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…

Gliff is a free guitar-based plugin for macOS and Windows that’s aimed at guitarists and keyboardists alike. So, there are two ways to approach this plugin: one is as a guitarist looking to create clean, polyphonic MIDI chord patterns that you can drag and drop into your project. The appeal might be that you’re a [...] View post: Gliff is a FREE MIDI guitar translator for macOS and Windows View the full article

Matari Audio has released BUFFR, a free public beta of a retrospective audio, system audio, and MIDI capture plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Important note before we get into the details: the public beta is free, but each beta license lasts 21 days from first use. There is no announced beta program end date, [...] View post: Matari Audio releases free public beta of BUFFR, a retrospective audio and MIDI capture plugin View the full article

Expressive E has released Noisy 2.6, a major update to its noise-through-resonance software synthesizer. Noisy 2.6 is a free update for existing Noisy 2 owners. For a limited time, new users can get it for €89/$89 (40% off), before it returns to its regular €149/$149 price. I remember playing one of Expressive E’s early keyboards [...] View post: Expressive E launches Noisy 2.6 with new resonators, effects, and presets (INTRO OFFER) View the full article

Chase Bliss has announced that they are no longer pursuing an v1.5 update to the CHOMPI sampling keyboard.… Read More Chompi Sampling Keyboard Firmware Meets End Of Road, But May Go Open SourceView the full article

RocketVerb is an algorithmic reverb plugin that derives its behavior from analysis of public space audio, planetary recordings, and astronomical data sonifications, generating every reverb tail in real time rather than replaying impulse responses or samples.… Read More New Algorithmic Space Reverb, RocketVerb, Free Through August 22, 2026View the full article

Synthesizers.com - the creator of the modern Moog format standard - has introduced the Q210 Complex Noise, a powerful new module that they describe as a "noisemaker's playground".… Read More Synthesizers.com Intros Q210 Complex Noise, First New Module In 2 YearsView the full article

PartialString is a software synthesizer that models the vibration of a plucked string in real time using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation of the one-dimensional wave equation.… Read More Different Instruments Intros Free Physical Modeling Synthesizer, PartialString, For macOS, Windows & LinuxView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Assembly required – and that’s a good thing It’s always interesting how the most successful, durable synth manufacturers – and Korg is certainly that and a lot more – have a finger to the wind. Here’s an affordable little mixer that integrates the kind of synth setups musicians are using today perfectly, complete with Eurorack-level […] The post KORG NTS-4 Analog Performance Mixer appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Friendgineer Labs has released Chance, a free random multi-FX plugin for macOS and Windows. Chance is another 2026 KVR Developer Challenge entry I liked this year. I will take a closer look at a few more KVRDC plugins separately, but this is one of my favorites because I simply love plugins that can give you [...] View post: Friendgineer Labs releases Chance, a FREE random multi-FX plugin View the full article

Westwood Instruments has relaunched Roots, its series of free virtual instruments, in the developer’s own plugin format. We have covered the Roots series several times on BPB while the instruments were available for Kontakt Player, including Untold Strings and Dust Piano. My favorite one was Dust Piano, but overall these are very cool instruments with [...] View post: Westwood Instruments relaunches FREE Roots instruments as plugins View the full article

Here's a look at recreating the sound of classic '70s string synths with the Korg multi/poly synthesizer. … Read More How To Recreate The Classic ’70s String Synth Ensemble Sound On The Korg multi/poly SynthesizerView the full article

Loopop video host Ziv Eliraz has introduced a new project, the Synth Stand and Pedal Board Synthesizer.… Read More 3D Print Custom Synth Stands, Pedal Boards & MoreView the full article

SinTH2 is a hardware synthesizer with 60-voice polyphony, five sample oscillators, a 3GB waveform library, extensive hands-on controls, and a 16-step polyphonic sequencer.… Read More New Monster Synth, SinTH2, Combines 60-Voice Polyphony With Five Sample OscillatorsView the full article

Voyage Voyage is a free shimmer reverb, created as part of the KVR Developer Challenge 2026.… Read More Free Shimmer Reverb, Voyage Voyage, For Linux, Mac & WindowsView the full article

PatchRig FX is a new multi-effects app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that lets you use and create custom effects boards. … Read More New Multi-Effects Rack, PatchRig FX, Lets You Create Custom Boards Via PromptsView the full article

Blueprint: Textural Sax is the latest addition to the free and wonderful Blueprint collection by Fracture Sounds. More specifically, it’s the latest addition to Blueprint’s Textural cinematic libraries. Previous releases include Textural Cello and Textural Violin. Like the other Textural libraries, Textural Sax isn’t about making an exact recreation of the instrument. It’s about taking [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases Blueprint: Textural Sax, a FREE experimental woodwind library for Kontakt Player View the full article

