Today we’ll show you the top 10 plugins for GOA & PsyTrance in 2023, plus some alternative free options that will help you create that psychedelic atmosphere.
PsyTrance is one of the most popular genres in electronic music festivals due to its high energy and trippy melodies. The most iconic sounds in this genre are throbbing bass sounds and synthetic and pulsating kick drums, accompanied by complex harmony layers that help create the immersive psychedelic atmosphere that people love to hear.
There are various plugins for achieving the desired sound for the Psytrance creative process. Most producers use synth plugins and sound designer tools for the melodic and percussive layers to create a distinctive sound, together with effects and processors for creating unique textures and ambiances.
How To Make PsyTrance Bass In Serum?
Most Psytrance bass sounds use a triangle or square waveshape due to their harmonics. Also, there are two key elements for making this throbbing sound: a low-pass filter for leaving just the low-frequency harmonics and an envelope with a short attack and sustain for making it momentary and impactful.
If you want to experiment and achieve a distinctive sound, you can use Serum’s different wavetables to change the harmonics’ behavior. Also, it’s an excellent idea to automate the filter so the bass can feel alive, and the changes between loops and sections can have the necessary impact.
How To Make PsyTrance Kick In Serum?
You can craft the core sound by combining one LFO for modifying the pitch with a fast attack and a medium decay and two LFOs for the amplitude envelope with short attack, decay, sustain, and a little bit of release for the kick’s tail. Remember, you need to assign all the LFOs to an OSC coarse pitch.
Once you have the root kick, you can activate another OSC module, load LFOs with different settings, and see what sound you can get. Always keep track of the kick’s tail because if it’s too long, it might fight with the bass sound, and if it’s too short, it can leave a gap between the kick and bass sounds. The kick and bass must have good cohesion since these are the fundamentals of any Psytrance project.
Top 10 Plugins For PsyTrance 2023
1. DS Audio TANTRA 2
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Reshape any sound source and make it a fresh rhythmic piece with DS Audio TANTRA 2.
Having a dry sound or a lifeless synth is the struggle of many producers that want to achieve mesmerizing and catchy rhythms. That’s when multi-effect plugin TANTRA 2 comes into action by providing effects and modulators that help you create sub-patterns in your rhythms and interesting layered sounds that give soul to the core parts of your project. Its interface employs a 3D GPU engine to create fluid and eye-catching animations, which gives a better idea of what’s going on with your audio and helps you make more creative changes.
Key Features:
- Rhythmic pattern
The heart of TANTRA 2 relies on its Modulator section found in the center of the interface. This section comes with eight different Modulators that generates 32-step envelopes with adjustable shape. Each Modulator comes with a “Speed” knob to determine the period of each of the 32 steps, a “Tremolo” knob to modulate the output volume by the generated envelope, and a “Pan Flip” knob for controlling the output panning. All modulations are summed to create complex tremolo and panning effects. - Modulation modes
The modulations made on the Modulator section can be worked in two different modes. First, in the “Curve” mode, you can set up 64 nodes connected by curves with adjustable slopes. Then, the “Steps” mode works similarly, but you are limited to a series of steps or squared waveforms with adjustable width and level. - Effect layers
In order to create sonic atmospheres, the plugin provides two layers of six effects, including filter, distortion, delay, lofi, flanger, and glitch that respond to modulations. You have standard controls for adjusting the balance between wet and dry signal, bypass effect, and randomize parameters within the chosen effect. Down in the master section, you can adjust the gain of each layer, and these can be set to work in serial mode or parallel mode. - Final touch
Moving to the master section, you’ll have a three-band equalizer to adjust minor things on the low, mid, and high-frequency content. At the left, you’ll find the Reverb section, where you can adjust the reverb’s size, decay, and amount of the low-pass and high-pass filtering applied to the feedback. You’ll have a mix-ready and absorbing sound with all these mixing tools.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
Modulations are a vital part of most electronic music genres, and especially for Psytrance, the bass can benefit from these Modulators provided by TANTRA 2. The versatility of the modulators for creating complex modulations allows you to craft unique patterns and effect layers that will flip your project entirely.
Some instruments that need decay might work better with the “Curve” mode, but since the modulations are summed, you could combine two or more modulators with different operation modes to create unique textures for your sounds.
Related Reading:
Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance
2. Vital Audio VITAL
More Info & Price (Free Version Available)
Create any sound you can imagine implementing additive and subtractive synthesis using VITAL.
VITAL is a unique wavetable synthesizer that uses three oscillators with filters, envelopes, and modulations to design and shape any sound. Besides creating sounds from scratch with synthesis, the plugin has other alternatives for generating a new synth like a sampler and text to sound generator. It also provides CPU-load-free visual tools to understand how the plugin treats your sound perfectly.
