In this YouTube Shorts video, we showcase four free software instruments that you can incorporate into your productions today. Watch along to get a taste of how the instruments sound, and download them via the links below.
SQ8L is a software emulation of a classic ’80s synth, the SQ80. Great for warm, ambient tones, the plugin features three digital wavetables that can be tuned to taste via an array of filters, envelopes, and LFOs. If you find yourself enjoying the plugin, it might be worth keeping an eye out for SQ8X, an extended version of the instrument that the developers are supposedly working on.Download SQ8L for free here.
Also featured in our previous full-length video on free instruments, u-he’s TyrellN6 is a free software synth that has just continued to stand the test of time, year after year. It’s somewhat simulator to the SQ8L in its broad approach to providing a ‘virtual analog’ sound, but stands apart in how it’s not modeled after any specific hardware instrument. The amount of presets it offers (500+) is incredibly generous for a free instrument, and each one feels like it was created with diversity and usability at the top of mind.
SynthMaster 2 Player is a simplified version of SynthMaster, a synthesis powerhouse used by the likes of Martin Garrix. Combining presets made by expert sound designers (BT, Vandalism, etc.) with an intuitive XY pad-based workflow, SynthMaster 2 Player is a great asset for a variety of musical styles and applications.
Last but certainly not least is Cloudrum. Unlike the other soft synths on this list, Cloudrum emulates an acoustic instrument—the steel tongue drum. Although Ample Sound is perhaps better known for their free guitar and bass instruments (which also sound great), Cloudrum is without doubt one of their standout offerings. Its relaxing but ear-catching tones do an excellent job at capturing the spirit of the steel tongue drum, and its UI is beautiful and easy to navigate. What are your favorite free software instruments? What other kinds of plugins would you like to see us explore on the Splice YouTube channel next? Let us know in the comments section of the video.
Another big Shure hit is the SM7B, which is primarily known as a broadcast microphone. Upon release, radio and TV studios loved the SM7; by the ’80s, Bruce Swedien was recording Michael Jackson’s vocals with it. Today, you’ll still see the SM7B in radio and podcast studios, and live streamers love it as well. For music and home studio applications, it’s awesome on vocals and even electric guitar.One tip: this mic requires a lot of gain to drive it. Most modern interfaces have enough clean gain on tap, but the SM7B is frequently bundled with an inline gain boost such as a Cloudlifter so you don’t have the drive the crud out of your preamp.
The AKG C414 is a premium workhorse studio condenser. Some of its DNA comes from the lauded C12, so the sound is upfront, slightly present, and spatially accurate. If you only bought one nice condenser for your studio, you could absolutely get a 414 and record just about anything with it. It isn’t cheap, but it’s also relatively affordable for everything it offers.
The TLM 103 has classic Neumann sound and is super versatile, namely due to its very low self-noise. That means you can record low-level sources with pristine quality that doesn’t get noisy when you have to crank up the gain. Lots of engineers like it on vocals and even on electric guitar, and it’s been put to use on incredibly dynamic classical recordings.
The E-V RE20 is another mic made for broadcast/voiceover, but engineers have developed love for it on kick drum and bass guitar. The reason being, for a dynamic microphone it’s almost immune to proximity effect. So even when you’re close miking a bass cabinet, for instance, the already present lows don’t become overwhelming. It presents low-end accurately and is a longtime favorite dynamic mic.
There’s a ton of variety in the world of microphones. What’s funny, though, is that we tend to see the same names pop up over and over again. The Sennheiser MD 421 is a perfect example of a mic that’s universal in studios everywhere. It’s most popular on toms, but it’s also favored on electric guitar and even vocals.