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…

Schematic Sound has made Aurora, its DJ-style waveform visualizer plugin, open-source and available as a free pay-what-you-want download. Aurora is a VST3/AU plugin that brings the frequency-colored waveform display you see in DJ software like Rekordbox, Traktor, and Serato into the DAW. I used DJ software quite a bit in the past (mostly at friends’ [...] View post: Schematic Sound makes Aurora waveform visualizer plugin FREE and open-source View the full article

Portway DSP has released PINGPAN, a physics-driven auto-panner with a ping-pong delay, sweepable filter, and, believe it or not, a playable Pong-style game mode. We are taking a closer look at the plugin and giving away one free copy to one lucky BPB reader. PINGPAN is the debut plugin from Portway DSP, created by developer [...] View post: Portway DSP launches PINGPAN physics-driven auto-panner plugin (GIVEAWAY) View the full article

AudioDeluxe is offering Solid State Logic’s SSL X-Limit limiter plugin for $10 in an exclusive deal. SSL X-Limit normally costs $49, so the current $10 price cuts 80% off the regular price. It ends in 13 days, which means it should run until around June 30th. If you already had X-Limit on your wishlist, I [...] View post: Get Solid State Logic SSL X-Limit for $10 at AudioDeluxe View the full article

Developer Ankalot has released the 0.4.3 version of Xenroll, a free and open-source microtonal piano roll for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Xenroll is a free and open-source piano roll plugin that allows you to define pitch with an accuracy of one cent. There are 100 cents in a semitone, which means you have 1200 cents [...] View post: Ankalot releases Xenroll , a FREE and open-source microtonal piano roll plugin View the full article

Piruz Labs has launched three new plugins: The Guilt Device, Thrilled Groove, and Synthimatic. The Guilt Device is a degradation engine that embraces the darker side of cinematic emotion, and it costs $39 with a 14-day free trial available. Thrilled Groove and Synthimatic are free synths that deliver the sound of 80s horror and visual [...] View post: Piruz Labs releases two FREE synthesizers and The Guilt Device degradation plugin View the full article

Cherry Audio has introduced Ensoniq ESQ-1, a virtual instrument for macOS & Window that captures the recreates the classic ESQ-1 hardware hybrid digital/analog synthesizer.… Read More Cherry Audio Intros Virtual Ensoniq ESQ-1 SynthesizerView the full article

Shadaloo Audio DSP has released Vinland Drive, a free vintage tape emulator plugin for macOS and Windows. We recently covered Wide, Shadaloo Audio DSP’s free stereo and spatial enhancement plugin, and the developer also released H, a free tone and loudness enhancer, earlier this year. Those were both decent plugins, and Vinland Drive continues in [...] View post: Shadaloo Audio DSP releases Vinland Drive FREE tape emulator plugin View the full article

Collaya has launched a new co-producer plugin and standalone app for Apple Silicon Macs. The idea behind Collaya is to bring an AI-assisted writing partner directly into the DAW, rather than sending musicians to a separate browser tab or a prompt-based music generator. It runs as an AU/VST3 plugin in supported Mac DAWs and is [...] View post: Collaya launches in-DAW co-producer plugin for Apple Silicon Macs View the full article

Justin Sheriff is offering De-Space, his so-called “bedroom studio cleanup” plugin, as a free download for one week only. De-Space is listed as a pay-what-you-want product with a suggested $5 contribution, but you can enter zero and download it for free during the promotion. If you record vocals, acoustic instruments, podcasts, or voiceovers in an [...] View post: Justin Sheriff offers De-Space recording cleanup plugin FREE this week View the full article

W.A. Production is offering Vocal Splitter as a free download with the coupon code GETWAVS. Vocal Splitter normally costs $29, but you can add it to your W.A. Production account for free by applying the GETWAVS coupon at checkout. I don’t see an end date listed for this offer, so it’s worth grabbing sooner rather [...] View post: W.A. Production offers the Vocal Splitter plugin for FREE for a limited time View the full article

Buchert Audio has released The Double Wide, a free one-knob stereo width plugin for macOS. The Double Wide is a simple utility for narrowing or widening a stereo signal. It’s almost too easy, but also super useful. You turn the knob left to make the source narrower or turn it right to make it wider. [...] View post: Buchert Audio releases The Double Wide FREE stereo width plugin for macOS View the full article

drop_out audio has released MonoDelay, a lo-fi delay, synth, and noise instrument inspired by Korg’s cult toy synth/delay. MonoDelay is the first release from drop_out audio, a one-person plugin company founded by Martijn Kerkhof in the Netherlands. This is not a free plugin, but the 14-day trial is fully functional and has no audio drop-outs, [...] View post: drop_out audio launches MonoDelay lo-fi delay plugin (INTRO OFFER) View the full article

Audio Plugin Deals is offering Mutant Delay by W.A. Production as a free download for a limited time. Mutant Delay usually costs $39, but you can currently add it to your Audio Plugin Deals account for $0. I couldn’t find an end anywhere, so grab it sooner rather than later if you need a nice [...] View post: Get W.A. Production Mutant Delay FREE for a limited time View the full article

