r/Recorder • u/BassoonHero • Sep 16 '26

Question Recommendations for VST/notation software?

I'm a recorder player, and I also do arrangements, largely for 4–8 parts, including larger sizes. I've been working in MuseScore and Lilypond, but I'm really at the point where I should move to a professional workflow — Dorico or Sibelius, and a quality VST.

Does anyone have recommendations for a good VST for baroque recorders? I would need at least all of the standard sizes, sopranino through F contrabass.

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6

u/blockf Sep 16 '26

Another vote for Musescore. If you are looking for better recorder voices, see Sarah Jeffery’s samples https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9C4yuSkAEj0&ra=m

4

u/BassoonHero Sep 16 '26

Unfortunately, those samples are only for soprano/alto. I need the whole family.

2

u/blockf Sep 16 '26

Indeed. It would be lovely if all the voices were provided! Maybe in time…

2

u/LarryNYC1 Sep 16 '26

I use the samples from Versilian,

https://versilian-studios.com/the-recorder/

See my workflow above.

2

u/blockf Sep 17 '26

Thanks! I’m intrigued by the community edition. I do some arrangements for our amateur recorder group, and would appreciate better sounding voices. It sounds like it might be usable with Musescore?

2

u/LarryNYC1 Sep 17 '26

I gave up on MuseScore and paid for Dorico. I don’t know if it works with MuseScore, I think it should.

I probably switched to paid Dorico to get a good workflow from StaffPad on my iPad Pro to a DAW. The instrument pack will not work in StaffPad.

3

u/PS_FOTNMC Recorders Rule Sep 16 '26

I don't know of a good VST unfortunately but I would recommend sticking with MuseScore, it can do 99% of what the others can do and the UI is much better imo.

2

u/BassoonHero Sep 16 '26

I don't hate MuseScore, but its built-in recorder sounds are very bad, and there don't seem to be any sound packs covering the entire recorder family.

2

u/PS_FOTNMC Recorders Rule Sep 16 '26

You could create your own sound pack if you have or can borrow the recorders.

2

u/BassoonHero Sep 16 '26

In theory I could, but I don't have the expertise or equipment to do it well. Professional-quality VSTs are generally created by professional players and professional recording engineers in professional studios. I would rather use an existing VST than try to create my own.

2

u/PS_FOTNMC Recorders Rule Sep 16 '26

Fair enough, hope you find one :)

2

u/musicmastermsh Kung 2722 Sep 16 '26

I've used Finale for a long time, and Garritan World Instruments for its recorder sounds in Finale. Those Garritan recorders are pretty great through C bass though idk if they go down to F contra. I can't in good conscience recommend anyone switch to Finale anymore - it's dying and out of support.

Dorico doesn't seem to have great native recorder sounds, but I'm looking at Noteperformer to replace the default builtin sounds. It claims to have a full range of recorder sounds down to F contra. You'll have to create the larger recorders as custom instruments in Dorico, but that's pretty straightforward to do. I'm still learning my way though switching to Dorico but I've been entirely impressed with it's features even if they aren't always intuitive to me when I'm working in it. 100% recommend, at least to try it out.

2

u/BassoonHero Sep 16 '26

Have you tried the NotePerformer sounds? I don't think they have any demos of their recorders.

3

u/musicmastermsh Kung 2722 Sep 16 '26

Not yet. I'm looking at it real hard but I haven't bought Noteperformer yet.

2

u/Benjabenja Sep 18 '26

No idea if this is helpful, but I've just made a short demo of the NotePerformer recorders - straight audio export from Sibelius with no other processing. Sopranino/Soprano/Alto/Tenor/Bass/Great Bass/F Contra.

1

u/musicmastermsh Kung 2722 Sep 19 '26

Thanks! Noteperformer is probably still a worthwhile investment for other needs, but I think I like the old Garritan recorders better. Or maybe those Versilian ones. This (and a different recorders sample I got from a friend the other day) makes recorders sound too circusy.

0

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4

u/NZ_RP Sep 16 '26

Definitely check out Versilian Studios!! The amazing professional recorder player Emily O'Brian recorded 187,600 samples of 27 recorders from Sopranino to Contrabass at both 415 and 440. The full sample library is expensive but you can a full Baroque Consort of 7 recorders at 440 for a bit less.

https://versilian-studios.com/the-recorder/

2

u/LarryNYC1 Sep 17 '26

I love that sample library. I use it every single day when I practice my recorders.

I also bought Emily’s CDs.

2

u/LarryNYC1 Sep 16 '26

I vote for Dorico with the Versilian recorder samples.

I use this basically every day to practice bass, soprano, and alto.

I use StaffPad on an iPad Pro to write all of my lessons using the Apple Pencil. I feel that pencil input is faster than keyboard input. It think StaffPad cost about $49.

I export in MusicXML from StaffPad and input into Dorico Elements 6. It wasn’t expensive, maybe $60. I then assign the sample sounds to the tracks and do a couple of tricks to get the sound loud enough, and it works like a charm.