Best Free Vst For Sound Design
- I am just looking for the best audio/video software that is (totally free and not just a free download) to be able to use on my newly established paranormal investigation team’s recordings to clean up and be able to hear the best and to be able to send or play for the client/s!!!!
- Top 10 Most Unique Sound Design Tools 2019 Here is something cool for every sound-designer out there looking for some really neat plugins for sound mangling and total creative workflow. We looked through a lot of plugins and we narrowed it down to the top 10 of what we think every sound designer should have, or at least try.
Stutter Edit 2 is a sound explosion, as it is sometimes hard to believe what Stutter Edit2 can conjure up from a normal sound. It’s one of the Best Sound Design VST Plugins.
on Feb 28, 2014 in Synths & Sound Design 1 comments
Best Free Vst For Sound Design Studio
Sound design is a pretty broad subject in anyones books, in fact one person's definition of what it involves may differ from another's. Sound design can range from the creation of single synth presets to entire libraries of custom sound effects.
Whether you are creating bespoke sounds for moving picture, game sound effects or just putting together the perfect atmospheric pad patch for a track, there are a number of tools you'll need to moulding truly original sounds.
This list should give you an idea of some of the things that'll be useful to you. Obviously this is not a definitive list but represents the main plug-in and software categories you should be thinking about when starting out.
1 - Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Omnisphere seems to feature in a few of the lists that I produce because it's just so flexible. It also sounds pretty darn good. When it comes to sound design, synthesis is simply essential so having a good collection of subtractive, additive, FM, granular and sample-based synths is key'¦ or simply buy Omnisphere!
Omnisphere has made the grade for a few of my roundups mainly down to the fact it's totally awesome.
The real beauty of Omnisphere is that it contains not only a behemoth of a sample library but also a number of different synthesis types, a multi-effects engine and mind-blowing modulation possibilities. Combine the samples, waveforms and powerful synth engine and you have the perfect sound design tool. Just about anything is possible here.
'¨2 - Fabfilter Timeless 2
Expansive spatial effects are an integral part of sculpting new and exciting sounds. Two tools you should have in your sonic toolbox are a solid delay processor and at least one great reverb. This entry is obviously the former!
There are countless delay plug-ins on the market and many DAWs now include this sort of effect. All this said if you are after some truly mind-bending effects, you'll need something that has some serious modulation options. Fabfilter's Timeless 2 offers the complex routing you'll need.
Fabfilter 2 offers not only a great delay sound but endless modulation possibilities.
Even the preset library here is impressive and will give you some great starting points to work with. If you are new to this sort of plug-in you might want to try this route as the mod system can be a little daunting to the newcomer.
3 - Lexicon PCM Reverbs
Arguably the most important part of creating convincing sound scales and effects is putting them in realistic spaces. To get this part of the process right you'll need a high-quality reverb.
Best Free Vst For Sound Design Software
There once was a time when hardware was considered the only option but there are now plenty of software-based processors that are more than capable of getting the job done. I've been screaming and shouting about UVI's Sparkverb ever since I reviewed it and in my eyes this probably remains the best software reverb at a reasonable price.
Lexicon PCM reverbs remain the best '˜in the box' algorithmic verb around.
However, if you fancy splashing out or simply want the best there is I would suggest opting for the excellent PCM Native bundle from Lexicon. This is a collection of algorithmic effects that are ported directly from the companies legendary hardware units and offer about the richest virtual spaces you can achieve in the box.
4 - UAD Moog Filter
'¨As I pointed out earlier, synthesis is one of the building blocks of sound design. A huge part of this is a set of solid multi-mode filters. Obviously any synth worth its salt will have filters included but if you plan to filter your audio, a separate filter plug-in is well worth the investment.
As with so many of these categories, there are plenty of filters out there and the one you choose is really down to personal preference. If you fancy something complex with almost unlimited routing options you can go for something like Fabfilter's Volcano, this is very similar in operation to the Timeless 2 delay mentioned earlier.
The UAD Moog filter simply oozes quality and is a lot of fun to use.
For something with a little more analog flavor you might want to opt for the Moog approved filter on the UAD platform from Universal Audio. This is probably the warmest, richest filter I have heard in software. Very nice stuff.
5 - Steinberg Wavelab
OK so this one is actually an app as opposed to a plug-in but a good stand-alone audio editor can be really useful when tweaking sounds. I believe that this sort of app still ultimately gives you more control than editing audio in a DAW and gives you the ability to quickly get an accurate overview of your audio.
Wavelab can be the perfect environment for creative processing.
You may also find you like the workflow of adding effects and edits to your files in a different environment. Give it a whirl'¦ Wavelab is now available on Mac and PC so everyone is invited.
6 - iZotope Trash 2'¨
If you like to add some dirt and grit to your effects then you'll need a distortion unit. Your DAW probably has one and it might be ok but by investing a little bit of cash you can get your hands on something much more capable.
Trash 2 is extremely flexible and provides just about every type of distortion going.
iZotope's Trash 2 is an excellent example of a modern digital distortion plug-in. This thing can produce everything from a soft tube-like glow to an over the top bit-crushed mess. Get stuck in!
7 - Native Instruments Kontakt
It's highly likely that you'll want to manipulate your own samples to achieve the perfect custom sonic textures. Of course you can use raw audio to achieve this and use insert effects to apply processing but some things are really only possible when using a sampler.
All hail Kontakt'¦ the king of soft samplers.
