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I am a plugin addict. As a studio owner, I own many of the popular audio plugins
such as the Waves Gold Bundle, the Bomb Factory plugins, and Line 6 Amp Farm. T
hough I routinely use all of these utility plugins, it's the more esoteric plugs t
hat I turn to when I'm being creative. In this article, I'll introduce the ones
I find most inspiring.
Plugins come in two forms: virtual instruments and effects. Virtual instruments
allow you to load and play sounds by connecting a MIDI keyboard or other MIDI co
ntroller to your computer. They come in all varieties: pianos, drum kits, string
s, orchestral instruments, organs, brass, synthesizers, and much more. Effect pl
ugins come in endless types as well: EQ, compression, delay, reverb, filters, be
at-slicers, distortion, and twisted combinations. To use a plugin, you load it i
nto a host program such as Digidesign Pro Tools or Apple GarageBand.
As a musician and songwriter, I look for three things in a plugin:
Ease of use
An elegant user interface
Great sounds
My process of songwriting (and thus choosing plugins) is not for everyone. I thi
nk about music first and technology second. When I m writing pop songs, I m thinking
primarily about chord structure and lyrics or about the song itself, not so muc
h the production. That s why I wouldn t choose a complex interface that would requir
e my technological brain to interrupt my musical brain. I want a sleek, simple i
nterface that can get me the sound I want in as little time as possible. I can a
lways replace the sounds I write with, because for me, inspiration is a precious
resource--one I try to nurture as long as I can without getting off on a techno
logical tangent that kills my vibe.
That said, if I'm writing a techno piece or a soundtrack, I will spend more time
on the production and the sounds I choose to write with, because the production
is so much a part of these kinds of music for me.
In the following list, you may notice the lack of geekier analog synth emulation
plugins. I love the sound of the old analog gear as much as anyone, and though
I have spent quite a few stoned hours patching cables on a real modular Moog syn
thesizer as well as Arturia s plugin version, I must admit that the majority of an
alog synth plugins do not excite me when I m writing songs. I do use plugins like
the Arturia or the amazing Rap Papen plugs, but I usually bring out this breed i
f I m writing techno or after I've written a song and can be distracted with adjus
ting decays, filters, and waveforms.
Nor do I come from the school of If you don t create the sound from scratch, it suc
ks. I ve been on music technology panels where the producer huffs, I don t believe in
presets. I make all my own sounds. I think I m supposed to be impressed, but I neve
r am. I would rather choose a great preset and write more songs than pitch my te
nt in the no-presets camp. That s not to say that I don t edit presets or add a funk
y effect to the sounds I choose. But again, I gravitate towards spending more ti
me in my musician/songwriter headspace and less time thinking like a technician.
So, given the dream task of writing amazing music with an unlimited budget, thes
e are the plugins I would choose. I have listed them in order of my personal fav
orites.
Gina s Top Ten Virtual Instruments
1. Spectrasonics Atmosphere
Atmosphere is one of my all-time favorite plugins. I use it on probably 85 perce

nt of my songs. Designed by sonic genius Eric Persing, this is a pad lover s dream
. Atmosphere is chock-full of lush pads, vintage analog synths, evolving texture
s, synth basses and strings, and ambient bells. For pop music or film scores, At
mosphere is a must in your plugin arsenal. Retail price: $399.
Spectrasonics Atmosphere
2. Synthogy Ivory
Ivory, designed by a former Kurzweil soundware developer, is, in my humble opini
on, the best sounding virtual piano on the market. The user interface is simple
and elegant as well. With a 40GB sound library, you ll need some free hard drive s
pace, but hearing truly is believing. The pianos include several different Bsendo
rfers, Yamaha grands, jazz pianos, rock pianos, and a simple way to layer synth
pads and strings. This plugin is a dream to use and an even bigger dream to play
. Since buying Ivory, I rarely record real pianos anymore. Retail price: $329.
Synthogy Ivory
3. Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
Stylus RMX is an all-inclusive beat machine featuring a 7.4GB sound library. You
can play eight different parts at once, mix them with the internal mixer, add s
ome built-in effects using four aux sends, and then try the Chaos Designer that
randomizes beats. (Check out the O Reilly tutorial.) You can buy RMX Expander Pack
s to add to the already amazing choices of loops and drum sounds, or import your
own sounds in Propellerhead REX format. The Stylus RMX sounds tend to be on the
pop side and have a somewhat processed vibe. If you re looking for more acoustic
drums, go with Best Service Artist Grooves (Pick no. 8, below). Retail Price: $
299.
Spectrasonics Stylus
4. Spectrasonics Trilogy
For bass sounds, there is nothing that compares to Trilogy. This 3.5GB library w
ill blow you away. I have actually replaced real upright bass on two albums with
Trilogy s virtual upright. Not only is this plugin simple to use, it s also very ve
rsatile, with practically every model and style of bass from picked, muted, fret
less, upright, and fingered, to deep, complex synth bass patches. If you re a song
writer and want to lay down some bass parts, this is your plugin. Retail price:
$350.
Spectrasonics Trilogy
5. MOTU MachFive
This is my software sampler of choice. I have tried all the others and for ease
of use and aesthetic design, MachFive is my favorite. It includes a 4GB library
with some excellent sounds and a simple utility called UVI-Xtract to convert any
sample into Mach Five format. The sampler has drag-and-drop support and an easy
-to-use effects section, freeing up more processing power for your host program.
[Ed. Note: The five in the title refers to another of the plugin s groundbreaking f
eatures the ability to play 5.1-channel surround-sound samples.] Retail price: $39
5.
MOTU MachFive
6. Native Instruments Elektrik Piano
This is a collection of four classic electric pianos, the Fender Rhodes MK I and
MK II, the Hohner Clavinet, and the Wurlitzer A-200. They are sampled from the
actual instruments, producing a gorgeous, clean-sounding collection that I use a
ll the time. A good friend whose ears I trust prefers the Scarbee Rhodes, which
I haven t tried, so you may want to check that out as well. Retail price: $229.

