Hive 2

Choosing a virtual synthesizer can be difficult, especially when there are so many options around. You should have a pretty good idea of what genre of electronic music you want to create, and also realistically estimate your knowledge of music production; the last thing you want is to purchase a tool that’s way above your skill set.

Before you make this important decision you should read reviews and try as many demos as possible, but you should also remember that whatever you choose probably won’t be the last synth plugin you ever use. Nevertheless, the first one should really count, and right now Hive 2 sounds and looks like it could be a really good choice.

Hive 2 is one of those plugins that you won’t have much trouble getting into. The interface is well thought out, and will thus seem relatively easy-to-use even to newcomers. The whole structure is powered by two oscillators and the interface is organized accordingly, as most of the parameters are mirrored on the left and right.

However, there’s also a large hexagon in the middle, where you can access features like an Arpeggiator/Sequencer, an XY parameter control, an FX rack, and a waveform scope. Here you can also edit wavetables for both oscillators, or switch between the three synth engines: clean, normal, and dirty.

Because Hive 2 is so versatile, you’ll probably spend a lot of time experimenting with the filters, amps, envelopes, and LFOs. If you’re interested in modulation, then you can also connect various parameters and play with both matrixes. But the program also comes with over 2000 presets from categories such as basses, poly leads, mono leads, plucks, chords, drums, and FX. Most of them are very well-produced, and you may immediately want to add the sounds to your compositions.

As I’ve already suggested, Hive 2 probably won’t be the last soft synth you ever use, but it will keep you so busy that it will probably be a while before you start looking for the next one.