1. TAPEBRAKE is a free VST audio effect plugin by WOK to simulate the sound of a stopping tape or turntable on the fly. Tape Stop Effect Plugin Simulates the effect of a stopping tape or turntable on the fly.
  2. Today there are more great free plugins than ever before, but the freeware scene is always changing. How can you know which free VSTs are worth installing? We scoured the internet for the absolute best of the best free VST plugins available.
  3. Feb 13, 2018  Dblue Tape-stop is a standout amongst other performing VST effect modules for tape-stop which is accessible only with no cost.Dblue Tape-stop has a streamlined plan and very less demanding to take a shot at with all the sort of music. Be it hip-bounce, popular or any music.

AAX, VST, VST 3, AU. OPERATING SYSTEM: Mac OS 10.10.5+ (Catalina supported) Windows 7+ DAW.: Pro Tools 11+, Logic Pro X, Live 9+, Cubase 9+, Studio One 3+, Reaper 5+, FL Studio 12+.Even if you are using a DAW that isn't listed here it is possible that our plugins will work for you. Feel free to reach out to us with questions. Over 50 of the best VST plugins to sound like a pro, with an extensive buying guide friendly for beginners and seasoned professionals. Free Downloads; About; Search for: Main Menu. Home Studio and Music Production Guide / Software & Plugins. 50 Best VST Plugins for 2020. Bad Tape features a live visualizer allowing you to see the peaks.

VST plugins are virtual instruments and effects for a digital audio workstation. These are the best free VST plugins to use in your music production studio.

Scroll down to browse the VST plugins based on their category. Each category page features the best free virtual instruments and effects for a specific music production task. Welcome to the internet’s most up-to-date directory of freeware VST plugins.

Free VST Plugins Directory

Free VST Effects

Freeware effects in VST plugin format:

  • Autotune – Free alternatives to Antares Auto-Tune.
  • Bitcrusher – An extensive collection of freeware bitcrushers.
  • Chorus – A selection of the best free chorus effects.
  • Compressor – Dynamic range compressor VST plugins.
  • Compressor (Multiband) – A collection of multi-band compressor effects.
  • Compressor (Sidechain) – A collection of compressor effects with side-chain input.
  • Delay/Echo – Add depth to your mix with these excellent freeware delay effects.
  • Distortion – Distort and saturate your audio with these freeware plugins.
  • EQ (Graphic) – Free graphic equalizers in VST format.
  • EQ (Linear-Phase) – Linear-phase equalizers in the VST plugin format.
  • EQ (Parametric) – Standard parametric equalizers for mixing and mastering purposes.
  • Filter – A collection of filtering effects.
  • Flanger – Free flanger VST effects.
  • Gate (Noise Gate) – Freeware VST plugins for removing noise from recordings.
  • Granulator – A collection of granular effects to really mess up your audio.
  • Guitar Amp – Large collection of virtual guitar amplifier VST plugins.
  • Guitar Cab (coming soon)
  • Limiter – Free limiter effects for mastering and mixing.
  • Phaser – The best free phaser plugins.
  • Reverb – Algorithmic reverb VST plugins.
  • Reverb (Convolution) – Convolution reverb VST plugins.
  • Saturation (Console/Tape/Tube) – Get a warmer sound using free saturation tools.
  • Stereo Enhancer – Enhance the stereo separation in your mix with these freeware effects.
  • Transient Shaper – Make the drums more prominent in a mix with these free transient shapers.
  • Vocoder – Become the next Daft Punk with these vocoder free VST plugins.

Free VST Instruments

Top Tape 5 Vst Download Free Version

A selection of free virtual instruments in VST plugin format:

  • Drum Machine/Synth – Instruments for synthesizing and sequencing drum sounds.
  • Organ – A collection of free organ instruments in VSTi plugin format.
  • Piano (Acoustic) – Free VST plugins that emulate acoustic pianos.
  • Piano (Electric) – Virtual instruments that emulate electric keyboards.
  • Sampler – The best freeware VST plugins for audio samples.
  • Sound Module/Workstation – A round-up of virtual instruments that function as romplers.
  • SoundFont Player – If you’re feeling old school, load your old SF2 files with these free plugins.
  • String Machine – A collection of string ensemble instruments. Jean Michel Jarre will love these!
  • Synthesizer – Best free synthesizer VST plugins.

Free VST Utilities

Other useful freeware VST plugins:

  • Arpeggiator – A collection of freeware arpeggiator VST plugins.
  • Oscilloscope – Free oscilloscope tools.
  • Spectrum Analyzer – Visualize your mix with these freeware spectrum analyzers.
  • Step Sequencer – Sequence your virtual instruments with these freeware step sequencers.

