Having a live band in your home studio is a great way to build a song, but you can’t always have your band sitting around waiting. That’s where virtual instruments come into play.
Virtual instruments are sampled representations of real instruments. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are fake computer generated sounds. In fact, in a lot of cases companies go to great lengths to sample the real instruments to make them even more realistic.
Virtual instruments are used quite a bit in today’s music―perhaps more than you think. I’m still a fan of having real instruments when it comes time to do the final recordings, but I do use virtual instruments to build my songs.
There are many companies making virtual instrument packages these days and the differences in the packages is vast. From the interface and ease of use, to the number of instruments included, virtual instruments can be a friend or foe when it comes time to put a song together.
Some virtual instruments can also cost thousands of dollars, but I found
a great package from Cakewalk for $50. This package includes a Drum Set, Bass Guitar, Electric Piano, and String Section. Playing blues-based hard rock the majority of the time, I don’t get much use from the String Section, but you can’t go wrong for the price. And if you ever write a killer ballad, you have the strings if you need them.
When building a song, I always start with the drums. The drums give me inspiration―with a good drum beat, I can sit down and play anything. I just roll with whatever comes into my head. Of course, you can start with whatever makes you more comfortable, but I find it easiest to begin with drums and then add a bass guitar. Then I record a real guitar, playing along with the rhythm bed I put together.
Voilà! You've got a very real song with very virtual instruments.