7 of the best free VST/AU creative effect plugins
Go wild
There’s nothing subtle about the sparkling selection of effects we’ve assembled here. These plugins aren’t meant to enhance, but rather to entrance; to ignite the spark of creativity into a conflagration. They exist to transform, transmogrify and transcend the ordinary. Some shake up your signals - others carry them aloft and away. We encourage you to give each and every one a go.
For more on making music with freeware, check out the March 2015 issue of Computer Music (CM214), which is in sale now. Also be sure to browse our round-ups of the best free plugin synths and free mixing plugins.
PC/Mac, VST/AU
Circular Labs Mobius
Few things are more inspirational than a good sound-on-sound Frippertronics-style looper. Don’t confuse this with a loop-based sequencer like Acid - Mobius is all about building up layers in real time.
iZotope Vinyl
This classic does just what the name suggests, imparting the character of a vinyl record to your tracks. Mac and Windows, but 32-bit only, alas.
PC/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS
MeldaProduction MfreqShifter
Part of the outstanding MFreeEffectsBundle also featured in our round-up of mixing effects, this ultra-bizarre plugin allows you to twist your signals with a frequency shifting process not unlike that seen on the modular synthesisers of yore.
Not to be confused with a pitchshifter, a frequency shifter does not leave the relationship between the harmonics of your signal intact. Nasty!
PC/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS
Anarchy Sound Software AnarchyEffects
Anarchy offers a number of inspiring goodies at no cost. Check out this set of five timbre-twisting tools, including Convoluter, Corkscrew, HarmonicAdder, SpectralAutopan, and LengthSeperator.
PC, VST
Illformed Glitch
Glitch can transform a basic beat into something far more gripping and modern. It’s not just one effect, but many, and they can be sequenced in the step sequencer-like grid. Glitch 1.3 is included in a bundle called Old VST Plug-ins Pack from the Illformed site. This classic plugin will show up as dBlue Glitch in your VST folder.
This one’s Windows only, we’re afraid. To get a Mac or Linux version, you’ll have to pony up a few bucks.
PC/Mac, VST/AU
DestroyFX plugins
DestroyFX plugins have been around for yonks, but they’re still perfect whenever you need something that’ll bend and break your signals beyond recognition.
PC/Mac, VST/AU
Michael Ourednik Argotlunar
The idea of granular processing has been around for decades, but it’s only become commonplace with the advent of desktop music production. Granular processors break a signal into tiny grains that can be played back out of order, out of time and otherwise manipulated. Michael Ourednik’s Argotlunar is a free granular processor.