10 Weird and Wonderful Free VST Plugins
Amongst all the emulated synths and delay plugins out there are some surprisingly strange tools you can use with your DAW software. We’ve collected 10 of the most unique VSTs we’ve found on the web, from crazy effect manipulation to singing monks these plugins should keep you entertained when you’re not making your next hit track.
If you don’t have a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) to insert plugins to we collected our ten favourite free DAWs here or if you just want to play around with them there’s a great list of VST hosts here.
Delay Lama by AudioNerdz (Windows & Mac)
You already know it’s going to be great from the name. Delay Lama gives you full control over a chanting monk (not a real one – sorry). Always wanted to hear a monk sing Chopsticks? Here’s your chance. Customisation isn’t very deep for Delay Lama but who cares when you’ve got a 3D monk singing what you play!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8HYRsELzCQ?rel=0&w=480&h=360]
Head here to download Delay Lama – you have to enter your email but that’s all
LiveCut by MDSP Smart Electronix (Windows & Mac)
Ever wanted to get that Aphex Twin drum sound and had no bloody idea how he does it? LiveCut turns your beats into sliced up drum & bass mayhem. It works by cutting audio up into blocks based on the audio in it, rather than in equal chunks like many beat-slicers. Hear it in action in these clips.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eEaTWloHEs?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
Download LiveCut here: Windows – Mac
VST Speek by Wavosaur (Windows & Mac)
VST Speek is a text-to-speech plugin that is capable of a ridiculous variety of voices with adjustable levels for pitch, speed, mouth, and throat. Even though it sounds really weird to play with this is something that could actually fit into your mix, speech synthesis is surprisingly common in music. Combine it with LiveCut for a crazy drum & bass track.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nwpsCSMkiQ?rel=0&w=480&h=360]
Download VST Speek here: Windows 32 bit – Windows 64 bit – Mac 64 bit – Mac 32 bit – Mac 32 bit OS X 10.6 or 10.7
Triple Cheese by u-he (Windows & Mac)
Triple Cheese acts similarly to a lot of synthesizer plugins but unlike classic synths Triple Cheese goes through a variety of short chromatically tuned delays to create unique sounds. With a massive set of features in it’s interface and a giant host of presets this comb synthesizer should keep you busy for a few hours… or weeks.
Download Triple Cheese here: Windows – Mac
MeowSynth by Knobster (Windows)
MeowSynth is pretty self explanatory – It’s a meowing synthesizer, or meowizer… if you really want to stoop that low. MeowSynth features a number of editable parameters like chorus and vibrato so you can fine-tune your mewing to suit your taste. Really, it is as weird as it sounds. Hear for yourself.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkHrzD_CM6U?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
Download MeowSynth here: Windows
Symptohm PE by Ohm Force (Windows & Mac)
Symptohm Performers Edition is a synth packed full of sounds. With over 1,200 presets there is plenty to play around with. This is less weird and more an incredible free package but I can assure you some of the presets are pretty wacky. Also you can choose between two skins: standard or amazing.
Find out more and download for Windows and Mac here
Bleep by Tonebytes (Windows)
Bleep is unsurprisingly onomatopoeic in it’s name. This is a synthesizer that sounds like game systems from back in the day. Bring those nostalgic NES tunes back into your own hands. You can create music from a massive range of bleeps thanks to it’s impressive feature set. Three oscillators with 4 waveforms, Modulator Envelope Generator, Pseudo arpeggiator… You know what just hear some bleeps and bloops for yourself.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BR6gjtBwEk?rel=0&w=480&h=360]
Download Bleep here: Windows
Blood Bucket by Insert Piz Here (Windows)
Insert Piz Here have a bunch of strange and interesting plugins. Easily topping that list, at least for strangeness is Blood Bucket. IPH describe it as “another pointless experiment in synthetic stupidity”, but we see it as a canvas of mad and varied sounds ready to be painted into unique tracks. Or just an excuse to make weird noises.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GkbBayZY-E?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
Download Blood Bucket here: Windows
MyKazoo by g200kg (Windows)
MyKazoo is surprisingly not a kazoo emulating synthesizer. It’s actually a VST effect which in my opinion is even more amazing. Turn your luscious vocals into raspy buzz. With two dials to alter the affect and a third to dictate the effects mix level you can transform any of your audio pieces into a refined rasp. MyKazoo works best with vocals but I’m sure you can get some cool sounds from other recorded bits.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRBwIieh-_s?rel=0&w=480&h=360]
Download MyKazoo here: Windows
Gargoyle by Krakli (Windows)
“Inspired by a request for a VST that could be used for a horror film soundtrack. This synth is dedicated to it’s namesake.” Create some spooky sounds with this plugin that some say was created by the devil himself. (Others have said it was Krakli but I’m not sure)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vfi2LU5_CY?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
Download Gargoyle here: Windows
So there you have it, 10 of the most bizarre and interesting VST plugins around for free. Got any unique plugins that you love? Let us know in the comments below!