1. Best Virtual Analogue Synth
2. Best Virtual Synths
3. Best Virtual Analog Synth Software
4. Best Virtual Analog Synthesizer
5. Diy Analog Synth
6. Best Free Virtual Analog Synthesizers

It’s been a while since I surveyed the market for free software synths, so I thought I’d give it go and see what’s new and what has stood the test of time. Some of these instruments were released as prototypes or were the early experiments of developers just entering the market.

Free stuff is not always actually free. Often you will follow a link only to find out that it’s a free “demo”. Aren’t all demos supposed to be free?? In other cases, free software is dangled like a carrot in order to get your email address or to entice you into buying other products, preset libraries, add-ons, etc.

Well, business is business, and I suppose everyone needs to make a buck. I really don’t mind spending a few dollars for some shareware now and again to support a budding developer. But it behooves even the most experienced consumer to proceed with caution when the word free is thrown around.

What follows are some awesome sounding instruments in no particular order that are indeed free with very few strings attached. And if you can stomach a little extra spam, some of these may prove valuable additions to your stockpile of synths.

1. TyrellN6 by u-he

Dave Smith Instruments – Mopho X4 Polyphonic Analog Keyboard Synthesizer. Based on the hugely successful Mopho monophonic analogue synth, the Mopho x4 takes the original model and adds four voice polyphony to allow you to create immense unison basses, smooth leads and percussive sequences, with the possibility of pads now being added to the mix. Mar 11, 2019  What Are the Best Synth Plugins? It is an exciting time to be a music producer. Virtual instruments continue to evolve in impressive ways. Many modern software synthesizers offer unique features that create and shape sounds like never before. However, choosing the best synth plugins is. Surge by Vember Audio is the best free synthesizer VST plugin right now. It is an insanely powerful hybrid subtractive synth with a dual synthesis engine, three oscillators per voice, eight algorithms per oscillator, two multi-mode filters with eight filter types, twelve LFO modules per voice, eight FX slots with ten different effects, and more.

• Virtual analog with classic architecture, plus extras.
• Two oscillators, noise, ring modulator.
• Two LFOs with eight waveforms that are host-syncable.
• Audio source mixer with authentic overdrive and filter feedback.
• Twin filter related to Diva (early model).
• Unison with up to eight voices.
• Analog-type ADSR envelopes, loopable or LFO-triggered.
• Small modulation matrix with depth modulation from a second source.
• Chorus effect with three modes.
• MIDI learn / unlearn for hardware control.
• Resizable UI from 70% to 200%.
• Skinnable UI.
• Over 580 factory presets.

This thing is responsive as hell and sounds sweet! I love the stained and grungy aesthetic of the interface. It’s really hard to believe it’s free. But it serves its purpose I suppose because it truly whets the appetite for more stuff from u-he.

2. Dexed

Dexed is an emulation of the classic FM synth: Yamaha DX7.

From the Github page:

“Dexed is a multi-platform, multi-format plugin synth that is closely modeled on the Yamaha DX7. Dexed is also a midi cartridge librarian/manager for the DX7. Do not expect this to be a perfect clone of a DX7 since this will take years in the open source world and multiple collaborators before getting there … Since Dexed is modeled on the DX7, the Yamaha DX7 Operating Manual can be used as a reference documentation.”

The interface is a little cluttered and is more functional than it is aesthetically pleasing, but there are a ton of sonic possibilities with this for those willing to dig in.

3. MiniSpillage

“MiniSpillage is a free professional quality drum synthesizer plugin featuring high-resolution 64-bit DSP processing.
MiniSpillage includes three exclusive drum synthesis algorithms along with distortion effects and resonant filters.”

• Bass Drum – Single oscillator bass drum synth with pitch sweep, internal FM and harmonic controls.
• Wood Drum – Flexible wooden drum model synthesizes natural and synthetic timbres from log drums to toms.
• Hi-Hat – Six oscillators closed and open hi-hat generator with a noise source and dual resonant filters.

This is a great free option for those that want to create their own drum sounds with modulation, filtering and distortion effects.

