What’s new at Zystrix? Read on…
August 07, 2023
What’s going on around here? The planet is
warming and the heat is setting records. And
we’re looking back to the summer of 1963 with
a nod to the popular summer entertainment of
the time – the drive-in theater – as seen in the
retro artistic animation above. The rock band
Dangerous Neighbors has a new piano tune download called
Dreaded Search -- where does all this piano stuff come from?
You’ll have to talk among yourselves. There’s also a review of the
new kick-ass rompler synthesizer SFX1 by Slapassound. And it’s
designed in Estonia. Free Plugin Download Websites -- This
time we’re also going to take a look at several websites that offer
free VST downloads and how they stack up according to Zystrix
guidelines. And we’ll also answer the questions, “What’s a VST or
a host, or is it possible to make professional music with free gear?”
So sit back and relax. Welcome to Zystrix, my friend, the
heartbeat of the universe. Where creativity and free-thinking have
more value than conformity.
Dangerous Neighbors
This is a new piano piece from Dangerous Neighbors called
Dreaded Search. It’s about 3 minutes 16 seconds long. This
tune was intended to express the
emotional pain of searching for
meaning in disappointing
circumstances. Click this link to
hear Dreaded Search or go to the
top of the Dangerous Neighbors
page and hear it there along with
many other tunes.
SFX1 by Slapassound
This SFX1 by Slapassound is an easy-to-use rompler
synthesizer. When I say rompler I mean it only plays the sounds it
contains. However, the cool thing is that it offers an extensive
cornucopia of over 960
sound samples of
common and very usable
effects for music, stage,
audio books, and radio
productions. These
include spooky haunted
noises, farm sounds,
fireworks, factory noises,
explosions, birds, dogs,
frogs, crickets, cats,
storms, voices, and many others. Imagine hearing ever-faster
footsteps in a branch-bending whistling wind and suddenly there’s
a clap of thunder, maniacal laughter is heard in the distance, and
eerie haunted ghosts screak and moan overhead. Boo hoo hoo
ha ha ha ha. It even has pitch, filter, pan, adsr (attack, decay,
sustain, release) and reverb for doing sample tweaking. If you
need an audio collection to add to your present sound effects
library – or maybe you’re thinking about starting a collection -- the
SFX1 is an excellent choice of gear to have in your arsenal. And it
keeps all these effects in one convenient location so finding the
perfect sound is immediately at your fingertips. No more time
spent scanning drives for the right sound. The SFX1 is the perfect
tool for adding realism to sonic productions -- a must-have.
Click here to download the SFX1 by Slapassound.
PLEASE NOTE: This review was also submitted to plugins4free.
Download Hundreds of
Free VST Plugins
Before we talk about downloading a VST plug-in let’s first define
what it is. A VST (virtual studio technology) is a generated or
virtual instrument. They are varied in type and use but they add
many different sounds to music production in a software DAW
(digital audio workstation) like Cubase, FL Studio, Ableton, Reaper,
and many others. The DAW is sometimes referred to as the host
application for a VST. Common examples of VST uses include
tube and tape emulations, reverb, delay, many different kinds of
effects, guitar amplifiers, guitar pedals, guitar cabinets, bass
amplifiers, bass cabinets, analog and digital mastering gear,
synthesizers, drum machines, vocal processors, and many others.
The amount of free VSTs available is staggering, and add this to
the paid versions and it becomes difficult to keep up with all the
advancements. Making music with free plugins is easier than
ever, and many free ones offer quality that surpasses many paid
versions. Of course, no matter what kind of VST (high-dollar or
free) a person uses, the sound quality still depends a lot on the
skill and the ear of the producer. So there’s no need to spend lots
of money on a “professional” VST because the free ones can be
very powerful indeed.
Many free VSTs have been reviewed on this website over the past
year or so. Go to Zystrix March 6, 2023 for a list of cool free guitar
plugins, and Zystrix June 26, 2023 for some top-notch free general
plugins. The download list for building “Satans Amp of Doom” is
available at Zystrix May 15, 2023.
And now that I think about it, please support the folks who invent
these beautiful VST works of art and offer their hard work to the
recording community for your recording consideration. They are
the real heroes of the music industry and deserve your financial
support as possible. Salute! Contact them directly so the money
goes to the correct person, I’m sure they’d appreciate that.