UnplugRed and BlepFX have released Sucrose, a free harmonic and subharmonic generator for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Sucrose was created as an entry for the 2026 KVR Developer Challenge, and I will cover several plugins I really liked from this year’s KVRDC. This is definitely one of them. I love the overall concept a lot. [...] View post: UnplugRed and BlepFX release FREE Sucrose harmonic generator View the full article

Right on schedule, almost exactly the same time as last year, the Arturia Summer Sale is here. And that means it’s time to save again. You can save up to 40% right now on select Arturia plugins and sound packs. Sounds pretty tempting, doesn’t it? The deal runs through August 17, 2026. Versatile sound design, more presets than you’ll ever get through, effects for mixing, mastering, and restoring your recordings. That’s exactly what the Arturia name stands for, in both hardware and software, and it has been for years now. The company’s gear and plugins have become impossible to imagine out of countless studios, and they’re a fixture in plenty of professional setups. Not wit…

Jasmine & Olive Trees' Doppler is a 6HP Eurorack module that processes external audio into percussion sounds using pitch sweeps, harmonic FM, pitch-shifted taps, and an independently generated noise… Read More One Weird Trick Turns This Drum Module Into Four ModulesView the full article

Place dots on the grid, press play and let the music unfold.… Read More New Generative Instrument For Mac & Windows, TonefieldView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Low End Candy produces Preverb as first plug-in realizing reverse reverb in real time by putting a reverb swell before a sound instead of after. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT Low EndCandy announces Preverb — produced as the first plug-in to realize reverse reverb in real time by putting a reverb swell before a sound instead of after it, turning any audio into an instant riser, transition, or […] The post New Preverb Plug- in appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

cloph-dsp has released Grungr, a free/pay-what-you-want drive pedal emulation for guitar, bass, and anything else that needs more bite. You might remember Pedro Castro from Freeze95, the fun little stochastic stutter and freeze effect we featured on BPB earlier this year. I loved that one, so Grungr is another interesting free effect from the same [...] View post: cloph-dsp releases Grungr, a FREE drive pedal plugin View the full article

Baby Audio’s Super VHS lo-fi multi-effect plugin is on sale at Plugin Boutique for $10 until July 26. The regular price is $69, so this is a good time to grab it if you have been waiting for a bigger discount. Super VHS is still one of the easiest-to-use lo-fi VHS-style plugins out there. It [...] View post: Baby Audio Super VHS is on sale for $10 until July 26 View the full article

Pleatech Audio is offering WorldVerb, a creative reverb plugin for Windows, as a free download for BPB readers. Developer Niels posted the offer in the BPB community section and shared a coupon code that unlocks the full version, with future updates included. That code is KAAPXM3; I tested it, and it works. Thanks to Niels for [...] View post: Pleatech Audio offers WorldVerb reverb plugin for FREE (Windows) View the full article

AOFN Audio has released Grizzly, a free stereo modulation plugin for macOS and Windows. Grizzly is modeled on the 1979 Gristleizer circuit, the strange little LFO-driven pedal that Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle famously used on drum machines, tapes, synths, and plenty of other sources. Developer Marcel describes Grizzly as his software interpretation of that [...] View post: AOFN Audio releases Grizzly, a FREE Gristleizer-inspired modulation plugin View the full article

LOON is a software instrument for macOS and Windows that combines synthesis, sampled instruments, FM synthesis, effects, and MPE support within a three-layer sound design workflow.… Read More Jamstik Introduces LOON Expressive Software InstrumentView the full article

Audio Damage's Tessera is a tuned resonator effect that excites twelve parallel resonator voices from an incoming audio signal, generating harmonically related textures based on user-selected chords and scales.… Read More Audio Damage Intros Tessera Tuned Resonator EffectView the full article

Sonic Republic has released Pluginize!, a native macOS plugin manager for producers with large and messy plugin folders. I’m pretty sure that most of us who have been collecting plugins for years know the problem. The DAW takes longer to scan, some plugins break, and eventually, you spend more time looking for the right tool [...] View post: Sonic Republic releases Pluginize! plugin manager for macOS View the full article

Push and Groove has released RMS LEVEL LIMITER, a free stereo dynamics plugin for Windows and macOS. We have featured a couple of Takahiro Oishi’s previous releases on BPB, including the free Filtronix filter plugin and the more recent GROOVE60 MIDI timing processor. RMS LEVEL LIMITER is a different kind of tool. Instead of working [...] View post: Push and Groove releases FREE RMS LEVEL LIMITER plugin View the full article