Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2023 (Best Kick Designer Tools)

Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins (Best Kick Designer Tools) | integraudio.com

On this occasion, you will explore top 6 picks for kick drum plugins to apply to your projects.

 

Kick drums are one of the essential elements in lots of productions. They have become a crucial part of beat-driven genres such as techno, hip-hop, and many projects in the pop scene. According to how they hear the kick drum, many listeners and audio enthusiasts often decide if a song is good or bad.

Depending on the song, a kick drum may not be punchy enough because it lacks some “power,” or it could have more presence in the mix than needed, masking other elements and instruments.

Nowadays, music producers have a massive arsenal of sample libraries and tons of kick drums to choose from for any production. With a good search, you can find different styles of kick drums for adding to your songs.

However, with more experience, producers tend to be pickier with their sound and start looking for elements that help them modify the kick drum to achieve a unique sound.

In a nutshell, here are the best kick drum plugins for 2023:

Matt Tytel Vital (Free Version is Good Enough For Perfect Kick)

SINEE Chop Suey By Dawesome Music

Sonic Academy Kick 2 (Used by KOAN Sound)

Xfer Serum

Boz Digital Labs Sasquatch Kick Machine 2

Credland Audio Big Kick

Kick drum plugins have a wide variety of tools for shaping your kick drums, such as synthesis modules, equalizers, compressors, amplifiers, distortions, and a ton more to get your signature sound.

Now that we know that kick drums are delicate elements in our overall mix and could have a massive impact on our project, we will go ahead and check some of the best kick drum plugins out there; let’s kick in.

Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2023

Mat Tyttel Vital (Free Version is Good Enough For Perfect Electronic Kick)

More Info & Price (Free Version Available)

Vital’s synthesizer brings spectral oscillator warping to add new life to your wavetables.

Acting directly on a waveform’s harmonics, this technology can create drastically different tones and shapes from a signal source. Thanks to this simple tool that creates endless possibilities, what was already incredibly customizable just became even more so.

If you want to import your samples to create a wavetable, Vital’s pitch-splice and vocode converter are two great and easy add-ons to get even more specific on your sound design.

You can also develop wavetables from scratch via the built-in wavetable generator or even directly from the text!

Key Features:

    • Excellent oscillators
      These oscillators have a shallow low noise floor and a sharp cut-off at Nyquist for almost no aliasing, creating the cleanest sounds with the best quality possible. “Nyquist” means that each periodic signal should be periodically sampled at a rate twice the size of your audio signal. So, in order to overcome this, a higher quality sampling is sought after on synths like Vital – and a cut-off might be the simplest tool you’d ever need.
    • Microtonality at its best
      This synth can load .tun, .scl, and .kbd files – which can alter and configure how the tuning’s used will perform – and play in a microtonal setting without any troubles. A brand new tuning system can unlock new possibilities regarding how the samples are performing. This expands not only how you’ll play notes and frequencies, but also how to sample and interact with one another via the oscillators.
    • Key-tracked LFOs
      It’s possible to create key-tracked bass lines with this LFO setting, combining it with an audio-rate modulation and using your LFO as an oscillator modulation source. This enables you to instantly automate certain modulation parameters in relation to whatever notes are being played.
    • MPE support
      If you have a ROLI keyboard, a Linnstrument, or other MPE-compatible gear, Vital offers full support and controls. This way, you can add more expression to your sound and make use of dynamics the way you’re used to.
    • Audio-rate modulation
      The audio modulator kicks in when you have an audio signal or a parameter being varied and brings much more personality to your tones.  The variations can be tracked down and edited in the most creative ways possible. The signal whose waveform is used to trigger is modulated accordingly, with extreme precision and character.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for mac OS 10.12 or higher, Windows 10 or higher, and Ubuntu Linux 18.04 or higher. All 64-bit only, with OpenGL 3 or higher. It comes in VST, AU, and LV2 plugin formats.

Summary:

Vital is everything you need to create precise modern electronic kick. With a free version, you have so many possibilities to create either punchy, heavy distorted or mild kick that your kids will love!

Related Reading:

Top 7 Synth Plugins For West Coast & G-Funk 

SINEE Chop Suey By Dawesome Music

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

This is a great tool to design your kick sound just as you’ve imagined it.

