Top 25 Best Free Vst Plugins Of 2018
— See also The best VST plugins for vocals processing in 2018! — DeClicker has a dialogue mode and an “exception field” to save the desired audio; DeBuzzer has 3 frequency ranges and real-time tracking for problematic frequency frequencies, while DeNoiser with independent De-hisser offers powerful broadband noise reduction. There is a challenge with curating this list of best free VST synths, because, so far, many of the VST synths we have named can really be considered the “best” free synthesizers you can download. And discoDSP’s OB-Xd is constantly referred to as the “best” as well.
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How’s it going, everyone?
It’s been almost three years since we published this article detailing our favorite violin plugins back in 2015. Well, it’s 2018, and it is time to improve this article with our updated recommendations.
VIrtual instruments have advanced dramatically over the years. People used to laugh at the idea of a computer producing sound the resembled that of a real instrument. Now, there are plugins that will blow you away with how realistic they sound.
For that reason, having an arsenal of VST plugins is very powerful for the electronic musician.
Plus, it’s like having an entire orchestra with you all the time! Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
Today I am going to focus on the best virtual violin plugins.
We’ll cover both paid and free options and there will even be a bonus section at the end of this article!
Let’s begin, shall we?
For Most People: Orchestral Companion – Strings
Here’s why we recommend this plugin: It only costs $60 and it sounds great! You don’t have to give up a months rent to pay for this plugin and it gives you a lot of configuration with its stringed instruments.
Many of us like that rich strings sound – Soft and gentle, and in the next moment hard and brutal.
Of course, we all have different tastes, but, whatever you like, I can assure you that Orchestral Companion Strings can satisfy your taste.
The SONiVOX design team made over 90 outstanding string programs, which can give you best and the most accurate experience as possible.
Orchestral Companion Strings is compatible for Windows and Mac. You can download either a 32-bit or 64-bit version of it. It takes around 15GB of hard drive space.
If you have all of that or more this plugin will run very smoothly!
For the Professional: NOVO Modern Strings by Heavyocity
The kind of sound you can get out of NOVO Modern Strings is insane! The violin samples used to create this plugin were meticulously recorded at Warner Brothers Studios.
This plugin has a very justifiable price tag ($550) based on the quality of it and the amount of work they put into it. In total, this plugin is 40GB. That’s larger than most big-budget PC games!
What really seals the deal with the plugin is the immense control you have over your sound. For example, there is this one section of the plugin called CYCLE. Its interface looks almost like a sequencer and you can very easily tweak it to create rhythmic little pulses and glitch style sounds.
Whether you’re looking for a solo vieolin or a powerful string ensemble for use in an intense movie trailer, NOVO is a wonderful choice.
For Those Who Want an Entire Orchestra: Personal Orchestra 5
This awesome product from Garritan can give you not only a nice sounding violin but also an entire orchestra at your fingertips.
Personal Orchestra costs $150 which is a steal for all of the instruments (Including multiple violin variations) you get.
With so many different stringed instruments, you can be that one-man orchestra, creating a sound nobody can listen to without getting goosebumps!
Personal Orchestra is 64-bit compatible, with not very high system requirements (surprisingly).
It’s pretty easy to use yet very powerful. A new user can get really creative right out of the box.
Some of the included violins are:
- Solo Stradivari Violin
- Solo Gagliano Violin
- Solo Guarneri Violin
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And besides violins, there are lots of other instruments such as trumpets, trombones, French horns, keyboards, harps, violas, flutes, and clarinets!
With the current price of Personal Orchestra, it’s worth it alone for the violins. With all the added instruments, you can’t go wrong with this plugin!
And in case you’re worried about buying software that won’t get updated, keep in mind Personal Orchestra has been going since 2010 and are still chugging forward. Personal Orchestra has even been awarded by MusicRadar and MusicTech in 2010.
Other Noteworthy Choices
Orchestral Suite
Next on the list, Orchestral Suite, which with over 60 classical instruments and 15,000 samples in its library, is a pleasure to work with.
With additional instruments like the clarinet, flute, harp, guitar, and even different types of choirs, you can be a music virtuoso with only a small effort.
It features instrument-specific controls, as well as key switching and a pretty easy to use interface.
And it all comes in a small package, 4.6GB of an entire orchestra.
Most importantly, you get plenty of great violins!
It’s always great to have multiple choices. Different types of violins are ideal for different situations and different genres of music.
This high quality and sophisticated plugin is a joy to work with, which is exactly why a lot of today’s top producers use it.
