Our favorite free virtual instruments

Spitfire Audio's LABS is a sample-based collection of high-quality instruments available in one dedicated plug-in.

This free collection is a must-have. You can find a huge breadth of abstract options, from foghorn sounds to lava flows in the volcanic hinterlands of Iceland. You can also find many conventional instruments, such as synths and drums. Today there are 55 instruments to choose from, but the library is constantly growing, making it an amazing value for creators.

Click here to download the VST plug-in as well as the additional libraries.

BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover features 33 orchestral instruments and 47 techniques recorded by the one and only BBC Symphony Orchestra!

This virtual instrument sounds so convincing that it may be hard to tell it apart from real orchestral recordings. And as if that wasn’t enough, its user interface is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. Spitfire Audio are kind of killing it, aren't they?

Click here to get BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover.

Native Instruments Komplete Start is a bundle plugin which offers up to 16 sampled instruments and synthesizers, as well as samples, loops and effects.

Altogether it contains more than 2000 (!) diverse studio-quality sounds packaged in a modern & user-friendly interface. Even if you're just starting out, you'll be able to let your creative juices flow freely, and all for a total of $0! It’s an absolute must-have for every music producer. 

You can download it for free here.

Ample Sound Ample Bass P Lite II is by far the best free precision bass emulation out there.

It allows dialing in details like hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, pops, slaps, and fret buzz, just like a real bass guitar! The result is a surprisingly realistic, record-ready sound you would expect from a real P Bass. The plugin also has a tab player built in. 

And while we’re speaking of Ample - they have many more other virtual instruments worth trying out— the acoustic guitar and steel tongue drum plugins both sound fantastic. Not bad for free!

Click here to check them out!

VCV Rack is an outstanding emulation of the Eurorack and a brilliant tool for learning synthesis.

Usually, modular sysnthesis requires quite a bit of up front investment, but not anymore! The free version of VCV comes with a great number of modules to play around with, and it sounds really close to the “real thing”. The one downside here is the free version is a standalone app and not a VST instrument, so you can't use it in your DAW (unless you use loopback, that is...)

Click here and scroll down to the bottom to find the free version!

CollaB3 is an emulation of a vintage B3 organ that you probably know from hits such as "Stormy Monday", "Time of the Season" or "Like a Rolling Stone".

It's a simple, free VST plugin that will add some nice vintage flavour to your recordings. Certainly worth a try!

Click here for the download!

Dexed is a simulation of the legendary Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, which you may know from "Take on Me", "Careless Whisper" and many others.

The emulation that Dexed offers is so good that it’s even possible to load real DX7 patches into it. But you don't need to do that, because there's 3000 ready presets that you can try right away.

Click here to get it, and have fun re-living your favorite memories.

With so much free software out there, you don't have to open your wallet if you want to compose a song. We hope these free options offer you inspiration in sessions to come!