The Best Free Plugins For New Producers: Our Favorite Plugins To Use In Any DAW And For Any Genre

When I started producing music, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of plugins available to download, and I’m sure you can relate. And it’s easy to assume that this feeling may go away once you understand more about music production and making beats in popular DAWs; the fact of the matter is that producers of all skill levels, from complete newbies to Hollywood professionals, are always tempted by the new and shiny plugins and studio toys.  

But let’s be honest; you don’t need to go broke kitting out your laptop and production arsenal with the latest and greatest plugins. I used a mixture of stock plugins and freebies for the first few releases. Check the EP below and know it was produced with stock Ableton plugins and some of the other freebie plugins on this list. Is the track excellent? Well, it could be better, but it proves that you can get record-label-ready mixes without breaking the bank. So, let’s dive into some of the best ones for the job. 

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Free Compressors

A compressor is an essential tool for music producers and audio engineers as it allows them to control the volume range of a recording. While it can be tempting to follow the advice of blogs and YouTubers that say you should be using at least a light amount of compression on every channel, I can speak from direct experience and study when nI say that so much of modern music samples, and sounds being created by VSTs have already been compressed or aren’t as dynamic as you’d think.

Dynamic range refers to the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a recording. Without a compressor, a recording may have parts that are too quiet to be heard and parts that are too loud and can cause distortion.

Here are some of the most common uses of a compressor:

• Leveling out the volume: Compressors can be used to even out the volume of a track or a mix, making it sound more consistent and balanced.
• Adding sustain to instruments: Compressors can add sustain to instruments like guitars, pianos, and vocals by reducing the volume of the initial transient (the initial loud part of the sound) and increasing the volume of the decay (the quieter part that follows).
• Controlling peaks: Compressors can control the level of the peaks in a recording, preventing distortion and clipping.
• Gluing tracks together: Compressors can help blend multiple tracks by reducing the dynamic range of each track and making them sound like they belong together.
• Enhancing the attack of a sound: Compressors can enhance the attack of a sound by increasing the volume of the initial transient.
• Adding character to a sound: Different compressors have different sonic characteristics, and using a compressor can add color and character to a recording.

Here are some free ones to get you started! 

TheExpressor

TheExpressor is one of my favorite tools for fast and effective control over a synth’s dynamics while adding analog grit and color. I always describe the “color” of the sound as similar to saturation, the ability to change the character or tone of a sound using EQ. This can help shape the sound, create unique sounds, or fix problem areas in a mix.

Having this level of control over the final output of any sound is also crucial because it helps prevent my mixdowns from clipping, which can cause distortion and other unwanted artifacts that can degrade the sound quality. By limiting the output level, this feature helps ensure that the processed sound remains clean and distortion-free.

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UltraComp

I love this compressor for its classic sound that can add warmth to almost any signal, but I’ve found it best when it’s used on rounded acoustic instruments like acoustic guitars and strings. It’s versatile enough to be used on individual instrument tracks or on the master bus to glue everything together. While it doesn’t have as many X-factor parameters that set it apart from other compressors, I always think that having a reliable analog emulation compressor that’s easy to use and that you know well really helps speed up my workflow. 

In addition to its excellent sound and functionality, this compressor also features a professional vintage analog GUI design that looks great and is easy to use. Best of all, it won’t bog down your computer, thanks to its shallow CPU usage.

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Stereo Buss Compressor

The Stereo bus compressor was my go-to master bus compressor for the first five years of my career. It’s very gentle and incredibly transparent, meaning that it’s a great way to boost your final signal up to commercial levels during the mixdown stage without altering the color or signal too much, ensuring you can trust your ears when making mixdown moves. I always turn off this compressor when exporting my final premaster, though! 

One of my favorite features about this compressor is the visual feedback that it gives me. You’ll be able to see precisely how the compressor affects your audio, which can be incredibly helpful when fine-tuning your mix. Of course, sound quality is paramount, and the Buss Compressor delivers in spades. Its analog modeling ensures a warm, natural sound that can help bring your mix to life.

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XFER RECORDS OTT

OTT is one of the most potent free plugins in the game, and I’m not alone in saying that it’s used in almost every single track that I make. It provides incredibly aggressive compression that I sometimes use to control the dynamics, but it’s more of a sound design tool that can draw out the energy and color of the three core frequency bands in my mixes. 