So where does a person go to find the best free plugins? I have
brought together several VST download sites for review and their
links are included below. As you may know or remember, the rules
are #1. no e-mail needed, #2. no password, pass-key, or online
access and sign-in needed, #3. no extra or extraneous downloads
needed for the plug-in to operate correctly, #4. stability and ability
to work in many DAWs alongside other plugins as needed. I’ve
visited all the websites listed below (along with others not included
here) and I have tried to download anything they had to offer. No
mamby-pamby, no back scratching, no good-old-boys, let’s just tell
it like it is. Here are the results…
Zystrix Review of
Websites Offering Free Plugins
Plugin Boutique
There are no free downloads available at Plugin Boutique without
signing in first. Since this goes against Zystrix guidelines,
unfortunately that means there are no free downloads available at
all. One thing that’s nice about this website is that they offer other
pay products similar to what you are looking for which makes it
very easy to compare and contrast a plugin and then download it
somewhere else at a friendlier website. They also have some
videos and reviews of the gear you may be interested in but these
are also offered at a popular video website without the digital
exhaust of a click-through. There are lots of hoops to jump
through and sales pitches to endure.
Click here to visit Plugin Boutique.
Free VSTs
My browser was stopped in its tracks. They needed my consent
for the site to work properly and to tag me for my personal data,
unique identifiers, and other device data. I reluctantly agreed.
This doesn’t sound like a friendly website before I begin. There’s a
trust issue going on here. There is also a constant reminder to
sign in. I ignored it. As I browsed their free download offerings I
noticed they are all a form of click-through. Then I tried to
download a few free VST plugins and all but one stopped me. I
think this website is only interested in what overall cash value I
have to them. In my case it’s none, and I figured it’s past time to
wipe their identifying sh*t off my hard drive. So I did.
Click here to visit Free VSTs website.
KVR Audio
You’ll need to start an account here to get anything close to free
downloads. The intro says it all, “Join KVR Audio. KVR’s mission
is to stimulate and cultivate the music and audio software
community with a rich variety of content and services.” So if you
don’t sign in then you are out. That means you are not musically
stimulated or cultivated by them either. And what does “cultivated”
mean anyway? That seems a little weird to me. Maybe the motto
should be, “Sorry Charlie, but the door is that way.”
Click this link to visit KVR Audio.
Native Instruments
Once again, another website with a sign-in. They advertise
something called Komplete Start to be played through a Kontakt 7
Player, Reaktor 6 Player, or Komplete Kontrol software. These free
plugins don’t work with a different or more common DAW. All their
software is priority and doesn’t play-nice with other gear. I wonder
why. Is it entrapment? Sometimes I get the feeling musicians are
being used. Click here to visit Native Instruments.
Audio Plugins for Free
This site has many free plugins and there’s no sign-in. That’s a
plus. Many of the downloads are on hand for instant gratification.
However, many are a click-through to another website. The
problem with that is the luck of the draw, and generally plugins that
require a click-through also require information that doesn’t follow
Zystrix guidelines. This website is sort of a mixed bag -- when it’s
hot it’s hot, and when it’s not it’s, well… You’ll have to wade
through these waters on your own.
Click here to visit Audio Plugins for Free.
Landr
I didn’t find any free plugins dispensed at this website but I did find
a way to sign in for free. I guess that’s a start, but it’s not really
what I had in mind. All the free stuff was a click-through. And they
have lots of paid plugins for your consideration. There are lots of
free plugins that compete with the big boys, but they can’t be
downloaded here. A curiosity I suppose – probably a difference in
viewpoint or maybe the business model. Oh well.
Click this link to visit Landr.
Bedroom Producers Blog
This is a slick looking website with lots of deals on paid plugins. It
also has lots of helpful and educational articles on many music
topics. No sign-in or required user data needed although the click-
through stuff and ads will grab your data. All free downloads seem
to be a type of click-through. I prefer downloads without any
redirection. There are lots of people giving their two cents worth
on free plugins which is very helpful. If you want to know an
opinion on a new free plugin it may be listed here. If you know
what you are looking for then this may not be the best place to use
for free plugins. They say they filter out the bad plugins, but they
may have filtered out a plugin that’s great for you. It is helpful that
someone takes the time to test them for quality, but their filter may
become your hindrance.
