Hey All,
I just wanted to ask if any of you had a list of beginner friendly plug ins for a home studio, or alternatively suggestions or a list of must have plug in types and tools.
Hope that makes sense, Thanks.
Beginer Home Studio Plugins
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 11 posts since 17 Apr, 2019
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- KVRAF
- 2846 posts since 8 Jun, 2018
it totally depends on you want to achieve, but first which DAW you use?
there are no must have plugins, in general, must have plugins for me are essential extensions, that will work in my workflow.
so you what do you want to achieve? big kicks? EDM? industrial? ambient?
do you want vst instruments?
i assume you also want vst effects.
do you want i big sound, going in to the loudness war ( the stealh limiter is on sale, of IKM, my to go to, but others will certainly say, no!)
do you want mastering tools?
build it up slowly, use trial editions, many around or free vst plugins, for effects you want and if you like them, and free vst plugins can be as good as payed, but sometimes you see an effect plugin with more options, better sound quality.
it will take time, and you will get many contradicting advices.
it will take time to know what you want, i have now a reasonable amount of music software, that has many options, several ecosystems, good synths, and a very diverse fx catalogue...
there are no must have plugins, in general, must have plugins for me are essential extensions, that will work in my workflow.
so you what do you want to achieve? big kicks? EDM? industrial? ambient?
do you want vst instruments?
i assume you also want vst effects.
do you want i big sound, going in to the loudness war ( the stealh limiter is on sale, of IKM, my to go to, but others will certainly say, no!)
do you want mastering tools?
build it up slowly, use trial editions, many around or free vst plugins, for effects you want and if you like them, and free vst plugins can be as good as payed, but sometimes you see an effect plugin with more options, better sound quality.
it will take time, and you will get many contradicting advices.
it will take time to know what you want, i have now a reasonable amount of music software, that has many options, several ecosystems, good synths, and a very diverse fx catalogue...
Primoridal Music: sadà\exposadà - Indusrial & Expanding Your Mind Hurts: Sound Brut
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- KVRAF
- 2797 posts since 26 Jul, 2015 from Philadelphia
When I started, I did not even know what a plugin was. 
My first two tracks were created with that lack of knowledge.
As long as you have a good DAW, you will be fine with the stock tools provided by that DAW.
I usually recommend my students to start off with Native Instruments Komplete Start:
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... ete-start/
It is free and has a very solid set of high quality sounds to play with. Once you get a bit of experience you will get a better handle on what you need.
My first two tracks were created with that lack of knowledge.As long as you have a good DAW, you will be fine with the stock tools provided by that DAW.
I usually recommend my students to start off with Native Instruments Komplete Start:
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... ete-start/
It is free and has a very solid set of high quality sounds to play with. Once you get a bit of experience you will get a better handle on what you need.
Follow me on Youtube for videos on spatial and immersive audio production.
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- KVRAF
- 2846 posts since 8 Jun, 2018
i agree. start of easy. that why i was asking which DAW you are using. reaper doesn't come with instruments, for example. komplete start is nice.mgw38 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:35 am When I started, I did not even know what a plugin was.
As long as you have a good DAW, you will be fine with the stock tools provided by that DAW.
I usually recommend my students to start off with Native Instruments Komplete Start:
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... ete-start/
It is free and has a very solid set of high quality sounds to play with. Once you get a bit of experience you will get a better handle on what you need.
Primoridal Music: sadà\exposadà - Indusrial & Expanding Your Mind Hurts: Sound Brut
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vitocorleone123 vitocorleone123 https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=333504
- KVRAF
- 1895 posts since 30 Jun, 2014 from Pacific NW
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- KVRAF
- 8828 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
Get a copy of Computer Music Magazin... Its also packed with infos and tutorials beside a collection of plug-ins which should get you covered for a start...
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- KVRian
- 629 posts since 15 Jun, 2017
Start with free stuff. There's plenty of great free stuff these days. Then, later, when you acquired some knowledge and experience, you can make informed decisions about possibly buying stuff.
Don't forget to check out the Product database here at KVR
Here's 2 "Most popular" lists:
FREE Instruments
https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... st-popular
FREE Effects
https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... st-popular
If you want to program your own sounds of just want to tweak existing presets: start by getting to grips with the basics of sound and sound design...instead of aimlessly fiddling with knobs and sliders.
Simon Cann - How To Make A Noise (FREE, hands-on "tutorial")
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=76293
Don't forget to check out the Product database here at KVR
Here's 2 "Most popular" lists:
FREE Instruments
https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... st-popular
FREE Effects
https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... st-popular
If you want to program your own sounds of just want to tweak existing presets: start by getting to grips with the basics of sound and sound design...instead of aimlessly fiddling with knobs and sliders.
Simon Cann - How To Make A Noise (FREE, hands-on "tutorial")
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=76293
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- KVRer
- 4 posts since 11 Jan, 2019
Hard to say without knowing what type of music you're making, if you're primarily mixing other's, or recording your own stuff, etc.
My personal suggestion is to get to know whatever plugins your DAW comes with well first, as that might just be all you need for quite some time. Too often, I think we get in the mindset where we have to have what everyone else is using - which often just costs us money and no real gain. I know I've had that issue before. This is especially true if you are doing mixing and recording as the EQ's, compressors, and other basic plugins in most of the current DAW's is sufficient for anyone starting out. Heck, you could make pro-sounding stuff with any of it. The main difference with paid plugins are things you typically won't understand the benefit of until you've got quite a few hours in using default plugins.