Orchestral Suite is compatible with both Windows and Mac. It will work in every major DAW.
Session Strings by Native Instruments
Sessions Strings is another popular choice among producers. It’s especially a good choice if you are already invested heavily into the Native Instruments ecosystem.
It weighs in at 2.5GB and costs $100. It’s a great plugin, but personally I would go with Personal Orchestra instead (mentioned earlier in this article).
Give it a listen and let your ears be the judge.
Free Violin Plugins
DSK Strings
I am super appreciative of the free instruments DSK Instruments has been able to provide the music production community.
DSK Strings is an awesome little instrument!
It sounds pretty good for a freebie and will be a newbie producer’s best friend.
Sonatina Violin
Sonatina is a solo-violin that can be a great help to you. It’s a little rough around the edges so might have to help it along with some effect plugin processing.
Bonus: The Non-VST Option
Before we conclude this article, I just wanted to open your mind to one more technique that could help you out with your string productions.
Good ol’ sampling!
Sampling has been shaping music since the 80s. We can use this technique to get realistic sounding violin pieces by…well…using violin samples!
There are many different ways we could go about this. It could be as simple as throwing a sustained violin note into a pitched sampler (Although it wouldn’t sound that realistic). We could even take little licks created by others and implement those.
I should also mention that as a musician who participates in sampling, it’s worth your time to educate yourself on the legal stuff. In our How to Get Permission to Remix Songs article, we talked about fair use and derivative work.
Top 25 Best Free Vst Plugins Of 2018 Full
Getting royalty-free samples
There are many different places to get royalty-free samples. You could go on Audioblocks and be able to get really high quality samples, but it isn’t cheap – especially if you’re only a hobbyist.
A site I like is freesound.org. https://ameblo.jp/cimokasac1973/entry-12632993444.html. As the name suggests, everything they provide is free.
Here are some cool violin samples I found after a bit of searching:
Soundcloud Sampling
Another idea you could try out is to find some violin playing sessions on Soundcloud and use those to sample. Of course, if you decide to publish the work it would be advised to get permission from the original musician.
You’ll find a lot of small artists who just love playing the violin and uploading different compositions they make. Its a great opportunity for sampling.
If you enjoyed this article, I’d appreciate it more than ever if you could share it on social media!
In conclusion, each and every one of these plugins has something that makes them a unique and amazing product. They all have their own purposes and different producers can find different ones the most useful.
No matter what plugin you purchase, you can expect to have a great time spending hours enjoying some of the best quality violin sounds that exist.
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What’s the Best Choir VST? Your Top 5 ChoicesNext:
Best Vocal VST Plugins: Use These Tools To Process Your Vocals Like a Pro [REVISED & UPDATED]When thinking of the human voice, we tend to overlook the fact that it is an instrument in and of itself. One which cannot be replicated no matter how hard we try. This unique attribute perhaps explains why there is a fairly limited amount of choir VSTs in the market.
Indeed, the profound vocal range of male Baritones, combined with the heavenly voice of female sopranos, can truly form the very essence of an entire production.
Several companies have now designed exceptional choir plugins with access to extensive collections. From Hollywood choirs, to children’s ensembles, these libraries will surely take any sinner back to church.
Without further ado, we have put together a list of the best choir VSTs available right now!
Top 8 Choir Plugins
1. Soundiron Mercury Boys’ Choir Elements
The first thing that comes to mind when describing Soundiron’s Mercury Boys’ Choir Elements is Pink Floyd. Remember the choir of boys singing in the background? Well that is exactly what this package offers. Think clear, crisp, light, yet rich vocals of a 25-boy professional ensemble, known as the Pacific Boychoir. Recorded in a large hall, the setting accentuates the ethereal sound the boys’ pure voices.
This VST includes sustains, marcatos, and staccatos, in addition to four primary vowels: Ah, Eh, Oh, and Oo vowels. You have the option to select these vowels to be played in piano, or forte with a 2x round robin variation. Also recorded chromatically with automatic tempo-syncing is the multi-syllable sustain or staccato latin words variances.
Again, similar to the other Soundiron elements, we see a multitude of audio elements ranging from built-in sound effects to sound-shaping parameters. These elements are meant to add an additional layer of sentimentality attached to the cinematic performance.
Pros
- Built-in Wordmaster system
- Proficient round-robin capabilities
- Dynamic and true legato vowels
Cons
- Requires significant CPU usage
2. Soundiron Requiem Light Symphonic Choir
Another choir VST option offered by Soundiron is the Requiem Light Symphonic Choir. All the choral sounds that you hear in this software were recorded at the San Francisco Montclair Presbyterian Church, and provide epic soundtrack composition and cinematic scoring. Indeed, the church’s architecture and structure played a huge part in helping the talented performers create a sound that is unique and powerful.
