Resource icon

Songwriting Resources

Tracktion has updated Waveform and released a free version of it!
Fixed the link for PAPU to include Socalabs' other chiptune plugins and added descriptions for each section of the resources
Many DAWs have various versions at different price points, and free trials available. The DAW section of the resource has been completely reorganized to reflect these. The commercial sections were sorted from least to most expensive, using the regular non-sale price. Since it's currently December, quite a few of these are on sale!
His original Discord messages read thus:
  • Tracktion 6 is free now
  • DAWs less than $100: Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio, which I got free with Computer Music issue 250 at $3.99, is regularly priced at $45. It's pretty good value considering that you get 64 tracks, a proper mixer with routing that works well, VST support (including a bridge for supporting 32 bit VSTs in 64 bit), and the Cakewalk TTS-1 ROMpler that is actually a Roland sound module. However, Gibson stopped development of Sonar and I'm just hoping some other company buys Cakewalk because Sonar has been good to me and it would be legit bad for this old program to just die...
  • Instruments
    • Beat Zampler is my favorite sampler ATM and there is a SHIT LOAD of samples out there that I discovered. I only downloaded not even half of the free packs and I have around 6 GB of content????? Mostly electronic stuff tho, both modern and vintage
    • EXPUS'S SMPLD VST IS A GOOD BASIC ROMPLER WITH GOOD SOUNDS FROM EXPUS'S PERSONAL PATCH COLLECTION
    • Musyng Kite is a 1GB GM soundfont (!!!!) and the best free one out there
    • Versillian Studios Chamber Orchestra 2 Community Edition is THE best free orchestra sample library out there > Bigcat is known for making Kontakt patches for free piano sample libraries, but recently he's turned a couple of them into VSTs, no expensive sampler needed http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/2015/09/all-keyboard-instruments.html
    • Proteus VX has an overwhelming-looking UI but once you find out how to switch instruments, you're good to go. A bit old VST with a very old soundbank but still pretty high quality sounds (if a bit cheesy for today's standards, but tbh for a ROMpler released in the year 2000 the piano is pretty good)
    • Magical 8 Bit Plugin (NES-like but not so accurate but very aesthetic sounds) and PAPU (actually accurate Game Boy sound chip simulation)
  • If you ever do a section on inexpensive instruments and sound packs, DSK HQ instruments should be near the top of the list. Pretty good collection of hundreds of instruments by DSK with higher sound quality for $25, and does actually compare well with paid ROMplers. Available in multiple formats, including industry mainstays Kontakt and Gigasampler, but obviously the SFZ format is the besuto
  • ALSO, a successor to Orion Sound Module will come out soon (but not yet) http://www.samplescience.ca/2017/10/samplescience-player.html
[7:47 PM] JV: I just realized how many free sample packs and instruments there are in the world. I always knew there was a lot but didn't know how much QUALITY stuff was actually floating around. At this rate, I'll be using up the home internet plan's allowance...
https://learningmusic.ableton.com/index.html

I've just heard about this website that Ableton made. I've only looked at it a little, but it's really amazing. I urge everyone who wants to make music or even already making music to check this out.
  • Like
Reactions: Tema
Upon suggestion from Expus on Twitter, I've added Virtual Playing Orchestra! It is an sfz format sample library (compatible with Plogue Sforzando) using high quality orchestral samples, including those from Philharmonia Orchestria (which I had added previously)

While I have no personal experience using it, take it from him:

"VERY important and necessary to anyone who needs free orchestra samples."
"i CANNOT emphasize how important virtual playing orchestra has been to me the past while -- some of the instruments are as good as paid"