Software: Plugsound - Ultimate Soundbank Virtual Instruments Collection

I rue the day that I have to work through an instruction manual but when I have trouble comprehending the name alone, there's nothing else for it.

So what does the lengthy title of this software package mean?

Plugsound Ultimate Sound Bank is name of the company and the range. Virtual Instruments are what the products are, a computer-based simulation of real life instruments much like Max Headroom was a computerised version of Edison Carter.

Basically, instead of having a flash keyboard with all them buttons and other boxes and disks and stuff that plug into the keyboard, you have a small programme that runs on your computer through your existing sequencer software and does all of the above.

Virtual Instruments are strong. They are apparently the way of the future. You can't drop them. There is no cable clutter. They don't break when you're grooving your ass off and slammin' the keys. It won't be mistaken for a microwave and stolen by burglars. They take up no space at all leaving valuable room in your studio for you to hang up a punching bag or something equally as important.

Virtual Instruments are easy to use. Plugsound is a French company that has specialised in sampler sounds and soundbank development since the late '80s. Through the '90s they released over 60 CD-Roms of sounds for hardware samplers, eventually moving into Virtual Instruments.

Righto. We know who they are. Let's have a look at what they have to offer.

The Plugsound Collection is a pack of six virtual instrument plug-ins with around 7000 top quality samples available. These plug-ins are compatible with nearly all software sequencers including the old favourites, Logic Audio, Cubase, Pro Tools etc.

The Plugsound Collection comes in an aluminium box, which looks pretty industrial, kind of like the KISS box set. In the box are six CDs in cases with the six different instruments on each.

These are, in order; Keyboards Collection, Fretted Instruments Collection, Drums and Percussion Elements, Hip Hop and R'n'B Toolkit, World of Synthesisers and the Global Collection.

All these instruments are available for purchase individually as well as in the Plugsound Box, which is ideal if you feel you will have no use for some of the instruments on offer.

With the Plugsound Collection my initial caveman fears of a huge instruction manual to learn were instantly dissipated because there was no huge manual, indeed barely a manual at all. They turned out to be easy to understand and use.

Once you have installed the plug-ins you simply open them up as you would any other plug-in from your software sequencer. When opened, the plug-in contains a friendly interface for selecting sounds and altering them.

I won't go through all the knobs and buttons but you have the usual amplitude envelopes and filter envelopes, voice controls, panning, volume, etc so you can play with the sounds. These are explained in the small instruction pamphlet that comes with the disc.

Depending on the nature of your sequencer all these controls are completely automate-able so you can have changes made as your sequence plays. This is very good.

Of course, when saving your session you have total recall of all your settings and automation without having to load up an external programme or worse, having to plug in and patch up hardware.

Plugsound 1: Keyboards Collection

This instrument has loads of great sounding keyboard sounds. The preset window contains subgroups broken into the categories of Acoustic Pianos, Electric Pianos, Harpsichords, Clav Keyboards, Church Organs, Electric Organs, Accordions, Mallets, Synth Keyboards. Each subgroup then breaks out into a variety of distinct sounds within that group. Check out the acoustic grand piano. It rules.

Plugsound 2: Fretted Instruments Collection

This is a whole range of guitars and basses from Spanish Guitar to Sitars and from Double Basses to Strats. Because they are samples they are high quality authentic sounds. However, these really brought out the idiot in me 'cos you have to pluck strings to make guitars sound like guitars. Sorry but you can't play Eruption on your MIDI keyboard. However the sounds are nice and have plenty of uses.