4. Crystal Synth by Green Oak

This is one is a bit frustrating and takes a while to get anything remotely usable. The interface is on the clunky side. But a little patience can be rewarding.

5. Lokomotiv

Lokomotiv is an analog retro synthesizer that is impressive from the first launch. Its austere interface is surprisingly responsive and sounds immediately great.

Oscillator:

• Mathematically generated high definition Oscillator without using wavetable or interpolation.
• Silky smooth 9X detuned sawtooth wave.
• Pulse wave with self PWM.
• Shape morphing sub-oscillator.

Filter:

• MG ladder modeling multimode filter featuring Zero Delay Feedback technology.
• Routable filter Drive (Pre/Post).

Modulator:

• Natural Curved ADSR Envelope generator.
• One-shot LFO which can be used as envelope.

Specification:

• 1X OSC (Saw+ Pulse) + One Sub OSC, Noise Generator.
• 1X multimode Filter with Drive.
• 1X LFO, 1X Envelope Generator.
• Eight polyphonic voices, Mono and Legato mode supported.
• 64 Factory presets included.
• Native 64-bit, Mac and Windows OS supported.

6. Digits from Extent of the Jam

This one sports a subdued color palette with beefy growls, preset chords and brass sounds. A bit of crackling when parameters are modified, but worth the time to download for sure.

7. Spitfire Audio – LABS

Not long ago, Spitfire Audio released an ongoing series of completely free instruments called LABS. These are very, very simple sampled instruments with just a handful of controls and they sound really, really good. So far the collection includes:

• Charango
• Electric Piano
• Amplified Electric Cello Quartet
• Drums
• Strings
• Soft Piano

If you’ve used any of the Spitfire Sample Libraries before, you know how well they’re recorded, and these instruments are no exception. While you won’t get the flexibility or deep sampled variety of a full-scale library, you will get a great sound that can be slightly varied to taste. While these are sampled instruments as opposed to synths, they’re free and so good that I felt they warranted inclusion.

8. TAL NoiseMaker

This is one my of favorite choices. The interface is accessible, clean and to the point and thick, beefy sounds are possible from the get-go. Really nice!

From the developer: “TAL NoiseMaker is an improved version of TAL-Elek7ro and has a completely new synth engine and a lot of improvements in sound and usability. The synth also includes a small effect section with a reverb, chorus and a simple bit crusher effect. A display shows the knob and slider values. This allows more control over the synth. A ring modulator and a syncable triangle are also part of this synth.”

TAL NoiseMaker includes new filter types and the self-resonating 6 dB low pass and notch filter. Its improved amplitude ADSR is very suitable for slow pads and for really fast envelopes. 128 factory presets included, 80 made by Frank “Xenox” Neumann.

Features:

• Three Oscillators. Osc 1, +/- 24 semitones, fine tune, phase control (saw, pulse, noise). Osc 2, +/- 24 semitones, fine tune, phase control (saw, rectangle, triangle, sine). Sub Osc (rectangle).
• Osc 1 PM for pulse waveform.
• Osc 2 FM controlled by Osc 1.
• Osc 1 & Osc 2 sync to sub osc (saw, pulse, rectangle, triangle (bipolar sync)).
• Adjustable master tune and transpose.
• Up to six voices.
• Portamento in mono and poly mode (off, auto, on).
• Ringmod modulates Osc 1 with Osc 2.
• Self resonating 4x oversampled filters (24 dB LP, 18 dB LP, 12 dB LP, 6 dB LP, 12 dB HP, 12 dB BP, Notch).
• Filter ADSR (negative and positive).
• Volume ADSR
• Routable ADSR, modulates Filter, Osc 1, Osc 2, PW, FM (negative and positive)
• Two LFO’s with different running modes: free, sync to host, triggered by note. Modulates filter, Osc 1, Osc 2, FM, PW, LFO rate, Panorama and Volume. Sine, Triangle, Saw Square, S&H, Noise. Positive and Negative modulation. Phase control.
• Adjustable Velocity-dependent control over volume filter contour and cutoff.
• Adjustable Pitch Wheel control over Cutoff and Pitch.
• One pole HP filter.
• Detune, detunes notes randomly.
• Juno chorus with different modes.
• A built-in reverb and delay.
• Adjustable filter drive.
• Bitcrusher affects Osc 1 and Osc 2. It’s a pre-filter stage effect.
• MIDI Learn for all knobs.
• Panic button.
• Easy to use, no hidden panels.
• 256 great presets (Presets by Frank “Xenox” Neumann, The Unshushable Coktor, Alexandra Sendy, TAL, Patrick Kunz).

