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The 60 Best Free VST Plugins Ever Made

  • marshallsoundz
  • Dec 23, 2016
  • 6 min read

We tirelessly searched the internet to bring you the best free VST plugins out there.

Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins are the tools you need to build your perfect sound, shape it with audio effects, and mix it all together to your taste.

This list will give you everything you need: the best Bass VSTs, VST Effects, Drum VSTs, Synth VSTs, some Very Strange Things, Vocal Plugins and VSTs for extra Analog Warmth—For free!

Simply put this list will have you covered to make your next banger and more. Ready to dig in? Let’s go.

Bassline Synth VSTs

1. Steinberg – Model E

Steinberg_Model-E

The Model E is a useful 3 oscillator bass station capable of pumping out some nice lines.

2. TAL – Elek7ro

TAL_Elek7ro

The Tal Elek7ro synth-plug is good for pretty much everything. Including making some nice full basses for your tracks.

3. Plogue – Sforzando TableWarp2

Plogue_TableWarp2

The TableWarp2 is part of Plogue’s Sforzando bundle. It’s a versatile synth that gives you tons of classic sounds…

4. NUSofting – Sinnah

NUSofting_Sinnah

The Sinnah is great. It can create cool noisy tones with its 3 channel delay matrix and feedback sculpting.

5. TAL – BassLine

TAL_Bassline

The TAL-Bassline has a warm analog sound and ‘robust core‘ for all your bass and acid needs.

6. U-He – Tyrell N6

U-He-Tyrell_n6

The U-He TyrellN6 is a powerful overall plugin that will give you all varieties of nice analog synth sounds.

7. Ample Sound – Ample Bass P LITE II

Ample-Bass_P

The Ample Bass P Lite II is a nice electric bass plug perfect for some groovier and more rock-centric bass sounds.

8. LinPlug – Free Alpha 3

LinPlug_AlphaFree

Free Alpha 3’s 2 oscillators are perfect for all sorts of nice basses and the built-in presets are superb starting points for all types of bass and more.

9. Bruce Sutherland – JuceOPLVSTI


JuceOPLVSTI’s interface is a lot like a video game and is super easy to use to get some superb basses, leads and pretty much any other sound you need from an FM synth.

10. Synister – SYNISTER

Synister

Synister is one of the best looking and easiest to use synth plugins I’ve ever seen. This 3 oscillator synth is perfect for making all types of basslines.

VST Effects

11. Valhalla — Freq Echo

0000_ValhallaFreqEcho

The Freq Echo is a frequency shifter with analog echo emulation. It adds chorus, phasing and flanger effects.

12. Softube — Saturation Knob

0007_saturationknob

Had to add the Softube at the last second cause it’s just so sweet. Dave Pensado loves it too.

This Saturation Knob is one the best free analog emulation plugins out there. Grab this bonus plug and go!

13. MH Thump Percussive Subharmonic Synth

0003_Thump

MH Thump adds low end to your track. It recreates that nice thump you get on a vintage TR-808 drum machine.

14. Tritik — Krush Bit Crusher


Krush is a very elegant bit crusher. It creates that crunchy digital bit reduction effect.

15. Mercuriall — TSC Overdrive

0008_TubesCreamer

Meet the Mercuriall Tube Screamer 808—your new overdrive effect plugin. Modelled after the Ibanez TS-808 pedal.

16. Pecheng — Tremolo


0007_PechengTremolo

The Pecheneg is a tremolo effect. It gives you the power to create rhythmic modulations with your sound.

17. TAL — Chorus-LX

0009_TalChorus

TAL’s stereo Chorus-LX is inspired by the Roland Juno-60 chorus. It’s a simple but powerful tool.

18. TDR — Nova EQ

0006_Nova

The TDR Nova is a four-band dynamic Equalizer (EQ). A true workhorse.

19. U-He — Protoverb 1.0

0005_ProtoVerb

The Protoverb 1.0 by U-He is a different kind of reverb. It lets you generate random settings and save the ones you like.

20. CableGuys — PanCake 2

0004_Pancake

The PanCake 2 is most flexible panning effect you’ll ever find. It lets you manually draw the curves of your panning modulation.

VST Drums

21. Mx Project — T.Rex 606


The T.REX 606 is a compact rompler modelled after the iconic Roland TR-606 drum machine.

22. Wavosaur — DjinnDrum

B_01__0001_Djinndrum

The Djinndrum has you set for all that classic sound that the iconic Linn LM-1 drum machine packs in.

23. Studio Linked — Drum Pro

B_01__0006_DrumsPro

Drum Pro has 20 built in drum kits, 12 pads and global effects, what more do you need from a drum machine plugin?

24. Real Drum Samples — Line Of Legends

B_01__0009_RealDrums

This plugin boasts 47 high quality samples, 8 individual output channels, and punch, release & attack knobs for some serious tweakage.

25. Sean Pandy — Drums Multi

B_01__0004_SeanPandy

If you’re looking for a heavier metal-style drum sound on your mix, this VST will definitely give you it.

26. Teragon Audio — KickMaker

B_01__0008_KickMaker

The KickMaker is a plugin built for crafting the perfect kick. So what’re you waiting for? Get kickin’.

27. BeatSkillz — Beat Factory Drums

B_01__0005_BeatFactory

Beat Factory Drums is easy to use, sounds great, and packs a serious punch.

28. MT Power — Drum Kit 2

B_01__0007_MTPower

The MT Power Drum Kit 2 has a top notch drum sounds that cut through any mix AND a fully pre-programmed groove library.

29. Dub Turbo — DrumTroop

B_01__0002_DrumTroop

The DrumTROOP drum machine is big both in its sound and what it offers. It’s a “weapon of mass production.”

