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…

July 2026 has been a month of serious hardware releases and thoughtful industry reckoning. Behringer's AKS Mini synth and Novation's expansive new 88-key Launchkey MK4 controller grabbed attention, but perhaps the most interesting story was the music industry's coordinated push back against AI-generated content: TIDAL and others introduced labelling systems and royalty blocks, whilst Eldoraudio launched practical tools like its Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter. Meanwhile, the synth world paused to celebrate Tom Oberheim's 90th birthday and Rhodes marked its 80th anniversary with a limited-edition MK8/80AE piano, reminding us that sometimes the classics never go out of fashi…

UJAM and Rhodes are offering UFX LOFI, UJAM’s retro degradation effect plugin, as a free download for newsletter subscribers. This is a separate Rhodes/UJAM giveaway page, and the process was a bit smoother than the V-Rack offer I covered earlier today. I entered my email on the promo page, and about a minute later, I [...] View post: UJAM and Rhodes offer UFX LOFI plugin for FREE View the full article

UJAM is giving newsletter subscribers a free copy of Rhodes V-Rack, but there are a few hoops to jump through. The offer is available until July 19, so I’m posting this one literally minutes after getting the plugin so that BPB readers catch this on time. I received an email from UJAM with the subject [...] View post: Get Rhodes V-Rack for FREE via UJAM’s newsletter View the full article

Developer Reyes Amplifonics has recreated the Harmony H303 tube amp with three new plugins (two of which are freebies). Reyes Amplifonics’ three new plugins include Triode, Reyes 303, and Kill Filter. Triode is a paid plugin, costing $39.99, while the other two are free to download. Before we get into the plugins, let’s take a [...] View post: Reyes Amplifonics recreates the Harmony H303 tube amp with three new plugins (two freebies) View the full article

Developer Venn Audio has updated Free Suite, its free essential mixing suite to version 1.5, adding four new plugins. You might remember we covered Venn Audio’s Free Suite a few years ago – a collection of nine essential plugins to help you reach professional standards without reaching into your pockets. The collection went down well [...] View post: Venn Audio updates its FREE essential mixing suite to v1.5: includes four new plugins View the full article

Baby Audio has released SubCulture, a pitch-tracking bass enhancer plugin for macOS and Windows. SubCulture is designed to add low-end weight that stays in tune with a monophonic input signal. In other words, instead of boosting a fixed frequency or adding a static sub-layer, the plugin detects the incoming pitch in real time and uses [...] View post: Baby Audio releases SubCulture pitch-tracking bass enhancer plugin View the full article

Studio Pro 8.1 arrives with baggage. Once known as PreSonus’ Studio One, Fender’s acquisition of the audio brand in 2021 is firmly reshaping the production community’s perception of its flagship DAW. We’re now at the second major version under the guitar titan’s stewardship, and the 2026 rebrand to Studio Pro certainly ruffled some feathers... The post I swapped Ableton Live for Fender’s Studio Pro 8.1 DAW – but is it compelling enough for the change to stick? appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Why it’s not there and how to program one The number of times people at cocktail parties have asked me why many vintage synths’ oscilators don’t have sine waves is ridiculous. And what makes it ridiculous isn’t the question – which is good – it’s that the number is one, and in fact it wasn’t […] The post Vintage Synths – Where’s the Missing Sine Wave Oscillator Shape? appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Behringer today shared this first look at their AKS Mini synth, a compact analog synth, loosely inspired by the EMS Synthi AKS.… Read More Behringer AKS Mini Synth First Look & Audio DemoView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - Novation announces the release of Launchkey 88, the largest keyboard controller in the MK4 range. Press Announcement This latest addition from Novation inherits the deep DAW integration, built-in creative tools, and intuitive workflow features of Launchkey 49 and 61 and pairs them with a custom-designed, 88-key semi-weighted keybed for expressive playing. Launchkey 88 boasts seven-plus […] The post New Novation Launchkey 88 appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Developer MUEDsp has released two free macOS plugins, MUEDsat and MUEDlim. Both plugins are taken from MUEDsp masterchain, a mastering suite that is currently in development. According to the developer Atsushi, each plugin is an actual stage from the master-bus chain used by the developer, pulled out and made free. So basically, these are not [...] View post: MUEDsp releases two FREE macOS mastering plugins View the full article

MAP Audio’s PAM is a pattern-based sampler and drum-synth instrument for macOS and Windows, currently available with an exclusive 15% BPB discount. Use the coupon code BPB15 at checkout to get 15% off PAM until August 15. The regular price is $150, and MAP Audio also offers a rent-to-own option and a 7-day fully functional [...] View post: MAP Audio PAM is a deep pattern-based sampler with an exclusive BPB discount View the full article

OBLIK Audio has released Oblik, a free open beta reverb plugin for Windows. What I appreciate right away is that “oblik” means shape in my language, too. Not everyone will catch the wordplay, probably, but it was clear to me from the start, and it fits the plugin’s idea perfectly. Oblik is built around a [...] View post: OBLIK Audio releases FREE open beta of asymmetric reverb plugin View the full article

Novation’s on a roll: after launching a sleek white edition of its Launchkey 61 MK4 keyboard controller just last month, the company has expanded its Launchkey MK4 range even further with a new 88-key controller, which enters as the largest keyboard in the current lineup. Boasting the same deep DAW integration, rich creative tools and intuitive workflow as the existing MK4 Launchkey 49 and 61 models, the Launchkey 88 arrives with an 88-key semi-weighted keybed. This means more than seven octaves to play with, plus full-size keys for a totally “expressive” experience... The post Novation unveils new 88-key Launchkey MK4 controller – the largest keyboard in the MK4 range ye…

