FREE Plugin Archive for Metal Production [ongoing...] (#666.009)
82 plugins and counting…
I keep getting questions about plugins from people starting out with guitar or generally in digital, and I wanted to have a single archive of pieces of software I love.
So, here’s the list; I’ve split them into the following categories:
PEDALBOARD - Processes that traditionally go before the amp or insert in the “pre-amp out/power amp in” section.
(Pre-)AMP - Pre-amp and/or Power-amp
CAB / SPEAKER - IR loaders and IR files
MIXING - This will be further split into categories (below)
PRE-PRODUCTION - writing tools and instruments like drums, orchestrals, etc.
These below recordings are what I fed through plugins for any audio samples. Example: The guitar riff is going through NeuralDSP Nolly X on its default pre-set. Any pedals you hear will be put in-front of the amp sim.
Pedalboard
Mercuriall Overdrives + Chorus - Just download all four.
Ignite Amps ProF.E.T. - narsty high distortion
(Pre-)AMP
Neural Amp Modeller - Amazing tool to model any non-linear process (like the saturation of a pre-amp, distortion of a pedal, etc. There are tons of models out there, here’s one Ola Englund made of his Randall Satan, you can get all others on ToneHunt
Bogren Ampknob MLC - Check in with Bogren for free products, especially around sale/promo. I’ve seen the Ampknob MLC go for free which is an absolute beast.
AmpliTube 5 Custom Shop - Most models are paid for, but the free ones are great.
STL Tones - Ignite Emissary and NadIR - the modern classic (there are also four other free amps by Ignite)
Sample with the Wilkinson Audio IRs, below.
LePou amps - if digital amps could be vintage, these would be that. (only because these are some of the first metal-specific amp sims that didn’t sound like ass)
AuroraDSP Goblyn - nasty pre-amp, cool as a distortion into an amp.
ML Sound Lab Amped Roots and Steveie T - these are free, man. Wild.
Bass-specific
AuroraDSP Unified - great for thick, clean bass
TSE BOD - as above, but a little more tone shaping possibilites
CAB / SPEAKER
IR loaders (the software that convolves the IR, reverb-specific IR convolution under Mixing):
AuroraDSP Fenrir - comes with great IRs, a handy visualizer where you can align multiple IRs and also export them - super handy.
Ignite Amps NadIR - has very handy and powerful tone-shaping knobs. (the resonance knob is extremely powerful)
Just the Speaker/Cab IR audio files:
Bogren IR pack - sick.
Lichtlaerm LCFR-150 speaker - you could buy the speaker, but they allow you to just download the free IR which is awesome
Wilkinson Audio - Extremely in depth digitalization of a Mesa OS 4x12 cab with 700+ IRs.
Redwirez - Marshall 1960 cab
My mixed Mesa IR https://tinyurl.com/666TonsOfDownloads (under Sample Libraries/IR Issue 1/IR_6160iii_MesaLead.wav) I personally think it’s a pretty sick Lead type speaker.
MIXING
Plugin suites / Channel strips
Analog Obsession CHANNEV - This is their channel strip. Analog Obsessions also have tons of other vintage-style plugins EQ, compressors, saturations… just download them all. They don’t mess with reaper’s wet:dry blend feature which is super awesome; It means there’s very little phase incoherence so it’s great for parallel processing
Bonus: Since this one has so many plugins I also added a guitar bus sample because I specifically want to show some love to their GrapHack EQ which is also a band-specific saturator. It’s really fucking cool and a powerful tone shaper.
ReaPlugs Suite - REAPER’s stock plugins now work with any audio processing software (including video editors that allow .vst inserts like Davinci Resolve). ReaFIR is a super powerful noise remover / gate / linear phase EQ, it’s stupidly flexible, ReaComp can oversample and ReaXComp has been my go to for controlling chugs forever, until:
TDR Nova - My favorite multiband for controlling chugs (also get all their other freeware)
Baby Audio - Four easy to use, single-knob -type plugins
Dynamics
Sonic Anomaly Unlimited - My favorite free limiter
TDR Kotelnikov - mastering compressor
D16 Frontier - Limiter
LoudMax - Super easy to use limiter
LVC Limited-Z - Limiter thzat’s good for learning, with gain-reduction visualizer
Techivation T-De-Esser 2 - de-esser
Native Instruments Supercharger - very colored/saturated compressor
EQ
TDR SlickEQ - parametric, good way to force you to use your ears
TDR PTEq-X - Pultec-style EQ
KiiveAudio Warmy EP1A - WARM-audio inspired, which is a Pultec-style EQ (plug-in, of a knock off, of a knock off haha)
Other (imaging, temporal effects, …)
Klanghelm - Get all, but IVGI (saturator) is a must. I love it on a guitar bus to tame distorted guitar sizzle.
Vocal Menace - All in one vox processor by Chris Liepe
Softube Saturation Knob - as above, also for saturation in mastering for more loudness or to tame cymbals.
Valhalla Super Massive and Space Modulator
iZotope Ozone imager (widener / stereo width control) and Vocal Doubler
Polyverse Music Wider (claims mono compatibility, with a high-pass)
MeldaProductions MConvolutionEZ - convolution (IR-based) reverb
Lexicon 480L - reverb IRs (as .aif, but that’s also lossless so who cares)
BL Denoiser - if ReaFIR doesn’t do enough, could give this denoiser a go.
PRE-PRODUCTION
Bass
IKMultimedia MODO Bass 2 - 1 free model
Drums
Bogren Krimh Drums Free - you don’t need anything else for metal (stereo out only in the free version)
MIDIRemap (tool) - for when your friends use Toontrack and you use Bogren drums, for example
Orchestras / Choirs / Other
Sidenote: get them all and combine them. Where one lacks, the others make up, which is the whole point of why an orchestra/choir is so big (composition also plays an enormous role, but that’s a different story)
Spitfire BBC Orchestra and LABS - Get both, and download ALL the LABS libraries because they’re ALL seriously amazing
ProjectSAM - get both v1 and v2. My favorite here are the horns and choir
Decent Sampler - very unique instruments, especially excellent for texture
Aegean Music Pitchproof - SUPER USEFUL. It’s here because I use it all the time as a tool to help figure out vocal harmonies. The pitch algorithm is a bit dodgy at certain timbres/pitches so it’s more of a tool for my use case.
Bonus
These are either [1] part of indirect purchases (like if you own a Focusrite interface you get RedSuite for free) or [2] may sometimes be free during promotions.
If you own a Focusrite (these change a lot, also depends on interface model)
FLUX:: Analyzer, Focusrite Red Suite, Brainworx bx_console
If you own an SSL
SSL Native VocalStrip 2 and Drumstrip, IKMultimedia Amplitube 5, Melodyne 5 essential
UAudio Century Tube Channel Strip
That’s all i’m putting here because it’s such a variable section depending on promos these companies run, also BedroomProducersBlog has a pretty exhaustive news feed with deals / promo. Also, check your interface’s bundled software (!!!!!!), there’s probably lots of really excellent stuff in there.
Thanks to Ola Englund Discord members “Seröga” for suggesting and reminding me of MT Power Drumkit and Aegean Pitchproof, and “ml78” for BL Denoiser.
