Music Production Forum

The gold standard of synthesizers gains a long list of features and sounds Spectrasonics’ popular Omnisphere software synth has long been the industry benchmark. It combines several different kinds of synthesis (and sampling), a big and versatile library of sounds, great effects, excellent sound quality, extensive MIDI control… and a huge list of useful features. […] The post Spectrasonics Omnisphere 3 – a Major Update appeared first on Synth and Software.

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…

The latest Pro Tools update brings Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, SoundFlow automation, and new Inner Circle Rewards to music creators and post professionals Avid has officially launched Pro Tools 2025.10, the newest version of its flagship DAW packed with powerful updates for immersive music creation and faster workflows. The latest release brings native support for [...] The post Avid Unveils Pro Tools 2025.10 with Immersive 360 Reality Audio, Smarter Workflow Tools appeared first on DJ Life Magazine. View the full article

From the Crow Hill Company comes Harmonium, their latest addition to the free Vaults series. The Vaults series from The Crow Hill Company has already delivered some wonderful free instruments in its relatively short existence. Lo-Fi Strings and Bridge Guitar are two great examples from earlier this year. Harmonium is the latest addition, and, like [...] View post: The Crow Hill Company releases Harmonium, the latest addition to the FREE Vaults series View the full article

Softube’s Transient Shaper is currently available for just $10 at AudioDeluxe. That’s an 89% discount from its usual $89 price. Transient shaping can completely change how a sound sits in your track. The ability to emphasize or tame the attack and sustain of a sound is essential for getting punchy drums and bass. Of course, [...] View post: Get Softube Transient Shaper for only $10 at AudioDeluxe View the full article

Developer Dystopian Waves has a bunch of interesting Max for Live devices on their Gumroad page. Now you can get Drox II, a glitch and stuttering effect, for free. Please note that this requires Max for Live and Ableton Live (both paid). Drox II is a real-time audio manipulation device that can infuse movement, complexity, [...] View post: Drox II is a FREE Max for Live glitch effect by Dystopian Waves View the full article

FuturBeats has released FuturBeats Trap, a free AI-assisted VST/AU/Standalone plugin for macOS and Windows that helps producers generate and arrange beats in seconds. The plugin delivers eight loop stems that are musically compatible and ready to drag directly into your DAW or desktop. A built-in feature called EXPAND takes those loops further by automatically generating [...] View post: FuturBeats releases AI-powered FuturBeats Trap plugin for instant song inspiration View the full article

99Sounds has released Cinematic Sounds, a free collection of cinematic sound effects and loops curated from Flame Sound’s professional sound design libraries. This new release is a small but carefully selected showcase of premium-quality cinematic sounds from Flame Sounds’ premium libraries. It contains braams, booms, impacts, whooshes, textures, and rhythmic loops, all now available for [...] View post: 99Sounds releases Cinematic Sounds, a FREE cinematic SFX and loop library View the full article

The late Florian Schneider’s personal items are being auctioned off, a Sennheiser VSM-201 Vocoder included. Ever wanted to be a robot? Now you can, or at least your voice can, if you buy the exceedingly rare Sennheiser VSM-201 Vocoder that’s going up for auction next month. Not only is the vocoder rare on its own, but when you factor in the fact that it was owned by Kraftwerk co-founder, the late Florian Schneider, the mind boggles at how special this piece of gear is… The post Own Kraftwerk’s Vocoder and Other Amazing Kling Klang Studio Gear appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

There’s a definite ambient and atmospheric vibe this week, with Odes for Kontakt and Surfaces for the Ambient Ø, plus a unique electric piano library and evocative fretted string tones... The post Beautiful Odes and Ambient Tones – Sounds and Presets appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Following its v1.9 update in July – introducing a series of AI-powered features – Universal Audio has issued another sweeping update for its free digital audio workstation, LUNA… The post Universal Audio’s LUNA 2.0 DAW has arrived: Here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

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It feels like we can’t turn any corner without running into a DAWJunkie plugin these days, and that’s no bad thing. Their latest release is the Lil Bottom bass synth, which is free for a limited time. We’ve covered the prolific developer multiple times already this month and last, with releases like Slurpy Jr., RazorPluck [...] View post: DAWJunkie releases the Lil Bottom bass synth (FREE for a limited time) View the full article

To best understand Telepathic Instruments’ Orchid, it’s important to establish the many things it is not. It is not a keyboard, though it has an octave-worth of chromatic keys. It’s not a portable workstation, like the TE OP-1, though it does have built-in speakers, onboard effects and can capably loop. It’s not a MIDI controller, though it can punch very hard in that department, too… The post Telepathic Instruments Orchid review: What’s not to love? appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

It looks like Behringer may be cancelling plans for their EMS VCS3 knockoff and Pro-16 synthesizer. … Read More Behringer VCS3, PRO-16 Cancelled?View the full article

It’s often said that nothing is more intimidating than a blank project when you’re starting a new song. That’s only true if you approach it expecting the one idea in this one blank project could, will, become your next big hit. In reality, the blank project can be one of the most exciting parts of the process when you treat it like a sketchpad for fast experimentation. This article explores how to get ideas out of your head and into your DAW as quickly as possible, and how the tools inside the new NKS Kontakt library, Dopamine, help make that happen. We’ll walk through five practical ways to use Dopamine to capture, refine, and expand ideas rapidly so you can produce more…