Key Features:
- Wavetables
The voice section comes equipped with three oscillators, two filters, and one sampler to create your desired sounds. You’ll have controls for level, panning, and unison voices within each oscillator. Additionally, you’ll find routing options to send the oscillator to the filters, the effects rack, or directly to the output, allowing complete control of the signal processing and creating complex routing flows for creating interesting textures. - Versatile monitoring
In each oscillator, you can see the wavetable view to check visually how the module is behaving. This view has some attractive customizing options like switching between 2D or 3D displays of the current frame, spectral view to see the harmonics of the synths, and a slider to change between the wavetable frames. - Drag modulations
VITAL has one of the most intuitive ways to create modulations. At the right of the oscillators, you’ll see the modulations squares, which you can click and drag to the parameter you want to apply the modulation. Once the modulation is assigned, you’ll see a green circle in the square and the corresponding parameter when you hover your mouse over it to control the modulation amount. These modulations complement the wavetables’ delight and help create distinguished synths. - Effects rack
To finish creating complex and exciting sounds, VITAL offers a set of nine widely used effects and processors that you can apply to a serial effect rack. These effects include processors based on dynamics like compressor, distortion, EQ, filter, and other time-based effects like delay, flanger, chorus, phaser, and reverb. Note that the processors are applied from top to bottom one after the other.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
If you’re a synthesis enthusiast, you’ll find VITAL a good pick for your productions. The developers took a complex routing for synthesis and delivered a straightforward and visual tool so you can focus entirely on experimenting with your sound. The plugin is very well optimized, given that it runs multiple oscillators and effects while having fluid animations for the modulations and displays on its interface. At first, it might seem overwhelming, but you should try it out to see how easy it is to craft your sound with VITAL.
Related Reading:
Top 13 Synth VST Plugins (And 5 FREE Synths Plugins)
3. Polyverse Manipulator
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Get the signature vocal processing of iconic Psytrance musical duo Infected Mushroom.
Manipulator is a vocal processor with ten unique effects and a broad set of modulations for altering the timbre and pitch of your vocals and melodic instruments to convert them into a whole new sound. The algorithm behind the plugin uses granular modulation to alter the sound properties and up to four polyphonic voices to create harmonies. The plugin also supports real-time processing for live performance or studio session usage to help the creative juices flow. If you want to achieve vocal effects heard in hits by Infected Mushroom like “I Wish,” Manipulator is perfect for you.
Key Features:
- Pitch shifting
The pitch shifter in Manipulator separates the controls for pitch and formants for your incoming signal. As you would expect, the “Pitch” knob modifies the pitch of the sound, and the “Formants” knob shifts the signal’s formants in semitones without altering the pitch. Additionally, a small slider between these two knobs determines how natural the sound is when it’s shifted down. The highest value gives the most natural result, while the lowest gives a more robotic sound. - Alter timbre
In the center of the interface, you’ll find the harmonic shifter compounded by three controls. First, the “Harmonics” knob shifts the harmonics by a ratio set by the “Ratio” knob without affecting the pitch. Then, the “FM” knob controls the oscillator driving the harmonic shifter. By changing the harmonics’ properties, you can morph your voices into different characters and add exciting characters to shock your listeners. - Grain alternator
One of the most intriguing sections in the plugin is the grain alternator, which cuts individual cycles into overlapping grains and alters the pitch of each cycle to create new colorations in your sounds without affecting the overall sense of pitch. Here you’ll find the “Alternator” knob to determine the semitones for the up and downward shifting and the “Octave” knob to change the length in octaves of the grains. - Modulations
Below the main controls, you’ll see four modulation slots to assign one of the five modulations sources. The simplest ones are the “Meta Knob” modulator which allows modifying various parameters with one knob, the “ADSR” modulator, which offers a standard four-stage envelope, and the “MIDI” modulator which uses MIDI messages to create modulations. Then you’ll have the “Follower” modulator that produces an envelope follower that converts the amplitude of the source into a modulation signal and the “Sequencer” modulator, which is the classical LFO.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
The addition of vocals in electronic genres can make a song memorable, and what a better way to give them an absorbing character with Manipulator. The plugin offers the necessary tools to take a dry or uninteresting vocal and turn it into an additional synth to complement the other instruments or a different vocalist that sounds far from a human.
Since the plugin offers timbre shifting controls, it would be nice to have a built-in spectrum analyzer to check how the harmonics manifest in the frequency range, but that’s something you can solve with an external plugin.
Related Reading:
Top 6 Vocoder Plugins (Effects & Synths + FREE Vocoder)
4. FX23 Psylab Pro
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
An outstanding tool specifically designed for creating the fundamental elements on Psytrance.
Focused on kick and bass design, Psylab offers a massive interface with complex routing that includes four different slots to combine, seven types of generators, more than 20 FX processors, and over 40 filter types to create signature Psytrance kick and bass samples and sequences. Additionally, it comes with a large set of different presets and sequences ordered by key and BPM to ensure that your selection is the best choice for your project.