I use OTT on all of my synth leads and arps that I want to cut through the mix and demand attention from my listeners. It’s a free plugin that I snagged very early on in my career, which you can likely hear on all three tracks in that EP I linked above, but still is used on almost every track I use to this day. Listen to my track from a year or so ago, ‘At Least We’re Safe,’ and notice how the lead sticks out regardless of how filtered or subdued the synth is. That is entirely because of how I used OTT on this synth. 

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TDR MOLOTOK

The original Molot and its newer counterpart are so good that we couldn’t leave either out. If you’re looking for a dustier and older-school tonality in your compression, this is the best free compressor I could recommend. I use it on drums a lot, especially gluing my snares together with the rest of the mix. It’s certainly not a workhorse compressor, but it provides some of that old-school warmth and grit popular in the Mo-town era.

With a limiter and the ability to remove mid-color sections, it’s an essential tool for producers looking to take their tracks to the next level.

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Free Distortion

Distortion and saturation are essential tools for music producers and audio engineers because they can add warmth, character, and energy to a recording. When appropriately used, distortion and saturation can make your tracks fuller, more dynamic, and more exciting.

Here are some of the most common uses of distortion and saturation in music production and audio engineering:

• Adding warmth and character to recordings: Distortion and saturation can add a good amount of harmonic distortion to a recording, making it sound warmer and more musical.
• Enhancing dynamics: Adding some saturation to a track can increase the loudness of quieter elements in a mix while keeping the overall volume level in check.
• Emulating vintage gear: Distortion and saturation can emulate the sound of classic analog gear, such as tube amps and tape machines, which can add a classic, nostalgic sound to a recording.
• Creating new sounds: By pushing a signal into distortion or saturation, you can create unique sounds that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. This can be especially useful for creating aggressive, distorted guitar tones or adding grit and edge to synth sounds.
• Adding excitement to a mix: By selectively applying distortion or saturation to some aspects of a mix, you can add excitement and energy to a recording, making it more engaging for the listener.

Here are some free ones to get you started! 

BPB Dirty VHS

Okay, I will admit that this is a newer plugin so it doesn’t necessarily fall into the category of freebies I’ve been using as long as I’ve been producing. Still, it’s too powerful of a saturator for me to leave out altogether. I love using this thing on keys, pads, and melodic atmospheres, as it colors the signal and adds that classic and nostalgic vibe to whatever I’m playing.  

I’ve found that this effect does almost too well, often making the effect pretty noticeable when used on leading elements in the mix, like vocals and lead synths. But when used on supporting elements like the instruments I mentioned above, it adds a delicate and nuanced nostalgia that makes the aesthetics of the mix all the more vibey.

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Blue Cat’s Free Amp

What I love about this series of plugins is that it has next to no latency. When you’re first starting, your projects are usually smaller, and you often won’t run into CPU issues. But as you learn to stack and layer plugins, have more complicated processing chains, and more, CPU becomes an issue, and the fact that this amp series doesn’t add any is pretty damn cool. 

I love this plugin on:

• Basses: When used on an aux send, dialing in the warmth and tone helps round out bass plucks and bass guitar patches. 
• FX: Throw this on a stock sample of a white noise sweep or crash cymbal, and it instantly makes them sound less pretty and more original – as if you recorded them yourself in your own studio instead of dropping them in from Splice. 

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Ace

Ace is a digital emulation of a legendary 1950s American all-tube, tweed, and 5W amp. While I’ve never been able to hear this amp live in action or even at a guitar shop, I have seen videos and studio recordings of people using the amp, and I’ve found that this plugin does a pretty good job of recreating the timbre and tones. 

With simple controls and conservative CPU usage, Ace is easy to use in live settings and for re-amping. You can achieve the classic sound of a legendary amp with the convenience and flexibility of a digital emulation, making Ace a great addition to your music production toolbox.

I love this plugin on:

• Lead Synths: I love using this on lead synths to give that gritter and edgy rock-guitar vibe. It lacks a dry/wet knob, though, so using it in parallel allows me to dial in just how much I need.
• Arps: Amp helps round out the bright, fast-paced synths I use to play supporting arpeggiator layers. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it sounds magical.

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TUBA BY ANALOG OBSESSION

The TUBA channel strip plugin uses classic tube saturation to create a complex harmonic generation that makes dull sounds come alive and makes brighter sounds feel like they will break your windows. Whenever I want to add a tasteful amount of punk rock edge to something, a tasteful whisper of Tuba, I’ve found, will almost always do the trick. 

One advantage of this rotary level is that it is gain-compensated, which decreases the gain of the output to account for the increased amplitude of the harmonics, thus keeping the gain somewhat constant.

