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…

Developer Conscious Audio has released HeartSync, a free public beta VST3 plugin for macOS and Windows that maps your real-time heart rate to your DAW’s tempo. The developer reached out to me about HeartSync, and it made me realize that it’s been ages since I’ve seen a plugin concept that feels really innovative. We see [...] View post: This FREE plugin syncs your DAW tempo to your heartbeat View the full article

DSPTone has released ExoDelay, a new modulation delay plugin for macOS and Windows, and it’s currently available for free as a limited-time giveaway for Bedroom Producers Blog readers. Before getting into what ExoDelay does, I want to add some context regarding this giveaway. The Giveaway DSPTone reached out to offer ExoDelay as an exclusive freebie [...] View post: DSPTone offers new ExoDelay modulation delay plugin FREE for 30 hours View the full article

Polarity has released Polarity-MD, a free multiband dynamics processor for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Bitwig fans will be very familiar with the name Polarity and its impact on that community. As well as being a Bitwig wizard and educator, Polarity is a forward-thinking developer, sound designer, and producer. The Polarity Music YouTube channel is packed [...] View post: Polarity releases Polarity-MD, a FREE multiband dynamics processor View the full article

Heretical Audio has released Minimal Synths, a free sample pack built around sounds from the Roland SH series and the TR-606 drum machine, available as WAV files with a small bonus for Ableton Live users. I’ve said it before, but simple WAV-based sample packs have slowly grown on me again. For years, everything revolved around [...] View post: Heretical Audio releases Minimal Synths, a FREE WAV sample pack with classic Roland sounds View the full article

Scapegoat Audio has just launched its Goat DS-2 Turbo Distortion Tonex pack and made it available for free download. The pack is compatible with IK Multimedia’s Tonex pedal and Tonex software. The Tonex software is a 64-bit only release for macOS (AU, VST3, AAX) and Windows (VST3, AAX). Tonex ($50, down from $200) is a [...] View post: Scapegoat Audio Goat DS-2 Turbo Distortion Tonex Pack is available for FREE View the full article

Tokyo Dawn Labs’ TDR Kotelnikov GE compressor is now available for just $10, down from $50, in a 80% off deal exclusively available at Plugin Boutique. Tokyo Dawn Labs lists TDR Kotelnikov GE as a release for macOS (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST2, VST3, AAX). The dev notes that it is 64-bit only, [...] View post: TDR Kotelnikov GE compressor is now $10 in an 80% OFF deal View the full article

While Jeff Mills stands for futuristic precision and Richie Hawtin sees machines as a flexible system, Robert Hood embodies the most radical form of reduction. His music isn’t a showcase of gear, but a lesson in how much expression can live inside just a few elements. At the center of it all is a typical techno instrument that plays an almost disciplinary role in Hood’s work: the Roland TR-909. Hood doesn’t use it to stack sounds, he uses it to define structure, space, and energy. That’s what turns a drum machine into a compositional instrument... The post Techno Legends Use This Gear: Robert Hood and the Discipline of the TR-909 appeared first on gearnews.com. View the f…

"No softsynths. No presets. Just raw voltage, evolving sequences, and semi-controlled chaos, captured in real time."… Read More Live Modular Performance By FreqGen, ‘Orbital Drift’View the full article

The story behind Native Instruments' $650 million meltdown.....… Read More Why Native Instruments Is In Bankruptcy CourtView the full article

SynTesla shared this sneak preview of their 5U Animator module. … Read More SynTesla Intros MU/5U Animator ModuleView the full article

Developer Giorgio Sancristoforo shared sneak previews of a pair of new software synths.… Read More New Software Synths Take Inspiration From ARP 2500, BuchlaView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Magnolia is a new 8-Voice Analog Thru-Zero FM Synthesizer from Frap Tools. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT Magnolia brings modular synthesis techniques to the world of analogue polysynths — with all the latter’s advantages: immediacy of use; polyphony, obviously; powerful sound; and all those little unpredictable details, known affectionally as ‘analogue warmth’. With its expressive 61-key keybed from fellow Italians […] The post Frap Tools Introduces Magnolia appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Ultimate Patches introduces the next-level collection of fresh presets for the synth, plus a free Taster Pack taken from the set. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT Ultimate Patches has just released the all-new Moog Messenger Ultimate Patches: 200 high-quality presets with classic sounds spanning the 30s / 50s / 60s / 70s / 80s / 90s / 00s […] The post New 200 Moog Messenger Ultimate Patches appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

