As far as the best free saturation and tape simulation plug-ins go, Variety of Sound has a few options. Ferric TDS might be the most fully featured freeware saturation plug-in on the market. It is not (at least in name) a direct “tape simulation” plug-in, but it does model all of the elements of plug-ins that are trying to nail the tape. Good mastering plugins can be hard to come by, and they can definitely be expensive! This is why I created this list of the best free mastering plugins which should help you get your mixes to a new level while not spending anything! Table of Contents Youlean Loudness Meter 2 (Windows/Mac) mvMeter 2 by TBProAudio Best 15 Free Mastering VST/AU Plugins that Sound Great!
We all know that VST stands for: Virtual Studio Technology.
But when it comes to these plugins, it stands for Very Strange Things.
Creativity can be found in bizarre places. And these VSTs are no exception.
Put them in your best DAW. Who knows? Maybe they’re the secret ingredient you’ve been searching for…
Here’s the 8 freakiest VSTs around.
U-He Triple Cheese
It ain’t easy being cheesy. Or is it?
Either way U-he makes cheesy infinitely fun with this ridiculous comb-filter synth. Comb-filter sounds are created through a series of short delays.
The result is some seriously mind-bending sounds spanning from flighty flutes to ambient washes. Happy cheesing.
The result is some seriously mind-bending sounds spanning from flighty flutes to ambient washes.
Download it here for free.
Ohm Force Symptohm PE
This synth is absurd as in absurdly cool.
Any instrument that has a preset called ‘Dirty Maurice’ instantly caught our attention. And it didn’t disappoint when we started playing with it.
Highly recommended if you wanna start messing around with the sounds of Planetary Motion, Evil Bass, or Dirty Paula.
Download it here for free.
LiveCut by MDSP SMART ELECTRONIX
LiveCut by MDSP Smart Electronix can seriously freak a loop out. It’s a beat chopper, but it runs on some less-than-normal logic.
Throw a loop in to smash, chop, squish, mangle and roll it until it’s unrecognizable. Then do it again.
Download it here for free.
Tytel Helm
This VST isn’t that strange… yet.
Helm is a synth VST. But you can run it anywhere, change the source code and generally modify the crap out of it.
So the strangeness is in your hands. How freaky can you make it?
Throw a loop in to smash, chop, squish, mangle and roll it until it’s unrecognizable. Then do it again.
Download it here for free.
Alan Vista
We had to put Alan Vista Plugins on this list. But we couldn’t decide on just one. So we picked all of them.
From Orchestral Cymbals, to Chinese Gongs, to Woodblocks, Vista has all your tripped out percussion needs covered.
Download all of them here for free.
Darwin Arts Trilobite 1.4
What would happen if two synth patches had a baby together? Well now you can find out with Trilobite 1.4.
Trilobite lets you seriously mess with sound synthesis. You can even apply the basic laws of Darwin evolution to grow your synth patches over time.
/vst-plugin-audiocation-compressor-stereo.html. It’s a bit tough to figure out at first. But the bizarre factor is off the charts once you get into it. Time to start fiddling.
Download it here for free.
What would happen if two synth patches had a baby together?
Free Vst Sounds Downloads
Wavosaur VST Speak
Searching for the best vocal VST? Well the Wavosaur VST Speak might not be the best, but it’s certainly the most interesting.
This spell-and-speak plugin reads back anything you type into it. All in a tweakable voice capable of some pretty strange sounds.
So put it in your DAW and say hello to VST Speak. Then make it say hello back.
What will you make it say on your next track?
Download the Mac version here for free.
Download the Windows version here for free.
Harsh Digital Nose
If a shape could make a sound, what would it sound like? If blue was a noise, would it be harsh or mellow?
Tweak the sound of a purple square, or pitch-down the sound of a green triangle—it’s up to you with this strange but fun plugin.
Now you can find out with Harsh Digital Nose. Draw shapes, lines, or pictures right inside this plugin to see what they sound like.
Tweak the sound of a purple square, or pitch-down the sound of a green triangle—it’s up to you with this strange but fun plugin.
Download it here for free.
Vst Tape Stop
Thinking outside the box, inside the Box
Creating with VSTs inside the box is insanely fun. When things get weird they usually get inspiring too.
So try these weirdo free VST plugins for some happy noodling.