we’ve started compiling the very best plugin deals that we could find. Here’s what you can expect this shopping season:

  • Free plugins from popular VST makers such as waves
  • 90%+ off VST plugins from popular stores such as plugin boutique and plugin fox
  • 90%+ off your favorite iOS music apps
  • Free and heavily discounted coursera, masterclass, and producertech courses.
  • 50% + off hardware.
  • Deals that stay live well after black friday.
  • And much, much more…

Before we dig into the best Black Friday VST Plugin, synth, and all music making related deals, here’s some information regarding this shopping season: 

When is Black Friday in 2021?

Following the tradition, Black Friday is on the first Friday after thanksgiving, but this is becoming less and less of a rule, and because of vendor competing with one another the whole month of November 2021 can be considered “Black Friday” month.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is on the following monday, but we have seen it mentioned less and less, all the focus is on Black Friday.

When do the Black Friday 2021 deals begin?

Well most of the seasonal deals are already live, keep on reading for more information!

When do the deals end?

This one is tricky, because there is no consensus. Some end in 1-2 days, some last until X-mas. You will have to check our individual articles that we wrote in regards to each deal to find end date.

Current deals list for 2021

Here are the current best music production and related deals that we have selected for our readers. This is by no means a complete and ultimate list, so take it as it is.

Note: Throughout November and and December, we’ll be updating this list at least 2 to 3 times a week. If you click on the name of the deal, you will access our individual article that details the sale

Thanks for checking out our list of deals, any question or promotion you’d like to add can be done through the comment section below.

If you liked our seasonal list of deals on Music production tools, be sure to also keep track of our Deals category, where we usually keep you updated with the best offers for VST Plugin products on the market.

black friday music production 2021 deals: Soundtoys mega sale

Yes, the end is in sight for 2021, and with that comes the busy holiday season, starting with Black Friday. We fully recommend you check our “Deals” category for more 2021 music production deals.

This year’s Black Friday offers start a little early, with Soundtoys coming up with the current news: they are offering some pretty good deals (up to 70% off), with the top spot being taken by their suite of five plugins, the entire range of audio effects, at a jaw dropping price of 229USD (52% off).

You can find the Soundtoys Black Friday 2021 vst plugin offer right here, on the Pluginboutique website (among with other great sales).

If you would rather opt for other vst products and audio plugins this Black Friday 2021, and not the five stereo audio effects from Soundtoys, there are other offers on the website:

  • Individual effect VST plugins like Soundtoys FilterFreak, Soundtoys PrimalTap, Soundtoys Radiator, Soundtoys EchoBoy, Soundtoys Decapitator, etc with up to 70% discounts – click here
  • Soundtoys Effect Rack FX Bundle (Soundtoys Rack multi effect system + 14 Soundtoys audio effect plugins) with 54% off – click here

The offers expire on the 1st of December 2021 so make sure you get them until then!

Soundtoys Sie-Q Parametric EQ

Soundtoys are making one of the best lines of VST Plugin products that most studio-heads rely on for their music production and sound design. They specialise in stereo processing, but certainly go even further than that, offering eq, colouring and dynamics processing too.

We certainly recommend Soundtoys Echo Boy in case you need a vintage sounding stereo processing emulation. It’s engines are capable of replicating all types of analog reverb and delay that you can use in classic house music plus other non-electronic genres.

We also recommend Soundtoys Crystallizer, if you are more into sound design and experimentation with music production techniques that are more modern and esoteric. This vst effect is like a delay with extended controls and cater to the more techno and minimal oriented crowd.

The Sountoys Black Friday 2021 deal can be accessed here.

Arturia Pigments 3 – new features

We truly love Arturia Pigments 3. We actually love all Arturia software here at idesignsound.com. Today we bring you an update on the new features of this full fledged “polychrome” VST synth. And for a full fledged review, our friends at musicradar.com have a very nice review.

Introduction

Arturia Pigments is a very nice and very modern VST instrument. It initially started out as a wavetable synth with a lot of features. What is striking about the Arturia Pigments is the visualisation of the modulation sources. Thus, it is very very intuitive and also very easy to learn.

