Soul Town: Detroit Soul VST and AU Instrument by DopeSONIX

The core of Soul Town is its set of 22 instruments and effects. These include MKI and MKII electric pianos, a B-series electric organ, and a selection of bass and string patches. DopeSONIX says the instruments were recorded, EQ'd and mixed to match the sound of that era.

The keyboard patches use up to five velocity layers, which gives a wider dynamic range and a more responsive feel when played. The bass patches are based on real bass guitars rather than 808-style or sub-heavy sounds, covering everything from a biting precision tone to a smoother jazz bass.

The strings are written as a smaller, intimate section suited to soul, funk and hip hop rather than large cinematic ensembles. A Memphis-inspired horn set and a vinyl patch with crackle, mechanical noise and tape hiss round out the palette.

Soul Town includes flexible pitch, pan, glide and gain controls, a Hi/Lo pass filter, and an analogue-style reverb. Full ADSR envelope controls let you shape attack and release, and a stereo output level meter helps with gain staging.

Playback can be set to Poly, Mono or Legato mode. You can write patterns manually in the MIDI editor or play the instrument from a MIDI or USB controller or keyboard. Patches load quickly, so you can move through the library while working.

DopeSONIX also notes low CPU usage, which may suit laptops, tablets and lower-spec computers.