Virtual Instrument

FXpansions first foray into the soft-synth world yields some unexpected but welcome results...

The fifth version of Absynth introduces even more sound-mangling features and aims to be far more user-friendly than its predecessors. Has it succeeded? Read on...

Spectrasonics new STEAM-driven bass module bundles 34GB of electric, acoustic and synth basses into one package. We delve deep and give you the lowdown.

Steinbergs one-stop piano shop gets an overhaul from the ground up.

Waldorf continue their Bond (Blofeld, etc) theme with their first software synth, Largo.

Minimoog V2 adds features that the original Moog hardware didnt possess. Have Arturia improved on a classic?

AAS put their physical modelling skills to the test once again, with an electric follow‑up to Strum Acoustic GS1.

Future Audio Workshops debut soft synth offers versatile modulation possibilities, via an interface designed to be highly intuitive.

This suite of sampling, effects and live performance software, with a bundled 65GB library, is feature-rich but also up against heavy competition. Can it make its mark?

According to Submersible, Kitcore offers “great drum sounds without all the fuss.” We put it to the test.

This major new free update adds innovative loop-matching features to Spectrasonics groove-based instrument.

Ocean Way Drums offers 19 drum kits, recorded in a world-famous studio by a world-renowned engineer. Is this the best drum sample library money can buy?

Fed up with bland, me-too plug-ins and tasteful processing? Ohm Forces unique effects and synths could have exactly the spice your studio needs.

The successor to G-Forces popular M-Tron instrument brings dual layers and subtractive synthesis to the Mellotron party — but also manages to keep authenticity firmly in mind...

Prominy have put 64 Gigabytes of lovingly sampled Stratocaster into their SC instrument. That's a lot of Stratocaster — so does the sonic end justify the means?

Multi-gigabyte drum instruments are of limited use if you don't have the time or skills to program realistic MIDI performances. Can SoundTrek's Drummer plug-in fill the gap?

Spectrasonics' ambitious new sample-based power synth explores the realms of psychoacoustics and organic synthesis while running on a STEAM engine — what can this all mean? Let's find out...

Toontrack's DFH Superior received excellent reviews but perhaps didn't really make the impact that it deserved. Will the drums and cymbals of their new Superior Drummer 2.0 make a greater splash?

With a new synthesis engine, some new ideas about interface design and 50GB of novel samples ranging from lightbulbs to burning pianos, Omnisphere will be Spectrasonics biggest soft synth yet. Its creator, Eric Persing, gives us a sneak preview.

Long considered to be terminally un-hip, string machines are on the brink of a revival. Will Gforce's VSM advance their rehabilitation?

Music Lab impressed us with the playability and sound quality of their virtual acoustic guitar instrument, Real Guitar — and now they've gone electric...