VST Host Applications

A selection of free audio editors, digital audio workstations, and other applications that host VST plugins:

  • Audio Editing Software – Audio editing programs that can host VST plugins.
  • Digital Audio Workstations – The best free DAW software.
  • Free Mastering Software – Freely downloadable VST plugins for mastering.
  • Free Music Production Software – The best free music-making tools for beginners.
  • Free Video Editing Software – Edit your music videos for free.
  • VST Host Applications – Directory of VST plugin hosts for music production and live performance.

Free VST Plugins From Each Year

Site

For quick access to the best VST plugins from each year, check out the articles listed below:

Find more music production tools in the Free Software Archive. The archive includes VST plugins, mobile apps, DAW software, audio editing software, and more. Browse our articles all the way back to 2009 when BPB was launched.

Developer Archives

An archive of free VST plugins that are not supported anymore. These freeware plugins are hosted on BPB with the permission of their developers.

If you’re a software developer interested in hosting your VST plugins on Bedroom Producers Blog’s servers, feel free to get in touch!

What Is A VST Plugin?

In case you’ve never used free VST plugins before, here’s a brief introduction. The acronym VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology. The technology allows music producers to load third-party audio effects and virtual instruments in their digital audio workstation. Virtual Studio Technology was introduced by Steinberg in 1996 and has made a massive impact on the way we produce music today.

A VST plugin is a software effect or a virtual instrument intended for use in a host program that supports Virtual Studio Technology. VST plugins are used to expand a digital music studio, in the same way hardware effects and instruments are utilized in a real studio. There are literally thousands of VST plugins available for free download on the internet. As a result, we have created this free VST directory to help music producers find the right tools.

Using VST Plugins

Choosing the right audio software and learning to use it properly will ensure an efficient workflow when producing music. Therefore, make sure to familiarize yourself with the software available in your VST plugin folder. No one wants to use a complex plugin for the first time during a critical mixing session.

Step 1: The DAW

First of all, you need to choose the right digital audio workstation. The decision to use freeware or commercial music production software is up to you and your budget. The first thing to keep in mind when choosing your DAW is the workflow. Is the interface intuitive? Does the control layout seem logical to you? Does the application provide all the recording and mixing features you’ll require? And most importantly, can it host VST plugins?

The best free digital audio workstations right now are Tracktion 7 and Cakewalk by BandLab. Both applications can load VST plugins.

Step 2: Downloading Free VST plugins

Now that you’ve picked your DAW, you’re all set to start building your collection of free VST plugins. Remember to always go for quality instead of quantity. The biggest mistake people make when discovering Virtual Studio Technology and the world of free VST plugins is to download hundreds of freebies and to hoard them on the hard drive. This is bad for your workflow and productivity. Imagine all the clutter and chaos in a real-world studio stacked with hundreds of hardware instruments and effects that no one will ever use. You don’t want such a mess in your virtual studio, either.

Stay organized when choosing your virtual instruments and effects. This page is a great place to start because we’ve listed only the best freeware VST plugins in each category.

What you need is a small but mighty collection of audio software that will cover all of your music production needs. Take the time to examine the plugins on offer and keep only the ones that you really need. Keep your mixing toolbox lightweight and efficient. Limit yourself to no more than three virtual compressors, equalizers, synthesizers, etc. Install only the tools that best suit your workflow and learn how to use them. Read the manuals, watch the video tutorials, and spend some time experimenting with your free VST plugins.

Step 3: Staying up to date

Finally, keep your plugins up to date. Developers often release updated versions of their freeware plugins, which include essential bug fixes and additional features. Keep an eye on our news section to stay informed about the latest updates of popular VST plugins. Also, consider subscribing to our email newsletter to receive the latest freeware news straight to your email inbox.

If you’re looking for even more freeware plugins for your DAW, check out the huge database over at KVR Audio.

Updated on February 21st, 2020.

In the jungle of free VST plugins, there are many gold nuggets to be found, if you know where to look. Some of the free plugins out there hold such a class that they could easily go for several hundred bucks. And there are a lot.

Firstly, we would like to give a big thanks to all the VST plugin creators out there, who are willing to give out their amazing work for free. If you see a donation button anywhere on their websites, buy’em a cup of coffee, will you? Given how advanced and thought-out some of these plugins are, they probably live on the stuff.

So, let’s dive in. Here are our Top 10 Free VST Plugins of 2019. These definitely sets the standard of how good and thought-out a free VST can be. Our collection features some newer and some older. But with all great classics, they hold the test of time.

Let’s dive in!

1. Dexed (by Digital Suburban)

Modeled after Yamaha DX7, one of the best selling synths in history, this top 1 free FM-style VST synth is ready to get you cooking. Included are over a thousand classic DX7 presets, with sounds ranging from classic electronic pianos to powerful stabs and strings. You’ll probably recognize many of the sounds from your favorite 80’s tracks as this, again, was modeled after the go-to synth of that era.

