Saturday, August 20, 2011

Links to Awesome Music Freeware!

I want to spread the word about my favourite freeware programs and stuff, because in an economy like this, few can afford programs like FL Studio, Reason or Record. There are oodles of free programs out there that work just as well as the commercial models, and sometimes they're just more user-friendly.

Here are my favourites, and you may notice that they all work on Windows, since it is the operating system I primarily use. I may put in a list of Linux programs sometime in the future, when I've had the chance to test them.

I will be putting in more links in the future.

If you are a programmer and want your creation featured here, or if you would like to see your favourite software on this blog, just post a request in the comment section or email me.

 

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  • Samplers
    • Tuareg, Tu2, Tunafish, PUMP and Moonfish
      • Classic sequencer programs
      • Useful for pretty much any type of music
      • Tunafish has support for Virtual Studio Technology(VST) plugins
      • All are now free as of 2010
    • Linux Multimedia Studio
      • Great alternative to FL Studio
      • Lots of great instrument units
      • Plenty of samples
      • Support for VSTs
      • Opens FL Studio projects
      • Lots of LADSPA effects and LFOs for making your compositions sound just right!
    • Sequitur
      • Freeware MIDI sequencer
      • VST support
      • Audio record function
      • MIDI event support
    • JackBeat
      • Drum machine
      • Great for live performances
      • Connects to other programs using Jack and OSC
    • Hammerhead
      • Sample-based drum machine
      • Lots of different sounds to choose from
      • Realistic hihat muting(closed hihat mutes open hihat)
      • Userbank creation
      • Supports the raw file format for importing sound
    • Drumbox Beta
      • Loads wav files
      • No user banks required
      • Can apply distortion, pitch change and overdrive to individual channels
    • LeafDrums
      • Lenient shareware
        • No crippling
        • Nagscreen at beginning, never interrupts use of program
      • Humanize feature
      • Distortion, gate, delay, reverb and many other features
      • Other features like beat-nudging and accenting
      • Great for trance, not so much for drum & bass
  • Trackers
    • Jeskola Buzz
      • One of the BEST trackers ever, with LOADS of supported plugins
      • Has synth and effect units that are plugged into the output
      • Create patterns in pattern editor
      • Sequence patterns in sequencer
      • Has simple sound editor
      • A bit of a steep learning curve, but fun to use
      • Comes in two different sizes
        • Stealth for portability
        • Massive for loads of plugins
      • New version available after the sourcecode was thought to be lost forever
    • Psycle
      • Cross between Jeskola Buzz and Modplug tracker
      • Has synth and effect units
      • Multitrack pattern strip
      • Any one note can be placed on any track
      • Each track strip has its own number or letter
    • Modplug Tracker
      • Has sample and MIDI units
      • VST instrument and effect support
      • Very compact - installation may not even be required
      • Multitrack pattern strip
      • Any sample can be assigned to any track
    • Darkwave Studio
      • A Buzz-like tracker
      • Has support for VST Plugins
      • Pattern editor
      • Pattern sequencer
      • Can add and edit MIDI events
    • Aodix
      • Create your own sounds in the sample window
      • Edit sample attributes
      • Can tweak note length by mouse or typing
    • Sunvox
      • Super compact
      • A few small synth units, but with BIG sound
      • Great for those who want to travel light
    • AXS
      • Nice, compact tracker
      • Two synth oscillators
      • Two LFO units
      • Simple effects unit
        • Mono
        • Portamenteau
        • Reverb
        • Delay
      • Modulation units
        • Pitch
        • Filter
        • Amplitude
      • Sampler
      • Storage for lots of instruments
      • MIDI event recording and manual sequencing
  • Softsynths
    • RubberDuck
      • Powerful TB-303 style sequencer
      • Lots of cool settings
      • Can link with other programs like DrumStation and MJStudio
    • DrumStation
      • Drum Machine emulator
      • Can tweak the sound settings
      • Linkable with other d-lusion products like RubberDuck
    • MJStudio
      • Two turntables - you supply the microphone
      • Linkable with other d-lusion products like RubberDuck and DrumStation
      • Loads mp3s
    • ReBirth
      • Set of four Emulators
        • Two TB-303's, one TR808, and one 909
      • Lots of cool, tweakable settings
      • Samples can be added for program MODs
      • User account required but easy to set up
    • TS-404
      • Good for creating simple basslines
      • Saves only to RAW wave format
      • Saved RAW waves can be used in the Hammerhead drum machine
    • Sound Editors
      • Sampled
        • A much-overlooked classic
        • Old but nice to have
        • Lots of cool features
      • Cool Edit 96
        • Shareware, but old and no longer supported
        • Lots of great features
        • Use as you wish - product is discontinued
    • Multitrack Recorders
      • Audacity
        • A staple for starving musicians
        • Very convenient for recording and mixing
        • Lots of plugins and effects
        • Supports VST effect plugins
      • Traverso
        • Simple to use
        • Low learning curve
        • Support for MP3 and other popular file formats
    • VST Plugins
    • Sound Generators
      • DrumSynth2
        • Make drum sounds
        • Sweeps
        • Instruments
        • Ambient noises
      • Simsynth
        • Subtractive Synthesizer
        • Non-realtime
        • Create, test and render samples
      • Stomper Hyperion
        • Drum Synth
        • Works as stand-alone or plugin
        • Very easy to use
        • Create drums, instruments and more
        • Lots of different functions
        • Hours of fun
        • Must-have if you get a sampler program
      • Soundforum Synthesizer
        • Standalone synthesizer
        • Several oscillator, LFO and effects units
        • Great for MIDI sequencer programs
      • Coagula
        • Create sounds from pictures
        • Draw or import bitmaps, gifs or jpegs
        • A must-have if you want to make these cool sweeps

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