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…

Tweakbench has released Jigsaw, a free pedal board effect plugin for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS. This one is not groundbreaking, but it is still a reason to celebrate for me. Tweakbench is an old-school indie developer, and seeing that name in the news takes me back to the old days, when there were only [...] View post: Tweakbench releases Jigsaw, a FREE pedal board effect plugin View the full article

Jeesonic has updated EQ Pro, its free 24-band dynamic equalizer plugin for macOS and Windows, to version 1.2.2. I rarely cover free plugin updates in the news section because we get free updates every day. But I felt like sharing this one because EQ Pro is definitely one of the best free EQ plugins right [...] View post: Jeesonic updates EQ Pro, one of the best FREE EQ plugins right now View the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Tonalic plug-in brings real performances by studio musicians directly into the DAW. PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT Tonalic – the plug-in from the creators of Melodyne – brings real performances by world-class studio musicians directly into the DAW, adapting them musically to your own chords, tempo, and groove, with the sound, the feel, and all the detail that […] The post Celemony’s Tonalic Expands appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Full Bucket Music will soon release FB3, a free software emulation of the Kawai K3 hybrid synthesizer from 1986. I first saw the news on Synth Anatomy, run by my good friend Tom, and the first proper look comes from Espen Kraft’s video based on a beta version of the plugin. FB3 is not publicly [...] View post: Full Bucket Music FB3, a FREE Kawai K3 emulation, is coming soon View the full article

iZotope Japan is giving away VEA, the Voice Enhancement Assistant plugin, for free until July 31st at 23:59 Japan time. The giveaway is part of the Japan-limited iZotope Mix & Master Sale 2026, which celebrates iZotope joining Boris FX. The broader sale runs until August 16th, but the free VEA offer ends much earlier, so [...] View post: iZotope Japan is giving away VEA for FREE until July 31 View the full article

Jan Schulten has released RealCassette, a free cassette tape effect plugin and standalone app for Windows. Most BPB readers already know that I absolutely love processing sounds with cassette tapes. That probably became obvious somewhere between BPB Cassette 808, BPB Cassette 909, and the newer BPB Cassette Drums plugin. So yes, RealCassette is my kind [...] View post: RealCassette is a FREE cassette tape plugin and standalone app for Windows View the full article

Eugene Yakshin of Hvoya Audio has released Gneiss, a free morphing multistage filter effect plugin for macOS and Windows. As I mentioned before, I am taking a look at some of my favorite KVR Developer Challenge entries this year, and Gneiss is another one I really liked. It is free to download as part of [...] View post: Hvoya Audio releases Gneiss, a FREE morphing multistage filter plugin View the full article

Dystopian Waves has made DroX II Pro, its glitch and stutter audio effect, free for a limited time on Gumroad. The Pro version is currently listed as $0+ and 100% off, down from its regular $35 price. I do not see an expiry date on the Gumroad page, so it is probably best to grab [...] View post: Dystopian Waves makes DroX II Pro FREE for a limited time View the full article

SoundMorph is retiring the original standalone TimeFlux software, which is now available for $9 until July 31, down from its regular $149 price. I just received an email from SoundMorph about the retirement deal, and it’s both great news and sad news. After July 31, the original standalone TimeFlux will be removed from the SoundMorph [...] View post: SoundMorph TimeFlux available for only $9 until July 31 View the full article

Purafied Audio has made Liquid Death Snare free again, dropping the price from $38 to $0 for a limited time. I just received an email from Purafied Audio about the offer, and this is definitely a nice one to catch if you work with acoustic drums. If you have a weak acoustic snare track that [...] View post: Purafied Audio makes Liquid Death Snare FREE again View the full article

A whole generative ambient rig behind one worn reel-to-reel face. … Read More Tunary Intros SILT Generative Tape Loop InstrumentView the full article

You don’t have to splash out for Eurorack to get some of its benefits. Here are some of the ways that modular has changed traditional synths for the better. Plus recommendations for Eurorack synthesizers to try yourself. Have you fallen head-first into the Eurorack lifestyle? No, me neither. I have a few modules here and there but I have yet to take the plunge. Expense is the big barrier for me, honestly, but I’m also just so enamoured with traditional synthesizers. If only there was a way to combine the familiarity of a more traditional, normalled synth with the freaky benefits of Eurorack. Well, increasingly, there is. Thanks to the rise in popularity of Eurorack, we’ve…

Gliff is a free guitar-based plugin for macOS and Windows that’s aimed at guitarists and keyboardists alike. So, there are two ways to approach this plugin: one is as a guitarist looking to create clean, polyphonic MIDI chord patterns that you can drag and drop into your project. The appeal might be that you’re a [...] View post: Gliff is a FREE MIDI guitar translator for macOS and Windows View the full article

