Especially in hip hop, generally the snare and the drum should be the the loudest sounds, respectively. In the last few weeks I have been paying special attention to these two elements, dedicating the majority of my focus to gain staging and EQing and my sound quality has increased pretty substantially. Top 5 most popular VST / VSTI plugins used in Hip-Hop industry! If in the past analogue synthesizers were a basic tool in any studio, nowadays the situation is totally changed. Now we have midi keyboards or other controllers with pads, and the buttons or faders can be customized and controlled via the computer using VST plugins.
What's up, everybody? Aaron here with R-Loops & TheDrumBank to discuss the Top 10 VST Instrument Plugins for Hip Hop music. This includes hip hop, rap, trap & RNB. Some of these I personally use and can vouge for. Others were recommended by some of my producer friends. These are in no specific order.
Xpand!2
This is one I personally use very often. Xpand!2 has a good balance between real instruments & digitally created sounds. Its packed with over 2500 presets sorted into 29 categories for easy navigation. Instruments include pads, synth, percussive, guitar, acoustic & electric piano, vocals, bells, organs, strings & more. Its a multitimbral workstation with 4 active sound slots. This allows you to layer multiple presets to give you the ultimate sound.
Massive
This is another I have in my personal collection & its a game changer. With over 1300 presets, there's not a sound you cant find within Massive. And being the ultimate synthesizer that is is, you can literally manipulate the sound in almost any way imaginable. Also a multitimbral workstation, it's easy to generate the perfect sound.
Kontakt
Kontakt is an instrument player that runs all NI Kontakt Instruments as well as instruments from 100s of other companies. Although Kontakt is a God among Plugins when you purchase expansions, you can even find great value from its core library. It's loaded with great live instruments, loops & effects.
Omnisphere
This plugin has blown up in the last couple of years. It's packed with over 14,000 inspiring sounds to get you started. You can even import your own audio and use it as your sound source! Mix that with the 57 different effect units & the possibilities are limitless. This allows you to create your own instrument/preset within omnisphere and ensuring you sound original.
Nexus
Depending on the package you get, you can get anywhere from 2250 presets with 13GB of samples up to 16000 presets with 130GB of samples. This is a MAJOR game changer for anyone who is willing to invest! It also has 119 appregiator presets & 95 effect presets. You could make fire forever with this single plugin!
Sylenth
This was recommended to me by a producer friend of mine. While I was a little scpetic at first, once I have seen it in action, it won me over. Much like some of the others on this list, the ability to layer your sounds within the synth is a huge bonus. Its also no to pricey, to begin with at 139 euros but you can also pay monthly if necessary.
Absynth
Absynth is definitely for somebody who likes the more trippy & spacey sounds. That includes me so I love Absynth. Packed with over 1800 atmospheric presets, you can take your listeners on a journey through time & space. They also have a cool 'Mutate' feature that randomly adjusts the effects & modulation of a sound to give you something completely new each time!
Serum
Serum is a wavetable synthesizer that allows you to view presets, or import your own audio, in a way you never have. This visual and creative workflow can make even most tedious sound design fun & entertaining. It has 455 presets & 144 different wavetables to help you maximize your creativity & design.
Reaktor
Reaktor is another instrument player from NI. While kontakt focused more on real instruments, reaktor focuses on synths & digital audio. Reaktors factory library has over 70 instruments for you to get started with. You can also share & download your created instruments & presets with the Reaktor community. This can help give you endless inspiration in the studio.
Keyscape
This plugin is home to the largest collection of keyboards in the world! With over 620 different piano patches, you will definitely be able to find your itch. Keyscape is also fully integratable with Omnisphere so you can take your piano creations to a whole nother universe!
Video review:
That's the end of our list for today. Go check out some of these great plugins if your in need of a new synth! Thanks for joining us & keep creating!
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Tom
Picking the best VST plugins and virtual instruments for your Hip Hop beats can sometimes be overwhelming. In this short video, I’ve highlighted my Top 5 Go-To Plugins that I use in my personal music production. Hopefully this can offer you some insight to some really great software you may consider for your own music.
Spectrasonics Trilian
Great sounds for creating Hip Hop bass lines! Includes a beautiful combination of synthetic, acoustic and electric bass patches. And really easy to create your own, custom patches as well. Highly recommended!
I’ve also put together a 100% Custom Hip Hop Bass Pack (Download) specifically for authentic production using many of the best sounds from Trilian, Trilogy and other rare bass samples.
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
This is the real deal, by far my favorite vsti plugin! A well-rounded and comprehensive virtual instrument. Includes a wide array of sounds including: various synths, traditional instruments, pads, strings, vocal patches, basses and keyboard to name a few. Excellent lead synths and sound fx!
If you find yourself in need of some fresh sound effects, transition sounds and more really unique one-of-a-kind SFX, I’d also recommend the TCustomz Sound FX Kit (Download 95+ Samples).
Lounge Lizard
One of my oldest plugins. Includes many vintage electric pianos including: various Rhodes sounds, Wurlitzer patches, custom electric piano patches and more!
Guitar Rig
A really dope effects plugin that emulates vintage guitar amplifiers. Works great with a standard guitar signal, but you can create some really unique sounds with lead synths, vocals and more. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Izotope Ozone
Fl Studio Hip Hop Vst
My go-to, all inclusive mastering plugin. Compression. EQ. Reverb. Harmonic Exciter. Stereo Imaging. Dynamics. This one does it all!
Hopefully this list gives you a better idea of the sounds and vst plugins I am using in my own production.
If this was helpful to you, please Like & Share! And feel free to drop your comments below and recommend any other vsts you suggest.