NI Massive VST Overview

So what is the Massive VST plug-in? It is a virtual analog synthesizer with three oscillators that uses wave-scan algorithms to produce sound. There are more than 80 waveform tables to choose from for each oscillator, two filters with a choice of twelve different types, and a high-quality sound that can be modulated in a variety of ways. MASSIVE also includes simple routing options, over 1,300 presets, and several built-in effects. The new version of the MASSIVE X plug-in will be available in June 2019.

Native Instruments’ main competitors to the Massive VST plug-in are Nexus 2, Omnisphere and Sylenth1.

Oscillators

The VST MASSIVE plug-in uses three wave oscillators, a modulation generator, and an additional noise source. Each of them can be turned on or off with the button in the upper left corner of the oscillator subpanel. The vibration menu is at the top of the three main oscillators, and the waveform choices fall into five categories: VA, Basic, Analog/Electric, Digital/Hybrid and FX chords. It is also possible to quickly scroll through the tables using the left/right arrows. Other controls for oscillators include wave table position, tuning (semitones or cents), and an oscillator mode menu that lets you choose from different modes that will affect the wave table. Formant, Spectrum, and the three Bend modes are in this menu. I won’t go into the details of trying to describe the modes, but basically they cause the waveform to distort in different ways.

The Feedback section in MASSIVE allows you to do this: create a route so that it returns to the filter input. The difference between VST MASSIVE and many other synth plugins is that you can choose from many other synth parts to return to the filter. Several other synth plugins have a simple feedback loop that you can’t change. I’ll talk more about powerful modulation/routing later in the review.

MASSIVE has two filter buses. They can be set in series or parallel (or somewhere in between with a slider), and each includes twelve types of filters. Here are the standard cut and resonance controls, as well as additional controls if a certain type is selected. For example, if you select any of the first six filter types (two of which are low-pass and high-pass), the middle knob will not function. However, if you select the Bandpass or Bandreject types, then the control is automatically set to adjust the bandwidth. The output of the two filters is controlled by the slider on the right side of the filter bars.

The two inserts in MASSIVE allow you to add different types of effects to different parts of the signal chain. You can add it to the filter buses in series (between two filters), or you may want to add them to each filter separately, or you can simply add it to the recall section. Effects include basic delay type, bitrusher, HP/LP filter, parabolic shaper, frequency shift, and more. These are not the effects you might have originally imagined, such as reverb, chorus, etc. They are in the upper right section of Master Effects in MASSIVE.

LFOs, envelopes, and routing

There is a large area at the bottom of MASSIVE that contains several important parts of the synthesizer. Here you can find key tracking settings, envelopes, LFOs, routing, and more. From left to right are six tabs that open up general purpose pages.

The first tab labeled Osc is for glide settings, pitch changes, oscillator phase and vibrato settings. The glide speed can be adjusted here, and its mode can be switched from “Equal” to “Speed”. Equal means that it will slide from one note to the next at the same speed, regardless of the keyboard range between the two notes. Estimate means that if the notes are closer together, the glide will happen quickly. If the notes are farther apart, it will take longer.

The routing section has several useful features. It basically lets you see the synthesizer as a block diagram, as it shows the path the signal takes from the oscillators to the filters, and to the effects and other parts of the synthesizer. At some points in this block diagram, there are additional modules that allow you to add functionality to achieve the type of sound you want. After the oscillators on the left side of the routing display are the bypass switches (labeled B). If you turn on the one next to (for example) the first oscillator, it will bypass almost everything else that the other oscillators normally go through.

Now we move on to the four assignable pages for modulation. For each of these pages you can choose between LFO, Performer or Stepper. The LFOs can be synchronized with the host, and they have two shapes that you can transform between. The standard speed and amp/level controls are also here. The phase can be adjusted by dragging the shape left or right in each of the two windows. To the right of the LFO is the familiar internal envelope we checked earlier in the review. It can be used to modulate the LFO’s speed, gain control, and curve.

Performer and Stepper are similar in that they both use step sequencing, but Performer uses waveforms instead of vertical bands. Performer also has two signal sequences, and you can move seamlessly between them. It can use up to sixteen steps, and you can adjust it to the number of steps you want. The speed and gain controls on the left side are the same as the LFO. Each step in the sequence can have a different waveform. Several shapes are included to choose from, and you can push/drag the shape up or down in each step.

Conclusion

The VST plugin MASSIVE clearly has a lot of modulation options and can get a powerful/powerful sound instantly. CPU load is a bit high, but still manageable on my i7-based desktop PC. You can change the sound quality level (Ultra, High or Eco modes) to adjust as needed. Macro controls allow you to modulate multiple targets simultaneously using the same drag-and-drop method I mentioned earlier.

Treatment Procedure:

• Download massive vst via torrent
• Mount the image.
• From the R2R folder install NI_InstReg_Massive.exe
• Install Native Instruments – Massive by running Massive Setup PC.exe – when installing don’t forget to check the boxes if you need VST or AAX plugins.
• From the R2R folder run NativeInstruments_Keygen.exe, select the product “Native Instruments Massive” and click “REGISTER”. That’s it.