Other than this, it has some very nice effects onboard, a great sequencer and the option to load your own wavetables. For a detailed review, you can also check our article here at idesignsound.com.

Version three, which is free for existing users, brings incremental updates like more sound engines, more wavetables, more effects and so on, but there are two features that are brand new and strike out, we will analyse them below:

Arturia Pigments 3 – Additive mode

Dubbed the “Harmonic Engine”, Arturia Pigments 3 introduces one of the earliest forms of sound synthesis, additive synthesis. The very early experimental synths had this, where each oscillator would create the fundamental and each of its partials to create a complex sound. So if you would imagine a spectrum analyser, the highest spike (usually the lowest in frequency) is the fundamental frequency of the sound, and then the next ones (usually to the right, higher frequency) are the partials. Together, they form the timbre or the style of the sound. Regular synths, or “subtractive” create this frequency pattern with a single, complex oscillator, then use a filter to reduce the partials. But this has some issues, namely you can mostly reduce partials to the left or right, it is very hard to fully remove partials in the centre of the frequency spectrum (you can with an EQ, but not fully and you more than often reduce other partials than the ones you want to).

But if you really want to design timbre, it is much better to not include what you don’t want than to filter it out. The problem with additive synthesis in hardware form is that you need a lot, and we mean A LOT of oscillators to add up. This is why subtractive is preferred from a practical standpoint, even if filtering the oscillator it is not really adequate for full control of the oscillator timbre. Of course, we are talking about hardware synths, so for VSTs it was a real shame that no real, serious additive synths were made.

In Arturia Pigments 3’s additive engine you can add up to 512 partials and you can also modulate them. This should bring a brand new sound palette for your productions.

Arturia Pigments 3 – Utility Engine

This is more of a fine tuning addition to your ability to design complex sounds with the VST. This new feature is not that “in your face as additive” synthesis but it is, in my humble opinion, at least equal in importance. Usually, it is the subtle things that make us like something.

The Arturia Pigments 3 Utility Engine contains two individual distinct noise sources and a virtual analog sub oscillator. This will make your sounds fat in no time. While you would be able to have this in the past, it would also meant you would sacrifice valuable space in the for of one of the two slots the VST has. Now, the Utility Engine is separate, so you get to keep the two original sound sources.

Other new additions come in form of new effects and filters (legendary analog emulations from Roland), plus pitch delay and multi-band compression.

You can buy Arturia Pigments from pluginboutique.com, with a special introductory price of 99 eur (original price 199 eur).

Izotope and Native Instruments join hands in developing tomorrow’s music production technology

Yes, they will remain separate entities as well, developing the products that we all know and love. But when these guys come together on the drawing board, we expect big things to happen.

In a blog post from yesterday, Native Instruments have officially announced the joint venture. The music production tool companies are backed in this by investment firms Francisco Partners and EMH Partners. Native Instruments has been in the hands of Francisco Partners and EMH Partners since January, but the addition of iZotope to the investors’ roster gives it new-found strength.

The details on what products these two giants will be developing are not that clear, and also the branding that they will use is not specified right now. This collaboration will also be about having a streamlined development workflow, because each of the two creative teams have their own way of doing things to get to great products.

“As more and more people get into music making and audio production, they’re looking for better and easier ways to realize their ideas or to get started on their journey. To take an idea out of their head and put it into the world, or to put the finishing touches on their project. Together, iZotope and Native Instruments will be able to break down barriers and make it easier for producers, engineers, and musicians to realise their creative vision.” – quote from the blog post, signed by both companies’ CEOs.

