The Top 20 Plugins for Musicians and Songwriters
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

6. Native Instruments Elektrik Piano

This is a collection of four classic electric pianos, the Fender Rhodes MK I and MK II, the Hohner Clavinet, and the Wurlitzer A-200. They are sampled from the actual instruments, producing a gorgeous, clean-sounding collection that I use all the time. A good friend whose ears I trust prefers the Scarbee Rhodes, which I haven’t tried, so you may want to check that out as well. Retail price: $229.

7. MOTU Symphonic Instrument

This plugin has a great user interface, is very simple to use, and features 8GB of symphonic instrument samples. The entire orchestral gamut is covered, with a huge selection of orchestral percussion, flutes, violins, violas, cellos, contrabasses, tubas, trombones, French horns, pianos, harps, and even organs and flugelhorns. There are also several amazing ensemble patches such as brass ensemble, contrabass ensemble, cello ensemble, viola ensemble, and a violin ensemble. And considering the price of other orchestral libraries, this one is a bargain. Retail price: $295.

8. Best Service Artist Grooves

Artist Grooves features loops from some of the world’s most accomplished drummers, including Kenny Aranoff and Dennis Chambers. Each bank is separated by individual drummers and contains loops, fills, and a few hi-hat and kick/snare loops. The sound quality is superb and the loops are designed so that they can easily transition from one section to another, making them perfect for songwriting and drum-track demos. Best Service also offers a collection called Artist Drums that features the individual drum hits so you can do your own programming. Retail price: $199.95.

9. UltimateSoundBank (USB) Xtreme FX

If you do sound design or film scoring, Xtreme FX is essential. It is one of the lesser known but most amazing plugins, with an 8GB library of editable sounds and a versatile effects engine. The sounds range from Foley effects to atmospheric textures, edgy drones, and some very musical patches such as tuned mallets and ambient bells with endless echoes. This plugin is great when you’re lacking inspiration and want something a little different. Retail price: $149.

10. Native Instruments B4 and UltimateSoundBank Charlie

I couldn’t decide which organ I liked best, so I included them both. The Native Instruments B4 costs a little more but gives you more flexibility with two MIDI-controllable octaves as well as bass pedals. Charlie has some great presets and some thick, edgy sounds that I also use frequently. For more natural organ sounds, I usually go with B4 and for more edgy processed organs, I choose Charlie. Retail price: Charlie $149; B4 $229.