Key Features:
- Sound fragments
Within Psylab, you’ll find four independent slots for making unique samples that you can put together to create a unique sequence. By default, the first two slots are for the kick and bass sound, and the remaining slots are free for making any sound you can imagine. You can get creative by putting small percussive ear candy on the last two slots to make your beats more interesting and break the conventional monotony when making electronic music. - Versatile curves
Thanks to the Psylab curve editor, the envelopes for filters, oscillators, and parameters like pitch and amplitude are fully customizable. You have plenty of curve shapes for applying in the segments of your envelopes like sine, step, linear, Bezier, sawtooth, and a ton more. By using the different shapes that the plugin has to offer, there’s no doubt that you’ll adjust the precise envelope for the sound you have in mind. - Sequencer
The most impressive thing about the plugin is that it comes with a built-in sequencer for creating patterns with the four parts that Psylab gives you. Once you’re in the sequencer module, you can organize your MIDI notes to create the desired sequence. The patterns you create can be stored as MIDI files for future use or can be dragged as MIDI patterns to the DAW you’re using. - Oscilloscope
One of the most excellent tools in FX23 catalog is its oscilloscope plugin Psyscope, which surprisingly is a built-in module inside Psylab. This powerful visual tool offers multi-channel monitoring, spectrum and spectrogram visualization, and synced display so you can analyze a single beat of your sequence or a four-bar loop for checking consistency on your beat. - Flexible routing
The routing matrix is just as complete and complex as you decide. You can organize the 20 FX processors as you want, apply filters in any step of your signal path, and send them to over 350 parameters destinations. The number of processes you can apply can get overwhelming, but you’ll learn to use them properly and become efficient with time.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher, 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2 format.
Summary:
Getting mesmerizing and throbbing bass sounds is not a problem when using Psylab. It’s hard to take all the greatness of Psylab and put it into just one review since it has a wide set of generators, monitoring tools, routing alternatives, and its signature sequencer. These tools make Psylab one of the most complete and versatile tools for creating astonishing Psytrance low-end components. The plugins’ interface is a bit complex and hard to catch on to, but the only limit is your imagination once you’ve mastered it.
5. FabFilter Timeless 3
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Achieve depth and create exciting atmospheres with the modern delay in this FabFilter gem.
Delay is one of the most common effects when trying to achieve long echoes on a synth or some perspective to melodic elements on the project. That’s when Timeless 3 comes into action with two independent delay lines, high-quality effects, six filters with a similar functioning as FabFilter Pro-Q3, and a versatile modulation system. Moreover, its interface is highly intuitive and interactive, making it pleasant to work with and enhancing your workflow.
Key Features:
- Interactive delay
At the top left, you will see the delay’s display, which is very straightforward to understand. The left bar at 0 represents the input dry signal, and the following bars represent the delayed audio and feedback repeats. You can drag the bars horizontally to change the delay time and vertically to change the delay amount. If you prefer conventional knob adjustment, you’ll find the delay controls at the center of the interface. - Filtering
Moving to the right, you’ll see the filter area for placing up to six filters. To place a new filter, you can click anywhere on the yellow line on the display and drag it up or down. Once you’ve placed your filter, you can modify its properties like frequency, gain, Q factor, and slope with mouse and keyboard shortcuts or with the parameter display of each filter. - Modulations
To apply modulations, you can head to the modulation targets at the bottom of the interface and choose between the five modulations sources available. You should be familiar with some of them by now, like XLFO (the conventional LFO modulation), envelope generator, envelope follower, and MIDI source. The XY controller is the most interesting one, which lets you modulate using horizontal and vertical mouse movements. With this last mode, your mouse is an instrument and part of the project. - Built-in effects
The effects of Timeless 3 will give the last touch that your sound needs. In the effects section, you’ll find the “Drive” knob to control saturation and the “Lo-fi” knob that gives a vintage and character to your delayed feedback. You can also use a nice gate/compressor with the “Dynamics” knob, a conventional pitch shifter using the “Pitch” knob, and the most intriguing one with the “Diffuse” knob, which blurs the delayed and audio and often gives reverb-like effects.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows Vista or higher and macOS 10.10 or higher, 32-bit and 64-bit for Windows, and 64-bit only for macOS. It comes in VST 2/3 and AU formats.
Summary:
As expected from FabFilter, they delivered a versatile and intuitive plugin that does more than just conventional delay. Besides its unique and tremendous delay algorithm, the plugin offers other tools for giving character and coloration like saturation and diffusion controls that definitely will make your song stand out.
Understandably, FabFilter’s goal is to provide plugins with no hidden menus for ease of use. Still, the modulation section could’ve had its separate and more complete display for expanding the possibilities. Nevertheless, Timeless 3 is a delay plugin that exceeds expectations.
Related Reading:
Top 10 FabFilter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering
6. Eplex7 DSP Quantakor
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
If you’re trying to find dark and mysterious samples to create immersive atmospheres, the sounds of Quantakor will deliver what you need.
Eplex7 DSP Quantakor is a virtual instrument with a massive 1.2 GB library of futuristic and mysterious samples to create dark and gripping ambiances in your tracks. The compilation of sounds included various techniques like artificial intelligence resampling and morphing, neuronal synthesis, and complex resynthesis so beginner producers can have mix-ready instruments and focus more on creative choices.