5 BEST Mid-winter 2021 VST Plugin DEALS

Wellcome to our periodic round-up of the BEST DEALS available on music production VST Plugins. Here, we help you spend your hard-earn money on new toys and virtual gear. So without further ado, here is our list of five of the BEST DEALS on VST Plugins and their end date:

  1. Izotope Complete Your Suite Sale – up to 80% off. Yes you heard that right, up to 80% off select Izotope VST Plugins in order for you to have more of the same quality and usability. There are also offers for upgrades here. Deal ends February 16th 2021 and can be found here.
  2. Iceberg Audio – The Sub VST Synth – 33% off introductory price. This one is also on the usability side, and it’s a straightforward sub bass synth. For 33 Eur you get one envelope, glide and drive, so not that much BUT the sound quality is out if this world. It is an instant favourite our ours and the deal can be found here. It is only live until Februray 10.
  3. . If you’ve been waiting for a great deal to get into Komplete, now is the time. They have heavily discounted their bundles, including Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. They did this also for the starter packs, and you can get them for as low as 199 Eur for the Select bundle. , and there is no end date specified, so go ahead and try your luck.
  4. W.A. Production has a 68% off sale on preset packs for the most popular synths out there like Serum, Spire, Sylenth and much more. If Techno and House are your things, then this is for you. All major VST Synths are supported on this preset pack, and the deal ends on the 28th of February. Shop here!
  5. 55% Off Eden2 by UJAM and Bassroom by Mastering the Mix. Again, if dance music, especially Techno and House are your things, These two tools are indispensable. I am particularly fond of Bassroom, it is very useful on the master channel to round out and smooth your bassline. UJAM is a very nice drum machine too. This deal ends on 14th of Februray.

So there you have it, enough to get you through the end of Winter. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletters for more deals:

Roland Jupiter 8 emulation – TAL-J-8 review and special introductory price

The TAL-J-8 Roland Jupiter 8 emulation is good. I mean, really good and also enjoyable. Who doesn’t know the Jupiter 8? This is a rhetorical question, if you are on this website and you regularly follow the content here, you are no stranger to synths. Now, this one is actually THE synth. Top of the line.

Roland has made a couple of good synths and a couple of bad synths. They have also made some excellent pieces of music production hardware. The Jupiter 8 is one of them, and for me it is the ultimate polyphonic subtractive experience. It sounds T-H-I-C-K. It sounds classy. It NEVER sounds outdated.

A lot of replicas have tried to recreate it’s unique, full and organic sounds. We have of course the Arturia replica, which is our opinion captures it pretty well. Then we have of course the Roland Cloud offering the sound. Then we have a lot, and I mean a lot of presets in other VSTs that are trying to give you a piece. If you want more information about emulating the Roland Jupiter 8 in VST form then we recommend this brilliant article here.

Or better yet, for the ones that can affort it, we actually recommend buying the hardware itself. If you can find a serviced, fully working model that is. I mean, just look at it:

For today though, we will come back to earth from Jupiter and discuss the newest addition to the synth’s ever expanding arsenal of VST Plugin emulations. I am talking about the TAL-J-8 product.

Tal has been in the space for quite some time now, emulating (successfully in our oppinion) Roland gear.

They have done the Juno pretty well. They have recreated the SH-101. They actually offer the Juno chorus as a separate VST. We love Tal, and we think that their output truly helps out music producers.

But let’s dive straight in to their newest offering, the TAL-J-8 Roland Jupiter 8 soft synth. And for our lineup of BEST general-purpose VST Synths, head on down to our article here.

This VST captures the brassy, powerful but also mellow sound of the Roland Jupiter 8 very well.

Yes you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, the most accessible example for me right now is Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Just listen to those gorgeous pads and the harmony that this 8 voice VCO powered monster can create.

The synth is truly cosmic, one of a kind. It can be powerful, it can be smooth, it can be in the background and it surely can be in your face. It can sound classy and it can also be new age. As you can see, I love the Jupiter 8. I could not fit it into my studio in the keyboard, standard version, so I did the next best thing and bout the 2U Rack version, the MPG-80 (Rev.4 of course). It is cheaper and it is much more compact, but it lacks the front panel (sold separately). No problem, i’ll just use the VST editor.

The TAL-J-8 VST also has MPE support, we can’t recall right now any other Roland Jupiter 8 emulation that has this.

This one is very interesting, and at this time this is the only Jupiter 8 emulation that can suport MPE. If MPE will not be huge in 2021, it will be extremely sought after in 2022. It is very interesting what you can actually do with just a keyboard, if it has the right sensors. For now you can use MPE to individually adjust the filter and volume on a per-note basis, with pitch pretty soon to follow I guess.

