Add effects, synths, samplers and processors to your DAW with plugins and virtual instruments for any studio setup.
- 119 topics
- 378 articles
- Music Software & DAWs
Inside Plugins & Virtual Instruments
All 119 topicsThe 12 most-searched of 119 topics. The full index is at the foot of the page.
Serum
Serum is a leading wavetable synth for UK producers, used for basses, leads, pads and advanced sound design.
Childrens Drum Kits
Children's drum kits help young players learn rhythm comfortably with smaller, beginner-friendly setups.
Instruments Strings
Virtual string instruments and libraries for detailed arrangements, cinematic writing and expressive production.
Spitfire Audio
Spitfire Audio offers cinematic sample libraries for orchestral writing, scoring and richly detailed music production.
Drum and Rhythm Machine
Find drum and rhythm machines for beat making, songwriting and live performance with fast, hands-on control.
Vital
Explore a powerful wavetable synth with clear sound design tools, deep modulation and versatile modern tones.
Sample
Samples are the building blocks of modern production, used for beats, hooks, textures and creative arranging in any genr...
3 topics
Fabfilter
FabFilter delivers high-end EQ, compression and mastering plugins with precise control and clear workflow.
1 topic
Soundtoys
Soundtoys plug-ins add analogue-style colour, movement and creative effects for distinctive mixes and sound design.
Plugin Types
Explore the main kinds of music software plug-ins, from effects and instruments to mixing, mastering and creative tools.
Autotune
Pitch correction and vocal effect software for polished, modern music production.
1 topic
Izotope
Professional mixing, mastering and repair software for cleaner, faster and more polished productions.
Articles on Plugins & Virtual Instruments
All news
Drum Vst: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Ready to buy a drum VST? Learn which specs matter, how to compare options, and where hidden costs hide before you spend money.
Native Instruments for Beginners: A Complete Guide
You don't need to understand the whole Native Instruments catalogue to get started. Here's a calm, step-by-step way in.
808 Vst: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The right 808 VST transforms your bass production capabilities. Discover how to evaluate options, assess sound quality, and invest in tools that deliver authentic, professional 808 tones.
Sample Packs for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A practical guide to using sample packs for music production. Understand how sample packs accelerate learning, maintain motivation, and support creative development.
Cinematic Samples: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Quality cinematic samples elevate your production instantly, but the selection is vast. This guide shows you what features matter, which price tier suits your needs and how to avoid common purchasing...
De Esser Plugin for Beginners: A Complete Guide
De esser plugins transform harsh vocal recordings into professional-sounding audio. Discover the simplest path to using a de esser plugin as a nervous beginner and hear the immediate difference.
The Best Slate Digitals for the Money
No invented benchmarks — just an honest look at which Slate Digital tool actually earns its keep for different budgets and different jobs.
Autotune Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Autotune means two things at once: quiet, invisible pitch repair and the glassy vocal effect everyone recognises. Here's how it actually works.
Soundtoys Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Soundtoys builds effects meant to be heard, not hidden. Here's what the range actually includes and how the pieces fit together.
Vital: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Before you spend anything on the Vital synth, here's what actually changes between Free, Plus and Pro — and whether you need to upgrade at all.
The Complete Guide to Analog Mixing Console
Analogue mixing console plugins bring the warmth and character of vintage mixing desks into your digital audio workstation, enhancing mixes with harmonic richness and familiar workflow.
808 Vst for Beginners: A Complete Guide
An 808 VST is simpler to use than you might think. This beginner's guide covers setup, basic controls and how to make your 808 sound professional in your first tracks.
Arturia V Collection for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The Arturia V Collection is vast — here's how to set it up, where to start and how to make it genuinely useful from your very first session.
The Ultimate Guide to Free Channel Strip Plugin
A channel strip plugin consolidates EQ, compression and metering into one tool for faster, more musical mixing. This guide covers essential features and workflow.
Serum for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Opening Serum for the first time can feel like a cockpit full of unfamiliar knobs. Here is a calm, step-by-step way in, built for total beginners.
The Ultimate Guide to Jo Malone Sample Pack
Sample packs have become indispensable tools for modern music producers, providing ready-made building blocks that accelerate your creative workflow. Whether you're a seasoned professional or explorin...
Uad Audio Plugins: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Wrong format, wrong hardware assumption, an overlapping subscription — here's what to check before you buy into the UAD ecosystem.
Drum Amps: How to Amplify an Electronic Kit
An electronic kit makes almost no sound of its own. How you turn that signal into air is most of what your kit will sound like — and it is the decision people most often get wrong.
Common Antares Autotune Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems with pitch correction trace back to the same handful of errors. Here is what goes wrong and how to stop it happening in your sessions.
Loop Packs for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Loop packs are the beginner producer's secret weapon. This guide covers what they are, how to use them, and how to transition from loops to original production.
Vital Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The Vital synth gives away a genuinely serious wavetable and spectral engine for free. Here's how it works underneath, and where it earns its keep.
Massive X Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Native Instruments' Massive X rebuilt the wavetable synthesis engine from scratch. Here's what the architecture actually does and why the instrument has the character it has.
Native Instruments: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Komplete comes in four sizes before you even get to Maschine or Kontakt libraries. Here's what to actually buy, not what marketing wants you to buy.
Common Valhalla Plugins Mistakes to Avoid
The mistakes even experienced producers make with Valhalla plugins, from unfiltered reverb returns to ignoring mono compatibility, and how to fix each one.
Plugins and virtual instruments for every studio
Plugins & Virtual Instruments cover the tools you load inside a DAW to shape, enhance and perform music. This category includes effects, synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, amp simulators and mixing processors.
Expand your sound palette
Plugins and virtual instruments let you add new tones, textures and processing power without changing your main software. They are essential for mixing, sound design, beat-making, composing and building realistic or experimental instrument parts.
Compatible with modern production workflows
Most plugins and virtual instruments are designed to work across popular DAWs, making them a practical upgrade for home studios and professional setups alike. For UK musicians, they are one of the easiest ways to customise a production environment.
