Top 10 R&B And Pop Music Plugins & KONTAKT Libraries 2023

Catchy melodies, powerful hooks, and distinctive sounds are some of the things that come to producers’ minds when making Pop or R&B. That’s why, today, we will go through the 10 best Pop and R&B plugins and Kontakt libraries that will help you create the perfect earworm.

Nowadays, pop and R&B are leading the music industry, where it is nearly impossible to find a top chart without at least one song of these music genres. There’s something about them that fascinates listeners and keeps them coming back, making a snowball effect by giving them more streams, sharing with other friends, and placing them in the highest places of the lists.

Music is in constant evolution, and to be the phenomenon it is today, pop and R&B use elements like dreamy keyboards, unique synthesizers, massive basslines, and looped drum beats that make you want to dance. So, without further ado, let’s check some of the best tools to make your pop and R&B songs stand out from the rest

Top 10 Pop Music and R&B Plugins & Kontakt Libraries 2023

1. Ujam SPARKLE 2  (Plugin)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

SPARKLE 2 is a virtual guitarist that can play chords, octaves, and single-note electric guitar riffs in a studio setting. 

Although similar to its predecessor, SPARKLE 2 is an entirely new piece of software, offering a wide range of improvements in realism, flexibility, and creative processing techniques within the plugin’s user interface. They re-recorded the whole sample library from scratch to match the improved adaptability and realism built into the updated plugin.

It features a brand-new guitarist. It can be used with the original SPARKLE by those who already have it. This way, you can hard-pan one instrument to the left and the other to the right, creating genuine stereo guitar parts with no phasing. You can use both versions of the virtual guitarist together if you find a preset from the original that you like.

Key Features:

• Package
  There are countless possibilities for guitar rhythms across numerous genres with SPARKLE 2’s over 30 styles and 350 phrases, and they’re all unique from the initial release. In addition, UJAM has also added an Open Chords function, expanding the harmonic capabilities and giving users access to a wider range of sounds than they had in the original SPARKLE.
• Midi Drag and Drop
  SPARKLE 2 incorporates UJAM’s Instrument mode, letting you create realistic guitar parts from scratch. Instrument mode “unlocks” the virtual guitarist and enables you to play everything note by note, including open, half-muted, and fully muted notes, whereas Player mode uses premade MIDI phrases to allow you to create guitar parts you like instantly.
  In this setting, you have access to every articulation in SPARKLE 2, allowing you to shape the sound in any way you like.
• Presets
  You may quickly switch between clean and polished, grunge, and even indie rock sounds with the preset in SPARKLE 2. Adapting this guitarist’s behavior to your song’s specific needs is as simple as adjusting the Amp and Character sliders. Next, use the Drive knob to give the signal that extra push it needs to reach the desired temperature after all other avenues of improvement have been exhausted.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.10 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 7 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST/RTAS/AU/AAX formats and supports 32 and 64 bit systems.

Summary:

Sparkle is a good option for media composers and solo music producers who need a quick and easy way to get a fully polished strummed guitar part. They are also quite cheap, especially considering their intended market.

Related Reading:

Top 6 Electric Guitar VST Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)

2. Native Instruments Vocal Colors NEW* (Kontakt Library)

More Info & Price 

NI Vocal Colors is a Kontakt library that offers a wide range of expressive vocal samples and powerful modulation controls, making it a versatile tool for crafting hybrid textures that bring emotion to your Pop music.

It explores the synergy between speech and synthesis, delivering inventive sounds that push the boundaries of the human voice. Whether working on cinematic compositions or forward-thinking pop productions, Vocal Colors provides hypnotic hues that ignite your creativity or add the finishing touches to your tracks.

It has five tabs: Arpeggiator, two Layer tabs, Particles, and Global. The arpeggiator tab can help you create interesting vocal chops and movements. The Layer tabs consist of parameters for editing the sonic characteristics of the sound, like Formant, Dynamic, ADSR, Breath, etc.

The Particles tab lets you add interesting textures to your sounds, and finally, the global tab gives you a single slider access to all the other tabs.