Dividing the screen into three main components (“Transient,” “Body,” and “Tail”), Dawesome Music’s SINEE Chop Suey lets you design the kick sound you have in your head as easily as possible, without sacrificing personality and character.

The presets are also varied and can be manipulated in these stages, quickly tailoring the most appropriate sound for your track.

SINEE Chop Suey - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

    • Linear processing
      When dealing with samples, the best possible quality is often required to guarantee it will stand out. This is why transients are a great aspect to customize because they dictate how the sample will sound from the start. The linear processing present on SINEE Chop Suey can make your kick blend in a mix very easily while sounding just as you wanted, with digital precision.
    • Crossfading
      The main aspect of SINEE Chop Suey is how the kick sample’s sound wave can be adjusted within three sections (“Transient,” “Body,” and “Tail”). You can select how each part will blend in the final result by going from left to right. However, the cool thing is that crossfading between such stages is possible and can make your final result sound very natural by smoothly joining the hit, body, and resonance sound aspects of the kick sample into one another.
    • Easy automation
      Options like “Cutoff,” “Beef,” and “Reso” will adjust your kick sample even further, but the good thing is you can automate their values. Clicking on each option will reveal an automation line with several points ready to be set at your desire, making it far easy to manipulate before exporting a final kick audio file into your track.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 10 or higher and macOS X 10.15 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 3 and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

Having such flexibility when setting a good kick sound can bring tons of personality into your track, and with a plugin like Dawesome Music’s SINEE Chop Suey, it’s no hard job to accomplish so.

The visual guide helps you distinguish each section of the audio file, with a set of controls in every area determined to really get that sound you want into reality.

The number of tweaks available is meant to bring the best sound out of your sample file like a good-quality kick deserves, and with such easiness, it ought to be among your most trusted sound-crafting tools.

Sonic Academy Kick 2 (Used by KOAN Sound)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Create and shape the perfect kick drum with this multi-award-winning drum synthesizer.

Since its first version release, Kick 2 has had many fantastic additions for designing the perfect kick drum. Featuring over 230 modern factory samples in a wide range of styles and a precise set of controls, Kick 2 comes with infinite possibilities to create a unique sample.

Its outstanding performance with dynamic processors such as compressors, limiters, and equalizers, will get your kick drum to the next level.

Sonic Academy Kick 2 - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

  • Click section
    This section has three different areas where you can load other kick drums, modify them and lastly combine them to create a whole new sampleEach click area comes with four unique controls: the “pitch” knob allows you to alter the tuning of the sound. Using both the “Length” and “Start” knobs, you can trim a more specific section of the sample. Lastly, with the filtering knob, you can cut off frequencies that you don’t want in your kick drum.
  • Sub control
    The sub control area is one of a kind. Here you can add harmonics to your kick drum and make it more unique. You have three simple controls in this section: first, you have a little squared display to adjust the harmonics’ level. Second, you have a “Pitch” knob to modify the tuning of your harmonics, and lastly, you have the “Harmonics” knob that allows you to determine how much harmonic content you want in your sample.
  • Waveform display
    Sonic Academy added the waveform display with extended analysis parameters to get your kick drum design to another level to give you a precise tool. In this area, you have toggles to display the waveforms of the clicks or the sub that you set on the areas described above. That way, you can see all your sources plus the summed result as overlapped layers so you can monitor your desired kick envelope.
  • Effects section
    Kick 2 comes with a full effects suite for adding more color and presence to your kick drums. It comes with a 4-band equalizer, a distortion module with three different types of distortion, a compressor optimized for kick drums, and a limiter. With all these settings, you can balance your kick so it won’t fight with other elements in your project.
  • Exporting
    One of the most exciting features in Kick 2 is the render section. With just one click, you can quickly render the kick drum you design and then drag it into your project as a standalone sample, or export it to use it on an external plugin or device, for example, in a sampler.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows Vista or higher and macOS X 10.7 or higher, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

We can confirm that Kick 2 is a complete plugin that adapts to different workflows. With only its factory samples and the ability to combine them as you please, you have a whole world of possibilities to create any kick drum for all genres.

That way, Kick 2 proves that it has all the tools needed to add the color and presence your kick drum needs to stand out in the mix without adding external plugins that consume more of your computer resources and might slow down your session.

