redconfetti
If you have a limited budget and want to get the tools you need for music production, here’s a list of free plugins that will work for Mac or PC.
Effects
Bundle
- Air Windows Consolidated - A single plugin that provides multiple plugin types (Clipping, Distortion, Dynamics, Filter, Noise, Reverb, etc). Hundreds of plugins. See APMastering Free Plugins Video
Dynamics
This category includes compressors and limiters, used to shape the volume of tracks. A very essential music production tool for those that know how to use it.
I highly recommend this 10 hour video on compression - How to Use Compression. You can learn so much with just the first 3 hours of the video. I highly recommend watching just a bit at a time to take everything in.
Honestly you should be able to get by with the compressors included with your DAW, but these are free and might provide more options.
Equalizers
- Tokyo Dawn Records VOS Slick EQ - mixing/mastering equalizer
- Tokyo Dawn Records Nova - parallel dynamic equalizer
Filters
- Filter Force Free - Provides 2 out of 21 filter types. Paid version is only $19
- TAL Filter 2 - host synced filter module with different filter types, panorama and volume modulation possibilities. Can be used for tremolo or trance gate effects
- Caelum Audio FluxMini 2 - filter with modulation options
Distortions / Saturators / Amp Simulators
- AP Mastering Saturation
- PlayPM AnyAmpIR - Simple amp simulator plugin based on Impulse Response based emulations
Reverb / Echo / Delay
- Valhalla Supermassive - 21 out-of-this-world reverb/delay modes
- Valhalla Space Modulator - Eleven algorithms for flanging, echos, reverbs
- Valhalla Freq Echo - Frequency Shifter + Analog Echo Emulation
- TAL Reverb 4 - high quality plate reverb with a vintage 80’s character
Chorus
- TAL Chorus LX - vintage chorus effect that emulates the Juno 60 chorus
Tape Emulation
Tape emulation is very useful for obtaining a retro lo-fi feel with your recordings, adding noise and slight wavering to the audio.
- Chow Tape Model
- Cassette Transport - simulates the sound of tape speeding up and slowing down. Included with free plugin pack by WavesFactory
- Caelum Audio - Tape Cassette 2
Analyzers
- Tokyo Dawn Records Prism - frequency analyzer, useful for comparing two audio signals
Software Synthesizers
- Classic Subtractive Synthesis - Good for beginners
- Blamsoft
- VK-1 Viking - Classic monophonic analog synthesizer. This is a great start for those wanting to learn classic subtractive synthesis such as that provided by the Minimoog
- TAL
- Tal Noisemaker - virtual analog synthesizer with a great sound and low CPU usage
- Cherry Audio
- Surrealistic MG-1 Plus Synthesizer - Based on the Realistic Concertmate MG-1, it’s like a RadioShack MiniMoog. It doesn’t have all the capability of the MiniMoog, but still simple and charming.
- Blamsoft
- Intermediate
- The Wave Warden
- Advanced
- Vital
- Vital - Wavetable / Additive synth
- Surge
- u-He
- Triple Cheese
- Zebralette - Easy spectral synth
- Tyrell N6 - Virtual analogue with classic architecture plus extras
- Poldoski - Virtual analogue synthesizer
- DSP56300 - Require firmware files to run, perhaps found in Internet Archive
- Vital
Modular Synths
I recommend that anyone wanting to understand synthesizers learn the basics of patching up a subtractive synthesizer, similar to the Minimoog, to understand how synthesizers are really wired internally. It will make it so that when you see a non-modular synthesizer, you’ll be able to guess how it works much easier instead of being mystified and confused.
- Cardinal - Modular software synth based on VCVRack. See my video, Subtractive Synthesis for Beginners Tutorial with Cardinal if you need help understanding how to use Cardinal.
Samplers
- Decent Sampler - Simple sampler, supporting sample libraries provided by Decent Samples, including several created by Venus Theory
- One Small Clue
- Poise: Percussion Sampler - This will satisfy those needing a percussion sampler for drums