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 vst to eliminate the frequencies.
Without delay, here are our top picks. Sit back, relax, and explore these excellent samplers.
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.
After exploring thousands of great plugins for hours, we bring you a minimized list of best vst plugins out there. It includes a little over 100 plugins. As the cherry on the top, the below list also mention the top 100 vst plugins that are entirely free of cost and paid.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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. /free-drum-kit-vst-mac.html.
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 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.
Any of these VSTs are excellent to try out but there are two that stand out in our minds:
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.
Oftentimes rhythm is the core and soul of music production, so having a drum sampler to assist in that process is priceless (literally).
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.
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 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
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.
Read more at Best Sampler VSTs
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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!
This article is about the Top 20 free VST plugins released in 2019. For more music production software, visit our Free VST Plugins page.
2019 was a good year for music producers on a budget. If you’re following our News section, you already know about all the free VST plugins that were introduced over the past twelve months. But if not, we created this list to help you find the best free VSTs of 2019.
Here are the best free VSTs of the year:
Click the links for more info about each plugin. Click here to see the honorable mentions.
Lith is a freeware virtual hybrid synthesizer VST plugin for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. The instrument uses wavetables that were sampled from a real analog oscillator to generate the sound. As a result, the plugin sounds warm and full but has the flexibility of a wavetable synthesizer. Lith is a must-have free VST plugin for users who like to experiment with new and unusual virtual synthesizers.
There’s a lot of potential in Lith, but this virtual synthesizer is still far from perfect. For starters, you will probably want to change the default light skin to the dark version. That said, Lith is one of the most promising new virtual instruments released in 2019 and one of our most-used free VST plugins of the year.
More info:Lith
Defiant WT is another hybrid synthesizer VST plugin on the list. It combines three different types of synthesis (Wavetable, Subtractive, and Additive) in an intuitive interface. Defiant WT is simple enough to be used by beginner music producers, much more so that Lith and ModulAir. The instrument comes with 200 original factory wavetables for the oscillator. Another 100 wavetables are included in the LFO module.
More info:Defiant WT
QRange is a twelve-band linear-phase equalizer VST plugin for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. It was developed by lkjb, the same programmer who crafted the Luftikus analog-modeled parametric equalizer. Unlike its analog-inspired counterpart, QRange is an entirely transparent linear-phase EQ designed for audio mastering purposes. The plugin provides twelve frequency band controls and a built-in real-time spectrum analyzer.
More info:QRange
Frontier is a free limiter VST plugin with adjustable release time, soft-clipping, and auto-gain functionality. Note that this is not a brickwall limiter plugin. Think of it as a heavy compressor with a fixed attack time and an adjustable threshold. The plugin was released back in 2016, but it was only available for existing D16 Audio customers. It was re-released as “freeware for all” in February 2019.
More info:Frontier
HY-Delay 4 Free is a freeware delay VST plugin by HY-Plugins. Its coolest feature is the built-in “ducker” effect. The ducker module lowers the volume of the delayed signal when the volume of the processed audio signal increases. As a result, the delay effect is more focused because the dry and the wet signal don’t overlap as much. HY-Delay 4 Free also features a three-band equalizer, cross-feedback, and a randomizer button for changing the values of all control parameters with a single click.
Another great feature in HY-Delay 4 FREE is the randomization tool. Experiment with it to randomize the parameters and come up with some crazy sounding echoes. The built-in limiter will come in handy to prevent excess volume peaks on the output. HY-Delay is one of the best free VST plugin effects of 2019.
More info:HY-Delay 4 Free
Download game studio tycoon 3 for pc. TAL-Reverb-4 is a freeware plate reverb. It is the fourth iteration of Togu Audio Line’s free reverb VST plugin. The newly released TAL-Reverb-4 has an unmistakably 80s sound character and a freshly redesigned user interface. The source code improvements under the hood ensured that the reverb algorithm sounds better than ever while consuming fewer CPU resources. If you’re looking for a vintage-sounding reverb effect, TAL-Reverb-4 is worth a try.
More info:TAL-Reverb-4
Convology XT is a convolution reverb VST plugin. It is a zero-latency convolution reverb with a selection of 70 built-in impulse responses. Most of the included impulses were sampled from hardware reverb units, ranging from vintage studio reverb effects to guitar amp spring reverbs. The plugin can also load external impulse responses in WAV format. Thanks to Convology XT’s advanced interface, the user can adjust the attack and release times, decay, gain, and various other parameters of the loaded IR file.
If you want to dive into the world of convolution reverbs, Convology XT is a great place to start. Free to download and easy to use, it is also packed with a decent collection of reverb impulses. Another free VST plugin released in 2019 that we used a lot.
More info:Convology XT
RS-W2395C emulates a classic hardware Baxandall EQ unit from the 1950s. The development team at Fuse Audio Labs worked on RS-W2395C in collaboration with Roger Schult, the creator of the original hardware unit. The plugin features a pair of active Baxandall EQ tone controls for the high and low ends of the frequency spectrum. Also included is a semi-parametric mid-band filter that can be set to any target frequency between 155 Hz and 3.5 kHz. This free VST is useful for mastering and applying broad EQ adjustments while mixing.
More info:RS-W2395c
Ozone Imager V2 is the updated version of iZotope’s freeware stereo widening tool. Unlike most stereo processors, this free VST can convert mono audio signals to stereo without introducing phasing issues. Ozone Imager V2 works best as a subtle audio enhancement plugin for a transparent stereo widening effect. It also features a resizable interface and three stereo metering and analysis modes.