30. Sample Science — Vintage Drum Elements

B_01__0003_VintageDrumElements

Vintage Drum Elements has a nice, warm analogue sound that vintage drum machines have.

VST Synths

31. Dexed – FM Plugin Synth

dexed

Dexed is a frequency modulation synth, the perfect FM VST plugin. It’s closely modelled after the iconic Yamaha DX7.

32. Audjoo — Helix

helix

The download of Helix is a ‘trial’ but it’s fully functional. It gives you ‘soaring leads, solid basses and glimmering pads.’

33. Martinic — Combo Model F

ComboModelF

Combo Model F is perfect for when you need a fun little organ sound.

34. Synth1

Synth1

SYNTH1 is hosted on Geocities Japan. So get ready to take a walk down memory lane.

35. Brain Control — TuneFish 4 Synth

Tunefish4

Tunefish 4 is a versatile free VST synth that can create just about anything: pads, leads, bass or any other tasty sound your track needs.

36. Muon — Tau Bassline

taubassline

The Muon Tau Bassline is modelled after the Roland 303. This small but powerful VST synth gives you that sweet sweet 303 bass we all know and love.

Some Very Strange Things

37. U-He —Triple Cheese Synth

TripleCheese

U-he makes cheesy infinitely fun with this ridiculous comb-filter synth.

38. Ohm Force — SymptOhm PE

symptohmPE_ss_funky

Any instrument that has a preset called ‘Dirty Maurice’ instantly caught our attention. And it didn’t disappoint when we started playing with it.

39. MDSP Smart Electronix — Livecut Beat Chopper

livecut-0.9

LiveCut is a beat chopper that runs on some less-than-normal logic. Make some freaky loops!

40. Tytel — Helm Synth

helm_screenshot

Helm is a synth VST. But you can run it anywhere, change the source code and generally modify the crap out of it.

41. Alan Vista Plugins

Chau-Gongs_vst

We had to put Alan Vista Plugins on this list. But we couldn’t decide on just one. So we picked all of them.

42. Darwin Arts — Trilobite

trilobite_1_2_show_all_vanity_shot

Apply the basic laws of Darwin evolution to grow your synth patches over time with the Trilobite.

43. Wavosaur — VST Speek

AUSpeek-audio-unit-text-to-speech

This spell-and-speak plugin reads back anything you type into it. All in a tweakable voice capable of some pretty strange sounds.

44. Piz — Harsh Digital Nose

hdn2

If a shape could make a sound, what would it sound like?  Draw shapes, lines, or pictures right inside this plugin to see what they sound like.

Vocal VST Plugins

45. TDR — Proximity

1_Proximity

The Tokyo Dawn Proximity lets you change the mic placement AFTER you record. Useful and pretty cool!

46. Acon Digital — Multiply Chorus

2_Multiply

Vocals need some color. Acon Digital’s Multiply Chorus will thicken up your sound.

46. Melda — MAutoPitch

3_MautoPitch

Auto-tune is the vocal mixer’s secret weapon. MAutoPitch is one of the best auto-tune plugins around.

47. Voxengo — OldSkoolVerb Auto-Tune

4_OldSkool

OldSkoolVerb has got you covered in terms of vocal reverb. Create the perfect sonic space in your mix.

48. Klanghelm — DC1A Compressor

6_Klanghelm_DCA12

The DC1A is a nifty character compressor. It has you covered “from smooth levelling to heavy pumping.”

49. Alex Hilton — A1 Trigger Gate

7_A1_TriggerGate

Using a step-style sequencer the A1 Trigger Gate packs in a boat load of cool effects.

50. Glitch Machines — Hystheresis

10_Hysteresis

This delay plugin creates “robotic artifacts and abstract music malfunctions.” Count me in.

51. Acustica — Ochre EQ

8_Ochre

The Ochre from Acustica is super useful. It’s perfect for sculpting out the best vocals you can.

53. Fine Cut Bodies — La Petite Excite

9_LaPetiteExcite

Exciter plugins add subtle harmonics for some extra sonic-excitement in the high range. Throw this one on your vocal track.

Analog Warmth Plugins

54. Shattered Glass Audio — SGA1566 Tube Preamp

0003_sg_a1566

Use the SGA 1566 as a saturation compressor to boost the warmth of your track. Or add a bit of grit with the tube overdrive.

55. TDR — Slick EQ

0000_slickeq

The TDR Slick EQ is a sleek easy-to-use three-band EQ that gives you amazing sound—like all Tokyo Dawn Records plugins.

56. Shattered Glass Audio — Ace Amp

0002_sg_ace

This amp plugin has simple controls and doesn’t eat up your CPU.

57. Vladg — Molot Compressor

0001_molot

Vladg’s Molot is a compressor with character. It will give your sound interesting color.

58. Voxengo — Tube Amp

0004_voxengo_tubeamp

Voxengo’s Tube Amp gives you warm overdrive, fuzzy distortion and everything in between.

59. Klanghelm — MJUC Jr. Compressor

0005_mjucjr

Klanghelm’s MJUC jr. compressor is simple and elegant. Use it for smooth compression or a heavier pumping effect.

60. Tone Boosters — TB Reelbus Tape Emulator

0006_tbreelbus

The TB ReelBus simulates everything that’s great about a tape machine: warm saturation, tape hiss, wow and flutter and more.

Download the TB ReelBus For Free (the demo version works great).

Gotta Catch’em All

Now that you got all these free VST plugins, time to hit the studio! Download the entire collection and experiment.

Record better vocals or a stellar synth line. Get freaky with Very Strange Things or stay classy with classic effects.

No more excuse for not finishing that track!

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