Return to site

Free Synth Vst Plugins

broken image


We covered the best free synthesizer plugins in a recent article. But what are the best free retro synthesizers? Find out in the list below and return to free VST plugins for more software.

Free Vst Plugins. Skip to content Menu Close. Welcome to freevstdownloads.com. Free VST Plugins. Instruments; Bass. Penguin synth is a free vst synth for windows. FREE VST PLUGINS VST Instruments SYNTHS Analog. Analog SYNTHS VST Instruments. MVX Synths – AddIt. MVX Synths – AddIt size 3 MB AddIt is an 8 oscillator additive synthsizer with 4 typical waveforms and a dual SVF multimode filter. Takes advantage of.

Helm is a hugely comprehensive package for a free synth VST plugin, and is an easy candidate for the best synth plugin for 2019's producers. Full Bucket FB-3100 Series. Korg's original PS-3100 was a single-oscillator polyphonic synth that was released in 1976. The 10 Best Free VST / AU Synths. If you're looking for the best VST synth plugins for 2019, you've come to the right place. Under one roof, we've gathered the best free synth of every sort – virtual vintage, 80s, digital, obscure, and more – to get your virtual instrument collection up to scratch for no money down. Best Free Synth VST Plugins Anti-Transpirant. ANTI TRANSPIRANT is a wonderful analogue sounding synth VST Instrument for Win XP, Vista, and Windows. OP-X Synth VST – PC. The OP-X Free has got the same basic engine and sound as the full OP-X while the available presets.

The retro 80s sound is more popular than ever. Genres like synthwave and chillwave are the perfect soundtrack for working from home while daydreaming about night rides on open highways.

But you don't have to be a retro synth geek to love the sound of vintage synthesizers. One can hear the emulated sounds of retro polysynths in the chart-topping hits from mainstream artists like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd.

If you're into making synthwave music, chances are you'll need a good virtual analog synthesizer for your digital audio workstation. Help yourself to our Top 10 list of free retro synth VST plugins.

Free Retro Synthesizers: Top 10

These are the best free vintage synthesizer emulation VST plugins:

  • PG-8X (Roland JX-8P)
  • OB-Xd (Oberheim OB-Xa)
  • Mono/Fury (Korg Mono/Poly)
  • Fury-800 (Korg Poly-800)
  • TAL-U-No-62 (Roland Juno-60)
  • Tyrell N6 (Roland Juno-60)
  • Dexed (Yamaha DX7)
  • Viking (Moog Voyager)
  • Synth1 (Nord Lead 2)
  • Nils K1v (Kawai K1)

Read more about each instrument below and scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Honorable Mentions.

PG-8X

PG-8X emulates Roland's legendary JX-8P analog synthesizer. The original JX-8P sounded huge, but it lacked in the hands-on control department. Users had to dive through menus to program new sounds.

That's why Roland released the PG-800 controller. It was an external hardware device that made programming the Roland JX-8P and Super JX synthesizers a far more user-friendly affair.

The free PG-8X synthesizer by Martin Lüders gives the best of both worlds. You're getting a detailed emulation of JX-8P's analog synthesis engine and the control layout borrowed from the PG-800 controller.

PG-8X truly shines as a synthwave instrument. It's one of those rare virtual instruments that sound analog-like almost effortlessly.

Create eye-watering lush pads and earth-shattering analog basslines in the blink of an eye. Turn on the Unison mode for instant fat leads. Also, the included chorus module applies an immediate retro-boost to any sound.

More info:PG-8X

OB-Xd

OB-Xd takes inspiration from the Oberheim OB-X analog synthesizer. The original was the analog weapon of choice for brass sounds, pads, and punchy bass.

Thankfully, this freeware plugin from discoDSP nails that classic Oberheim sound. It also comes with an extensive collection of presets that serve as an instant source of legendary analog sounds.

Even better, OB-Xd is easy to program thanks to its user-friendly interface. Beginners and sound design experts alike shouldn't have any issues with building custom synth patches from scratch.

2Dat originally developed the OB-Xd. He later provided the source code to discoDSP, who are now handling the development and support.

