At Unzyme, we have recently concentrated on not using so many 3rd party software synthesizers, and use mostly Ableton’s own instruments. We have 3-4 laptops on stage, which all run Ableton Live, so having updated licenses for all those computers becomes a hassle, and expensive. Having less software instruments also allows easier collaboration between band members and music producers. But of course there are situations where we like to use the wonderful Omnisphere 2, for example. Ableton’s latest built-in software synth instrument, Wavetable, has also been used extensively on our latest tracks.
Waiting for the sirens’ call?
Music production software companies tend to run holiday sales throughout Christmas and New Year. Everyone’s got their eyes on better deals, and have all the time in the online world, to shop for virtual instruments and effects they may, or may not need. Here’s a quick collection of holiday sales from the companies that I tend to buy from.
Plugin Boutique holiday sales
Plugin Boutique is essentially a hub for music production plugin companies to sell their software. They’re always running campaigns on their site, but holiday deals are usually a bit sweeter than usual. Plugin Boutique has a loyalty programme, which rewards frequent buyers by giving them credit to be used on future purchases. Many software synth and effect companies tend to sell their stuff on Plugin Boutique, simply because it offers them a wider audience than they would be able to reach by themselves. Plugin Boutique often has some crazy -99% sales, which are definitely worth grabbing.
iZotope Holiday Sales
iZotope runs Holiday Sales campaigns on their own site as well as Plugin Boutique. It is usually a good idea to buy straight from the software company itself, as it’s easier to have all the licenses under one user account. iZotope’s Trash 2 has been extensively used on Unzyme’s tracks, and these days we enjoy the sweet live-EQ:ing prowess of Neutron 2. Nectar 3 is on our wish list as well.
Native Instruments giveaways and holiday sales
Native Instruments has made a habit out of offering a free instrument or effect for free, every year. This time it’s TRK-01, a kick’n’bass instrument, which is quite unique. Sometimes they offer discounts on Komplete as well, and now that Massive X is just around the corner, it might be a good time to updgrade.
U-he Hive 1.2 with wavetable support
This is not exactly a holiday sale product, but happens to be on sale during the holidays. U-he Hive, which I love, has just received a huge update. To celebrate this release, U-he offers a sweet discount.
Vengeance Sound
In the early days of Unzyme, we always used Vengeance drum samples. Vengeance has come a long way from being a simple sample provider, to a full-blown software house. The Vengeance Producer Suite is a charming collection of effects, synths and sound generators. Avenger synth is on our shopping list, though it is quite similar to many other synths we have. Vengeance offers 25% discounts on all of their products, with the code “XMAS25”.