These are MusicTech’s favourite free plugins of 2024The quality and variety of free music making software on offer never ceases to amaze us. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite free plugins and tools from 2024 so you can craft amazing tracks without breaking the bank.

READ MORE: These are the best new plugins of 2024, according to MusicTech’s reviewers

Techivation – T-Saturator

Techivation has made a name for itself by releasing a range of powerful but focussed processing tools. T-Saturator is a level-independent saturation plugin that can be used to add anything from subtle warmth through to shrieking distortion.
As it’s level independent, you can easily add the same harmonics to the quiet and loud portions of your signal. You get tube, tape, clip and fold modes that all provide slightly different flavours of distortion. You can use the Crunch control to change the character and the Smash dial to shape how much the transients are affected. On top of this, there’s frequency range adjustment, a Mix dial, Mid-Side control, Auto Gain and up to 8X oversampling.
Download: Techivation – T-Saturator
Newfangled Audio – Obliterate

If you prefer your audio on the screaming and distorted side, then this free over-the-top distortion effect is for you. Obliterate started off life as a bug in the code, but Newfangled Audio decided to develop it further into a unique sounding resonant distortion plugin.
Obliterate can deliver extreme digital distortion that can destroy drums, create incredibly aggressive basses, or be used for intense horror sound design. There are two destruction algorithms to choose from, with built-in frequency and resonance controls. You get two resonant multi-mode filters that are morphable between lowpass, highness, bandpass, all pass and notch settings, plus the ability to control all frequencies and resonances at once.
Download: Newfangled Audio – Obliterate
RARE/DSP – Drumclone
RARE/DSP Drumclone. Image: Press
Although technically still in beta, this superb tool allows you to load in any drum sample to have it created in synthesis for you to further tweak and edit. You can even load in full track audio where the drums are buried in the mix and Drumclone will spit out a clean approximation of the original kick sound.
It works by isolating the elements of the original kick drum and spectrally breaking it down into several layers for the transient, noise and body of the sound. These are then fed into various re synthesis engines and recombined and processed to give a clean sounding final kick. Multi-segment envelope editors let you further sculpt the underlying layers. In theory, you could try this with other percussive one-shot sounds, but the current model is optimised to work with kick drums.
Download: RARE/DSP – Drumclone
Wave Alchemy – Magic7
Wave Alchemy Magic7. Image: Press
When it comes to pristine, high-end reverb, the hardware Bricasti M7 is up there with the best. Wave Alchemy has captured all 234 presets from the M7 and packaged them into this free plugin. It includes a range of styles, from clear ambiences and intimate rooms, to expansive cathedrals, nonlinear spaces and sublime plates.
You get controls for tempo-synced pre-delay, low and air EQ, a smooth control to reduce the transient, and a built-in ducker. It also has Flux or Ensemble modulation modes to add additional stereo spatialisation and pitch variation.
Download: Wave Alchemy – Magic7
Audija – OScope
Audija OScope. Image: Press
OScope is an incredibly useful tool that lets you see the waveform of your audio signal in real-time. You can set the length to zoom and show fine detail, or zoom out and show longer beat and bar sections. You also have the ability to freeze the oscillogram and zoom right in to check individual peaks or details alongside a dB scale.
This kind of tool has numerous uses, including checking peak levels of certain sections, and seeing the effects of processing in realtime. It’s particularly useful for helping to visualise what effects a compressor is having on the shape of the waveform as you tweak it, and we often use an Oscilloscope to make judgements when using clippers to shave off wayward peaks. The main version is free, but if you pay an extra €8 then you can add sidechain input. This lets you visualise two signals at once, which could be useful for refining a kick and bass relationship.
Download: Audija – OScope
Full Bucket Music – Broken Mini
Full Bucket Music Broken Mini. Image: Press
Full Bucket Music has made countless plugins based on old synths, but this new one is arguably one of its most unique free releases. Broken Mini emulates a classic Minimoog, but adds in a few surprises.
There are missing keys and knobs, certain dials don’t function exactly how you might think, there’s wonky tuning, unexpected hums, and the Oversample options go downwards from 1 instead of upwards. There’s even the sound of a radio when you use the Noise oscillator. It’s a bit like a fun puzzle, with little notes from the developer when you hover over certain controls. Although a broken synth might seem like an unusual choice, it could be a great way to come up with some unusual sound design.
Download: Full Bucket Music – Broken Mini
PSPaudioware – PSP Chamber