NI Elektrik Piano
7. MOTU Symphonic Instrument
This plugin has a great user interface, is very simple to use, and features 8GB
of symphonic instrument samples. The entire orchestral gamut is covered, with a
huge selection of orchestral percussion, flutes, violins, violas, cellos, contra
basses, tubas, trombones, French horns, pianos, harps, and even organs and fluge
lhorns. There are also several amazing ensemble patches such as brass ensemble,
contrabass ensemble, cello ensemble, viola ensemble, and a violin ensemble. And
considering the price of other orchestral libraries, this one is a bargain. Reta
il price: $295.
MOTU Symphonic Instrument
8. Best Service Artist Grooves
Artist Grooves features loops from some of the world s most accomplished drummers,
including Kenny Aranoff and Dennis Chambers. Each bank is separated by individu
al drummers and contains loops, fills, and a few hi-hat and kick/snare loops. Th
e sound quality is superb and the loops are designed so that they can easily tra
nsition from one section to another, making them perfect for songwriting and dru
m-track demos. Best Service also offers a collection called Artist Drums that fe
atures the individual drum hits so you can do your own programming. Retail price
: $199.95.
Best Service Artist Grooves
9. UltimateSoundBank (USB) Xtreme FX
If you do sound design or film scoring, Xtreme FX is essential. It is one of the
lesser known but most amazing plugins, with an 8GB library of editable sounds a
nd a versatile effects engine. The sounds range from Foley effects to atmospheri
c textures, edgy drones, and some very musical patches such as tuned mallets and
ambient bells with endless echoes. This plugin is great when you re lacking inspi
ration and want something a little different. Retail price: $149.
USB Xtreme FX
10. Native Instruments B4 and UltimateSoundBank Charlie
I couldn t decide which organ I liked best, so I included them both. The Native In
struments B4 costs a little more but gives you more flexibility with two MIDI-co
ntrollable octaves as well as bass pedals. Charlie has some great presets and so
me thick, edgy sounds that I also use frequently. For more natural organ sounds,
I usually go with B4 and for more edgy processed organs, I choose Charlie. Reta
il price: Charlie $149; B4 $229.
NI B4
USB Charlie
Gina s Top Ten Effect Plugins
The best way to buy most effect plugins is in a bundle; you ll save a lot of money
over buying them individually. I have so many personal favorites that whittling
this list down to ten items was hard. I chose these specific plugins based on w
hich ones I felt give you the most bang for the buck, ease of use, and versatili
ty. Again, I listed them in order of preference.
1. Sound Toys Native Effects Bundle
Sound Toys makes my all-time favorite plugins. This little bundle of joy is my m
agical bag of tricks; it can make even the blandest track come to life. The Nati
ve Effects Bundle contains six supremely creative plugins: Echo Boy, Filter Frea

