The world of rock music has changed more since 2013 to now than I can ever remember before. In 2013, we saw a rise of the 80s synth-pop music and over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a huge push towards hip-hop and electronic production in rock.

Read more / download: ProtoPlasm TSM Pro is a pad and texture synthesizer. Oneof the special features of this synthesizer is a very easy to handlemodulation-system with 8 LFO/S&H-outputs plus Transition. 29 Best Sound Design VST Plugins In 2020 By Monji Omer / Best Plugins Sound design is used in many different ways such as music production, movies, games, software, and television with many professionals in each field they all typically use the same plugins to design their sounds.

With this push towards music production, we’re also seeing a rise of VSTs being used in indie rock music. I personally think this is an exciting time as there really is so much that you can do with VSTs. Today, you can find almost a VST effect or instrument for literally anything you need for music production.

In 2009, my band and I went into a well-established, local producer and our worlds changed. We learned about VSTs and we started instantly using them all over our music.

In fact, the song that launched us was actually written on a piano and was then taken to production land. With our producer, we were able to surf through thousands of different sounds until we found the part we wanted with our MIDI pre-recorded.

We ended up finding some amazing Sylenth presets and tweaking them to our liking.

You can hear the song below.

Now, what is the reason for me to be telling you this? I wanted to start this article with a brief background of why VSTs are important for music production and I also wanted to show you exactly how we use them.

VSTs lead to creativity.

Although primarily used by producers to produce electronic music, VSTs are quickly finding their place in the indie rock scene. In fact, a lot of the biggest indie bands in the world today are experimenting with them.

The reason is simple: They’re easy to use, allow you to explore thousands of sounds & effects at the tip of your fingers. And all these activities lead to an increase in creativity and possibilities over your music.

It’s undeniable that writing music is easier when using VSTs as they allow you to experiment easily. Sure, recording analog sounds can be fun too, but they take up more time.

4 Best VSTs For Indie Rock Music

Don’t know where to start? Here are some of the best VSTs in terms of sound you can start with to add to your rock music arrangement.

CS-80 V By Arturia – Best for vintage arpeggios

The CS-80 V by Arturia is modeled after the iconic Yamaha CS-80 from the 1970s. With the CS-80, a polyphonic synthesizer, the first thing that jumps out to me is the incredible interface. The plugin’s interface mimics that of the original, giving you a really fun nostalgic vibe.

The original synthesizer was huge in size and expensive as well. It quickly became the go-to synthesizer of the 1970s, and because of its sound being incorporate in many hit songs, it has become truly an icon.

Probably one of the most expressive synthesizers made, even bands such as ABBA uses it. To be honest, there aren’t really any bad things I can say about this plugin. And it’s never a bad idea to incorporate some iconic sounds into modern rock music, giving it that twist that you might just need to take your music to the next level.

The Arpeggiator

My band wrote a few of our bigger songs using this arpeggiator and I can’t say enough good things about it. It really brings you back to the late 70s and early 80s.

A lot of modern Arps sound a little stale to my ear and there’s something very analog feeling and modern at the same time with this VST.

The presets are also very wide and full sounding, giving you a taste of what the synth is capable of. And from there, you could continue experimenting and tweaking.

The Low End

The low end on the CS-80 VST is incredible. It’s rich & fat when it needs to be and it’s one of my favorite things about this plugin as well.

Why do I recommend It?

It’s not overused. This is a big problem in modern productions today. For example, so many producers have taken to Splice for pretty much all of their productions and it’s has come to the point where sync companies are specifically saying, “no Splice.”

This is where a synth like the CS-80 can come in as a bit of an untapped goldmine. Sounds that are unique to many new fresh ears.

Jup-8 V By Arturia – Best for strings pads

The Jup-8 V is modeled after the iconic Roland Jupiter 8 and the pads on this plugin are absolutely stunning. In fact, it was this synth that placed the name, Arturia, as a serious Japanese manufacturer for synthesizers in the early 1980s.

If you’re a fan of bands such as Joywave, Passion Pit, Twenty One pilots, then you would definitely like this plugin. The synth is famously known for its lush pads, with its ability to layer sounds. With the VSTs version, the way you can tweak the sound has not only been expanded but you can even program really solid-sounding leads that will catch your listener’s attention.

The unique ‘colorful’ user interface and great sound, made the Jup 8 a hit among musicians and bands. And with the VST, this is an amazing tool to use for indie rock music. A great option to add to your arsenal of sounds.

There are over 500 different presets to pick from and each one of them sounds unique in its own way.

Why do I recommend It?

This is just a solid plugin that works incredibly well for rock bands that like to incorporate the use of pads and strings layers in their music. Download a demo of the Jup-8 V and try it for yourself. This one definitely beats the stock VST pads that come with your DAW.

Signal By Output

Signal is a popular and award-winning plugin that is used in a lot of music today. With this being said, I’ve really liked using it with rock music.

Packed with distinctive and modern sounding instruments, it brings this really fun vibe to rock music and my band has used this over and over.

