Top 6 Sampler VST Plugins 2023 (And 4 Best FREE Plugins)

In this article, you will explore the 6 best sampler plugins in 2023 as well as the 4 best free plugins for your consideration.

Digital Instruments are a breakthrough in the field of possibilities. Audio plugins, like a synthesizer, offer an array of modulation options to shape a unique sound from scratch. Samplers go a little beyond by shaping any recorded sound and mixing it with synthetic sounds.

To make an instrument with absolutely any recording or audio file is overwhelming. Samplers can break any creative barrier by featuring filters and effects that provide musical character and instrumental role to any raw digital audio.

With many reliable and renowned manufacturers, such as Native Instruments, Accusonus, Glitchmachines, and more working to deliver highly complex sampler plugins, technological and modern breakthroughs are constantly appearing in yearly releases and developments.

Producers can observe one exciting modern advancement on Rhytmiq, a drum sampler by Accusonus, which features an Artificial Intelligence that applies and operates effects based on the user’s preferences. Rhytmiq’s drum assistant is one of the many audio technological innovations highlighted in this article.

In a nutshell, here are the best sampler plugins in 2023:

1. Waves CR8 Creative Sampler (Intuitive Sampler)

2. Plugin Alliance MEGA Sampler (Simple To Use, Yet Powerful)

3. Native Instruments Kontakt 7 (Platform For Libraries/Sampler)

4. Arturia CMI V (Fairlight CMI Recreation)

5. Algonaut Atlas 2 (Sample Organizer & Much More)

6. Native Instruments Battery 4 (Specialized Drum Sampler)

What Does A Sampler Plugin Do?

A Sampler uses actual recordings, referenced as samples, and offers modulations and synth-like processings to play these samples back through a remote or native device. They use digital audio instead of digitized synthesized signal and offer many controls to change and shape the inserted sample’s sonic textures and characteristics, which then play as any virtual instrument.

Some samplers are adequate to create pads and particular lengthy sound effects, while others, known as phrase samplers, or drum samplers, are usually optimal for one-shot effects, such as a kick or snare sound.

Often featuring effects such as filters, compressors, reverbs, and more, samplers also have synthesizer processes such as LFOs, Glide, and ADSR commands.

A good amount of samplers can store many audio samples for playing them simultaneously; for example, after inserting two recordings of different voices, you can align those to belong at the same instrument, producing one individual voice.

By featuring these varieties for controlling the nature of a sound, any audio recording can become an exciting fully-scaled musical instrument, regardless of the recorded quality.

How Do You Use A Sampler?

Samplers will use the recorded sound information of any audio sample to create something musical. Generally, you will be adding a recorded audio file or using the factory audio files of the plugin and setting specific parameters for the sound they want to come out of the sampler.

With filters, a piece of frequency information can be delineated so that the notes will only play a specific frequency range of a recorded audio file. One can, for instance, set two values for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release in two different samples, which the plugin will play simultaneously to get a fuller or more rhythmic sound.

For example, combining a tractor sound’s higher frequencies with the low frequency of a recorded waterfall in a unique instrument is possible and will deliver fantastic results.

Composers, such as Ludwig Göransson, used sampling technology to produce an exquisite Bass-line with the recording of a Firetruck in the soundtrack of Christopher Nolan’s movie Tenet. By integrating the recording of a Firetruck in a sampler, he used the plugin’s properties to pitch the sound until it reached a musical note.

He then equalized the signal for low-end enrichment and layered it with another audio featuring the same note, strengthening its musical presence.

By getting the plugin to play these customized sounds, you can produce musical scale and chords with the unique-sounding virtual instrument he created with actual recordings.

Related Readings:

Producer’s Block? Check Out These Top 6 Chord Generators

The 6 Best Sampler Plugins 2023

1. Waves CR8 Creative Sampler (Intuitive Sampler)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Get a multi-layered sampling engine that provides only the fundamental features you need to use sampling in your music production.

