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Best Free Realistic Instrument VST Plugins So, if you're looking for free virtual instruments that can be used for composing orchestral or realistic music, these 5 plugins will help you do just that. And all but one will work on both Windows and Mac, but I do mention an alternative for the one that doesn't plus a bonus free sound library at the. Here is my top 10 of the must have plugins for music production when you are starting out in 2021! Before I start, I name not only VST plugins but also AU plugins for windows and mac. Most of the plugins are cross platform. 10 Sylenth 1 My first plugin on the list is a pretty popular synthesizer. Top 6 Must-Have Apps for Songwriters; 8 Best Free Mixing Plugins of 2015 (So Far) 8 Essential Apps for DJs; 9 Must-Have Apps for Touring Musicians. Caleb Hsu is a classically trained musician who studies music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music. People often say actions over words, but he believes words shape thoughts.
Finding the absolute best Waves plugins can be quite a challenge.
Waves is one of the leading audio companies in the world right now and for good reason.
Almost all of their plugins are up to industry standards and sound amazing.
Not to mention, they’ve actually teamed up with some of the best audio engineers in the world!
Even top level mixing and mastering engineers like Chris Lord Alge and Michael Brauer have given their expertise & feedback to the Waves developers.
So it’s no wonder they are praised for some of best Waves plugins in the game.
In fact, they have over 180 incredible plugins that are used world wide!
For this reason, we had to make a top 15 best Waves plugins for the modern producer - allowing you to focus more on the music and less on the endless choices!
Waves Plugins #1 - CLA Classic Compressors
This 3 compressor plugin bundle is an instant classic.
They’re modeled after the legendary LA-2A, LA-3A and the 11-76 - Compressors you’ll find in almost every major professional studio as hardware units.
These compressors are arguably some of the most used tools by audio engineers on a daily basis. They’re truly incredible.
With each compressor acting differently than the other, you're sure to find a tool in this bundle that will help you in any situation that requires compression.
Here’s what each of them can do for your production:
- The CLA-76 is a really quick compressor that works superbly with fast, dynamic input signals such as drums and percussion. If you want to add punch to your productions, use this compressor!
- The CLA-2A isn’t really used to control dynamics as you would with a regular compressor. This rather slow compressor is widely used mainly because of its character/tone. Try putting this compressor after a quick one (assuming you need dynamic control first) to enhance your tracks!
- The CLA-3A is a compressor/limiter plugin based on a famous solid state unit from the 70’s known for its unique transparent compression curve. This compressor works the best with basses and guitars since it adds harmonic distortion to the input signal, something the original hardware unit was known for! Old engineers were limited on how many of these compressors they could use, but with this amazing plugin emulation, you can fire up as many as your computer can handle!
They have all stood the test of time for a reason, making them easily some of the best Waves plugins.
Waves Plugins #2 - Brauer Motion
You might have heard Michael Brauer’s name before. But if you haven’t, this guy is an absolute legend in the audio engineering world.
He's won several Grammys for “Best Vocal Pop Album” with John Mayer’s “Continuum” and “Best Rock Album” with Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”
So the fact that he joined forces with Waves to create this amazing spatial plugin is a HUGE deal.
This plugin helps add to your otherwise static mixdowns by creating an even greater sense of depth through the stereo field.
A great static mixdown is one of the first steps to a great sounding mix, but that can be pretty boring in electronic music! (And just about every other genre too)
If you listen carefully to any of your favorite tracks, some of its elements are most likely moving left and right, either subtly or drastically!
And this plugin can help you create the same effect.
The Brauer Motion plug-in isn’t only useful in music production though. If you are making cinematic tracks or film scores, this plugin can help you manipulate and make the listener immerse into the visual world!
If you want to see more of why this is one of the best Waves plugins, check out this incredible demo video Michael Brauer made with Waves over here.
Waves Plugins #3 - F6 Floating Band Dynamic EQ
First of all, we need to emphasize that this plugin is a dynamic EQ.
What does that mean?
Whenever you use any other regular EQ - for example, your DAW’s stock EQ - you are committing your track(s) to specific EQ parameters that are going to stay constant during your whole song.
What a dynamic EQ does is allow you to set thresholds like the ones found in most compressors, so the EQ only engages when the signal goes above the threshold.
