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…

Artists in DSP released Amorph (open beta), their free AI-prompt-driven app, for macOS and Windows. AI has been a relatively hot topic around here recently, with the release of projects like Noizefield’s Audio Plugin Coder (APC). The conversation continues as we take a look at Amorph by Artists in DSP. Before we look at Amorph [...] View post: Artists in DSP releases FREE AI-driven Amorph plugin that lets you create plugins View the full article

HoRNet offers the 3XOver three-band DJ-style EQ and crossover plugin for macOS and Windows as a free download for the next 48 hours. The plugin normally costs €5.99, but you can add it to your HoRNet user account for free during the limited-time promotion. To get it, visit the product page on HoRNet’s website, add [...] View post: HoRNet 3XOver DJ-style EQ plugin is FREE for 48 hours View the full article

Blueprint: Wurli from Fracture Sounds is the 26th and latest addition to the stellar series, and it’s something of a return to the project’s genesis for Fracture Sounds. The Blueprint series started with Electric Keys, a sampled Fender Rhodes Mk1, and Wurli is revisiting the vintage electric piano genre. This time, Fracture Sounds has sampled [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases Free Blueprint Wurli library for Kontakt Player View the full article

Cherry Audio has launched a new virtual instrument plugin, SH-MAX, which combines the greatest features of three classic Roland synths in one. Inspired by Roland’s SH series produced in the 1970s, the SH-MAX integrates the SH-5, SH-7, and SH-3A in one instrument. Cherry Audio says it has taken the bold sound of the SH-5, and mixed it with the finest features of the other two models. The final result is infused with “even greater power and versatility” for the music makers of today... The post Cherry Audio’s new SH-MAX instrument plugin fuses together three vintage Roland synth emulations appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Ableton Live 12.4 is now available as a 'beta' release, bringing new features and updates for Push, Move and Note. … Read More Ableton Live 12.4 Now Entering Public Beta, Here’s What’s NewView the full article

Cherry Audio has introduced SH-MAX synthesizer, a virtual instrument plugin that they say is inspired by three synthesizers from the Roland's SH series of the '70s: the SH-5, SH-7, and SH-3A.… Read More Cherry Audio SH-MAX Fuses Features From 3 Classic Roland SynthsView the full article

GPU Audio, a company that's helped pioneer using powerful GPU graphics cards for audio DSP (digital signal processing), has announced Soundcore, their new Pro Audio division, and a new tool for real time audio separation. … Read More GPU Audio Announces Pro Audio Division, Soundcore, & GPU-Powered Real Time Source Separation SolutionView the full article

Cherry Audio’s SH-MAX celebrates the often-overlooked SH range of synths with not one, not two, but three ‘clasSHics’ represented in one instrument! ... The post Cherry Audio SH-MAX Celebrates Roland’s 70’s ‘SHuper SHynths’! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

This week, we’re offering four software deals that make sense in everyday studio work and stand out for more than just their current price. Alongside the legendary Softube Chandler Limited Curve Bender, the Roland D-50 synthesizer, XLN Audio’s Life, and Klevgrand’s Korvpressor are also available at reduced prices. Each plugin follows a different practical approach, covering sound generation, sound shaping, rhythm, and dynamics: exactly the areas where small adjustments can make a big difference. That means you can make targeted improvements when a mix lacks excitement, a sound needs shaping, grooves need more life, or buses simply need more control... The post Roland, Sof…

With Live 12.4, Ableton Push 3 shifts its focus back to hands-on work and thoughtful hardware integration. This update benefits the hardware in particular, as it emphasizes better control, clearer signal paths, and more stable setups rather than new content. Users who rely on Push as a central element in their studio or live setup will quickly notice that the new features save time and support creative flow. The post Ableton Push 3: New Public Beta with Link Audio, Improved Mapping, and More appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Plugin Boutique is offering a Universal Audio ‘Winter Mix Tape’ plugin bundle deal until 26 February, allowing you to pick 10 plugins for just £87. This bundle would normally cost you over £200, and lets you choose from 51 plugins in total, spanning across UAD’s studio effects, virtual instruments, and amp models. The bundle spans emulations of legendary hardware and UAD original plugins too. You can select from its range of vintage amp emulator pedal plugins – the Dream ‘65, Ruby ‘63, Lion ‘68, and Woodrow ‘68 — or get your hands on its celebrated Minimoog plugin. Its popular LA-6176 channel strip plugin and 1176 FET compressor are also up for grabs... The post Build you…

Stacks Audio has released its free eleven-product NAMM 2026 Bundle. For anyone lucky enough to visit the NAMM show in Anaheim earlier this year, I hope you had a great time. For everyone else, the only thing better than keeping up to date with YouTube videos is getting something free, just for the sake of [...] View post: Stacks Audio offers the FREE eleven-product NAMM 2026 Bundle View the full article

Woodstock Audio has released Waveform Compressor, a free compressor plugin for macOS and Windows. Obviously, free compressors are nothing new, and most of us already have way more compressor plugins than we realistically need. And pretty much every DAW out there comes with a decent comp of its own. But even so, Waveform Compressor is [...] View post: Woodstock Audio releases free Waveform Compressor plugin for Windows and macOS View the full article

