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…

Synsonic Instruments has made three of its previously paid drum plugins free to download for macOS and Windows. If you’ve been following Bedroom Producers Blog for a while, you’ll probably recognize the name Synsonic Instruments from their old BD-808 Free (featured in our article about the best free 808 plugins) and BD-909 Free plugins. Those [...] View post: Synsonic Instruments now offers their paid drum plugins for free View the full article

RCJacH has released RCSiner, a free distortion plugin for macOS and Windows, now available as a standalone plugin. RCSiner is a waveshaping and phase-distortion effect built around sine-based shaping formulas. While the project has been floating around in various forms before (I first saw it mentioned in 2025, but haven’t featured it on BPB then), [...] View post: RCJacH releases FREE RCSiner distortion plugin for Windows and macOS View the full article

Igorski has released Phlegetron, a free distortion plugin for macOS and Windows. I’m a big fan of Igorski’s plugins. The interfaces are always nicely designed, and the functionality tends to be focused rather than bloated with unnecessary stuff. The old Homecorrupter bitcrusher is still a personal favorite of mine, but I’m always happy to dig [...] View post: Igorski releases Phlegetron, a FREE distortion plugin for macOS and Windows View the full article

With the NightSky plugin, you can create vast soundscapes from just a few notes. … Read More Strymon NightSky Now Available For Mac & WindowsView the full article

Here's a sneak preview of the upcoming reissue of the Future Retro 777 bassline synthesizer.… Read More Future Retro 777 Reissue Sneak Preview From 2026 Buchla & Friends ShowView the full article

LaunchCodes is a free virtual instrument for Mac & Windows that's built for synthesizing explosive hits and basses.… Read More Free Software Synth, LaunchCodes, Makes An ImpactView the full article

The application promises to automate and streamline sample conversion and management for a variety of samplers.… Read More New macOS Sample Manager For Any Sampler, SampleStack (Sneak Preview)View the full article

KODA has been designed to make creating sample-based instruments easy. … Read More KODA ‘Next Generation’ Sampler Sneak PreviewView the full article

Key updates for musicians include AI Session Players and Chord ID in Logic Pro, Beat Detection in Final Cut, Ableton Link in Mainstage, and a more comprehensive sound library. … Read More Apple Logic Pro 12, MainStage 4 Now Available – Here’s What’s NewView the full article

Kymátika Sounds has released PTone, a free sample library for the Audiomodern Soundbox virtual instrument, and it’s available as a pay-what-you-want download (starting at $0) for a limited time. The developer came across an old Casio keyboard at a flea market in Poland, discovered it was still working perfectly, and decided to turn it into [...] View post: Kymátika Sounds offers FREE Ptone for Audiomodern Soundbox View the full article

Gooey Audio has released Talkie, a simple formant filter plugin for macOS and Windows. The plugin is available at no cost for a limited time until February 20th, 2026. Talkie is basically a one-knob formant filter. The idea here is to turn frequency-rich sounds (mainly synths, but other sources work, too) into vowel-like tones using [...] View post: Gooey Audio offers Talkie formant filter plugin for FREE until February 20th View the full article

A statement from Native Instruments' CEO says that it's business as usual for the company. … Read More Native Instruments CEO Says ‘Business Continues As Usual’View the full article

Developer Andrew John March has announced three new synthesizers in his MoSS line. … Read More Three New Compact Synthesizers Coming ‘Soon’View the full article

Frap Tools has announced that the Magnolia - an eight-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer with through-zero linear FM - is now available.… Read More Frap Tools Magnolia Analog Synthesizer Now AvailableView the full article

New features in WaveLab 13 include Dolby Atmos music mastering, workflow enhancements, multicore rendering and streamlined editing features.… Read More Steinberg WaveLab 13 Now Available, Here’s What’s NewView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - The new v1.1 firmware adds powerful new capabilities for users working in HUI-compatible DAWs and those controlling external hardware. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT THE V1.1 UPDATE INCLUDES: Mackie HUI support: Launch Control XL 3 now supports additional DAWs – including Pro Tools, Reaper, and Studio One – right out the box. Expanded MIDI routing: With flexible USB-to-DIN […] The post Novation Firmware Update For Launch Control XL 3 Control Surface appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

At the Buchla & Friends show, Boredbrain Music offered a sneak preview of the Xcelon SL - a dynamic analog performance mixer that they say is designed specifically for electronic musicians. … Read More New Xcelon SL Mixer Designed Specifically For Electronic Musicians (Sneak Preview)View the full article