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This is an incredibly handy tool for multiple scenarios.
Imagine you have a rolling bass or synth line with the filter opening up at certain times during your song.
When the filter opens, it becomes a little bit harsh. With a regular EQ you can control those harsh frequencies, but when the filter closes once again, it’s taking out frequencies that otherwise might be useful.
This is where a dynamic EQ comes in.
If you are wondering if this works the opposite way too, boosting instead of cutting after going below the threshold, you're right.
A dynamic EQ functions both ways, making it easily one of the best Waves plugins if you’re looking for a better mix!
Waves Plugins #4 - Waves Center
If you've never heard about this plugin, it’s one of the most useful tools out there that you've been missing out on!
Waves Center is basically a plugin that allows you to separate the center content from your signal on the sides (L/R).
If you're an Ableton user, this is similar to the Utility plugin, but on steroids!
It comes with 3 knobs that allow you to push the low and high frequency content either to the center or the sides.
The punch knob has the same functionality, but with the transients of your input signal!
If this has been too confusing, let us explain the power of this plugin with an example.
Imagine you have an acapella you want to use for your remix, but it has unwanted sounds from the instrumental in the sides, and you just can’t EQ it out.
Simply use this plugin and drag the “Sides” fader until you achieve the desired result!
For that reason, this plugin is almost like magic!
Waves Plugins #5 - Kramer Tape
This amazing plugin is modeled after a rare vintage tape machine.
It’s very likely that you have heard another producer say before how awesome tape or vinyl sound is.
This is THE tape plugin you are looking for.
It’s subtle, but once you put it in your track you can definitely hear a tonal change without even moving any parameter or choosing a preset.
This plugin has so many uses we could write an entire article about it!
But instead, you can watch this really cool video made by True Sound Studios showcasing many of its uses here.
What you’ll realize afterwards is that this is by far one of the coolest plugins Waves has to offer.
Waves Plugins #6 - API Collection
The API EQ’s and compressor are another instant classic for many professional studios.
Waves actually teamed up with API to deliver the sound of the original hardware, making them some of the best Wave plugins for your mix.
Not only that, but it’s so user friendly that you don’t even have to read the manual if you have some experience with EQ’s and compressors.
You can just dive right in and use the same EQ and compressor that some of the biggest artists in the world have!
Believe it or not, the hardware versions of API gear were used in many of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin’s recordings.
And if that doesn’t really convince you about their awesomeness, you can watch Virtual Riot inthis old recorded stream from 2014 using the API-2500 multiple times.
Waves Plugin #7 - Vitamin Sonic Enhancer
The Vitamin Sonic Enhancer is a multi-band harmonic enhancer plugin that has a little bit of a learning curve, but…
It can make any track sound incredibly powerful if used correctly.
The controls are rather intuitive.
You can determine the crossover frequency points between the five different bands and get noticeable results instantly. You can also control the mix of the direct signal with its enhanced version with the Direct Fader.
The sonic effect of this plugin is widely determined by the type of input signal - vocals, guitars, synths, drums, or even an entire mix -
For that reason, we really encourage you to spend some time with it to understand it, because this plugin can even save your song when it’s missing that “extra something”.
The results are comparable to what you would get from a parallel chain of EQ, compression, and saturation, but all in one single plugin.
In this5 minute tutorial at thePro Tools Expert website, they show you how to sweeten tracks using the Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer plugin.
Waves Plugins #8 - PuigTec EQ’s
We're going to be completely honest here: these EQ’s are some of our secret weapons..
They’re definitely not unknown, but we believe that many people overlook them!
The PuigTec EQ’s were developed by Jack Joseph Puig - the engineer behind many hits from U2, Lady Gaga, and The Rolling Stones.
What makes the PuigTec EQ’s unique is that they can boost and cut the same frequency at the same time, creating a really unique resonant shelving sound.
It’s a subtle sound which is hard to describe with words, so you might want to check it out yourself.
Once you hear it, it’ll be quite obvious why this is one of the best Waves plugins out there.
Waves Plugins #9 - Reel ADT
The Abbey Road Studios developed a famous technique called “Artificial Double Tracking” in the mid 60’s.
The “ADT” quickly became the sound of the whole era, made popular by The Beatles.
Waves did an excellent job of packing all of this plus extra features into one single plugin..
The Reel ADT!
