There are so many plugins out there and when you’re first starting to create music it can be hard to know where to start looking for new sounds or plugins, especially free! Below is a list of free plugins that I use daily and highly recommend checking out!
- Spitfire Audio Labs
- Vital Audio Synthesizer
- Izotope Vinyl
- Valhalla Supermassive, SpaceModulator, FreqEcho
- Klanghelm DC1A3, IVGI2, MJUCjr
- Polyverse Wider
- Xfer Records OTT
- RDG Audio SideChainer 2
- Klevgrand SyndtSphere
- GVST GTune
A massive list of free VST plugin’s provided by the Reddit user: 2njoy3
Spitfire Audio Labs
Spitfire Audio Labs is a software instrument with a massive library of sounds – and it is completely free! From strings, piano, trumpets, ambient noise, percussions, and more. It has a lot! It is worth having for the soft piano alone.
If you’re looking for new sounds you need this plugin.
Vital
Vital is a visual synthesizer that allows you to create almost any synth sound you want! It has full animated controls, filter responses, waveforms, smooth LFOs, oscilloscopes, spectrograms, and more.
This is the free alternative to the more well-known plugin Serum. What’s the difference? Not much to be honest except the amount of user presets available for Serum.
Izotope Vinyl
Izotope Vinyl is a vinyl record simulation plugin. It can add classic sounds vinyl records are known for from crackles to electrical noise. The main feature you may use this for is the warp sound which adds a lofi wobble to your sounds.
In addition to that it features filters to cut the low end out of the sound or add wear – which warms/distorts the sound).
For a free plugin, it packs a lot in it and is a must-have, especially if you produce lofi music!
Valhalla Supermassive
Valhalla Supermassive is a delay and reverb plugin. It can achieve short-suttle reverbs to massive shimmering reverb and delays. This plugin is used everywhere and for good reason.
Valhalla Space Modulator
Valhalla Space Modulator is a modulation plugin that can do chorus, flanger, reverb, detuning, and much more. It can give your sounds a completely new life opening up many possibilities!
Valhalla Freq Echo
The Valhalla Freq Echo is a frequency shifter and delay/reverb plugin that can give your sounds detuned or highly modulated sounds. It’s a great tool to turn stale tone sound more lively or can be used as an alternative to a chorus!
Polyverse Wider
Polyverse Wider is a stereo imaging tool that uses multiple internal filters that causes your sound to sound wide! It can even turn a mono sound into stereo.
The great thing about this stereo widening tool is that it does not introduce many (if any phasing) issues! I like using it on my synth basses or giving a sound more depth.
Xfer Records OTT
The Xfer Records OTT plugin is a multiband upwards/downwards compressor. It is a must-have plugin if you’re producing dubstep or electronic music like EDM.
But, it’s not just for those genres of music!
I find that if my samples are getting buried in the mix, put some OTT on it and it really brings the presence out and breathes life into it!
RDGA SideChainer 2
RDG Audio SideChainer 2 is a free sidechaining tool that allows users to create custom curves and shapes for their sidechains.
It comes with a number of presets and is easy to use. Use it for volume swells, dipping your bass, or adding life and rhythmic elements to your chord progressions!
Klevgrand Syndt Sphere
The Klevgrand Syndt Sphere is a simple sound creation tool. It has a variety of synth-like tones within. It’s a great tool to add extra depth and sounds to your song from string-like sound synths to wobbling gritty tones.
GVST GTune
You may be thinking, why do I need a tuner? Well, most DAWS come with them but when I got FL Studio I noticed it didn’t have one! (FL 21 comes with one now though!)
I like the GVST GTune because it is simple and easy to read. I use a tuner to tune 808’s or find the key of a song. Oh, and tune my guitar of course!