Key Features:

• Expressive Vocal Samples
  Vocal Colors includes over 19 GB of eclectic, double-tracked vocal samples that blend electronic and organic elements. These samples offer diverse vocal expressions, from gentle whispers to passionate shouts, allowing you to create unique and expressive sounds for your music.
• Arpeggiator tab
  You can program up to 32 steps on the arpeggiator and do advanced sequencing on them, like adding repetitions, chords programming, setting min/max limits, looping, adding a sustain pedal, adjusting the time, octave, length, velocity, etc., retriggering, and more. You can use that to add interesting movements to your music.
• Presets
  You can choose from various arpeggiator presets, like Single, Chord, Straight, Syncopated, Mixed, Free, Continius, Odd, Slow, Fast, Random, etc. Similarly, multiple Layer(s) presets consist of loops, one-shots, rhythm, reverse, and other samples categorized as Pure, Designed, Vowel, Consonant, Percussive, Bright, Smooth, etc.
  Similarly, there are multiple presets for Modulation Sources, including many steps and LFO patterns. In addition, effects preset include categories like Analog, Crunch, Lo-Fi bits, Tape, Transistor, etc.
• Enhanced COLORS Engine
  The library features an enhanced COLORS engine, which enables you to blend and transform two layers of expressive vocal samples. This engine provides in-depth control over the sound, allowing you to shape and customize the vocals according to your artistic vision.
• Specialized Vocal Shaping Controls
  Vocal Colors offers specialized vocal shaping controls that allow you to customize over 250 presets or create sounds from scratch. These controls provide flexibility in modifying various aspects of the vocal samples, such as timbre, formant, vibrato, and more, enabling you to achieve the desired vocal character and expression.
• Powerful Effects and Modulation
  You can build your effects chains within Vocal Colors or utilize carefully designed effects presets to enhance and modulate your sounds. Effects in the plugin include EQ, Filter, Dynamic Processor, Drive, etc. This capability allows you to add depth, texture, and movement to your vocal textures, creating dynamic and evolving sonic landscapes.

Compatibility:

Vocal Colors is compatible with the free Kontakt Player and the full Kontakt 7.3.1 or higher version. To install and set up the library, you can use Native Access, Native Instruments’ software management platform. It is available for purchase on the Native Instruments website, and existing owners of Piano Colors can enjoy an additional discount.

Summary:

In summary, NI Vocal Colors is a powerful Kontakt library that brings the voice to the forefront of dynamic instruments. Its expressive vocal samples, enhanced COLORS engine, specialized vocal shaping controls, comprehensive arpeggiator, and powerful effects and modulation capabilities offer a versatile toolkit for creating unique and dynamic vocal textures making it ideal tool for Pop production.

Whether you’re looking to add depth and emotion to your compositions or explore innovative vocal synthesis techniques, Vocal Colors provides a rich palette of sounds to inspire your music-making journey.

3. Native Instruments Playbox (Kontakt Library)

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The most innovative Kontakt instrument is Playbox. This unusual piece of equipment will inspire you to compose pop,  but also other genres like Trap, LoFi and EDM.

Without a sure, The Playbox is the most innovative and fascinating gadget I’ve seen in a very long time. If you compose music in any genre, this tool will immediately spark your interest in writing songs and creating an album as a whole.

A brand-new kind of musical instrument called a PLAYBOX blends distinct sound design, harmony, and layering. The tool is stuffed with samples, chord settings, effects, and presets, and it has everything you need to be creative.

Key Features:

• Presets
  There is also room for 450 user samples, which might be automatically returned to match the tones of a chord. With PLAYBOX, users may manage all sound kinds, from synthetic sounds to acoustic instruments and noise into chords and sound stacks, thanks to a variety of configurable preset sounds.
• Samples
  Using PLAYBOX, composers may create never-before-heard multi-stacked sound combinations by layering various samples of synthesizers, instruments, bass, voices, and noise onto each note in a chord. You may import up to 450 of your samples, which are automatically returned to the notes of the chords. This allows you to resurrect unused sample libraries clogging up your hard disk.
  