Plugin Boutique is offering BFD 3.5, the flagship acoustic drum instrument from BFD, at an 80% discount until February 14. This brings the price down to $39 from the regular $199. BFD 3.5 is a full-scale virtual drum studio designed for realistic acoustic drum production. Instead of focusing on quick loop-based workflows, it aims to [...] View post: Plugin Boutique offers BFD 3.5 acoustic drum plugin for $39 View the full article

EVA Instruments offers BPB readers an exclusive discount on Epic Percussion 3, a cinematic percussion library for Kontakt. BPB readers can get it at 50% off for the next 7 days using the coupon code BPBEPIC. The discount is valid for 1 week and applies only to Epic Percussion 3. This is a good deal [...] View post: EVA Instruments offers BPB readers an exclusive 50% discount on Epic Percussion 3 View the full article

The line of instruments is designed to pack the power of an advanced synth into a tiny, rugged enclosure. while maintaining immediacy and ease of programming.… Read More Three New Portable M0SS Synthesizers Now Available To Pre-OrderView the full article

A new tool, Echoe, is designed to make it easy to share stems, tracks and other audio files without the hassles of other tools, like compressed previews and expiring links. … Read More New Tool, Echoe, Promises To Take The Hassles Out Of Sharing Audio FilesView the full article

Smiarx has released ÆLAPSE, a free delay and reverb plugin for Windows, macOS, and Linux. ÆLAPSE combines two classic effects in a single plugin: a tape-style delay and a reverb inspired by spring reverbs. While the reverb has a lovely lo-fi character, it isn’t locked into traditional spring sounds. You can push it into more [...] View post: Smiarx has released ÆLAPSE, a free tape delay and spring reverb plugin View the full article

Up until quite recently, hardware sequencers seemed on the way out. Faced with competition from DAW software, standalone sequencers looked like relics from a bygone era. But as more and more producers and performers discover their love for DAWless setups and modular systems, they’re now more popular than ever. Let’s check out some of the best hardware sequencers! ... The post The Best Hardware Sequencers for Electronic Music Production and Performance appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Producers don’t need more stuff — they need the right stuff they can grab fast, drop into a project, and immediately get results. This list is a curated “freebie radar” for 2026: a mix of plugins, sound packs, and workflow tools that are genuinely useful right now. View the full article

Behringer has finally lifted the lid on the DMX, its clone of the classic Oberheim DMX drum machine. The launch continues something of a hot streak for Behringer, which just last week debuted its Roland Juno-60 clone, the JN-80. Word of the BMX has floated around the Behringer community for some time, with a prototype teased all the way back in March 2023. Now, the BMX is officially available for preorder, with first units expected to ship in May 2026... The post Behringer launches the BMX, its take on the classic Oberheim DMX drum machine appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

The lo-fi musical aesthetic barely needs an introduction. Lo-fi beats have taken the world by storm through degraded textures that have shown up in lo-fi hip hop, lo-fi house, and other genres. When it comes to making beats yourself, the best lo-fi plugins are the tools that help you achieve that signature character through a bit of vinyl crackle, some warm saturation, and a touch of wonky pitch drift. If you are chasing an “imperfect” nostalgic sound, you are in the right place. Native Instruments, iZotope, and Plugin Alliance offer a range of high-quality lo-fi plugins that cover every stage of the production process. This guide breaks down the best lo-fi plugins for ev…

Audio Plugin Coder is a free and open-source AI-powered plugin creation tool from developer Noizefield. The plugin is still in active development, is subject to change/improvements, and users should expect bugs. At this stage, APC provides an opportunity to experiment with the concept, test plugin ideas, and, of course, provide useful feedback to the developer. [...] View post: Noizefield releases Audio Plugin Coder (APC), a FREE AI-powered plugin creation tool View the full article

Plugin Boutique has reduced its full catalogue of Moog plugins, with 67 percent off all of its Moogerfooger effects plugins. There are currently eight individual Moogerfooger effects reduced, but you can also get your hands on the Moog Mariana bass synth for just £35, or save on three different bundle deals: a complete bundle of all eight for £133, or two ‘build your own’ bundles offering a selection of four (£79) or two plugins (£49)... The post All Moog plugins on Plugin Boutique are currently reduced, with 67% percent off Moogerfooger effects appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

APC falls into the new category of 'vibe coding' development tools, which essentially let you use natural language prompts to describe what you want, and the tool does the coding for you. … Read More Audio Plugin Coder Lets You Create Custom Plugins Without ProgrammingView the full article

Love it or hate it, the annual celebration of Record Store Day can often deliver some gems for lovers of electronic music. What has 2026 got in store for us? ... The post Vinyl for Synth Lovers: The Best of Record Store Day 2026 appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Deepsounds has introduced Junit, a Juno-style patch editor for the Novation Circuit & Circuit Tracks. … Read More New Juno-Style Patch Editor For The Novation CircuitView the full article

The Behringer BMX is an original design, but copies its look and some features from the Oberheim DMX.… Read More Behringer BMX Drum Machine Overview & DemoView the full article

Developer Matthew Fecher shared this introduction to Super J8, a new iOS software synth that's designed to sound like a $30,000 Roland Jupiter-8.… Read More New iOS App, Super J8, Sounds Like A $30,000 SynthesizerView the full article