Here's an overview for Vienna Ensemble Pro 8 and Vienna Ensemble Pro 8V. … Read More Vienna Ensemble Pro 8 Now Available, Here’s What’s NewView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - With Synchronicity, Brazilian producer Thiago Pinheiro delivers a captivating blend of expressive tones and atmospheric guitar textures. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT Perfectly suited for cinematic, ambient, and contemporary styles, Synchronicity blurs the line between traditional guitar playing and modern production, offering a versatile toolkit for evocative soundscapes and layered compositions. Ranging from dreamy and mysterious to expansive […] The post New AAS Synchronicity Sound Pack appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

As first reported by Create Digital Music (CDM), Native Instruments GmbH has entered into preliminary insolvency proceedings. This news, understandably, sets off alarm bells for producers worldwide who have invested heavily in NI products. As questions continue to mount, the most important ones will likely remain unanswered for a while, as insolvency introduces a period [...] View post: Native Instruments GmbH enters preliminary insolvency View the full article

Karanyi Sounds is offering BPB readers an exclusive $15 deal on Playmod, a creative multi-effect plugin for macOS and Windows. For a limited time, BPB readers can purchase Playmod for $15 instead of $59 using the exclusive coupon code BPB-PLAYMOD15. The code knocks $44 off the regular price and is valid for 72 hours only. [...] View post: BPB Deal: Karanyi Sounds Playmod for $15 (offer ends in 72 hours) View the full article

Some of you might think Dark Mode is slightly old news, and that’s probably fair because it was released by SRM Sounds towards the end of 2024. Anyone who isn’t already familiar with this free piano is in for a real treat, and since we didn’t cover it earlier, we thought we’d give it some [...] View post: SRM Sounds offers Dark Mode, a FREE version of Max Richter Piano for Kontakt Player View the full article

Space Strip has been around for close to a decade, and we’ve seen some massive discounts in that time, albeit not too many recently. Now, you can get Space Strip, AudioThing’s modular multi-effects plugin, at AudioDeluxe for 68% off. So, if you missed out on previous deals, here’s your chance to grab Space Strip for [...] View post: Get 68% off Space Strip, AudioThing’s modular multi-effects plugin at AudioDeluxe View the full article

Delay plugins seem to be the flavor of the week right now, as we’re covering a second new release in as many days, with the latest being Quantum Delay Lite – a free vintage-inspired delay with advanced modulation from GS DSP. Of course, now that I’ve mentioned it, we won’t see another delay plugin for [...] View post: GS DSP releases Quantum Delay Lite, a FREE vintage-inspired delay with advanced modulation View the full article

Native Instruments – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of music-making software and hardware – has entered preliminary insolvency proceedings, it has been revealed. According to a report by Create Digital Music, Prof. Dr. Torsten Martini has been appointed preliminary insolvency administrator for the Berlin-based company, and will be responsible for restructuring the company and selling off existing Native Instruments assets... The post Native Instruments enters preliminary insolvency appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Here's our take on the best of the 2026 NAMM Show. Did we miss anything that wowed you? Do you think some instruments don't live up to the hype.… Read More The Best New Synths & Electronic Music Gear Of The 2026 NAMM ShowView the full article

Preliminary Insolvency is a court-orded phase where an adminstrator steps in to protect debtors assets, and to see if changes can be made to enable a company to stabilize its financial situation. … Read More Native Instruments Files For Preliminary InsolvencyView the full article

This week, Arturia is offering exciting software deals clearly aimed at discerning producers. Together with offers from Xils Lab and IrcamLAB, these deals create a package that focuses on substantial tools rather than quick effects. These synths and audio effects can play a long-term role in everyday studio work. This is a great opportunity for you to deepen your knowledge of familiar concepts or try out new approaches. Those who appreciate sound design, structure, and control will find these deals interesting... The post Arturia, Xils Lab, IrcamLAB: 3 Ultimate Software Deals! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Luna Co. Audio has released 4K EQ, MultiComp, and Tape Machine, three free mixing tools for Windows, macOS, and Linux. At first glance, I figured these were straightforward mixing utilities we’ve covered dozens, if not hundreds, of times: an equalizer, a multi-band compressor, and a tape-style saturation plugin. But after going through the feature lists [...] View post: Luna Co. Audio releases free 4K EQ, MultiComp, and Tape Machine plugins View the full article