PSP Chamber is a free reverb plugin that uses a single algorithm taken from its big brother PSP EasyVerb. It can be used to add depth and dimension to any audio signal, with rapidly developing, dense reverberations and a smooth, natural decay.
The algorithm itself has three variations, plus Small, Medium and Large modes. You then have controls for Decay, Damp, Predelay, Width, Mix and output volume. If you want to tailor the sound further, then there’s an EQ section with low and high shelf filters, plus an adjustable mid band.
Download: PSPaudioware – PSP Chamber
U-he – Zebralette
U-he Zebralette. Image: Press
Ahead of the long awaited release of Zebra 3, u-he has updated Zebralette with bug fixes, improved performance and plugin support, and new browser features. It also includes an experimental new Key Command function that lets you edit synth parameters using the qwerty keyboard.
These things aside, Zebralette remains an excellent free synth that has one powerful oscillator capable of morphing between 16 different waveshapes. It includes a waveform editor with four different drawing modes, plus 24 spectral effects, oscillator stacking, ADSR, 2 LFOs, a 32-stage MSEG, built-in chorus/phaser, EQ and delay effects, polyphonic aftertouch and 300 factory presets.
Download: U-he – Zebralette
AudioThing – Moon Echo

Now for something a little different. Moon Echo is an experimental frequency shifted delay effect that simulates the technique of bouncing radio waves off of the moon. It was developed alongside Berlin-based musician Heinbach, and can be used as a musical lo-fi effect with unique artefacts.
There’s a lot going on under the hood, but the front end has been simplified to make it easy to use. You have Input, Output and Mix dials, alongside a Doppler control, and Time, Feedback and Moon Dust dials to adjust the signal modulation. As a nice touch, if you’re online and click the Ping Moon button, then the plugin will attempt to contact NASA and get the exact distance of the moon, which will then set the delay time.
Download: AudioThing – Moon Echo
Venus Theory – Auras Series

Musician, sound designer and content creator Venus Theory has released a series of three exceptional cinematic instruments that load into the free Decent Sampler. This includes an A-B layer system, fine-tuned velocity settings and custom impulse responses.
The first instrument is called auras:polyscape, and it captures some rich and complex patches from Arturia’s PolyBrute 12, recorded through analogue tube preamps. The second is auras:volts, with recordings chaotically sampled from $200,000 worth of synths. And finally, there’s auras:eraphine, which includes ethereal vocal layers alongside a down-tuned ‘frost’ viola and an array of ornate granular accompaniments.
Download: Venus Theory – Auras Series
Baby Audio – Warp
Baby Audio Warp. Image: Press
Our last entry is the most recent and comes from Baby Audio, who have a history of releasing excellent freebies just in time for Christmas. This time round we have Warp, which takes a popular effect module from Transit 2, the recently released effects plugin that was co-developed with Andrew Huang.
Warp offers high-quality, artifact-free varispeed control to speed up or slow down your audio in real-time. Alongside the Speed dial there’s a Stretch control that affects pitch independent of the time, allowing you to do things like slowing down whilst pitching up. There’s also a Mix dial to balance the wet and dry signals.
Download: Baby Audio – Warp
The post These are MusicTech’s favourite free plugins of 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.

These are the best new plugins of 2024, according to MusicTech’s reviewers2024 was a bumper year for software releases. Some developers resurrected and recreated impossible-to-find hardware classics of yesteryear, while others tackled modern problems with algorithm-powered processors that can clean up mixes by removing frequencies you may not even be able to identify.

