For many engineers and musicians, having an ever-expanding number of virtual instruments brings choice, but also complexity. We explore a novel new solution that might just have the answers by cutting the clutter…
Options - Choice Or Just Duplication?
In any walk of life the end-user of any product is not short on choice. No more apparent is this than when the engineer or musician hits the studio, with an ever-expending gamut of free and paid-for tools vying for attention. Many will have opened their plugin folder to be met with multiple choices to crack the same nut; how many engineers or musicians can honestly say that all are in regular use? Some can justify the duplication; some tools designed for the same task will work better than others given the situation, however this is arguably the exception to the rule.
Using products from multiple developers also means navigating any number of different systems for licensing and installation or updates. Rare is the customer who enjoys remembering how to deal with each different one…
Choices Of One
Not so long ago, studios and musicians’ decision making processes were simple: use the mixer to mix, the drum kit or machine to drum or programme, use the piano or that synth. These were defaults rather than choices per se, but nonetheless they sped up working and preserved energy. Later, workstation keyboards brought more sounds into one place. Although not always providing the best sounds out there, these also de-cluttered the studio and kept things moving. These of course could be ‘upgraded’ with better sounds only where needed. Certainly, when it comes to instruments there are advantages to having a homogenised platform to keep everything in the same place.
Streamlining Choices
Getting together a collection of virtual instruments that work for the user often means using different products from different developers. Hoping to solve this problem with the ethos of ‘everything in one place’ simplicity, MSoundFactory from Melda Production is a modular virtual instrument platform that does the job of many other separate VIs. Not only does it contain a smorgasbord of instruments within one GUI, but in doing so keeps the admin surrounding licensing and downloads to a minimum. Offering over 3500 instruments (“devices” in Melda-speak), the platform comes in three flavours for ultimate customisation to suit all requirements:
MSF Player - Lets you open free instruments from Melda and others.
MSF LE - Gives you access to all Factory instruments and also makes paid-for Melda products free for MSFLE users.
MSF (Full) - Gives all MSF LE offers, but in addition, you may edit any instruments and also create new ones from scratch, make a GUI and publish an instrument later (with options to monetize creations).
Also downloadable are betas of two exclusive instruments - Meldway Grand and DreamMachines - these will be offered as instruments in the future that can be bought separately and used in MSF Player.
On MSoundFactory, Melda Production add:
MSoundFactory may well be the most powerful instrument out there. It's modular, so you can have any number of oscillators, filters, samplers etc. you want. It features per-voice and global modulation, full MPE support, the best sounding oscillators on the market, a fully modular effects engine... And we are just getting started… [MSoundFactory includes] free-for-life updates including new instruments.
Watch in the video as we look at just some of the enormous number of sounds on offer within MSoundFactory.
With so much functionality on tap, with customisable download options, Melda Productions have produced a highly comprehensive collection of videos to guide new users getting started with the platform. Watch below how to get started with MSoundFactory.
The Modular VI For Simplicity
With modern engineers and musicians managing ever-bigger collections of software instruments from different sources, each with its own unique way of working, a tool such as MSoundFactory starts to sound like an attractive proposition. Once the user has invested some time in learning one modular platform for their VI needs, the work is done. This is contrasted with the pick-and-choose approach with multiple learning curves involved. It’s easy to forget how complex the modern DAW environment can be; a more streamlined option for VIs will surely be welcomed by many.