And now, you can have this iconic sound downloaded as a single plugin right on your computer.
If you want to see this thing in action, check outJoel Cameron on YouTube experimenting with the “ADT” technique overhere.
Or, you can watch this incrediblein-depth tutorial by Waves where they go into all the cool features this plugin has to offer.
Waves Plugins #10 - Vocal Rider
If you are doing a lot of vocal production, you need this plugin. Period.
Those who have experimented with vocal production know that doing volume automation is crucial for a professional sounding vocal.
This plugin adjusts your levels automatically.
Not to mention, It’s crystal clear and doesn’t add any color to your input signal!
If you’d like to add this element to your own production, Waves explains exactly how to do that in this quick tutorial.
And if you’re still skeptical about how important volume automation is for vocals…
Checkthis video byThe Pro Audio Files where they enhance a vocal performance with manual clip gain automation.
What you’ll quickly realize is this isn’t just an amazing plugin for vocal production. It’s actually one of the best Waves plugins in general.
(2 Ableton Project Files & 300 Drum Samples + Loops)
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Waves Plugins #11 - SSL G Master Buss Compressor
This compressor is one that audio engineers simply can't get rid of.
The SSL Buss Compressor plugin is modeled after the famous SSL 4000 G console and it captured perfectly the original sound.
This plugin (and the console) gave birth to the famous “glue” term every producer seems to talk about.
Put this compressor on your drum bus and finally understand what everyone is talking about.
It’s been around for ages, and it’s commonly used by top engineers as the last compressor that transforms a mix into a finished record!
A must have!
Waves Plugins #12 - Doubler
This plugin remained a secret weapon for a long time.
But it’s widely known now, and for good reason!
It was originally created to achieve that 80’s type-shimmer and presence on vocals with chorus-like effects, but it's also a great tool for experimentation!
In fact, you’ve probably witnessed your favourite producers use this plugin when they’ve made their claps or percussions sound like they’re coming from the sides.
If you’d like to add this effect to your own arsenal, just know it may look this plugin might look a little bit intimidating at first.
But once you scroll through some presets and see how the visual interface changes, you’ll understand its inner workings quickly and be glad you downloaded it!
It’ll honestly be one of the coolest plugins you use.
Waves Plugins #13 - J37 Tape
Many modern saturation plugins offer a tape saturation setting.
The J37 is a dedicated plugin that takes the definition of “tape saturation” to the next level.
This plugin can be used on just about anything to give the sound an “old-school” vinyl sound.
Not to mention, if you ever want a little bit more warmth, or want to go for a retro vibe, this plugin definitely won’t disappoint!
It may seem a little complicated because it involves controls like Bias, Wow, Flutter, and Tape Speed.
Waves even made an incredible video on how to use this plug-in, and you can watch ithere.
But to be honest, you don’t have to become a master at it..
The J37 Tape comes with a TON of incredible presets.
If you spend some time experimenting with them, we promise you’ll find a preset for most situations you can probably think of.
And once you use this plugin, you might not make a song without it ever again..
Waves Plugins #14 - S1 Stereo Imager
This is one of those plug-ins that is impossible to describe.
In order to understand how phenomenal it is, you have to put it to work yourself!
But the good news is, Stereo Imaging has never been easier.
Simply put the S1 on your track and start messing with the width fader.
You’ll be able to achieve incredible imaging results in a matter of seconds!
There’s a reason why almost EVERY big producer swears by this plugin for their Stereo Imaging needs.
Test this epic plugin for yourself and see why it’s clearly one of the best Waves plugins of all time.
Waves Plugins #15 - Trans-X
If you are mainly an electronic music producer, it’s highly likely that you have a fetish for perfect kick drums.
This transient shaper plugin is the perfect complementary kick drum design tool.
You can also use it to shape drum loops or attenuate the attack of any sound source.
It’s a very straight forward plugin, and we highly recommend you add this to your toolbox.
Conclusion
Unsurprisingly, Waves has a bunch of incredible plug-ins.
This list BARELY scratches the surface of what they offer as a company!
These 15 plugins are truly among the best ones in the game right now, but there are SO many more in the Waves arsenal that can greatly impact your production.
We really encourage you to go over to the Waves website and check out these plugins and even more of their other products. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
Also if you want even more amazing plugins, we have an entire list of the 100 best vst plugins here!
