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…

HoRNet Plugins has released HoRNet TapeLite, a free tape saturation plugin for macOS and Windows. TapeLite is a straightforward tape machine emulation designed to add non-linear behavior to clean digital recordings. There’s no trial period and no copy protection for this one. You just create a free HoRNet account, download the freebie, and keep it [...] View post: HoRNet Plugins releases FREE HoRNet TapeLite tape saturation plugin View the full article

On Saturday, The Crow Hill Company launched its new Tuned Gongs library for Vaults, which is now available for free download. The Vaults range of plugins runs on macOS and Windows in AU, VST3, VST, and AAX formats. Tuned Gongs features four… wait for it… tuned gongs that the dev suggests were cast for gong [...] View post: Tuned Gongs is a new FREE library for the Vaults plugin View the full article

A few days ago, I mentioned that we hadn’t seen many sample packs on our freebie desk over the last few weeks. Now, a few days later, as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours, and we’re amid a shower of free sample packs with more on the way. The latest offerings are two [...] View post: Sounds of Horror and Junk Store Finds: Get two free and unusual sample packs View the full article

KuramaSound has released AnalogChannel, a free VST3 channel strip plugin for Windows that combines several Airwindows (among others) DSP algorithms into one convenient workflow. AnalogChannel feels like a curated compilation of some of the best free DSP algorithms around, wrapped into a single, practical signal chain. The developer behind KuramaSound has pulled together faithful ports [...] View post: KuramaSound releases FREE AnalogChannel plugin for Windows View the full article

Shattered Glass Audio has released Phoenix LT, a free analog tube preamp simulation plugin for desktop platforms and iOS. This release caught my attention because Phoenix LT is essentially the successor to the discontinued SGA1566 preamp. In my opinion, SGA1566 was one of the best free tube preamp plugins on the market for years, and [...] View post: Shattered Glass Audio releases Phoenix LT, a FREE tube preamp plugin for desktop and iOS View the full article

PSP AudioWare has released PSP stereoAnalyser2, a free stereo metering plugin for macOS and Windows, just in time for the holiday season. This isn’t a “free for a limited time” promo that later turns into a paid product, either. PSP stereoAnalyser2 is a permanently free plugin, and it’s essentially an updated and improved version of [...] View post: PSP AudioWare releases PSP stereoAnalyser2 plugin for FREE View the full article

Fracture Sounds is back with the next addition to the free Blueprint series, Dream Zither. Even though these Blueprint instruments are free, I feel like a salesman because I go on about how good they are so often. But if you haven’t tried them yet, please do, they are epic. Dream Zither is the 25th [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases Blueprint: Dream Zither, a FREE ethereal plucks library for Kontakt Player View the full article

Edu Prado Sounds has made their Hapi Drum available for free download as a Christmas gift, and you can run the virtual instrument on the free Kontakt Player. Native Instruments’ free Kontakt Player is a sampler for macOS and Windows, available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats. The Hapi Drum (also known as a steel [...] View post: Edu Prado Sounds drops FREE Hapi Drum for Free Kontakt Player View the full article

Soundtrack Loops has launched the SCHAR “Get Ready For Me” Remix Contest, a free-to-enter competition inviting producers worldwide to reimagine the latest track from electronic artist SCHAR (Scharliina). Remix contests don’t always catch my attention, but this one stands out thanks to the quality of the prizes and the clear focus on creativity instead of [...] View post: Soundtrack Loops launches SCHAR “Get Ready For Me” remix contest with impressive prizes View the full article

The OB-1 belongs to the timeless elite of classic mono synthesizers. It ranks among the very best and shares its place in the top 10 with legends such as the… Read More The post Oberheim OB-1 – unique lead-synth with memories appeared first on GreatSynthesizers. View the full article

You finish a mix. Inside the DAW it slaps — punchy, wide, energetic. You export it… and suddenly it sounds flatter, quieter, and less exciting. Good news: you didn’t imagine it, and you didn’t suddenly forget how to mix. This is a very common technical + perceptual problem, and it usually comes down to a few fixable issues. Let’s break down why it happens — and how to prevent it. View the full article

Acustica Audio has released STONE, a free tone-shaping channel strip plugin for macOS and Windows. STONE is an Acqua plugin inspired by rare British broadcast and studio hardware from the 1960s and 1970s, and it’s permanently free with no limitations or demo mode. If you’ve followed Acustica Audio for a while, you’ll know that, coming [...] View post: Acustica Audio releases STONE, a FREE tone-shaping channel strip View the full article

Embertone has released E.L.V.E.S., a free virtual choir instrument for Kontakt, available for a limited time during the holiday season. E.L.V.E.S. stands for “Embertone Lyrical Voice Elevation System, although the name very much serves the purpose of being an acronym for elves. This is a playful holiday sample library designed to sound like a tiny [...] View post: Embertone offers E.L.V.E.S. festive choir instrument for Kontakt FREE for a limited time View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering the ROYAL 2 virtual bass guitar plugin by UJAM for just $9, down from the regular $119 price tag. That’s a massive 92% discount, available until January 4th (and you also get a free gift with your purchase). ROYAL 2 is part of UJAM’s Virtual Bassist series. It shares the [...] View post: ROYAL 2 virtual bassist plugin by UJAM is only $9 at Plugin Boutique View the full article

