SYNTH WEEK 2022: Have you heard the news? It's Synth Week here at MusicRadar HQ, and we're celebrating the gloriously diverse world of synthesizers, straight through from ASM to the OP-Z.
In recognition of this momentous occasion, we've put together a special edition of SampleRadar, our regular free sample pack giveaway. Fittingly, it's centred around the sounds of synthesizers in all their forms, capturing the sonics of everything from classic analogue noisemakers to futuristic modular rigs and serving them up royalty-free and ready to use in your own projects.
Scroll down for a tidy description of each sample pack, or simply hit the links below to download. Happy sampling!
- Don't miss it: The SampleRadar Time Machine is a collection of four sample packs that spans four decades in music
438 free cheap synth samples
High-end, expensive synths certainly have their place, but sometimes you just get a craving for the crunchy, distorted and lovable sounds of cheap and dirty noise-making machines. Before you set out to raid the car boot sales, though, check out this free sample pack, which features loops, sounds and hits from some classic affordable synth hardware, including the Casio SA-1, Casio VL-Tone, and the Gakken SX-150.
162 free synth orchestra samples
In the early days of the synthesizer, its sounds were often used in place of orchestral ones, which couldn't easily be emulated in the studio. Sample libraries have changed that, of course, but electronic string and wind sounds still have their place, and this free sample pack offers plenty of them.
Synth orchestra samples (361MB)
149 free FM synth samples
Loved, derided and then loved again, it's been a rocky road for FM synthesis, but its sound now has the classic status that it deserves. This installment of SampleRadar gives you a little slice of FM heaven, so download and dive in.
181 free synth chords samples
Barely any of the audible frequency range is left undisturbed by this sample collection. Individual synth patches were created for fatness and then layered up through an FX heavy group bus to produce synth loops and chord hits, perfect for dropping into your productions and bringing some harmonic richness to any track.
As these sounds are quite full they are also great fodder for further processing, from filtering and modulation to heavy pitching and distortion. Make 'em your own.
976 free classic synth samples
Here's a selection of classic synth sounds - these come from ARP's Odyssey and Solina instruments, and Roland's System 100. As a further bonus, you can also download single hits from some of history's finest drum machines, including Roland's TR-909 and 808 beatboxes.
170 free psych-rock synth samples
With an ear to the mid-late '60s origins as well more contemporary psych-rock incarnations this sample set provides tempo-based lines, loops and hits stuffed with phasey, wobbly, springy, crunchy, fuzzy synth and keyboard sounds.
Though the title is 'synth' many of the original '60s sounds came from processed electric keyboard instruments, from Hammond organs to Farfisas to electric pianos... and of course the Mellotron for those that could afford one.
With this in mind the sources used have been selected from emulations of these as well as some era-relevant synths (if we stretch into the early '70s too) such as the EMS Synthi, the Buchla Easel and the Solina String Machine. We've run these through a truckload of fuzz, distortion, delay and reverb to bring that signature psych-rock sound.
Psych-rock synth samples (264MB)
713 free robotic synth-pop samples
The is Kraftwerkian edition of SampleRadar collects old-school robotic synth-pop samples directly inspired by the German pioneers. The likes of drum machines, FX, speaking toys and vocoded vocals (some in German) are all included.
Robotic synthpop samples (185MB)
275 free micro modulars samples
For this sample pack, we've recorded loops and one-shots from the Bastl Kastle, Bastl Kastle Drum and Volca Modular. Each of these micro modulars is a nifty little modular synth capable of producing surprisingly big sounds.
The Bastl Kastle Drum gave us some crunchy, glitchy drum hits perfect for peppering into your rhythms, while its older brother the Bastl Kastle produced some gnarly drones and sci-fi FX, as did the Volca Modular.
Micro modulars samples (307MB)
505 free classic synth-pop samples
This free sample pack contains everything you need to put together a track in the style of classic synth-pop à la Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Gary Numan. Dig in and download to find drum hits and loops, synth FX, bass and synth loops, and FX from the Roland SH-101 and Yamaha CS-5.