• Effects
  Arp, Strum, and Grain effects, together with more than 50 ambient samples, including nature noises, busy stations, and vinyl scratches, may be used to provide depth and texture while delivering rhythms and ambiance.
  For stunning results, pick from up to 14 top-notch effects and alter their placement in your processing chain. Then, dial deeper with various assignable modulation sources, humanized velocity and sync settings, and dance-inducing noises.
• Chord Progressions
  Playbox was developed to assist musicians experiencing writer’s block. This library can be exactly what you need if you’re a musician experiencing writer’s block. Playbox helps rekindle your creative spark whether you’re an experienced composer or are just getting started.

Compatibility:

The full version of Kontakt 5.8.1 or higher is needed. It runs on macOS 10.9 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 7 or higher (64-bit only).

Summary:

To summarize, Playbox is a unique and versatile tool that may help you add unusual modern elements to your music. It comes pre-loaded with over 900 entertaining sounds and can be customized with your chords and noises.

4. Native Instruments Glaze (Kontakt Library)

More Info & Price
Bring your vocal and harmonic production to life with Glaze.

Glaze delivers versatile vocals suited for genres like pop, hip-hop, and R&B. You can create subtle harmonies and backing vocals by crafting your sections or using the 148 presets of vocal licks, stacked chords, bass, and pad sounds provided by Native Instruments. Its low set of parameters consisting of two source layers and six fully effect macros make it straightforward, not to mention its pleasant, glossy interface.

Key Features:

• Blending
  As mentioned before, Glaze consists of two layers to create the sound. You can choose the samples on layers A and B and adjust their levels by blending them with the “Balance” knob. Also, you can turn off one of the layers if you don’t need it to save CPU usage.
• FX Editor
  By pressing the “FX” button, you will enter a section for adjusting an effect chain applied globally to both layers, except for the independent equalizers on the top left. Inside this window, you have access to the powerful Kontakt effects that you can organize in six different effect slots of the chain. Note that placing a reverb before a compressor will sound completely different from when you put it after, so it depends on your approach.
• Sequencer
  In Glaze, you have a module that emulates the behavior of an analog sequencer that you access by clicking the “SEQ” button. The sequencer has one line with sixteen steps to create your melodic sequence, plus six additional lanes to modulate the effect macros. Once set, you can adjust the rate, direction, and swing to control the timing and playback of the sequence.

Compatibility:

The library requires Kontakt Player or Kontakt (latest version). Kontakt is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:
The Glaze is a simple yet powerful tool to bring the “sound mattress” that supports your other instruments. The high-quality presets and sound-shaping tools provide an intuitive and straightforward way to create nuanced sounds with excellent tonal balance and expression. The library is amicable for beginner producers, but for the more experienced ones, the custom effect chains and sound-shaping macros offer deeper sound design.

Related Reading:

20 Best Kontakt Libraries For All Categories (Synths, Drums, Vocals)

5. UJAM Beatmaker KANDY (Plugin)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Get focused, pop music drum sounds with one of the best plugins in UJAM’s beatmaker series.
You may have noticed that many plugins and libraries out there are focused on specific genres like EDM, Jazz, Hip-hop, and other styles. Still, you rarely see a library that is specifically for pop music. KANDY is a sweet beatmaker tool with heavily processed drum samples.

Here, you can choose from 20 different styles, 10 unique drum kits, and 460 patterns to get the A-list pop sound you want.

Key Features:

• One-Shot Samples
  The keyboard separates into two sections. On the left, we can find the Instrument section where we can play one-shot samples, choose from the samples provided by UJAM, and modify their volume, decay, pitch, and apply filters. Once they all sound the way you want, you can start finger-drumming and create your beat.
• Song Sections
  Next to the Instrument section mentioned before, we have the Style section to choose from the 460 patterns within KANDY. Once you select a pattern, you’ll have different variations labeled as song sections. You can play pre-populated rhythms like intros, verses, fills, choruses, endings, and breakdowns in this section. This feature can help you arrange your track as quickly as possible.
• Individual Routing
  All the samples are routed to the master of the plugin for you to control them in one track only. With the “Individual/Master” switch, you can choose to route them to separate outputs and process each sample independently. Producers who prefer to have complete control over their drum kit will appreciate this feature.
• Effects And Master
  If you prefer to keep everything in one track, the 12 mixing modes can help you get a solid mix worthy of a hit song. Once you have your desired sound, you can move to the bottom right Master section, where you can apply filtering, subtle saturation, maximize loudness, and add a little bit of reverb.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:

If your drums don’t balance being fat and electronic while not sounding too much like house music, you need to add KANDY to your arsenal. The quality of the sounds within KANDY is tremendous, and the speedy results make it stand out.

