Virtual Instrument

Not content with adding a huge raft of improvements to their already comprehensive Emulator X soft sampler, Emu have also removed the need to use it with their own soundcards, so now everyone can get in on the fun.

Like the analogue modelling of AAS's Tassman but don't need its complexity or fancy its price much? The far more affordable Ultra Analog could be right up your street...

The Vienna Symphonic Library are well known for their amazingly detailed collections of orchestral sounds, and now they're providing them as virtual instruments. Will this take the VSL concept to a new audience, or is it a step too far?

Manufacturers have sought to provide expressive computer-based simulations of real instruments by releasing ever larger and more detailed sample libraries. But whatever happened to the idea of modelling instruments using synthesis techniques? Arturia haven't forgotten...

General MIDI synths are rarely glamorous, but there's no reason why they should not sound as good as more professional alternatives — that, at least, is the thinking behind NI's Bandstand soft synth.

The new version of Steinberg's virtual sound module brings more and better instruments, without sacrificing convenience or ease of use.

Most recent electric piano virtual instruments have been sample-based, but in Lounge Lizard, AAS continue to fly the flag for their physical modelling technology; version 3 offers an improved fork model, plus modelled electromagnetic and electrostatic pickups...

Miroslav Vitous's orchestral library was the first of its kind, and more than 10 years after its launch, has been reinvented as a self-contained virtual instrument. Is the original still the best?

Korg are continuing to develop virtual instruments based on their hardware synths. This time, it is 1988's classic M1 workstation that has been rendered in software...

Sample libraries with virtual-instrument wrappers are nothing new, but Ueberschall's new Liquid Instruments have an extra twist — the front end is derived from Celemony's Melodyne, offering you complete freedom to change the pitch of the phrases in the library.

VSL, makers of the world's largest orchestral library, have unveiled their next phase of development. SOS were at the launch...

Since its launch in 2000, NI's B4 has been the software instrument of choice for those who want realistic tonewheel organ sounds from their computer. But NI are clearly convinced it can be better...

Virtual band members are now a regular feature in SOS reviews, but how about a virtual drummer that actually will jam with you? Rayzoon claim Jamstix is able to do just that...

Continuing the recent tradition for wedding software-instrument front ends to vast sample libraries, Ra is a 14Gigabyte collection of exotic and 'world' instruments with an NI Kompakt wrapper...

Looking for a new bass player? If you'd consider a software candidate, Steinberg's Virtual Bassist is now ready for audition...

Native's sound design software is back, and with v5, you have more control over your instruments than ever — offering fully user-definable looks, the ability to construct your own modules from scratch, and an improved library. We get patching...

String Studio uses Applied Acoustics' physical modelling expertise to (in theory) generate the sound of any string instrument. Good or bad vibrations? We find out...

Forget completely flexible software synthesis — what everyone wants, it seems, is emulations of 35-year-old monophonic analogue synths! We check out the latest modelled Minimoog, and see how it compares to the original hardware.

Xpress Keyboards features cut-down versions of NI's B4 tonewheel organ emulation, Pro 53 Prophet 5 emulation and FM7 DX-alike.

Anarchy Rhythms is a novel VST plug-in/stand-alone application, whose author accurately describes it as "a hybrid between an effect and a drum machine".

German company Yellow Tools started off as sample library developers, but like many others, they've moved into the world of virtual instruments with the lovingly crafted MVI range. We check out all three...