Free Software Synthesizers

Scylla

Scylla is a free software synthesizer developed by de la Mancha. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Scylla is a VST instrument that combines sample playback with subtractive synthesis to produce a wide variety of sonic possibilities. 3 samplers and 3 different types of oscillators allow many forms of sound design, including wavetable, granular, sample looping, phase distortion, morphing and spectral synthesis. More spice is added with granulizing, ring modulation and all the (un)usual envelopes, LFOs and filter options.

Included in the package are 165 original samples, including single waveforms, tuned loops and diverse recordings. The default bank of 128 presets by brian botkiller cover leads, basses, pads and fx.

For unlimited possibilities, you can also load your own samples in Scylla and use the inbuilt custom looping, granular playback and other sampler options to make new sounds out of old ones.

Features:

Three layers of programmable audio sources.

Each layer consists of:

Sample player capable of loading full-length samples and custom waveforms.

Oscillator (Dual-OSC with cross-modulation, Morphing OSC, Spectral OSC).

Each sampler features:

Playback: Oscillate, Play-Once, Loop-Release.

Basic audio playback features (normalize, stereo to mono, zero-crossing).

Customizable Loop points.

Granular and Wavetable playback.

Loads any WAV format sample from your own library.

96MB of sample content, including waveforms, samples and loops.

128 presets by brian botkiller.

All audio sources have independent tune, volume, and pan.

Ring-Modulation per layer.

Variable stage Filter per Layer.

Adjustable Amp and Filter Envelopes per layer (Envelope contours can be changed).

Layer Assignable Granulator engine.

2 layer assignable LFO effects for modulating ring-mod, cutoff (filter), and phase of one LFO.

Adjustable Global Amp Envelope.

Mix level of each audio source can be adjusted.

Mix level of each layer can be adjusted.

Master Volume.

Each audio source, envelope, ring-mod and filter can be switched off to save CPU.

MIDI CC support.

https://delamanchavst.wordpress.com

SCB-1

SCB-1 is a free software synthesizer developed by Fred Welsh. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Features:

Amplitude response and filter slopes based on the averages of ten commercial synths.

Settings of each parameter clearly displayed.

2 oscillators: square/pulse, sawtooth, triangle, with sync and white noise source.

12 dB/24 dB lowpass filter with ADSR envelope.

LFO syncs to host or runs independently.

Stereo delay, chorus, stereo broadening, and frequency spectrograph.

http://www.synthesizer-cookbook.com/

ScanSynth

ScanSynth is a free software synthesizer developed by Smart Electronix. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

by mdsp of Smart Electronix

ScanSynth is a synth based on “scanned synthesis” as described by Bill Verplank, Max Mathews and Robert Shaw in this article (20KB PDF).

“To make audible frequencies, the “shape” of the dynamic system, along a closed path, is scanned periodically. The pitch is determined by the speed of the scanning function. Pitch control is completely separate from the dynamic system control. Thus timbre and pitch are independent. This system can be looked upon as a dynamic wave table controlled by the performer.”

The dynamic-string is a mass-spring physical model which is shared by all the voices and users can directly interact with the string’s evolution on the screen. Each voice has 2 scanning-oscillators and a chaotic LFO to add drift and life to the sound.

http://www.smartelectronix.com/

Scandalous

Scandalous is a free software synthesizer developed by CC4. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Scandalous is a monophonic scanning oscillator virtual studio instrument with independent speed control or pitch based speed control to scan across six oscillators with various waveshapes housed in two sections; Two envelope controls for each section; Portamento controls for each section; Reset selectors; Coarse and fine tune controls for each oscillator in Section A; LFO controls for each oscillator in Section A; and filter & reverb effect units.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~cc4/

SB – 101

SB – 101 is a free software synthesizer developed by Spoonboiler. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

SB – 101 is a mono/poly one osc synth designed for bass and lead sounds.

The oscillator can be used on its own for sine, saw, ramp, pulse, and noise waveforms, or as the carrier for frequency modulation and phase modulation synthesis. Sync can also be employed from the modulator to the carrier, for the phase sync sound or for more unusual effects.

An ADSR envelope generator routes in either positive or negative variable levels to filter and pitch, as well as controlling the amplitude. An LFO, with several wave shapes, also is routable in positive or negative amounts to filter cutoff, filter resonance, envelope decay rate, and to the width of the pulse wave in the oscillator section.

A classic style arpeggiator is also present, as well as glide and retrigger controls. Glide can be applied to the arpeggio, using an extended gate length. Finally, there is a built in simple delay.