Key Features:
- Sound variety
The plugin comes with a set of 100 instruments that include mesmerizing samples. You can get space-like alien sounds with instruments like “Area 51”, “Stargate,” “Stratospher,” and “Laserhit.” Also, discover dark and bizarre ambiances with instruments like “Dark Funk,” “Horroroom,” and “Paranorm.” You should download the Quantakor demo, check the sounds yourself, and come upon new textures. - Amplitude envelope
To give you control over the fundamental amplitude envelope, Eplex7 DSP offers four knobs for the attack, decay, sustain, and release of the selected sound. Maybe you find an excellent sounding sample, but its release is long enough to mask other elements in the mix, so having control of each sound’s envelope is key to avoid incompatibilities. - Sonic character
You can add some effects and properties to the sample for creating depth in the sound. At the center of the plugin, you’ll find the “Filter Cutoff” knob for setting the cutoff frequency. Next, you can add a reverb using the “Reverb” knob. Last but not least, you have a simplified LFO at the top right, where you have controls for the LFO’s rate and depth.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows and macOS, 32-bit and 64-bit for Windows, and 64-bit only for macOS. It comes in VST 2 and AU formats.
Summary:
Sometimes it’s hard to find the perfect sound or interesting FXs for adding interest to your projects. Luckily, Quantakor delivers a set of mix-ready samples so you can play around and check which ones adapt better to your track. It can feel limited for more experienced producers since it aims to deliver a massive library of pre-made sounds instead of offering full sound design capabilities, so this plugin is more for beginners’ usage.
7. Polyverse Gatekeeper
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
The classic volume envelopes and rhythmic gates on Infected Mushroom’s projects come from the greatness of Gatekeeper.
Introduced as the most dynamically versatile tool in the market, Gatekeeper is a volume modulator for making sequenced volume patterns, sidechain effects, versatile gain clipping, and a ton more creative processes with dynamics. It features eight different envelopes, MIDI controls, and 30 curve shapes for applying in your rhythmic sequences, LFOs, and sidechains.
Key Features:
- Draw envelopes
Gatekeeper has one of the most fun and intuitive ways for shaping the eight envelopes that the plugin offers. When using the Edit Tool, you can click anywhere along with the line segments or double click on the background to create a new node in the envelope. Alternatively, you can use the Paint Tool and select one of the 30 preset shapes that already contain an array of nodes. - MIDI modulation
You can use the MIDI Modulation Control Panel for modifying parameters like time, amplitude, and panning of the envelopes on MIDI messages from your controller or another MIDI device. You can manage the modulations the way you want, but we recommend assigning the amplitude to the velocity of your MIDI notes. - Delay
If your sound lacks depth and perspective, you can use the built-in stereo ping pong delay of Gatekeeper. By clicking the clock logo at the bottom right, you’ll access the controls for the amount of delayed signal with the “Wet” slider, the time between two repetitions of the signal with the “Time” slider, and the number of repetitions with the “FB” slider. - Clipping control
The plugin comes with a clipping algorithm for taming the envelope without affecting its natural punch. This procedure has two modes: first, we have the “Clip” mode, which will clip the audio at 0 dB before reaching the output, and then we have the “Soft Clip” mode, which puts a slight curve in the clipping for a softer and more rounded sound.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
If you’ve found yourself stuck with other plugins limitations for managing volume modulations, Gatekeeper has all you need for creating those head-tilting rhythmic effects on your project. The plugin offers versatile envelope shaping in eight different slots, which you can combine to produce exciting panning effects and layered sections. Additionally, the Psytrance duo built and approved this plugin, which gives a quality seal for some Polyverse plugins.
Related Reading:
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8. G-Sonique Psychedelic Tunnel T1
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Recreate your sounds and create psychedelic ambiances with this great plugin designed for genres like Psytrance, Drum and Bass, Experimental, and many others.
Psychedelic Tunnel T1 is a space design tool that offers more capabilities and settings than a conventional reverb plugin. The plugin is perfect for placing your leads, FX sounds, pads, and even percussive instruments like drums and cymbals into a three-dimensional psychedelic environment. The controls are presented in a futuristic and alternative interface with triangle-shaped sliders instead of knobs, making it very particular without taking simplicity on its functioning.
Key Features:
- Psychedelic textures
The different controls for giving color to your sounds are an excellent addition for changing the perspective and atmosphere of your track. At the top left, you’ll find the “Sci-fi” slider, which adds some crispiness and a slight distortion to give movement to the sound. Then at the right, you’ll find the “Dark energy” slider, which creates a detuned copy of your reverb signal and sums it to the output, making the sound deeper. - Room character
Psychedelic Tunnel T1 offers four different controls for modifying the reverb of the plugin. First, you’ll find the “Room” slider for changing the decay of the reverb. Next, you can see the “Damp” and “Width” sliders for setting how damp and wide you’ll like your reverb. Lastly, you have a wet/dry control with the “Reverb mix” slider. - LFOs
You’ll find three LFOs distributed along with the interface. Each one has “LFO Speed” and “LFO Depth” sliders for modifying the LFOs frequency and intensity and a “Delay” slider to determine how much delay will be applied to the LFO modulated signal. You can combine different configurations of LFOs with the texture controls to create astonishing ear candy that will make your track stand out.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows XP or higher, 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2 format.