Really, it started as a tool to be used with the original synth. However, this is such a good replica that stands on its’ own. With so many different knobs and options for customizability, this is a synth that you can tweak forever.

Auto tune call of duty. Aug 14, 2016  CARTOON THEME SONGS AUTO-TUNE - Call of Duty Funny Moments - Duration: 4:17. Drumsy 234,700 views. SINGING FOR MY SON - Call of Duty Auto-tune - Duration: 4:46. Drumsy 150,720 views. Call of Duty - Autotune Thank you Got Drums for the great video above. In the above video Got Drums uses autotune during his Black Ops II gaming sessions to get some awesome results and reactions from fellow gamers. What are some of your favorite parts from the. Apr 24, 2013  Got Drums is at it again with more auto-tune trolling! If you enjoyed the video, be sure to smack that Like button, it only takes 1.4 seconds! Director's Cha. Auto-Tune Pro is the most complete and advanced edition of Auto Tune for Windows PC.It includes both Auto Mode, for real-time pitch correction and effects, and Graph Mode, for detailed pitch and time editing.For twenty years, the tool has been the professional standard for pitch correction, and the tool of choice for the most iconic vocal effect in popular music.

Easy, powerful and stable are three things that summarise this freeware goodie. Go get it.

2. MinimogueVA (by Voltkitchen)

Here we have another great emulation of a classic analog synth. This time, of the Minimoog. The Minimoog’s success was huge when it came out in the '70s. For starters, it was the first synthesizer created for the average consumer and the sound was just incredibly rich and powerful.

Used in tracks such as Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”, Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”, and Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”, it’s easy to see why this synth sound is loved by so many.

So, MinimogueVA. It’s an emulation but includes additional features not found in the original. To name a few, you now have a fully programmable digital delay, you can control the tuning of oscillator 1 (and fine tune oscillators 2 and 3) and have 3 overdrive sliders for each oscillator to make your sound even thicker.

This free synth sounds and behaves pretty much exactly like the original and is a must-have for every electronic producer. Deep, rich and yummy, and in our opinion best used for lead sounds and basses. Just beware that it might need some taming because of its’ power – the sounds take up a lot of space in the mix.

3. TAL-Elek7ro (by Togu Audio Line)

This powerful virtual analog synth has pretty much everything you’ll need as an electronic music producer. How about two oscillators (saw, pulse, triangle, and sine) with hardsync and PW/FM. One sub oscillator (saw and rectangle), one noise oscillator, wide-range LFO’s (0.1Hz up to 400 Hz) and a super user-friendly interface?

Users report a very analog sound from this synth, more than many of its’ competing virtual synths that comes with a price tag. So this free option will definitely satisfy you who wants to create rougher, analog, old school sounds.

The only thing really missing, in my opinion, is extra effects and an arpeggiator. But you can always use separate plugins for that, DAW-included or purchased.

All in all, a great, easy and powerful synth for electronic music production.

4. iZotope Vinyl (by iZotope)

You know that crackly sound from old vinyl? Or the electrical hum in speakers, when an audio cable is not fully plugged in? Well, it’s funny. Turns out those audio distortions are in again.

Commonly heard in triphop and retro synthwave-style music, some cracks, and noises can really bring a track to life. We don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about the warm crackle of vinyl. Is it nostalgia? A sense of analog? Making digital sounds more “human”?

I don’t know. But for those of you who want to achieve this to your mix, look no further than iZotope Vinyl. Rather than layering different vinyl scratch samples, this plugin is fully customizable and does the job extremely well.

Apply it to certain instruments or your whole mix, and choose the amount of the following parameters:

  • Mechanical noise
  • Wear
  • Electrical noise
  • Dust
  • Scratch
  • Warp depth

The last option, warp depth sets the amount of spin down applied from the 'Spin-Down' button below. That effect mimics what would happen to the sound of vinyl if you slowed it down manually until it stops. You know what I mean. But damn that’s cool.

You also have options for what decades you want to emulate, ranging from the 1930s up to 2000. There’s also an option for the number of RPM’s (of the “vinyl”).

Overall, a really cool plugin that can make the most digital sounds a bit more analog.

5. FerricTDS – Tape Dynamics Simulator (by Variety of Sound)

Looking for a great free alternative to the expensive tape saturators out there? Well, look no further. FerricTDS is it. Inspired to simulate the dynamics and warmth of high-end reel-to-reel tape recorders, this wonderful plugin does this in three steps.