If you're needing some virtual instruments then most DAWs have a decent selection, some better than others. The Komplete Start that was mentioned is a good place to start. Check out the free ones too, though you're going to run into many many plugins that require a full version of Kontakt to run if you're looking for sounds.
My personal suggestion is to get to know whatever plugins your DAW comes with well first, as that might just be all you need for quite some time. Too often, I think we get in the mindset where we have to have what everyone else is using - which often just costs us money and no real gain. I know I've had that issue before. This is especially true if you are doing mixing and recording as the EQ's, compressors, and other basic plugins in most of the current DAW's is sufficient for anyone starting out. Heck, you could make pro-sounding stuff with any of it. The main difference with paid plugins are things you typically won't understand the benefit of until you've got quite a few hours in using default plugins.
If you're needing some virtual instruments then most DAWs have a decent selection, some better than others. The Komplete Start that was mentioned is a good place to start. Check out the free ones too, though you're going to run into many many plugins that require a full version of Kontakt to run if you're looking for sounds.
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- KVRian
- 629 posts since 15 Jun, 2017
You gotta start somewhere...FinishingPlum wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:47 am Hey All,
I just wanted to ask if any of you had a list of beginner friendly plug ins for a home studio, or alternatively suggestions or a list of must have plug in types and tools.
Hope that makes sense, Thanks.
I guess you will at least need a sound generator...a synthesizer?
But "beginner friendly"....there's (at least) 2 different approaches:
1. use (and/or adapt) presets
2. programming your own sounds
Assuming your indeed a beginner, you might get lost in a feature laden synth. But with a some hands on tutorials and tips.....
Simon Cann - How to make a noise: Free Book
viewtopic.php?t=76293
One of the synths used in the book is now free and open source. It's a very powerful and versatile synth. But if you ignore the complications of FM and the modulation matrix it's not complicated at all. Classic subtractive OSC --> FILTER --> AMP. And it comes with 1500+ presets (to use and learn from).
Vember Audio - Surge (now free and open source)
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/surge-by-vember-audio
You will soon find out there's a whole world of complexity in soundgeneration, audioprocessing, mixing and mastering.
Pace yourself. Just take the first few steps...and do not complicate things too soon.
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- KVRian
- 913 posts since 9 Aug, 2018
First of all, try free plugins, to see what you like using. Also, there are plenty of (free-to-try) demos of others.
Anyway, I would personally suggest picking up one or more good sample-based synths, and whatever other softsynths you might need (subtractive, FM, etc.)
Possibly a ‘drum machine’ style plugin too. Depends on your approach.
Some decent effects, as required. Mixing and mastering plugs also as required.
In some cases, your DAW might provide the above, or at least in part.
If you want my personal recommendations (i.e., stuff I like), sure, I can do that.
edit: I don’t know what DAW you use, what hardware you have, or what music you want to make... so yeah, bit tricky,
Anyway, I would personally suggest picking up one or more good sample-based synths, and whatever other softsynths you might need (subtractive, FM, etc.)
Possibly a ‘drum machine’ style plugin too. Depends on your approach.
Some decent effects, as required. Mixing and mastering plugs also as required.
In some cases, your DAW might provide the above, or at least in part.
If you want my personal recommendations (i.e., stuff I like), sure, I can do that.
edit: I don’t know what DAW you use, what hardware you have, or what music you want to make... so yeah, bit tricky,
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- KVRian
- 629 posts since 15 Jun, 2017
Some Drum sythesizers (there are plenty of sample based options)
Drumatic 3 (last free version, 32 bit)
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/drumatic-3-by-e-phonic
TS-808 (32 bit)
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/ts_808 ... ile_sounds
DR910
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/dr-910-by-maxsynths
So many of those....at least some basic EQ, Chorus, Delay, Reverb...
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- KVRAF
- 1742 posts since 9 Jul, 2014 from UK
Explore the vst's that come with your DAW before getting anything else. Decide what you want to do.
I wonder what happens if I press this button...
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- KVRist
- 94 posts since 3 Jun, 2019 from Madrid, Spain
On the other hand Reaper comes with their own "native" Fx pluggins. Their GUIs have relatively simple graphics (understandable when the whole DAW is less than 15MB), but they are powerful, well documented and very efficient in terms of CPU. In my opinion their plug-ins have what you need, no more but no less!
IIRC Reaper allows you to use DLL versions of all their native plug-ins to be used in another host.
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- KVRist
- 94 posts since 3 Jun, 2019 from Madrid, Spain
... I just wanted to make sure and quickly found their page:
https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/
Then I was shocked to see that they also include their JSFX (also called ReaJS) effects as well! I could not imagine these could be ever used out of Reaper. These effects can be edited by the user, there is a huge user base. I use them specially for MIDI manipulation, but there are tons of them (220 in my installation, probably more than 200 are coming from the default installer).
I have not tried myself to use them out of Reaper because Reaper is my only DAW, but if I am reading correctly the page in the link, they are accessible as special VST that can open all the editable effects.
https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/
Then I was shocked to see that they also include their JSFX (also called ReaJS) effects as well! I could not imagine these could be ever used out of Reaper. These effects can be edited by the user, there is a huge user base. I use them specially for MIDI manipulation, but there are tons of them (220 in my installation, probably more than 200 are coming from the default installer).
I have not tried myself to use them out of Reaper because Reaper is my only DAW, but if I am reading correctly the page in the link, they are accessible as special VST that can open all the editable effects.