Click here to visit Bedroom Producers Blog.
Hip Hop Makers
Hip Hop Makers is a new favorite of mine because the website is
educational, easy to navigate, and there’s no sign-in needed.
There are no pretentions here. There aren’t any website hoops to
jump through. They also offer videos about many plugins
(although these videos are also available at a popular video
website). This website is straight ahead, no BS, and honest. The
free plugins, though, are not available from Hip Hop Makers and
all the links I tried were a type of click-through. But they are even
honest about making money from you by click-throughs in their
website. Unfortunately they also use Google AdSense to follow
you around on the internet. And don’t let the Hip Hop name fool
you; their plugins aren’t just for hip hop – they rock too.
Click here to visit Hip Hop Makers.
Free VST Plugins
This is an easy to navigate modern looking website with every
download offered on hand and ready to go. No click-through free
plugins – immediate download satisfaction – I like that. There is a
constant nag icon for rating various plugins that I may or may not
have downloaded. I gave ratings for many things that I had no
interest in. That’s just stupid, but that’s how the website is set up.
It’s the only way to get rid of the nag. Maybe the website is
starved for reviews and they are hoping to remind me they need
one from me. I agree, the website could use more people giving
their opinions on the various plugins, so it’s hard to tell the overall
feeling of people testing a plugin without doing an online search.
They also offer many newer free plugins for your consideration and
that’s very helpful. Plugins just keep getting better and better all
the time. I’m guessing this is a newer hungry website.
Click here to visit Free VST Plugins.
Plugins 4 Free
I’ve heard it said that the best are always subconsciously saved for
last. Maybe they are – you be the judge. It’s difficult to find a
complaint about this website. They seem to be genuinely
interested in helping the musician. It’s easy to leave a comment
or review, it’s easy to download a VST, and there are lots and lots
of downloads available. They even read their email. From my
experience at most websites my emails are usually ignored. I
wonder why. I’ve copied and pasted my reviews from Zystrix and
offered them at Pliugins 4 Free and all have been printed.
Obviously they care. And there are very few click-through plugin
offerings which means the VST is on hand and ready to go. No
bait and switch, and no click-through. And there are many folks
offering their two-cents of experience on the plugins making a
choice in the decision much easier. There is some advertising but
it is minimal, and at the bottom of the page there is a discreet icon
requesting a donation to keep the website up and running. That’s
a beautiful thing – and their website should be supported. For me
the avalanche of sales offerings on other websites get too old way
too quickly. Visit plugins4free and there’s no funneling of
musicians to make sales, no real gathering of your personal
information, and no piggy-backing on the labors of VST inventors
for extra cash. Altruism. It’s a refreshing barefoot oasis without
worry of stepping on opportunistic scorpions. Plugins 4 Free is
highly recommended. Click here to visit Plugins 4 Free.
CONCLUSION
Well, after all of that website surfing I have to say, obviously, not all
websites that claim to offer free VST plugins are
entirely honest or ethical. Many should be sent
straight to the principal's office for a good
scolding, and some of them for a good
spanking. However, this list should make
sorting out the problem-child much easier.
Don’t touch that dial…
Stay tuned next time…
And I keep promising I’m going to do a video to compare and
contrast two newer but popular guitar distortion pedals. And I’m
getting closer. I think I get operating the hardware OK, but the
software is a steep learning curve. And hopefully I’ll even post
the video on a famous video website. Yeah, baby.
As some of you may know, I’m a closet racist. I hate all closets.
Knowledge, art, and
music for all…
Zystrix = a source, shaman, or library disseminating secret or lost knowledge, art, or music.
ZYSTRIX
POPULAR FREE DOWNLOADS
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This
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This
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Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12
“Murder Your Competition.”
I feel brave. I want to try them now. Here’s my email...
Djammincabs for Guitar
Download Free Guitar Impulse Responses
Click here to download
over 200 Free Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses.
Djammincabs for Bass Guitar
Download Free Bass Impulse Responses
Click here to download
over 200 Free Bass Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses.
Best Free Guitar Impulses.
