No matter if you’re a synth nerd, organ enthusiast, or metalhead – this week’s collection of free plugins has got you covered. Check out Diatonica, CollaB3 V2, and EVOampLite.
OVM Plugin Diatonica: Free software synth for Windows
Diatonica by OVM plugin is a great example of a free software synth that sounds a lot better and can do a lot more than you’d think, judging by the rather bland GUI. It’s a monophonic synth with two oscillators, a sub oscillator and a filter. Nothing special, but Diatonica has got a couple of tricks up its sleeve.
Each oscillator provides a choice of basic waveforms, two kinds of noise, and even Super Saw. You can also set the detune and stereo width for each oscillator separately, which allows for some really wide and dense sounds. The sub has its own filter, envelope, and LFO, which is a bit of an unusual setup that reminds me of the Moog Mariana.
The main event, however, is the step sequencer. Each of the 16 steps has individual mute, gate, and slide controls, and you can use the built-in harmonize feature to create sequences in a scale of your choice. There’s also a neat randomizer feature that creates new sequences at the push of a button. Diatonica even has a song mode that lets you combine and loop eight different patterns to build a complete arrangement.
Diatonica is available in VST and VST3 formats for Windows.
Sampleson CollaB3 V2: The free Hammond organ gets even better
CollaB3, a collaboration between Sampleson, Librewave, LalalandSynth and Studio428, first came out in 2020 and has been one of the best free Hammond organ emulations ever since. This new version not only features a rebuilt and enhanced organ engine with improved click noises and leakage, but also adds a brand-new leslie simulation. It also comes with improved CPU efficiency and native Apple Silicon support.
According to the developers, the new rotary speaker simulation captures all the sought-after nuances and tonal characteristics that define the classic sound. If you purchase the Pro Version (an incredible bargain at $10), you’ll also get loads of additional tweaking options for the leslie, including independent speeds for the horn and drum, a tube amp simulation, and four different mic setups to choose from. While the free version is still awesome, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal for ten bucks.
CollaB3 V2 is available for macOS and Windows in VST, AU, and standalone formats.
Revolt DSP EVOampLite: Free High-Gain Amp Sim
EVOampLite by Revolt DSP is a free teaser for the developer’s upcoming EVOampSuite amp simulation plugin that’ll bring “40 years of rock and metal tone history” to your DAW, the developer says. The free version only includes one amp (a 6L6 “modern high gain” variety), but you still get plenty of sonic variety and two different cabinets to choose from. According to Revolt DSP, EVOampLite uses up to 60% less CPU than comparable amp sims.
In addition to this, the free guitar amp simulation includes four essential stompbox effects: noise gate, overdrive, reverb, and delay.
EVOampLite is available for Windows (VST3, standalone) and macOS (AU, Apple Silicon only, Intel coming soon).
Looking for more free plugins like Diatonica, CollaB3 V2, and EVOampLite? Check out our archive!