Unusual options on this instrument are: A separate output for the delay signal, which can be turned on in multi-channel hosts in order to have separate eq and FX for dry and effected output; and the ability to set a different midi channel for the arpeggiator for triggering it separately from the regular notes.

http://members.shaw.ca/kryos1/spoonboiler/synth.htm

Saturn V

Saturn V is a free software synthesizer developed by Calgar C Instruments. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Saturn V is an analog style Synth. It features multiple oscillators. Each and every function can be MIDI mapped which is useful for live use. The X-Y pad can be mapped to various functions through the matrix section (6). There are 4 different effects including, Reverb, Delay, Chorus, and Phaser. Saturn V comes with 128 presets with the possibility of more presets on the way.

Features:

Up to 128 Presets per bank.

4 main oscillators.

2 sub oscillators.

Reverb.

Delay.

Filter mod.

Hi-pass Filter.

Lo-pass filter w/ADSR.

Amplifier.

LFO.

Phaser.

Chorus.

Arpeggiator.

Trancegate.

X-Y Pad with matrix routing.

Audio DEMO:

The sounds in this demo are raw unprocessed sounds from the plugin.

http://soundcloud.com/calgar_c/saturn-v-bass-demo/s-nTKz1

http://soundcloud.com/calgar_c/saturn-v-windows-vst/s-MwwmY

http://www.calgarc.com

Santa Jussi

Santa Jussi is a free software synthesizer developed by Klevgränd Produktion. Available format(s): VST, VST3, Audio Unit, AAX for Windows 64b, macOS.

{See video at top of page}

Santa Jussi is a Christmas:ified version of Klevgränd’s popular vocal synthesizer Jussi. The user interface offers no parameters, but this special version of the plugin has been tinkered with for both playability and how-how-how-ability.

Note: To get a copy of Santa Jussi, one need to login at the Klevgränd website (it’s free to register as a new user). When logged in, the download is available as a “exclusive member content” in the user area.

http://klevgrand.se

Sandra

Sandra is a free software synthesizer developed by Fsynthz. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Sandra is a hybrid AM+FM subtractive synth specially designed to produce low rezo sweeps and drones. In the mid-range it yields thick and lash polysynth chords. Leads and basses may be of consideration as well.

Features:

“boiling”, “whispering”, “icy”, “sandy” sound textures.

4 different stereo-tools (may be used simultaneously).

The special mode: “longer notes – longer release”.

Modulated with rocking frequency (with “auto” mode).

Compact GUI with tooltips on controls.

http://www.fsynthz.com

SAMse

SAMse is a free software synthesizer developed by WOK. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

SAMse is a lighter edition of the SAM synthesizer plug-in.

Like SAM, SAMse is a VST clone of the famous Oberheim SEM module, but this time the old version; without MIDI modulation matrix and monophonic. SAMse tries to recreate the analog sound and spirit of this fabulous vintage synthesizer inside a CPU-light and easy to use VST plug-in.

http://www.wokwave.com

samplv1

Samplv1 is a free software synthesizer developed by rncbc. Available format(s): LV2 for Linux.

An old-school all-digital polyphonic sampler synthesizer with stereo fx.

features:

a pure stand-alone JACK client with JACK-session, NSM (Non Session management) and both JACK MIDI and ALSA MIDI input support;

a LV2 instrument plugin.

license:

samplv1 is free, open-source software, distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 or later.

website:

https://samplv1.sourceforge.io
http://samplv1.sourceforge.net

project page:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/samplv1

git repos:

https://git.code.sf.net/p/samplv1/code
https://github.com/rncbc/samplv1
https://gitlab.com/rncbc/samplv1.git
https://bitbucket.org/rncbc/samplv1.git

weblog:

https://www.rncbc.org

requirements:

mandatory, :

Qt framework, C++ class library and tools for cross-platform development and UI deveopment.
https://qt.io/

libsndfile, C library for reading and writing files containing sampled sound.
http://www.mega-nerd.com/libsndfile/

optional (opted-in at build time), :

JACK Audio Connection Kit.
https://jackaudio.org/

ALSA, Advanced Linux Sound Architecture.
https://www.alsa-project.org/

LV2, Audio Plugin Standard, the extensible successor of LADSPA.
http://lv2plug.in/

installation:

– unpack tarball as usual; in the extracted source directory.

./configure [–prefix=/usr/local]
make.

– optionally, as root:

make install.

– if checking out from Git, prepare the configure script with.

./autogen.sh.

cheers && enjoy.
—
rncbc aka. Rui Nuno Capela
[email protected].

http://www.rncbc.org