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
Common Fabfilter Filter Mistakes to Avoid
The pitfalls almost everyone hits with a FabFilter filter plug-in, from overcooked resonance to confusing it with a proper EQ, and the quick fixes for each.
Sampler Plugin: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A quality sampler plugin transforms sample-based production workflows. Discover how to evaluate options, assess essential features, and invest in tools that enhance your creative capabilities.
Serato Sample for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Serato Sample looks complex but the core workflow is simple: load a sample, sync tempo, manipulate. This beginner guide gets you making sounds in minutes.
Bass Amp Sim: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a bass amp sim? This guide explains what matters—specs, latency, CPU usage, and tone—so you can choose the right plugin for your needs and budget.
Pitch Correction Plugin: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Overwhelmed by pitch correction plugin options? Learn how to choose between transparent, stylised, and real-time correctors.
Common Soundtoys Mistakes to Avoid
Soundtoys plugins are brilliant right up until they aren't. Here are the habits that trip people up, and how to fix each one.
Mpc Sample Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Akai's battery-powered MPC Sample turns recorded or imported audio into playable beats — here's what it does and how to get clean results out of it.
Everything You Need to Know About Plugin Antares Autotune
Pitch correction technology transforms vocal production, offering transparent correction or creative effects. This guide explores how these powerful tools work and when to use them.
Everything You Need to Know About One Shot Synth Samples
One-shot samples are isolated recordings that play once when triggered. Learn how to use them, record your own, and leverage them in electronic music production.
Common Spitfire Audio Mistakes to Avoid
Every mistake here is one I've made myself while getting into orchestral libraries — learn from the nonsense so you don't repeat it.
Plugin Subscriptions: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right plugin plugin subscriptions involves more than picking the service with the most titles. This guide covers how to evaluate what you need, understand the licence terms and choose a s...
Plugin Alliance: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Subscription or one-off purchase? Here's how to actually decide, plus the checklist worth running through before you buy anything.
Preset Packs: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying preset packs? Discover what makes collections worth the money, how to judge quality from demos, and how to choose between budget, mid-range, and premium options.
Brass Vst: A Complete Guide
Brass VST plugins bring orchestral brass authenticity to your digital audio workstation. Discover how multisampled instruments, articulation variety, and modern technology enable professional orchestr...
Common Serum Synth Mistakes to Avoid
Foley Samples: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing foley samples that fit your project. Understand categories, licensing, quality specs, and how to avoid expensive mistakes when buying sound libraries.
Serum Plugin for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Never opened Serum before? This guide walks through the interface, how wavetable synthesis works and how to build a first working patch in six steps.
The Complete Guide to Synth Piano
A synthesiser piano merges the tactile expression of a traditional keyboard with powerful digital sound design. Learn what they offer and how to choose 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.