You can see the MPE controls in the screenshot below, showing the synth control interface.

We used it for two weeks, doing all kinds of sounds on it. it shines on classic analog synth stuff like bass and chords/harmony. The filter is very nice, and if you increase the resonance a little bit, you will get that trumpet like sound for which the Roland Jupiter 8 is famous. It is hard to integrate in contemporary electronic music, but still is nice, especially if you are into sound design for movies and games.

While the unison function is nice, we do not recommend you use it on a VST Synth as it will pale in comparison to real unison on a real hardware synth.

Oh and one more thing, the 8 number in the TAL-J-8 is only to reflect the Jupiter 8. It’s not a voice count though, because the TAL-J-8’s polyphony count goes all the way up to 12.

Also noted is the upper/lower system implemented in most high end synths of that era, like the Yamaha CS80, Roland Jx10 and the Prophet 10. You basically get to layer two separate synths, and can play them simultaneously or split the keyboard.

Delay is also a very nice addition to the virtual synth

The delay sounds very nice, reminding me on classic analog BBD style circuits. There is also a Chorus on board, with option I and II in very classy Roland fashion. It sounds tremendous, but even without chorus, this VST has a very surprisingly wide stereo image. Pop the Chorus on and it takes it to the next level.

TAL-J-8 presets and preset browser

As requested here on iDesignSound, we will provide you with our thoughts on the preset browser, as there are more and more musicians traveling and doing live sets (well, not right now due to COVID-19) so browsing through presets on your VST synths is very important. It is not very good for browsing in a live environment. You use your mouse to browse a drop-down style menu, with folders and sub folders. But the presets are really nice.

You get the original factory presets on the hardware, some original TAL sounds plus 6 other folders, with more than 500+ presets onboard immediately after you buy it.

You can get the TAL-J-8 Roland Jupiter 8 VST at a good price.

Yes it is time limited but still it’s a very good deal. TAL is a very nice VST company and I really enjoy their products.

Get the TAL-J-8 here with a 20% intro discount (until 28.02.2021).

If you prefer to pay a monthly fee and have access to a lot more VST Plugins, then we have a very nice comparison and review of the best rent-to-own VST services here.

Enhance your Drums for FREE – Diablo lite VST

If you always compared your own drum works to the professional sound and felt a little off, Diablo lite is for you. This VST is pretty nice, as our test shown, and really works especially on electronic drums.

So what is Diablo lite?

Diablo lite is a FREE VST offering by Cymatics. You know them mostly for their (paid) sample packs but they actually have a lot of free products too. And not just sample packs but plugins and also presets for popular plugins.

And if FREE VSTs are your thing, we actually are maintaining a very extensive list of more than 400 freebies here, where we actually added Diablo lite.

Now, about Diablo lite, this VST is part compressor and part transient shaper. The compressor is actually a clipper, so the compression ratio is very high, close to the well-known “brick wall” style of compression. Because of this dual nature of this sound treatment device, it is excellent for drums.

How do you use it?

So basically every producer uses some form or compression on the drums, either on the whole drum bus or individually. This is because most source material, be it sample-based, synth or live recorded is kind of in the middle in terms of dynamics. It can cut through your whole song but in it’s dry form doesn’t. It has the neutral drum sound, is not in your face but is also not absent. What you want to do is actually fit the drums in your sound.

Let’s take the 808 for example, it is ubiquitous and used in a lot, i mean A LOT of music genres. Some genres use it in a more aggressive flavour, some prefer it more mellow. So you basically do this with either a compressor, a transient shaper or both. Transient shapers basically dictate the initial snap and also the remaining tail of the sound.

This is the Punch control knob and dictates the presence. For dynamics, you have the Clip setting, which actually enganges the limiter and makes the sound more compact as you crank it. If you used too much Punch and the drum just jumps out of the mix and commands too much of the user’s attention, try to not use Clip and just turn it down in the mix instead.

But if the Punch knob does not actually do the trick for you because it makes the drum loose it’s initial character, then Clip can save you and achieve the strength that you are looking for in that particular sound.

Actually the website has a lot of samples for this product, and you can actually hear it in action. But why not download it yourself from this download link?