The Top 11 Best Free
Guitar and Bass
Cabinet Impulse Responses for 2022
(in alphabetical order…)
Find, download, and test the best
free guitar cabinet impulse responses for 2022.
FREE BASS LOOPS SAMPLES DOWNLOAD
ROYALTY FREE BASS LOOP SAMPLES
FREE BASS LOOPS
Over 200 samples are included in the collection
Download the complete collection of 24-bit bass loops here.
NOTE: This download size is approximately 369 Megs.
Free Pendulate Synthesizer Presets
Original Newfangled Audio Pendulate
synth patches/presets
Click here to download over 240
Free Pendulate Synth Presets (patches)
Synapse Audio
Dune Synthesizer
Download Over 200 Free
Synapse Audio
Dune 2 and Dune 3
Synthesizer Patches and Presets
Click here to download over 200 FREE Synapse Audio
Dune 2 or Dune 3 synthesizer patches or presets.
NOTE: This synth patch download is slightly over 1 Meg in size.
Free Reverb Impulse Responses
Choose from hundreds available in
48K 24 bit WAV format
including new original reverbs.
CabSpace
Over 400 Guitar Isolation Booth Reverbs
Download over 400 Free Zystrix Original Reverb Impulse Responses,
and over 200 Free Zystrix Original BONUS Reverb Impulse Responses.
Download all the Alesis MIDIVerb 4 reverb impulse responses.
Download all the Lexicon MPX-1 reverb impulse responses.
Download all the Alesis Wedge reverb impulse responses.
Download over 50 Reverb Relics from the past.
Click here to download free reverb impulse responses.
Free Drum Samples
Only Available from Zystrix
Free Gong Samples and Sounds
Free Snare Drum Samples and Sounds
Free Bass Drum Samples and Sounds
Free Oriental Cymbal Samples and Sounds
Free Oriental Bells Samples and Sounds
The Ultimate Original Drum Sounds List
Download over 2000 original slammin’ rock bass drums.
Download original Gongs, Cymbals, Broken Cymbals, and Bells.
Download Over 200 Free Original Bass Drum Sounds and Samples.
Download over 200 Original Free snare drum sounds.
Click here to download Drum Kit Sounds.
Dangerous Neighbors
The SW Michigan Power Trio.
Free Rockin’ Music Downloads
The
music
for
the
next
book
will
be
out
in
2023.
Production
is
a
little
behind
but
there’s
a
sneak
peek
demo
of
how
it’s
supposed
to
go
for
the
first
tune
on
the
album.
This
tune
is
called
Sting
of
Death
and
it’s
the
backing
music
for
the
first
chapter.
Click here to download recent Dangerous Neighbors.
Download
tunes
from
the
80s
to
today.
Use
the
special
codes
on
the
Embalmed
for
Life
page
(see
the
DOWNLOAD
FREE
AUDIO
BOOKS
link
below)
and
get
free
downloads
for
the
complete
album
and
the
free
horror
audio
book
The Fluid - Embalmed for Life.
Click here to download various music from Dangerous Neighbors.
Download Free Synth Samples for
Intros, Interludes, and Endings
Listen to example #01 by clicking here (MP3 Sample)
Download FREE professional quality stereo sample packs that slowly
evolve over time. All samples are in 48K 24 bit WAV format and are
about 20 seconds long or more. If you like suspense, psycho, outer
space, or terror then this collection is for you. These range from
paranoia to sci-fi, cinematic gore to strange industrial horror, and
creepy creatures to insane laboratories.
Click here to download all the synth Intros, Interludes, and Endings.
DOWNLOAD FREE
AUDIO BOOKS
The Fluid, Embalmed for Life
There are Free Audio Book codes for Audible downloads (must sign up).
There are also free sample downloads of the book reading.
There are free downloads of music samples.
There is a free “Look Inside” download of the paperback.
There is a free glossary of the largest list of mortuary slang in the world.
The Free Dangerous Neighbors Album The Fluid, Embalmed for Life comes
included as part of the audio book and parts are available here as a free
download.
The paperback book is available for sale at Amazon dot com. I have no control
over these sales; because of the Amazon agreement I cannot offer complete
paperback or complete audio books here. I’m sorry for any inconvenience.
Click here for free audio books,
book reading samples, music samples, etc.
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Take me back to the top of the page.
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