Summary:
The ambiances that this plugin can provide are tremendous and give life to your projects by making your sounds feel like floating in space without feeling unattached to the rest of the mix. A big downside is that there aren’t separated sections for the controls. The LFOs are all over the interface, and the controls responsible for the reverb behavior are split into two sides, making it look unorganized. The plugin’s output is fascinating, but the interface could be more user-friendly.
9. Eventide Blackhole
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Eventide is famous for its innovative effects like Blackhole for generating huge spaces and atmospheres out of this world.
As an emulation of the signature present on the DSP400, Blackhole offers a reverb algorithm with the same lush sound from the hardware piece. The controls produce a smooth change in the audio for transforming strings, pads, and drum tracks.
Moreover, Eventide’s purpose was to provide the different programmable settings to get the closest experience of manipulating the authentic gear.
Key Features:
- Reverb behavior
The reverb within Blackhole has eight controls to adjust its influence on the signal. From left to right, you’ll find the “Mix” knob for adjusting the balance between the wet and dry signal, the “Gravity” knob for adjusting the reverb’s decay, the “Size” and “Predelay” knobs for these reverb’s characteristics, and lastly the “Low” and “High” knobs for controlling the level of the low and high frequencies on the reverb’s tail. When these last two controls have a value higher than 0, you can get a more nasal sound by modifying the filter’s resonance with the “Resonance” knob. - Ribbon
You can have a global control for multiple parameters using the ribbon located under the reverb knobs. To program the settings for the ribbon, you set left and right values for the knobs and assign them to the left and right sides of the ribbon. Once you’ve set these ranges, you’ll be able to make dynamic modifications of multiple knobs. Additionally, the ribbon can follow the MIDI modulation wheel, allowing more creative control when using a MIDI controller. - Handy toggles
Blackhole comes with three buttons at the bottom of the interface that can modify and help you monitor the behavior of the reverb. For killing the input so you can hear the reverb’s tail fade out, you can use the “Kill” button. Then, the “Hotswitch” button allows you to toggle between two settings of any combination of controls so you can compare easily. Lastly, the “Freeze” button mutes the input audio and sets the reverb time to infinite, so you can change some parameters while the freeze option is enabled to achieve unique textures.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
Blackhole can enhance the space perception of your sounds if normal reverbs don’t do enough. It can provide small reverbs for minor percussive elements or put synths in spaces as large as the galaxy without losing the functioning, character, and crystal-clear sound from the DSP400.
Additionally, if you have a demo on your iPhone or a sound that could benefit from reverb, you can use the iOS version of Blackhole for instant outworld character.
Related Reading:
Top 12 Reverb Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Plugins)
10. G-Sonique FX6000
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Spice up your productions using this multi-instrument plugin with sounds designed explicitly for Psytrance, Darkpsy, and Psychill.
Following the psychedelic FXs line of G-Sonique, FX6000 offers over 140 instruments and a massive 1.1 GB library of trippy sounds and FXs ready for your tracks. Suppose you’re short on ideas and don’t want to spend hours designing your sounds. In that case, you can take the high-quality sounds made by professional Psytrance producers and shape them with the amplitude envelope, LFO, and effects and focus entirely on creating your melodies and arrangement.
Key Features:
- Multiple instruments
FX6000 features a wide range of sounds compacted in more than 140 instruments. Among the library, you can find sounds for your backgrounds like twisted psy FX and pads, impressive risers and down fillers for your sections, and experimental FXs and hits for those pops that add interest to the track. - Sound color
To give a different timbre to your sound, you can modify the amplitude envelope of the selected sound by using the four knobs corresponding to the attack, decay, sustain, and release of the sample’s envelope. Additionally, you can add width and perspective with the “Glide” and “Space” knobs at the top right of the interface. For instrumental parts without percussion on them, you can use these last two knobs to create mesmerizing atmospheres and keep your listeners invested in the song. - Versatile LFO
At the top left, you’ll find the LFOs sections with some exciting parameters. First, you have two knobs for setting the LFO rate and depth, together with a panning knob for the overall effect. Below these knobs, you can find a dropdown to choose the wave shape of the LFO, another dropdown for selecting the parameters to modulate, and another for choosing the MIDI message you’ll use for the modulation.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows XP or higher and macOS, 32-bit, and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2 and AU formats.
