DSK Virtuoso

Musical instruments no longer need to be wired through complicated machines to produce high-quality sound. In fact, with the right set of software components, instruments can be replaced all together. In this regard, DSK Virtuoso comes with a vast library of orchestral instruments to combine, and include in your projects.

In order to be able to take full advantage of what the package has to offer, you need to include it in a suitable host environment, such as VSTHost. When active, the command console quickly gets you up and running thanks to the neat visual style, with LED feedback from active components and effects.

You get to work with up to six different layers, each with its own set of knobs, and sliders to adjust quality, tone, volume, pan, and other effects. All of them can be used at the same time. In this regard, you can equip each layer with one of various instruments organized in categories like chromatic, plucked, woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, and several types of pianos.

Effects, on the other hand, aren’t that abundant, with only chorus, delay, and reverb at your disposal. Chorus and reverb need to be selected for each layer, while reverb applies to all components. Every layer is fitted with attack, decay, sustain, and release sliders to fine-tune sound.

Moreover, layers can be routed to specific MIDI channels, depending on your needs, or you can set layers to use all channels. Knobs and sliders can be handled in real time, as you play, or record. As such, changing reverb type to gated, freeze, or normal, and adjusting depth, feedback, modulation, size, and other parameters can completely alter an instrument, or the entire play.

In conclusion, DSK Virtuoso manages to live up to expectations, letting you combine up to six different layers, fitting them each with one of various different orchestral instruments. Effects can cleverly be associated with the layers you want, while MIDI channels can be used to route to any of the available output ports.