Despite having different hardware synthesizers; I am, like among other producers, coming back for some of the key synth VSTs over and over again.
They have a sound and a feeling that I can’t get enough of, while nothing can beat them when it comes to workflow as well. It is the depth of possibility or speed of simplicity or just how convenient to use all these available preset packs make them right virtual synthesizer to use in 2021.
For this blog post, I’ve picked what I believe to be the top 3 vst synths available in 2021. Most of them have been around for some time but I am sure they will fill your computer with unparalleled palette of sounds that will get addicting.
Best analogue synth plugin: u-he Diva
There are immense amount of classic analogue synthesizer emulations scattering the plugin landscape in 2021 however, standing champion among them for me is still u-he’s astounding Diva, a semi-modular faux analogue synth that draws influence from a selection of legendary hardware in its roster of oscillators, filters and envelopes, and yields a sound utterly indistinguishable from the real thing.
Diva was released in 2012 but then it received the addition of a Roland JP-8000-style digital oscillator option. Therefore, flexibility of combining all those different modules to create an analog sound that sounds unparalleled to any other in the market makes this synth so special.
Best wavetable synth plugin: Xfer Serum
Serum lets you invent creative sounds with a natural layout for sound design, custom drawn or imported waveforms, and real-time wavetable animation. Moreover, drag-and-drop routing makes setting up complex modulation quite simple. Add LFOs or envelopes to animate any part of your sound, including your effects.
Steve Duda’s Serum has been the go-to for producers of modern EDM and bass music. Which lead to a huge community out there covering so much content about Serum, it’s probably harder to find a professional electronic music producer that doesn’t use Serum than to find one that does!
Best hybrid synth plugin: Arturia Pigments 3
Can any synth ever really be definitively dubbed ‘the greatest of all time’? Probably not, but if one could, Arturia’s software masterpiece Pigments 3 would surely be a contender.
With each update, Pigments has evolved to be bigger, bolder, and more versatile than ever, blurring the lines between timbres and pushing sound design into vivid new territory.
Pigments 3 lets you combine any pair from a selection of 4 sound engines being wavetable, virtual analog, harmonic and sample/granular engine, and layer them with deep sub-bass and a sprinkling of sampled noise for instant access to every texture, timbre, and color.
Pigments 3 enhances an already well-featured instrument. It’s a bargain given the sheer number of features and its sound quality.