And if you use any Waves plugins on a daily basis that we missed, let us know by commenting below!
Or make sure to tell us what are your favorite Waves plugins are!
You may face several scenarios while mixing and mastering which may include the use of an equalizer, having a transparent display to analyze what you are adding or subtracting with the EQ, multiple EQ bands, and proper CPU usage is what to look for in an EQ. But with that said every piece of software and hardware alike creates and outputs a slightly different sound meaning they all have unique timbres and uses. Alongside that, there are some rather expensive plugins we may see online, which aren’t out of our reaches but we don’t know what we need until we need it right? Well, this is why its best to try some free EQ’s first to see what it is you like within an EQ and what it maybe you are looking for. We become ever so comfortable with our stock plugins, they do the simple tasks for us (sometimes), they don’t run our computer into the ground, and they for sure are pretty basic. Well, this is the issue most people come to, they want a better EQ, or they want a change of visuals. EQ History – ‘The first EQ was first used by John Volkman working at RCA in the 1920s” More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: Colour EQ is a 64-bit EQ plugin that offers 5 ”super parametric” bands to manipulate the frequency range. This is exceedingly handy when wanting to use more than one band in one instance; the intuitive gain knobs on the five bands allow for perfect mixing of these bands when mixing and mastering. Using the two different types of curves, Colour EQ offers a warm sound that you just wouldn’t get from your stock EQ. Having a bright visual display helps you to craft and mould your bands to preference. A great way to use this plugin is when you are not getting enough warmth in your low, mid/mids, Colour EQ will add a great sense of warmth throughout the selected bands. Another cool way to use this plugin is to use two different setups with two different curve types; you can use modified versions of the EQ for selected times in your mixdowns to add the feeling of a change in energy in a breakdown or drop. Colour EQ is a great tool to have in your arsenal for mixing and mastering, plus you may find many uses in your day-to-day production. Compatibility: Windows VST (32/64 bit), Windows/Mac RTAS, and Mac VST/AU format (Intel, OSX 10.5 and higher) More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: With a sleek, minimalistic design Free Ranger is a powerful EQ. With a mid-band (150Hz – 7kHz), fixed high (10kHz), low shelf (80Hz) SPL have kept things very simple so anyone can EQ with ease. Free Ranger gives the feel of the world-renowned API 560 EQ but offers this all for free! Free Ranger is a bodybuilder for your sounds while mixing and a gentle touch when mastering, this plugin makes EQing fun, quick and easy. You may find yourself using the four different EQ settings and incorporate them into your mixdowns. Using them to create different feels and vibes can give your masters that final touch you’ve been looking for. This is a must-have! Compatibility: macOS 10.9 through 10.15, Windows 7-10 More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: Simplicity is key with EQ work in the mix or master, and this plugin keeps that in mind through and through. With a very easy to use GUI STEQ 2 has a powerful but simple way of delivering a small form factor EQ to your DAW. This EQ gives off old school retro vibe, precise, clean, and adds a lot of detail to the mid-range. STEQ 2 is excellent for tonal rebalancing due to the broadness of the three bands creating a pure blend between the frequency ranges. Using this to add punch to claps and snares is also a good use. But be careful when adding to full bus groups. This EQ from Analog Obsession is an excellent tool to keep at your disposal when thinking about doing some tasks during your mix, or why not change up those stock plugins for free. Compatibility WiN, OSX AU VST, VST3 More Info & Download Specifications: Great for: Features & When To Use: Nova is a parallel dynamic EQ; each band has a dedicated, dynamic section giving the user full flexibility. Giving the option to drag and move bands in the visual GUI individually or group, this provides a natural form factor way to get results. Using the multiband compression built into Nova your be able to manipulate your EQ even further, this will be displayed in the visual GUI with real-time feedback of the compression process. (subtly decrease the threshold to hear the difference) In mix and mastering, you can use Nova to visually see where you may have audio issues to fix and makes it very easy to apply these changes with the drag and change feature. The dynamic EQ is a handy tool to have in practice when mixing down full compositions – use it to bring down or up frequencies only when they reach a specific volume. Nova is a heavyweight EQ with a lot under the hood all for free! Compatibility: Win XP SP2 or above, Mac OS X 