Free Software Synthesizers

HurdyGurdyLE

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

HurdyGurdyLE recreates the sound and playing technique of the Hurdy Gurdy. It has been built to recreate not only the sound but also the true behaviour of the original instrument.

Chanter and Drones will sound continuously as long as the instrument is playing.

As with the real instrument, the sound will not stop when all keys are released. Instead the base key note plays on.

Use the pitch wheel or a continuous MIDI controller to activate the trompette buzz. Playing the trompette will also alter pitch and volume for increased realism.

Use aftertouch or pitch wheel to bend the chanter note. This is done by pressing the key against the chanter string and does not influence the pitch of the drones.

HurdyGurdyLE is available for free (donationware) and is a showcase for Soundbytes forthcoming HurdyGurdyDrone instrument.

http://www.soundbytes.de/

Hotelsinus Reese Bassline

Hotelsinus Reese Bassline is a free software synthesizer developed by Hotelsinus Sound Design. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Hotelsinus Reese Bassline is a “Drum and Bass ‘Reese’ and DubStep Bass Instrument”. It can create wide variety of sounds, like hard bass, background atmosphere and, of course, the infamous Reese Bassline.

Inside the instrument:

Minimized Graphical Interface (400*120 pixel) to fit 12″ Laptop TFT.

Hard and Analogish Dual filtered Special Distortion Unit.

Three Parallel Filter.

One Phaser to create a real living instrument.

Stereo enhancer button, that’s make the sound out of the box.

Final filter with switchable Lowpass or Highpass.

http://hotelsinus.com/

Horizon

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

Horizon combines lush stereo unison voicing with a phrase sequencer that always stays in key when the sequence is transposed.

Features:

Two 32-voice oscillators with five stereo algorithms.

10 oscillator waveforms including 4 modulating contours (sine, saw, ramp, peak, triangle, square, curve, pulse-saw, sine-saw, res).

Noise oscillator.

Per voice distortion with 6 modes located before the filter.

2 stereo 6-pole filters running in serial or parallel.

3 tempo syncable LFOs (sine, triangle, ramp, saw, square, dip, hump, 4 curve modes, step rnd, smooth rnd).

3 envelopes.

9 modular destinations.

8 step phrase sequencer (transposes to user input scale).

Horizon was created for dance leads and improvised sequencing. The oscillators are also capable of producing panoramic pads, before any stereo effects are applied to the signal.

https://www.kvraudio.com/developer/xoxos

Holon

Holon is a free software synthesizer developed by Holonic Systems. Available format(s): stand alone application for iOS.

Holon is an auditory mixed reality app for functional synth music. Holon allows users to control a synthesis engine with their biomechanical movement and biosignals – their behaviour. Users become a physical part of the musical circuitry in a process known as embodiment.

Bonus pro features:

– Holon now lets you sync, for example, your step rate, speed or heart rate* with other users and instruments through Ableton Link.

– Holon includes a demo of the upcoming Holon.ist editor, showcasing automatic mapping to VCV Rack. Free download including demo patches: Holonic Systems Free for VCV Rack

Notable features:

step rate controlled drums.

heart rate sonification and tempo control*.

automatic vehicle musification.

solar/lunar tracking and panning.

local weather sequence.

position and speed modulation.

altitude FX.

*Holon offers an Apple Watch app (Series 2 or newer) and fully supports the Suunto Movesense smart sensor platform (firmware 1.5 or newer). In-App Purchases unlocking the devices cost EUR 4.49 / USD 3.99 / GBP 3.99 each.

Suunto Movesense sensors are available from: www.movesense.com/shop

Movesense devices are EUR 39,50 + VAT + delivery. The upcoming Holon.ist editor supports up to four simultaneous units.

Sign up for Holon.ist editor beta using form at: holonic.systems

http://www.holonic.systems

Hoar

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

Fsynthz is a string-machine-type synth with bright and sharp sounding (up to 16x unison per voice) patches. It is designed to produce unusual synth-FX with modulated filtering with randomness and other stuff. It also has an extra wide keyboard range (6 octaves).

Features:

Phrase arpeggiator/gate with hold.

4 stereo tools (used simultaneously).

Compact GUI with balloon tool-tips on controls.

CPU-friendly for the sound.

http://www.fsynthz.com

Hip Hop Sub Bass

Hip Hop Sub Bass is a free software synthesizer for HALion, developed by Freemusicproduction.net. Available format(s): for .

Hip Hop Sub Bass is preset (instrument) for HALion Sonic SE (Free).

Preset includes: Loop Player – Selector, Oscillators section (3 Oscillators, Sub Oscillator, Noise Generator), Voice Management, Filters, Envelopes, LFOs, Modulation Matrix, Step Modulator.

{See video at top of page}

http://freemusicproduction.net

Hip Hop Strings

Hip Hop Strings is a free software synthesizer for HALion, developed by Freemusicproduction.net. Available format(s): for .

Hip Hop Strings – Loop-based instrument for HALion Sonic SE, HALion Sonic and HALion includes:

Instrument interface (Loop player – Tremolo).

Oscillators interface (Osc 1,2,3, Sub osc, Ring modulator, Noise).

Voice interface (Voice, Unison, Glide, Pitch).

Filter interface (Filters, Cutoff, Resonance, X – Y pad).

Envelope interface (Amp env, Filter env, Pitch env, User env).

LFO interface (LFO 1, LFO 2, LFO A, LFO B).

Modulation Matrix interface (Source, Modifier, Destination).

Step Modulator.

{See video at top of page}

http://freemusicproduction.net

Hexter

Hexter is a free software synthesizer developed by Sean Bolton. Available format(s): DSSI for Linux.

Hexter is modeled after the classic 6 operator “FM” based DX7 hardware synth.

Features:

Based on 6 Operator Yamaha DX7 FM architecture.

Loads and saves standard 32 or 1 patch DX7 SysEx files.

http://dssi.sourceforge.net/hexter.html

Helm

Helm is a free software synthesizer developed by Matt Tytel. Available format(s): VST, VST3, Audio Unit, LV2 for Windows 64b, macOS.

Helm is a free, cross-platform, polyphonic synthesizer with a flexible modulation system. Helm is open source and you are free to run it anywhere, study and change the source code, and redistribute exact or modified copies of Helm.

http://tytel.org/helm

Heliox

Heliox is a free software synthesizer developed by CO2Sound. Available format(s): VST for Windows.

Heliox is a rather simple experimental synthesizer, with a “no-frills” GUI, capable of “weird” textures and noises, as well as “normal” synth sounds, like pads, leads and basses.

Main features are:

monophonic, with 30 oscillators bank.

adjustable oscillators’ frequencies, ranging from single frequency to harmonic and non-harmonic series.

oscillators can be purely sinusoidal, or “shaped” by an adjustable parameter.

adjustable attenuation factor between successive oscillators.

30 LFOs, each modulating amplitude of corresponding oscillator.

adjustable LFOs’ frequencies, similarly to oscillators.

LFOs can be purely sinusoidal (“bell-like”) or “shaped” by 2 adjustable parameters: center and sharpness.

phase shift between successive LFOs is adjustable.

LFOs can be periodic or randomly intermittent, with adjustable “density”.

ADSR envelope.

http://remigiococo.xoom.it/index.html