9. Thump by Metric Halo

Thump is a unique audio processor that allows you to synthesize low-frequency audio to add low end to a track or generate another sound entirely. Thump looks at the pitch and dynamics of its audio input and uses this information to control its oscillators. You can add low end to drums, augment a bass or even create synthetic drones.

Thump is ideal for beefing up a kick drum, adding low end to percussive tracks, recreating classic drum synth sounds and more. You can use Thump’s envelope driven, percussive sub-harmonic synth for the following things (among others):

• Build low-octave support for bass drum, tom, snare and other percussive tracks.
• Create kettle drum sounds from regular drum tracks.
• Recreate the sounds of classic drum synths like the TR-808.

The effect of Thump is similar to generating a sine wave or other waveform on a gated track that is side-chained to a transient on another track such as a kick. But Thump allows more control, two oscillators that can be changed on the fly and more pitch specific envelope control. If you like kicks that are thick as hell and challenge the range of human hearing, you will like Thump a lot.

NOTE: the instrument requires a transient input to be activated so you would use it like an insert rather than a standalone synth.

10. Synth 1 by Daichi Laboratory

While the interface is a bit nasty and pixelated, Synth 1 by Ichiro Toda is modeled after the Nord Lead 2 Red Synth and sounds decent. It doesn’t take long to get a few usable sounds and the onboard arpeggiator is great for experimenting. (Manual)

Best Virtual Analogue Synth

11. PG-8X by Martin Lüder

“The PG-8X is a virtual synthesizer, inspired by the Roland JX-8P with the PG-800 programmer. The synth architecture is a standard 2-oscillator -> Filter -> VCA design. These elements can be modulated by a common LFO and one of two envelopes. The PG-8X is patch compatible with the JX-8P and can read and write JX-8P Sysex data”. (Manual)

Conclusion

While these instruments may not be the best things in life — they are free. And it has been my experience that there is something to be learned from every piece of software, as there is from all types of music. Experimentation and exploration yield untold rewards for the adventurous, and freeware is a great place to start your journey or a means to unshackle yourself, at least temporarily, from the financial constraints that plague us all.

—–

Check out my other articles, reviews, interviews and my video tutorial series, Synthesis 101 available exclusively on The Pro Audio Files.

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on Jan 08, 2017 in Synths & Sound Design 4 comments

Any top-10 (OK, top-7) list of virtual synthesizers will, ultimately, be pretty subjective—everyone has their own idea of what constitutes the coolest toys when it comes to making and mangling sounds for creative musical ends. Even so, a list of the most impressive soft synths will certainly end up including some models that would be on anyone’s wish list, along with a few more personal choices—and this collection pretty much fits that bill.

I tried to limit this list in a few ways, to make it more manageable.. I omitted instruments that are primarily samplers—even though many of the models here utilize samples as source material, they don’t mainly present them as realistic simulations, but as raw material for heavy processing. I stuck to synths that are—at least to me—geared to playability, and not primarily sound design or scoring effects. And I selected synths that are not emulations of specific classic hardware models, but stand on their own merits.

So without further ado, here are a few of my choices for the slickest soft synths around.

1. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2

Omnisphere is one of those synths that would probably turn up on just about everyone’s lists. Like many of the synths on this list, Omnisphere (currently Omnisphere 2) combines a number of synthesis techniques, including both oscillators and sample-based source material (including user waves), wavetable synthesis, granular synthesis, and even FM. Combining a huge factory library with comprehensive programming options, the emphasis is on heavily processed sounds of all kinds, from traditional synth tones to dense swirling pads to arpeggios to shifting, chugging, twinkling soundscapes and musical noises that defy easy description. Playability includes nice touches like the Orb, a real-time joystick-type controller that can simultaneously vary many parameters. Omnisphere has been around for quite a while, and has certainly earned its place on a list of soft synths that hardware synths really can’t touch.