10.7 or above. More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: ReaEQ may look basic, but under the hood, there is a lot to offer. Being able to have as many bands as you wish is a massive bonus, you also have the ability to change all of these bands to one of the following (shelves, bands, LPF, HPF, notch, bandpass, allpass). With a stripped-back GUI, it keeps you focused on the task at hand, not over complicating things but giving you the power of an audio god at your fingertips. With a tremendous real-time visual display, this gives you the eyes and ear focus that you need when EQ in the mix. Phasing is a big issue when mixing, ReaEQ gives you a ‘Show Phase’ button which will show you in your display what frequencies are being affected by the band. When mastering you may wish to keep all bands in one EQ patch, with ReaEQ you can do this. Stripped back and powerful ReaEQ is a favorite among many producers across a wide range of genres. Compatibility: Free voice changing vst. WIN 32, WIN 64 More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: The Triple EQ is a three-band semi-parametric equaliser. With a simple and easy to read visual display of the frequencies in real-time, you will have a clear display of the EQ in front of your eyes. Alongside the huge +/- 40 dB range, Triple EQ has a bandwidth of .01 to 5 Octaves! An exciting feature with Triple EQ is that you can link two bands together using the ‘Link Channels’ feature. This will allow you to use them in unison; combine this with the automaton support to create quick and easy modulation. This is a great way to change an EQ while in the mix with complex automation. Using the linking feature to create movement and progression within your mixdowns makes Triple EQ a threat. Fully customisable shapes make this a different tool when deep in the mix or master, you will find many uses for the dynamic bands you can create—having dynamic bands that you are able to manipulate helps when visually your EQ and how it may affect the whole frequency range. Check this one out for a small form factor powerful EQ! Compatibility: Windows 7 to 10, Mac OS 10.7 or newer. More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: We have another FREE plugin from Analog Obsession! This time is bringing you Merica an emulation of the API 550A console equaliser. A simple three-band EQ delivers a lot of power to your mixes and masters. Selectively choose which frequency your band boosts or cuts with the option to the right of the knobs. All bands kept simple and easy to get to grips with. Meica also has a nifty and very much needed output knob, there will be no issues with clipping in the digital domain when mastering with this plugin. A larger than appearing sound Merica is an excellent EQ plugin to use when in the mixdowns and masters. Given that the EQ it emulates is an industry-standard plugin this small form, powerful, easy to use, and was coded by one man! Merica is a must grab for all audio creatives looking to upgrade their stock EQ plugins. Compatibility: VST Win, VST3 Win, VST Mac, VST3 Mac, AU Mac More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: TinyQ is a small form factor EQ. Giving the user a stripped-back interface TinyQ offers a solution to a simple job. Having too many settings can become overwhelming; TinyQ does what it says on the tin and doesn’t make your job any harder. Keeping things simple when mixing down whole groups is essential – finding yourself using CPU heavy EQ, or a stock plugin just might not cut it for you. TinyEQ is excellent for doing those necessary but straightforward EQ tasks! With the recent addition of built-in frequency analyzer, it makes EQ even easier when getting stuck into your mixes or masters. Create awesome sounding band curves. Great emphasis on keeping things simple goes a long way with TinyQ; the team has made a great EQ that does everything it needs to in one small package. With four bands plus high pass/low pass filters, you won’t be looking any further for your day to day EQ needs. Compatibility: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.7 or later (both 64 bit) More Info & Download Features & When To Use: SonEQ has 3 bands, low (20 Hz – 100 Hz), mid (150 Hz – 4 kHz), high (6 kHz – 15 kHz). Combined with a high pass and low pass filter, plus a ‘Mid-high Q’ this means when it’s on your band its narrow and when deactivated will cause it to be wider. This indicated by the red light. Giving the user a lot of ways to EQ but keeping things user-friendly is what SonEQ does best. Having the volume meter is very hand when mixing with any EQ, it gives the visual display of when things are getting a bit heated for your output. SonEQ also gives you the full control of your input and output levels. This comes in handy when you are mixing your tracks with heavy effects, causing the overall levels to become louder than 0.0dB; this is where adjusting both the input and output parameters will solve the issue. With this plugin being free for all to use we don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t