You can use OB-Xd for free. The developers are accepting an optional $49 donation from users who want to support their work.

More info:OB-Xd

Mono/Fury

Full Bucket Music's website is a treasure trove of emulated analog synthesizers. Even better, all of their vintage-inspired virtual instruments are free. We had a hard time selecting just two Full Bucket Music plugins for this article.

That said, be sure to check out everything else this talented developer has to offer. And be sure to support their work with a donation if possible.

Our first Full Bucket Music pick is the Mono/Fury plugin, which models the Mono/Poly analog synthesizer by Korg. Mono/Fury emulates all the original instrument's quirks and peculiarities, including the unique polyphony mode. Each voice triggers a different oscillator, resulting in some complex multi-layered timbres when playing chords and melodies.

At the same time, Mono/Fury comes will all the handy features of a modern-day audio plugin. It has a preset manager, supports MIDI learn and automation, and features a state-of-the-art zero-delay feedback low-pass filter with self-oscillation.

Mono/Fury operates as a VST and Audio Unit plugin in all compatible digital audio workstations on PC and Mac.

More info:Mono/Fury

Fury-800

Ah, another Full Bucket Music plugin and another Fury. This one is a personal favorite of mine as it models the Korg Poly-800, a cheap analog hybrid synthesizer that I owned back in the day. It featured digitally controlled oscillators and a terrible (in a charming way) analog filter.

The original Poly-800 is the exact opposite of what you'd expect from an analog synthesizer. It sounds lo-fi, thin, and plasticky. But sometimes that is precisely the type of sound you need for an 80s-inspired music track.

The killer feature here is Poly-800's chorus module. It's super noisy, and the pitch goes all over the place. If Korg manufactured the Poly-800 in 2020, I think they would label the effect as 'VHS mode' instead of a chorus.

Anyway, the Fury-800 takes all of these charming Poly-800 features and packs them in a convenient virtual instrument for PC and Mac. By all means, the Fury-800 plugin is a must-have if you're into synthwave production.

More info:Fury-800

TAL-U-No-62

TAL-U-No-62 is an old-school virtual instrument that emulates an old-school analog synthesizer. It is a virtual recreation of Roland's legendary Juno-60 synth.

Togu Audio Line's freeware Juno is more than a decade old. As a result, it doesn't offer the latest and greatest DSP technology and analog emulation. However, TAL-U-No-62 is still a pretty solid virtual analog instrument that undeniably captures that classic Juno-60 vibe.

TAL-U-No-62's oscillators and the low-pass filter won't blow you away. But, the chorus module is where this virtual Juno-60 keeps its secret sauce. Turn on the chorus effect, and TAL-U-No-62 instantly sounds much closer to the original hardware.

Even better, you can download that same chorus as a standalone effect from Togu Audio Line's website. Use the free TAL-Chorus-LX in combination with any virtual instrument for that lush 80s sound.

It's also worth noting that the same developer offers a more advanced (but still fairy priced at €51) version of this instrument. The paid version is called TAL-U-NO-LX, and it's the best Juno-60 emulation on the market. Adobe cs6 trial free download.

More info:TAL-U-No-62

Tyrell N6

Tyrell N6 by U-He is loosely based on the Juno-60. We originally included it in the 'Honorable Mentions' section of this article because Tyrell N6 isn't a 1:1 recreation of any analog synthesizer. However, we decide to move it to the Top 10 list, following the suggestion from one of our readers (thanks, BenJ!).

You can think of Tyrell N6 as an 80s analog synth on steroids. All the usual components are there (a couple of analog oscillators, a multi-mode filter, a lush chorus), and you get a few valuable extras like a modulation matrix, ring modulation, feedback, and more.

Synthesizer Vst Plugin

A dream to program, thanks to its intuitive interface, Tyrell N6 also has dozens of freely downloadable sound banks. Some of these were created by professional sound designers.

Coming from the developers of industry-leading virtual analog synthesizers like Diva and Ace, the freeware Tyrell N6 is an absolute must-have in any analog synth aficionado's plugin collection.

