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…

From @synthandsoftware - Eplex7 DSP releases Analog Warming X-Stopper AS470 all-in-one analog compressor / limiter nonlinear algorithmic simulation. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT The Analog Warming X-Stopper AS470 is a high-quality, all-in-one analog compressor /limiter nonlinear algorithmic simulation. Rather than being two separate processors, this device seamlessly transitions from natural automatic compression at slower time constants to a fast, analog-sounding limiter—or anything in between. Its primary mission is […] The post New Analog Warming X-Stopper AS470 appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Inear Display has made its creative audio tools now available via pay-what-you-want (meaning they can be yours for free). If the Complete Monkwind Effect Bundle and the Aqua Node open-source plugin suite weren’t enough, we’ve got another developer making everything available for free. Inear Display has moved all of its products into the pay-what-you-want category. [...] View post: Inear Display offers its full plugin collection as pay-what-you-want (available for FREE) View the full article

Sender Spike has released qb (Kyubi), a free multimode distortion plugin for Windows. If you’re familiar with the name Sender Spike, that’s likely because we recently featured the developer’s SN Zero hybrid synthesizer. That one is a fun FM vector hybrid synth with a clean interface and a nice sample loading feature. Well worth checking [...] View post: Sender Spike releases qb (Kyubi), a FREE multimode distortion plugin for Windows View the full article

The “world’s first fully 8-voice Jupiter-8 clone” is 95% finished. Will the ACME Synth Works Jupiter-8 Clone become a full product? Well, looky here. Just the other day I ran a story called “5 Synths That Need a Remake,” and number three on the list was the Roland Jupiter-8. Today I see this. It’s not Roland doing the remake, granted, but it is apparently a one-to-one clone. The only issue is that it may not see the light of day… The post ACME Synth Works Jupiter-8 Clone: Shut Up and Take My Money! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

If this develops into a product, it sounds like the intent is to make it as a boutique, full-size clone, vs a mass-produced, budget copy. … Read More First Roland Jupiter-8 Clone (Sneak Preview)View the full article

The collection includes audio effects, synthesizers and utilities. … Read More Free VST Collection For WindowsView the full article

There's a deep rabbit hole to go down....… Read More Are Audiophile Cables BS? Or, A New Meaning For ‘Banana Cables’View the full article

If you produce or perform with synths and drum machines, you need a mixer that’s up for the task. We check out some of the best mixers for synths and electronic performance setups... The post Best Mixers for Synths: Mixers for Electronic Live Performance appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

If you’ve been dreaming of getting your hands on a Moog Messenger then now might be the time to go for it, as Guitar Center is currently offering $200 off. The Messenger was first announced in May last year, and was described by Moog as marking a “significant evolution” in its synth lineage, introducing “new sonic possibilities and enhanced playability”. It was even rated a near flawless 9/10 in our review... The post The Moog Messenger was one of the biggest synth launches of last year – and you can get it right now at $200 off appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Developer Aqua Node has released a collection of 20 free and open-source plugins for Windows. The plugins are free to download in VST3 format for Windows directly from the developer’s Gumroad page. All downloads include the open source code (JUCE) for anyone who’d like to expand on the existing code, or compile macOS or Linux [...] View post: Aqua Node releases a FREE and open-source plugin suite for Windows View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently running historically low prices on three Roland synthesizer plugins, with the Roland D-50 leading the way at 67% off (down to $49 from $149). The deal runs until March 3rd. The D-50 is my main pick here. Released in 1987, it was Roland’s first fully digital synthesizer and one of the most [...] View post: Roland D-50, JV-1080, and XV-5080 plugins are at historically low prices at Plugin Boutique View the full article

The Complete Monkwind Effect Bundle from Monkwind DSP features thirteen plugins, including pitch shifters, drum processors, compressors, stereo width enhancers, and more – all for free! Here’s the complete list of plugins: ArpeggiateMe CRUNCHer DrumWizard EZPitch GimmeSpace LEVELer MajicFM SaturateMe SaturateLLC SUMO Suppressor WickdPitcher WideMe The plugins are available to download for free in AU [...] View post: Monkwind DSP offers the Complete Monkwind Effect Bundle for FREE View the full article

You don’t need 20 layers to make a loop feel new. Most of the time, you need one smart move that changes the emotion (warm → aggressive, clean → gritty, narrow → wide, static → alive). Below are 12 “one-knob” shortcuts you can do in any DAW with almost any plugin. Each one includes a quick example so you can turn a basic loop into a hook in minutes. View the full article

Behringer’s LM Drum is currently reduced over at Thomann, and you can get your hands on it for just under £300. Launched in 2024, this drum machine is not just a modern take on the LinnDrum. It captures the essence of “a hundred legendary ’80s drum sounds”, according to Behringer itself, including those designed by Roger Linn such as the LM-1, LM-2, LM9000 and more. The LM Drum landed just after its launch of its Wave synth, and offers 16 voices with trigger pads for each, plus a mixer with volume and panorama controls. It features 109 sounds in total, and has tuning controls for snare, toms, and congas, and a control for hi-hat decay... The post You can get Behringer’s L…

