Doctor Synth’s Favorite Free Instruments:
Virtual Instruments I run on all my DAWs
Please donate to the creators if you use their downloads.
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2Gether Audio – Cheese Machine 2 Solina string machine emulation https://www.2getheraudio.com/instruments/cheeze-machine-2/ |
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2Gether Audio – Ticky Clav 2 Hohner Clavinet emulation https://www.2getheraudio.com/instruments/ticky_clav_2/ |
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Brain Control – Tunefish v4 Lightweight virtual analog synth https://tunefish-synth.com/ |
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Combo Model F Farfisa Transistor Organ emulation https://plugins4free.com/plugin/1365/ |
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CWITEC – TX16Wx Software Sampler based on the Yamaha TX16W https://www.tx16wx.com/ |
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Dexed Yamaha DX7 emulation, can be used as an editor for the DX7, Volca FM, and many others https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/ |
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Full Bucket *22* synthesizers including emulations of vintage Korg instruments https://www.fullbucket.de/music/vst.html |
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Futucraft – Kairatune http://futucraft.com/kairatune/ |
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Green Oak – Crystal Semi-modular softsynth with subtractive & FM Synthesis as well as granular synthesis and wave-sequencing. Can also import SoundFonts and morph programs. http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/dnld2.html |
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Ichiro Toda – Synth 1 Nord Lead 2 Emulation, one of the oldest and most-popular virtual synthesizers https://daichilab.sakura.ne.jp/softsynth/index.html |
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IK Multimedia – SampleTank 4 Custom Shop – Vintage Synth collection https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/index.php?R=INIT&FV=free-software-related-products&CV=Other%20Filter&PSEL=freesoftware Additional instruments are available for a fee. |
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IK Multimedia – Syntronik Free – Vintage Synth collection https://www.ikmultimedia.com/demodownload/?a=syntronik-free Additional instruments are available for a fee. |
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Martin Lüder – PG8X Roland JX-8P emulation https://sites.google.com/site/mlvst0/ |
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Matthew Tytel – Helm Virtual instrument for Mac, Windows, and Linux https://tytel.org/helm/ |
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PureMagnetik – Expanse Texture Generator https://puremagnetik.com/products/expanse |
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Sample Science – Room Piano https://www.samplescience.info/2020/12/room-piano.html They have a large collection of “pay what you want” instruments for $1+ |
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Spitfire Audio – Labs A nice collection of sample-based instruments https://www.spitfireaudio.com/labs/ |
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SQ8L Ensoniq ESQ-1 emulation for Windows 32-bit only. Development was abandoned several years ago but it’s still pretty cool. http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html#sq8l |
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Steinberg – Model-E Moog Minimoog emulation, not very realistic by modern comparisons https://o.steinberg.net/en/support/unsupported_products/vst_classics_vol_1_2.html |
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Steinberg – Neon Very Basic analog synth – terrible by modern standards but this is the very first VST. https://o.steinberg.net/en/support/unsupported_products/vst_classics_vol_1_2.html |
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Surge Synth Team – Surge Winner of KVR’s Best Free Synth award in 2020. https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/ |
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Synergia DKI Synergy emulation https://jariseon.github.io/synergia/ |
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TAL – Bassline Roland SH101 emulation https://tal-software.com/products/tal-bassline |
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TAL – Noisemaker Roland Juno 6 emulation https://tal-software.com/products/tal-noisemaker |
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U-He – Podolski CPU-efficient virtual analog synthesizer https://u-he.com/products/podolski/ |
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U-He – Triple Cheese Comb filter synthesizer https://u-he.com/products/triplecheese/ |
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U-He – Tyrell N6 A fun virtual synthesizer https://www.amazona.de/freeware-synthesizer-tyrell-n6-plugin-vst-au-win-mac/ |
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U-He – Zebralette Lightweight version of the powerful Zebra 2 instrument https://u-he.com/products/zebralette/ |
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VCV Rack 2 Modular synthesizer with free and paid modules NOTE: this runs on its own on your computer, and not inside a DAW. The paid version (Pro) includes their plugin version https://vcvrack.com/ |
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Distroh – Cardinal Plugin-only version of VCV Rack modular synthesizer (ABOVE) which you can run in within your DAW https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/releases |
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Vienna Symphonic Library – Big Bang Orchestra The best way to start orchestrating film to picture https://www.vsl.co.at/en/BBO |
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Vital Audio – Vital Spectral wavetable synthesizer https://vital.audio/ |
