This post is for the Mac users.
When it comes to Mac OS X, the number of freeware plugins is very low, compared to the Windows world.
The popular “Save as VST” softwares (Synthedit and Synthmaker) are Windows only.
The “upgrade” politic of Apple is a sort of nightmare for developers (and sometimes users!), so many old free plugins don’t work anymore…
I have searched for free MAC plugins over the web and then tested !
– only free synth (not effects), in VST and or AudioUnit (AU) format
– the OS used is Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion)
– i tested the plugins in Ableton Live 9 / Renoise / some free VST & AudioUnit host softwares (Pedalboard, the JUCE open source plugin host, VSTLord, AULab, Ugly VSTi Interface…)
- Here is the SYNTH ANATOMY list of the best free Synthesizer plugins for PC & Mac ranging from virtual analog, FM, percussive to modular synthesis concepts! If you want to produce music, you need a digital audio workstation (DAW) and for some sound options also some good plugins. Download ActivInspire for Windows, Mac and Linux Ubuntu.
- Download Voice Synth for macOS 10.13 or later and enjoy it on your Mac. Voice Synth is a professional live voice processor and music synthesizer played by your voice. With the vast set of integrated tools including Vocoders, Auto Pitch, Harmonizing Pitch Shift and Speed-Shift Sampling, you can. Sing in Tune like P-Tain & vocoded like Duft-Pank. Speak with Hollywood-q.
- Friday Free Plug-In - Vintage Simply String 2. Vintage Simply String 2 is a FREE Mac/Windows soft synth that does the sound of classic analog string machines. Check Out Our Free Synth Plug-ins Page. If you are looking for some FREE synth plug-ins, then here’s the list. It features FREE synth plug-ins in most major formats and is updated.
Guys, how do i load a specific preset on Ichiro's Synth 1 V1.13 beta (AU 64) 2015.5 on Logic pro x on my mac, i can't seem to find a way to open the.fxp preset i have in synth 1, i tried everything. Sorry for the possibly noobish question, thanks let me know:).
It’s a selection with free virtual analog synths, organ emulations, epiano emulations, drum synth, bass synth, FM synth, emulation of Oberheim / NordLead / DX 7 synth, chip synth, guitar emulation…
and here a list of 25 free synth plugins for Mac OS X :
1. Synth1 AU/ VST
The must-have free synth plugin is available for Mac since one or two years, it is in beta state, it still have some minor bugs with the UI, but it’s usable and you can benefit from the incredible amount of presets created for Synth1, including these 😀
=>
https://blog.wavosaur.com/synth1-presets-chris-bank-volume-2/ &
https://blog.wavosaur.com/chris-bank-synth1-reup/
I had some problems for saving preset in Ableton Live.
Synth1 can do an incredible variety of sounds.
The most versatile Synth in this list
2. OBXD AU / VST
OBXD AU
The free Oberheim OB-X OB-Xa OB-8 emulation !
work without any problem in my AudioUnit / VST hosts on Mac.
3. Tyrell N6 AU / VST
http://www.u-he.com/cms/tyrelln6
DL here : http://www.amazona.de/amazona-de-freeware-synthesizer-tyrell-n6-v3/
U-He loves the Mac, don’t hesitate to have a look at the other freeware on the Website, all are working without problems in VST or AudioUnit format. I have also selected Triple Cheeze and Zebralette from the same developer. These plugins are good and full featured.
TyrellN6 plugin comes with a big amount of presets, and a deep variety of sounds. It’s powerful and easy to program. It’s rock solid stable and have a nice UI too!
4. FreeAlpha AU / VST
FreeAlpha AU
This freeware from LinPlug sounds very good, it has punch and is easy to tweak. It can do punchy bass, but also nice pads and clean leads. Despite its simple look, it’s powerful and funky!
5. Crystal AU / VST
The old Crystal Synth is still top, and one of the best synth for complex / evolving PADS, with its multipoint envelopes, and the complete modulation matrix.
One of the best virtual synth, for more than 10 years!
