Be sure to check back from time to time and keep your free VST plugin collection up to date! Free VST Plugins Directory Free VST Effects. Freeware effects in VST plugin format: Autotune – Free alternatives to Antares Auto-Tune. Bitcrusher – An extensive collection of freeware bitcrushers. Chorus – A selection of the best free chorus effects.
We all know that VST stands for: Virtual Studio Technology.
- Free vst instruments to download: list of free ambient vst plug-ins best suited with atmospheric, ethereal, dark and texture and more deep sounds of ambient.
- The SQ8L (L stands for Light) is a free demo version of the forthcoming SQ8X (X Ffor eXtended) version. It’s a software model of Ensoniq’s classic 1980s synth SQ80. SQ80 contains three digital wavetable oscillators for each of its eight voices fed through analog 4-pole lowpass filters (-24dB gain) with resonance. Sound parameters in SQ80 can be modulated by four envelopes, 3 LFQs & several.
- The VST-Plugin screenshot tool is a small command line tool for capturing. The VST-Plugin screenshot Tool is a small command line tool that accepts the VST plugind-deOaos dll name and stores a PNG screenshot of the first preset to the same directory. If furthermore a.
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.
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?
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.
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.
Best Ambient Vst
So try these weirdo free VST plugins for some happy noodling.
No matter if you’re making classical music, writing underscores or producing hip hop beats, harps are beautiful instruments that can add a whole other level of atmosphere to a track. Unfortunately, many commercial harp sample libraries are pretty expensive – especially if you want to use harp sounds only occasionally. That’s why I’ve put together a short list of good free harp VST plugins and libraries on this page.
Free Harps & Celtic Harps
Versilian Studios: Etherealwinds Harp II: Community Edition
Formats: VST, AU, SFZ
Audio example:
See Full List On Whippedcreamsounds.com
A few years ago, Versilian Studios released Etherealwinds Harp. This free harp VST became so popular that Versilian has now published version 2, which updates both interface and sound. Etherealwinds Harp II: Community Edition is a reduced version of Etherealwinds Harp II, which the company calls “quite possibly the most complete lever harp library in existence”.
The 255 samples span over five octaves (C2 – A6) and come across very smooth, harmonious and easy to blend into any soft, dreamy arrangement. To get more control over your sound, you can change the amp envelope, volume, pan and reverb. While not accessible through the instrument interface itself, the download of Etherealwinds Harp II Community Edition comes with seven effect samples (.wav) and 16 vocal samples, taken from the vocal library included in Etherealwinds Harp II.
DSK Music: DSK World StringZ
Format: VST
Audio example:
DSK World StringZ offers more than just harp sounds. In fact, the instrument includes a total of eight world instruments: cumbus, dobro, kanun, koto, dulcimer, tar, Turkish oud and a Celtic harp. Obviously, this Celtic harp is what I was mostly interested in for this list. Playing around with it, I found the sound to be quite present and earthy as I would expect from a Celtic harp. I especially enjoyed the lower tones, which feel a little more mysterious.
The interface offers you control over the amp envelope, the fine tuning and a filter (HP or LP). You can also automate all these values via MIDI. One word of warning: The fine tuning slider does not give you numeric values or offer a simple way to reset (that I know of) – so if you change the tuning, it might be difficult to get back to the original tuning setting. One feature that DSK World StringZ doesn’t have is a built-in reverb. Obviously, you can always slap on your DAW reverb (or any of your favorite effects plugins) if you want to add more space. No matter if you’re looking for a Celtic harp or if you can use some world strings in your production, this is a cool little plugin to try out!
DAT: Microharp
Format:Kontakt Library; full retail version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4.2.4 or higher is required
Audio example:
Microharp from Dream Audio Tools is another Celtic harp. In this case, a “very small wooden Celtic harp” was sampled with four round robins for each articulation. The instrument comes with two main articulations, picked and fingered, as well as with a patch that mixes both articulations. While the picked samples sound smoother and more traditionally harp-like, the fingered patch has an almost surprising “ethnic” feel to it. Its particular character might not work that well in classical pieces, but it could add some interesting textures to other genres.