Related Readings:

Should Drums Be in Mono or Stereo? (Kick, Snare, Clap, and Percussions)

Drums & Percussions – History and Fascinating Facts

Xfer Serum (Used by IMANU for kick)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Serum is a classic wavetable synth and a popular choice among producers that constantly work with samples.

Xfer is a very respected company, especially when dealing with iconic synthesizers. Serum remains one of their most popular products, constantly crafting new and interesting sounds that stand out in a mix. This plugin’s ultra-clean oscillators are a key element, influencing unmatched resampling precision and quality.

Such technology involving wavetable synthesis can also be useful to tweak a nice kick sound. As you can edit many wavetables at once, you can dedicate one to configure the body and another to its transient, for example. This helps to carefully set each aspect of the sample according to your preferences very easily.

Xfer Serum - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

    • Wavetables in your control
      You can alter the kick’s waveform in independent warp operations, besides going through as many wavetables as you want using the “FM,” “AM,” “RM,” and “Oscillator Sync” options. Also, the “Remap” modes include a graph editor for generating your own customized table manipulations.
    • Plenty of effects
      Setting up a modulation chain or adding filters to your sample is an easy job with Serum. You can set a specific effect to key-track the sample when played, so it will be activated while alternating between different filter types. This is a nice feature to help set an effect at a certain kick section, such as a modulation at the body but not at the tail.
    • Drag and drop
      If you want to work with an existing sample, dragging it into Serum will be simple and straightforward. The audio sample will benefit from reassembling crucial routes when dealing with complex effects, envelopes, and LFOs, and basically, any desired effect that might fit into the final kick sound.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available for mac OS 10.11 or higher and Windows 7 SP1 or higher, 64-bit only. It comes in VST2.4, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

It’s awesome to apply different uses for a single software, even more so when dealing with audio design. Xfer’s Serum showcases versatility and processing power, enabling great results to come from simple audio samples. The wavetable synthesis can be useful to craft a kick with attention to each segment that composes its character, not to mention the variety of effects that can also be included.

Related Reading:

Review: Serum vs Vital vs Sylenth1 vs Massive X vs Phase Plant vs Pigments

Boz Digital Labs Sasquatch Kick Machine 2

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

A CPU-friendly kick plugin that can customize your sample in many different possibilities.

Sasquatch 2 is a plugin that can tailor the sound of your kick drum to your sonic demands, no matter what musical genre. It’s very simple to obtain the perfect sound, whether subtle refinement, enormous room-shaking rumble, or electronic musical metamorphosis.

The easy-to-use interface gathers all the necessary tools to achieve the perfect kick thump while getting straight to the point. After all, you don’t need to spend hours and hours adjusting parameters to have a satisfactory result, so Boz Digital Labs tried to develop a tool that could present nice features while retaining great sound quality. And they did it.

Boz Digital Labs Sasquatch 2 - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

    • Trigger modes
      The second installment of the Sasquatch Kick Machine features two dedicated controls to set the desired low end on the kick (“Oomph”) and the sound’s attack (“Click”), which can be used to craft the perfect kick sound from scratch.
    • Piano roll
      Right below its graphic interface, you’ll find a 77-key piano roll. This makes Sasquatch Kick Machine 2 a virtual instrument, enabling you to freely generate any soundwave from within the plugin itself. A red line indicates the triggering threshold – any sound played above this line will automatically trigger the plugin.
    • Trigger detector
      A menu containing three different trigger modes on the right side will determine how the algorithm reacts when a sound is passing through the plugin. This detector can capture transients alone or respond to the overall sample’s volume. A set of filters can also help determine which frequency range might be triggered or not when playing an audio file.
    • Tone generator
      When active, the tone generator option within the “Oomph” control can determine the range of frequencies being created, allowing for any fine-tuned pitches between 420Hz to 460Hz to be made. Each frequency range spectrum is adjusted by two brackets that set the maximum value for both low and high frequencies, with the additional possibility to deactivate the latter option.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS X 10.5 or higher and Windows XP or higher, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2, VST 3, RTAS, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

This is an exquisite tool to craft kick sounds. What matters most is having precise controls to work with, and Boz Digital Labs ensured this would happen by designing a simple, powerful user interface. After all, we should be able to create such samples as quickly as possible and with as many options to tweak.