READ MORE: These are MusicTech’s favourite free plugins of 2024

Soundtrack producers also found their arsenals bolstered with incredible sounds and orchestrator tools to help create authentic patterns and styles. Meanwhile, mastering in your home studio got more powerful than ever before.
As we wave 2025 into our plugin folders, let’s check out the plugins that impressed us the most in 2024.
Softube Model 77
Softube Model 77. Image: Press
Yamaha’s legendary CS-80 hardware synth has been modelled by such industry titans as Arturia, GForce and Cherry Audio. But what impressed us most about Softube’s Model 77 was that it takes three models – the 4-voice CS50, 8-voice CS60 and the 8-voice dual layer CS-80 with polyphonic aftertouch — and blends them together into a single interface. On top of that, it makes designing retro sounds wonderfully straightforward.
Drawing on its vast experience of developing high-end processing and synth plugins, Softube meticulously researched the original models and combined them, retaining classic features while also updating others to make them easier for a modern audience to get to grips with. We found it to be “a truly spectacular-sounding synth plugin that is incredibly easy to program”, offering warm, rich tones that work across any number of genres. Its depth of programmability came in for much praise as well as its usability – “a vintage approach to synthesis that doesn’t feel clunky or overwhelming”, was our conclusion.
Read our full review of the Softube Model 77. 
Oeksound Bloom
Image: Sam Willings/MusicTech
Oeksound’s team describe themselves as “a bunch of tech geeks” who search for new solutions to problems rather than replicating tools everyone already has in their DAW. Bloom is just such a product – an adaptive tone shaper in all major plugin formats that analyses sound in real time and lets you adjust the tonal balance without boosting or cutting frequency bands as an EQ would do.
Used on elements within a mix we found it helped greatly with shaping, compression and stereo control when aiming to balance a mix without using EQ and its unwanted frequency cuts and boosts. “Unpleasant build-ups are tamed and areas that are lacking can be brought to the fore, all while sounding smooth and natural” was our experience. While noting that it perhaps a little pricier than some people are used to for a shaping plugin, we acknowledge that Bloom defies easy categorisation and once you understand it, is likely to become a key weapon in your mixing arsenal.
Read our full review of the Oeksound Bloom. 
Baby Audio Transit 2
Baby Audio Transit 2. Image: MusicTech
Building off the success of the first release, Baby Audio in collaboration with Andrew Huang expanded the Transit multi-fx plugin to include a bunch more effect types and presets. Recognising how powerful it was for tempo-based effects, the team added ten effects for a new total of 28 over the eight slots which now include new motion modes to animate your sounds.
It’s all tremendous fun – the 830 presets cover all manner of crazy setups and everything is supremely easy to tweak, move and toggle. We found the plugin covered so much ground that it replaced a bunch of other plugs in our collection just for the sheer convenience of having all this stuff in one window. As well as the joy of playing with time-based multi fx while everything stays in sync we also loved the randomize and lock features for endless experimentation.
Our conclusion? “This is a tantalising multi-effect that you will get a lot of life from. Over-use is a definite danger, but even when used more sparingly Transit 2 creates engaging transitions, variations, bridges and groovy, complex effects.”
Read our full review of the Baby Audio Transit 2. 
IK Multimedia T-RackS 6
IK Multimedia T-RackS 6 master bus. Image: MusicTech
T-RackS was the first affordable software mastering suite and opened up the mastering process to anyone with a few hundred dollars. A couple of decades later, IK has kept it current with a ton of upgrades and now at version 6 it has a free version and three paid tiers with even the MAX version only costing $299 – peanuts compared to buying hardware.
In an increasingly cloud-based arena, T-RackS 6 keeps things local, providing up to 60 plugins, some modelling classic hardware, and a standalone mastering console with AI-powered Master Match that analyses a reference track to try to replicate its sound. Praising its versatility, our review notes “T-RackS’ plugins do a great job of meeting the current moment. Many creators prioritise accessibility, speed, and digital tools that ‘just work’ – at the same time, our continued fascination with vintage music hardware is alive and well. T-RackS 6 serves up the best of both worlds.” Those plugins all work individually in your DAW too, and while there is strong competition in the software mastering field, we believe T-RackS’ accessible pricing along with its superb sound makes it a must-have for producers.
Read our full review of the IK Multimedia T-RackS 6. 
Moog Mariana
Moog Mariana. Credit: Moog
Best known for its legendary hardware synths both old and new, Moog also makes numerous software instruments too and at a price that’s much more accessible than its hardware models. Mariana is two identical bass synths in one that you can play monophonically or duophonically, on your computer or your iPad. Moog is one of the more prolific developers of pro instruments for the iOS platform.
As well as its very accessible price – just £49 on the desktop – we praised the fact that Mariana isn’t necessarily what you’d expect from Moog, “leaning towards a slightly brighter and more aggressive sound than the more familiar Moog warmth – it’s nice that it has built a synth with that desirable Moog flavour but a slightly different, contemporary sound.” Virtual control voltage and multiple built-in effects make it an even more compelling package.
Read our full review of the Moog Mariana. 
Cherry Audio CR-78
Cherry Audio CR-78. Image: Cherry Audio
Relative newcomers Cherry Audio have wasted no time in regularly releasing hugely affordable software versions of both classic and unique synths, typically priced at under $50. The CR-78 is pretty simple compared to some of their other models, a recreation of Roland’s CompuRhythm CR-78 from 1978, widely regarded as the first drum machine. In addition to its tiny footprint of just 60MB we were impressed by its ease of use, the classic layout enhanced with a few newer features for even more flexibility like onboard effects, management of presets, sequences and patterns.
Our review noted that “Cherry Audio has struck a nice balance between going far beyond the very limited capabilities of the original hardware but also maintaining its feel and ease of use.” And that while the character and sound of the original is very much here, “there’s the feel of analogue sequencing but without the hassle” of multiple button combinations. A great addition to any sound set.
Read our full review of the Cherry Audio CR-78. 
EastWest Fantasy Orchestra
EastWest Fantasy Orchestra. Image: Press
Cinematic scoring is an area where advanced software instruments – often with huge supporting libraries – have completely changed the landscape in recent years. EastWest is a colossus of these scoring tools, producing industry-leading suites that are heard on the biggest Hollywood movies. Fantasy Orchestra, our review found, is “an incredibly powerful tool that streamlines key aspects of modern composing.” We were particularly impressed by its newly-written Orchestrator tool, which can “take in a few chords and give you back a near-finished scoring cue”.
With 145GB of content covering multiple instrument sections all designed to work together, its standalone cost of $995 is not inconsiderable though it is sometimes significantly discounted and can be cheaper as part of a subscription package. As well as sounding beautifully authentic, the addition of tools to help you compose and create patterns really sets this instrument apart. A heavyweight scoring tool for serious producers.
Read our full review of the EastWest Fantasy Orchestra.
Waves Curves Equator