be ready to deploy at the click of a finger, whether it’s beefing up the mix with the built-in bass boost preamp staging or adding a touch of colour to the highs this plugin has you covered. Compatibility: Mac OSX 10.6 or newer – Windows XP or newer More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: PTEq-X is a digital emulation of three famous vintage EQ. Equipped with three EQ modules comprised of mid-range (2kHZ – 7 kHz), low-frequency (20Hz – 150Hz), high-frequency (3kHz – 16kHz). Using the mid-range module, you can use the low, mid parameter (top left) to effect the lower mid frequencies. Alternatively use the high mid setting (top right) to cause-effect to these frequencies. Moving down the EQ, we have our second module, which is PEQ1A EQ (Low & High). This comes with a bunch of parameters to mould your EQ patches perfectly to your source. Finally, this is all topped off with the HL3C module; this is a low-cut accompanied by a high-cut. You can also use the ‘Oversampling’ feature to reduce aliasing. Use the “Tube” switch to apply or deactivate the tube amp. Using the input and output levels will give you the ability to control any nasty peaks brought in or out of the EQ. PTEq-X is a combination of some of the best analogue EQ’s to exist, plus its FREE!! We recommend this one for a great addition to your EQ arsenal. Compatibility: Windows 7 – 10 32 and 64 bit. OS X 10.7 64 bit More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: Pushtec 5+1A is a versatile mid-range program EQ that has mixing and mastering at its heart. This plugin offers six bands, all offering a fantastic sounding boost through all parameters. A vast selection of plugins makes it easy for users to start with something super effective and tweak to their liking. “B/W” stands for bandwidth, this allows you to tweak the selected band and adjust to your preference. A friendly and straightforward GUI keeps this EQ a smaller form factor but with a lot of power. Being designed for mixing and mastering be assured that this plugin delivers best when applied to a whole group or a master channel. Giving instant sparkle to a mix or a very much needed bass boost this FREE plugin has you covered! Compatibility: Win 7 or higher only More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: QRange is a very straight forward, user friendly, and effective EQ for mixing and mastering. Giving the user an intuitive click and drag feature makes EQ work easy and more controllable. With a choice of twelve bands, there is excellent room for doing additive plus subtractive EQ all in one plugin patch. Each band has. Selection of up to five different types (peak, low-shelf, high-shelf, low cut, and high cut). Built into the frequency spectrum, you have the power to change it to pre or post. ‘Pre’ will let you see what the frequency range looks likes before the EQ is applied, whereas ‘Post’ will allow you to see it after the EQ has taken effect. Offering the ability to users to save and load their own presets makes it easy to bring back some of your favourite patches while working on a mix or master. It has to be said lkjb QRange is a must-have FREE EQ plugin. Compatibility: Win 7 or higher, macOS 10.7 or higher More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: TDR’s Slick EQ provides a recognizable analogue sound. Using three bands that bring together four different EQ models. Both low and high bands are coupled with a cut and bell feature allowing for comfortable band changing. Auto gain estimates the gain change caused by the current EQ settings; this makes it great to compare your EQ setting during the mix. There is also an ‘EQ Sat’ button; this will activate the saturator which is very intelligently paired to your EQ bands. This will add harmonics when boosting and remain passive when cutting. Being able to save your favourite EQ settings for a later mix or master can be done within the plugin. Coupled with a undo/redo button you never miss that sweet spot for your bands, alternatively set up two different EQs with the A/B switch. Slick EQ gives a very stripped back interface meaning you don’t get caught up with the visuals when doing equalising, providing a focus on what your hearing. This EQ shouldn’t be overlooked, with great coding, algorithms, settings, and excellent sounding types SlickEQ delivers more than you would expect from a FREE plugin. Compatibility: Win 32 bit VST2, VST3, Win 64bit VST2, VST3, AAX More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: Manda Audio brings us 7Q. 7Q is an emulation of the beloved ‘Classic EQ’ which became discontinued, the team came together and brought the community back a redesigned version. 7Q takes off all the fancy parts and gives you the bare basics; this is what gives this a place on our list. With 7Q giving you the ability to apply your EQ to the left or right or both channels, you can independently EQ both sides of the stereo field. Each band can be additive or subtractive. Keeping easy to use format is what this plugin does best; it doesn’t over-complicate the task at hand but assists your needs along the way wether mix or master. Low memory and CPU usage make it easy to have multiple instances in your projects without having your computer meltdown. 