Free VST plugin recommendation list

[Mark Bliss]

Effects/mixing tools and utilities/etc.

I'll start this with the recommendation that you should seek reliable sources when considering free plug ins.
It can save a lot of headaches and help find better quality plugins by sticking with reputable and known brands, and sourcing them from either the companies website or well known sources such as:

Plug in Boutique: https://www.pluginboutique.com/categori ... ?free=true

KVR http://kvraudio.com/plugins/windows/vst ... st-popular

Bedroom Producers Blog https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/

VST4Free: http://www.vst4free.com/index.php?m=VSTfx

ETC.

Beware of flaky sites and companies who often attach bloat/malware to downloads of plug ins that aren't worth even the free price tag.

Some of my personal recommendations:

TDR Nova http://www.tokyodawn.net/tokyo-dawn-labs/
I have used this heavily since it was first introduced and am still amazed that such an amazing plug in is free!
Their other free plug ins might be of interest as well. VOS EQ, and the Kotelnikov bus compressor are both quite good too.

Voxengo SPAN http://www.voxengo.com/group/free-vst-plugin-download/
Another heavily used and highly recommended tool, this is a free upgrade replacement to the frequency analyzer included in Mixcraft, with added features and utility.

Blue cat https://www.bluecataudio.com/Download/Products/
Offers some free plug in tools worth checking out. The gain suite is a useful utility.

Hofa 4U meter, fader, side pan tool is something new (to me) I am finding useful https://hofa-plugins.de/en/plugins/4u/

Melda productions free bundle contains some very useful tools that tend to be highly flexible and configurable.
https://www.meldaproduction.com/MFreeFXBundle

Also, the Tal reverb and chorus are popular and frequently recommended freebies, as is the Acon delay.
(All available via the sources at the beginning of this post.)

If guitar amp emulations are of interest, you might be interested in the free CS version of Amplitube:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitubecs/
It includes- a digital chromatic tuner, 9 stomps, 4 amps, 5 cabs, 3 mics, and 2 rack effects.
Some people use the stomps and effects for uses outside of Amplitube as well.

[Starship Krupa]

I'll have many recommendations coming along, but I'll second Mark's for the Meldaproduction bundle.

My vote for the second (after Meldaproduction's) freeware plug-in bundle for a new Mixcraft (or any DAW) owner to download is the Dead Duck Free Effects Bundle. It comes with 24 excellent effects in both 32 and 64-bit versions, everything you need, really. It fills in some gaps in the Mixcraft Recording Studio bundled FX like a Gate, De-Esser, Auto Pan, Ring Modulator, and Signal Generator, and if you want to run the 64-bit version of Mixcraft, this can help reduce your need for the built-in 32-64 plug-in wrapper.

http://www.kvraudio.com/product/dead-du ... re/details

[Starship Krupa]

Here is a list of freeware VST effects and utilities that I have used extensively with Mixcraft.

All of them come in both 64 and 32 bit versions.

Audio Damage's Rough Rider compressors are ferocious, and the Fuzz Plus is pretty cool, too.
https://www.audiodamage.com/pages/free-downloads

Bitter, a nice utility for monitoring of interstage digital clipping, is a real eye-opener. Put this in between your other effect plug-ins to make sure that you are not clipping your signal.
http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/bitter/

Sonic Anomaly's Unlimited mastering limiter/maximizer is my current go-to for that task. Their HBC bus compressor and Bass Professor are also used on most of my projects. There have many other goodies:
http://sonic.supermaailma.net/plugins

Luftikus knob EQ for character:
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/luftikus-by-lkjb

Sonalksis FreeG Stereo fader is on my master bus in every project:
https://www.sonalksis.com/freeg.html

OrilRiver is my favorite reverb, I use it on pretty much every project:
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/orilri ... is-tihanov

The ReaPlugs package from Cockos has some excellent stuff, especially ReaEQ and ReaFir
https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/

Voxengo MSED, SPAN and StereoTouch. All top notch utilities.
http://www.voxengo.com/

Molot compressor
https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/molot/

Limiter6 master limiter
https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/

[Starship Krupa]

Here are a couple more.

One is a new compressor, the ADHD Leveling Tool, that seems to be a tribute to the LA-3A from the styling of it: http://audiotools.se/downloads/leveling-tool/

It's my current favorite bus compressor after I put it on my drum submix and was suitably impressed with the results. I then tried it as the top compressor in my mastering chain and was again impressed, so it is now my go-to for such tasks.

The other is Acon's Multiply, a chorus that has been around for a few years and is so versatile and sounds so good that it has made it unnecessary for me to ever use a different chorus effect.

https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/

[tweaksource]

http://smartelectronix.com/

Magnus' Ambience Reverb is great.
All of the mda stuff is useful.
Lots of great stuff here. Especially if you are looking for something different...

[dpaterson]

I'm surprised you never told me about this (and the other threads on the same topic) Mark!!!

It's like the gift that keeps on giving!!! LOL!!!

Regards,

Dale.

[Mark Bliss]

Ya gotta get out yer shovel and dig around a little Dale...….

Theres more. Betcha.

[dpaterson]

Hmmmnnn...

Come to think of it: you're not helping i.e. I've now relapsed again this past week!!! Picked up a guitar ONCE and THAT was just to test a plugin!!! LOL!!!

There sure are some good free ones though. No question about that. Where do you think I found that volume control plugin that I posted about on "that other thread"??? LOL!!!

Regards,

Dale.

[Mark Bliss]

Grrr. Its NOT a "volume control" plug in...….

[dpaterson]

"Grrr. Its NOT a "volume control" plug in...…. "

Oops. Sorry. Bad mistake to be making given the current discussion on "that other thread"!!! LOL!!!

Regards,

Dale.

[Ian Craig]

Abstract Chamber
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/abstra ... signaldust

[mixyguy2]

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[Ian Craig]

http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1220

[Ian Craig]

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Sorry Mixguy, I just saw this. This link works for both 32 bit and 64 bit versions

http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1220

[bigaquarium]

Evening,

I’m getting quite fond of this Audiocation compressor for setting up my initial gain:

https://www.audiocation.de/en/plugin

It’s very easy to use and I like the analog gain meter on the front. It usually winds up on the instrument panel effects spot so it’s pre fader.

I usually use it in conjunction with the LSR meter placed first in line on the track to confirm the gain staging:

https://www.lsraudio.com/lvlmeter.html

Best,

-N