It is uncommon to start a blog about saying something about the next post instead the one currently being read. However the one in the burner and to be published soon will be about the obsession a good deal of VST vendors share toward making and publishing huge legato string libraries.
As for this one, it takes on the opposite: libraries that don’t exist although they would be warmly welcomed. Here is what I would like to hear and see in the future (there is a chance that some items on my wish list actually exist beyond my knowledge, in such case please tweet me).
First take a listen at some of the Talk Talk tracks for on which the lead singer Mark Hollis plays the harmonica through a guitar amp. Every VST harmonica I am aware of is downright dreadful, like a MIDI instrument from the mid-80s. However there are tons of virtual guitar amps availabe: only the VST instrument to be played through them is missing.
Considering the amount of horns, flutes, and other wind instruments made in VS, it is an anti-miracle that no decent VST harmonica – with expressive sound and good playability – exists. I mean how come making such library would be any harder than for example compiling a fine trumpet library?
In fact the second item on my list is also related to wind instruments as well as Talk Talk. On some of their tracks they use a wind-controlled synth called the Realton Variophon. Again, a gazillion vintage synths already live in VST format, after all this is the most natural thing to exist in digital music: software versions of rare hardware.
But not Realton Variophon. I cannot think of a finer instrument for keyboardist to have since it has the sound and playability of a wind instrument – as does the harmonica. And since Variophon actually is a synth by origin, it should give the developers a good starting point for making a great VST.
I don’t know, maybe these two were brought to my mind by the new Talk Talk compilation album released a while back. As for my third wish, I don’t think that one ever performed on any of their songs.
When it comes to choirs, there are some impressive VST releases available: female choirs, male choirs, children choirs, boy choirs – but not a VST gospel choir.
Just think about those soulful aahs and oohs backing your tracks along with some solo phrases: it would be brilliant as the British expression has it. But there aren’t any. Yes, there probably are some loop compilations around, but not an actual VST choir to be played in different modes.
The last missing VST can be found on some of Daniel Lanois’s productions as well as George Harrison’s albums: the Mando guitar. With strumming options, amped with the respective virtual cabinet, the Mando guitar would be the ideal solution for creating airy guitars in the background.
Instead we have a dozen Les Pauls and Fender renditions – some of them good – as well as cheesy heavy metal guitars, several ukuleles, and of course the basic nylon/steel acoustic line is there. No Mando guitar however.
Instead everyone’s recording new legato strings. But that one’s still in the burner.
Missing Sample 