InnerMost47 shared this video demo of Obsidian Neural, a plugin that brings AI-generated samples to your DAW. … Read More Obsidian Neural Brings AI-Generated Samples To Your DAWView the full article

Acadie is based on the Omnichord OM27, and features a sequencer, arpeggiator and polyphonic synthesizer.… Read More Acadie Automatic Chord Machine For Eurorack, Inspired By Omnichord OM27View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering Wavesfactory Trackspacer for just $29, down from $59 in a 50% off deal. The holiday promo for the dynamic EQ and sidechain compressor plugin will expire on December 31, 2025. Trackspacer is a 64-bit only release for macOS (VST, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST, AAX). Wavesfactory describes Trackspacer as similar [...] View post: Wavesfactory Trackspacer is Now Just $29 in 50% Off Plugin Boutique Deal View the full article

NoirSonance has made its entire plugin catalog available as pay-what-you-want, with a minimum price of zero, meaning you can grab everything completely free if you like. We’ve covered NoirSonance plugins on Bedroom Producers Blog several times in the past, including the free EQ6 and EQ6 (b) equalizers and a trio of compressors released earlier this [...] View post: All 12 plugins by NoirSonance are now FREE with optional donations View the full article

Flame Sound has released Futuristic Textures, a free sample pack designed as a preview of an upcoming Vital soundbank by HydraTek. The pack was created by Fabio Gotti, also known as HydraTek, and it gives us an early taste of the sounds that will appear in his forthcoming Vital Soundbank, due to land on Flame [...] View post: Flame Sound releases free Futuristic Textures sample pack View the full article

Tsuga Audio created Envosound, a free retro-gaming-inspired synth for macOS and Windows with ambient and experimental music producers in mind. The free synth combines the nostalgic sound of 80s gaming hardware with modern features and effects. Envosound isn’t the only retro-gaming-inspired synth we’ve covered recently; check out the free Junior-Lite 4-bit wavetable synth by Fors. [...] View post: Tsuga Audio releases Envosound, a FREE retro-gaming-inspired synth View the full article

Kushview has released PulseDial, a DTMF synthesizer plugin that transforms classic telephone keypad tones into a playable musical instrument, and it’s currently free until Christmas. PulseDial would be the perfect fit for the best weird plugins of 2025 article I wrote a few days ago. It’s definitely an odd instrument, but I kind of dig [...] View post: Kushview PulseDial telephone signal synthesizer plugin is FREE until December 25 View the full article

Excite Audio has made Bloom Bass Groove Lite free for a limited time on Plugin Boutique as part of its holiday promotion (ends on January 11). You can get Bloom Bass Groove Lite using the coupon code PB-XMAS-25, which drops the Lite version’s usual price ($29) to zero for the duration of the deal . [...] View post: Excite Audio Bloom Bass Groove Lite is FREE on Plugin Boutique during the holidays View the full article

This Christmas, Dutch electronic music producer Legowelt is spreading festive joy by releasing a free sample pack he created with his trusty Prophet 600. You can download the free pack from Legowelt’s website (via WeTransfer) with no sign-up or fuss. The pack includes 386 WAV files (16-bit mono), including basses, pads, chords, strings, and more. [...] View post: Legowelt releases a FREE Prophet 600 sample pack for the holiday season View the full article

This video captures a live performance by Silver Galaxy at Synthesizer Museum Berlin. … Read More Silver Galaxy Live Performance At Synthesizer Museum BerlinView the full article

This video captures a live modular synthesizer performance by Hélène Vogelsinger, 'Slow Returning'.… Read More Live Modular Synthesizer Performance – Hélène Vogelsinger’s Forgotten FuturesView the full article

Karanyi Sounds announced that Minipol, a virtual analog synthesizer for macOS and Windows, is available for a limited time during the holiday season. You can grab your free copy by visiting the promo page on Karanyi Sounds’ website and entering your name and email address. Once you do that, Minipol lands in your inbox, no [...] View post: Karanyi Minipol virtual analog synthesizer is FREE during the holidays View the full article

Fors has introduced Junior, a 4-bit software synth that's inspired by the Nintendo Game Boy soundchip. … Read More New Software Synth, Junior, Inspired By Nintendo Game Boy SoundchipView the full article

Fors releases Junior-Lite, a freeware 4-bit wavetable synth plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Fors Junior-Lite is the little brother of Junior (£29), and, like its big brother, it simulates the sound of the Nintendo Game Boy. While Junior-Lite doesn’t emulate the Game Boy sound with absolute accuracy (we have GB DrumBox for that), it [...] View post: Fors releases Junior-Lite, a FREE 4-bit wavetable synth plugin View the full article