Our Free Software Friday feature often highlights a fantastic free synth but we thought it was worth rounding up 10 of our favourites that you should download now!
1. Helm Synth
Helm is not only fantastically designed visually, but it delivers a great sound and completely open for those who wish to dig into the code and create new, modified versions. It's available for Mac and PC and can also run standalone, which is a great bonus. Helm sounds pretty fresh and modern, with a heap of modulation options and presets it's easy to get those glitch and vocal tones.
Based on the mighty Polyphonic Korg PS 3300 it's another Korg emulation from Full Bucket Music following their FB-3100. Just like the 3100, the FB-3300 is built for low CPU consumption, coded in C++ for Windows and Mac OS. There's a demo after the jump where you can hear it in action.
3. VCV Open-source virtual Eurorack DAW
One of the most exciting synths on the list, this open-source virtual eurorack is so much fun and endlessly creative; you'll find yourself lost in its patch cables for hours. A great free synth for getting creative and satisfying a lot of eurorack gear lust without getting lost down the rabbit hole of hardware!
Although the sound of this VST is based on the Roland JX-8P synth, the interface itself is based on the PG800 programmer. The synth is a classic recreation of the JX-8P with up to 12 voice polyphony and two DCO's with Saw, Square, Pulse, Noise shapes. Cooler features include the the fact that all parameters are MIDI mappable with MIDI learn, using a simple right click on any of the controls and you can also import the Sysex data from real JX-8P patches!
5. Despite just having a single oscillator, Sinnah can pack a punch. It's the five complex wave shapes of the oscillator and the clever delay matrix that gives this free VST synth its power. There's also a subtractive stereo filter with three filter types and a reverb for adding some extra lushness.
FM synthesis can be a nightmare to get your head around and is not for the faint hearted, but if you're up for the challenge then this synth may be just right for you. This synth is based on the Yamaha DX7 synth, it has all the features that are found on a DX7 and while it may not be the easiest plugin to look at it sounds brilliant and still, compared to programming the hardware, it's a cinch!
7. This ultra small plugin works on Mac, Windows and Linux and is an additive synth based around a wavetable generator. There's a heap of modulation options and effects to tweak your sound, and for such a lightweight synth it delivers an impressive sound.
8. DC Bazz::Murda is specially designed for sculpting out killer kicks and booming bass drums. With three oscillators and a stack of modulation option, it's a neat way of creating custom kicks in a variety of genre's but we found it useful for those deep Hip Hop kicks, sculpted, click-y and layered DnB drums and especially for crazy distorted Hardcore type kicks.
9. PolyGAS
If you're after something a bit more unusual for your synth arsenal, then this polyphonic synth can provide digital tones using samples as the bones of the synthesis structure. Supporting samples in WAV and AIFF format with up to 32 part polyphony. The tweaking options are huge with 18 envelopes, amplitude non-linear distortions, time delay modulation effects, reverbs, filters and more.
10. Although it's penned as a CS80 emulator, we have to say the Krakli Arminator isn't going to worry Arturia's virtual beast or indeed the original 100kg Yamaha hardware. But don't let that deter you from what is otherwise a interesting little free synth, loaded with an impressive GUI and a stack of sound design options. Plus, it's constantly being updated and improved.
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