Signal is an easy to use plugin that pretty much sounds incredible out of the gates. From fat-sounding Arps to ripping bass leads, Signal excels in most aspects of production, especially when it comes to rhythmic sounds. The library is insanely large with over 500 presets, each with their own unique sound.

However, take note that this plugin is that it is very CPU intensive. If you don’t have a capable music production laptop or PC, you may want to hold off on this one.

Why Do I Recommend It?

I recommend this mainly for its sounds. You’re not able to tweak the presets in the interface too much, but you really won’t need to. Free vst plugins vocal distortion. If you’re into bands like The Killers, this will become one of your favorites.

The downside to that is that its sound can distinguishable. I would recommend using Signal creatively as an additional track on your arrangement or use some effects with it, to create something uniquely yours.

Soundtoys 5 Plugin Bundle – For your mixing needs

It’s never just about instruments when it comes to looking for the best VSTs. You’ll need good sounding VST effects for mixing work as well.

For that, look no further than to get the Soundtoys 5 plugin bundle. They are hands down the most popular plugin bundle when it comes to effects, mixing and vocal processing. You’ll find a use for each plugin effect that comes with the bundle for your mix.

In total, you’ll get 21 plugins in this bundle, with effects for saturation, distortion, echo, delay, chorus and even modulation effects like tremolos and phasing. Some of my favorites are the “Little alterboy,” and the “Decapitator.” This plugin works extremely well for indie rock bands and it is all over the mixes of the band “Sir Sly.”

In my opinion, this is one of the most important plugins that you can have as a producer working with modern indie bands.

Soundtoys is really one of those plugins that you will find yourself going to for pretty much every song you work on.

Why Do I Recommend It?

I recommend this plugin because it’s something that you will use a ton with rock bands and mixing rock music. If you listen to anything on Altnation, you will notice the use of this plugin on pretty much 95 percent of the bands.

The best part, you don’t even need a hardware dongle to use them. Getting losing dongle scares can be the worst thing to happen as you’re touring with your band. With its computer-based authorization, this finally takes the stress away.

Conclusion

Using VSTs for indie rock was at one time looked down on, but I feel like we have moved on from those days. All 4 of these plugins are great for rock music and they also give you more as they will work for other genres as well.

What are other VST instrument or effect plugins that you use for your music? It could be something else other than for rock. Let us know in the comment section below.

About the author

This post is written by Chris Senner, most known for his work as the keyboardist for the band Vinyl Theatre, as well for being the owner of Keyboard Kraze.

For any modern producer, a sampler is essential. However, if you’re strapped for cash or just starting out, it can be difficult to find good-quality sampler plugins that actually work and add to your beats.

Luckily, we’ve cut through the weeds and compiled 9 of the best free sampler VST plugins out on the market today.

Free Sampler VSTs

Without delay, here are our top picks. Sit back, relax, and explore these excellent samplers.

Grace Sampler by One Small Clue

The Grace Sampler is simple, sleek, and suited to synth users. The sampler has optional patches free for download on its website, most of which are for synths, but there’s also a couple for drum kits, keys, and bass.

This sampler comes in both 32 and 64-bit versions, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility from device to device. With most DAWS, you can drag and drop your samples right into the sampler, simplifying your workflow.

Grace Sampler comes with 2 step sequencers, 2 LFOS, and 4 different control pads. The sampler supports WAV, AIF, and SND formats directly which is impressive for a free plugin.

Grooove by BPB

If you’re looking to create some vibey drums, Grooove by BPB is a great pick. This drum sampler is perfect for techno and EDM musicians, looking to create catchy, unique loops.

The plugin has different slots in which 2 different drum samples can be layered and played simultaneously. The slots all have built-in LFOs for altering filter cutoff, sample delay, pitch, and standard attack, volume, pan, and start/end times. Luckily, the VST is supported in both 32 and 64-bit versions.

Grooove BPB is the free version of a full-on instrument, so if you like the notable sampling capabilities that come with the free VST, the purchased version by brunsandpork is a great step up.

TX16W Software Sampler

The TX16W software sampler has a wide array of features that usually only come with paid plugins. With this sampler, you can record samples directly and edit keyboard mappings making it a great pick for musicians looking to incorporate their DAWs into live performance.

As for modulation, the sampler has 2 LFOs and 3 step sequencers. Velocity and mapping can be handled by drawing a custom curve or using the integrated knobs. The plugin also acts as a bus so you can send in and out effects in real-time.

TX16W has 64-bit support and has a built-in arpeggiator, for a paid add-on, you can have time-stretch and pitch-bend modes. For free or otherwise, this plugin is no joke.

Sforzando by Plogue

Pad Plugins

Sforzando prides itself on its simplicity, with no graphic visualizer. There’s only one sample slot, with no effects or mixers.

The plugin simply consists of standard ADSR knobs, volume, pan, tone, and tune controls. Although this may feel limiting, for seasoned producers looking for a specific sound that doesn’t need a whole lot of extra fluff, Sforzando can be extremely helpful.

If anything else, the plugin works as a great ear-training tool and can train musicians to rely on their skillset rather than software. It comes with 64-bit support.

