No matter what your skill level is, there is a way for you to make your own audio plugin.
In this article, I’ll be sharing multiple ways for you to start developing your own audio plugins in no time.
Ways to make a VST plugin:
Drag-And-Drop Plugin Makers
Line 6 Helix Native Guitar Amp (Win) Line 6 Helix Native Guitar Amp and Effects Plug-in 1.9.1 (Aug/2020) 64-bit (VST, VST3, AAX) Windows 7, 8, 10 Instructions: Just Install Direct Download (26MB). Explore & download the best free Pitch Shifter (VST, AU, RTAS, and Stand Alone App). Visit and discover thousands of pro audio and music freewares! Of course, you may not need to use a VST vocoder plugin every day, but, investing in one is never a bad idea. If anything, vocoder effects can bring a touch of transformation in unmatched creative ways. Granted, the options one can exploit are more than enough, our list perhaps just a few impressive picks you can try out.
A plugin maker will take all, if not most, of the coding out of making an audio plugin. Synth makers are especially useful for prototyping.
Coding
Coding a plugin will involve downloading a special sdk for VST development. This is how all the big names in the audio plugin industry make their plugins.
If you want to learn how to develop any type of effect imaginable, I highly recommend this book. It teaches you how to develop plugins in C++ and comes with A TON of example code for professional plugins. It is written very well and makes a huge effort to stand out from the other programming books.
I believe the book is well worth the price. It’s the only resource you’ll ever need to learn how to code plugins.
You don’t even need a full understanding of c++! This book starts at the very beginning and works it’s way up to more advanced material. I’d rate this book a 10/10 any day!
At least give it a look and read some of it’s reviews. It is an extremely helpful resource.
If you are leaning more towards creating software instruments, this book might be more your speed.
It is by the exact same author, Will Pirkle, and offers a ton of great information for you to get started.
Synth Makers/Prototypers:
1. SynthEdit
This has to be the most well known program for creating audio plugins on the fly. It is a lot more simple to jump into than writing code and is very understandable.
Keep in mind there is no mac version.
You can export plugins so they run on mac just not use the SynthEdit program.
2. Flowstone
Flowstone was Formerly known as Synth Maker. Flowstone allows you to create a virtual synth visually and then add code to create more advanced plugins. What stands out with this plugin is the design and intuitiveness. There are many features to this software including the ability to “connect to the outside world”. That means that you can connect to external hardware including any usb device.
3. Reaktor 5
Reactor is an audio plugin that allows you to make audio plugins. Reaktor is almost like a giant plugin library within a plugin. Many producers use this as an easier way to publish quality synths instead of having to learn how to program synths all buy themselves.
Free Vst Plugins Download Windows 10
You might also like: Best free and paid VST Plugins
Programming
Programming a synth, or plugin, will most likely be a very steep learning curve if you have never programmed before.
There are many different ways to code plugins. I will be sharing 4 different ways to get started.
The most popular way to code is with C++. Most plugins nowadays are coded that way.
Coding Plugins:
1. Using C++ and Visual studio
Animate Vst Plugins
C++ is a language a lot of people choose to learn. It is used in most commercial software. It can be a bit tricky to learn so make sure you get the basics down before you try building a VST plugin with it.
2. Using Java:
I love Java because it is fairly simple to get into. Maybe it is just me, but when I started learning Java, it felt easier and more natural than other programming Languages.
3. Using Ruby:
I have never used ruby, but I heard it was a really simplified programming language. I found out that there is an add-on for Ruby called Opaz-Plugdk. It allows the creation of vst plugins in Ruby. I couldn’t find too much info on this, but I’m sure if you dig deep enough you could find some helpful sites.
4. Using C++ in Xcode:
This or Java is the way to go if you are on a mac. The information I found was once again from teragonaudio. They seem to have a lot of good info on plugin development, so defiantly check them out.
Previous:
Turn any Cheap Keyboard into a Midi KeyboardNext:
How to Build a Midi Controller with the Brain Jr.Top 10 Weirdest VST Plugins 2019
Each family as well as each group of friends has that one weird guy doing some rather ubiquitous things which are straight up weird and that’s the case with plugin developers. We all have that one plugin that we load up when we’re in need of something extraordinary or simply crazy. What does it take to be on our list of weird plugins? We either judge the straight-up weirdness of the GUI or the sound shaping capabilities. Let’s just simply jump into the craziness, here is our top 10 list of weird VST plugins in no particular order.
Animate Plugin
1 Glitch 2 by Illformed
This is technically a step sequencer but what’s unique about it is the fact that it doesn’t trigger sampled sounds. Instead it triggers FX. This is a Swiss army knife for slicing, dicing, screwing, twisting, turning and mangling your sounds. There’s a whole bunch of FXs here such as randomizer, modulator, tape stop, retrigger, reverser, stretcher, LoFi, distortion, gater and delay.
Since Glitch features a multi-lane editor, you can trigger and tweak these effects in real-time. The Mutate function is our favourite because it really randomizes each effect into something completely unexpected. Weirdly enough you can get some really inspiring and awesome results. For 50 EUR you’re getting a lot of fun here.
2 Frohmage by Ohmforce
The name itself sounds cheesy! But aside from the name the UI itself is all cheesy and weird looking. If you disregard all of this you’re getting a really decent resonant filter. It’s designed to be dirty, warm and can add some serious colour to your signal. Frohmage features a low-pass filter, multiple band-pass filter and a distortion stage and it can really transform your tracks.