6. TAL NoiseMaker AU / VST
TAL Noisemaker
Like U-He, TAL has many freebees for Mac OS X.
I have selected Noize M4k3r and Elek7tro but you also have other interesting plugins.
The “Noise Maker” plugin has two osc + sub, a good filter and the famous Chorus “a la Roland”, so you have all you need for your fat bass/lead. Certainly more agressive than Crystal, it completes well the sonic arsenal.
7. Dexed FM VST
The famous free Yamaha DX7 emulation ! It’s VST only (no AU for the moment).
Use the cart / load / save button to browse or import presets.
It can read / write sysex files for and from the DX7.
Now all your FM needs are fullfilled: you can do pop ballad or Detroit techno, vive la FM !
8. MiniSpillage AU (Drum Synth)
MiniSpillage AU
Now that we have the FM synth, the Pad synth, the Bass synth and Lead capable synths, we need a DRUM synth. The Minispillage plugin has three dedicated algo for bass drum, wood drum and hihat.
I tend to prefer “Drumatic” but Drumatic is Windows only.
9. ComboF organ AU / VST
After all these synths, we now need an emulation of our prefered organ : the Farfisa combo organ!
ComboF gives you the sound of the Italian electric organ we all love. Available for Mac and windows, in AudioUnit and VST!
10. MrTramp 2 e-piano AU / VST
MrTramp2
After the organ emulation, we need the electric piano! MrTramp 2 is the best (free or not) emulation of the Wurlitzer electric piano. It’s raining again ! Now you can sound like Supertramp ! Breakfast in America !! There are not so much controls but you don’t need more, and the sound is excellent.
11. Cheeze Machine AU
A dedicated string synth plugin for Mac ! The Cheeze machine from Big Tick is a kind of Arp Solina emulation. It has this phaser / chorus creamy sound.
it’s AU only and should work with your favorite Mac host software.
12. TripleCheese AU / VST
TripleCheeze plugin
Cheese again !
The U-He contribution to the first KVR Developer Challenge. It’s an original synth with unusual sound generation. Nice for plucked sounds. Works well on my Mac OS X Mountain Lion. Thanks to the comb filter, you can generate very original sounds.
13. Zr3 organ VST
We have ComboF for the Farfisa emulation, and for the Hammond B3 organ lovers, there’s Zr3.
It’s VST only and works nice in Ableton Live 9.
The only good free Hammond B3 emulation for Mac OS X.
14. TAL Elek7ro AU / VST
TAL Elektro
A perfect free synth for bass and perc sounds.
Don’t forget to check the other TAL plugins !
15. VST Speek AU / VST
Coming from here ! the funkiest text to speech in plugin format !
The best C64 Sam oldskool text to speech emulator, for all your techno voices.
Available in 32 & 64 bit, VST & AU
16. Zebralette AU / VST
Zebralette plugin
Coming with the demo of Zebra, the famous synth by u-He, Zebralette is a nice synth, with unusual sound, and powerful possibilities and plenty of special waveforms to play with.
17. Model – E VST
The antic VST from Steinberg, now free, and now available in VST format for Mac OSX.
It has been surpassed in all domain by many other synth (freeware included). But it can be useful and you can get some nice sounds out of it if you tweak it with love.
18. VB-1 virtual bass VST
VB1 bass
Another prehistoric virtual synth from Steinberg, this virtual bass plugin is free and available with Model E in the same package (see link above). Very simple sound, can be useful.
Freeware for Mac are rare so we take it!
19. MDA Piano ePiano DX10 & JX10 VST
NO GUI
These free VST work for Mac OS X, they don’t have UI, you’ll have to use the default interface supplied by your host.
– Piano & ePiano are sample based synth, the ePiano is very good, it’s a kind of Rhodes emulation.
– DX10 is a FM Synth, it has only two operators, but you can still get nice bell sounds out of it.
– JX10 is a very nice virtual analog synth, despite some bugs (the Windows version has the same), it can do some very nice leads.
20. 4Front R-Piano AU / VST
Another free electric piano emulation for your Mac!
It’s simple and has a nice clean sound. Perfect for deep house chords.