Summary:
Getting interesting FXs for filling your Psytrance project can get tricky sometimes. Luckily, G-Sonique offers an extensive library with high-quality sounds ready for making your track stand out. Given that this plugin is a rompler, it doesn’t provide advanced tools for sound design, and some synthesis enthusiasts can feel limited when using FX6000. Nevertheless, beginners can have professional FXs for their projects, and more experienced producers have a good starting point for shaping the perfect landscapes and fillers for a festival hit.
The 5 Best Free PsyTrance Plugins 2023
1. OZ-Soft Xpander
Renowned electronic music producer Ummet Ozcan brings an intuitive plugin for enhancing your stereo image.
OZ-Soft Xpander offers a combination of effects and processors to enhance the stereo image and widen your sounds. The plugin implements a stereo widener, unison detuner, chorus, ensemble, and EQ split into three simple sections for giving life to any input. You can grab your dry or mono sounds and create a nice and clean stereo image for them, which can make a massive difference for vocals and drums.
Key Features:
- Widener
In the first section, you’ll find the Widener module responsible for creating the stereo image for your audio. In this tab, you can spread your sound with the “Width” knob and determine the perception of the room size with the “Size” knob. Then, you can modulate the size parameter with the “Size mod” and “Mod speed” knobs, and you’ll get an effect similar to a chorus which is perfect for synth leads. - Unisono
Moving to the Unisono module, there are four knobs in charge of adding layers and giving movement to the sounds. First, we’ll see the “Detune” knob that we can use to detune the extra voices generated from the plugin. Then, we have the “Phatt” knob for adding extra voices and giving depth to our sounds and the “Leak” knob for a mix between a chorus effect and a slight distortion. This section can take a simple sinewave synth to a massive lead with attitude. - Enhancer
The last tab on Xpander corresponds to the enhancement module, a simple EQ section for boosting low and high-frequency content. When you’re in this section, the knobs at the left modify the low-end, and the knobs on the right side will change the high-frequency presence. The big circle at the center is both visualizer of frequency changes and a knob for adding resonance.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS, 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3 and AU formats.
Summary:
Psytrance usually requires wide-sounding synths to create its signature psychedelic atmosphere, so there’s not a reason why Xpander shouldn’t be in your arsenal. The simple functioning of the plugin and the well-separated modules make it very pleasant to work with and deliver impressive results for electronic music genres since the plugin was designed for electronic music production. Adding extra stereo layers can turn a dull lead melody into a colossal synth worthy of a festival banger.
Related Readings:
Mono vs. Stereo Recording: 17 Tips For Mixing & Recording
Should Drums Be in Mono or Stereo? (Kick, Snare, Clap, and Percussions)
2. Valhalla DSP Super Massive
Valhalla DSP is a remarkable developer due to its unique reverb algorithms, whereas Super Massive is a popular plugin in their bundles.
As its name indicates, the plugin is a super massive reverb/delay module that also adds harmonic echoes and space sounds. The plugin was designed to achieve high sonic complexity. It runs multiple feedback delay networks in the background and keeps a set of 14 distinct modes with a low set of parameters for enhancing your space perception in a matter of seconds.
Key Features:
- Versatile modes
The heart of Super Massive relies on its MODE selector, which allows you to choose between 14 different reverb/delay algorithms. These operation modes vary in attack, sustain, decay, echo repetitions, and density. Specifically for Psytrance, we recommend checking the Andromeda and Orion modes for pads and Lyra and Capricorn modes for leads and some percussions. - Delay behavior
Once you’ve selected the operation mode, you have different parameters to modify the effect influence on your sound. Since the plugin generates multiple echoes, the “Delay” knob sets the length of the longest delay line in the network, and the “Warp” knob sets the length of the other lines relative to the value of the first knob. Then, the “Feedback” knob controls the amount of feedback, and the “Density” knob modifies the perceived number of echoes. In some modes, the feedback will also affect the attack time. - Modulation
Within Super Massive, there’s a multi-phased sine oscillator for giving different tones to the echoes generated. In the MOD section, you can modify the rate and depth of the delay modulation. If you set a depth modulation close to 0, the sound will be drier, and the echoes will be more audible in the output. - Guided interface
When you hover the mouse over the controls, a short description is displayed at the bottom of the interface. This functionality removes the necessity of a user manual and lets you know what the controls do if you’re new to the plugin or forgot what they do.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS, 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3 and AU formats.
Summary:
Super Massive proves to be an outstanding competitor for all reverb plugins with versatile space shaping tools while maintaining its free format. The plugin perfectly encompasses the different use cases for delay and reverb and delivers a simplified interface with tons of possibilities for creating absorbing ambiances. Valhalla DSP also offers other free plugins like Freq Echo and Space Modulator that can enhance your production, so make sure to check them out.
Related Reading:
Top 10 FREE Delay Plugins For Musicians (VST, AU, AAX)
3. ChowDSP Chow Kick
Create aesthetic vintage kick drum using Chow Kick’s old drum machine circuits modeling.
