Plug-ins you can't live without

Question

What are your favorite third party plug-in? I'm looking for drum machine, synth, and sampler recommendations for use on an Intel Mac with Logic. With my old powerbook and Logic 4.8.2 I was using mostly hardware. Now with the new Macbook Pro I'd like to get into using more plug-ins, but i don't have much experience with them and their integration into Logic. I was considering the Native Instruments stuff, Battery, Absynth etc... if anyone can comment on the quality and integration. Also, any more obscure gems out there you can recommend would be great. I'd really like something that can do what a Elektron Machinedrum can do in software. Or maybe a good 909 or 303 emulator?

Answer 1

What are your favorite third party plug-in? I'm looking for drum machine,
synth, and sampler recommendations for use on an Intel Mac with Logic.
what kind of music do you make? helps to know, different things are good for different styles of music.
anyway, a couple of things I'd rather not live without, in no particular order are:
ohmboys delay.
I find the delays in logic to be really creatively lacking and just plain average. the tape delay sounds authentic and all, but it kind of just does the one thing, and frankly I can pick it whenever I hear it in anything nowadays. ohmboys delay gives you a lot more colour and a lot more ways to create a bit of mayhem. and then it also has that awesome loop button, which is fantastic for controlling the madness and using it in musical ways. it's my go-to delay for when I'm working on remixes.
UAD card.
on my G5 system I have a UAD card with all the plug ins enabled. I'd have to say that it's a keeper as well. I miss those plug ins on my MBP setup, but I don't think I miss them enough that I'll buy one of those portable units that UA are releasing. frankly I think I'll replace the concept of the UAD on my portable machine with URS plug ins, or maybe a liquid mix later on.. much more bang for the buck, and really for me the only plug ins that I use all the time on the UAD are the dynamics and EQ ones, 1176, LA2A, pultec, neve.. and also the plate reverb.. but maybe I'll make space designer impulses of that and see how that goes.
melodyne plug in.
not much to say about this, it's just so good at what it does and so dang useful. I think with few exceptions, most users should have it.
sonalksis EQs and comps.
hard to get super super excited about these, but they're just really good and really solid. you can tell that there's good quality design inside these things, right down to no latency operation and just good reliable results. I use them all the time on my MBP setup cos I don't have many good EQs and comps on that machine, and they are by far the best I have.
ivory piano.
I love the intimate sound I can get from this plug in. a lot of people rave about NI akoustic piano and how much better it is. I can't say, but I love ivory for the piano sounds I usually want to go for.
ohmforce symptohm melohman.
I just love looking at the interface of this thing.. it's like looking at a comic or a zine, with touches of manga. also, I think it's a pretty underrated synth. it makes some beautiful, bizarre harmonic resonant sounds, and also some solid punchy sounds too. not everyone is using it, so it brings something unique to things, when everybody else's idea of unique is absynth..
reaktor.
I doubt I'll ever fully and deeply get into reaktor. but when I need to go off on a trek to make soundscapes or I feel the need to try and bring some randomness to a track, I'll often spend some time going through my reaktor ensembles to see what happens.
URS neve channel EQs.
I think these are lovely. used them a lot on a film score once, to bring out the grain and sizzle in some sculpture sounds I made. they are also great for rolling off bottom end and driving the midrange in sounds, to bring out a great presence. very very good for shaping your sounds into main characters in a mix.