21. Chip32 AU
Chip 32 AU
This is the URL where you can also find the Cheeze Machine VST, and also the very good Clavinet emulation by Big Tick (TickyClav). Chip32 is a very simple plugin, perfect for your chip tune needs.
22. Spicy Guitar AU / VST
A free Audio Unit / VST emulation of an acoustic guitar ! It’s use a physical modelled synthesis, and is a great emulation. Here are coming the ukulele / banjo / Flamenco guitar !
23. Scythe VST
Scythe VST
A very simple VA Synth (VST only), with two oscillators, a filter, modulation envelope & some embedded effects : bitcrusher / phaser / chorus / delay.
It’s simple but efficient.
You can also generate random presets!
24. Automat AU
A virtual substractive synth with 3 osc, and filter for each osc, + many effects and modulations.
It’s audiounit only, and like Scythe, it has a random preset generator.
25. VOPM VST
VOPM VST synth
A VST emulation of the Yamaha YM2151 Chip that was used in many arcade games, and is similar to the chip in the Sega Megadrive. It’s a 4 operator FM synth, with 8 algorithm.
here’s a lot of preset for VOPM : http://truechiptilldeath.com/blog/2010/05/04/opm-patches-out-of-most-genesis-games/
26. Bonus tracks ?
1) there’s also kickmaker, a free kick drum synthesizer in VST and AU format : http://teragonaudio.com/KickMaker.html
and C700, that can load sample in aiff and wav format :
http://picopicose.com/software.html
2) I also tried other free VST plugins for MAC , but with no luck (no one working in any host on my Mac OS X Mountain Lion), i think these are too old plugins, or maybe ppc plugins (even if they were said to work on Mac OS X).
For example :
the Delay Lama ! http://www.audionerdz.nl/download.htm
AU303 & AirySynth : http://airy.andre.online.fr/AU/index.html#au303
3) I’m working on a port of Rave Generator VST for MAC, here you can find a beta (x64 only, VST only) :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/149376535107031/835302689847742/
3) I’m also working on a port of CreakBox (the TB303 plugin) for MAC OS X (i already have converted it to VST2.4 then to 64 bit), see link ( @ 6. and in the comments) :
https://blog.wavosaur.com/best-free-tb-303-emulation-sotware-vst-plugins-standalone/
Best Software Synths
4) i’ll do another posts with the free effect plugins for MAC ! It seems there are more effects available for free than synths.
Full Bucket Music has introduced the Fury-800, a freeware emulation of the Korg Poly-800 hardware synthesizer in VST and AU plugin formats for compatible DAW software on PC and Mac.
- Get the 200 best free VST plugins ever made. From synth VSTs and drum VSTs to VST effects, this huge list has only the best of the best plugins.
- Download MauSynth Synth “MauSynth is a polyphonic analog-modeling subtractive synthesizer VST plugin by Pekka Kauppila. You can create all sorts of awesome sounds with it.
Fury-800 emulates the Korg Poly-800 hardware synth. The original Poly-800 was an affordable eight-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer from the 1980s. It featured digitally controlled oscillators and an analog filter, along with 64 patch memory slots and a subtractive synthesis engine with 50 editable parameters. Even more importantly, the instrument supported MIDI technology, which was still a rarity back then.
Mac DeMarco is a Canadian musician known for his brand of old-school-influenced indie music, using a chorused guitar sound, simple arrangements and a varispeed tape sound. After utilising synths for Salad Days’ Chamber of Reflection, synths took on a much bigger role in for 2017 album This Old Dog, with several synth-only tracks. Mac's main synth to use on recordings is his Roland Juno-60. The 25 best VST/AU plugin synths in the world right now: all the best soft synths you need in your DAW By Ben Rogerson 06 December 2019 We asked you to vote for your favourite VST/AU plugin synth in our annual poll, and you did so in your thousands.
