The slick UI looks reminiscent of Kilohearts’ top-end Phase Plant power synth, and Vital boasts a host of advanced capabilities including audio rate modulation, stereo LFOs, multiple filter models and MPE control.

This is a ‘spectral warping’ wavetable synth that uses morphable sampled sounds as its oscillators, setting it apart from the virtual analogues that make up the bulk of this list. Vital is the newest and one of the most advanced synths in this roundup. Download it now and it could quickly become your go-to for rich, vintage poly sounds. While other freeware synths on this page are undoubtedly more adventurous or original than OB-Xd, none are likely to match the broad appeal of this excellent virtual analogue. Sonically, this is up there with many paid analogue emulations and, while it lacks the bells and whistles of something like Arturia’s V Collection synths, OB-Xd does build on the design of the original with a morphable filter design and voice variation controls. OB-Xd lives up to its inspiration on both fronts. This is an emulation of Tom Oberheim’s classic OB-X polysynth, an analogue classic beloved for its thick, rich sound and easy-to-use interface.

It remains our favourite freeware synth, though, based largely on its blend of simple usability and excellent sound. OB-Xd isn’t the flashiest synth is this round-up, nor is it the newest, despite being updated to version 2 in recent months. Your needs here will depend on your chosen DAW, so make sure you check up on what plugins yours can host before downloading. We’ve listed with each synth what operating systems it can be used on, and available formats (standalone, VST, AU or AAX). The only other factor to consider is compatibility. One of the great things about freeware is that it gives users the opportunity to try out these different types of synth design for free, so if you’re not sure which is for you, why not try downloading several styles of synth to see what suits you best? In the list below you’ll find a variety of synthesis types, from virtual analogue to FM, wavetable, modular and hybrid instruments that combine multiple approaches.

Some emulate or clone the sound of classic hardware instruments, while some are original designs of their own. That being said, many freeware instruments - particularly those that are open-source - are lovingly maintained and developed either by their original creators or a community of users.Īs with commercial plugins, freeware synths come in all shapes and sizes. The most significant risk with freeware synths is that you can’t always count on long-term support and upgrades, meaning that free synth you love may not keep pace with the changing needs of your DAW or operating system.

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