More info:Tyrell N6

Dexed

Dexed is a virtual recreation of the Yamaha DX7 and the only FM synth on this list. The plugin emulates the original DX7 so well that it supports its SysEx messages. As a result, Dexed can work as a patch editor for the hardware DX7.

Now, the unfortunate thing about FM synthesizers is that they're hard to program. But, the good news is that there are thousands of Yamaha DX7 patches available online. And yes, you can load them in Dexed.

Use Dexed for 80s electric piano sounds, pads, FM bells, and let's not forget the Lately Bass patch.

More info:Dexed

VK-1 Viking Synthesizer

VK-1 Viking Synthesizer emulates the Moog Voyager analog monosynth. Now, the Moog Voyager isn't exactly retro, but it dates back to 2002. And Moog discontinued the Voyager in 2015 with over 14,000 units sold.

The Voyager combined a pair of Moog's signature ladder filters with three continuously variable wave oscillators, putting a modern twist on the classic Moog sound.

The free VK-1 Viking Synthesizer from Blamsoft is a rather precise emulation of the Voyager.

VK-1 Viking Synthesizer uses zero-delay feedback filters and advanced techniques for avoiding oscillator aliasing. Also, the developers matched the oscillators and envelopes to their hardware counterparts through precise and extensive measurements.

More info:VK-1 Viking Synthesizer

Synth1

Ichiro Toda's legendary Synth1 is one of the oldest freeware synthesizers around. Released almost two decades ago (on October 9th, 2002), there's no denying that Synth1 is a vintage plugin. But it aged incredibly well.

Despite it being a retro plugin, Synth1 emulates the Nord Lead 2 very well. And its deceptively simple-looking user interface offers a surprising amount of synthesis firepower.

Even ten years ago, users praised Synth1 for its low CPU usage. Can you imagine how well it works on modern multi-core processors? You can use dozens of Synth1 instances in a project without hurting your computer's performance.

However, Synth1's most significant advantage is the incredible amount of available presets. There are hundreds of Synth1 soundbanks out there, making it the perfect choice for users who don't like programming sounds from scratch.

More info:Synth1

Nils K1v

Nils K1v faithfully emulates the Kawai K1 digital synthesizer. It includes K1's original factory bank and all ROM card expansions, and all this adds up to 768 presets.

The user interface mimics the original Kawai K1 module, with additional on-screen controls for parameters like envelopes and filters. This combination works quite well in the plugin format. Accessing the presets is easy, and tweaking the Kawai K1 sounds in real-time is fun.

The coolest feature in Nils K1v is the ability to morph the preset using the XY controller. It's a fun way to add movement to pads and huge atmospheric sounds that the Kawai K1 was known for.

Free Synth Vst Plugins For Ableton Live 10

More info:Nils K1v

Best Professional Vst Plugins

Free Retro Synthesizers: Honorable Mentions

These are retro synth plugins that haven't made our Top 10, but they're still worth checking out:

  • SQ8L (Ensoniq SQ80)
  • Cobalt (Korg DW8000, Ensoniq ESQ-1, and Kawai K3)
  • Phuturetone Phutura (Roland Alpha Juno-1)
  • Steinberg Model-E (Moog Model D Minimoog)
  • Tal-Bassline (Roland SH-101)
  • Manx Gigmate(Concertmate MG-1, thanks to Christian H. for the tip!)
  • K Brown Synth Plugins (various synthesizers)
  • Syntronik Free(various synthesizers)

Feel free to suggest additional plugins for this article in the comments section below.

Return to free VST plugins.

Get producing music straight away with free VST plug-ins and samples in KOMPLETE START, taken from our leading production suite, KOMPLETE. Get REAKTOR PLAYER, KONTAKT PLAYER, KOMPLETE KONTROL, free effects VST plug-ins, free synth plug-ins, and sampled instruments to use in your own productions, as much as you want.
Download over 2,000 sounds and more than 6 GB of content – drums and percussion, basses, acoustic instruments, synths, pads and atmospheres, and more – plus VST plug-in instruments, effects, and other free resources for music production.
FREE DOWNLOAD

SYNTHS

A selection of VST synths, complete with 500+ professionally-designed presets for any genre.

