I wont repeat the good advice and definitions above. I use Kontakt for almost everything so there are others who are far more qualified than I to fill you in on some of these freebies. Also there are the GS Wavetables or what ever they're called. Reaper doesn't have much for VSTis but there are quite a few free ones.

If it sounds like an organ then it might be called an organ. VSTis that uses samples are categorized as samplers or sample players while a VSTi that uses tone generators of some sort could be called almost anything. Samples are pre-recorded audio files while Oscillators are tone generators of some sort. My questions: what is the difference between samples and VSTi's, and what are the built in Virtual Instruments that I miss categorized as? Can anyone recommend any Samples/VSTi's I should get to fill the gap in instruments that Reaper has? Any other advice for someone who wants to compose music using 'real' and/or affected instruments in an electronic setting?īasically VSTi's are based on one of two things or a combination of the two, Samples and Oscillators. Using Reaper, I'm a bit out of my comfort zone without any orchestral synths, drums, etc. My previous DAW experiences have all been with using the built in Virtual Instruments that come with Garageband, Logic, Mixcraft, etc.

Reaper vs mixcraft