Being a big fan of the original Korg Poly-800 synthesizer myself, I’d say that its most beautiful quality is its lo-fi sound. Yes, the synth is analog, but it isn’t what you’d expect from an analog synthesizer. Its digitally controlled oscillators, noisy paraphonic filter, and the even more noisy pseudo-stereo chorus effect, all add up to create these wonderfully lo-fi, unstable sounds that almost sound as if they were captured from a VHS tape. Add some dusty plate reverb to the Poly-800’s output, and you’re in 80s synthwave heaven.
Synth 1 Free Download Mac
As for Full Bucket Music’s emulation of the Poly-800, it gets very close to the original. The developer has developed a number of highly detailed emulations of Korg’s analog synthesizers in the past (check out the Tricent Mk III plugin for a more recent example), and the Fury-800 is no exception in terms of quality. Both the feature set and the GUI design come very close to that of the Poly-800. You get all the synth engine features of the original and a few smart add-on options like the “God Mode” for full polyphony and 64 voices of polyphony with full velocity support.
Fans of the real Korg Poly-800 will feel right at home with the Full Bucket Music Fury-800 plugin. Fans of 80s synth music who haven’t had the chance to play the original instrument should undeniably give the Fury-800 a try. It delivers instant 80s nostalgia, much like the legendary SQ8L plugin by Siegfried Kullmann and the wonderful PG8X by Martin Lüders.
Fury-800 is available for free download from Full Bucket Music’s website. The plugin can be downloaded completely free of charge without registration. It is available in VST and AU plugin formats for 32-bit and 64-bit plugin host applications on PC and Mac.
More info:Fury-800(9.2 MB download size, ZIP archive, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU plugin format for Windows & macOS)
More articles:
Sylenth1 (Mac)
Best Free Synth Vst For Mac
- Sylenth1
- Lennar Digital
- 2.2.1
- 32-bit and 64-bit
- Mac OSx 10.10, 10.11, 10.12, 10.13, 10.14
- Instructions attached
Bro where is serum icant find it thanks bro never forget your help
OMG!!!!
Thank you so much!!!Thanks alot!
Brooo Native Instruments Komplete next plz! ??????
God bless.
Love you.https://anonfile.com/u0Rbo5s6b7/License_dat there is ONLY license file! It is not keygen! Only license file!
Thank you very much! It works perfectluy. You are great !
everything that normally leaves a whole in your wallet is on this website and it’s all free
Hello, I did all the steps but it doesn’t appear on Ableton, after resurrecting and restarting for the second time, there is something else I have to do to be able to use it on Ableton?
thank youAnyone else getting a “The installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.” message upon the first step to installing the Sylenth1 pkg. file?
Can i delete the 32 lives app after installing the vst?
Thank you so so so much for this one!
Un gran saludo desde Latinoamérica! <3
Thanks, it works. But in Logic Pro X I’ve got something what sounds like bit rating issue. A sound is cracking a little bit when I use the plugin. When I turn it off everything is fine. Does anyone had similar problem? Thx for answer.
Yo, thank you so much. I’m a 14 y/o Swedish EDM Producer/DJ and I am BROKE. I have a DDJ-RB Controller and a DAW (Logic Pro X), I installed plugins I could barely dream of using, thank you so fucking much. Thanks to you I can finally start uploading quality EDM Tracks with professional sounding synths etc. <3 // Pkandaz
I can not find the license.bin in the 32 lives folder .
Can someone teach me how to install it? pls message me on instagram @marcomoserr
I just want say thanks for all of your site, your team is great i dont have money but now i can produce with good stuff, serious, amazing work, thanks broooooo
where did serum go lol, can’t find it anymore
AUTOTUNE EFX +!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Need help! I followed the instructions and Ableton shows the Plug-In in “Audio Units” (but not in “VST” or “VST 3”). When I try to open it by double clicking nothing happens and Ableton doesn’t respond anymore. I’m on Mac, OS Catalina.
Yo need help, what do u mean by run keygen?
Please email me really need to run this vst asap
[email protected]
Thank youRunning Catalina 10.15.2. Plug-in shows up in Ableton 10 AU menu, but it just freezes up.
Free Synth Vst Synthesizer
Best Synthesizer Vst
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