If you’re looking to produce ever-changing melodies that shift from fine and detailed, to rich and loud, then this just might be your golden ticket.
Similar to the Soundiron Olympus Choir Elements, the Requiem Light Symphonic Choir also uses the Kontakt Player engine to host a diverse library of true legato vowels, including but not limited to: single-syllable Marcato words, aggressive Latin staccatos, long poly-syllabic Latin sustains, standard staccatos, and the classic sustain. Additionally, as part of the Requiem Light you gain access to different sound design pads such as choral atmospheres, drones, and polysustains – all of which are considered amazing additions when creating ambiant songwriting pieces.
The way the user interface was built is pretty interesting. As opposed a top-down design method, Soundiron engineered it using a bottom-up method in order to facilitate real-time articulation switching and layering, parameter shaping, and section blending. Cherry on top? The Requiem Light includes a fully integrated phrase step sequencer! Not to mention, they included their modular FX rack – complete with 119 reverb spaces.
Still wondering if Requiem Light is right for you? Let’s simplify it. If your main priority is to create cinematic choral arrangements, then what are you waiting for? However, if your focus lies elsewhere, then it might not be the best match for you, so keep on reading!
Pros
- Solid interface
- Rich and dynamic sound
- Multitude of effects
Cons
- Another CPU Hog
3. EastWest Sounds Hollywood Choirs
The EastWest Sounds Hollywood Choirs is essentially a reformation of the EastWest Sounds Symphonic Choirs VST, with a specific focus on Blockbuster film scoring. Hollywood Choirs includes both male and female choirs, helping to bring about exceptional sounds that are bound to revolutionize any given piece.
Featuring an innovative software called the WordBuilder 2, Hollywood Choirs allows the musician to input phrases, words, or sentences that are then transformed into choral vocals sung by the choir. Amazing isn’t it? What’s more, is if you are not really sure of what you want the choir to sing, no problem! You actually have the option to choose from 781 pre-built and editable WordBuilder phrases in different languages from English, Spanish, Italian and many more.
Splurge on the Diamond Edition and are you are looking at 13 microphone user-controllable setups, which make a huge difference for virtual reality and/or surround sound performances, but you are also getting exceptional 3D soundscapes. This combination of elements will make your listeners transcend into another cinematic dimension.
When narrowing it down and comparing it to other VSTs, the EastWest Sounds Hollywood Choir is the perfect blend of flexibility and dynamic range.
Pros
- Wide range of male and female choral vocals
- Ingenious WordBuilder software
- A complete range of dynamics with mod control
Cons
- Lacks portamento Legato transitions
- Not beginner-friendly
4. Soundiron Olympus Choir Elements
Soundiron’s Olympus Choir Elements offers a powerful symphonic bundle of Mars Men’s and Venus Women’s choir collections. These collections were recorded at the San Francisco Montclair Presbyterian Church with groups of choirs made up of 30 men and 33 women. The result: over 45GB of Latin and Slavonic samples!
The fact that these collections are powered by Kontakt, makes it all that more appealing if you are a Native Instruments aficionado. The plugin also uses a wide and close stage microphone blend and covers all eight core vowel articulations.
By using divisi, you can easily rearrange and control the choir dynamics by separating the male and the female parts! Indeed, the combination of the pp-ff dynamic layering combined with the intelligent round robin gives you full command of all articulations including sustain, staccato, and marcato.
Additionally, the plugin’s choir sample library offers a multitude of innovative vocal effects that offer an improvement and/or alternative to the standard choral sounds. Some of these vocal effects include swells, sweeps, whispers, and shouts, among many others. What is more, the library’s performance presets can be configured by using the onboard EQ controls, and/or selecting from the 50 custom convolution reverbs.
All these powerful features make the Olympus Choir Elements VST more suitable for the music industry professional who wants a piece of software that enables them to have complete choral control.
Pros
Top 10 Best Free Vst Plugins
- Extraordinary choral sounds
- Fully automatable interface
- Customizable
Cons
- CPU hog
5. Big Fish Audio Aeris: Hybrid Choir Designer
One of the main features of Big Fish Audio Aeris is that it meshes the voices of solo singers, with male and female backing choirs. All the performers were multi-sampled, using a range of different voices, including Ah, Oh, and Oo vocals, as well as hums.