The Kontakt library features four octaves, with the lowest note being C2 (not surprising due to the size of the instrument). For effects, it offers a delay and a reverb. Not a ton, but certainly useable!
To get DAT Microharp, you will have to add it to your shopping cart on the Dream Audio Tools website and check out.
Performance Samples: River Harp
Format: Kontakt Library; full retail version of Native Instruments Kontakt 5.5.1 or higher is required
Audio examples:
River Harp by Performance Samples is a little different from most instruments in this article. Instead of offering individually plucked string samples, you will find a collection of textures and glissandi here. The name “River Harp” is quite a fitting description of the sound as the performances come across as flowing and organic. These are the kinds of textures that we composers and producers would love to create and re-create with harp VST plugins but typically have a hard time doing so.
While the sounds themselves are fun, using them can be tricky because they’re not time-synced. While this is not such an issue with the glissandi (which you wouldn’t expect to stick to being time-synced anyway), it might take some additional time stretching work to fit the textures into an existing arrangement.
What’s really cool (and definitely not expected for a free instrument) is that River Harp is recorded with two mics (close and far), which you can mix and pan to your taste. This added flexibility makes the River Harp easier to mix. The creators of River Harp also want you to know that some of the tails are cut-off and only minimal noise reduction was applied (the honesty is appreciated!).
To get River Harp, you will have to check out through Performances Samples’ online shopping system.
Sonatina Symphony Orchestra Harp
Format: Kontakt Library; full retail version of Kontakt is required (unfortunately, I’m not sure which one, but I’m guessing 4 and higher).
Audio example:
Sonatina Symphony Orchestra was a project by Mattias Westlund. More than 10 years ago, he created a free orchestral sample library primarily aimed at beginner composers. Today, this original library is not online anymore, however, a derivative version still exists at Bigcat Instruments. This version also includes a concert harp patch, which I found surprisingly useable due to its straight, classical sound.
The Kontakt patch allows you to change the amp envelope, the reverb and the EQ (at 100 Hz, 1kHz and 5kHz – which turn out to be great frequencies to play with). I would probably use this with a convolution reverb, since the built-in reverb sounds somewhat unflattering (at least in the wetter settings).
Sonatina Symphony Orchestra Harp is super easy to install: Simply download and save the patch into your Kontakt libraries folder.
Other Harp Instruments
Decent Samples: Bowed Nagoya Harp (Taishōgoto)
Format: Kontakt Library; full retail version of Native Instruments Kontakt 5.3.1 or higher is required
Audio examples:
The Taishōgoto is also known as the Nagoya harp and is a relatively modern string instrument, being invented in 1912. The pitch of the individual strings can be changed by pressing a number of typewriter-like keys. Although the Taishōgoto is typically strummed, for this Kontakt library by Decent Samples, the instrument was played with a violin bow. So if you’re looking for a plucked sound, this instrument won’t match your needs.
Instead, this library offers a texture-heavy bowing sound that lies somewhere between viola, harmonica and world instrument (check out the audio example to hear what it sounds like). While this is maybe not the most powerful sound on its own, I could imagine using this as a layer to add an interesting texture. One drawback I found while playing it is that the samples are somewhat short and the loop very noticeable. Unfortunately, this means that the library is not great for creating longer static pad sounds (if you use different note start points, you can achieve a nice effect where notes are rhythmically fading in and out, though).
Besides ADSR envelope and reverb, you also have control over the level of the two microphones that were used: an Oktava mic and a contact microphone. Since these are quite different in character, I’ve found it fun to play around with them and dial in a sound I enjoy.
To get the Bowed Nagoya Harp by Decent Samples, you will have to register with your name and email address.
Over to you…
Do you know of any other good free harp VSTs or libraries? Let us know in the comments!