Web:https://www.spectrasonics.net/products/omnisphere/index.php

Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-spectrasonics-omnisphere-2

Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/omnisphere

2. NI Massive

Native Instrument’s Massive is another synth that’s been around for years, and its popularity and sound pretty much guarantee it a place of honor. Massive follows a traditional subtractive synthesis models, with oscillators (three, plus noise) filters (two), amplifier, modulation (LFO), and effects. But there’s much more to it than that simple description suggests.

Massive’s oscillators are more than just simple analog waves (like sine, square, sawtooth, pulse, etc.)—they’re Wavetables, which, besides those basic, traditional shapes, also include a large collection of richer and more complex wavetables to use as raw material, making for a much wider range of possible sounds. The overall subtractive architecture is familiar enough to be accessible to most synthesists, yet it offers extra levels of flexibility, accessed from the various programming tabs in its center panel, like the Routing panel, where you can view and tweak the signal flow of the various modules that make up a patch, and the drag-and-drop icons that make quick work of building up modulation patching. All in all, Massive’s combination of accessibility and flexibility have made it a perennial favorite among synthesists of all stripes.

Web:https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/massive/

Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/massive

3. NI Reaktor

Another entry from Native Instruments, Reaktor (currently Reaktor 6) is not really a synthesizer per se—it’s potentially every synthesizer you could imagine. Reaktor is an object-oriented programming environment for building your own synthesizers, and it’s one of the most powerful tools available for those who want ultimate control over their instruments. But you don’t have to have a degree in computer programming or DSP to use Reaktor—while it does contain a daunting set of under-the-hood tools and building blocks, it also comes with a large collection of finished synthesizer designs—called Ensembles—and there are many more available from third-parties as well. Some of these are available as separate, stand-alone synths, like NI’s own Razor (an additive synthesis design), Prism (a physical modeling instrument), and Monark (a well-regarded take on the venerable Minimoog).

But the real power of Reaktor comes when you go behind the front panel, and delve into the nuts & bolts of synthesizer architecture. Taking full advantage of everything the programming environment has to offer may require a significant investment in time and energy, but for inveterate tweakers it’s well worth the effort, going well beyond even the possibilities available from assembling your own modular synth in the real world.

Web:https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/

Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-native-instruments-reaktor-6

Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/reaktor

4. Rob Papen Blue II

Rob Papen offers a number of popular synths (like Predator, Blade, and others, including the now-discontinued Albino), but Blue (currently Blue II) is probably the flagship of the line. Utilizing when Papen has dubbed “Cross-Fusion Synthesis”, Blue II combines FM, Phase Distortion, Waveshaping, and Subtractive synthesis, to create one highly flexible and great-sounding instrument. No less than six (!) oscillators freely combine all the different methods of sound generation in a single patch, and the graphic display makes routing and processing relatively easy for a synth with so many options. The helpful graphic displays include features like a straightforward FM matrix and graphic envelopes, along with sequencer and arpeggiator pages, and make Blue II’s programming power readily accessible, making it easy and efficient to tweak sounds—far easier than twiddling hardware knobs blindly.

5. LennarDigital Sylenth

LennarDigital’s Sylenth has become a very popular synth of late. Unlike many of the other entries in this list, it’s not a be-all, do-all, end-all design. Sylenth is designed to do one thing—emulate classic analog synthesis—but do it exceptionally well. It’s a dual-layered design, with 4 traditional analog-style oscillators, and a classic subtractive synthesis architecture. All the virtual analog components were carefully designed to offer the rich sound of their real analog counterparts, with alias-free oscillators, and filters that include nonlinear saturation and self-oscillation options.

A comprehensive set of envelopes, modulators, and an arpeggiator is rounded off with a full array of audio effects—everything needed to achieve classic analog synth sounds with the warmth and edge of traditional hardware synths is included. A faux LCD panel helps simplify programing the more tweaky features, and flexible routing allows for the two oscillator layers to cross-feed the filters, making for an especially nice bit of analog character in the digital world.

