Inexpencive virtual instruments 4 protools?

Rippie

Rippie

Veteran
(Inexpensive- yea i can almost spell)


I don't do much post work but I currently own a ProTools LE 003 factory system.
I'm currently doing a mix where I need to score some music.

The built in "xpand" synth is pretty good for being free and its quite simple
to use. I'd love to expand (no pun) on it though and purchase some
more virtual instrument plug's.

Anyone have any recommendations for a "non" complicated solution for
general purpose sounds? Also some higher end orchestra style sounds?

I really have no need to have a ton of tweaking ability.
I'd rather have a more straight ahead approach.

Would be nice if I could get libraries for say $120'ish per?
Would be painless that way. To add more as I go.
They one's ive seen cost $300-400 ish for the program..
then another $600 and up for libraries. Just cant justify that
being I dont do much of this kind of work.


Thanks.
 
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You should check out reason. Its really an amazing program with some amazing samples.
Lots of orchestral patches.

Interfaces with Pro Tools via Rewire.


Shawn
 
I have a scaled back version of Reason that came with PT.
Maybe its just because it didnt have a ton of samples that I wasnt all that impressed.

One thing I love about xpand! is its not very power hungry.
I have 9 instances open currently and my system barely notices.
Do you know if Reason is power hungry in that regard?
 
Not quite an answer but you should post this on the DUC. You would get a lot more responses. If you don't know the DUC is the Digidesign Users Conference. A really great resource for all things ProTools.
 
An instrument I use almost all the time with Sonar is Cakewalk's Dimension Pro. It comes with an RTAS version that's compatible with ProTools. It's an amazing deal at $249. Has 8G of content covering the entire spectrum of instruments. Sounds are usable right out of the box and--if you like to tweak--the interface allows you to adjust envelopes, filters, effects, layer sounds, etc. Cakewalk even offers a couple of free expansion packs for registered owners (120M worth of content in each pack). It's also a "light" plug-in. I can run multiple copies with effects and audio on my single-core Pentium with no problem

Check out the product page for more: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/DimensionPro/default.asp

The sound samples link on that page will give you a good idea of what's capable with this instrument. Available at most music stores or from Cakewalk's web site.

Hope this helps.
 
I posted there as well earlier today.
Doing a search there as well, seems to be ask 5 different people this question
and get 5 different answers. Figured I'd try here as well.


Noiz2 said:
Not quite an answer but you should post this on the DUC. You would get a lot more responses. If you don't know the DUC is the Digidesign Users Conference. A really great resource for all things ProTools.
Click to expand...
 
I'll check this one out. Thanks

dpFilms said:
An instrument I use almost all the time with Sonar is Cakewalk's Dimension Pro. It comes with an RTAS version that's compatible with ProTools. It's an amazing deal at $249. Has 8G of content covering the entire spectrum of instruments. Sounds are usable right out of the box and--if you like to tweak--the interface allows you to adjust envelopes, filters, effects, layer sounds, etc. Cakewalk even offers a couple of free expansion packs for registered owners (120M worth of content in each pack). It's also a "light" plug-in. I can run multiple copies with effects and audio on my single-core Pentium with no problem

Check out the product page for more: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/DimensionPro/default.asp

The sound samples link on that page will give you a good idea of what's capable with this instrument. Available at most music stores or from Cakewalk's web site.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
 
I would categorize Reason Adapted as useless compared to the full version.

With Reason, you have virtually unlimited numbers of synths and samplers. The Redrum drum machine is easy to use, the NN-XT sampler has some of the best features that are easy to use, and the Thor synth has unlimited possibilities. Not to mention the effects. Use it with Rewire, and you're golden. (Rewire was created by Propellerheads, also.) The Reason Refills are cheap.

Another option is to get a VST wrapper for ProTools and get some of the many free VST instruments out there. FXpansion makes a good one (I own it) for about $100.



Rippie said:
I have a scaled back version of Reason that came with PT.
Maybe its just because it didnt have a ton of samples that I wasnt all that impressed.
Click to expand...
 
If you're looking for a decent orchestral library, look into Garritan Personal Orchestra, they are just about to release a new version, it is very cheap for what you get and is capable of some great results. Of course you could also look into East West Silver, which is also quite cheap, using these two libraries together would give you a good result. And then you can look into other options for percussion, etc.