The Persistent Series from developer Kage Production is a collection of seven free plugins (beta stage) available in VST3 format for Windows. Before I list the individual plugins, I want to expand on compatibility a little, as there are a few things I’m unclear about. The Kage Production website says, “Persistent Series aims to support [...] View post: Kage Production releases the Persistent Series (beta) plugins for Windows View the full article

The Unusable Engineering line contains 9 audio effects, plus Curves & Membranes, a mono synth built around Bézier wave shaping, orbital motion, and a membrane-style filter model.… Read More Unusable Engineering’s Plugins Now Available on WindowsView the full article

Mercurial Tones has released Dagon, a free resonance control plugin for macOS and Windows. Dagon sits in the same broad category as plugins like oeksound soothe2 and Baby Audio Smooth Operator. It basically lets you detect resonances, harsh notes, and level spikes in context, then pull them down without flattening the whole track. Similar to [...] View post: Mercurial Tones releases Dagon FREE resonance control plugin View the full article

Synthesist Craig Padilla shared this video, capturing a live studio performance, with Marvin Allen, of their track Architects Of Time.… Read More Craig Padilla & Marvin Allen – Architects Of Time StrippedView the full article

Vladimir Kuzmin, the Russian engineer and synthesizer designer best known for creating the Formanta Polivoks synthesizer, has died.… Read More Polivoks Synthesizer Designer Vladimir Kuzmin Has DiedView the full article

The alternative firmware adds a lot of features, including Trig Conditions, per-track Loop Length, new Spee options and more. … Read More Elektron Monomachine Alternate Firmware In-Depth DemoView the full article

Arturia has launched the MiniLab 37, the latest addition to the MiniLab MIDI keyboard controller series. The MiniLab series has been around since 2013 and has become one of the most popular budget-friendly controllers on the market. A new kind of MiniLab Although MiniLab controllers have been around for well over a decade and improved [...] View post: Arturia launches MiniLab 37: More keys and more possibilities View the full article

They say that this makes your bass instruments feel larger, more focused, and mix-ready.… Read More New Plug, SubMass, Helps You Get ‘Massive Bass Response’View the full article

Uryan Modula, a company specialising in hand-built Eurorack cases and enclosures, has released Vaelyra Stryn, a free resonant string/pluck synth for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The Hungarian modular experts also offer free plugins, samples, and theory guides. At the time of writing, Uryan Modular has the following plugins on offer: Waeler Aether Drift Elysa Morph [...] View post: Uryan Modular releases Vaelyra Stryn, a FREE resonant string/pluck synth View the full article

Gulf Coast Synthesis has released GCS Model 8 v3.0, a standalone 24-track tape machine and studio environment for macOS, Windows, and iPad. GCS Model 8 is a dedicated recording environment built around the sound, workflow, and limitations of a multitrack reel-to-reel tape machine. Most modern DAWs are designed to make editing as flexible as possible, [...] View post: Gulf Coast Synthesis releases GCS Model 8 v3.0 tape-based DAW (intro offer) View the full article

Rekkerd Sounds has made several sound packs available as pay-what-you-like downloads, which means you can grab them for free by entering zero as the price. The packs were originally released around ten years ago, but they are still worth checking out if you use any of the featured synths. There are four soundsets available, covering [...] View post: Rekkerd Sounds preset packs for Massive, Serum, Spire, and Sylenth1 are now FREE View the full article

The MPC60 was developed by Akai and Roger Linn and released in 1988, and went on to be used on classic albums by DJ Shadow, Dr. Dre, J Dilla, MF Doom and others.… Read More Akai MPC60 Retro Gear ReviewView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Its features include three octaves, pads for drumming and clip-launching, and a software bundle The following release from Arturia compares their new 3-octave keyboard controller to their previously best-selling controller, which had two octaves. It looks intriguing. One feature that sticks out is its 5-year warranty, which says something about its build quality. They also […] The post Arturia’s New MiniLab 37 MIDI Controller appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

From @synthandsoftware - It expands on the Mini 37 and 49 White in the MK4 line, with three or four octaves The choice of keyboard controllers has expanded today. This one has a lot of appealing features, including ready-to-go integration with the major DAWs as well as support for Native Instruments’ NKS standard to control a lot of […] The post Novation’s Launchkey 61 MK4 White Keyboard Controller With Five Octaves appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Studio Kozak has released FALA, a free vintage-inspired BBD chorus plugin for macOS and Windows. This is another guitar stompbox-style plugin we have covered this week. The last one was GRIM3 Overdrive from Aurora DSP, while FALA is a chorus plugin shaped like a simple guitar pedal. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it [...] View post: Studio Kozak releases FALA, a FREE BBD chorus plugin View the full article

Bedroom Producers Blog is teaming up with Bjango for another giveaway! We are giving away three Robot Rocket licenses and three Chaos Line licenses, so six BPB readers will win in total. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below and tell us your favorite song that uses a talkbox or vocoder. We will randomly [...] View post: GIVEAWAY: Win 3 x Bjango Robot Rocket vocoder and 3 x Chaos Line sequencer View the full article