Free music creation software
What follows is a list of my favourite freeware instruments and other handy programs I've found while browsing the world wide web. The list is divided into two sections. The first is standalone programs that don't require any other software for them to work, and the second is a collection of vst instruments and effects which require a vst host for them to run.
Freeware
Design your own sounds with SawCutter 1.0. Ever wanted to draw your own waveform? Create strange and new envelopes? Well, here's your chance. Best of all it's free!
Features include:
Unique set of effects.
Waveforms and envelopes are hand drawn.
Mini-sequencer included.
Import external waves for editing.
Platforms: 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP
Size: 159 KB
Minimum Requirements: 300MHz processor, Soundcard, 1024x768 screen resolution.
GranuLab is a real-time generator of sound grains for Windows.
Use the built-in sine wave or load a soundfile as raw material for sound production.
Features include:
Real-time control over time-stretching and pitch of a sound.
Amplitude modulation and randomisation of most grain generation parameters.
Store parameter sets (patches) and transform seamlessly from one to another.
Special window where four patches can be selected and gestural morphing between patches can be done in real-time by mouse control.
The program can also be controlled by MIDI.
Size: 115 KB
What Is Granular Synthesis?
Granular synthesis is the technology of creating complex sound by playing back many short and relatively simple sound fragments with varying parameters. Merely using a sine and controlling length, pitch and density of grains, several types of sound can be generated. It is even more interesting to start from an existing sound sample, cutting it up into short segments and controlling how these are played back.
What is it good for? You get extensive and independent control over time-stretching and pitch of a sound. You can move freely from straight playback of speech or music to a variety of effects, and back. Some of the effects should be appealing also for the kind of people who like playing around with analog synthesizers.
Welcome to MIDI-OX, the world's greatest all-purpose MIDI Utility!
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MIDI-OX is a Windows 95/NT program (also Win98/Me/2000). It is a 32 bit program which will not operate under earlier versions of Windows. MIDI-OX is a multi-purpose tool: it is both a diagnostic tool and a System Exclusive librarian. It can perform filtering and mapping of MIDI data streams. It displays incoming MIDI streams, and passes the data to a MIDI output driver or the MIDI Mapper. You can generate MIDI data using the computer keyboard or the built-in control panel. You can even record and log MIDI data and then convert it to a Standard MIDI File for playback by a sequencer.
Size: 689 KB
WHAT IS HAMMERHEAD?
HammerHead is a simple TR-909-like drum computer program aiming at the dance-scene. You can use it to create perfect Techno loops, Jungle patterns or House beats, but it's also suitable for Hip Hop, Triphop, Rap, Industrial and almost any other music you can think of.
HammerHead features six separate channels, 29 built-in drum sounds, six complete breakbeats and the possibility to import six samples of your own. You can save your patterns to completely noise-free CD-quality wave files to use them with your sampler, tracker or sequencer program.
System recommendation:
Pentium 90 MHz with Win95/98/NT
16 Mb RAM
16 bit soundcard.
Size: 1.47 MB(Unpacked size: 2.13 Mb)
There are 51 user banks you can use to add some variation to your HammerHead beats. All have been put into a zipped archive to minimize download time.
TS-404 is a virtual analogue, multitimbral synthesizer for Windows 95/98 - it uses DirectX, so make sure you have it installed ... It features all of the basic concepts of a real, analogue synth: 2 Oscillators (VCO's), LFO's, a filter unit (VCF) and an ADSR section (VCA). Additional features include: Oscillator Sync, Pulse Width, FM, Ring Modulator, Distortion, and a delay effect. A step sequencer lets you easily edit the notes.
Size: 120 KB
General features
4 generators
2 oscillators per generator
Freely link generators (so you can easily build 8-oscillator-sounds!)
4 waveforms (saw, 303-saw, square, sine) + 1 user waveform per oscillator
Oscillator Mix, Oscillator Sync & Phase Adjust
Pulse Width
Filters: 12/24dB Lowpass, 12dB Highpass and Bandpass with variable Cutoff and Resonance
Ring Modulator
Frequency Modulation (FM)
LFO on Pitch, Resonance or Cutoff
ADSR + Step gate to cut notes
2 distortion types for each generator
1 delay unit
Step Sequencer with Shift up/down/left/right
Random/algorithmic pattern generator (*not* pure random! sometimes generates great stuff!)
dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC), is one of those must have utilities, indispensable for converting audio files from one format to another. Part of dMCs formidable arsenal, is its ability to rip music straight from Audio CDs!, or LPs [optional install].
Straight out of the box dMC can convert to and from Wave, Mp3 and from CD Audio (CDA) files.
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Size: 1.39 MB
Codec downloads add Windows Media Audio v8 (WMA) , Ogg Vorbis and many more types to the table. Features include:
Volume Normalization - have all audio tracks use same volume.
ID Tag preservation & Editing - keep those ID tags between conversions,
Explorer Audio Info Pop-ups - display useful information on an audio file in explorer,
Convert To - simplest way of converting right click on a file and select Convert To,
Send audio to your Portable Mp3 Player with Sveta Portable Audio
Fully compatible with Windows 95/98/ME NT4/2000 and Windows XP.