The EVOLVE knob uses multiple pitch-shifting delays for each band of the multi band-pass filters and it creates some out-of-this-world effects. You can even map your MIDI controls to this plugin to control all of the effects in real-time like on a synth. If you’re feeling cheesy, this one’s for you and it’s a freebie by the way.
3 The Orb by Audiothing
This is a formant filter which simulates the characteristics of the human voice. Featuring a set of three band pass filters, The Orb can transform any sound into a vowel-like formant-filtered sound. With the three LFOs you can modulate the Vowel, the Emphasis/Resonance of the formants and the Drift which can shift up or down the frequencies of each formant.
You can also create your own set of vowels by changing the name and frequency for each vowel/formant. Oh and it also looks like a control panel of a submarine or something from the cold war era, so it’s cool to look at as well. It’s 50 EUR so give it a go if you please.
4 Ned Flangers by Killapluggies
Even though this is a straight-up simple flanger, they got us with the name here. Just for the name itself you need to take a look at this one. It’s 32-bit Windows only but has some dirty raw sound which many modern digital flangers don’t have.
The GUI has four simple knobs for control and features Ned Flanders dressed as the Devil. Have we mentioned it is free? Go get it!
5 Delay Lama by AudioNerdz
This is the first VST instrument which features vocal synthesis with a real-time animated 3D interface. What it does is that it enables you to make a Tibetan monk overtone sounds simply by playing one note due to its monophonic structure.
Use the built-in XY pad to adjust the pitch of the sound and go through the vowels. It features a simple stereo delay to add some depth to the sound. This a ridiculously funny instrument in the best way. It’s free, so you don’t have an excuse for not at least trying it.
6 Meow Synth by Meowizer
Here’s something for all of you cat-lovers out there. The sounds of this synth are actually based on a real cat owned by the developer. It’s a freebie and it’s actually nice for creating some weird sounds. It features a single oscillator which is basically a cat meowing and it has an auto filter.
Strangely enough it’s velocity sensitive and it has monophonic and polyphonic modes. Meowizer also features a built-in chorus and tempo-synced vibrato with controlled attack.
7 Physion by Eventide
It was formerly known as Fission, but the guys from Eventide decided to change it for some reason. This is a structural effect that breaks-up a signal source (or a sound) into its basic components and then processes them individually, only to combine them back together again. It separates the transients and tonal elements in order to individually process them.
It features six transient effects and seven tonal effects and it can really alter the sound in unimaginable ways. You can totally change a drum sound by processing the resonant pitch without affecting the transient pitch and it can adjust the impact of a pick on a guitar string. Physion also features reverb, delay, chorus, phaser and tremolo for adding depth so it’s more than just a transient and tonal shaper. Bearing in mind the price tag of $179, it’s a good thing they offer a time-limited test version.
8 Cannabis Vocoder by Bitsonic
We simply had to feature this one! This one covers everything a weird plugin should have. A weirdly looking interface is absolutely matched by the sound shaping capabilities.
Experimental Vst Plugins
Cannabis vocoder is a funny plugin which can completely change the sound of your vocal track. The mono version is an effect plugin and by using the effect on the vocal track the software automatically tracks the tune of the vocal track and calculates the pitch of the changed sound as well. The poly version is a VST instrument application so you can load the vocal track into the software and by playing your midi keyboard you can create a polyphonic vocoder effect. Real cannabis is often not free and it will get you into a lot of trouble with the authorities, but this plugin version won’t. 🙂
9 Backsmack by Freakshow Industries
Okay, so this one REALLY wins on all fronts! It looks like it’s out of this world and sounds like it too. This is how Freakshow Industries describe it:
“A chaotic reverser plugin built to make mom proud. Backsmack uses government approved paradox processing technologies to expose the hidden terrors of music. Uncover the plots of ghosts, aliens and other rogue entities with Freakshow Industries Backsmack”.
This is how we describe it: ABSOLUTELY MENTAL. In the best possible way. This one is our favourite of the bunch. For 20 bucks it’s a no-brainer too.
10 Triple Cheese by U-He
This one is similar to a lot of synth plugins out there but it goes through a lot of short chromatic delays in order to create some rather strange sounds. With a massive set of features in its interface and a giant host of presets, this comb synthesizer should keep you busy for a few hours… or weeks. Depending on your synth addictiveness, it’s a cheesy synth to say the least.
Related Articles
- Top 10 FREE VST Plugins You Need 2019
Top 10 FREE VST Plugins You Need 2019 In life many things don’t come free, but then again sometimes they do… VST plugins do so more often than not and that’s a good thing for many of the uprising producers, musicians and composers out there. We scouted and looked through…
- Top 10 Granulizer Plugins 2019
Top 10 Granulizer Plugins 2019 Granulizers seem to be getting popular these days so it is only natural that we start looking for what’s cool & trendy for this year, but first WHAT IS A GRANULIZER? Granulizers and Granular synthesis in general works by taking an audio sample and dividing…
- Top 10 Simple But Amazing Plugins 2019
Top 10 Simple But Amazing Plugins 2019 Simplicity is the mother of virtuosity and sometimes less IS more. That is the case when it comes to audio plugins. We all love them and we all need them but sometimes their GUIs and options are too much to comprehend. This is…