Zampler by Plugin Boutique

Zampler by Plugin Boutique is an excellent add-on for electronic musicians as you can download drum & bass, hip hop, even dubstep expansion packs.

The sampler has 3 LFOs and a large effects library including chorus, phaser, tube saturation, and many more. There are 2 sample banks and 3 ADSR envelopes for full modulation control.

Zampler has a step sequencer as well as sample oscillators for you to further tweak your sound. Unfortunately, Mac users only have 32-bit support. Windows has both 32 and 64-bit support, but any sample formats outside of sfz must be converted.

Paraphrasis by VirtualAnalogy

Paraphrasis helps you create those retro analog tones with any sample. Simply place your sample into the Paraphrasis sampler, and the modeling synthesizer will analyze the sound data to produce a more classic sound.
This VST is pretty simple, and the UI reflects that; there’s simply a pitch, resolution, analyze, and source toggle with no extra bells or whistles. There’s only one slot to the plugin, but on the upside, it doesn’t take up a large amount of CPU.

There’s also a handy reverse toggle, so you can reverse your sample before giving it that added analog touch. Some users had trouble using this plugin in 64-bit though it supports both versions, so make sure you’re downloading the proper .dll when acquiring this plugin.

XTT01 by Synthedit Labo Japan

The XTT01 has that classic rack-mount feel and is designed to give you a sound reminiscent of the past. This sampler is known for its signature glide function.

This VST is pretty bare bones. There are the standard ADSR knobs to toggle the filter and amp envelopes, and a built-in LFO with speed, PW, and depth knobs. You can also pitch shift by semitones within the sampler.

XTT01 has no visualizer, so it’s a great tool to use for musicians who are more auditory based learners. You can only load one sample at a time in this plugin. Unfortunately, this simple yet powerful sampler only supports 32-bit software, so it may not work for you if you have more modern equipment.

Bassje by Odosynths

Bassje by Odosynths is a great drum sequencer to give your beats the funky groove they’ve been missing. It’s loaded with 3 different toms as well, so if you’re just looking for a great tom loop generator, Bassje is a great addition to your library.

The plugin is separated into two main sections: An octave and filter sequencer. Nothing can describe the sounds you can get out of this puppy other than using is. Bassje has a volume, reso, and volume knob.

Its retro UI speaks to the nature of the plugin, as it’ll generate patterns very reminiscent of physical drum machines. For any musician trying to create retro-inspired music, Bassje is perfect.

Helios by TobyBear

Helios is an impressive audio sampler unit that is meant to be used during live performance. It has 8 different LFOs, including 2 that sync up to the sample’s tempo.

This plugin is able to tweak a sample is real-time with pitch-bending, looping, delays, and LFO filters. You can drag and drop wave files directly into the interface, making it ideal for DJs or musicians who have to improvise often. Unfortunately, it only supports a 32-bit connection so newer equipment may not work with this plugin.

What We Recommend

Any of these VSTs are excellent to try out but there are two that stand out in our minds:

Grooove BPB

Grooove BPB stands out in its flexibility and abundance of features for a free plugin. With 6 different drum slots and a variety of effects, it’s a versatile sampler that can act as an effect bus if nothing else.

Best Free Pad Vst

Oftentimes rhythm is the core and soul of music production, so having a drum sampler to assist in that process is priceless (literally).

Free Vst Pads

TX16Wx Software Sampler

This sampler is a full-on replacement for any stock sampler you may have, and then some. No other sampler can compare to this VST’s level of flexibility: With separate windows MIDI mapping, envelopes, modulation, arpeggiator, and samples themselves, it’s hard to believe that this plugin is free.

Another great thing about this plugin is the ability to record and drag samples directly into the interface. This may seem like a small factor, but for the right producer, it can significantly simplify your workflow.

Paid Plugins

If you’ve tried out a couple of these free options and you’re looking to take the next step, be sure to check out our guide on the best-paid sampler VSTs of 2019. Here are our two standout picks from that piece.

Phalanx by Vengeance Sound

Phalanx is an impressive sampler and sound effects generator that is very versatile in use. The plugin has a number of optional expansion packs catered to specific genres of music, so you’re sure to find one that works for you.

The plugin has a polyphony threshold at 256 notes, and 32 single samples can be played at once. In addition to its bevy of embedded effects, Phalanx holds its ground when used as a drum sampler.

Read more at Best Sampler VSTs

Polygon Sampler by Glitchmachines

Best Vst Plugins For Stock Pads 2017

This sampler is relatively affordable, making it a great paid VST to consider in your transition. Although it is mainly geared towards electronic music, the unique user interface and 120 embedded presets make this a fun tool for any producer.

If anything else, this sampler surprisingly works well as a synthesizer with an impressive 8 LFOs. It has a lot of granular synthesis capabilities, making it a great way to boost your low-end frequencies without altering the timing of your samples.

Vst Plugins Best Free Download

Read more at Best Sampler VSTs

Free Vst Plugins

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All in all, any of these options are great to test out considering there’s no upfront cost other than your time. Have creating exciting new beats using your free Sampler VSTs!