Top free VSTs of 2019
3 min readHere is a list of the best free VSTs available on the web at the moment. While much of the fun comes from discovering new gems yourself, sometimes it is beneficial to skip straight to the good tools. This list should be enough to give you a good start if you are new to production, and perhaps add a refreshing selection of sounds, if you are more established.
Please note that all of the plugins were free at the time of writing. Some may require an account to be made on the site of download. I am only linking to established sites and have tested all of these, but please ensure your antivirus is up to date!
Fracture - by GlitchMachines
A glitch effect that can really spice up your sounds by adding glitchy articulations and abstract textures. It works really great on drums and comes packed with some amazing presets which will come as a relief, since the interface sacrifices making immediate sense for looking so damn cool.
Frontier - by D16
Despite having some pretty expensive limiters in my plugin collection, this is my favourite and my go to. It is a wonderful limiter with a really nice character to it. With two main controls, it is easy to use, but the additional options offered provide an abundance of creative potential. The plugin also offers different quality modes, which are great for low CPUs, but also proving extreme quality on the final render if set to do so.
Krush - by Tritik
Tritik have made an outstanding free Bitcrusher effect which provides way more than it’s competitors do. It has seen numerous uses since I’ve downloaded it and I highly recommend it to everyone.
ReaPlugs - by Cockos (Reaper)
To save listing each plugin under a different header, I’m going to combine the ReaPlugs effects into one. These are the stock plugins built into Reaper, which Cockos are giving away for free to users of any DAW. The effects are really high-quality (if you can get over their back-to-basics skin) and are really handy tools for production. My favourites out of the bundle are:
- ReaEQ
- ReaComp
- ReaXComp
- and ReaFIR
Rave Generator - by Wavosaur
Based on samples taken from the rave music that reigned during the 90s, this plugin gives you access to some of the most iconic stab and bass sounds from the era. It allows you to combine and blend different samples together to form new variations.
OTT - by Xfer Records
If you’ve ever watched a dubstep tutorial, they will have no doubt slapped OTT on the track and brought it immediately to life. This free VST is a multiband compressor which does a fantastic job of bringing out the best in heavy sounds.
Mikro Prism - by Native Instruments
One of the nicest sounding synths I have ever heard, this smaller sibling of Prism, is a Reaktor-based synth. It has a multitude of stunning presets and the ability to shape your own sounds too – though the type of synthesis might be a bit of a hurdle to learn. It relies on the free Reaktor player and a sign up to Native Instruments.
Think something is missing from the list? Add it in the comments below so others can know about it too!
I feel like there’s a lot missing from this list… My top five is more like:
7. Sonatina Orchestra
6. Kairatune
5. Fracture
4. Hysteresis
3. Helm
2. VCV Rack
1. Komplete Start