I love this plugin on:

• Drums: This tube plugin beefs up the drums in almost any track I use. I’ve since switched to using Soundtoy’s Decapitator, but if you’re looking for a free alternative for drums, this is a beat.

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TUBE AMP BY VOXENGO

Voxengo is another developer with some great free plugins I’ve used for years. Some of these plugins contain saturation, like the TubeAmp, while other free plugins from Voxengo vary from metering and delay to equalization. There are three rotary controls in the first panel on the left – drive, bias, and a low pass filter. Two modes present different types of tube saturators, with mode one being quieter and mode two being more pronounced and noticeable.

I love this plugin on:

• Instrument Busses: Whenever I need just a whisper of light coloration to glue together several instruments gently, I reach for this. Adding just a light touch of coloration to a group of instruments adds almost a veneer of cohesion that makes them sound like they were all recorded together. 

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Krush By Tritik

This Bit Crusher features a crunchy drive stage for adding grit and character to your sound. It also includes bit depth and sample rate reduction for lo-fi effects. The analog-modeled resonant filters, including low-pass and high-pass, add warmth and texture to your sound. The modulation section makes this plugin the bell of the ball, in my opinion. It features free or tempo-synced modulation speed, four modulation waveforms, and modulation depth controls for each parameter.

I love this plugin on:

• Breakdowns: When my track is winding down during the breakdown or bridge, it’s nice to have a plugin that can take a sound and do something crazy. I sweep the wet from 0% to 80%+ on my pads to draw attention to the calmer elements of the mix and away from the leads to reset the energy while still giving my fans something to focus on. 

Snag It Here 

PCM2612 Retro Decimator Unit

This free plugin provides 32 steps of scalable 8-bit decimation to add a gritty, lo-fi sound to your music. You can adjust the level of dry and wet signals and switch between stereo and mono modes. You can also choose between two output filtering options: Legacy, which is modeled after the Sega Genesis Model 1 amp output circuitry, and Crystal Clear, which is purely digital. 

The graphical interface can be scaled to 1x, 1.5x, or 2x and displayed as a vertical box or a horizontal rack. This is Inphonik’s first plugin that supports native Linux and Apple Silicon.

I love this plugin on:

• Retro Leads: Where the Krush was more on the new school side of things, the classic Decimort is better for that old-school chiptune style processing. This is the secret sauce whenever I want to add a circuit-breaking vibe to my chiptune leads. 

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SGA1566 BY SHATTERED GLASS AUDIO

SGA1566 has a fantastic ability to sound like a real vintage tube preamp with the added bonus of featuring oversampling, which many so-called “faithful emulations” seem to omit from their interfaces conveniently. 

The one downside is that I’ve found that this plugin tends to eat up a fair amount of CPU, meaning I always need to be super selective on what instruments and channels I want to use it on as I try to only use an instance or tow of it in any given project.

I love this plugin on:

• Vocals: While I’m sure it’s not designed to be used on vocals, the warmth and grit it adds to my vocal samples is excellent. As lead instruments, they earn the right to use such a CPU-intensive plugin as the juice is 100% worth the squeeze.  

This is a dope plugin that, while technically free, offers an option to donate to the developers, which we highly encourage.

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Chow Centaur guitar pedal 

The Chow Centaur guitar pedal can be used as a test platform for comparing and combining nodal analysis, wave digital filters, and neural network circuit modeling approaches. The model is available in two forms: an audio plugin and an embedded guitar pedal-style effect on a Teensy microcontroller.

I’ve always found that it has a pretty drastic sound, so it’s not something I use in every project or on every channel. But regardless, it never hurts to try dropping this on new instruments just to see how it sounds and what results come from it.

I love this plugin on:

• Everything! Whenever I’m stuck in a sonic rut on a project, I tend to try throwing this on things and messing with the parameters. 9/10 times, I end up removing it but that 10% of times where it hits, it creates some cool textures and grit 

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BEEF BY CAELUM AUDIO

BEEF is an audio plugin that makes your music sound warm, noisy, and characterful. Whether you use it as an effect on the master for an overall lofi / indie texture or as an insert to warm up individual channels, it gives you the tools to turn your music into a cozy, reflective listening adventure.

This is an excellent plugin for adding some vintage sound to your music that still can be driven hard to add that modern brightness commercial music has these days. It’s simple to use and gets the job done. You can get some great-sounding results with just a few clicks, although it might be even better with a few more options.