Web:https://www.lennardigital.com/sylenth1/

Course:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=topic/sylenth

6. U-he Diva & Zebra 2 & Repro 1

U-he is not a synth, it’s a company—actually it’s software developer Urs Heckmann (plus a small staff), who’s come up with many excellent and characterful synth designs (and effects plug-ins) over the years, many available as freeware (like the popular Zoyd synth, and the unique Triple Cheese, which uses comb filters to generate/process its sounds). The U-he line includes several synths, but I want to focus on two of the most popular, Zebra 2 and Diva.

Urs describes Zebra 2 as a “wireless modular synthesizer”—it incorporates many types of synthesis, including subtractive, additive, and FM, along with an equally versatile array of sound-modifying tools like comb-filtering (physical modeling), all freely patchable. Only modules used in a particular patch are displayed, reducing front-panel clutter, and making for a more streamlined interface. The centrally-located modulation grid offers an easy way to connect modules, and helps visualize signal flow in complex patches. And for performance, Zebra 2 offers a “Perform” panel, with no less than four (!) programmable and assignable X/Y pads.

Diva, on the other hand, is a more dedicated analog-style synth—it models the sounds of various classic analog synth modules. But two things set it apart from other analog modelers. The first is that you can mix and match components/modules inspired by different synths, creating hybrid designs. The other is Diva’s cutting-edge approach to modeling analog circuits, which promises to achieve the next level in emulating the nuance of real analog instruments. This faithfulness to real analog sound brings with it a bit of a CPU hit, but users have embraced it, so this Diva may be worth her high-maintenance ways.

Best Virtual Synths

Web:https://www.u-he.com

Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-uhe-repro1

Course:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/uhe

Best Virtual Analog Synth Software

7. AAS Modeling Collection

Best Virtual Analog Synthesizer

As I said earlier, lists like this typically combine entries that are on everyone’s top-10 with choices of a more personal nature—this last entry probably reflects my interest in physical modeling techniques. AAS—Applied Acoustic Systems—makes a variety of virtual instruments and “sound banks”—their instruments are based on physical modeling, which, as you may know, is a method of creating a sound by emulating the physical way that sound is created in the real world. So instead of traditional oscillators, filters, and envelopes, you’ll typically find exciters, disturbers, and resonators—simulations of different vibrating materials, striking, plucking, bowing, and blowing techniques, and complex resonances and timbral responses.

Diy Analog Synth

AAS’s modeling collection includes instruments that put these kinds of tools to use emulating strings, guitars, electric pianos, and even analog synth circuitry, but the two I want to mention are Tassman, a general-purpose physical-modeling synth, and their latest, Chromaphone, which is dedicated to modeling all manner of percussive sounds. Both of these instruments let the user synthesize highly realistic sounds, thanks to the physical modeling of acoustic sound-generation, but those sounds don’t necessarily have to emulate actual instruments—for more creative applications, the modeling tools can be used to create very acoustic-sounding instruments that don’t—maybe couldn’t—actually exist in the real world, but sound (and play) like they do! Physical modeling technology is widely used nowadays for processing—component modeling is routinely employed to simulate the circuit path of classic analog hardware, including synth components like oscillators and filters—and it’s gradually being applied more to instrument design.

Wrap-up

Best Free Virtual Analog Synthesizers

Virtual dj 8 windows 7 download free. Like with any list, there are plenty more great synths I could have included but didn’t, for one reason or another (I decided to limit my choices to separate plug-ins, eliminating obvious possibilities like Alchemy and Sculpture, which are exclusively built-in to Logic). I also didn't include any audio examples—how can you boil the characteristic sound of synths that each offer so much variety into a few seconds of one or two patches? There are plenty of audio demos available online, along with trial versions of most, if not all, of the synths I mentioned, and I think the best approach for anyone who wants to get to know what particular models are capable of is to go ahead and try ‘em out yourself—a little homework that, for once, should actually be a lot of fun!