Best virtual instrument packs (hiphop)

So a while back I regret tingly got rid of my fantom based on the idea that I could have even more sounds and use them as virtual instruments in pro tools to compose beats. I since have not made a keyboard beat and it has been a few years. Although I am not happy with the workflow on pt compared to having the keyboard and mpc linked. I can not afford a new keyboard nor can I fit one in my setup. I purchased the vir 2 vine pack and I'm not really all that pleased with it. Not that the sounds aren't good there's just not enough of them. What are the best virtual instrument packs? Thanks in advance.

have you looked into native instruments kontakt?

I have a Fantom G and Kontakt 4, I'd say Kontakt is a good call as a VST/AU substitute.

There's so many Kontakt based instruments at all price brackets and styles available. And magazines like Computer Music UK have really good Kontakt formatted instruments on the cover mount DVD every month as well.

And If you don't need the advanced editing and just want to buy libraries there's the free Kontakt Player VST/AU although the bundled library is only like 300-400MB or so, rather than the multiple GB's in the full one. The fullone is a great variety of stuff and currently has different GUI's tailored to the sounds.

For example it has all the old B4 II organ sounds with a GUI that has drawbars, or the classic drum machine patches have interfaces suited to that and so on.

Since the death of Gigastudio a while back Kontakt has by far the most libraries in it's format.

Metatron72 wrote:I have a Fantom G and Kontakt 4, I'd say Kontakt is a good call as a VST/AU substitute.

There's so many Kontakt based instruments at all price brackets and styles available. And magazines like Computer Music UK have really good Kontakt formatted instruments on the cover mount DVD every month as well.

And If you don't need the advanced editing and just want to buy libraries there's the free Kontakt Player VST/AU although the bundled library is only like 300-400MB or so, rather than the multiple GB's in the full one. The fullone is a great variety of stuff and currently has different GUI's tailored to the sounds.

For example it has all the old B4 II organ sounds with a GUI that has drawbars, or the classic drum machine patches have interfaces suited to that and so on.

Since the death of Gigastudio a while back Kontakt has by far the most libraries in it's format.

gigastudio that brought back memories.

Metatron72 wrote:I have a Fantom G and Kontakt 4, I'd say Kontakt is a good call as a VST/AU substitute.

There's so many Kontakt based instruments at all price brackets and styles available. And magazines like Computer Music UK have really good Kontakt formatted instruments on the cover mount DVD every month as well.

And If you don't need the advanced editing and just want to buy libraries there's the free Kontakt Player VST/AU although the bundled library is only like 300-400MB or so, rather than the multiple GB's in the full one. The fullone is a great variety of stuff and currently has different GUI's tailored to the sounds.

For example it has all the old B4 II organ sounds with a GUI that has drawbars, or the classic drum machine patches have interfaces suited to that and so on.

Since the death of Gigastudio a while back Kontakt has by far the most libraries in it's format.

Yeah Kontakt is the bidness. The things has so much with iut already and I agree there are mad instruments being made for it daily. Cats have sampled some of the best vintage synths and made them into Kontakt instruments for $30 - $50 or so. instanat downloads (Boxed Ear comes to mind).

as for the Kontakt Player be forewarned not all libraries will play with the player some of the more extensively programmed instruments available require the full version.

You cant loose with Kontakt

Thanks for all the input everyone. When I purchased the vir2 vione pack it gave me kontact 3&4 apparently. But when used in pro tools it barely recognizes any of the sounds. Maybe i have a free version but I can't see spending another $100 for so few sounds. I'm really not farmiliar with kontact maybe that's the problem. I'm looking to get a large library of sounds to replace what I lost when I sold my keyboard.

Slyvest wrote:Thanks for all the input everyone. When I purchased the vir2 vione pack it gave me kontact 3&4 apparently. But when used in pro tools it barely recognizes any of the sounds. Maybe i have a free version but I can't see spending another $100 for so few sounds. I'm really not farmiliar with kontact maybe that's the problem. I'm looking to get a large library of sounds to replace what I lost when I sold my keyboard.

KOMPLETE9 / KOMPLETE9 ULTIMATE

psr is right, if you add it up it's the most serious value in the industry. NI is like 'buy enough of our crack and we'll knock off like 70% on the price.."

Also the stuff is so vast and well proven, that you can skip a year or two and still be cool. I'm on Komplete 7 still. If you do upgrade the prices are very reasonable still.

Good point on future value in additoin to the value at the point of purchase.
the upgrades are well valued. I copped a cross grade. actually had planed to cop for more money and realized i can get the crossgrade because i own maschine. saved a couple hundred right out the gate. Got mad mad mad instruments and what not and its not even Ultimate but everything i wanted was in Komplete9 already.

Metatron72 wrote:Also the stuff is so vast and well proven, that you can skip a year or two and still be cool. I'm on Komplete 7 still. If you do upgrade the prices are very reasonable still.

LMAO Im rockin K7 as well....Thought about upgrading to 9 bcuz of the maschine integration but ehhhhhh whatever.....Komplete is pretty dope with all you get for the price. I bought 7 after 8 had been released...got a super steal/deal on it.

And just to add,...OMNISPHERE is my absolute favorite virtual instrument

faze1 wrote:And just to add,...OMNISPHERE is my absolute favorite virtual instrument

Yeah man, maybe not the workstation substitute like Kontakt, but there's so many good sounds. The sample WAV data is so good, Omni sounds like you used hardware. Better low end and crispness than most VST's. and still very editable.

Metatron72 wrote:

faze1 wrote:And just to add,...OMNISPHERE is my absolute favorite virtual instrument

Yeah man, maybe not the workstation substitute like Kontakt, but there's so many good sounds. The sample WAV data is so good, Omni sounds like you used hardware. Better low end and crispness than most VST's. and still very editable.

True,

I limited myself to just using Omnisphere, Trilian, Massive and Battery. Maybe Maschine again

Its nice to load up on VSTs but I have pretty much everything I need with those programs.

Thanks again guys. I'm a noob to the software side of production. Will kontact work as a virtual instruments so that I could make beats in pro tools with it or is it a stand alone program that I can make beats in? I'm basically looking for a replacement for my phantom. I loved how it synced with the mp but I don't have the room for a full size keyboard. I don't mind either way just wondering because I would like to add production over my sample beats. Also how much is kontakt? Thanks

Slyvest wrote:Thanks again guys. I'm a noob to the software side of production. Will kontact work as a virtual instruments so that I could make beats in pro tools with it or is it a stand alone program that I can make beats in? I'm basically looking for a replacement for my phantom. I loved how it synced with the mp but I don't have the room for a full size keyboard. I don't mind either way just wondering because I would like to add production over my sample beats. Also how much is kontakt? Thanks

i dont use pro-tools but it should work just fine. im sure many cats use it just as you'd like to.

http://www.native-instruments.com/en/ko ... k9-vs-k9u/