Surge is an opensource Synth VST that sounds fantastic and is probably the best synthesizer plugin currently available. It is a hybrid subtractive synthesizer with a dual synthesis engine. Each patch contain two ‘scenes’ which are separate instances of the entire synthesis engine that can be used for layering or split patches. Komplete Start is also a collection of instruments rather than just one VST. But it’s all free and worth checking out. You’ll get 7 synths, 9 sample instruments, and a couple of FX. Download free Trance VST,VSTi,AU,RTAS music software plugins & Instruments. Stepinator combines a multi-step-sequencer and wavetable-synthesizer.

Home › Free VST Plugins & Instruments › 12 Best Free Synthesizer VST Plugins 12 Best Free Synthesizer VST Plugins Here are the Best Free Synthesizer VST Plugins online that can be used with FL Studio, Reason, Ableton Live, and other VST supported software.
This straightforward synth has a powerful sound and compact, lightweight interface. It contains a unique visual envelope editor and handy onboard effects including bitcrusher and TAL’s emulation of the Juno 60/106 chorus effect. Vember Audio Surge. Vember Audio Surge is probably the most powerful free VST synth on this list.

We covered the best free synthesizer plugins in a recent article. But what are the best free retro synthesizers? Find out in the list below and return to free VST plugins for more software.

The retro 80s sound is more popular than ever. Genres like synthwave and chillwave are the perfect soundtrack for working from home while daydreaming about night rides on open highways.

But you don’t have to be a retro synth geek to love the sound of vintage synthesizers. One can hear the emulated sounds of retro polysynths in the chart-topping hits from mainstream artists like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd.

If you’re into making synthwave music, chances are you’ll need a good virtual analog synthesizer for your digital audio workstation. Help yourself to our Top 10 list of free retro synth VST plugins.

Free Retro Synthesizers: Top 10

These are the best free vintage synthesizer emulation VST plugins:

PG-8X (Roland JX-8P)
OB-Xd (Oberheim OB-Xa)
Mono/Fury (Korg Mono/Poly)
Fury-800 (Korg Poly-800)
TAL-U-No-62 (Roland Juno-60)
Tyrell N6 (Roland Juno-60)
Dexed (Yamaha DX7)
Viking (Moog Voyager)
Synth1 (Nord Lead 2)
Nils K1v (Kawai K1)

Read more about each instrument below and scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Honorable Mentions.

PG-8X

PG-8X emulates Roland’s legendary JX-8P analog synthesizer. The original JX-8P sounded huge, but it lacked in the hands-on control department. Users had to dive through menus to program new sounds.

Rotary effect vst free. That’s why Roland released the PG-800 controller. It was an external hardware device that made programming the Roland JX-8P and Super JX synthesizers a far more user-friendly affair.

The free PG-8X synthesizer by Martin Lüders gives the best of both worlds. You’re getting a detailed emulation of JX-8P’s analog synthesis engine and the control layout borrowed from the PG-800 controller.

PG-8X truly shines as a synthwave instrument. It’s one of those rare virtual instruments that sound analog-like almost effortlessly.

Create eye-watering lush pads and earth-shattering analog basslines in the blink of an eye. Turn on the Unison mode for instant fat leads. Also, the included chorus module applies an immediate retro-boost to any sound.

More info:PG-8X

OB-Xd

OB-Xd takes inspiration from the Oberheim OB-X analog synthesizer. The original was the analog weapon of choice for brass sounds, pads, and punchy bass.

Thankfully, this freeware plugin from discoDSP nails that classic Oberheim sound. It also comes with an extensive collection of presets that serve as an instant source of legendary analog sounds.

Even better, OB-Xd is easy to program thanks to its user-friendly interface. Beginners and sound design experts alike shouldn’t have any issues with building custom synth patches from scratch.

2Dat originally developed the OB-Xd. He later provided the source code to discoDSP, who are now handling the development and support.

You can use OB-Xd for free. The developers are accepting an optional $49 donation from users who want to support their work.

More info:OB-Xd

Mono/Fury

Full Bucket Music’s website is a treasure trove of emulated analog synthesizers. Even better, all of their vintage-inspired virtual instruments are free. We had a hard time selecting just two Full Bucket Music plugins for this article.

That said, be sure to check out everything else this talented developer has to offer. And be sure to support their work with a donation if possible.

Our first Full Bucket Music pick is the Mono/Fury plugin, which models the Mono/Poly analog synthesizer by Korg. Mono/Fury emulates all the original instrument’s quirks and peculiarities, including the unique polyphony mode. Each voice triggers a different oscillator, resulting in some complex multi-layered timbres when playing chords and melodies.

At the same time, Mono/Fury comes will all the handy features of a modern-day audio plugin. It has a preset manager, supports MIDI learn and automation, and features a state-of-the-art zero-delay feedback low-pass filter with self-oscillation.

Mono/Fury operates as a VST and Audio Unit plugin in all compatible digital audio workstations on PC and Mac.

More info:Mono/Fury

Fury-800

Ah, another Full Bucket Music plugin and another Fury. This one is a personal favorite of mine as it models the Korg Poly-800, a cheap analog hybrid synthesizer that I owned back in the day. It featured digitally controlled oscillators and a terrible (in a charming way) analog filter.

The original Poly-800 is the exact opposite of what you’d expect from an analog synthesizer. It sounds lo-fi, thin, and plasticky. But sometimes that is precisely the type of sound you need for an 80s-inspired music track.

The killer feature here is Poly-800’s chorus module. It’s super noisy, and the pitch goes all over the place. If Korg manufactured the Poly-800 in 2020, I think they would label the effect as “VHS mode” instead of a chorus.

Anyway, the Fury-800 takes all of these charming Poly-800 features and packs them in a convenient virtual instrument for PC and Mac. By all means, the Fury-800 plugin is a must-have if you’re into synthwave production.

More info:Fury-800

TAL-U-No-62

TAL-U-No-62 is an old-school virtual instrument that emulates an old-school analog synthesizer. It is a virtual recreation of Roland’s legendary Juno-60 synth.

Free Psytrance Synth Vst Download

Togu Audio Line’s freeware Juno is more than a decade old. As a result, it doesn’t offer the latest and greatest DSP technology and analog emulation. However, TAL-U-No-62 is still a pretty solid virtual analog instrument that undeniably captures that classic Juno-60 vibe.

TAL-U-No-62’s oscillators and the low-pass filter won’t blow you away. But, the chorus module is where this virtual Juno-60 keeps its secret sauce. Turn on the chorus effect, and TAL-U-No-62 instantly sounds much closer to the original hardware.

Even better, you can download that same chorus as a standalone effect from Togu Audio Line’s website. Use the free TAL-Chorus-LX in combination with any virtual instrument for that lush 80s sound.

It’s also worth noting that the same developer offers a more advanced (but still fairy priced at €51) version of this instrument. The paid version is called TAL-U-NO-LX, and it’s the best Juno-60 emulation on the market.

More info:TAL-U-No-62

Tyrell N6

Tyrell N6 by U-He is loosely based on the Juno-60. We originally included it in the “Honorable Mentions” section of this article because Tyrell N6 isn’t a 1:1 recreation of any analog synthesizer. However, we decide to move it to the Top 10 list, following the suggestion from one of our readers (thanks, BenJ!).

You can think of Tyrell N6 as an 80s analog synth on steroids. All the usual components are there (a couple of analog oscillators, a multi-mode filt