Round of a perfect package. What's more dMC is free. !! News Just in dMC is the Fastest Audio CD Ripper !!
dBpowerAMP software does not contain any 'Spyware' 'Add sponsorship' or other nasties - Free means Free
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Freeware VST
Features & Specifications
Monophonic
MIDI or mouse controllable
Mouse controllable X-Y interface
Rate, Over & Decay controls for Amplitude
Rate & Over controls for Pitch
Requires:
Pentium 133+
Win95/98/Me/NT4/2000
32mb RAM
Size:
The JX220 is a FREE VST 2.0 compatible software synthesizer which can be used with any VST 2.0 compatible host.
Size: 395KB
Features :
Oscillator with variable waveform (Sine,Triangle, Saw, Pulse)
SubOscillator with pulse and random white noise generator.
2 Pole resonant Low Passdigital IIR filter.
LFO Sine Wave, Range 1-10 Hz.
Unison for Phat Sounds with additional Spread Control.
Full midi control of all parameters
8 Polyphonic channels.
128 presets and a total of 140 programs per synth.
Quality, fast 3D Graphical Inteface for precise control.
The mda Piano VSTi is without doubt the best free Piano currently available. This softsynth is modelled around 31 carefully sampled and mastered Piano samples.
Its unique Width Control not only controls panning of notes across the keyboard but at high settings adds a psychoacoustic widening effect adding a touch of room ambience and spaciousness to the
sound.
The muffling filter is much more gentle than the filters found on
samplers so is useful for recreating the acoustic damping present in a real piano.
Size: 1.2 MB
Technical Specifications:
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1-32 voice polyphony
Unique width control
Decay, Release, Stereo Width, Velocity sensitivity, muffle and hardness Amount adjustable
Gentle muffling filter
Cool presets included
Features & Specifications
Monophonic
Single Oscillator (Saw & Square)
Resonant 18dB/Oct LPF
Simple envelope generator with adjustable decay for amplifier and filter cutoff modulation
Glide (switchable)
64 bit audio engine
Parameters automatable
PII300 CPU
64mb RAM
Size:
VST2 virtual drum sampler with 48 channels, 64 voices (stereo or mono), 4 stereo outputs. Compatible with 8/16 Bit WAV/AIFF samples.
Supported platforms: VST2 plugin for MacOS / Windows.
Version 1.22
Features & Specifications:
48 channels
64 voice polyphonic
8 outputs
3 mute groups
Forward & Reverse sample playback
Load, audition, & name samples from the front panel
Assign samples using a piano roll
Individual volume and pan settings for each channel
Size:
Triangle I is a freeware VST software synthesizer compatible with the VST 2.0 specification which can be used with any host under Windows platform.
Its uncompromised sound quality, incredible flexibility, extensive MIDI implementation and warm look make this instrument one of the best freeware synthesizers in the scene. A must have for every musician using VSTi's!
Size: 2.05 MB
Features:
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2 Oscillators, 7 Alias Free Waveforms each plus a Noise Generator
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Monophonic, 3 fingering modes: Fingered, High Priority Note Legato, Full Legato
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Detune, Transpose, Random Pitch controls
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Low/High/Band Pass filter with resonance
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Oscillators, Filter and Amplifier dedicated Envelope Generators. Keyboard tracking and Velocity control
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3 dedicated LFO's, for Pitch, Filter, and Amplifier
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Built-in Stereo Delay, which can be disabled to save CPU
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Extensive MIDI implementation and modulation routings: Velocity, Pitch Bend, Aftertouch, Modulation, Breath controller, Sustain Sw and a lot more
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Portamento
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128 Presets per bank, 64 top quality factory presets selectables by right click.
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Easy programming layout
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Features:
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2 Oscillators, one SubOscillator and a Tuned Noise generator.
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7 fully bandlimited waveforms per oscillator, detune, transpose and table shift controls.
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PWM in both oscillators, with manual width control or controllable by LFO.
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MULTI mode, which turns oscillator 1 in eight individual oscillators, with multi detune control.
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SYNC mode.
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Portamento with fixed and variable time, fingered or normal, and selectable effect on pitch bend.
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DC Burst generator to add punch to attack stage.
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Adjustable range Pitch Bend.
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Main Tune and Random Tune controls.
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2-pole LPF/HPF/BPF, and ultrasmooth 4-pole LPF/HPF plus a high resonance 4-pole LPF filters.
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3 dedicated Pitch, Filter and Amplifier Envelope Generators.
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3 dedicated Pitch, Filter (PWM) and Amplifier LFO's.
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4 channels mixer
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Bass Eq control with adjustable center frequency
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Hard Drive effect
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Decimator effect
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Aggressive 6-Voice Chorus mono/stereo effect, controllable by Envelope Generator.
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Stereo/Ping delay effect, BPM sync'able to host tempo.
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Reverb effect with size control and two rendering modes.
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Stereo Spread effect.
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Four playing modes: Fingered, Low and High priority note Legato, Full Legato.
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All controls (67 knobs, 19 selectors), in front panel, no paged interface.
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Full MIDI Learn operation, with selectable min/max/reverse status.
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Multiple controls can be assigned to MIDI cc's, same MIDI cc can be assigned to several controls.
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128 program capacity, 128 factory presets instantly available via right-click.
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Up/Down program controls.
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Built-in program/bank naming, saving and loading capabilities (.fxb/.fxp)
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User definable bank for auto-loading on startup.
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Circular or Linear knob mode, with selectable inertia.
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Full note range preview ribbon, which sends MIDI messages to host.
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ASIO microHost for high-quality standalone operation.
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Included User Manual.
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DXi wrapper for SONAR users.
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Size: 1.64 MB
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