Such visual integration is also helpful when dealing with the plugin as a virtual instrument, especially because the piano roll is an important visual tool that instantly creates a sine wave.

Credland Audio Big Kick

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Get endless possibilities and high flexibility with Creadland’s signature kick drum synthesizer.

Focused on speed results, Credland Audio designed one of the fastest and easiest ways to create your kick drum. You can either choose to design your kick drum from scratch, start with a sample or blend both the kick drum you design and the sample you pick.

It has one of the most easy-to-use interfaces out there since it gives you a short description of the controls once you hover your mouse over them. With Big Kick, you won’t get lost and will focus on what your kick drum needs.

Credland Audio Big Kick - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

  • Kick drum synthesis
    Big Kick’s signature feature is its Body section, where you can design your custom kick drum based on your desired amplitude and pitch characteristics. First, inside the amp sub-section, you have three clearly labeled knobs to modify the amplitude envelope for the kick body. Next, in the pitch sub-section, you’ll be able to control the pitch envelope parameters, as well as the tuning of your kick drum. Usually, a kick drum tuned to the pitch of your track can sound better and will avoid dissonance on the low-end frequencies.
  • Sample section
    Sometimes is good to blend some layers to achieve a whole unique kick drum. In the Sample section, you can choose one of the factory samples provided by Big Kick, or you can load the samples within your library. Once loaded, you can modify its decay, gain and apply a high-pass filter. Doing this will add more character to your kick drum, and most likely, you will have a richer sound.
  • Split output mode
    The split output mode is one of the most exciting features. When enabled, you can route the Sample and Body sections to different channels in your DAW for further processing with other plugins. This mode expands your possibilities as it allows you to process both of the kick drum components independently.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS X 10.6 or higherboth 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

Overall, Big Kick is a superb choice for those sound synthesis lovers who want to achieve a signature sound. It brings up the best methods for getting a unique kick drum in a very compact interface. Its workflow enhancement potential is tremendous since you can see how every parameter you change affects the kick drum in the real-time display.

2 Best FREE Kick Drum PLugins

1. ChowDSP Chow Kick

More Info & Download

Based on creative physical modeling of old drum machine circuits, ChowDSP brings this unique kick drum synthesizer.

Chow Kick offers practical parameters for adjusting the overall body, tone, and fundamental frequencies within two simple sections, that allow you to control and monitor your synthesized kick drum entirely.

Besides the factory controls of Chow Kick, you can extend its functionalities as it’s open-source software. So if you know how to code and have some knowledge of DSP, you have a good starting point to create the kick drum plugin of your dreams.

ChowDSP Chow Kick  - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

  • Pulse shaper
    Within the pulse shaper section, you can find a set of parameters to 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 modify envelope parameters like decay and sustain. Lastly, you can set the number of polyphonic voices the kick synthesizer uses with the bottom left “Voices” control, which can benefit kicks with long decay.
  • Resonant filter
    This resonant filter creates the kick drum sound when driven by the pulse generated in the pulse shaper section. Also, you can add character with its unique parameters: the “Damping” knob controls the global feedback or decay time around the filter. Then, the “Tight” knob is a simplified compressor that lowers the filter’s resonance as the amplitude increases. Next to it, there’s the “Bounce” knob that controls the pitch modulation of the kick drum. Lastly, you will find the “Tone” knob that either accentuates or dampens your kick drum’s high frequencies.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher, macOS X 10.12 or higher, and Linux, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3, LV2, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

If you’re looking for a flexible and distinctive way to achieve a good-sounding kick drum, Chow Kick is your go-to. Thanks to its circuit modeling, ChowDSP succeeded in emulating an analog drum machine.

Plugins with this potential are often pricy or don’t deliver good enough results, but Chow Kick puts itself as one of the best kick drum synthesizers, and it doesn’t cost a penny. Its fully adjustable parameters and wide range of possibilities make it an excellent pick for sound designers.

2. KSHMR Essentials Kick

More Info & Download

KSHMR Essentials Kick is a robust rack specially designed for kick drum processing, offered by the producer of hits such as “Like a G6” and “Bass Down Low.”

