Music Production Forum

Below is a list of some of the best software synths & virtual pianos (free & paid). Please reply to this post if you recommended any others There are a huge number of plugins available, here are some other lists I've created for products I recommend https://jamesm.blog/music-production/my-hardware-software/ https://jamesm.blog/music-production/my-hardware-software-wishlist/ https://jamesm.blog/music-production/physical-modeling-synths/ Synths (Free) Vendor Plugin Name Key Features Blamsoft VK-1 Viking Synthesizer Moog Voyager emulation, strong basses Digital Suburban Dexed Yamaha DX7 emulation, FM synthesis discoDSP OB-Xd Oberheim OB-X emulation, analog sounds M…

nClear has released Sibalance and VocRide, two pay-what-you-want vocal processing plugins for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Both plugins are available through Ko-fi, and you can optionally enter zero to download them for free. That said, these are full versions of these two plugins, not lite versions or time-limited trials. The tools started as more complex [...] View post: nClear releases FREE Sibalance and VocRide vocal plugins View the full article

ProjectSAM has given us some very good orchestral freebies in the past, including a Lineage Percussion Kit as part of The Free Orchestra 2 collection. This time around, ProjectSAM has released a free version of the full Lineage Percussion Pro library (three versions are available: Pro, Core, and Free). On paper, the gap between the [...] View post: ProjectSAM releases Lineage Percussion FREE for Kontakt Player View the full article

OTODESK has released Quad Morph Filter, a free and open-source VST3 filter plugin for Windows. Quad Morph Filter is built for real-time sound design instead of the more static tone shaping we typically use filters for. It lets you morph between up to four different filter models using an XY pad, with equal-power blending and [...] View post: OTODESK releases FREE open-source Quad Morph Filter plugin View the full article

Plugin Boutique is offering Celemony’s Melodyne 5 Essential for $24 until June 30, 2026. The regular price is $99, so this is a 75% discount. The same promotion also includes Melodyne 5 Assistant for $71 instead of $248. That one is still a bigger purchase, but it is a nice discount if you know you [...] View post: Get Melodyne 5 Essential for $24 on Plugin Boutique View the full article

The new firmware should be available soon, once initial beta testing is complete.… Read More Isla Electronics Previews New KordBot FirmwareView the full article

Music Thing Modular’s Tom Whitwell offers a full overview of his Workshop System - a compact, self-contained modular synthesizer in a portable case.… Read More Music Thing Modular Workshop System Overview With Tom WhitwellView the full article

Synthesist and sound designer Julian "J3PO" Pollack talks about his new album, A Brief Odyssey, a new album created using one synth, the Sequential FOURM.… Read More Julian “J3PO” Pollack Makes Entire Album With One SynthView the full article

biyiblip shared this demo of the Blippoo Box Legacy - an official Eurorack version of the original Rob Hordijk design. … Read More Rob Hordijk’s Blippoo Box Synth Comes To EurorackView the full article

Xilentch has released Xhannel S, a free channel strip plugin and the first dedicated mixing tool in the XM family. Until now, the XM Series has mostly focused on mastering tools. The first Xilentch plugin I tried was XMLimiter last year, and it quickly became one of my go-to limiters for use across mixes and [...] View post: Xilentch releases FREE Xhannel S channel strip plugin View the full article

Audio Plugin Deals is offering Ink Vocal by Ink Audio as a free download for a limited time. The Kontakt library normally costs $50. I noticed Ink Audio’s website around Black Friday last year, and I was very tempted to buy the complete bundle. The developer has some really unique instruments on the site, including [...] View post: Get Ink Vocal, a $50 Kontakt vocal library, FREE on Audio Plugin Deals View the full article

Hell Yes Loop Lab has released HYLL Pressure, a free/pay-what-you-want soft clipper plugin for macOS and Windows. Does the world really need another soft clipper? Probably not. Definitely not, even. Do I need this soft clipper? I don’t. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a look because, the way I see it, with plugins, [...] View post: Hell Yes Loop Lab releases FREE HYLL Pressure soft clipper plugin View the full article

PRO-A5 Synth is a 10-voice polyphonic synthesizer for iPhone and iPad that combines analog-inspired voice architecture, extensive modulation, integrated effects, and AUv3 compatibility.… Read More New Software Synth, Pro-A5, Brings Classic Sequential Prophet-5 Sound To iPadView the full article

M Media Audio has released Violet Crown, a free stereo channel strip plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. This is the first freebie from M Media Audio, although the developer also has three paid plugins on the site. Alternate Timeline is a bus and mastering processor, Speaker Breaker focuses on low-end balance, and Velvet Crush [...] View post: M Media Audio releases FREE Violet Crown channel strip plugin View the full article