SAMPLED INSTRUMENTS

Nine pro-grade sample-based VST instruments – vintage synths, acoustic instruments, drums, and more.

EFFECTS

A tube compressor and 13 versatile effects, great for guitars, drums, vocals, synths, or anything you like.

KOMPLETE KONTROL

Plugins
Find, play, and tweak all your sounds, instruments and effects from one powerful plug-in.

Free Synth Vst Plugins

SAMPLES

Almost 1,500 loops and samples from our popular Expansions range, suitable for use in any DAW.

KONTAKT PLAYER

A sample player that runs all NI KONTAKT instruments, and hundreds of instruments from other companies.

REAKTOR PLAYER

Free Synth Vst Plugins
Find, play, and tweak all your sounds, instruments and effects from one powerful plug-in.

Free Synth Vst Plugins

SAMPLES

Almost 1,500 loops and samples from our popular Expansions range, suitable for use in any DAW.

KONTAKT PLAYER

A sample player that runs all NI KONTAKT instruments, and hundreds of instruments from other companies.

REAKTOR PLAYER

A powerful platform that runs all REAKTOR-based synths and effects from NI and other creators.

HOW TO USE VST PLUGINS

VST plugins are virtual instruments and effects that you can use in productions. They can recreate classic synth designs, or represent completely new ways of making sound. VST plugins are easy to use; download them, install, and your DAW will pick them up and let you use them in the workstation. From classic instruments to experimental indie gems, there's a huge world of both paid and free VST plugins to choose from. Native has spent decades creating and developing some of the world's leading VST plugins with REAKTOR, KONTAKT, KOMPLETE KONTROL, and loads more.

HOW TO USE VST PLUGINS FOR SYNTH SOUNDS

VST plugins can be used in a wide variety of ways to create synth sounds for songwriting and production. Almost any instrument can be turned into a VST plugin, and more often than not, when you need a certain kind of sound there's a VST plugin for it. There are several varieties of VST plugins for synth sounds that are worth noting. Polyphonic VST plugins create more than one note at a time, so are great for building complex melodies, chords, and harmonies, while monophonic VST plugins play one note at a time and are commonly used for basslines. Some VST plugins strictly model themselves on reproducing sounds you would expect from analogue instruments, but others go way beyond that. Wavetable VST plugins like MASSIVE and MASSIVE X tend to focus on helping producers create something unusual and completely different to traditional instruments, and can be more useful for experimental productions than other VST plugins.

HOW TO USE MULTIPLE VST PLUGINS

Trying things out and exploring new territory is hugely important when trying to craft something unique, and using multiple VST plugins will give you a wide range of instruments and sounds to work with. Chaining multiple VST plugins together sis a typical way to start crafting a sound you can call your own. Feeding one VST plugin instrument into a VST plugin effect will alter them even further. This is also common with digital production as lots of recording tools come in VST plugin form – there's no issue with running multiple VSTs at once – simply load them in and start playing. Native offers over 2,000 free sounds and more than 6 GB of free VST plugin content with KOMPLETE START, so if you're looking for some inspiration it's a great way to get started.

DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT YET?

Download Native Access, create an account, and find all KOMPLETE START contents under the NOT INSTALLED tab.
DOWNLOAD NATIVE ACCESS (MAC) DOWNLOAD NATIVE ACCESS (WINDOWS)
Learn how to install KOMPLETE START..
Please see the Native Access system requirements.

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT?

Login and request KOMPLETE START:
GET KOMPLETE START

INSTALLATION GUIDE FOR NEW CUSTOMERS

1: Create a Native Instruments account using Native Access
2: Your KOMPLETE START products might take a moment to appear – press the refresh button if necessary. Install all included products by clicking ‘Install All' in the ‘Not Installed' tab in Native Access.
3: Launch KOMPLETE KONTROL. Important: Run it in standalone mode before using it in your DAW. This allows it to scan and organize all your sounds.




broken image