Chow Kick is a kick drum synthesizer with precise parameters for adjusting the overall body, tone, and harmonics distributed in two simple sections. For those who know how to code and have basic knowledge of DSP, you can take the base code of Chow Kick and modify its circuitry modeling to create a workflow that best adapts to your needs. That way, the plugin doesn’t limit to its default controls and allows more knowledgeable users to expand its capabilities.
Key Features:
- Pulse shaper
At the top left, you’ll find the pulse shaper section, where you generate a synthetic pulse whenever the kick drum is triggered. Here, you can modify the width and maximum amplitude of the generated pulse. Then, you can adjust the sound’s decay and sustain. - Polyphonic voices
You can set the number of polyphonic voices the kick synthesizer uses with the bottom left “Voices” control, where a high value will increase the voices or layers heard in the synthesized kick drum. This feature can benefit kicks with a bass sound played after its attack that often have long decay. - Resonant filter
The resonant filter is responsible for generating the kick drum sound. Once created, you can add some character with controls like the “Damping” knob to modify the global feedback or decay time around the filter and the “Tight” knob to lower the filter’s resonance as the amplitude increases. Then, the “Bounce” knob controls the pitch modulation of the kick drum, and lastly, you have the “Tone” knob that either accentuates or dampens the kick drum’s high frequencies.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher, macOS X 10.12 or higher and Linux, 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3, LV2 and AU formats.
Summary:
There are a lot of plugins out there trying to emulate an analog drum machine, but very few offer good results, and usually, they are expensive. ChowDSP achieved this analog kick drum emulation while maintaining its quality and free format. Its fully adjustable parameters and wide range of possibilities make it an excellent pick for sound designers and engineers who want to expand its functionalities, as it’s open-source software.
Related Reading:
Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins (Best Kick Designer Tools)
4. AlexHilton A1 TriggerGate
Either if it’s a chopped synth sequence or noise gating, A1 TriggerGate can manage it.
A1 TriggerGate delivers the popular rhythmic gate effect on many Psytrance synths in a straightforward and intuitive interface. The plugin features a pattern sequencer of four steps where you can adjust different note gains and lengths for giving more movement to the melodic or harmonic sections on your track. Additionally, the plugin adjusts itself to your project’s BPM, so you don’t have to worry about leaks in other steps or out-of-sync problems.
Key Features:
- Sequencer
The magic of A1 TriggerGate is thanks to its pattern sequencer, where you can set up to four steps with 1/16 notes when using the Normal Mode and three steps with 1/8T notes when using the Triplet mode. The top toggle corresponds to the steps’ volume, and the bottom corresponds to the length. You can experiment with different lengths on each step and see what exciting sequences come out of that. - Gate envelope
At the bottom left, you have an envelope graph with the corresponding knobs for its attack, hold, decay, sustain, and release. This envelope alters the behavior of the gating effect and subsequently modifies the sound’s motion. Some chord progressions can have an appealing feel by setting a long decay. - Global effects
When you press the “Expert Mode” button, you can use a series of effects to add more character to your audio. Once you activate this mode, you’ll have access to a low-pass filter, distortion, and delay. These effects are straightforward, and each one has only two controls to modify them, but having these additions is highly appreciated. If you need to bypass all the effects, click the “Global FX Off” button at the top right. - Randomizer
If you feel short of ideas, you can use the randomizer accessible when the “Expert Mode” is active. You’ll see three buttons with the letter R on them, but each one randomizes different things. The top one randomizes the volumes of the notes in the sequences, and the one at the bottom randomizes the lengths, but if you prefer to randomize both parameters, click the R button at the left.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows XP or higher and macOS 10.6 or higher, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU formats.
Summary:
The functioning of a sequencer is one of the most fun and easiest ways to produce music, and AlexHilton offers that workflow to give motion to basslines, leads, and chord progressions with a simple set of controls. It’s amazing how a series of volume and note length modifications can turn a simple synth into a head-tilting rhythmic sequence and the ability to do so with just a few clicks.
Related Reading:
Top 10 Noise Gate VST Plugins (+ 6 FREE Free Tools)
5. Beatassist DRAG
Beatassist offers this synthesizer specifically designed for GOA and Psytrance leads.
DRAG is a polyphonic synthesizer that features four fully customizable oscillators, a gated sequencer, four LFO for modulations, and mixing tools like an equalizer, stereo delay, chorus, and reverb. The synthesis controls allow maximum sound quality on acid and metallic GOA and Psytrance leads. The interface gives a modular synth vibe that vintage fanatics would love to work with while offering a clean and modern output for those psychedelic hooks.
Key Features:
- Oscillators
The four oscillators on DRAG are responsible for generating the synths and modifying the nature of the sound. You’ll find these at the top of the interface, where each one has its waveform selector, modulation envelope, amplitude envelope, filter, and filter modulation. This oscillator section allows both additive and subtractive synthesis and will enable you to generate any sound you can imagine. - LFO matrix
Below the oscillators, you’ll see the LFO section with up to four LFOs at your disposition. For each LFO, you can assign two targets, the speed or rate and the operation mode. A widespread technique is to target one of the LFOs to the panning, and assign two or three LFOs to the amplitude and play around with rates to get unique perspectives of the sound. - Master effects
The last synthesis step with DRAG is to add some effects to finish setting the perfect synth for your track. That’s why the plugin offers an effects section with a stereo delay, chorus, octave stepper, and reverb with different room spaces. Note that the delay and octave stepper have target buttons within the effect, but you can assign the chorus and reverb independently with the buttons below each oscillator.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows, 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3 formats.