Flame Sound is celebrating its 5th anniversary with a limited-time $5 offer on the Firestarter SFX cinematic sound effects collection. I launched Flame Sound five years ago as my cinematic sound label, and at the time, it was pretty much a passion project, much like Bedroom Producers Blog was in the beginning. I was not [...] View post: Flame Sound celebrates 5th anniversary with $5 Firestarter SFX deal View the full article

sonible is offering its learn:bundle for €49 instead of €199 until June 8th. The learn:bundle includes five AI-assisted mixing plugins made to help newer producers improve their mixes while learning what each processor is doing. The included tools are learn:EQ, learn:comp, learn:limit, learn:reverb, and learn:unmask. It helps producers who want help getting started with core [...] View post: sonible learn:bundle is on sale for €49 until June 8th View the full article

Trebless has released Tesseract Echo, a free multi-tap magnetic tape delay and FDN reverb for macOS, Windows, and Linux. I still miss the old arcDev ET-301 delay plugin, which is sadly discontinued. But because of that, I still test every new delay plugin that pops up, hoping I will find something with a similar sound. [...] View post: Tesseract Echo is a FREE multi-tap tape delay and reverb plugin View the full article

Eli & Flo has released HiPan, a free dual-band panning utility plugin for macOS and Windows. HiPan is a simple tool that lets you pan high and low frequencies independently instead of moving the entire signal left or right. I like having a folder with simple utilities like this when mixing. It is not that [...] View post: HiPan is a FREE dual-band panning plugin for macOS and Windows View the full article

Developer DAWJunkie has released Peggio Jr, a free arpeggiator synth for macOS and Windows. Whenever we speak about a new freebie from DAWJunkie, we rarely have to wait too long before the next one comes around. It has only been a few weeks since we covered Mini-Menace, DAWJunkie’s free nod to the Arturia MicroBrute, and [...] View post: DAWJunkie releases Peggio Jr, a FREE arpeggiator synth for macOS and Windows View the full article

Fender, one of the most recognisable brand names in the world, is to the guitar what Steinway is to the piano – it is the name that comes to mind first, even for people who have never played an instrument in their lives. That kind of brand identity and trust takes a lifetime to build, [...] View post: Fender and the Stratocaster Copyright Saga: Is There a Winner? View the full article

2B Played Music is offering QFX Color as a free download until June 26th, 2026. QFX Color normally costs €19.99 and is currently listed at €14.99 during the developer’s June sale, but you can get it for free by using the coupon code “JUNE26” at checkout. We covered QFX Color before, and we have also [...] View post: 2B Played Music QFX Color plugin is FREE until June 26th View the full article

Épica Audio has released Resonant Reverb, a creative plate reverb and multi-effect plugin developed in collaboration with 11-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer Joe Chiccarelli. Joe Chiccarelli’s credits include The White Stripes, The Strokes, Morrissey, Little Dragon, The Killers, and U2, and Resonant Reverb is based on a technique he has used for years on vocals, [...] View post: Épica Audio releases Resonant Reverb by Joe Chiccarelli with intro price View the full article

Analog Obsession has released an updated version of LOVEND, its free harmonic bass enhancer plugin for macOS and Windows. LOVEND is designed to add weight and focus to the low end. It gives you a continuous frequency control from 60 Hz to 180 Hz, up to 10 dB of boost, and an output control with [...] View post: Analog Obsession updates LOVEND bass enhancer plugin with rewritten DSP View the full article

The application is free and open source.… Read More Free Tool Speeds Data Transfer To Casio FZ-1 SynthesizerView the full article

Synth overlay maker Oversynth has announced that it’s closed down. The company opened in 2019, responding to interest in the synth community for options for customizing the front panels of synthesizers. Oversynth offered many options – some tailored more towards improving usability, and others more towards letting you customize the look of your synth. Founder… Read More Synth Overlay Maker Oversynth Announces Its Closing ShopView the full article

Developer ypichev has released UnderwaterFX, a free and open-source creative multi-effect plugin for Windows. UnderwaterFX is built with C++ and the JUCE framework. And the idea behind it is pretty cool – it makes your audio sound like it is being heard from underwater. I am always on the lookout for unique sound design tools, [...] View post: UnderwaterFX is a FREE open-source underwater filter plugin for Windows View the full article

Carve Audio has released Gas Can Amp ($49), a guitar amp plugin inspired by the rare battery-powered amplifier known as “The Can.” The original amp was built by SLM Electronics in the 1980s and housed in a plastic gas-can-style enclosure. It later became associated with the first Foo Fighters record, where its unusually gritty tone [...] View post: Carve Audio releases Gas Can Amp plugin inspired by rare 1980s amp ($49) View the full article

S1gns Of L1fe has released Texture Loom, a free dual-sample atmosphere engine for Ableton Live, macOS, and Windows. I tested Texture Loom last night and ended up playing it for over an hour while also coming up with several layered sounds that I’ll use in future sound design projects. I have also seen some of [...] View post: S1gns Of L1fe releases FREE Texture Loom atmosphere engine plugin View the full article

Embodme today introduced ERAE Sound, a new software synthesizer that they describe as "The first synthesizer designed for an expressive surface. Not adapted — built from scratch."… Read More Embodme Intros ERAE Sound, ‘First Synth Designed For An Expressive Surface’View the full article

The performance makes creative use of effects to radically transform the Casio SA-2 sound.… Read More How To Make A Toy Keyboard Sound Like An OrchestraView the full article