Want to customise beyond simple vocal patches? There are a range of sound design tools available to help you build beautiful spaces and customise your choral sound. For a more distinct tone, there are four different LFOs that you can add modulation to. To help spread and mix your different layers, you can also use high pass, low pass, bandpass, volume, pan and pitch. There are dual sequencers that make the creation of complex patterns a breeze, as well as eight unique effects to help you shatter the sound design barrier.
Pros
- Customization features are endless
- Light on CPU!
- Envelope Controls for easy breezy mixing
Cons
- solo and choir vocals cannot be used in one instance of the plugin
6. Cinematique Instruments Interval – Les Femmes
Looking for uniqueness? You’ve come to the right place! Cinematique Instruments is one of the more exceptional choir VSTs out there. The carefully selected female voices of Insa, Mel, and Basiaa have created a detailed and delicately personal piece of software.
The plugin allows you to make use of the layering feature in order to bring about a more intimate choral experience. And while there are only 3 voices in this choir plugin, Cinematique recorded each of the female voices using different articulations – meaning the women use different intonations, inhalations, and intimate notes. However, when combined, the three voices bring into being the true essence of powerful choir vocals.
While you can undoubtedly use this VST within the cinematic, as well as choral circles, we highly recommend it for modern pop backing vocals, experimental mumbling, and/or textured vocal harmonies.
The built-in presets such as EQ, reverb, delay, attack and release, and an LFO make it easy to load up a patch and tweak it to your heart’s content. So if you are looking to compose more intimate, and flexible choral pieces, Les Femmes should definitely be on your list of choral VSTs to explore further!
Pros
- Unique feminine tones
- User-friendly
- High quality vocal recordings
Cons
- Does not work well with forte sounds
7. Strezov Sampling StormChoir Ultimate
While Strezov undoubtedly offers some of the most diverse and professional choral products available in the market, the StormChoir Ultimate is possibly one of our favorite. This 12-piece chamber choir includes six men and six women who were recorded separately in order to allow for greater flexibility during composition. And despite the fact that it is a chamber choir, the absolute intensity of the sound created is mesmerizing. Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that the choir focuses mainly on the Slavonic molto vibrato tone.
In fact, with 24 Slavic syllables to choose from, by accessing key switches or the onboard Phase Builder, you can put together such a unique choral sound that is clearly distinguishable from the standard Latin syllables found on most choir VSTs.
However, in our opinion, the stand out feature of the StormChoir Ultimate is the ferocity of the staccatos, suitable for composing eipic trailers. Lest we forget the sustain, which comes with an innovative “tighten” dial that proves to be quite useful for shortening samples, or strengthening the attack.
Although the StormChoir Ultimate user interface isn’t anything special, it is easy on the eyes and simple to operate. In other words, the way in which the tabs and buttons have been designed, helps in cutting down the time needed to find the adequate spaces for each of the layers. You can easily add additional samples to notes that are already played by using the “stack” button, which works well to thicken your tone.
We recommend this choir VST plugin to those seeking to compose more distinguished and intense masterpieces, that do not necessarily require the usage of softer sounds.
Pros
- Massive sound for a chamber choir
- Intuitive and practical GUI
- Unique Slavic sounds
Cons
- Vibrato on pianissimo samples can be distracting
8. Strezov Sampling Wotan Male Choir
Another choir VST we would like to highlight from Strezov is the Wotan Male Choir. This VST is considered to be one of the most revered sounds in the film industry – the Khazad-dum male choir, inspired by the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Made up of ten tenors and ten basses, this VST is bound to add a touch of choral intensity to any movie score.
One of the features of Wotan is that it combines sample recording of phrase building for convenience with the fully customizable functionality of word building. This option simplifies the creation of new sample content allowing you to build choral patterns, as well as connect different syllables, which can then be used to modify your very own choral compositions.
If that wasn’t enough: the Wotan Male Choir enables you to use the Agile Legato technique to play each and every syllable in the provided library using legato articulation – also known as Syllabuilding.
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And the icing on the cake you ask? You can create polyphonic arrangements using intelligent voice leading. All you have to do is press a chord down on the left, and simultaneously play a melody on the right. You’ll notice that the legato transitions will immediately start to connect.
Pros
- Intense cinematic sound
- True legato for smooth and melodic movement
- Excellent word building features
Cons
- Limited syllabic range
- Manual is a bit too technical
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Want to trick your listener into thinking that you spent thousands of dollars recording a hundred person choral ensemble? Then get one of the high quality choir VSTs on our list – that should do the trick!