Virtual Instrument

Dont let Vir2s inexplicable 6 put you off: their new virtual guitar instrument is quite special...

To create their piano samples for the Eighty Eight, Sonivox recorded a Steinway CD327 using an unspecified, high‑quality...

Steven Slates drum samples are already a staple of rock and pop production. Their latest product makes it easy to use these to augment or replace live drum parts.

XILS Labs XILS 3 is a recreation of the EMS VCS3, but there's more to it than that — much, much more.

Galaxy's new star expands the sampled piano universe.

For the latest addition to the Real range, Music Lab have turned their expert attention to the classic Les Paul Custom.

The Receptor lets you use VST plug-ins without a computer. How does V2 improve on the original?

Has your music lost its mojo? Maybe Vir2s new horn library can add some magic...

Drumcores come a long way, and version 3 makes it easier than ever to use pro drummer performances on your tracks.

Its got a bigger sample library and some whizzy new features, but what Kontakt 4 really wants to do is make your life easier...

Pianoteq tackles the virtual piano problem in megabytes rather than gigabytes, and offers flexibility that its multisampling competitors cant match.

Ensemble Pro opens up VSLs hosting technology to third-party instruments and allows 32-bit and 64-bit Mac and Windows systems to communicate over a network, spreading the software instrument load.

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?