A roundup of our favourite freeware releases from across the year, including characterful instruments, cutting-edge effects, and powerful processors.
The article from MusicTech, titled “2023’s best new free plugins and virtual instruments,” provides a comprehensive overview of the top free software and plugins released in 2023. These selections are notable for their quality and utility in various music production contexts. Here’s a summary of the key plugins and virtual instruments featured:
- Bedroom Producers Blog – BPB 64: This plugin offers 37 multisampled instruments from the Commodore 64 SID chip, complete with effects like delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion. It’s available for Mac and Windows.
- Baby Audio – Pitch Drift: Designed for macOS, Windows, and iOS, this plugin introduces pitch fluctuation effects to add warmth and organic feel to tracks.
- iZotope – Ozone 11 EQ: A standalone EQ module from Ozone 11, featuring a resizable GUI, various modes, and Transient and Sustain processing. It’s compatible with macOS and Windows.
- Samplab – Samplab 2: This tool allows editing of audio samples as if they were MIDI, offering real-time editing in DAWs. It’s available for macOS and Windows.
- Kazrog – KClip Zero: A versatile clipper for mastering and mixing, offering transparent loudness or saturation. It supports macOS and Windows.
- Wavesfactory – Flash: A transient shaper with unique features, suitable for macOS and Windows. It separates transient and sustain signals without a threshold.
- Soundly – Place It: This plugin emulates audio playback on various speakers and environments, available for macOS and Windows.
- SuperflyDSP – Flying Reverb: A reverb plugin with room, hall, and temple options, available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- HY-Plugins – HY-Slicer2 free: A creative tool for reworking loops, available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- Polyverse Music – Filtron: A vibrant-sounding filter plugin with a zero-delay design, compatible with macOS and Windows.
- Rewired Records – SideKick 2: An LFO shaping tool for creating ducking effects and trance gates, available for Windows.
- BFD Drums – BFD Player: Offers high-quality drum sounds and grooves, compatible with macOS and Windows.
Each of these plugins brings unique capabilities to the table, from sound shaping and modulation to innovative sampling techniques, catering to a wide range of production needs. This selection underscores the richness and diversity of free music production tools available in 2023.
Source: 2023’s best new free plugins and virtual instruments