Your kick drum will sound brighter and punchier using the excellent selection of tools provided by KSHMR Essentials Kick in a pleasant and intuitive interface. The plugin provides a detailed and organized path to address the different characteristics of a kick drum, like low-end and mid frequencies.

It also comes with some built-in processors that you would generally use when mixing drums. Additionally, every control has an image representing how that particular parameter will affect the kick drum.

KSHMR Essentials Kick  - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

  • EQ
    Within KSHMR Essentials Kick, a simplified three-knob EQ section addresses the most common problem frequencies when processing a kick drum. First, the “Sub” knob controls the low end of your kick drum. Additionally, it allows you to set the note when you have a prominent bass tone on the kick drum. Second, we can control the mid and high frequencies with the “Mid” and “Air” knobs, respectively, to add more character to the kick drum.
  • Mixing tools
    Besides an equalizer, most producers use other effects like compression or distortion in the kick drum track to achieve the desired sound. Here, we have the power of a dynamic compressor optimized in just the “Pressure” and “Comp” knobs. Second, the “Tape” knob adds an excellent subtle saturation that gives your kick drum more color by making it more crispy.
  • Stereo imaging
    A very peculiar feature of this plugin is that it lets you widen the stereo image of the kick drum. With the “Width” knob, you can open the stereo image. Besides adding width, it also adds more depth to the kick drum. You must be careful with this parameter since an extreme value will add unwanted noise and mud to your mix.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS X 10.7 or higher, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

KSHMR’s Essentials Kick proves that it has the necessary tools to make a kick drum sound punchier, brighter, tighter, and sit better in the mix.

The plugin takes the process and effort that the renowned music producer KSHMR goes through when mixing his tracks and puts it in a set of tools that will help you explore, tweak, and experiment with different kick drum structures for your song. Also, its free status makes it more striking, and the results it can provide make it worth trying out.

Bonuses:

Kilohearts Disperser (Frequency Shaper)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Or Buy Here (Support Integraudio)

Disperser is a plugin developed by Kilohearts, a company specializing in creating audio effects and synthesizer plugins for music production.

It allows you to add interesting filter-based effects and movements, creating a unique way to shape transients and create sweeps. It can be used on transient heavy instruments, drums, and percussions to shape their sounds. For example, you can use it on boomy kicks, snappy hi-hats, synthetic wet basses, etc., to clean them and control their resonances.

Key Features:

  • Controls
    The plugin has only two knobs: amount and pinch, such that the Amount knob lets you control how elaborate the effect of the all-pass filter is on your sounds, and the Pinch knob lets you control the Q value of the filter. In addition, you can also control the cutoff frequency of the filter.
  • Snapin compatibility
    Snapins are a type of plugin developed by Kilohearts and are designed to be lightweight and efficient and offer a wide range of effects, including filters, delays, distortions, and modulators. They can be used individually or in combination with other snapins to create unique and complex effects. Lastly, Disperser can be used in conjunction with Snapin.

Compatibility:

Disperser is available in VST 2, VST 3, AAX, or Audio Unit plugin formats and requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM and 1 GB hard disk space.

Summary:

The plugin can enhance individual sounds, such as kick drums, by adding depth and movement to the audio signal. This can be especially useful when creating drum samples or instruments. By applying the Disperser effect and rendering the drum sounds, the drums will have a larger, more pronounced, and more defined sound.

Plugins That Knock – Knock (Color Designer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

A very easy-to-use kick drum plugin that can get your track to have the perfect punch.

The characteristic sound of the iconic drum kit series DRUMS THAT KNOCK is the inspiration for KNOCK, a plugin developed by award-winning producer DECAP.

It has been designed to make it simple for both beginners and professionals to take your kick-crafting to the next level. Whether you’re a newcomer or an established pro, KNOCK will fit right into your workflow by working easily on your CPU, so you can use it on as many tracks as you’d like and not worry so much about freezing your computer.

