VST Instruments

Logic Pro VSTs

Now you’ve got to understand that I was born in the 50’s, grew up in the 60’s, and played in a rock band 5 nights a week all through the 70’s. So guys like Rick Wakeman (Yes) and Keith Emerson (ELP) were my influences as were bands like Gentle Giant and Genesis. I’ve been searching for VST instruments that emulate keyboards like the Mellotron, Rhodes, B3, Clav, Minimoog, etc, that I use to own and play. (I still have my B3 and Minimoog)

I use to maintain a list of VSTi’s that you can buy to emulate those classic synths but Arturia V Collection is now my goto all-in-one synth collection.

Included in the Arturia V Collection are:

  • B-3 V (Hammond B3)
  • Mellotron V
  • ARP 2600 V
  • Prophet V (Sequencial Circuits)
  • Mini V (Minimoog)
  • Modular V (Moog Modular)
  • Solina V (String Machine)
  • SEM V (Oberheim)
  • CS-80 V (Yamaha CS-80)
  • DX7 V (Yamaha DX7)
  • Stage-73 V (Fender Rhodes)
  • Clavinet V
  • Piano V
  • Farfisa V
  • Wurli V (Wirlitzer)
  • VOX Continental V
  • Matrix-12 V
  • Jup-8 V (Roland Jupiter 8)
  • CMI V (Fairlight CMI)
  • Synclavier V

OMG, can you imagine owning all of these synths? I owned some of these real synths but I’m gussing almost no one got to play with a Fairlight CMI or Synclavier. This collection is worth every penny.

Here is a list of alternate VSTi’s that you can buy that emulate those classic keybaords as well:

  • Mellotron: M-Tron from GForce
  • Hammond B3: B4 Organ from Native Instruments
  • Fender Rhodes: Lounge Lizard EP-2 from Applied Acoustic Systems

Here is a listing of some FREE VSTi instruments to use with ACID Pro or any VSTi compatible host. I found most of these through K-v-R web site which is an excellent directory of everything VST.

  • Mellotron: Tapeworm from Tweakbench has strings, voices, flues, brass
  • Fender Rhodes: Mr.Ray 2 or 4Front Rhodes, Piano, Bass, E-Piano – Some exceptional pianos
  • Tonewheel Organ (B3): ORGANized trio
  • Multi-sound: SampleTank 1.1.9 FREE
  • Polyphonic Analog Subtractive Synthesizer: LinPlug FreeAlpha
  • Polyphonic Analog Subtractive Synthesizer: Superwave P8

Soundfonts

SynthZone Soundfont Resources is an outstanding resource for soundfonts.

VST Effects

ACID Pro 5.0 now supports VST effects. Here is a list of some great free VST effects:

  • Kjaerhus Audio Classic Series (Chorus, Compressor, Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser, Limiter, Reverb)
  • Voxengo has some great VST effects both for free and for a fee.

Control Devices

You will need some way of controlling your VSTi synths. There are both hard wand software solutions available:

  • M-Audio has an excellent line of MIDI Keyboard Controllers. I use the Axium 61 and I love it.
  • Frontier Design Tranzport is an excellent transport controller for recording and playback.
  • Bome’s Mouse Keyboard is an excellent software keyboard for those times when you don’t have hardware available.