Note that if you choose to route the outputs independently, it might be tedious as you have to switch every one of them manually instead of providing you with a global switch. Then again, you’ll likely rarely use the individual routing with the incredible mixing and master options that KANDY has to offer.

Related Reading:

Top 20 UJAM Plugins For Music Production 

6. UJAM – Symphonic Elements STRIIIING (Plugin)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

If you need a string instrument for your modern Pop or RnB track, let’s try STRIIINGS.

STRIIIINGS was recorded at award-winning composer Hans Zimmer’s Control Studios. And as with any Ujam instrument, the plugin focuses on being intuitive and easy. It doesn’t provide you control over every section and mic placements. Instead, it gives you a broad sense of control and inspiring phrases. 

The plugin also features several built-in sound design effects, which allow you to create atmospheres and textures right from the interface. Furthermore, you can use the filters and saturations to create risers and drones for cinematic projects. 

Key Features:

• The Interface
  Apart from having 200 presets, the plugin also offers a wide range of settings. For instance, you can make global adjustments to the audio using 25 presets and a unique Finisher knob. You can fade between the low and high strings using the highlighter knob, resulting in thrilling risers. The ambiance knob adds reverb to the master signal.
• Low and High
  There are two ranges of strings in the plugin: low and high. Cellos and double basses with a variety of effects and two buses are found in the lower strings. The high strings include violas and violins, as well as effects and two more busses. Both strings feature a Decay and Link control, allowing you to mix and match them. Each string type has a power button, allowing you to activate each one independently. 
• Phrase Timing
  The plugin features a smooth timing control internally. For example, STRIIIINGS continues to play even you assign the instruments to perform in half or double time using the Micro Timing option. Similarly, the Swing Control is useful for delaying off-beats to get groovy rhythms.
  Furthermore, each of the two string sections allows you to assign one character FX and one motion FX on a more intimate level. The former is oriented towards compression and saturation, while the latter leans towards delays and chorus. 

Here is a short video what it does:

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

Despite a straightforward interface, STRIIIINGS can provide an orchestral texture for any music including Pop, RnB. The plugin has onboard effects that are excellent for sound design, making it a modern tool when it comes to string ensembles. 

Related Readings:

Top 20 UJAM Plugins For Music Production 

7. UJAM Beatmaker VICE (Plugin)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
If you love retro-futuristic scenarios and 80s drum sounds, VICE got you covered.

In UJAM’s beatmaker series, we can find VICE, a virtual drum synthesizer emulating classic drum machines from legendary manufacturers like Linn, Korg, Simmons, and Roland. Each is entirely dedicated to 80s pop music and more contemporary retro genres like synth-wave. On its futuristic interface, you will find 10 unique drum kits, 12 mix presets, 30 styles, and 690 patterns that will take you back to the 80s era while also retaining a 21st-century audio quality.

Key Features:

• One-shot Samples
  On the lower octaves, each key plays a different one-shot sample loaded from VICE’s library. You can adjust independent volume, decay, pitch, and filtering for each sample. Additionally, each key has a label describing the percussion/instrument type.
• Style Motifs
  Moving to the higher octaves, you can select one of the 690 patterns provided by UJAM. Each pattern comes with different motifs labeled as song sections that are alternate rhythms within the chosen pattern. Similar to KANDY, you will find intros, verses, fills, choruses, endings, and breakdowns in this section.
• Independent Routing
  For those who prefer having independent control of each element in the drum kit, the “Individual/Master” switch comes in handy as it allows you to route the samples to separate outputs and work with other processors in independent DAW tracks.
• Built-in Effects
  VICE features carefully programmed 12 unique mixing modes that can give aesthetic retro vibes to your output. It also comes with some macros to enhance the 80s atmosphere. Once your mix is satisfactory, you can move to the Master section to give a final touch with filters, saturator, maximizer, and reverb.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
Once again, UJAM has proven they can develop a plugin focused on a specific genre or vibe with production-level quality out of the box. VICE has revived the retro atmosphere, providing everything you need for creating authentic 80s drum beats in no time. Additionally, every parameter is displayed with no hidden menus, making it straightforward for producers of all experience levels.