7Q is a nifty EQ that is awesome for giving your sounds a little crisp boost before running into your other plugins within the chain. Compatibility: Win VST 32/64 bit, AAX 32/64 bit More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: EQ1A is a FREE analog-style EQ with a clever algorithm giving you minimal phase coloration. This plugin has initially been paid to use the plugin, but the developers have decided to give it to us all for FREE! EQ1A allows you to use broad bands to shape your sounds or outputs in a clean, crisp and phase-corrected way. Being able to save you presets within the plugin makes it very easy to pull back that EQ you made on the last mix. 4-band parametric equalizer with an additional HP filter with variable resonance gives a wide range of settings to play with while keeping everything simple and user friendly. EQ1A does what it says on the tin for FREE! Using this within mixing or mastering may help you when wanting to add a hefty highpass or when looking to give some warmth to your mid ranges. It has to be said with a great look, and low CPU usage EQ1A is an excellent addition to your plugins. Compatibility: Win, Mac More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: Voxengo is notorious for doing some excellent free plugins. This addition is the Marvel GEQ, which is a fifteen band linear phase EQ. There is a routing tab that allows you to affect the signals mid/sides independently. (orange slides) Also giving full independence to the mid/side output level, becoming very useful when mixing and mastering. Bypass feature makes it simple to hear what your EQ is doing to your sound source. Alternatively, decide between two EQ setups with the A/B mode. For quick EQ drawing, you can hold ‘Ctrl or Cmd’ and click across the EQ drawing in your fader settings with the click of a mouse. Having a stripped back form factor with enough controls to complement your mixing tasks this plugin has to be our list today. Compatibility: VST Win, VST3 Win, VST Mac, VST3 Mac, AU Mac More Info & Download Specifications: Features & When To Use: BASIQ is a three-band EQ. It keeps in mind that EQ work for mixing and mastering doesn’t have to be a headache or over complicated. BASIQ is a design similar to the classic ‘Baxandall Equalizer’ which is knowns for its natural-sounding shelves and HiFi quality responses. Adding a smooth, gradual shimmer or warmth instead of a surgical sharpness is what BASIQ does best. Use on groups or a master chain to subtly but significantly add character with the turn of a knob. With some added presets you be able to get a quick change in tone with the click of a button. The small form factor makes this BASIQ a powerful tool to be used within the mix or master. Compatibility: Win, Mac, VST, AU, 64 bit With all of that said, grabbing all 17 plugins wouldn’t do you any harm, but we want to break down our top 3 picks! In our top spot, we have Colour EQ by DDMF. This plugin brings so many features that you would expect from pay to use plugins but all for FREE! Another fresh point is that the curves you can create with this cannot be done on other EQ plugins, giving Colour EQ a versatile approach. Low-CPU – Usage Customisable GUI – Great warm sound – 5 Bands Coming in second is Nova by TDR. Parametric, dynamic EQ, and multiband compression are all built into an excellent looking FREE plugin. Nova has a built-in dynamic EQ parameter when mixing, and mastering using a dynamic EQ is crucial sometimes. Having this all in one plugin for free is hugely commendable to the team who developed this plugin! Parametric equalization – Dynamic equalization – Frequency selective compression – Multi-band compression – Wideband compression And finally, our last top pick is ‘Triple’ by Blue Cat. This awesome plugin has so many features you just wouldn’t expect a FREE plugin to have. With a fresh interface and drag and click feature to make EQing even more natural Triple is a powerful EQ. Semi-parametric EQ – +/- 40dB Range per band – MIDI control and automation support – Real-time display Today we have covered a lot of great FREE EQs for mixing and mastering. Amazingly, we have developers putting out all of these plugins for producers/sound engineers to level out the playing field. As we have all seen these ‘not to name’ brands releasing rather expensive EQs that we just can’t fork out for, but with the way, music has progressed today in the digital domain it has become much more accessible for creatives to share their ideas and effects for free. With that said, they all have their benefits and downsides, but with them all being free, there is no reason you can’t pick them up and use these in your mixes or masters today!Must Have Free Vst Software
Mac VST2, VST3, AU, AAX 64 bit
Mac VST, AU, AAXMust Have Free Vst
Must Have Free Vst Plugins
Must Have Free Vst Plugins