[PsYcNeT]

Essential DAW/VSTs

Ableton - By far the best "writing/creation" DAW (digital audio workstation). Lots of others like ProTools or Logic Pro and such are good for recording someone else's stuff and mixing it, but Ableton's focus on "Live" means it's just got the best workflow for creating stuff on your own. Not that pricey when they have a sale (but still pricey). The built in plugins are top-notch and stuff like Drum Buss has infinite uses

Superior Drummer 3 - I paid for this. It's an endless money suck. It has 5,000 add-on packs. Almost every one is incredible and worth the money. Just an absolute unmatched powerhouse in the world of "making drum noises that sound like real drums (or don't if that's your thing)"

Arturia Pigments - Pretty much the undisputed king of polychromatic softsynths. Just an amazing amount of stuff you can do with it. Download the demo and try not to go buy it after 20 minutes of tinkering

iZotope RX - RX is a suite of cleanup tools that iZotope publishes, and exceptionally good for smoothing out clicks, pops, hums, noise, clipping, and other garbage on a track

iZotope Ozone - Another suite of mixing, mastering, maximizing, analysis, EQ and compressor tools that fill a ton of niches

Valhalla Vintage Verb - Bar none the best reverb tool ever made. Literally puts everything else to shame

Not Essential But Very Cool VSTs

Philharmonik 2 - Cheap (when on sale) full orchestra pack. Brass, like usual, never sounds that authentic via softsynth but OH MY GOD do the strings sound good

Positive Grid BIAS - Suite of Guitar FX, Pedals and Amp emulation that IMO is the best bang for your buck. Others may argue Kontakt but I like BIAS. Both are great imo

SoundToys Suite - SoundToys is a really cool company with a massive catalogue of really cool tools. Decapitator is probably the one you've heard the most on the radio as a general "crushing" tool. EchoBoy is a fabulous delay tool, LittleAlterBoy is, for my money, the best pitch shifter on the market

Output Portal - Insane tool that does just a wild amount of effects that will blow your mind inside out. Has to be heard to be believed

I'll stop here because I could talk for days about this stuff.