The EP–133 K.O. II lets you record sounds around you, sequence your samples and loops, tweak and automate filter, pitch and more. … Read More Teenage Engineering K.O. II Gets Expanded MemoryView the full article

The Behringer JN-80 - their take on the Roland Juno-60 - is now available to pre-order. … Read More Behringer JN-80 Synthesizer Offers ‘Supercharged’ Take On Roland Juno-60View the full article

Krystal Dynamics is a new developer, launching with several new plugins for macOS and Windows, and best of all, they are absolutely free! Before we get into the plugins, a quick word on the Krystal Dynamics website. The website launched a few weeks ago, and all appears to be fine, but my antivirus software hates [...] View post: Krystal Dynamics offers three new FREE plugins for macOS and Windows View the full article

Plugin Boutique’s February Gifts are here, offering a choice of two plugins free with any purchase – Minimal Audio’s Cluster Delay or Thenatan TAWUS. Qualifying purchases don’t include free products, and you can’t pay in full with Virtual Cash or a coupon (anything less than 100% is fine). Although free products don’t qualify, there’s no [...] View post: Get Minimal Audio Cluster Delay or Thenatan TAWUS free with any purchase View the full article

AudioPluginDeals is no stranger to huge discounts, and this month, the popular retailer is back with more massive savings with its February Mega Bundle. The February Mega Bundle is a collection of five products with a combined retail price of $626.85, but with the 98% discount, you can pick it up for just $9.99. Here [...] View post: AudioPluginDeals offers 98% off the February Mega Bundle View the full article

STRIKE Resonator is a free port of the Mutable Instruments Rings in Max For Live as an audio effect.… Read More Free Download Brings Mutable Instruments Rings To Ableton LiveView the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering SSL Native X-Saturator by Solid State Logic at a heavily reduced price of $7.99, down from its regular $49 price, as part of an 83% discount deal running until February 15. X-Saturator is a saturation and distortion plugin designed to add harmonic content and analogue-style character to your signal. It’s [...] View post: SSL Native X-Saturator is available for $7.99 for a limited time View the full article

Niviem has released three free plugins for macOS and Windows: the Phase One phaser, the OPT4 opto leveling amplifier, and the DalEQ Core parametric EQ. All three plugins arrived in January this year. And it’s a nicely balanced free bundle that includes one creative effect and a couple of mixing tools. I haven’t tried Niviem’s [...] View post: Niviem releases three FREE plugins: Phase One, OPT4, and DalEQ View the full article

It's a hybrid design, combing digital oscillators with an analog signal path. … Read More EMW WCS-X Synthesizer Sneak PreviewView the full article

Novation has released an update for the Launch Control XL 3 control surface, adding deeper customization, support for more DAWs and more. … Read More Novation Launch Control XL 3 Update Adds Deeper Customization, Expanded DAW Support & MoreView the full article

Wee Noisemakers calls the PGB-1 "The Ultimate Pocket Synth". Does it live up to the hype?… Read More Is The Wee Noisemakers PGB-1 The Ultimate Pocket Synth?View the full article

The El-Ma Ørsted can detect radio waves, electromagnetic fields emitted by electronic devices, and environmental electromagnetic interactions and translate them into sound. … Read More VAEMI Electromagnetic Field Microphone Lets You Listen To The InvisibleView the full article

LALAL.AI has launched its first VST plugin, bringing its industry-leading stem-splitting technology to your DAW for the first time, “significantly reducing the time spent switching between workflows”. The plugin uses its Lyra model, and is designed to run locally on nearly any hardware. According to LALAL.AI, Lyra delivers “fast and effective” stem separation for “unlimited experimentation” right inside the DAW... The post LALAL.AI launches its first stem-splitting VST plugin for “unlimited experimentation” inside your DAW appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Developer Carve Audio has released BusBoy ($49), a mixing utility plugin for macOS and Windows. It is currently free until March 2nd, 2026. BusBoy is best described as a simplified channel strip for stereo buses, but I think it’s also an excellent choice for individual channels. The main idea here is to help you establish [...] View post: Carve Audio offers new BusBoy channel strip for FREE until March 2nd View the full article

Otter Mods has introduced four new Moog Format modules. … Read More Otter Mods Intros Four New Moog Format ModulesView the full article