Waves adds to its huge library of mix plugins with another affordable model in the form of Curves Equator, the first in a new family of advanced EQs. Promising to improve any full mix, vocal or instrument by removing problematic frequencies, fixing resonances and balancing inconsistencies, Curves Equator is part of a growing trend in plugins that have a ‘fire and forget’ element to them instead of needing endless setup. To that end, it’s also able to learn from your tracks and create a personalised suppression curve.
The idea of “uncovering” mixes by automatically having problem frequencies removed – perhaps the result of imperfect mixing environments – is compelling. We hope to see more great things from the future members of this plugin family.
Find out more about the Waves Curves Equator at waves.com.
Native Instruments Komplete 15

Native Instruments continues in its quest to provide every sound and processor you need in a single package – or, at least, a version based on the amount of content, from £269 for the Standard to £539 for Ultimate, with upgrade pricing also available. The company’s Kontakt platform powers both acoustic and electronic instruments ranging from pianos and orchestras to guitars, drums and cinematic and sound design tools.
The sheer breadth of the instruments on offer is truly impressive and represents a vast saving compared to buying even a fraction of them individually.
While the initial outlay might pinch slightly, the reality is you’re getting a huge amount of stuff here that will benefit any kind of music you are making. A bunch of plugin effects and sound pack expansions are the icing on the cake.
Find out more about the Native Instruments Komplete 15 at native-instruments.com.
Wavea Flite
Wavea Flite. Image: Wavea
Newcomers Wavea have a rich history in the industry, with its founder Sharooz Raoofi having created the Astra soft synth, and also founding music brands Audaire and Sample Magic. Flite is a plugin sample player / FM, virtual analogue and wavetable synth for macOS and PC priced at $99 that cleverly blurs the boundaries between different kinds of audio generation.
With multiple synth types and four multi samplers with full control over every parameter, the instrument has plenty of effects, filters, LFOs and much more to help you create advanced sounds and sequences. Its sound library is taken from Sharooz’s personal collection of vintage hardware instruments and Principle Pleasure Studios and includes the Roland Jupiter 8, Oberheim OB-8 and LinnDrum among many others. It’s a serious music creation tool created by serious people.
Find out more about the Wavea Flite at wavea.co.
The post These are the best new plugins of 2024, according to MusicTech’s reviewers appeared first on MusicTech.

