A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to six superb plugin effects that we reckon don’t get the exposure they deserve. This time round, we’ve got half a dozen under-appreciated virtual instruments for your delectation, every one unique in its creative proposition and well worth your time and money. Without further ado…

Sugar Bytes Obscurium

The first amazing virtual instruments German developer Sugar Bytes is known for its consistently innovative and always-interesting line of synths and effects, but Obscurium has to be the most high-concept of the lot. Describing it in less than 500 words is impossible, but in a nutshell, a generative pitch engine and two sequencers (Trigger and Motion) enable wildly complex harmonic and modulation shapes to be thrown, turned into sound by a pair of synth engines – one analogue-style, the other three-op FM – or any other plugin instrument on your system. Yes, Obscurium is also a VST host in itself, and that extends all the way to the Motion Sequencer, the amorphous animations of which are easily assigned to up to 11 parameters of the hosted instrument – randomly, if you like!

Obscurium’s unique architecture, beguiling workflow and limitless sonic potential make it all but unmissable.

Puremagnetik Verv

A definite highlight among Puremagnetik’s ever-extending range of affordable musical curios, Verv serves up classic string synth-style sounds (the Freeman String Symphonizer and ARP Solina are cited) but with the added twist of the Bake knob, which emulates the degradation that would result from leaving a tape recording of said instrument out in the sun “all summer long”. It’s a beautifully realised effect, adding utterly believable wow, flutter and general grunge to the output of Verv’s morphing saw/triangle main and pulse wave sub oscillators, which also benefit from a tasty ensemble effect, basic envelope shaping and tilt EQ. And don’t be deceived by the minimal controls – Verv is far more versatile than it looks.

Inear Display Ephemere

Taking a no-nonsense approach to percussion synthesis, this 12-channel drum machine simply maps each note of the octave to 12 identical FM synthesis engines, with no differentiation between instrument types (kick, snare, hi-hats, etc). The straightforward interface makes it quick and easy to build and mix your own drum kits and percussion ensembles, and every parameter can be randomised – either collectively at a click or individually with every incoming note, to an extent determined by the depth slider below each control. There’s no onboard sequencing or effects processing, but Ephemere’s laser focus on ear-catching FM sounds and inspiring randomisation holds great appeal for electronic noiseniks.

Sound Dust Saxomaphonium

Brit sound designer and instrument developer Pendle Poucher is the brains behind the wilfully esoteric Sound Dust range of Kontakt libraries, and Saxomaphonium is one of his most inventive offerings yet. The 2.6GB sample library brings together looping (in clean and wobbly Roland RE501-processed versions) and “honking” staccato alto and baritone saxes with binaurally recorded harmonium and foot pumped room organ layers, for mixing and mangling in a cramped but powerful scripted interface. A chord generator, and key and scale quantise functions provide harmonic inspiration, and while the sound of the thing is wonderfully evocative of scoring legend Michael Nyman in its raw form, it’s easily bent into even weirder structures using the copious editing, effects and randomisation options. Extraordinary!

Beatskillz DropX

Designed specifically for the creation of repeats, rolls, stutters and fills, Beatskillz’ clever sample playback instrument DropX lets you stack up to three one-shot samples, adjust the pitch, volume and panning of each, then have them trigger repeatedly, switching the repeat rate in real time between 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64, straight or triplets, using the big, obvious buttons or their assigned MIDI notes. Filter, distortion (’analogue’ and digital), delay and reverb effects up the spectacle, an ADSR amp envelope imparts a good degree of dynamics control, and over 250 single-layer presets are on hand for use as starting points.

In Session Audio Shimmer Shake Strike

For most producers, ‘top line’ percussion is a secondary consideration. Need a shaker or triangle line? Grab a loop and move on. Shimmer Shake Strike, however, makes the process of creating bespoke layered high-frequency rhythm tracks so easy and enjoyable that you’ll positively look forward to the task. This 400MB Kontakt Player library puts an array of muiltisampled tambourines (five), shakers (12) and ‘Strike’ sounds (33 cowbells, handclaps, triangles, etc) at your fingertips, for manual triggering or programming with the onboard sequencer. Three layers are each freely assignable to any sound you like from the library and mixed into a well-stocked master effects section; and 13 articulations for every tambourine and shaker (rolls, accents, backward and forward shakes, etc) deliver staggeringly lifelike grooves.

Brilliantly conceived and totally comprehensive in covering its particular percussive range, Shimmer Shake Strike just the thing for elevating beats in any genre.

Any Amazing Virtual Instruments We Have Missed?

Have you stumbled upon any amazing virtual instruments? Let us know in the comments.