k, Phase Mistress, Crystallizer, Tremolator, and Speed. Echo Boy is my favorite

delay plugin; the presets alone will keep you amused for hours on end. Filter F
reak, Phase Mistress, Tremolator, and Crystallizer are unique, edgy, and sometim
es weird (in a very good way). Speed allows you to alter the pitch and tempo of
a track. All six plugins have a similar user interface, making them easy to use
while imparting their own distinctive sound. If I had to give up all my plugin
collections but one, I would keep my Sound Toys. Retail price: $495.
Sound Toys Echo Boy
Copy Protection and the Future of Plugins
All of the plugins in my Top 20 list are copy-protected. Some companies use simp
le serial numbers, some use the iLok USB dongle, and some, like Native Instrumen
ts, use their own systems of trading a series of numbers back and forth through
the internet to prevent piracy. Regardless, plan on jumping through a few hoops
to get most of these plugins up and running.
I am a big fan of copy protection because these companies lose so much money fro
m pirated software. However, because few musicians can afford to drop $500-$1,00
0 frequently, I think there would be far less piracy if the plugin companies pro
vided a rent-to-own system that charged musicians each time they used a plugin u
ntil it was paid for.
I ve been trying to convince companies of this idea, to no avail. Digidesign does
provide rentals for many of its plugins, but the rental fee doesn t apply toward t
he cost of owning the plugin. I am hoping that as the home studio market grows a
long with internet speeds, plugin developers will come up with a more innovative
way of allowing users to acquire their plugins and sound libraries. Do we reall
y need a 40GB piano library on our hard drives? Why not access the sounds as we
need them from a server on the internet and pay for that one use?
In the meantime, you ll just have to save your pennies and your disk space, and bu
y and install plugins the old-fashioned way.
2. Synchro Arts VocAlign Project
VocAlign is one of my most used plugins. It s an AudioSuite plugin that allows you
to take one track and align it to another rhythmically. Its most common use is
for doubling vocals. You highlight one track and capture it, then highlight the
track you want to align it to and click on the Process button. It s that simple. I
use this plugin mostly on vocals, but I ve also used it to line up a snare with e
lectric guitar hits or line up kick-drum downbeats with bass downbeats. It comes
in very handy in most every session. Retail price: $299.
Synchro Arts VocAlign
3. Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2
I love this plugin! I don t just use it on guitars; it s great on background vocals
and drums as well. Guitar Rig is the ultimate toolbox for any guitarist. Featuri
ng a sexy new hardware foot controller that connects to your computer with USB,
Guitar Rig gives you a software rack full of guitar amps, cabinets, distortion p
edals, delays, multi-effects, and even a built-in tuner, metronome, and loop rec
order. The plugin features an expansive preset list, but the true beauty of Guit
ar Rig is creating your own patches by combining amps and effects and changing t
he order of the signal chain. It s very easy to use and very well designed. (See t
he O Reilly review.) The only caution is that it uses lots of processing power, so
make sure you have at least a 1.5GHz computer to run it. Retail price: $499.
NI Guitar Rig 2
4. Waves Musician s Bundle 2

This plugin bundle is one of the best values for the money. With Waves exceptiona
l Renaissance compressor, EQ, Multitap delay, and some incredible vocal plugins,
the only thing missing in your mixing arsenal is a high-quality reverb. Retail
price: $200.
Waves SuperTap
5. Antares Auto-Tune
If you use a blow dryer, are you deceiving people about the natural look of your
hair? If you use a spell-checker, does that mean you re stupid? If you use make-u
p, does that mean you re ugly? If you use a calculator, does that mean you can t add
? If you have a navigation system in your car, are you directionally impaired? G
et the point? I have had many spirited conversations with people who think using
Auto-Tune is cheating. If you can t sing, then absolutely, I agree it s cheating.
There are people who overuse this plugin due to lack of pitch and lack of vocal
talent, but I view it not a crutch for the untalented, but rather as an amazing
tool for the talented. It s a vocal spell-checker that just double-checks your pit
ch and corrects it for you. If you re going to edit your drums and your guitars an
d quantize your MIDI tracks, what is so different about tuning a vocal? I do not
depend on this plugin as a vocalist or as an engineer, but I would not want to
have a studio without it. Retail price: $399.
Antares Auto-Tune
6. Digidesign Producer Factory Pro Bundle
If you bought a Digidesign 002 audio interface, you should already have this bun
dle; if you have an Mbox or M-Audio interface, it s one to seriously consider buyi
ng. Producer Factory Pro consists of 12 plugins: the Moogerfooger Analog Delay,
JoeMeek Meequalizer VC-5, JoeMeek SC-2 Photo Optical Compressor, Cosmonaut Voice
, Digidesign Maxim, Bomb Factory BF-3A Classic Compressor, Digidesign D-Fi , Tel
-Ray Variable Delay, SansAmp PSA-1, Moogerfooger Ring Modulator, Voce Spin, and
Voce Chorus/Vibrato. It s a great little Swiss army knife of creative effects. Ret
ail price: $399.
Digi Producer Factory
7. Waves Native Power Pack
This bundle of seven proven Waves plugins includes the L1 Ultramaximizer, TrueVe
rb, De-Esser, SuperTap 2-tap, Q10 Equalizer, C1 Parametric Compander, and S1 Ste
reo Imager. The L1 is an amazing dynamic limiter for individual tracks or the en
tire mix bus. TrueVerb is a really nice, easy-to-use reverb. The de-esser and th
e EQ and stereo imager are exceptional as well. For serious mixes, this is a gre
at bundle to consider. Retail price: $500.
Waves Power Pack
8. Audio Ease Altiverb V5
This is a high-dollar plugin for most musicians, but if you think about what you
would pay for a hardware reverb unit, it s actually a great deal. Altiverb is one
of the most advanced reverb plugins available. It features an amazing collectio
n of editable presets and very versatile parameter controls, while maintaining t
he important ease-of-use factor. The reverb patches, derived from analyses of ac
tual acoustic spaces, range from the Sydney Opera House to the inside of a fire
truck. This is my favorite reverb. Retail price: $595.
AudioEase Altiverb
9. Trillium Labs (dist. by Digidesign) TL Space Native Edition
This is a more affordable reverb than Altiverb with fewer frills and a bit less