Firstly, it controls the dynamics by gently shaping the overall dynamic response of the sound. Then it adds extra harmonics with its’ great sounding saturation and finally, the signal peak is controlled by its built-in limiter.

These three knobs are of course yours to play with as you wish, for a subtle or strong tape effect.

So, this plugin does a lot of wonderful things to your sound. Simply put, you can say that it warms up, controls and shapes. Like a compressor, saturation, limiting and a tape recorder emulator all in one neat package.

The plugin also won the KVR Developer Challenge of 2009. It’s ten years ago but its’ quality still holds with time.

Tape Piano Vst Free

6. TAL-REVERB III (by Togu Audio Line)

Introducing the TAL-REVERB III, the top of the free plate reverbs. This little gem will wow you with its’ beautiful non-BS interface and brilliant sound.

To break it down, the plugin has 7 dials. The low- and high cut dials make for easy reverb mixing. The room size dial controls the duration of the reverb. A stereo width dial for easy stereo control (mono to full stereo) and a pre-delay dial which goes up to one second. The last two are simply dry and wet dials. Easy peasy.

With 10 factory presets to choose from it’s also good to go from the start.

The sound of the TAL is fantastic, and their goal of creating a colorless, maximal diffused plate reverb without digital artifacts is really heard. It’s smooth, shimmering and nice.

For a free reverb plugin, this is good stuff. Check it out.

7. Synth1 (by Ichiro Toda)

Synth1 is another great synth that was made as a replica of the popular Nord Lead 2. The two actually sound quite similar, but being that the Nord Lead 2 is about $15,000, it’s not a great surprise that it beats a free plugin in sound quality.

But the Synth1 is totally free. It’s pretty cool that you can get at least half the quality of an expensive, top hardware synth just an easy, free download away.

Vst Host Download

So, what do we have in the Synth1?

For starters, we have 2 oscillators (sine, triangle, saw, and square) with FM and ring modulation, sync and a modulation envelope. 4 types of filters, 2 LFO’s and an arpeggiator. Included are also various effects, a tempo delay, and stereo chorus/flanger. You’ve got legato and portamento mode plus 16 notes polyphony. Not too shabby.

It’s optimized for extremely light CPU usage and is a fantastic starting point for any new producer who wants the learn the basics in sound synthesis. And the sound in this synth is great.

All in all, a great freeware synth that I think everyone should try at least once. It does have a few sound glitch bugs when changing the knobs sometimes. But generally, it's pretty stable and does the job. Very well.

8. BootEQ (by Variety of Sound)

BootEQ is another freebie who’s definitely up there competing with the big boys (top of the line, expensive plugins). It’s an SSL-style equalizer and pre-amp simulator, which “provides some nice and musical signal coloration effects” according to the product description.

The plugin is simple and easy to use with its’ four parametric and independent EQ bands and several classic sounding curves. You also have a drive-knob for saturation and two switches for vintage color and tube on or off. With a simple design, clear text and meter display, you can’t go wrong.

It colors the sound beautifully warm, but subtle and not over the top. To add some more life to dull life, or to fatten up sounds, this could easily be your go-to.

9. ValhallaFreqEcho (by Valhalla DSP)

The ValhallaFreqEcho is many things, along with being a staple plugin you must have in your library. It's both frequency shifter and analog-style echo, which in combination makes for a very psychedelic, trippy delay effect that feels like it's going in and out of your head.

Frequency shifting the delay output makes for some very interesting results. Used subtly, it passes as your everyday light chorus/flanger or doubler but used in excess, you've created something entirely new and out of this world.

If you’re looking for an experimental effect to spice up your psychedelic production, or simply want something to get your creative juices flowing, get this. Right now.

10. VB-1 (by Steinberg)

Free Tape Vst

The 4 voice polyphonic VB-1 is a plugin you either love or hate. It’s not the best sounding bass emulations out there, but it's not trying to be either. Its' strength comes from its' incredible ease of use. You basically have 4 knobs (release, shape, damper, and volume), a picture of a bass guitar and a pick you can drag left and right for different sounds.

Best Free Tape Vst

On its' own, the VB-1 doesn't sound fantastic. But I've found great use for it in creating basses for trance music. It produces a nice, basic bass signal that is brought to life with the help of some extra plugins. Throw in some EQ, saturation and bass boost and it's suddenly kicking.

Definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re into creating rolling trance basses.

Best Free Vst Plugins

Thanks for reading!

About the author
Pelle Sundin is a Swedish music producer and freelance copywriter, currently active with his chillout project PLMTRZ. He also produces psychedelic trance. When he's not producing music, he surfs, skates and chugs coffee.

Free Vst Download Site

Check out our in-depth music production courses, for example:

  • 5h+ Online Course: Analog Sound Design with Arturia MINI V3

Watch example: