Software Recommendations for keys,synths, etc?

[Mike 24]

Looking for a nice program for realistic piano, synth, strings, etc. for pro tools.
I hear Ivory is good for piano sounds, but I've heard the East West "Play" engine ins buggy and don't want to go there!

What works well for you guys?
I don't mind spending $500 to get something with pro/realistic sounds.
Thanks!

 

[Emptyblackstare]

Well, you could buy a keyboard workstation (i.e. Korg, Roland, Yamaha), would be nice to have all 3 . Good investment for any type of studio. I'd personally save up a little extra $ to buy a decent workstation.

Anyways, there is a link below this paragraph to Digidesign's plug-in page, you can sift through and find which one is right for you. They have a drop down menu that will help guide you through your search, choose virtual instruments under effects and it guides you to all the virtual instruments, such as, drums, guitar, piano synths etc...You can also categorize by platform, and manufacture you want. Read your SPECS! and good luck...I've heard that Sample Tank Powered by IK Multimedia is a good plug-in workstation.

http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=115&mkt=all&langid=100

 

[006]

Hmm, I'm also interested in this too. As you said, Empty, a keyboard is a good investment, and it's really true. I've been wanting something that can do piano, strings, horns, etc. but that will sound good enough to use and not fake as fuck. Can anyone recommend a keyboard on the market in the $500US range that will fit the bill?

~006

 

[xFkx]

I'd go for sampletank 2.5 XL + some midi controller

 

[WestCoastCrush]

For a good entry level, try MOTU's Symphonic software package. It should be about $250 USD.

For premium stuff, try Synthogy's Ivory or East West's Quantum Piano for piano and Vienna software for strings. It ain't cheap, but the best things in life usually aren't .

 

[Emptyblackstare]

Hmm, I'm also interested in this too. As you said, Empty, a keyboard is a good investment, and it's really true. I've been wanting something that can do piano, strings, horns, etc. but that will sound good enough to use and not fake as fuck. Can anyone recommend a keyboard on the market in the $500US range that will fit the bill?

~006

Roland GW-8 Keyboard Workstation---------------$845
Yamaha MM6 Music Synthesizer Workstation------$599
(Prices quoted from musicians friend)

One of those two workstations should get you started in the right direction.
I'd go with a Roland, MM6 isn't a bad choice though. You can buy rack gear for additional sounds for your workstation. However, they are expensive pieces (ranging from the $1000-$2000 range).

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Hmm, I'm also interested in this too. As you said, Empty, a keyboard is a good investment, and it's really true. I've been wanting something that can do piano, strings, horns, etc. but that will sound good enough to use and not fake as fuck. Can anyone recommend a keyboard on the market in the $500US range that will fit the bill?

~006

Roland Juno-D. Sounds great, and its right in your price range. A few of my friends have it and I am always impressed with how good it sounds for the price.

EDIT:

And yes, PLAY is BUGGY as hell! It's a nightmare to work with.

 

[Emptyblackstare]

I did a little Google research, and am quoting from http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-m...1-synthesizer-vs-workstation-vs-arranger.html as I thought it would be helpful information.

"A synthesizer is purely a sound generator. That's 'all' it does. It provides you with different types of basic waveforms which you can then mix together and manipulate in many different ways to create a massive palette of different sounds.

This is how sound is created in the 'real world'- a bunch of different sound waves generated by a source and mixing together in the air.
Synthesizers attempt to recreate or 'synthesize' that process.
There are a few different forms of synthesis, the basic ones being additive, subtractive and FM.

An 'arranger' and by this I guess you mean sequencer, is a tool that allows you to construct a pattern of sounds over time in a linear fashion.
There are stand-alone hardware sequencers that do this job and this job alone, or there are software sequencers that today have evolved to perform many other functions as well, a la Cubase, Logic, Sonar etc etc.

A workstation is a unit that pulls both of these functions, as well as many others (sampling and cd burning for example) into one hardware box, often with a keyboard in place too, so you can effectively produce a track using nothing else.
They can be very refreshing to work with because you can get to know the unit and its functions very well and very quickly, but can also be limiting because you are stuck with whatever feature set the designers chose for that particular model of workstation, and memory can only be expanded so much, so you can't have the kind of monster setup you could by combining individual elements in one organic system.

I can see the attraction with workstations but was never tempted to go that route.
Choosing a software sequencer, which will nowadays include a sampler far more powerful than any hardware alternative, and a good hardware synth as well as software synthesizers based on a powerfulcomputer core is generally considered to be the best approach, but there are still many people that like to work just in the one box."