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Elliott
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,145 posts
Joined: May, 2012
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 Posted - 2024/12/07 : 16:15:29
Hello, old friendos. Lovely to see you all again. Hope you're well!
I'm trying to get back into production for the first time since 2016. As some of you know, I have a disabling immune disorder that has left me unable to work (or do much of anything), so this is around that time of year when I can sort of afford to buy music software. I already have my FLS perpetual license with Gross Beat etc.
I still want to keep making 2000s-style supersaw driven stuff but with modern production values and some concessions to modern styles. After over a decade of bitching, I've finally accepted most subgenres of EDMcore as part of the hardcore canon -- one that's here to stay.
What VST instruments are people using to make hardcore nowadays? Are you using any vocal synths (if so, which ones are good)? And, if you like, what are your favourite VSTs for EQ, filtering, reverb, compression, limiting etc.? Are you deploying AI-assisted tools in your workflow? And what are you using for mastering (maybe even mixing with some modern tools)?
Over time, I've accumulated legit copies of Sylenth, Nexus, V-Station/Bass Station, and that free Access Virus emulator (I think there's only the one major one?). Massive is very affordable but I'm not sure how much it's used in modern hardcore -- I'm guessing it would've been very popular in the "dubcore" sidechain-everything era. Serum is eye-wateringly expensive for a one-off soft synth but I've heard it's one of the new must-haves. Is that true?
Also, if anyone is feeling generous, I'd be grateful if you could set me up with some of your favourite kick samples and bass preset combos that are ready to go. I've always getting the right kick/bass feel to be one of the hardest parts (and, unfortunately, the most "underratedly" important) of getting started on a track. It sucks a lot of energy out of me to go through packs of 600 kickdrums. Plus, I've lost a lot of my ear for samples so need time and help to redevelop it. AND I'm still mired in the days of Vengeance drum packs being the alpha and omega.
Sound off on your favourite VSTs/VSTis! Price is no object for the purposes of this thread, even if it's a practical impediment for many hobbyists like me. This is the time of the year when discounts mean we can vaguely afford to stretch our budgets beyond the usual.
Obviously I love Sylenth. It's been one of the backbones of UKHC since the height of the supersaw era and is excellent for both basses and leads. Even today, I'd imagine it's essential. I don't think there's a VSTi more closely associated with hardcore than Sylenth and I don't think Sylenth is more tightly interwoven with a genre than hardcore. But I'm looking to diversify my portfolio of sounds. I'm still very much an advocate of the supersaw but I want to expand my horizons.
Thanks a lot, friends.
Love,
Elliott, making my (not so) glorious return to mixing and production and the internet
P.S. It's a real issue that we still can't find all our own posts on this forum. I'd like to go on a nostalgia trip but... I mean, I admire the fact that this appears to have built from the ground up in original ASP(!) in the '90s but it's solely lacking features that are just standard in every single forum software made this millennium. :p
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old soundcloud
i gave up producing
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Edited by - Elliott on 2024/12/07 16:20:14 |
Si Thompson
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
3,420 posts
Joined: Mar, 2016
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Posted - 2024/12/07 : 19:39:55
DUNE 3 and Serum for synths. I would also grab the Korg TRITON. I actually prefer it to the M1.
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Si Thompson
https://soundcloud.com/si-thompson
The Rave Music Archive
https://soundcloud.com/the_rave_music_archive
https://www.youtube.com/c/theravemusicarchive
Kool Katz Digital
https://soundcloud.com/kool-katz-digital
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DJ_FunDaBounce
Advanced Member
Colombia
2,021 posts
Joined: Nov, 2001
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Posted - 2024/12/07 : 20:02:15
Hey, Elliott! Been a while! Hope you're doing well! :)
After Serum and Spire, it seems as though the innovation in synths has slowed down. I'm constantly bombarded by ads for vintage synth emulations.
I haven't checked in a while to see if this is still a thing (just checked, it is.) but I got my serum on a rent-to-own plan from splice.com for like 10 USD a month.
I'm personally still into the late 90's early 2000's sounds, though the hardstyle leads I do feel a need to tackle at some point. My suggestion to you is that you just get doing what you feel. Don't feel like the times need to impose some kind of standard.
I'm currently on Cubase 13 pro and Reason 10, still running my old faves (z3ta/2, sylenth, massive, m1, etc.)
Mastering: running some some Izotope stuff. as well as T-Racks 5. There are a few newish plug ins that kinda have their place in modern setups, like Reference 2 from "Mastering the mix".
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"Fun with a capital F-D-B!"
http://www.brightspeedrecordings.com/
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Edited by - DJ_FunDaBounce on 2024/12/07 20:08:05 |
Captain Triceps
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2,200 posts
Joined: Dec, 2011
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Posted - 2024/12/08 : 11:40:14
Good to see you're still around mate!
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Some of my remixes, original tracks and mixes here:
https://soundcloud.com/bradders-tracks-and-remix
https://soundcloud.com/bradders1982
https://soundcloud.com/paulbradley1982
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Padmac
Starting Member
United Kingdom
6 posts
Joined: Nov, 2018
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Posted - 2024/12/28 : 21:07:12
Hey mate - I'd echo your point completely re. forum features.
RE. Essential VSTs, I'd say most of my music involves:
Serum
Spire
Sylenth
Dune 3
VMS MBC
ArtsAcoustic reverb
FabFilter Pro
Izotope Ozone 11 (or at least some features).
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