Related Reading:

Top 20 Synthwave Plugins (+ 11 Best FREE Plugins)

8. Native Instruments Noire (Kontakt Library)

More Info & Price
Native Instruments Noire delivers the classic and polished sound of an acclaimed iconic piano.

Recorded in the Yamaha Headquarters in Hamburg by the composer and pianist Nils Frahm, Noire features the unique sound of the Yamaha CFX grand piano. Its vast diversity of fully adjustable parameters and variables will allow you to create distinctive piano sounds and rhythmic effects. The process of putting this plugin together involved recording with close microphone positioning for both the pianist and the instrument to get the most realistic scenario when using Noire.

Key Features:

• Realism
  You can add physical variables of a classic piano recording to your performance. The plugin features various controls to modify aspects like the noise generated by the sustain pedals, mechanical noises, and noise and resonance of the hammers hitting the strings. With all these parameters, you can add a signature aesthetic to the piano parts of your project.
• Sound Shaping
  Besides its incredibly realistic piano sound, Noire comes with a set of built-in effects that helps you create an atmospheric sound. You can fine-tune your sound by making it crispier with the “Color” knob, adding some compression with the “Dynamic” knob, and, finally, setting some spatiality with the “Reverb” and “Delay” knobs.
• Particles Engine
  One of the most exciting things about Noire is its unique Particle Engine. This feature is a piano-based note generator that uses a complex algorithm to generate additional notes and samples based on the notes you play on the keyboard. It automatically generates swirling harmonic elements and complex arpeggios for added motion. You can control the notes generated by adjusting their octaves, ranges, and tonal quality.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:

It’s hard to fit all the greatness of Noire in just a review. With merely the default piano sound, its realism is tremendous since Native Instruments considered even the most subtle details like the pianist breathing when recording the piano. The game-changing factor is the freedom of controlling all mechanical noises generated when playing an actual grand piano, giving the most realistic sounding piano performance and opening a whole world of creative possibilities.

Related Reading:

Top 9 Piano Kontakt Sample Libraries (And 5 Best Free Pianos)

9. PRISM Modern Pop Drums (Kontakt Library)

More Info & Price
This library enhances your production quality by offering iconic and modern Pop drum samples.

Featuring a selected variety of one-shot samples and up to 42 drum loops, PRISM offers studio-quality percussions. Its developers carefully processed each sound within PRISM to deliver a versatile set of mix-ready sounds that will save time searching for the perfect sample. Hence, you can instead focus on creating your song.

Key Features:

• Pre-Configured Combinations
  It’s hard not to notice the big triangle in the middle, so we need to know what it does. Around the triangle, you will find ten samples for kick, snare + clap, and hi-hat each. The three ends of the triangle point to one of these samples, and the triangle makes a drum-kit based on the selection, meaning that you can move the triangle to get different types of combinations selected by experts behind PRISM. Note that you can explore other samples within the library apart from the pre-selected ones.
• Independent Effects
  Next to the samples around the triangle, you have independent sound-shaping parameters for each of your samples. The effects include reverb, equalization, volume, and transient master. The last one controls the sample’s transients, which is a great way to control depth in a mix without using a reverb.

Compatibility:

The library requires Kontakt 5.8+ (NOT the free Kontakt Player). Kontakt is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:

PRISM offers powerful electronic drum sounds to enhance the dance factor in your productions. The number of samples might seem short for some users, but PRISM’s motto is quality over quantity. So, they offer only the essential drum sounds required for a hit-worthy pop song. PRISM’s downside is that it doesn’t have open hi-hat one-shot samples, which are often crucial to close 4/4 beats or avoid monotony.

10. Native Instruments Picked Acoustic (Kontakt Library)

More Info & Price
Enhance your guitar performance with this excellent acoustic guitar library.