Plugins That Knock - Knock - Top 6 Kick Drum Plugins 2022 (Best Kick Designer Tools) And 2 Free Kick Plugins | integraudio.com

Key Features:

    • Straightforward interface
      Featuring five different control knobs, KNOCK presents one of the most simple designs in this list. You’ll go straight to business with “Punch,” “Saturate,” “Sub,” “Air,” and “Clip” configurations, ready to alter the kick’s attack and distortion while also adding sub frequency tones, transparent top end, and a hard or soft clipper instantly to your audio signal.
    • Gain match
      This small option located at the bottom of the screen allows you to match the plugin’s and the DAW’s gain values so that the final volume won’t be altered or mismatched. The  “In” and “Out” knobs are present as well, aside from a “Dry/Wet” slide fader.
    • Filters and frequencies
      A low pass and high pass filters are also present, allowing for a perfect tweak at the frequency range. It’s a very useful tool considering you don’t have an easy piano roll guide to help you with nailing the perfect sound. A tone knob can also further alter the frequencies involved.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS X 10.12 or higher and Windows 8.1 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 3, AAX, and AU plugin formats.

Summary:

This plugin features the recurring sound present in DRUMS THAT KNOCK, with the crucial touch of DECAP’s skills as a producer. The easiness and simplicity can be charming, but some recurring features in other plugins (such as automation options) can surely be missed when working with it.

Overall, it’s a handy software to generate a powerful and robust kick drum sound quickly.

Conclusion

Our number one pick for the list is Vital because of its free version, it doesn’t limit you in any way. It offers the exact same features as paid one. Including one massive kick preset that you can adjust in so many ways! Making it perfect for any electronic genre as well, whether EDM, House, Techno, but especially great for DnB.

Sonic Academy’s Kick 2 is a complete software that is ready to synthesize any waveform into a good-quality kick, with all the necessary controls to enhance it further.

Xfer’s Serum (Used By BUUNSHIN and IMANU for making kick) has similar features to Vital, but because it’s paid, we prefer Vital for making kick drum. Also, Vital seems to be more intuitive.

For freeware options, KSHMR’s Essentials Kick gathers some nice elements that can be handy and CPU-friendly at the same time, with a minimalistic yet powerful design interface that can be inspiring to beginner producers.

Although not freeware, KNOCK offers a similarly pleasant graphic interface that can stimulate your workflow more than other more polluted plugins.

Such instruments as the kick drum should not be underlooked, as they can be the pivot of your entire beat. It’s worthy of having a trusted sample collection, but sometimes you just have to create a new sound on your own.

We live in a time where it’s possible to bring the sounds we hear in our heads to reality, so we hope this list might’ve been useful to that task. Remember to always try as many plugins as needed to achieve it.

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Top 10 Plugins On PluginBoutique (And 7 Best Free Plugins)

Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance 

Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins (And 4 Best Kontakt Libraries)

 

9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)

Top 6 Electric Guitar Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)

Top 10 Arpeggiator VST Plugins (Best Synths, MIDI Effects & Tools)

Top 10 Modular Synth Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Plugins)

Top 6 Choir Plugins & Sample Libraries (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

11 Best Percussion & Drum VST Plugins (And FREE Plugins)

 

Top 8 Piano Plugins (Best Sounding Pianos & 5 FREE Piano Plugins)

Top 6 Organ Plugins Ever Made  (And 3 Best Free Organs)

Top 14 VST Plugins For Beginners (And 9 FREE Plugins)

Top 9 Drum Machine Plugins (And Groovebox Plugins)

4 Best Banjo Plugins (Best Banjo Instruments)

 

The 5 Best Ukulele Plugins & Kontakt Libraries 

Top 13 Synth Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Synths Plugins)

Top 13 Sequencer Plugins  (Synth, MIDI & Step Sequencers)

The 10 Best Multi-Effect Plugins (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

Top 12 Plugin Bundles For Musicians (Synths, Mixing & Mastering)

 

Processing & Sound Design:

8 Best Lo-Fi Plugins (PAID & FREE)

Top 11 Plugins For Mixing Vocals  (For Home Studio)

Top 12 Saturation Plugins (Best Mixing & Mastering Tools)

Top 6 Pitch Shifter Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Pitch Shifters)

Top 6 Chorus VST Plugins For Musicians (And 3 FREE Plugins)

 

Top 6 Limiter Plugins For Precise Mastering & Mixing

The 8 Best Filter Plugins For Precise Cuts & Boosts (+ 5 Free Filters)