You can now score JMG Sound / United Plugins’ Lofinity degrader plugin for just $15 (normally $69) in a 78% off introductory deal. JMG Sound debuted the plugin on October 14, 2025, and the intro deal expires on November 30, 2025. Lofinity is a Windows and macOS release for VST, AAX, and AU. JMG Sound [...] View post: Get JMG Sound’s Lofinity Degrader for $15 in 78% OFF Intro Deal View the full article

Developer Analog Obsession has released MidBoss, a free mid-frequency saturator for macOS and Windows. Very few freeware announcements are celebrated with the same level of excitement and expectation as news of another Analog Obsession release, and with good reason. Analog Obsession has a proven track record of creating free plugins that overdeliver with a unique [...] View post: Analog Obsession releases MidBoss, a FREE mid-frequency saturator for macOS and Windows View the full article

Native Instruments, Universal Audio, and Cableguys are currently offering a real treat for your wallet – even before the big Cyber Week promotions. These three manufacturers are known for their sound quality, creativity, and studio efficiency. They have significantly reduced the prices of their best tools. From legendary synthesizers to precise mixing tools and clever effect plugins, this week’s offers are definitely worth browsing. If you want to update your DAW with fresh sounds, here are three reasons to pay closer attention – and maybe take the plunge... The post Native Instruments, Universal Audio, Cableguys: 3 Ultimate Software Deals! appeared first on gearnews.com.…

FuturBeats is a new AI-Powered VST/AU/Standalone app, designed to streamline Trap, Hip Hop, and R&B beatmaking.… Read More New Application, FuturBeats, Streamlines Hip Hop, Trap & R&B BeatmakingView the full article

With the AmpliTube 5 deal on Plugin Boutique, the IK Multimedia 2025 All-In Group Buy becomes one of the best deals we’ll see all year, and I’m saying that even with Black Friday on the horizon. Here’s the short version: you can buy AmpliTube 5 for just $29.99 on Plugin Boutique and instantly unlock over [...] View post: Spend $29 on AmpliTube 5 and get 42 IK Multimedia Plugins for FREE View the full article

The sale features some iconic classics, like an Oberheim OB-Xa, Rhodes Chroma & a Roland VP-330 MK-1.… Read More Reverb.com Keyboard Sale To Benefit The Bob Moog FoundationView the full article

Every producer wants that moment — the drop that makes the crowd lose their minds. But it’s not just about louder kicks or heavier synths. What makes a drop feel huge is deeply rooted in psychology — how the human brain perceives tension, release, and contrast. Let’s break down why some drops hit harder than others, and how you can recreate that emotional explosion inside your DAW. View the full article

Arturia has introduced Transient, a new tool for intuitive attack and sustain shaping, multiband processing, and real-time visual feedback.… Read More Arturia Intros Bus Transient Shaper PluginView the full article

AudioThing and Bedroom Producers Blog are giving away 10,000 free licenses of Things Fold, a versatile wavefolder plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Usually priced at €19, Things Fold has been around for a couple of years, but this special offer gives BPB readers a chance to grab it for free. We have 10,000 free [...] View post: AudioThing Things Fold is FREE on BPB (10,000 Licenses Available) View the full article

Developer Quietformat has released Transient Control, a free transient shaper for macOS and Windows. Quietformat is a name we’ve seen often in 2025; over the last few months, the busy developer has released the Auralis effects series (includes two free plugins), MELINO (a sample-based virtual instrument), and TILLTONE (a free one-knob tone shaper). This time, [...] View post: Quietformat releases Transient Control, a FREE transient shaper for macOS and Windows View the full article

Developer 23DSP is offering its StereoChorus plugin for free. The plugin is available for both Windows and macOS in VST and AU formats. If the name didn’t give it away, StereoChorus is a dual-channel modulation plugin that allows you to dial in chorus effects for the left and right channels separately. This can open up [...] View post: Get StereoChorus by 23DSP for FREE View the full article

Universal Audio is wrapping up one of its biggest sales of the year! The UAD Triple Crown Compressor Bundle is currently available for €52.50 (down from €1,021.88) until October 21st. That’s a massive 94% discount for three of the most iconic compressor collections ever modeled in software. The UAD Triple Crown Compressor Bundle includes the [...] View post: Final Hours To Get 94% OFF Universal Audio’s Triple Crown Compressor Bundle View the full article

The Usual Suspects—known for their superb emulations of synths such as the Access Virus TI and Nord Lead 2X—have taken on the Roland JP-8000 and JP-8080! JE-8086 emulates both synths at the chip level, bringing the two virtual-analog legends to your computer for free! ... The post The Usual Suspects JE-8086: 2 Trance Legends for the Price of … None? appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Audiomovers has introduced AirCaster, a new monitoring tool that lets you listen to mixes on AirPlay-enabled speakers, without needing bounce your mix.… Read More Audiomovers AirCaster Lets You Preview Your Mixes On Airplay-Enabled SpeakersView the full article