So now that my day job is finally calming down, It'll be time to start writing again, I'm looking to add a few pieces of software to my current rig in order to broaden my pallette of sounds a bit. So I guess I'm looking for suggestions on a few things:
Reverb VST:
I've been using the 'Perfect Space' convolution verb and a few others that come in the box with Sonar 8. They can be tweaked for ambient quite easily, but I've been using them now for 5 years and I'm looking for something with a different sonic character. I've also downloaded Audio Damage EOS, which is pretty cool, but it feels a bit like a one trick pony. I'm looking for something really expansive, with long reverb tails, etc... any suggestions? Maybe I'm missing a technique?
Soft Synths:
I use Sonar 8, and Windows 7 64 bit. So obviously, I'd like to use something compatible. I find Sonar 8 is good with most probgrams, tho on occasion it just doesn't like certain synths.
I have Omnisphere, I love it, but kind of tired of it at the moment, again, looking for something with a different character. I find alot of the patches in Omnisphere are too huge sounding, it seems like they went a little crazy trying to give every patch this massive sound that takes up all frequencies from 20hz-20000hz, I often fix this with EQ, but I often find alot of the built in sounds unusable.
I'm trying to be fiscally responsible with this one, which will likely mean only buying one, large, versatile soft synth. So I'm trying to decide between:
NI Komplete
Camel Audio Alchemy
Other suggestions? <- I'm sure there are a tone of other options out there, I haven't been able to do a bunch of research on it, please offer suggestions!
I've realized that, using Omnisphere for the last year or so, that I'm more of a preset tweaker than a sound designer. So something with usable presets would be nice. This brings me on to my next question...
Can anyone suggest a good book or something on sound design?
I have an immense respect for guys you can take a simple sine wave and use oscillators and such and turn it into a gorgeous soundscape. Anyways... I'd like in on some of that.