I love this plugin on:

• Lead Synths: I’ve been using Saturn 2 a ton lately, but this is a fantastic alternative. The modulation, coloration, and more get me 75% of the functionality of Saturn 2 without dropping a penny.  

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FreeAMP may appear straightforward, but it contains all the same algorithms as Klevgrand’s amplifying modeler plugin REAMP. The developers have combined their favorite profiles from REAMP into one universal profile for this free version.

When you use FreeAMP to process audio, you’ll get a combination of tape and tube saturation. It can be applied to any audio that needs a boost, whether individual tracks, stems, or entire mixes. And the best part is that it doesn’t cost a thing!

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Free Reverbs

Reverb is an essential tool in music production to create space and texture in a track while also giving the atmosphere of the music a greater sense of movement. It’s a type of effect that simulates the natural acoustic environment of a sound, which can help create a more immersive and cohesive mix. Here are some reasons why reverb is essential:

• Adds depth and dimension: Reverb can create a sense of space and depth in a mix, making it sound less flat and more realistic.
• Enhances the mood: The type of reverb used can help enhance a song’s mood and emotion. For example, a long decay reverb can create a sense of nostalgia or dreaminess, while a short decay reverb can create a sense of urgency or excitement.
• Blends sound together: Reverb can blend different elements of a mix, making them sound like they’re in the same acoustic space.
• Hides imperfections: Reverb can also hide imperfections in a recording, such as unwanted background noise or rough edits.

Some common uses of reverb in music production and audio engineering include:

• Adding space and depth to vocals, guitars, and other instruments
• Creating a sense of room ambiance or reverb tails on drums and percussion
• Emulating the sound of different rooms or spaces, such as a concert hall or a small bedroom
• Using reverb as a creative effect, such as reverse or gated reverb, adds interest and texture to a mix.
• Creating FXs that help transition one section of a song to another.

DRX8R

While this plugin is designed mainly for drums, I dig it on lead synths of tracks with a more minimal arrangement. The compression in this plugin means that the reverb wants to be in your face, which quickly muddies my mixes if there are a lot of other things the reverb needs to interact with. But this is a fantastic tool for tracks with just a few elements where the reverb can be treated almost as an instrument in its own right.

With the compressor/reverb unit, you can easily tweak the compression and reverb settings to achieve the desired effect on your audio. The analog VU meters visually represent the audio levels, allowing you to adjust as needed. Plus, its CPU-friendly design means you can use it without worrying about it taking up too much processing power.

I love this plugin on:

• Ambient Leads: Ambient music is all about space and how elements change and more over time. The compression helps the reverb dance and move against the instrument, creating great textures for ambient productions. 
• Drums: This is an obvious one, but the only way to get a better pairing of reverb and compression on drums is to chain a reverb into a SoundToys DevilLoc, which, once again, will cost you. It’s a pretty penny to snag those plugins.

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Verberate Basic 2

I love the amount of flexibility in this plugin, and if you want to find a reverb that can handle all different reverb algorithms, this is the best one, hands down. These algorithms are Plate, Room, Hall, and Lush Hall. The plate is a realistic plate reverb simulation, while Room offers a warm wooden sound that enhances the sense of space. Hall provides a natural and beautiful hall sound, and Lush Hall produces an otherworldly sound with frequency-modulated tails that sound amazing on synth pads.

I love this plugin on:

• Pads: This is the go-to reverb if I want to wash out a sound and send it to the back of a mix. It sounds lavish, warm, and lush on pads, pianos, and strings.
• Main Reverb Sends: I used this reverb as my primary send reverb, to which I would send all my instruments and synths to make them sound as if they were recorded in the same space. The secret sauce for this was the flexibility and variety of algorithms and presets.

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KR-REVERB FS

This reverb unit by Kresearch is based on their commercial ‘KR-Space’ multi-effect and is designed to be user-friendly.

EQ settings and damping levels are internally handled. At the same time, you still have control over early and late reflections, diffusion, decay, listener position, dry/wet, and Output Gain. Presets can also be saved and loaded.

The result may not sound like the most natural sound reverb you’ve ever used, but it is a great-sounding stereo reverb effect, without a doubt. Combine this reverb and delay, and you will get a dialed-in and unique product that adds space and dimension to your tracks.

I love this plugin on:

• For Lessons: Reverb is a damn tricky topic to understand, and when teaching my production students, I often suggest this plugin simply because of the Listener position knob, which helps position and orient the reverb around the location. It helps see and hear how space affects the sound and is a valuable tool for explaining reverb overall.