creative flexibility, but it s a great all-around reverb unit. TL Space has a stra
ightforward user interface and some great reverb sounds sampled from real acoust
ic spaces. Retail price: $495.
Trillium Labs TL Space
10. Prosoniq Orange Vocoder
I ve owned this plugin for years. It s something you don t use every day, but it s a gre
at creative choice for some pop and techno tracks. It s easy to figure out and sou
nds like the real thing. (See the O Reilly vocoder tutorial.) Retail price: $245.
Prosoniq Orange Vocoder
BONUS: McDSP Classic Pack
McDSP makes some amazing products with exceptional sound quality. The interfaces
are simple and elegant. This bundle features four diverse EQ and compression pl
ugins: Analog Channel, Compressor Bank, Filter Bank, and the MC2000. This is a p
owerful arsenal to have on hand when it s time to mix. Retail Price: $795.
McDSP MC2000
What to Buy?
Even though street prices are lower than the retail prices listed above, most of
us can t afford to purchase all of these plugins. So what do you do? I always buy
what I am going to use the most. As a piano player, I could not live without Iv
ory, but with that said, Mach Five has a great Bsendorfer piano, and you get many
more instruments plus the ability to add more samples in a huge variety of form
ats. So although you wouldn t have the choice of pianos, the additional orchestrat
ion options might make up for it.
If I had to pick three plugins from each list that would give me the most bang f
or my buck, they would be:
Gina s Top Three Bang-for-the-Buck Virtual Instruments
Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
Spectrasonics Atmosphere
MOTU Mach Five
Gina Top Three Bang-for-the-Buck Effect Plugins
Sound Toys Native Effects Bundle
Native Instruments Guitar Rig
Waves Power Pack Bundle
In choosing what to buy, you really have to weigh what s most important to you. Is
it your main instrument or your palette of instruments? For effects, do you use
more natural-sounding effects like the Waves bundles or do you like more divers
e collections like the Sound Toys bundle?
Check out the plugin developer websites and download the demos or play their dem
o sounds online. But do me a favor: don t pirate software. These companies are wor
king hard to create these inspiring plugins and should be paid for their product
. Each one of these plugins has played a huge role in my own inspiration and cre
ativity. I hope they inspire you as well.
Plugin Music Examples
1. Breathing Effects
This is a quick a cappella vocal I sang. One mix is dry (any pitch mistakes were
made on purpose). The other was processed with Antares Auto-Tune, Waves TrueVer
b, Sound Toys Echo Boy, and Prosoniq Orange Vocoder.

Breathing, Dry (775KB MP3)

Breathing, FX (805KB MP3)
2. The Plugin Piece
This is a very short piece I threw together for this article to illustrate a pie
ce of music that uses only plugins no live instruments or vocals. It features USB
Charlie and Xtreme FX; Spectrasonics Stylus RMX, Atmosphere, and Trilogy; Syntho
gy Ivory; and Sound Toys Echo Boy, Phase Mistress, and Crystallizer. The screens
hot shows how the plugins were arranged.
The Plugin Piece (874KB MP3)
Pro Tools Plugging
(Click to enlarge.)
3. "No Rules" Demo
This is the demo version of a song called No Rules for a project I m writing and pro
ducing with German producer Oliver Adolph. The drums are all Stylus RMX. Bass is
Trilogy. I used Auto-Tune and VocAlign on the vocals. I m playing Native Instrume
nts Elektrik Piano and Synthogy Ivory. For effects I m using Echo Boy, Waves L1 Co
mpressor, McDSP Filter Bank and Compressor Bank, and Audio Ease Altiverb. The on
ly live sounds in the song are the vocals and guitars, although guitarist Kim Ca
rroll played through Native Instruments Guitar Rig plugin.
No Rules Demo (4.5MB MP3)
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