Sylenth claim to be able to match the quality of hardware synths in their software. I’d be hesitant to suggest you use this setting to record a piece of solo jazz piano as it leaves it a little too exposed, but as a piece of accompaniment in hip-hop, for example, you can’t go wrong. Add a little external reverb and make some good EQ choices and you’ll be on your way to a great sound. If you’re playing in through a MIDI keyboard, then you can get a surprisingly convincing sound from this setting.
Logic Pro X Screenshot Of Bosendorfer Piano Of course, if you’re willing to spend, then you can get VSTs that basically sound 100% real, but for free, this sound is great. However, I’ve pointed it out because I find it to be so much better than all of the other piano sounds available built into Logic. The Bösendorfer Grand Piano is actually a specific sound found within the Logic piano sounds VST, so it isn’t actually a VST in itself. This is one of those situations in which the digital option is better than basically every real-life synth you could get your hands on. There are some good effects present and the ability to go into even more detail if you understand how (I don’t). Of course, at the bottom, you can design the entire sound of your synth, with envelopes and LFOs that can be changed through twisting knobs or editing a very easy to understand chart that positions everything exactly where you need. The oscillators have a visual appearance, with each one able to be positioned, detuned, phased and various other things, and your filters have much more detail than many of the default plug-ins. You have the option to add sub-bass and noise to any sound, and not just add them, but customise their appearance. The level of detail is incredible, and even though it looks like a lot, each section of design is actually quite easy to follow. It is so flexible that I reckon you can replicate basically any sound you wanted with the right knowhow. It may look a bit daunting from its huge frame and the detailed waveforms that sit at various positions around the screen while you have it open, but Xfer Serum is one of the most powerful and customisable wavetable synths you can access. Also, as with most VSTs, don’t use its effects settings.
Trial and error is the way to go with this VST, as it can give you some really cool sounds when you layer things right and don’t rely on it as your only source of tone.
You should also take advantage of the customisation options in this VST, such as the mic positioning (this is a great way to get a room sound that you might not have access to when recording) or play around with the types of speaker you can have the signal run through. If you go straight in there try and model using this, you may be a little disappointed- it’s free after all. To get an edgier sound that falls somewhere in-between, a few tips to make the most of this VST include using some external effects before using this VST. Similarly, an almost-clean sound will work well through here, especially if you’re just looking to give your dry signal a little treble boost or a bit more presence.
Of course, your natural response to creating a sure-fire success in your sound is to crank the overdrive to full if you’re going full-metal, then this works a charm in Amp Designer.
There are a few overdrive settings that give off pretty good results and can allow your DI’d guitar (or any other instrument if you’re feeling creative) to sound cool enough, but going manual is your best bet with this VST. There are a few amp simulation sounds already built in, and let’s be honest, they aren’t brilliant. It looks pretty basic and has the typical Logic layout, but with a little practice, you can really use it to your advantage. It’s a free plugin that comes built-in to Logic Pro X and offers a range of amp simulation sounds. If you’ve got access to Logic Pro X, its likely you’ll be pretty familiar with Amp Designer. I’ll alternate between high quality VST’s available from external sources, and VSTs you can find that come with Logic Pro X for free. It’s important to understand that these plug-ins are all of very different quality, so I’ll talk you through some great and readily available VSTs. Similarly, you can use VSTs to create effects that can be used to change the sound of live instruments you have recorded, or even the sound of the VST instruments you’re using. They’re a useful tool for anyone’s home studio. You can create the sound and performance of an instrument without having to play the instrument. This means you can have instruments (such as samplers and MIDI) created within your DAW, some of which can be incredibly accurate and of high quality.
A VST is Virtual Studio Technology, an audio plug-in software which integrates software synthesisers and effects in DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).