Professional sound designers and composers need more than a world-class selection of instrument sounds. They also need a range of articulations to add depth and nuance to performances, and they definitely need to maintain an efficient workflow if they’re going to keep their projects on track. Let’s take a look at some of the best virtual instruments for sound designers that combine stellar sound quality and expressive playability with a fast, flexible workflow.
Native Instruments Komplete 13 Software Production Suite
If you’re looking for the maximum amount of sonic content in a single package, then you’ll be impressed with Native Instruments Komplete 13 software suite. At its core is Kontakt, the world’s leading sample instrument, ready to create practically any type of sound you can imagine. And Kontakt is just the start — Komplete 13 packs 68 virtual instruments and effects, offering over 320GB of content to explore. Sound designers need as many sounds and effects as possible, and Komplete 13 puts them at your fingertips with powerful categorization and search capabilities that will help keep you in the creative flow.
Vienna Symphonic Library Vienna Smart Orchestra
The Vienna Smart Orchestra makes short work of creating large orchestrations quickly, perfect for crafting orchestral themes and cues without getting bogged down in balancing and fine-tuning the orchestration. You’ll find some outstanding effects here, too, ideal for exploring experimental soundscapes and sonic textures. If you’re looking for a comprehensive orchestral instrument that’s easy to manage and also allows for experimental sound design, then you’ll do well with Vienna Smart Orchestra.
UJAM Cinematic Bundle and Symphonic Elements Bundle
UJAM was founded in part by world-renowned film composer Hans Zimmer, and the master’s touch is evident in every one of their various virtual instruments. At the core of these two bundles is Symphonic Elements STRIIIINGS, featuring a complete orchestra string section with patches personally designed by Hans Zimmer himself. The Cinematic Bundle also includes Carbon for emotive guitars, Beatmaker Nemesis for next-generation beats and rhythms, and Finisher Neo for captivating cinematic effects. The Symphonic Elements Bundle pairs STRIIIINGS with the Drums virtual instrument, giving you access to Zimmer’s library of screen-ready percussion instruments and phrases.
Output REV Reverse Instrument Suite
Reversing audio is a tried-and-true method for building anticipation in a scene, and Output’s REV reverse instrument suite is a virtual instrument completely dedicated to creating tense buildups. REV does much more than play samples in reverse — it’s powered by four different sound engines (each with its own interface) to create all manner of pads and swells, rhythmic cues, rises, pulses, stutters, and so on. Over 14GB of content is offered with over 1,000 presets to explore. Complete with tempo-sync operation, live-recorded loops, and a huge selection of real instruments and synthesized sounds, the Output REV reverse instrument suite is perfect for creating those little touches that make for memorably tense scenes.
Best Service Elysion
From bright and aspirational to dark and foreboding, Best Service’s Elysion is an amazingly emotive virtual instrument. Elysion could be described as a symphonic synthesizer instrument, putting you in full command of a dynamic orchestra comprised of synthesized sounds instead of brass, strings, and woodwinds. Especially noteworthy is Elysion’s library of 230 complex animated themes, which yield huge, futuristic ensemble sounds covering a wide range of emotions. With the ability to play up to five instrument modules simultaneously, and with lots of options for adding effects, animating your sounds, and morphing between instruments, Elysion is ideal for futuristic film scores.
EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition and ComposerCloud Plus
Leveraging the amazing sonic power of EastWest’s acclaimed OPUS player, Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition is one of the most vibrant and playable orchestral instruments around. Every sound designer and composer working in film or video games needs a comprehensive solution for orchestral sounds, and Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition will exceed your expectations with a huge range of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments to explore. And, if that’s not enough, consider a subscription to EastWest’s ComposerCloud Plus — you’ll get access to all EastWest products (including OPUS instruments), a collection of over 42,000 instruments presented with multiple mic positions and world-class 24-bit sound quality.
Heavyocity Damage 2 Cinematic Percussion Instrument
The entire range of Heavyocity instruments would serve any sound designer well, combining screen-ready sounds with highly playable interfaces. Heavyocity Damage 2 is a great example — it excels at quickly creating drum and percussion tracks that match whatever mood you’re trying to create. In addition to a huge range of high-quality drum and percussion sounds, Damage 2 puts tempo-synced loops and phrases at your fingertips. Instead of scoring note by note, you can play Damage 2 in real time to build and release tension as the scene dictates. Complete with a great selection of exciting impacts and captivating transition effects, Damage 2 is an intuitive percussion instrument for modern composers and sound designers.
Garritan Personal Orchestra 5
Garritan has long been a leader in orchestral software, earning acclaim for their easy-to-use instruments with top-tier sound quality. Garritan Personal Orchestra 5 balances production-ready sounds with a streamlined interface and a standardized set of controls for all instruments that makes it easy to express your musical ideas quickly. Covering woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, choir, keyboards, and harps, Personal Orchestra 5 is easily approachable for beginners while offering the expressive playability and advanced articulations that experienced composers will appreciate.
Audio Modeling SWAM All In Bundle
While most of the instruments in this list are based around high-quality samples of real instruments, the SWAM All In Bundle uses physical modeling to create amazingly expressive string, brass, and woodwind sounds. Thanks to Synchronous Waves Acoustic Modeling (SWAM), you have comprehensive control over the nuances of every instrument as you play them, including the bow position for stringed instruments, the pipe length and breath control for brass, and independent control over fingering and dynamics for woodwinds. When you have exacting needs for how an instrument’s part plays out over a scene, you’ll appreciate the real-time control that the SWAM All In Bundle provides.
Vir2 MOJO 2 Horn Section Virtual Instrument
Covering a century of brass and reed instrument sounds, MOJO 2 Horn Section may quickly become your go-to solution for composing with brass. In addition to modern brass sounds, you can tap into three distinct “Era” modes — Retro (1960s and ’70s), Vintage 1 (’40s and ’50s), and Vintage 2 (’20s and ’30s) — that encapsulate the signature brass sounds of those time periods. You’ll find plenty of different articulations to add lifelike nuances to each horn part, customizable ensembles from one to 10 players per instrument, and three separate mic positions to tailor the sounds to your compositional requirements.
Be Ready for Anything
In the fast-paced world of film and video-game composition, sound designers need to have as many sounds as possible at the ready. The instruments above stand out for their ability to produce world-class sonic experiences; we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to their full sonic potential. Not sure if one or any of these virtual instruments will meet your specific musical needs? Give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700, and they’ll be happy to point you in the direction of a virtual instrument that will support your sound-design goals.