Analogue Solutions shared this preview of their new Filtopia synthesizer, a stereo monosynth that features a unique 5 filter filterbank. … Read More New Analogue Solutions Filtopia Synthesizer Features Unique Filtering CapabilitiesView the full article

The FM-1 is a portable digital FM synthesizer built around a six-operator FM synthesis engine with 32 algorithms.… Read More M-VAVE Introduces FM-1 FM ‘Pocket Synthesizer’View the full article

Bjango has released Double Freak, a free dual oscillator frequency follower plugin for macOS and Windows. Double Freak is one of the several entries I really liked in this year’s KVR Developer Challenge. I will cover a few more challenge entries separately (James also checked some of them out here and here), but this one [...] View post: Bjango releases FREE Double Freak frequency follower plugin View the full article

Plugin Boutique is offering Universal Audio’s Moog Minimoog virtual instrument for €29.25 until July 31, down from €150.25. The offer also includes Plugin Boutique’s current free gift promotion with every purchase, with options like Celemony Melodyne 5 Essential, GForce AXXESS, Audified Toneknob Stargazer, and the W.A. Production, MeldaProduction & United Plugins Gift Bundle showing on [...] View post: Universal Audio Moog Minimoog drops to €29 at Plugin Boutique View the full article

HoRNet Plugins is offering HoRNet Spikes, a transient shaper/processor for macOS and Windows, as a free download for a limited time. The offer ends on July 16, 2026. To get Spikes for free, add them to your cart on the HoRNet website and use the coupon code SPIKESFREE at checkout. The plugin is usually priced [...] View post: HoRNet Spikes transient shaper plugin is FREE for a limited time View the full article

UJAM is offering UFX DELAY as a free download for anyone who signs up for the company’s summer sale mailing list. To get it for free, you’ll need to visit the signup page and enter your email. I tested the process yesterday, and the email arrived right away. Clicking the button in the email opened [...] View post: UJAM offers UFX DELAY plugin as a FREE summer sale signup bonus View the full article

As AI-generated music continues to flood streaming platforms, some of the music industry’s biggest organisations are launching a new labelling system aimed at giving listeners a clearer picture of how the songs they hear were made... The post Music industry proposes new system to tag AI-generated songs: “Fans want to know whether and how generative AI has been used in the music they listen to” appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Eldoraudio has launched Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter, a browser-based tool that transcribes guitar recordings into standard MIDI files. The new guitar converter joins Eldoraudio’s existing Piano Audio to MIDI Converter. You upload an audio file, set the BPM if needed, and get back a MIDI transcription for editing in your DAW. For anyone who [...] View post: Eldoraudio launches Guitar Audio to MIDI Converter for turning guitar recordings into MIDI View the full article

45 Years of Yamaha Entertainer Keyboards - great retrospective video Just watched this one and thought it was worth sharing here: "How Yamaha Entertainer Keyboards Evolved: From First Models to Modern Legends" (Bonedo Synthesizer Channel). It traces the whole PSR-to-Genos lineage - basically the full 45-year arc of Yamaha's arranger/entertainer line, from the early PortaTone-era instruments right through to the current Genos2 flagship. What I liked is that it's not just a spec-sheet run-through - it actually shows how each generation nudged the category forward: bigger sample sets, smarter articulation switching, the jump to touch-screens and live control knobs, and the s…

This masterclass explores the sonic capabilities of Arturia's Polybrute 12, covering everything from its core signal flow and expressive controls to in-depth sound design and patch creation.… Read More Arturia Polybrute 12 Sound Design MasterclassView the full article

Tasty Chips has released firmware version 1.7.0 for the GR-MEGA, introducing a redesigned granular engine, major file management changes, new effects, interface updates, and expanded workflow features.… Read More Tasty Chips Updates GR-MEGA With New Granular Controls, Effects, and Workflow ImprovementsGR-MEGAView the full article

Four days ahead of his 90th birthday, Tom Oberheim can still remember that night in 1979. He was in bed in his hotel room at The NAMM Show in Atlanta fretting about the debut of his new synth, the Oberheim OB-X. “I couldn’t sleep,” he tells me from his Northern California home. “In 1978 my sales were falling very fast…So I got up, went down to the hotel lobby, and wrote the owner’s manuals for the OB-X. The next day, when the show opens, me and my engineer and my sales guy were wondering, ‘Will we still have a company by the end of the day?’” The show started at 10am. By noon, team Oberheim had landed half a million dollars in business. 47 years later, Tom is less concern…

Developer XNULLX has released five free donationware plugins covering granular processing, saturation, wavefolding, spectral smear, and beat slicing. I will be honest right away. I like the tools themselves, but I am getting tired of the current wave of AI-generated plugin websites, where everything starts to feel like the same blocks of text in the [...] View post: XNULLX releases five FREE plugins for sound design and sound mangling View the full article

Korg’s NTS-4 is a compact six-channel performance mixer kit with built-in effects, USB audio/MIDI connectivity, and support for synthesizers, modular systems, and desktop hardware.… Read More Korg Intros NTS-4 Performance Mixer Kit For Compact Hardware SetupsView the full article

Developer Vlastimil Cerveny has released a free browser-based patch editor for the Behringer Phara-O Mini synthesizer. … Read More Free Browser-Based Patch Editor For The Behringer Phara-O MiniView the full article