The best free tools for working with modular synthesis and music

Patching for the people – there’s no reason cost or access has to keep you from the powers and fun of modular synthesis and music making. VCV Rack’s launch this month got lots of attention, but there are other options, too. Here the latest, best picks.

LIRA-8 reimagines the LYRA-8 organismic drone synth in Pd, VST, AU free – donationware

The wonderfully mysterious analog LYRA-8 synthesizer world now has an unofficial digital cousin – and it’s free-or-pay-what-you-can for Pure Data (and cross-platform AU and VST).

Peter Kirn - December 30, 2020

Pure Data is running in the browser, for free Web-based sound patching

It’s just an alpha version, but it’s already impressive: the open source visual programming tools Pd is running in a browser window, even with externals.

Peter Kirn - October 30, 2020

You can now patch in Pd inside VCV Rack – modular modular free free

Peter Kirn - July 23, 2020

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