Your Recommended Free PC Software

[Scope]

Presonus Studio One
A fab free sequencer for Mac & PC.
Comes with a rompler. & a "get you started" library for the synth and numerous instrument and drum loops.
The PC version rompler can access sound fonts - so there is an unlimited library out there, all for free.

There are higher versions offering more features @a £££.
But for sheer fun for free, studio one gets my vote
(& I am a long term cubase & logic user !!)

[Shonn Frank]

IDK..Is it just me? I have a hard time with free plugins. I think it's because I'm old (40 ) and I'm stuck thinking BEFORE the renaissance of computers when there was a canyon between professional/acceptable gear and non-professional/ "cheap" stuff and forget about free! lol

It's the old "you get what you pay for" mentality, where you're thinking there's no way some shmuck can throw a compressor together that can rival these million dollar companies who can pay top programmers and collaborate with engineers and designers and have access to vintage gear and all that.

I know there are plenty of reasons why I'm wrong to think this way. I'm also a sucker for a cool GUI. idk

Although, when the freebie is from a bonafide developer with those resources, and I can understand that they are showcasing their stuff..my mind acts more inviting.

For example:
Camel Crusher by Camel Audio (thumbs up)

[Matt Houghton]

Tokyo Dawn Labs Feedback Compressor II is in beta for both Mac & PC now. Bit of a resource hog, so more suited to mastering or occasional use in a mix - not something for every channel! - but it offers things most other dynamics plug-ins (whatever the price) don't and sounds superb.

[annaangel]

VlC

[OneWorld]

I haven't spent much time with it myself really.

I've just switched over from using Ableton Live onto Cockos Reaper and needed a sampler and came across this.

All I've really done is load a few vocal samples and had a quick play, so don't really have anything much to contribute just yet.

But from the little I've used it, it seems to do the same sort of functions that I was using Ableton's 'Sampler' for.

And the website says that a future update will bring alongside the freeware version a professional version that will provide a few more extra features, but that takes it into 'Budgetware' rather than freeware but I think I'll be happy to pay a little bit for something I'm making use of.

Came across what?

[Matt Houghton]

Tokyo Dawn Labs Feedback Compressor II is in beta for both Mac & PC now. Bit of a resource hog, so more suited to mastering or occasional use in a mix - not something for every channel! - but it offers things most other dynamics plug-ins (whatever the price) don't and sounds superb.

The latest version of this one is much less resource-intensive now.

Also to add to the list (if I haven't missed them in this thread) are Vladg's Molot compressor and Limiter No6. They're both superb — alongside the Tokyo Dawn Labs one, these are probably the best freeware dynamics plug-ins I know of, and much better than many (and arguably most...) commercial plug-ins. Learning to get the best from them can take a while — but there's a button on the bottom to give you English instead of Russian labels, which helps.

• Vladg Limiter No6
• Vladg Molot

[Bluesman979]

Analogue X do a few useful free tools..

http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/audio.htm

Including Vocal remover, Audio Arpeggiator, HDD-time remaining, a delay calculator etc etc

HTH

[Marjeda]

I haven't spent much time with it myself really.

I've just switched over from using Ableton Live onto Cockos Reaper and needed a sampler and came across this.

All I've really done is load a few vocal samples and had a quick play, so don't really have anything much to contribute just yet.

But from the little I've used it, it seems to do the same sort of functions that I was using Ableton's 'Sampler' for.

And the website says that a future update will bring alongside the freeware version a professional version that will provide a few more extra features, but that takes it into 'Budgetware' rather than freeware but I think I'll be happy to pay a little bit for something I'm making use of.

Came across what?

The freeware sampler I put a link to a few posts up.

Anyways here's another couple of freeware plugins that I've tried and work well for me as they're pretty simple.

http://www.klanghelm.com/index.html

[bins]

I really like the FireBird 2 synth:

http://www.tone2.com/html/firebird_vsti_vst_synthesizer_1.html

....it sounds great and you can get some really varied sounds.

Great round up list of 2013 VST's here (Firebird comes in at No. 3):

http://bedroomproducersblog.com/2013/12/26/top-20-free-vst-plugins-best-2013/

[bigcat1969]

Hope its OK to mention here, list of free instruments.
http://bigcatlists.blogspot.com/2014/05 ... -type.html

[Martin Walker]

Hi Joe,

I don't see why not - it's a good list too!

You might want to change the entry from Alchemy to Alchemy Player though (only the Player version is 'free' )

Martin

[Zack Burnet]

I have used Dr Drum Beat Maker !