Sync Audio has released MegaMod, a free modulation plugin that lets you attach any of your existing plugins to it and use it as a modulation host. MegaMod is currently available for free as a limited-time offer during its beta period, so if this sounds interesting, it’s worth grabbing now. I’m guessing that this could [...] View post: Sync Audio releases MegaMod, a FREE plugin that modulates any other plugin View the full article

Developer Saint Mike DSP has released Tamazight Metal Amp, a free all-in-one guitar amp simulator for metal (but I think it also works for rock). An optional paid version is also available with additional features. Tamazight Metal Amp gives you a complete metal guitar signal chain in a single plugin. From left to right, the [...] View post: Saint Mike DSP releases Tamazight Metal Amp, a FREE guitar amp simulator plugin View the full article

AudioDeluxe is currently offering UVI Drum Designer at 74% off, bringing it down from $149 to $39. The deal expires on March 1st, so there are around five days left at the time of publishing. I’d recommend picking this up if you don’t already have a large collection of drum sounds, because the content alone [...] View post: UVI Drum Designer is 74% off at AudioDeluxe ($39) View the full article

Hardware synthesizers may seem like an untenable luxury to many producers. The most coveted synths generally start at a price of four figures, with vintage models pushing into the tens of thousands. You’ll certainly need a big bank balance or a good line of credit for a Yamaha CS-80! But fret not, producers and performers — there’s a wide choice of affordable synths that will cost you less than an iPhone. There are some true gems to be had at this end of the market, with instruments that sound much more expensive, and that are far more versatile, than they deserve to be at the price. Here are our favourite budget synths, and why they might be right for you... The post The…

Which synth sounds better: the Sequential Fourm or Take 5? This YouTuber went to great lengths to produce a detailed side-by-side comparison of the two Sequential synths. If you want that polyphonic Sequential sound but don’t want to splurge on a Prophet-6 or even Prophet-5, you now have a choice between two more budget-friendly synths: the Sequential Fourm or Take 5. At first glance, the two have a lot in common: both are analog, both have two oscillators per voice, and both have filters derived from the mighty Prophet-5. So what exactly are the differences, and which synth sounds better: the Sequential Fourm or Take 5? ... The post Sequential Fourm or Take 5: Which One …

Roex Audio has introduced Phosphor, a new software instrument for macOS that uses spectral synthesis to convert images into audio. … Read More Free Spectral Synthesizer For Mac, Phosphor, Turns Images Into AudioView the full article

Wavetick Sounds gives all new members 20 free credits, so you can download 20 sounds just by creating a free account. Signing up on Wavetick is super easy. Just enter your email, create a free account, and you’ll get 20 credits right away. Each credit lets you download one sound, and you can choose from [...] View post: Wavetick Sounds offers 20 FREE sound credits to new members View the full article

As a musician, you’ve always had good ideas. Hooks, sounds, grooves, and concepts. The difference today is that it’s easier than ever to make money with music, even without a major deal. Not as a rock star fantasy, but as real small-to-medium income streams that can add up. The good news is that you don’t need a label or millions of streams to do this – just a good structure... The post 10 Ways you Can Earn Money with Music – Even Without a Number One Hit! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

The library features the sounds of clay flutes, conch trumpets, wooden drums, ocarinas, and ritual whistles.… Read More New Virtual Instrument, Nagual, Offers Sounds Of Pre-Hispanic Mexican CulturesView the full article

If you're an American hoping to get back some of the estimated $1,700 you've paid because of the Trump Tariffs, don't hold your breath.… Read More Supreme Court Rules Trump Tariffs Illegal, But Don’t Hold Your Breath On Getting Your Money BackView the full article

The new album captures Phaedra's magic, and makes the case that - even after more than 50 years - there's still a place for Tangerine Dream. … Read More Tangerine Dream – 50 Years of Phaedra: At The Barbican ReviewView the full article

Here's a head-to-head comparison between the classic Roland TR-909 and the new TR-1000 drum machine.… Read More Roland TR-909 vs TR-1000 Head-To-Head ComparisonView the full article

The free collection was recreates all 100 original Memorymoog factory presets.… Read More Memorymoog Presets Now Available For Moog MuseView the full article

Forget clones, it’s time for the original manufacturers to step up and give the people what they want: official synthesizer reissues. These are the five synths that need a remake right now. Clones are all well and good but there’s something special about an official reissue. KORG showed everyone how it’s done back in 2013 with the MS-20 Mini. Yes, it was slightly smaller, but that didn’t have any bearing on the sound. The company then followed the Mini up with the FS model (that’s Full Size to you and me), with miniKORG 700S and PS-3300 models soon following. Excellent and amazing all around, but we need more. Here then are five synths that need a remake, like, yesterday.…

Ewan Bristow has released ANINA, a free spectral shaping plugin for macOS and Windows. A new plugin from Ewan Bristow is always good news, like UZU and LOCD, released toward the end of 2025. But ANINA might be a particularly pleasant surprise for some. While ANINA is a new plugin, it is not a new [...] View post: Ewan Bristow releases ANINA, a FREE spectral shaping plugin View the full article