There are also a lot of good free VST synths out there as well, I have some good Korg synths etc. that I use all the time but I use free ones all the time and they sound great...ambient stuff, or saws, drones, basses, all that kind of thing.

There are so many other options if you have more cash but that will get you started on the cheap!

I have other, more expensive sample libraries but I still use Garritan along side them because it really is good. Not just because it's cheap. The service is outstanding - best service I've ever had for any product, ever, the sounds are good and have good control. It blends really well with other sample libraries as well, so you can get a cool sound going on.
 
Chris, question for you.
I spent about an hour last night listening to many demo songs for the Garritan Personal Orchestra. I didnt quite hear one with these type of strings.
Do you happen to know if there is a staccato/agressive type strings like
in this trailer?
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_vantage/therewillbeblood/

Hows the cpu performance with this plug?
I have a feeling this is the one im going to end up with though.

I'd be curious to know what vst wrapper you have as well that works
smoothly with PT7.4.

I appreciate it.


Everyone else i appreciate it as well. Ive been looking into all of your suggestions.




ChrisHurn said:
If you're looking for a decent orchestral library, look into Garritan Personal Orchestra, they are just about to release a new version, it is very cheap for what you get and is capable of some great results. Of course you could also look into East West Silver, which is also quite cheap, using these two libraries together would give you a good result. And then you can look into other options for percussion, etc.

There are also a lot of good free VST synths out there as well, I have some good Korg synths etc. that I use all the time but I use free ones all the time and they sound great...ambient stuff, or saws, drones, basses, all that kind of thing.

There are so many other options if you have more cash but that will get you started on the cheap!

I have other, more expensive sample libraries but I still use Garritan along side them because it really is good. Not just because it's cheap. The service is outstanding - best service I've ever had for any product, ever, the sounds are good and have good control. It blends really well with other sample libraries as well, so you can get a cool sound going on.
Click to expand...
 
I can vouch for the Garritan content as well. It's high-quality.

Depending on what you're looking to score, Dimension Pro might still work for you. I say this because it contains a subset of the Garritan Personal Orchestra (referred to as the "Garritan Pocket Orchestra") which contains much of the meat of the larger version. On top of that, DimPro offers its own orchestral patches along with literally hundreds of pianos, keys, basses, guitars, synths, leads, arps, drum kits, ethnic instruments, loops and "dimensions" (i.e. a term Cakewalk uses to describe it's multi-layered, evolving textures). Add the edit-ability the DimensionPro interface offers and you have a killer all-round instrument that costs only $50 more than the full version of GPO.

Again, if orchestral scoring will be your focus, the GPO product will likely offer you more breadth in that space. But if you're looking for a single, light instrument that covers 80%+ of the patches you may ever need for any music genre imaginable (and/or if budget is a concern) DimPro still gets my nod.
 
I listened to the music in the trailer.

Garritan comes with some agressive string patches, and you could do that sort of thing, however, the reason why I recommenced East West Silver to you is it can fill the gaps that garritan doesn't perform so well in.

Garritan isn't as cinematic sounding as East West libraries, so what you can do is mix them together.

East West Silver has some pretty decent aggressive and staccato strings that will blend nicely with the other instruments/strings in Garritan. The Garritan ones are pretty good, but they are not as good or sharp sounding as they could be.There is a new version coming soon though, I wonder if that will include new patches for strings.

Just don't use Silver by itself, because while the lush strings in it sound good - they have such slow attacks, and little control.

I'd give you a quick demo of these strings, unfortunately I'm busy all today but if you're willing to wait til tomorrow I will put together a quick demo of the garritan strings and then the East West silver ones.
 
I've been using GPO about 3 to 4 times a week for a while now. It's a great sounding set up for the price. IMO the Vienna Symphony series is the gold standard, but it cost big $. I'd love to hear the East/West comparison w/ GPO.

My Guesstimate: The 'There will be Blood" sound of the strings sounded to me to be multi cello and double bass uisng fast attack, maybe a staccato track also blended in for the dramatic pulsing section of the music. It's probably a combination of instruments & fxs creating the result. That's usually the approach.
 
i agree with Hxd Ped, adapted is just the tip of the iceberg
when it comes to reasons features & sound bank

shawn
 
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