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TAL-REVERB 4

Reverb-4 is a classic Plate reverb reminiscent of the ’80s. It sounds great on vocals and is one of TAL’s best plugins. It sounds great on anything, from synths to drums and vocals. Reverb-4 is one of our go-to Plate verbs. If you’re looking to tap into the nostalgia of Stranger Things and more, this 80s reverb is one of the best reverbs for the job.

What’s also great about this plate reverb is that it offers a lot more control over the timbre and color of the reverb. Compare this with the arguably frustratingly restricted interface of SoundToys’ plate reverb, and you’ll be impressed by just how practical and valuable this freebie is.

I love this plugin on:

• On Drums: I usually have two reverbs going on my drums: one for room and a plate reverb for brightness. For years, this was my go-to plate reverb for drums to add brightness and proximity to my percussions while gluing them together.

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DRAGONFLY REVERB

Dragonfly Reverb was released at the end of 2018 and quickly became one of the most recommended freeware reverb plugins. Its sound is based on the Freeverb 3 Hibiki algorithm, which sounds incredible. The user interface is also excellent, with easily accessible controls and direct access to all the algorithm’s parameters.

This plugin offers a way to change the sound of your room by altering its size, width, diffusion, and other properties. You can also use multiple-tone controls to create different sounds. Dragonfly is an effective tool for mixing and creating artificial spaces.

Many free reverb bundles sound thin and cheap, but this reverb bundle is the opposite. Between the different reverb processors included here, one will become your favorite reverb ever!

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Free Delays

Delay is essential in music production and audio engineering because it adds depth and dimension to sound. Here are some of its most common uses:

• Create a sense of space: Delay can be used to simulate the sound of a large room or hall by adding a repeating echo to a sound. This can help create a sense of space and depth in a mix.
• Add rhythm and groove: By setting the delay time to the track’s tempo, delay can be used to add rhythmic interest and groove to a sound or a mix.
• Create complex textures: By using multiple delays with different timings, feedback levels, and panning, it’s possible to create complex and evolving textures and soundscapes.
• Add excitement to solos: A short delay to a solo or lead instrument can make the sound bigger and more exciting, giving the notes more space to breathe.
• Enhance stereo width: By using a stereo delay, it’s possible to create a wider stereo image for a sound or a mix by panning the left and proper delay signals to opposite sides.
• Emulate vintage gear: Many classic delay units, such as tape delays and bucket-brigade devices, have a distinct sound that can add character and warmth to a sound or a mix.

Here are some free ones to get you started.

Delay by Stagecraft

Stagecraft’s Delay plugin offers a high-resolution FFT spectrum display that lets you see how your real-time delay settings affect your music. This unprecedented visual feedback can help you understand how the plugin works for better usage.

The Delay plugin allows full automation of all parameters, such as delay time, gain, feedback, pan, LFO applied to any parameter, and more. This powerful feature allows you to create complex and expressive sounds that are impossible to achieve through manual tweaking and rivals those of premium plugins like FabFilter’s Timeless delay. 

Moreover, the plugin lets you share and download presets with other Delay users online, making it easier to experiment and collaborate with other music producers.

I love this plugin on:

• Lead Solos: If I’m writing a section of a song where the lead synth or guitar is the focus, this is a significant delay to add extra excitement and space to the track. The obscene levels or modulation mean that you can have delays come alive on the peripherals of a mix, turning the delay into as much a part of the performance as the instrument itself.

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Delay by Ear Candy Technologies

This plugin offers a smooth and customizable panning effect, allowing you to adjust the parameters and waveforms to control both the amplitude and speed. I talked about creating contrast in a mix at length in an article I wrote for Waves years ago, and one point I mentioned was creating contrasts of width. Well, if you’re looking for a delay that can create the super-wide benchmarks I describe in that article, this is a great delay. 

With six different waveform options designed by the Ear Candy Technologies team, you can experiment with various unique sounds.

I love this plugin on:

• Arps: Arps almost always fill the roll of supporting rhythmic elements in my tracks, meaning I usually throw them far and wide out to the sides of the mix, leaving the center of the stereo field free for the lead. This is a significant delay to ensure that the central core of the sounds stays wide while still making the delayed signal enjoyable enough to earn its place in the composition instead of just being there to fill space.

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SENDERSPIKE ECHOBOX D7

Another delay plugin emulates the classics while still being a very straightforward stompbox. There are no presets or manuals, but the interface is quick and easy to use, so you can get the settings you want.