6 Best Autotune Plugins To Improve & Enhance Your Vocals

Top 10 Transient Shaper Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 7 Enhancer Plugins (For Bass, Drums, Vocals & Harmonics)

 

Top 6 Flanger Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Flanger Emulators)

Top 7 Phaser Plugins (And 3 Best FREE Phasers)

Top 10 Plugins For Mixing Drums (And 3 Best Free Plugins)

Top 7 Bitcrusher Plugins (And 4 Best FREE Bitcrushers + 3 Bonuses)

Top 6 Plugins For Voice-Over & Dialogue Cleaning (Post Production)

Top 10 Stereo Imaging Plugins (Best Old & Modern Picks)

 

Top 5 Multiband Limiter Plugins 

Top 7 De-Esser Plugins For Better Vocals (And 4 FREE Plugins)

Top 7 Clipper Plugins (Best Limiter Alternatives)

Top 6 Chord Generator Plugins That Inspire Melodies (+ FREE Tools)

7 Best Exciter Plugins For Mixing & Mastering

Top 7 Channel Strip Plugins (And 2 Best Free Plugins)

 

Top 11 Distortion Plugins (And 4 Top Free Plugins)

Top 5 Comb Filter & Resonator Plugins | Melda, Kilohearts, Tritik

The 7 Best Vibrato VST Plugins | Audec, Audiority, Melda

The 7 Best Tremolo Plugins | Eventide, Melda, SoundToys, Kuassa…

The 7 Best Harmonizer Plugins | Eventide, Melda, Aegean Music

7 Best Sidechain Plugins (VST, AU, AAX) | Xfer, Cableguys..

 

Top 10 Noise Gate Plugins (And 6 FREE Free Gate Tools)

The 6 Best Ring Modulator VST Plugins | KiloHearts, Melda

7 Best Autopan VST Plugins | CableGuys, Melda, Waves, Soundtoys

The 6 Best Frequency Shifter VST Plugins

Top 11 Granulizer Plugins For Future Sound Design

29 Best Sound Design VST Plugins

 

Compressor Plugins

Top 11 Free Compressor Plugins (VCA, Vari-Mu, FET, Digital)

Top 7 Multiband Compressor Plugins (And 4 FREE Plugins)

Top 5 Diode-Bridge Compressor Plugins 

Top 6 Mastering Chain Plugins: Complete VST Solutions 

Top 10 FET Compressor Plugins 

The 7 Best VCA Compressor Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 11 Mastering Compressor Plugins (And 2 FREE Plugins)

Top 10 Opto Compressor Plugins For Transparent Sound

The 7 Best Vari-Mu Compressor Plugins (And 2 Best FREE Tools)

 

Reverb & Delay Plugins:

Top 12 Reverb Plugins (And 5 FREE Reverb Plugins)

The 6 Best Spring Reverb VST Plugins | AudioThing, GSi, u-he, Eventide

Top 12 Delay Plugins For Music Production In (VST, AU, AAX)

Top 10 FREE Delay Plugins (VST, AU, AAX)

The 10 Best Convolution Reverb Plugins 

 

Amps & Preamps:

Top 10 Guitar Amp Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Simulators)

Top 10 Bass Amp Plugins (And 5 Best Free Simulators)

Top 9 Preamp Plugins (For Vocals, Guitars & More!) + Free Preamps

 

Other Recommended Gear:

Top 12 NearField Studio Monitors On Any Budget

Top 10 Midfield Studio Monitors For Home Recording

Best Biggest Studio Monitors (FarField Monitors)

Top 10 Guitar Pickups for Low Tunings 

Top 10 Analog Compressors For Mixing & Mastering (On Any Budget)

Top 12 USB Audio Interfaces Under 150$, 200$, 300$ 400$ (Any Budget)

 

Top 12 Hardware Equalizers (Analog EQs For Mixing & Mastering)

Top 6 Analog Hardware Limiters 

Top 6 Solid State Bass Amps (On Any Budget)

Top 6 Ribbon Mics On Any Budget (For Vocals, Drums & Guitars)

Top 6 Cheap Dynamic Mics For Vocals Under 50$, 100$, 200$ & 300$

 

Top 6 Chorus Guitar Pedals (On Any Budget)

6 Best 61-Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)

9 Best 49-Key MIDI Keyboards Under 100$ & 200$

Top 5 Best 25 Key MIDI Keyboards (On Any Budget)

Top 12 Acoustic Drums (Best Kits/Sets On Any Budget)

 

Guitar/Amp Focused:

Can I Put Nylon Strings on a Steel-string Guitar?