Recorded with a vintage Martin 00-21 steel-string guitar, this library offers real-sounding melodies and patterns for every songwriter and producer. It features sounds with different types of performance like strumming, picked arpeggios, and single notes to create motifs to your liking. Also, it was recorded with three individual stereo microphone setups to get the most out of the guitar and provide an authentic and soulful guitar section for your song.

Key Features:

• Playing Modes
  You can play in two different ways with Picked Acoustics. First, you can use one of the 194 unique pickings and strumming patterns. If you prefer playing melodies by yourself, you can use the melodic mode with authentic performer variations like slides, fret noises, hammer-ons, and pull-offs.
• Playback
  On the Playback page, you can modify some parameters of the selected patterns to make them more dynamic and authentic. You can adjust the swing amount added to each pattern, humanize or quantize the performance, add offset, and modify the tempo. Be careful with excessive amounts of these settings because there is a thin line between human quality and off-beat performance.
• Mic Setups
  This library comes with three different stereo microphone setups to achieve different recording colorations. First, the “Condenser (AB)” setup consists of two equally spaced condenser microphones to achieve a natural stereo image. Then the “Dynamic (MS)” setup consists of one dynamic microphone for the midsection and a bidirectional microphone for the side sections. Lastly, the “Ribbon (Blumlein) setup uses two bidirectional ribbon microphones.
• Effects
  Thanks to the microphone setups used to create this library, you can double the guitars and open the stereo image for a richer sound. Also, you can shape your sound with pedal effect emulations like chorus, flanger, compressor, reverb, and others to explore.

Compatibility:

The library requires Kontakt Player or Kontakt (version 6.1+). Kontakt is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:

Picked acoustics offers fantastic guitar sounds without sounding odd or synthetic. Its game-changing factor is the microphone positions that provide sonic variety and the opportunity to experiment with different configurations used by real recording engineers. The recording is so detailed you can even modify variables involved in an actual guitarist’s performance and bring the quality that a hit song needs.

Related Reading:

Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins (And 4 Best Kontakt Libraries)

Bonuses:

1. Output Arcade 2.0

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Source: Output

Drip – One of the many instruments that come with Arcade

With this excellent loop synthesizer, get spicy and catchy hooks right away.

A fantastic loop could be a good starting point for a new song, and Arcade can help you with that.  Arcade is a sample manipulation synthesizer designed by Output. It manages to be an all-in-one audio powerhouse great for the modern Pop and Hip-Hop producers, as it can sample, process audio, and function as a synthesizer. It comes in a slick interface, and it’s all about manipulating samples in creative ways to incorporate them into your productions.

Working in a monthly payment model, Arcade offers the user access to an ever-evolving sound library, as each day, new sounds, loops, and samples are added for the subscribed user to work with. 

Key Features:

• Manipulate samples creatively
  The keyboard that’s part of Arcades interface has a different loop loaded on each white key, while the black keys let you stretch, resequence, stutter or reverse sounds. There are also different effects, unique to each loop pack, that let you further manipulate the samples. The loops are locked into your session’s key, so you won’t have to worry about time-stretching and matching a loop’s bpm to your song.
  
• Creative workflow
  Arcade is all about ease of use, and it achieves that through its unique workflow. The reason Arcade is one of the most popular plugins for modern hip hop production is the way it makes ideas and arrangements flow almost effortlessly. The user has complete freedom to change and modify each loop included in Arcade to his needs, either through the simple turn of one of the pre-programmed macro knobs or through deep tweaking and modulation through the “tweak” menu.
• Make every sound your own
  Arcade is more than just a loop playback device. It enables you to tweak each loop provided as much as you wish to. You can change each loop’s starting point through the resequence mode, chop it up differently, rearrange its sequence or remove a section of the loop. That’s what makes it perfect for the modern hip hop producer; it works remarkably similar to an MPC in a lot of ways. What makes Arcade modern and even more creative, though, is the modulation page, which allows the user to assign two modules to a loop that are either an LFO or a 32-step sequencer. This makes the modulation possibilities endless.
• Spectacular effects
  You can set up four different effects on the master bus that will affect your loop or sound. You get to choose between 11 effects, including chorus, compressor, reverb, distortion box, lo-fi effect, and many others. The effects sound spectacular, nothing short of the quality you’d expect from standalone effects units, and offer deep sound manipulation and inspiration.
• Also a synthesizer
  Once you choose a note kit, the keyboard will function as a regular keyboard for you to play notes. This makes the Arcade so much more than just a sampler. There are also four macro knobs for modifying the sound. If you click the tweak button, you can access Arcade’s complete synth engine loaded with amp, pitch, and filter envelopes, LFOs, and other synthesis parameters for more control.
• Constantly evolving sound library
  Arcade works on a monthly payment basis that gives you access to its sound library, which includes tons of presets, samples, and loops. The best thing is that this sound library is constantly evolving, with new sounds being added every day.

