The 12 greatest freeware synths of all time!
We start our freeware spectacular with a roundup of the best dozen free synths of all time. We’ve included some oldies but goodies that should still make your hard drive, plus some from the Computer Music Plugin Suite, natch
01 U-HE BAZILLE CM MAC/PC, 32/64-BIT
We’d stress that this list is ‘in no particular order’, so this number one does not actually mean ‘the best’ and it’s sheer coincidence that this entry is one of our own. But u-he’s Bazille CM is a cracker, a patchable modular synth with a sequencer and enough power to wrestle incredible sounds from. Of course, any plugins in the Suite aren’t technically ‘as free’ as other freeware as you need to buy this magazine, but they are free with the mag so we’re including them. OK? u-he.com
02 GREEN OAK CRYSTAL
MAC/PC, 32/64-BIT
Almost as old as this magazine’s editor, Green Oak software Crystal has, like Synth1 after it, been a mainstay in the freeware music scene for many a year. And it’s easy to understand why… at least once you look past those aged looks, as it still sounds very good.
With a relatively simple operation but powerful LFO and modulation sections, it’s easy to get something complex out of Crystal. And not a synth to be pigeonholed particularly, you can also get some pretty varied sounds out of it too. Crystal has also made a great (but sadly not free) transition to the iOS platform). greenoak.com
03 MATT TYTEL HELM
PC/MAC/LINUX, 32/64-BIT
Some freeware has been around the block a few times… and looks like it. Not so Matt Tytel’s Helm. With the kinds of looks, graphics, movement and click and drag pointers found on newer synths, this looks anything but free, but most certainly is. The synth features a great little step sequencer, some nice LFO options and some superb (and easy to use) effects which help take its sound up a level or two. Great looker and a great sound. tytel.org
04 NUSOFTING SINNAH
MAC/PC, 32/64-BIT
Another sleek and up-to-date interface, Sinnah is a relatively modern piece of freeware, but has a slightly different take on synthesis. It has a single oscillator, albeit one
with five shapes to choose from, and an envelope to tweak. However, a ‘resonant delay network’ replaces the expected filter and once you start tweaking everything, you realise that the sound is as difficult to categorise as the overall synth architecture. It therefore sits within the more unusual box of freeware in our studio, but is all the better for it. nusofting.nusofting.com/
05 VCV RACK PC/MAC/LINUX, 64-BIT
Now this is the synth – actually entire modular system – taking the freeware world by storm. Developed over the last few years, it’s an open source modular environment, complete with dozens of addons developed by many developers, making it one of the most exciting, and complex free systems out there. Look out for another entire feature on it soon. vcvrack.com
06 SYNAPSE AUDIO DUNE CM PC/MAC/, 32/64-BIT
Whether you like it or not, you already own this synth (unless, that is, you are borrowing this magazine from a friend, in which case they own it). Dune CM comes free with Computer Music but sounds anything but free. With both VA and wavetable oscillators plus a very comprehensive modulation section, you really can get some varied and pro sounds from it. A cracking synth. synapse-audio.com
07 TAL NOISE MAKER PC/MAC, 32/64-BIT
Togu Audio Line have been making great plugins for many years now and were one of the earliest flagbearers for the freebie. Their Elek7ro specialised in sharp percussion and cutting basses and Noise Maker is a new and improved version of that synth, featuring effects (including reverb and delay) and loads of presets that cover a lot more bases (and, indeed basses). We’re pretty sure TAL will be appearing in later pages of this feature too, such is their girth of quality. tal-software.com
08 ACOUSTICA NIGHTLIFE
PC, 32-BIT
One that breaks all of our rules from the off; it doesn’t work on a Mac and is only 32-bit. Other than that, it’s great! No, the real reason this makes the cut is that it’s one of the best bombastic dance freebies out there. OK, it might be dance music from a few years back – dubstep included – but we all know a few tweaks can update it. So if your machine’s old, give this a go, you won’t regret it. acoustica.com
09 STAGECRAFT INFINITY
PC/MAC, 64-BIT
One of the newer and more unusual synths in this roundup, Infinity promises lots of features that other synths here can’t deliver, including MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) support for extra expression and a sample-based synthesis engine that helps it deliver a wide range of sounds, some acoustic, some electronic. The only catch is you might want to increase its library with paid-for additions, but there’s plenty you can achieve without doing so. stagecraftsoftware.com
10 FUTUCRAFT KAIRATUNE
PC/MAC, 32/64-BIT
Kairatune is an out-and-out electronic music producer’s dream freebie, and ideal for dance music of all genres. It can cover your leads, basses, arps, pads and beats and is “designed for musicians rather than engineers” so relatively easy to get to grips with. It wears its heart on its sleeve – and is damned good at what it does. futucraft.com/kairatune/
11 ICHIRO TODA SYNTH1
PC/MAC, 32/64-BIT
No freeware synth roundup would be complete without this mainstay of the free world, a synth that has propped up many a ‘best of’ list since its release back in the 18th century. Synth1 takes some of its features from the mighty Nord Lead 2 and while it might look antiquated, it sounds great, will run in modern DAWs and is still, incredibly, supported by its developers (albeit not in English). Still essential. daichilab.sakura.ne.jp/index.html
12 TYRELL NEXUS 6
MAC/PC/LINUX, 32/64-BIT
Amazona and u-he teamed up to produce this synth back in 2010 but updates have kept it fresh and able to run in up-to-date DAWs. Of course, we chose it initially for the name but actually there’s a great synth behind a great fascia here, similar to a Roland Juno-60, albeit with added extras. 580 presets are easily enough to demo its power and it’s a worthy inclusion in our synth dozen. u-he.com and amazona.de