Do Electric Guitars Sound Good Unplugged?

Buying Your First Guitar: 2 Things To Know

Are Tube Amps Worth It? (Tube vs Solid-State Amps)

How Often Does A Guitar Need a Setup?

Can I Play Classical Guitar On A Steel-String Guitar?

 

How often guitar necks need reset?

Can You Play Two Guitars Through One Amp?

Can a 6 String Bass Be Tuned Like A Guitar?

Can I leave My Guitar Tuned Down a Step? Yes, But Is It Safe?

Should I Learn 4, 5 Or 6 String Bass Guitar & Why?

How To Know If your Guitar Amp Is Broken?

How To Fix Distorted Bass Guitar Sound?

 

Do Fender Guitars Appreciate In Value?

Should You Put Stickers On A Bass Guitar?

How Acoustic And Electric Guitars Are Made?

Is Electric Guitar Too Loud for an Apartment?

Does a Preamp Improve Sound Quality?

If I Learn Acoustic Guitar Can I Play Electric Guitar?

How Many Hours A Day Should You Practice Bass Guitar?

Do I need an AMP/DAC To Run Bookshelf Speakers?

How to Record Electric Guitar Into Logic Pro X?

Do headphones get worse with age?

 

DAW Related:

Best DAWs For Musicians Available (With FREE DAWs)

How To Develop DAW Software?

What’s The Most CPU Efficient DAW? – 5 DAWs Compared

How To Make Music Without Using A DAW?

Pro Tools Guide: How To Use AutoTune & Pitch Correction?

Ableton Review: Is It Worth The Money? (Cons & Pros)

Logic Pro X Review: Is It Worth It? (Cons & Pros)

How To Use Auto-tune & Pitch Correction In Cubase?

How To Fix Ableton Crackling, Crashing & Freezing? Step By Step

 

Plugin Related:

What Are Audio Plugins? Different Types of Plugins Explained

What Are The Best Tools To Develop VST Plugins & How Are They Made?

Cost of Developing Audio VST Plugin: Several Factors (With Table)

VST, VST, AU and AAX – What’s The Difference? Plugin Formats Explained

Complete Guide To Noise Gate – What It Is, What It Does & How To Use It?

How To Clip My Drums? Here Is How & Audio Teasers (Before/After)

 

Complete Guide To Limiter: How To Use It (+ Best Plugins & Analog Limiters)

Mixing With Reverb: How To Add Life To Your Mixes

Linear Phase vs Minimum Phase EQ – Full Guide

Difference Between LUFS, RMS & True Peak Loudness Meters

How And When To Use Algorithmic And Convolution Reverb In Your Mix?

Difference Between Active EQ, Passive EQ and Dynamic EQ

 

Headphones & Studio Monitors:

Do headphones get worse with age?

Monitors vs Studio Headphones For Mixing & Mastering

Top 10 Room Calibration & Headphones/Speakers Correction Plugins 

Does Heat Damage Headphones?

Are Noise-Canceling Headphones Good For Music Production?

Can Headphones Break in Cold Weather?

Why do headphones & cables get sticky?

 

Can Wearing Headphones Cause Hair Loss?

How Do I know If My Studio Monitor Is Blown?

Side Effects Of Sleeping With Your Headphones On

Do You Need Music Amplifier For Studio Monitors or Studio Headphones?

Do Headphones or Earphones Damage Your Brain?

Can Headphones or Earphones cause Deafness or Toothache?

FarField, MidField & NearField Monitors – Their Uses, Pros & Cons

 

MIDI & Synths:

Should I Buy A MIDI Keyboard Or Synth? (Are Synths Worth It Anymore?)

Why Is Audio Gear So Expensive? (Especially Synths)

Top 12 Synth Brands – Analog, Digital & Modular Synth Manufacturers

11 Tips How To Choose MIDI Keyboard 

Should I Buy MIDI Controller Or Keyboard? Cons, Pros & Tips

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