Here are some free plugins that have been super useful for me:
DBlue Glitch https://illformed.org/
Wider by Infected Mushroom: https://polyversemusic.com/products/wider/
FuzzPlus 3: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2015/05/23/audio-damage-fuzzplus-3/ (you might need splice to get this one)
TAL Plugin Suite:
https://tal-software.com/products
TAL has a bunch of free plugins, their bitcrush one i use all the time!
+1 for Wider and Tal Bit Crusher, those are on almost everything I make.
Valhalla Supermassive has become a powerful tool over the past few years. Started as a more experimental delay/reverb hybrid, but the newer modes are just plain good reverb or delay depending on the mode. Valhalla has said the newest algorithms are the best things they’ve ever made in any of their software, including the paid stuff:
Vital is exactly what it looks like and it really is that good. I can’t count the number of songs that have started from me messing around with patch ideas in Vital the last few years, and it has managed to dethrone Diva as my go-to synth when I’m not sure what I want to do:
TDR’s free stuff is all good, but if I’m only going to highlight one it’s Kotelnikov. I use the GE now, but you’re not giving up much to step down to the free version. This is my personal favorite mastering compressor (and I have Tone Projects Unisum and Softube’s Weiss DS-1, look at the prices on those and ponder that). Almost every IDMf release since 048 has gone through this plugin, if that’s not an endorsement then I don’t know what is.
Here are a few I’m still using sometimes:
Cardinal - Modular VSTi based on VCV:
Cloudrum - Steel tongue drum VSTi (it’s a simple sample-based thingy but sounds good imho, although I have to give a warning to save and/or bounce often since I had some strange crashes on my old machine):
Argotlunar - Granular VST:
https://mourednik.github.io/argotlunar/
While I’ve never used it all that much, I’ve always had fun with this one. I have the 2nd one as well yet I prefer this one, for some reason.
I’ve used it here & there too.
Also, Protoplug looks like an honorable mention but I haven’t messed with it enough yet. My list is for weirdos though so if you’re a pretty regular person you can go ahead and ignore everything aside from Vital, lol
Also, long time no see @raidenbeats!
Limited time from KVRAudio… Worth a look in.
Seems to work, installing tonight.
Discount code below.
THEHIMFAMILY
Zebralette 3 Beta is nice…
This is a pretty expansive and descriptive Google Sheet someone made (not me) that I found somewhere on Reddit. I’m currently making my way through it. Happy these sort of peer resources exist… back in the day it would be a crapshoot on which plugin was going to crash my DAW.
Hooray for not spending money! Lol
I’ve been using some of the free plugins listed here, and they’ve been fantastic! Has anyone tried United Plugins Dropkick? I heard it’s great for adding punch and character to drum tracks. How does it compare to other drum processing plugins like DBlue Glitch or FuzzPlus 3 in terms of functionality and sound quality?
Just looking at the feature set, the big thing I think something like Dropkick is going to add over Glitch or Fuzzplus is transient shaping (and in particular frequency dependent transient shaping). I know of a few plugins that do this, but none of them are free unfortunately.
Kilohearts transient shaper is free, but it doesn’t have frequency dependent transient shaping. However, you do get a lot of control over the attack/release parameters, which can get you near the same sounds as frequency dependent transient shaping with kicks.
There’s also XLN DS-10, which isn’t super expensive and can be had on sale for $35 if you wait for it. That transient shaper basically just does what you want it to with two knobs. Not sure exactly what is going on under the hood but it’s good.