Open Mic: Tell Us About the Free Plug-ins You Use

on Jan 26th 2010 with 22 comments

Music software and plugins can be expensive. Have you discovered any amazing DAW plug-ins that can be got for free?

Each Tuesday we open our mic to readers and lurkers alike to come out of the woodwork and tell us your thoughts and opinion, your experiences and mistakes, what you love and what you hate. We want to hear from you, and here’s your chance.

With audio equipment and software, you tend to get what you pay for. But that doesn’t mean that everything that is expensive is good, or that something you get for free is garbage. There are a lot of free DAW plug-ins out there. Which ones do you use and recommend?

Do you know of any audio websites that have a great list of free plug-ins?

What are the limitations of the plug-ins you are recommending? Do they only work with a certain DAW or operating system? Are they effects plug-ins or virtual instruments?

 
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Adrian is writer and editor for Audiotuts+ and Envato Notes. He has been playing keys and acoustic guitar for three decades, and has six kids. Follow him on Twitter at @envatoaudio.  

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  • Charlie Hoover

    TAL plugins are great. You can get some great bass sounds out of the TAL bassline. http://kunz.corrupt.ch/?Products:VST_TAL-BassLine

  • Corey Scott

    I have a website dedicated to free plugins, software, drums samples, and tips on producing. It’s in need of an update but check it out here.

    http://www.epithetstudios.blogspot.com

    My favorites are the Kjaerhus stuff, Bootsy stuff, and Massey stuff.

    • http://www.sensoria.ws Valentin

      Great site, you should put an subscribe by e-mail option!

      • http://adriantry.com Adrian Try
        Author

        Thanks Valentin. While we don’t currently have a subscribe by email option, this web service can email you site updates:

        http://www.feedmyinbox.com/

        I hope it works out for you.

      • http://adriantry.com Adrian Try
        Author

        Valentin, we’re both blind! We have a “Subscribe by Email” option on the top left of the page. I’m not sure how I didn’t notice that before…

  • CHRIS

    FOR FUTURE POSTERS.

    please indicate if your plugins can be used on Mac OS.

    please?

  • http://www.sirsedricmusic.com SirSedric

    I really and truly enjoy Izotope’s Vinyl…

    http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/vinyl/

    I take vocals and do a copy/paste double to another track, then apply Vinyl to the second track and start turning down the fader… adds a nice little bit of warmth on the “newer” vinyl settings and a kind of haunting effect on the “older” settings…

    I’ll also put in a second for TAL Bassline and another for Turntablist by Super Destroy FX, good for simulated scratching without a real turntable…flipped the touchpad on my padKontrol on it’s brain!

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/thenomaly Nomaly

    TAL Elec7ro, (and other TAL plugins)
    Triangle II
    EpicVerb

  • nicholas horn

    http://plugins.gersic.com/

    That should cover about 95% of the available free plug-ins out there.

  • nicholas horn

    As far as usage in these parts, Bootsie’s plug-ins get a lot of project time, as well as the Kammel-Kaste plug-in suite (GUIs are not for the faint-of-heart though). Divine Machine’s Minion is an oldie but goodie. Tal’s stuff is really great as well. Can’t forget about TinBrookeTales for your compression and limiting needs as well.

    Sorry Chris, most of the free stuff is PC only. However, a lot of the GOOD free stuff is ported. Tal’s stuff is great. http://smartelectronix.com/ collaborative has a lot of stuff that has been ported to Mac.

    Don’t forget to pick up a copy of Computer Music magazine occasionally as well. There’s a load of great synths and effects on the DVD every month.

  • http://www.jeddr.be Jeddr

    I’m a big fan of the Massey plugins (RTAS – MAC/PC). The L2007 limiter is just the best free plugin around. I don’t know if there is any protools user who doesn’t have them.

    The free demo doesn’t “recall” its settings after closing the session, but there’s even a workaround to be found on the manufacturer’s website. But it’s fully functional, no restrictions.

  • LC

    All of bootsie’s : http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/ (pc)

    Kjaerhus Audio classic series, especially the delay. http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php (pc)

    Currently digging in Reaper’s (they used to be available for free but it seems they are not updated http://www.cockos.com/reaper/reaplugs/index.php) (pc)

    Ferox (tape simulation) http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/ (pc)

    TAL.

    That’s what I remember for now.

  • Phunkateer

    e-phonic has some cool plugins I use very often. VST only I think.
    http://www.e-phonic.com/

    e-phonic Drumatic is a drum synth that is great if you are tired of the drum sin your sample library and want to tweak your own drums.

    e-phonic retro delay is superb for dub-style delays.

  • Jason

    I use the Magical 8-bit plug in. You can google it and get a free download.
    its great for those chipy atmospheric sounds. It can also be used for many different sounds in a Chiptune song. its basically an LSDJ on the computer with more capacity then 4 channels. Its a very effective plug-in for those chiptune fanatics like myself.

  • http://www.davematney.com Dave Matney

    I use LOTS of demo software, especially the Kore Player by Native Instruments.

    Also, the VSTs included with Kristal (http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/) probably make it on everything I do.

  • Milan K

    big vote for Antress Modern Plugins .. http://antress.er-webs.com/

    They are very competitive with UAD plugins..

  • Gerardo C.

    De la mancha plugins are awesome!

  • Gerardo C.

    sorry forgot to put, DLM plugins are windows only!

  • http://www.colinmansfield.com Colin Mansfield

    Greenoak’s Crystal (cross-platform, VST/AU) is a very cool synth. NI’s Kore Player is good and comes with a bunch of usable sounds (and can be used as an insert effect!) (VST/AU/RTAS), although the latest version will only run on Intel Macs. I use the earlier version on my G5. RND Inspector (the free version) is useful (especially since my pre-RND Inspector XL is broken in Pro Tools. the suite still works in DP and Peak, though).

    KVR allows you to sort by platform and will find free plugs and demos…

  • http://soundcloud.com/elektrodouche MSL

    my favourite free AU’s (most are mac only)

    TAL Dub II
    Lowcoders – King Dubby
    Vacuumsound – ADT
    Mdsp – Livecut
    Michael Norris – SoundMagic Spectral
    SPL – Free Ranger
    SSL – LMC-1
    Faux – Bittersweet
    Massey – TapeHead Medium Free
    Audio Damage – Rough Rider

  • http://www.kilotone.com Rupert Brown

    Camel Crusher is great free distorion unit I used it on a few tunes
    http://www.camelaudio.com/camelcrusher.php

  • Termin8

    Instruments:

    - GTG 44S
    - GTG NK 1001
    - BK SynthLab INTRO
    - BK SynthLab MEDDLE
    - BK SynthLab VS-1
    - u-he Zebra CM Edition
    - Superwave P8

    Effects:

    - epicVerb
    - Flux Stereo Tools
    - CamelPhatFree
    - dblue Glitch
    - LiveLab LiveSlice
    - Voxengo SPAN
    - Kjaerhusaudio Free Suite

    Beleive or not, but i don’t even need any of the commercial plug-ins. Of course i do use them (NI Battery 3 for example), but very rarely. I prefer the free plug-ins from the list above. Take a look at them and be sure, you’ll love them.