Compatibility:

Arcade 2.0 is available on Windows 8 and higher, in VST, VST3, and AAX formats, 64-bit, and on Mac OS 10.12 and higher in AU, VST, VST3, and AAX formats, 64-bit.

Summary:

Arcade is the perfect blend of past and future for hip hop production. It can be a tool for the sample-based producer and a synthesizer for the modern producer who wants to design his sounds. The user-friendly interface, which is comprehensive and easy to use, and access to a powerful sound library make Arcade a potent music production tool.

Key Features:

The ability to play loops and modify them in real-time is something that beatmakers will love about Arcade. You can take loops saved in your library and combine them with loops provided by Output, boosting your creativity and creating unique beats effortlessly.

Output recently confirmed that more modifiers are coming, so with the constant kit releases each month, the macros and the existing modifiers, and the ones yet to come, Arcade will be your ticket to quality production based on loops.

Related Reading:

6 Best OUTPUT VST Plugins For Music Production 

Top 13 Synth VST Plugins (And 5 FREE Synths Plugins)

2. Native Instruments Cloud Supply

More Info & Price
Craft hazy and atmospheric hooks with this impressive Kontakt library.

Cloud Supply is very similar to its Kontakt sibling in this list, Glaze. The library offers over 125 sounds, and 150 presets of various genres like R&B, trap, grime, hip-hop, and drill music. It includes mix-ready keys, pads, plucks, and sequences that you can tweak with its set of effect chains and sound design tools. You’ll get the smoothest playability to create and shape unique sounds with alternative timbres.

 

Key Features:

• Layering
  You can create unique sounds by combining two samples comprised on Cloud Supply. Within either layer A or B, you will find some controls to shape the sample, including filters, transposers, LFOs, amplitude, modulation envelopes, and more.
• Effect Chain
  On the top right, you will find the FX tab, where you can configure an effect chain consisting of six different effects that you can place in your desired order and enhance the sound once you configure the layers. Note that the effect chain will apply to both layers.
• Modulations
  Like others in the Kontakt family, you have the “SEQ” tab, where you have one sequencer with 16 steps to create a loop of the melody and six other sequencers to modulate effects. Also, you can modify the sequence to make it more dynamic with its variations of rate, direction, and swing.

Compatibility:

The library requires Kontakt Player or Kontakt (latest version). Kontakt is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:

You can find catchy melodies and sounds that make you nod your head in Cloud Supply. A group of engineers carefully processed the sounds with studio gear to bring the freshest hooks to achieve the sweet spot of your R&B projects. Cloud Supply will motivate you to explore different textures in a colorful and intuitive interface.

3. UJAM Mellow 2

More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Bounce and get groovy with the elegance and smoothness of your new virtual bassist friend.

UJAM’s Mellow is a realistic virtual bassist with sounds carefully recorded with a jazzy acoustic double bass to bring you an upright and groovy instrument. It features 60 different styles and over 1300 unique bass phrases dedicated to genres like R&B and Hip-hop. Its different performance modes will give your project body, texture, and a pleasant big bottom-end in a friendly and easy-to-use UI.