More info:Ozone Imager V2
SN03-G Tape Recorder is a tape emulation VST plugin. The software features an innovative tape emulation concept that allows the user to create an entirely customized virtual tape recorder. Signal Noise SN03-G Tape Recorder’s simulated tape recording machine can operate in the range between 7.5 and 30 IPS while conforming to the NAB, IEC, and AES equalization standards. The plugin also features a VU meter for easy gain staging.
More info:SN03-G Tape Recorder
FreeAMP is a freeware analog saturation effect developed by Klevgränd. This streamlined freeware VST features a simple interface with only three control parameters. It is based on the same saturation algorithms that were used in the REAMP analog modeling plugin from the same developer. FreeAMP delivers the complex analog saturation that is the result of using vintage tape recorders and tube preamps.
Fans of Softube’s excellent Saturation Knob plugin will feel right at home with FreeAMP. It follows a similar concept while providing a different flavor of analog saturation. FreeAMP is a great free VST for warming up audio mixes and individual tracks.
More info:FreeAMP
Flower Child Filter is a boutique analog-style filter effect. It contains two filter algorithms from the forthcoming FMD filterbank plugin by the same developer. Flower Child Filter can switch between a clean resonant filter and a far more aggressive sounding filter module that is suitable for sound designers who like to experiment with heavy distortion. The filter can self-oscillate and simulate the behavior of analog filter modules. The implemented smoothing and oversampling controls are there to clean up the VST plugin’s output and prevent aliasing.
More info:Flower Child Filter
Vocal King Pro is a dual compressor freeware VST plugin optimized for processing vocals. The plugin also features an EQ section for enhancing the vocal’s tone. Thanks to its combination of filtering and compression, Vocal King Pro is a powerful all-in-one solution for vocal processing similar to premium plugins like CLA Vocals and JST Bus Glue. The plugin was initially sold for $29 before being re-released as freeware on November 7th, 2019.
More info:Vocal King Pro
Rare is a free VST emulation of the famous Pultec tube program equalizer. The plugin is a dual-band EQ effect with the Boost and Attenuate control knobs found in Pultec hardware units. Rare can perform the low-end EQ focusing trick, which consists of attenuating and boosting the bass frequencies at the same time. As a result, the low-end of the processed signal will sound more pronounced while avoiding muddiness.
More info:Rare
Finisher Micro is a multi-effect VST plugin with a single-knob user interface. This single knob is actually a macro control that connects to various FX parameters depending on the active preset. Ujam Finisher comes with a wide selection of multi-effect presets, from sweepable filters and distorted compressors to flangers and wild modulation effects. If you need a simple sound design tool with multiple FX types, this free VST plugin is worth adding to your mixing arsenal.
More info:Finisher Micro
Crunck V2 is a freeware guitar amplifier VST by Nembrini Audio. Interestingly, Crunck V2 was created by the same programmer who worked for Brainworx to develop the company’s premium range of virtual guitar amplification software. Crunck V2 is a simple plugin with all the features you’d expect to find in a basic guitar amp sim. It features input and output gain controls, three tone controls, a presence control, and a built-in IR-based cabinet simulator with 30 integrated cabinet impulse responses.
More info:Crunck V2
Vector is a free stereo analysis VST plugin. It boasts an ultra-precise spatial image analysis algorithm that detects phasing issues without reporting false positives. It is the perfect audio utility to use in tandem with stereo enhancement VST plugins such as the Ozone Imager V2 featured above.
More info:Vector
Blindfold EQ is an analog-style parametric equalizer free VST plugin with optional soft clipping distortion. The plugin was developed to help beginner mixing engineers improve their EQing skills by using their ears instead of looking at the dials on the GUI. The interface doesn’t show any numerical values, so you’re forced to concentrate and focus on listening while using the equalizer. It’s an interesting concept that is worth a try if you want to become better at mixing audio.
More info:Blindfold EQ
FBVC is a freeware vocoder VST plugin released by Full Bucket Music. Based on the hardware analog vocoders of yesteryear, it is a great tool for adding a bit of that Daft Punk vibe to your songs. Easy to setup unlike most other freeware vocoders, FBVC is well worth checking out. One of our favorite free VST plugins of 2019.
More info:FBVC
Upright Piano is a free acoustic piano VST plugin by 99Sounds. It features six velocity layers per sampled note and four samples per octave. The volume envelope, key release, and the output volume can be fine-tuned by the user. This free VST also features built-in tremolo, low-pass filter, modulation, and reverb effects. Upright Piano can sound both realistic and lo-fi. It is especially useful for lofi hip-hop music production.
The combination of pitch modulation and filtering make Upright Piano sound like it was sampled from an old tape. Add some reverb on top to complete the effect.
More info:Upright Piano
These free VSTs from 2019 are also very good. They aren’t included in our main list, but you should check them out.
These are premium VST plugins that you can freely download for a limited time only. These offers are ending soon!
You can also download the BPB Christmas Bundle 2019, a 2 GB collection of royalty-free samples from ten premium sound design labels.
That’s all BPB had in store for you in 2019. We’re taking a short break, and we’ll see you in 2020! Until then, have fun and make some great music!
For more freeware plugins and instruments, return to our Free VST Plugins page.