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Toontrack EZkeys Sound expansion (for existing EZKeys users- add any) $47 https://www.timespace.com/collections/special-offers/products/toontrack-ezkeys-sound-expansion

Toontrack EZX Americana $24 https://www.timespace.com/collections/special-offers/products/toontrack-ezx-americana

Here's the 2021 Toontrack deals at Time + Space: https://www.timespace.com/collections/special-offers/toontrack

Why Cakewalk by Bandlab? Top 5 Reasons

It can be as simple or as deep as you make it!

I already have too many soft synths to keep track of, but the three big ones I still don't have are Omnisphere, Dune 3, or Zebra 2. I'm still considering the last 2 for next year, if I can find a deal. I would consider Omnisphere if it had a demo version to test, but that's not happening... and I probably already have enough other synths to cover Omni turf. Anyway, I did pick up the U-He Repro this year on sale, and it is probably the best sounding synth I have. Tone2 Saurus 3 is a good one in the sound department if you just want analog goodness that you can twist knobs on a single page and program from scratch easily! Be careful, as the bottom end here could melt your monitors!!!

Sonitus is a quite old and legacy Cakewalk FX suite, and DX (DirectX) is mentioned in a 2016 knowledge base article here: http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013067/Overview-of-the-Sonitusfx-suite Sonitus FX will also be recognized in another DAW, such as Reaper, that recognizes DX plugins.

True, which is also the case with Ableton Live, although the guitar samples they include with their instrument rack and sampler are probably more suitable for electronic music. But with the integrated sampler in Live, one could import any guitar samples they wish. Going back to the OP, I will submit the distinction that the connotation of "virtual guitar" speaks to a more elaborate instrument than just a sampler with guitar samples. Although with a bit of effort, one could make that work. I have several 3rd party virtual guitars and they all offer much more than pure sample playback for realism, such as keyswitches and modulations, to easily trigger different guitar articulations from within a single preset. This allows a keyboardist to sound a bit more like a guitar player. IMHO, such purpose built virtual guitar instruments are a premium product and not likely to be bundled with any DAW, as the necessary bundle price would push it beyond the cost anyone would be willing to pay for a DAW. I would suggest that premium and boutique instruments have generally always been ala carte 3rd party choices. For example, just look at the success Native Instruments has had with their sample based instruments!

I guess that I missed that you were looking at DAWs in general. Thought you were referring to Cakewalk. When you say no DAWs include guitars, which ones have you looked at? I have PreSonus Studio One 5 Pro and their included Presence XT sampler is chock full of guitars (each of these categories has multiple instruments): https://www.presonus.com/products/Presence-XT-Complete-Core-Instruments/features Les Paul Nylon Steel String Stratocaster Telecaster

The Sonitus FX plugins provided with Cakewalk are 64-bit DX (not VST) plugins.

I think that the key dynamic with Unify is from a sound design perspective, rather than a production one. If it fits with your workflow as an instrument, then great! With the tempo syncing for rhythmic patterns it does allow for a "one man band" style of jamming that may prove inspirational for some. John "Skippy" Lehmkuhl, https://www.pluginguru.com/about/ has a long history with sound design, and used to work for Korg. This project was a recent "what if?" idea for him, so he found a PhD developer, Shane Dunne, https://getdunne.com/ to custom build Unify to meet his needs. So it's still a work in progress. But a very useful one!

Yes, but VIP 3 still works great if you can use it for what it is. Shame it will never get any better. A lost opportunity! I think Unify is the only thing that comes close, and has other advantages, especially devoted developer and sound designer attention!!! VIP 3 can still be had for very cheap on occasional sales... for me it (partially - nothing 100% yet) solved a problem of too many synths and thousands of patches. Nice to have many of them viewable from a single browser, which is a feature that I would eventually like to see in Unify. I'll give them some time to level up with their current plans before I suggest that, LOL!

Laptops don't count! ?

Fixed that... ?

But I think Studio One 5 Pro looks more professional. And I started with Cakewalk Pro Audio pre-Sonar... up to lifetime Platinum... I think it's time to update the "Skylight" GUI. IMHO. ?

I also use Akai VIP, which has patch maps for many synths that are not "unified" yet, such as from AIR, Arturia, and Korg. VIP allows me to do a similar thing, but with browsing across my imported synth library by tags and adding up to eight patches from up to eight different synths, plus plugin effects on each, and then balance/mix the levels. One neat trick that I found is to add Unify as a part inside of a VIP multi, which is limited to VST2 plugins only. Unify however can load other plugin types such as VST3, even while running as a VST2 plugin itself. This allows me to built up a layer of VST3 synths inside of VIP using Unify. But unfortunately, VIP appears to be end-of-life now with no further development, or VST3, in sight. Long live Unify!!! But yes, definitely take the Unify demo for a spin, and watch a few livestreams >>> https://www.youtube.com/c/PlugInGuruVideo/videos

When Cakewalk Sonar was a paid DAW program the added instrument bundles were always an incentive to purchase or upgrade to the latest edition. But now the focus is on making the free core DAW as good as it can be. Not to mention that free or cheap instruments are a dime a dozen now, literally. Have you checked out the free Ample acoustic guitar? It's excellent! Ample Guitar M Lite II aim to bring the Martin D-41 Acoustic Guitar sound to your studio. https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/1-Instruments/64-Virtual-Instrument/4520-Ample-Guitar-M-Lite-II Here's a list to check out: https://output.com/blog/best-free-guitar-vst-plugins

So how much money have you saved since joining the team?

Although I have all of the Chromaphone packs, there are still a few UA VA-3 packs that I haven't chewed on yet ...

That's some real S H I T ... ?

For owners of PluginGuru Unify and the free Spitfire Audio LABS - Just Updated December 10, 2021! Master List of the 40 Free Official Unified Libraries: https://forums.pluginguru.com/unify-patchbook/official-all-unified-libraries-w-links/

Don't forget that the company is still HQ in Singapore. Acronyms may not be the same in the board meetings there as they are in the West.

I went ahead and got V Collection 8. No regrets! That, and the Korg Collection 3 and I'm all set for emulations now!