Three free spectral synths to try after the new Serum spectral oscillator

Spectral resynthesis is having a moment now that it’s one of the new oscillator types in the mighty Xfer Serum 2. If you’re looking for other ways to get your spectral resynthesis on – or you’re a Serum user who just can’t get enough – here are three free tools to sink your FFTs into.

Close-p of vintage TB-303 hardware showing "Computer-Controlled" logo and knobs. "Old Roland TB-303" by Alexandre Dulaunoy is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

303 Day: the freaky CDM Megaroundup

It’s 303 Day. Roland is giving away licenses for its TB-303 plug-in if you act fast. The Internet, for its part, will make you feel like you’re actually on acid. Let’s go.

Peter Kirn - March 3, 2025

Free Manifest Audio Percotone is a delicious percussive monosynth

Noah Pred has a fantastic free treat out on Manifest Audio for Ableton Live and Max for Live. Percotone is monophonic, expressive, playable, and full of tonal, pitch-mangling delights. It’s just the thing for sneaking in some quick sound experiments in the waning days of the year.

Peter Kirn - December 25, 2024

One knob interface, DeBoom (showing bypass switch, and... yeah, one knob)

Freebies: Eventide’s one-knob fixers, DeBoom and Sheen Machine

Peter Kirn - December 20, 2024

Freebies: Universal Audio Pure Plate Reverb

Peter Kirn - December 19, 2024

Augmented Mallets Play, showing graphics of mallet instruments (one real, one synthetic), and parameter knobs arrayed around a central morph knob.

Freebies: Mallets get Arturia’s Augmented treatment

Peter Kirn - December 19, 2024

Warp plug-in image on a gray grid background with yellow paint splashes. Showing three knobs: Speed, Stretch, and Mix.

Free Baby Audio Warp: Varispeed, pitch effect from Transit 2

Peter Kirn - December 13, 2024

Idyllic forest scene with a large tree in the background dappled in light, as rendered in Unreal Engine using Quixel assets.

Fab.com is the new home for Epic 3D content – now go claim free stuff

Peter Kirn - December 12, 2024

Squash plugin UI with X/Y grid, puck, depth on y axis, tone on x axis, and dry/wet control. Menu open, showing framerate / window size/ OpenGL options and oversampling off / 2x / 4x.

Minimal Audio’s Squash is a free OTT that doesn’t sound like OTT

Peter Kirn - November 29, 2024

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