Noon Instruments introduce Vessels Noon Instruments' latest sample-based instrument is described as “an exploration of object resonance and sonic materiality. 

AllMusic Loves 2024Our editors share 227 of their personal favorite albums of 2024, featuring some of the year's biggest releases and a wealth of lesser-heard gems.

Berlin Music Video Awards DeadlineFeb. 7 is the deadline (late deadline March 7) to submit your work for consideration in the Berlin Music Video Awards for the 2025 annual event celebrating artists and musicians from around the world and music videos.The festival will take place in June, showcasing artists’ work on an international stage and providing networking opportunities for music industry professionals and creatives.Find submissions guidelines and submit your video here. The post Berlin Music Video Awards Deadline first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

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Merlin tells tech companies not to use its members’ music to train AI without authorizationUsing Merlin members' music to train AI requires “explicit written authorization,” the organization has declared
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Using A Smartphone As A Touchscreen For ArduinoIf you want a good display and interface device for an embedded project, it’s hard to look past an old smartphone. After all, you’ve got an excellent quality screen and capacitive touch interface all in the same package! [Doctor Volt] explains how to easily set up your old smartphone to work as a touchscreen for your Arduino.
[Doctor Volt] demonstrates the idea with a 2018 Samsung Galaxy A8, though a wide variety of Android phones can be put to use in this way. The phone is connected to the Arduino via a USB-to-serial converter and an OTG cable. Using a USB-C phone with Power Delivery is ideal here, as it allows the phone to be powered while also communicating with the Arduino over USB.
The RemoteXY app is built specifically for this purpose. It can be installed on an Android phone to allow it to communicate effectively with Arduino devices, which run the RemoteXY library in turn. Configuring the app is relatively straightforward, with a point-and-click wizard helping you designate what hardware you’re using and how you’ve got it hooked up. [Doctor Volt] does a great job of explaining how to hook everything up, and how to build some simple graphical interfaces.
There are a ton of display and interface options in the embedded space these days, many of which can be had cheaply off the shelf. Still, few compete with the resolution and quality of even older smartphones. It’s a neat project that could come in very handy for your next embedded build! Video after the break.

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3D-Printed Boat Feeds The FishesIn most natural environments, fish are able to feed themselves. However, if you wanted to help them out with some extra food, you could always build a 3D-printed boat to do the job for you, as [gokux] did.
The concept is simple enough—it’s a small radio-controlled boat that gets around the water with the aid of two paddle wheels. Driven together, the paddle wheels provide thrust, and driven in opposite directions, they provide steering. A SeeedStudio XIAO ESP32 is the brains of the operation. It listens into commands from the controller and runs the paddle drive motors with the aid of a DRV8833 motor driver module. The custom radio controller is it itself running on another ESP32, and [gokux] built it with a nice industrial style joystick which looks very satisfying to use. The two ESP32s use their onboard wireless hardware to communicate, which keeps things nicely integrated. The boat is able to potter around on the water’s surface, while using a servo-driven to deliver small doses of food when desired.
It’s a neat build, and shows just what you can whip up when you put your 3D printer to good use. If you’d like to build a bigger plastic watercraft, though, you can do that too. Video after the break.

Get 11 plugins worth $471 for only $48 With Loopcloud
Loopcloud has kicked off the holiday season with a $48 deal that allows you to score 11 free plugins worth a total of $471 with any Loopcloud annual subscription plan.  The Loopcloud offer ends on January 6, 2025, and by starting a subscription, you’ll also get access to four million sounds and the various features [...]
View post: Get 11 plugins worth $471 for only $48 With Loopcloud

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Reason 13.1 now available Reason Studios have announced the launch of the latest free update to their popular DAW and virtual instrument platform.