Matari Audio has released BUFFR, a free public beta of a retrospective audio, system audio, and MIDI capture plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Important note before we get into the details: the public beta is free, but each beta license lasts 21 days from first use. There is no announced beta program end date, [...] View post: Matari Audio releases free public beta of BUFFR, a retrospective audio and MIDI capture plugin View the full article

Expressive E has released Noisy 2.6, a major update to its noise-through-resonance software synthesizer. Noisy 2.6 is a free update for existing Noisy 2 owners. For a limited time, new users can get it for €89/$89 (40% off), before it returns to its regular €149/$149 price. I remember playing one of Expressive E’s early keyboards [...] View post: Expressive E launches Noisy 2.6 with new resonators, effects, and presets (INTRO OFFER) View the full article

Chase Bliss has announced that they are no longer pursuing an v1.5 update to the CHOMPI sampling keyboard.… Read More Chompi Sampling Keyboard Firmware Meets End Of Road, But May Go Open SourceView the full article

RocketVerb is an algorithmic reverb plugin that derives its behavior from analysis of public space audio, planetary recordings, and astronomical data sonifications, generating every reverb tail in real time rather than replaying impulse responses or samples.… Read More New Algorithmic Space Reverb, RocketVerb, Free Through August 22, 2026View the full article

Synthesizers.com - the creator of the modern Moog format standard - has introduced the Q210 Complex Noise, a powerful new module that they describe as a "noisemaker's playground".… Read More Synthesizers.com Intros Q210 Complex Noise, First New Module In 2 YearsView the full article

PartialString is a software synthesizer that models the vibration of a plucked string in real time using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation of the one-dimensional wave equation.… Read More Different Instruments Intros Free Physical Modeling Synthesizer, PartialString, For macOS, Windows & LinuxView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Assembly required – and that’s a good thing It’s always interesting how the most successful, durable synth manufacturers – and Korg is certainly that and a lot more – have a finger to the wind. Here’s an affordable little mixer that integrates the kind of synth setups musicians are using today perfectly, complete with Eurorack-level […] The post KORG NTS-4 Analog Performance Mixer appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Friendgineer Labs has released Chance, a free random multi-FX plugin for macOS and Windows. Chance is another 2026 KVR Developer Challenge entry I liked this year. I will take a closer look at a few more KVRDC plugins separately, but this is one of my favorites because I simply love plugins that can give you [...] View post: Friendgineer Labs releases Chance, a FREE random multi-FX plugin View the full article

Westwood Instruments has relaunched Roots, its series of free virtual instruments, in the developer’s own plugin format. We have covered the Roots series several times on BPB while the instruments were available for Kontakt Player, including Untold Strings and Dust Piano. My favorite one was Dust Piano, but overall these are very cool instruments with [...] View post: Westwood Instruments relaunches FREE Roots instruments as plugins View the full article

Here's a look at recreating the sound of classic '70s string synths with the Korg multi/poly synthesizer. … Read More How To Recreate The Classic ’70s String Synth Ensemble Sound On The Korg multi/poly SynthesizerView the full article

Loopop video host Ziv Eliraz has introduced a new project, the Synth Stand and Pedal Board Synthesizer.… Read More 3D Print Custom Synth Stands, Pedal Boards & MoreView the full article

SinTH2 is a hardware synthesizer with 60-voice polyphony, five sample oscillators, a 3GB waveform library, extensive hands-on controls, and a 16-step polyphonic sequencer.… Read More New Monster Synth, SinTH2, Combines 60-Voice Polyphony With Five Sample OscillatorsView the full article

Voyage Voyage is a free shimmer reverb, created as part of the KVR Developer Challenge 2026.… Read More Free Shimmer Reverb, Voyage Voyage, For Linux, Mac & WindowsView the full article

PatchRig FX is a new multi-effects app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that lets you use and create custom effects boards. … Read More New Multi-Effects Rack, PatchRig FX, Lets You Create Custom Boards Via PromptsView the full article

Blueprint: Textural Sax is the latest addition to the free and wonderful Blueprint collection by Fracture Sounds. More specifically, it’s the latest addition to Blueprint’s Textural cinematic libraries. Previous releases include Textural Cello and Textural Violin. Like the other Textural libraries, Textural Sax isn’t about making an exact recreation of the instrument. It’s about taking [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases Blueprint: Textural Sax, a FREE experimental woodwind library for Kontakt Player View the full article

UnplugRed and BlepFX have released Sucrose, a free harmonic and subharmonic generator for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Sucrose was created as an entry for the 2026 KVR Developer Challenge, and I will cover several plugins I really liked from this year’s KVRDC. This is definitely one of them. I love the overall concept a lot. [...] View post: UnplugRed and BlepFX release FREE Sucrose harmonic generator View the full article