NI's Kontakt is the indisputable king of soft samplers and is hugely popular with artists and sound designers the world over. If you want to unleash your samples, found sound or recordings then throw them into Kontakt. You'll be blown away by the power of its synthesis engine alone.
8 - Native Instruments Reaktor
Another awesome bit of virtual kit from the NI camp is Reaktor. If you have the technical chops or a lot of time on your hands you can actually craft your own synths, effects and processors using this system.
If you can't get interesting sounds out of Reaktor you're in the wrong business!
Even if you don't feel up to getting your hands dirty, you can use some of the many bundled '˜devices' to process your audio and make some truly crazy sounds. Just a quick test drive of the included Razor synth and you'll soon realize you are in new territory here.
9 - Propellerhead Reason 7
'¨'¨I was going to stay away from recommending specific DAWs here as they are all really excellent environments for creating your own custom sounds. That said Reason is a slightly different beast.
Add punch, reduce reverb, tame room sound, this plug can do the lot.
The reason I say this (oh dear) is that it can be used as a ReWire slave and essentially act as a cool expander for any DAW. The modulation possibilities are literally endless, the virtual devices top notch and the CPU usage extremely modest. If you are getting into sound design, it's really something you should consider.
10 - Sugar Bytes Effectrix
If you fancy trying something a bit different or are lacking inspiration then Effectrix maybe your perfect sound design companion. It's basically a self-contained sequencer and multi effects processor. A cool step based GUI controls when each effect is triggered. This combination is potent to say the least and can produce some great sounds.
For something a little different (or an injection of inspiration) try Effectrix.
I've actually found that applying processing using Effectrix and it's unique sequencer produces effects that you wouldn't usually be able to achieve with more static processing. Vst drum kit arabic free. Be warned you can lose hours of your life playing with this thing!
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Hello Composers! Mike here, with a quick guide on the Best Sound Design VST Plugins. =)
There are so many ways you can do sound design. Distortion, Modulations, Morphing, Time-Stretching, Pitch-Shifting, Waveshaping etc. I love Sound Design, and I create and shape a lot of my sounds in my cinematic music.
I use plenty of VST plugins, both instruments and effects, to do my sound design work. And I also have researched a lot of options that you might want to check out. Let’s dive in! =)
VST Plugins for Sound Design
1. Soundtoys Decapitator
2. iZotope Trash
3. Soundtoys FilterFreak
4. Softube Tape
5. Heavyocity Punish
6. Spectrasonics Omnisphere
7. Soundtoys Crystallizer
Hello Composers! =)
My name is Mike, founder of professionalcomposers.com, music composer and sound designer since 1998, old school nerd, and coffee addict. So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s check out some amazing Sound Design VST Plugins! =)
If you want to get lots of Gear Guides on Studio Hardware, Software, Plugins and Sample Libraries: Check out https://musicproductionnerds.com
1. Soundtoys Decapitator
The king of distortion plugins. There is a reason why almost all professional producers are raving about this plugin. A friend of mine said: “It’s like hot sauce for audio, I like to put it on everything”. From gentle analog saturation to mangled beyond crazy distortion. It even has several models of distortion plus an extra button called “punish” when you really like to drive the sound hard.
2. iZotope Trash
Another distortion plugin, but this one has a whole range of creative features. It has a dual-stage multiband waveshaping distortion which gives you the ability to chain pairs of distortions. It even has a customizable waveshaper, and a lo-fi delay unit. iZotope Trash is more than distortion, it is about transforming your sounds! 😉
3. Soundtoys FilterFreak
This plugin is all about adding movement to your sounds. Dynamic filter sweeps, automated crazy motion, or even construct intricate rhythmic filter sequences with the Rhythm Editor. As with all Soundtoys plugins, you get a huge range of presets to start from, but it’s also super fun to create your own! =)
4. Softube Tape
Sometimes you just need that warm vintage analog color in your sounds. And what made that sound in the old days of music production, was partly that they used analog tapes to record to. This is where Tape Emulation plugins comes into play in modern music production. And Softube Tape is one of the kings in this field. Instant analog, warm flavor. Sweet! =)
5. Heavyocity Punish
This is a multiple function plugin that is amazing for beefing up any sound. It includes a compressor with 3 types to choose from, a saturation unit with vintage, modern or tube distortion, a transient shaper and an equalizer. Then it ends with a limiter to make sure you are not clipping after all insane sound mangling. The benefit of having all in one single plugin is that you get quick access, great overview, and easy loading and saving of presets.
6. Spectrasonics Omnisphere
My absolute favorite instrument plugin for all types of sound design. From instruments, to soundscapes, to twisted distorted pulses and rhythms. I have used Omnisphere since the first day it came out (in 2009 I believe), and I have at least one instance in pretty much every music production I made since then. I confess, I am addicted to Omnisphere, haha. 😛
7. Soundtoys Crystallizer
Delay and echo effects are incredibly useful for sound design. And while there are plenty of standard delay plugins, you might also want a creative delay unit, such as the Crystallizer. It uses a combination of pitch-shifting and reverse echo algorithms to create shimmering soundscapes that sounds amazing. It’s dangerously fun to try different presets, so beware, haha. =)
What Plugins will you use for Sound Design?
These are some of the best ones from my personal view, but of course there are 100s, perhaps 1000s of VST plugins you could use for sound design. I recommend you to do some research, based on what kind of shaping, mangling and creative designing you want to do with your sounds.
Have fun with Sound Design for your Music Compositions and Productions! =)