The plugin does not have a built-in modulation but adds very slight saturation. I love the sound of the feedback, and it is a great parameter to automotive at choice moments in your tracks to make a delayed signal, which is usually a supportive element to come screaming to the forefront of the mix.

I love this plugin on:

• Guitars: Yes, I know, it sounds a bit cliche saying that I love using a stompbox delay pedal emulation on guitar patches and presets, but it’s true! It’s so on the. noseand does its job so well, it’s low key one of my secret sauce tricks to make VST-based guitars sound real.

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SPACESHIP DELAY

This is one of the best free plugins because it has excellent presets and is versatile.

This was created for a KVR developer challenge and simulates the filters in the Korg MS-20 and MeeBlip’s Anode & Triode synths. It also models a spring reverb from the Dynacord Echocord Super 76 tape delay. Other features include a tube preamp, bit crusher, phaser, freeze switch, and modulation options.

But the real X-factor here is the freeze function, something commonly seen in reverbs, but not many accessible delay plugins have it. I’m a massive fan of SoundToy’s PrimalTap. Still, suppose you’re looking for an accessible alternative that arguably brings more functionality and versatility at the cost of a more “modern” sound. In that case, this is a powerful tool for your kit. 

I love this plugin on:

• Ear Candies: Being able to take a short little riff or even a one-note melodic hit and run it through a frozen delay so that whispers of it can be heard for an infinite amount of time is a great way to fill in the space of a track and add extra movement to a tune without having to add new musical elements or new FX sweeps. The freeze function helps me get more from less.

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VALHALLA SUPERMASSIVE

Only a limited number of controls belie just how potent this plugin is. SuperMassive is to reverb what OTT is to compression; it’s an industry standard plugin that all of the producers I follow and content creators I watch use in almost every project. I’ve heard everyone from Enamour to Rinzen and more swear by this plugin, which every producer should have in their arsenal. 

The interface is very straightforward, but sometimes, in this world of intricate photorealistic UIs, you need something simple and uncluttered to concentrate on how things sound rather than how they look! It has a good selection of presets and is a great place to start.

Check Out These Free Plugins For Vocal Processing.

I love this plugin on:

• Breakdowns: This is one of those magic bullet plugins that can turn any sound into a black hole of ambient abyssal dark matter. I love sweeping the dry/wet up one of my leads and pads heading into a breakdown and letting the space ring out and fade to grey as new elements come in. 

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Free Filters 

Equalizers (EQs) and filters are essential tools in music production and audio engineering because they allow you to shape the frequency content of your audio signal. Here are some common uses:

• Balancing frequency content: EQs can be used to boost or cut specific frequency ranges to balance the tonal characteristics of an audio signal. For example, you can use EQ to enhance the clarity of a vocal or reduce the boominess of a bass guitar.
• Correcting problematic frequencies: Sometimes, an audio signal may have too dominant or unpleasant frequencies. EQs can reduce or remove these problematic frequencies, such as the harshness in a cymbal or the rumble in a recording room.
• Creating special effects: EQs can be used creatively to shape the sound uniquely. For example, a low-pass filter can be used to create the effect of a phone call or distant sound, while a high-pass filter can simulate a radio voice.
• Separating elements in a mix: EQs can carve out frequency space for different elements in a mix. For example, you can use EQ to ensure the kick drum and bass guitar don’t clash by boosting the kick’s low end and cutting it from the bass.
• Enhancing stereo imaging: EQs can be used to adjust the stereo width of a mix by boosting or cutting the frequency content of the left or proper channels. For example, you can use EQ to make a guitar riff sound wider by boosting its high frequencies in the left channel and cutting them in the right channel.

Vesta Filter by B.Serrano

This effect plugin has three layers of filtering, and each layer can be set to low-pass (LP), high-pass (HP), band-pass (BP), off, or bypass. Each layer’s unique curve response creates a “spread/separation” effect. You can route the audio through the layers in parallel, serial, or both. The plugin also features one host-sync-able LFO, one step controller, and one envelope follower. You can adjust the stereo balance for each layer to customize your sound further.

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FilterCrusher

FilterCrusher, a plugin created by Audio Assault in collaboration with Bedroom Producers Blog, is a powerful dual-tube filter effect that can be used for mixing and sound design. The filter includes two resonant filters and an emulated tube preamp circuit to add subtle tube saturation to your audio. 

The “crush” mode also boosts the input gain and produces audible tube-style distortion, often more subtle than standard saturation or distortion plugins. The plug-in uses the same tube preamp modeling algorithms as commercial guitar amplification software from Audio Assault.

I love this plugin on:

• Counter Melodies: Counter melodies and motifs usually tend to be a bit less bright than lead synths or drums but benefit from having a warm and punchy timbre. I use the filter to taper down the top end of my counter leads while adding a bit of warmth at the cutoff through teh crush mode.

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BasiQ EQ by Kuassa

Kuassa’s BasiQ is a free equalizer plugin with three bands that delivers a photorealistic GUI. The plugin is named after the Baxandall Simulation Equalizer and is modeled after the classic Baxandall Equalizer. It is renowned for its natural-sounding response, similar to the tone control of hi-fi systems. The simple and intuitive controls of BasiQ allow you to shape your audio material concisely, with options to open up air, add shimmer or boost the low-end where needed.

BasiQ is perfect for mixing and mastering, although it is not intended for surgical frequency correction. It’s best utilized as a sweetening device or to give a transparent tilt to your mix. Pairing the master channel with Kratos Maximizer, another powerful audio processing plugin from Kuassa, Inc, is one of my favorite combinations for beefy and smooth analog sounds.

I love this plugin on:

• Shakers & Hats: These drums need to be bright and crisp without being brittle. Analog emulation EQs like this are perfect for gentle boosts that add that crispiness in an almost warm and smooth way instead of overly sterile like boosting the same frequencies using a digital EQ would do.

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Blindfold EQ

Blindfold EQ is a free EQ plugin that draws inspiration from a quote by Matt Wallace in the book Recording Unhinged by Sylvia Massy. It features four bands, including LowShelf, LowMid, HighMid, and HighShelf, with a unique twist – each knob is blind.

“If I were King of the Universe, consoles would have no indication of frequency near the EQ knobs, because when you show the frequency, then most people EQ by eye… But seriously, you should have no idea of what frequency you are boosting or cutting. It doesn’t matter what number is. It matters how it sounds and how it feels. That’s it!” – Matt Wallace. From the book Recording Unhinged by Sylvia Massy

You won’t find any indicators or numbers showing frequency, gain, or Q values. Instead, relying on your ears to adjust your tracks would be best. The plugin has a resizable window and a preset system with a randomizer feature.

I love this plugin on:

• Leads: The previous EQ had only a few parameters, which are excellent or broad stroke moves like boosting the highs of shakers, but the added parameters and options to dial in the extra punch and warmth you need make it easy to add the extra OOMF on lead synths. Hence, they cut through my mixes to feel beefy.

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Free Modulators 

Modulation effects like phasers and flangers are essential in music production and audio engineering because they add movement and texture to a sound. These effects manipulate the sound by altering its phase or time relationships, creating unique and exciting sonic effects. Here are some common uses of phasers and flangers:

• Adding movement to a static sound: Using a phaser or flanger on a sound can create a sense of movement and dynamics, making a static sound more exciting and engaging.
• Creating a sense of depth and space: Modulation effects can add a sense of depth and space to a sound by altering the phase and timing relationships of the audio signal.
• Adding a “swirling” or “whooshing” effect: Phasers and flangers can create a distinct swirling or whooshing sound that can be used creatively in music production.
• Enhancing a guitar sound: These effects are commonly used on electric guitars to add texture and movement.
• Creating special effects: By using modulation effects in creative ways, unique and unusual sound effects can be created that can be used in sound design or film scoring.

Blue Cat’s Flanger

Despite its simple interface, I’ve always found this plugin highly versatile, offering harsh and metallic effects and smooth and soft filtering. And best of all, it’s completely free! If you want to take your flanging to the next level, the stereo version of the plugin includes a “Spread” control that allows you to smoothly transform the effect into a stereo flanging effect with a single knob. Push the slider and hear the difference as the sound spreads into the stereo field, creating a three-dimensional listening experience.

The plugin includes sine or triangle LFO shapes and in or out-of-phase feedforward and feedback paths. It also offers full MIDI control and automation support, with silent and zipper-free parameter updates, advanced response control, and MIDI Learn.

I love this plugin on:

• Chords: The problem with most effects like this is that they sound too…phasey or flangey. But the effect is warmer and more delicate, meaning it helps the sound come alive instead of just making it sound like you’re slamming any given instrument through the phaser on the CDJs

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PanCake 2

PanCake is a killer free plugin that offers incredible flexibility for panning modulations. With this tool, I can draw a sequence of modulation points and curves using soft or hard control points, creating smooth or sharp transitions in the waveform.

PanCake’s LFO can be easily synchronized to your DAW, ranging from a fast 1/128 note modulation to 32 bars, but I think the real magic is setting it to free and adjusting the tempo by ear. You can also set it to run freely from 0.02 Hz to 5.24 kHz and trigger it via MIDI (which is pretty damn innovative if you ask me).

I love this plugin on:

• Pads: Everyone is crazy about that classic Afterlife sound these days, and if you’re looking for heavily modulated and LFO’d chords that wobble and pan like crazy in the builds and minimal melody techno drops, this is the Swiss Army knife of FX for it, at least from a panning an stereo field movement perspective.

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CHOW Phaser

The CHOW Phaser Mono version is designed to take in a mono signal and output a stereo signal. In contrast, any stereo input to the plugin is first summed to mono before processing. On the other hand, CHOW Phaser Stereo accepts a stereo signal and processes each channel separately.

Both stages share the same LFO, which is controlled by the “depth” and “frequency” parameters, as well as the “skew” knob. The “10x” parameter multiplies the LFO frequency by 10. The “stages” parameter controls the number of filter stages used in the modulation section. At the same time, the “drive,” “dirt,” and “thrash” knobs add different styles of nonlinear processing to the feedback stage. 

With CHOW Phaser, you have complete control over the phaser’s processing and can create unique and exciting phaser effects for your tracks.

I love this plugin on:

• Synth Sequences: I don’t have a modular synth, but I love the heavily modulated sequences my friend’s modular produces. Creating systematic movements that seem space-age and seemingly random makes rhythmic sequences come alive.

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Magic Switch

Magic Switch is a free plugin BABY Audio created based on the ‘Magic’ feature from their Super VHS lo-fi multi-fx plugin. Super VHS was developed to provide users with a quick and easy suite of one-knob effects that could add the lo-fi charm of the 80s to modern productions. It features six effects that each provide a unique flavor of VHS-era goodness.

One of the most popular features of Super VHS is the ‘Magic’ button, which adds a one-click chorus effect with a “deep, dark, and rich tone.” The warm, detuned synth-scapes of the 80s inspired this effect. Although it doesn’t aim to emulate any particular classic design, BABY Audio created its ideal one-button chorus for the software age. It is designed for a modern production scenario where the source sounds are cleaner and require more radical transformation.

Magic Switch combines a custom-built chorus algorithm with a series of gentle, analog-modeled, low-pass filters that add a more mellow vibe to the wet signal.

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Free FX Bundles

Bundles of effects can be a game-changer for music producers, offering a wide range of tools to manipulate and enhance audio creatively. These bundles typically include a variety of effects, such as EQs, compressors, reverbs, delays, and more. 

The benefit of purchasing a bundle is that you can access a range of effects without breaking the bank. Buying individual plugins can (usually) quickly add up in cost – but these powerhouse bundles are entirely free. 

TAL-Effects

The TAL Effects bundle is a collection of three powerful audio effects plugins that can add unique character to any sound. The bundle includes TAL-DUB-X, a delay plugin with vintage sound and modern features; TAL-Chorus-LX, a chorus plugin with a wide range of modulation possibilities; and TAL-Reverb-4, a versatile reverb plugin with high-quality algorithms and intuitive controls. These plugins are suitable for producers of all levels and genres and are available at a reasonable price.

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Blue Cat’s Freeware Plug-ins Pack II (Bundle)

The Blue Cat’s Freeware Plug-ins Pack II Bundle is a collection of free audio effects plug-ins developed by Blue Cat Audio. The bundle includes a range of tools for audio processing, including EQ, filtering, modulation, analysis, and more. Each plug-in has a user-friendly interface and features high-quality sound processing algorithms. 

The bundle includes nine different plug-ins that can be used individually or in combination with each other to achieve a wide range of audio effects and processing techniques.

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Voxengo Free Plugin Pack

Voxengo offers 15 free VST, AAX, and AU plugins based on the same high-quality technology as their paid plugins. The free plugins include a mid-side processing plugin, stereo-widener plugin, channel delay plugin, mastering graphic equalizer, and more. The company offers these plugins to promote its website and paid plugins, allowing users to use high-quality software for free.

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Melda MFree FX Bundle

The Media Free FX Bundle offers 37 free VST plugins by Melda Production. These plugins are recently updated to version 16, which provides efficiency and performance gains but no longer supports 32-bit plugins on Windows. This bundle includes a variety of plugins such as a vocal tuner, convolution reverb, equalizer, compressor, phaser, tremolo, and many more.

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