Key Features:

• Player Mode
  You can work with two different modes in Mellow. First, you have the player mode, where you can set the key and the chords of your song, and Mellow chooses the most appropriate articulations for your basslines. Doing so will generate excellent results, thanks to Mellow’s intelligent algorithm.
• Instrument Mode
  The second mode gives more freedom if you are a more experienced keyboard player. You can play all the notes emulated from the bass fretboard in the instrument mode, including articulations like dead notes, slides, full stops, and legato.
• Sound Shaping
  Mellow provides straightforward controls for giving soul to your basslines. It includes Drop D tuning, an octave changer, an equalizer, and a compressor. But the most exciting sound-shaping controls are the “Character” and “Mic” knobs. Character allows you to change the bassist’s dynamic range, whereas Mic lets you choose between different mic setups. These features give the bass sound a more human feel.
• Finisher
  Lastly, you can give the final touches with the 15 multi-effect modes in the “Finisher” knob. Each mode contains a unique, complex effect chain that adds extra spice and enhances your overall performance to take your sound to the maximum level, all with just one knob.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:

Producers often highlight Mellow as one of the most realistic and straightforward ways to get quality bass sound. Its flexible parameters allow you to experiment with various effects and tone sculpting controls. UJAM’s plugin policy is creating frustration-free plugins so that everyone can get the best results possible with no regard to their production experience, and Mellow is a clear example of that.

Related Reading:

Top 10 Double Bass Plugins (Best Upright Basses)

4. ProduceRnb Signature (Plugin)

More Info & Price
As its name claims, this sampled-based synthesizer will give you the signature sound of R&B.

Signature R&B is a sound engine with a massive library of cutting-edge sounds. The library features a modern pallet of over 260 sounds divided into instrument and vocal sound bank types. Producernb offers some high-quality presets that include classic and contemporary bass, lead, keys, pads, and a ton more dedicated to R&B.

Key Features:

• Effects
  The plugin comes with a set of effects that will help you shape the sounds. You have equalizers, reverb, delay, analyzers, saturator, filters, and sample degrading to get endless possibilities to craft the perfect and unique sound for your project.
• Filter Movement
  One of the signature features of this synthesizer is the “Movement” section. Here you can modulate and automate the sound to give more character to it. This modulation provides a certain kind of groove and makes your song fresh and rhythmic.
• MIDI Play Mode
  The MIDI Play Mode is near-equivalent to chord generator plugins. When you enable this option, you can play R&B chords and motifs by pressing just one key. It also allows you to change the key of those chords to get in tune with your project. If you’re short on ideas, this definitely can give you a hand.
• Sampler
  Your possibilities expand even more with the built-in sampler. You can drag and drop any audio file and instantly create an instrument based on your sample. If you have an extraordinary guitar recording or a nice vocal chop somewhere in your library, you can use them as unique instruments.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.6 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, and AU formats.
Summary:

With all the high-end sounds and fantastic tools it has, Producernb’s Signature is your go-to for all R&B projects. It helps to overcome the creator’s block with its R&B chords and motifs selectors.

Featuring a wide variety of processors and analyzers, it allows you to get complete freedom to create unique instruments and add interest and flow to your song by the ability to craft sounds worthy of a top place on the charts in just one plugin.

Conclusion

The short answer for “what plugin or library should I choose from this list to make my song stand out?” is all of the above since the quality of these is tremendous, but we will try to narrow down your options depending on the vibe you’re trying to achieve.

All UJAM’s plugins in this list are top tier for Pop Music. Pharell Williams and Hans Zimmer were the founders of UJAM, so you can expect quality since the legendary producer/artist and film composer approved these tools.

Moving on to specific tasks, the most incredible shortcut for powerful modern pop drums is KANDY, but if you want a more vintage aesthetic feel, go with VICE. The most versatile drum kit engine is PRISM, as it offers curated cohesive kits and a few but valuable samples.

You have the best of both acoustic and electric guitar worlds with Picked Acoustics and Sparkle, respectively, to get either funky or more romantic in your projects. I’d say that Mellow is a must in bass-driven songs since a jazzy double bass can give some captivating textures and make it sound unique if you correctly use it.

And finally, Glaze, Playbox and Cloud Supply are very versatile as ear candy. They can change every song providing interesting backgrounds or surprising the listener with a whole different lead melody.

Related Reading:

Top 7 Trap Music Kontakt Libraries (And Best Lo-Fi Kontakt Library)