Summary:
If you’re looking for a sound design tool where you can experiment and modify every sound parameter, DRAG is your call. It offers extensive control over the synth that we’re shaping, plus giving a certain analog feel, and it doesn’t cost a penny. Additionally, there are few instructions available for this plugin, so you might need to play around with it to understand better how it works. Moreover, the lack of visual tools for monitoring signals might be a problem with those starting in the sound design field, but as always in music production, your ears are your best tool.
Bonus Plugin
1. Eplex7 DSP Replikorp 2249
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Replikorp 2249 is another instrument with an extensive library by Eplex7 DSP, offering analog and modular sounds.
Featuring over 80 multi-octaved instruments and nearly 1 GB of sounds, Replikorp 2249 is a vintage futuristic instrument that compiles analog and early-digital sounds for different genres like Psytrance, Psycore, Darkpsy, and Techno. You can modify every sound within the instrument with its internal parameters like LFO, amplitude envelope, filters, and reverb.
Key Features:
- Sample library
Replikorp 2249 features a broad set of compelling textures and soundscapes with vintage and analog characters, keeping a futuristic atmosphere. Inside the 83 instruments, you can find dreamy pads for building your sound mattress, FX for accompanying musical arrangements, and different plucks and leads for your main melody. - Play modes
The plugin provides different play modes for changing the character of the selected sound. The first mode is the “Mono” mode for playing just one synth voice at a time. If you prefer to play multiple synth voices, you should work with the “Polyphonic” mode. Lastly, the “Legato” mode unlocks the “Glide” knob, and by setting a higher value, the notes are played smoothly, making them feel more connected. - Modifiers
For those who aren’t satisfied with the original sample in the library, the plugin offers some sound design tools for modifying its character. Next to the trippy face at the center, you’ll find the “Filter Cutoff” knob that you can use as a low-pass or high-pass filter. On top of this, you have an LFO with controls for the LFO’s depth and rate. Lastly, you have the “Reverb” knob on the left side for setting the reverb amount.
Compatibility:
This plugin is available for Windows and macOS, 32-bit and 64-bit for Windows, and 64-bit only for macOS. It comes in VST 2 and AU formats.
Summary:
Just as the other Eplex7 DSP plugin on this list, Replikorp 2249 has limited capabilities for sound design purposes. Nevertheless, any producer can benefit from the high-quality sounds within Replikorp 2249. You can either add one of its samples straight to the project, pick one of them for a layer of your main sound, or have some inspiration for crafting your sounds with different tools.
Conclusion
Producing genres like Psytrance can be challenging since it usually evolves complex sound design, as you can see from some of the plugins presented on this list. Each element on the track has a different purpose, so you might want to pick more than one plugin from the list for covering all the steps on your production.
For those looking for mix-ready sounds, go with the Eplex7 DSP plugins and FX6000 by G-Sonique, since they offer an extensive library of synths for almost any purpose except for percussive elements, where you might need to use more elaborated sound design tools like ChowKick and Psylab Pro. Also, note that Psylab Pro is perfect for the root kick+bass beat of Psytrance while also creating more elaborated loops by adding extra percussions and little effects.
Now, if you want to have full control of your sound and need a powerful synthesis plugin, VITAL and DRAG are up to the task, but we consider that VITAL has fewer limitations and is more user-friendly, so it’s worth extending the budget for this one. Additionally, it is worth mentioning Psylab Pro again here since you can achieve unique sounds with its complex synthesis path, but macOS users cannot benefit from the FX23 plugin.
Once the synths are created, you can use rhythmic effects to give motion and add interest to the sound like A1 TriggerGate, TANTRA 2, and Gatekeeper. Then, space effects like reverb and delay are vital for creating mesmerizing atmospheres, where the freebies like Xpander and Super Massive take the lead, together with the versatility and quality of Timeless 3.
Overall, Psytrance is a genre based on experimentation with different or unconventional techniques to create trippy and psychedelic atmospheres. The key differentiator for being a good producer for this genre is learning synthesis and understanding the functioning of reverbs and delays to create precise and absorbing ambiances, so go and strengthen your abilities with the great tools we just presented to you.
Update: We recently found a nice plugin that would also use in your productions, it’s completely free and you can get it HERE. Check what it does!
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Ivan is a guitarist, music producer, recording, and mixing engineer based in Bogota, Colombia. He loves discovering new music and combining different styles to achieve unique sounds for all his projects, including hip-hop, indie pop, and indie rock music. He currently produces local artists in his home studio and makes sound design for television.