Best synth/string/piano midi software?

[dan weapon]

Anyone got recommendations on some good synth plugins/software that I can buy? (for running on Mac protools, although still on 7.4 haha)

My keyboard recently died and thought it might be worth venturing into the realm of midi operated synth suites.

I'm looking for that Devin/Soilwork/80s rock style soft pads & synth strings mainly. But also piano style things would be great too. Not that desperate for full orchestral stuff though.

Any advice much welcome...

 

[LiberaScientia]

Native Instruments FM8 is amazing for pads/synth strings. Absynth is really good for more complex and interesting sounds too. As far as piano goes, I adore NI The Giant. Absolutely massive sounding piano, great for huge symphonic metal piano sounds.

 

[Jind]

I'm a little biased as I'm a big Cakewalk product supporter but two of my all time favorite synths are Z3TA +2 (I loved the original Z3TA and the upgrade is even better), and Rapture. Both are available for MAC - just check the system requirements for the specifics.

For piano sounds I've used TruePianos for quite a few years and have not felt the need to look elsewhere.

http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/

http://www.cakewalk.com/products/rapture/default.aspx

http://www.truepianos.com/

 

[Firaxis]

+1 on FM8 that is a brilliant synth. I have been having a lot of fun with xpand recently, not sure if that is built into 7.4 though.

 

[JonWormwood]

JUst get complete 8! Audiodeluxe will do it for 440.

 

[sawtooth]

Synthogy Ivory 2 is amazing, I did a classical piano album years age with Ivory 1 and my professor at university couldn't tell it was played using that. Also EastWest's Quantum Leap Piano is good, very detailed with multiple mic positions.

 

[Ben Johnson]

JUst get complete 8! Audiodeluxe will do it for 440.

+1

It's a steal for the amount of stuff in Komplete 8, it's almost overwhelming.

That said, I like EWQL's Hollywood Strings and Pianos. I also have a ton of VSL libraries and Symphobia 1, but the Eastwest stuff gets used 90% of the time.