Waves CR8 is an intuitive sample management plugin that lets you edit and layer multiple audio samples to get playable instruments rapidly. Furthermore, it features several modulators, an “AI-powered” sample finder, filters, etc. It even offers a built-in mixer that allows you to make basic customizations to your sample layers.

Key Features:

• COSMOS Sample Finder
  COSMOS is a standalone sample management software that integrates with your CR8 sampler. It analyzes each sample file from your storage drives and extracts useful information like its instrument, BPM, key, loop/one-shot, length, etc. Then, it automatically organizes the files using tags.
  Simply load the sample finder from within CR8 and search up tags when you want to find a sample. Furthermore, once you type in a label (like drums), you will find many suggested tags like clean, acoustic, electronic, etc. These help you find the sample you’re looking for faster and easier.
• Sample Layers
  CR8 employs eight sample layers. You can either layer them to get multiple sounds playing simultaneously or split them across your keyboard. The latter feature is useful for creating drum instruments. Furthermore, the plugin provides a sample layering interface similar to Kontakt’s. So, you can drag each sample over the keys you want or limit them per note. Likewise, while it doesn’t allow multi-sampling per layer, you can assign each layer to play only within a certain range of velocity.
• Edit Samples
  Each sample layer offers a comprehensive set of tools to edit the sample. You can change the tuning, set the root note, stretch, set the start/end time, pan, etc. Similarly, each sample layer also features an amp envelope. Furthermore, you’ll find a filter section where you can choose from the following types: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and peak. Each filter type allows two slopes: 12 dB/octave and 24 dB/octave.
  Each sample layer offers a melodic and a one-shot mode named Play and Launch. You can find multiple stretching methods, too: beats, harmonic, melodic, voice, and classic. Beats mode is ideal for drum patterns, harmonic for polyphonic loops, and melodic for monophonic. Similarly, other features include playback rate syncing, unison, etc.
• Modulation
  The plugin features four LFO/sequencers and four envelope generators. You can assign each by dragging and dropping the modulator’s label over a parameter or by right-clicking a parameter and selecting a modulator from the list that appears. When you load an LFO modulator, you can also switch to a sequencer mode.
  The Sequencer allows you to make rhythmic modulation from two to sixteen steps. Of course, you can customize the rate of playback and sync. Likewise, the envelope is a traditional ADSR envelope, providing a curve option for attack, decay, and release.
  Furthermore, other modulation features include aftertouch, note-tracking, pitch wheel, modulation wheel, and velocity. And you can assign some of these controls to the built-in modulator. For example, you can set the velocity to multiply the envelope amount.

Compatibility:

Waves CR8 is available for Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.14.6 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

Overall, Waves CR8 is a basic but intuitive sampler ideal for people who prefer a minimalistic workflow. It comes with 2,500 free samples and over eight hundred presets. Furthermore, it offers a standalone sample manager that integrates with the sampler.

The manager alone is handy, thanks to its automatic tagging feature. So, if you have a hoard of samples that wastes your time just finding the right one, Waves CR8 is a viable, ultra-cheap option.

Related Reading:

20 Best Waves Plugins For Mixing, Mastering & Producing

2. Plugin Alliance MEGA Sampler (Simple To Use, Yet Powerful)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Plugin Alliance has developed a sample player called MEGA Sampler, which features access to an online sample library.

MEGA Sampler is an ever-growing library and service designed to work with your digital audio workstation. The library’s intuitive interface to find the right samples for your songs quickly. If you want to use a sample from our library in your session, you can drag it into one of the sixteen available slots, and you will adjust it to the current session’s BPM and Master Key.

Key Features:

• Playback Modules
  Loop, Ping Pong, and Reversed Loop are just a few different ways you can play sound again on the MEGA Sampler. In the waveform display, you can drag any area of the sample to magnify it. Then, simply repositioning the play/loop markers on the beat grid, you can play/loop only a portion of a sample.
• Filters
  You can apply a different filter to each of the 16 sample slots. In addition, they’ve included modeled filters like the Knifonium for a quick tube sound and a new filter from their synthesizer brand.
• Ever-Growing Content
  The team of content developers has carefully crafted over 7600 unique loops. Their sample library includes everything from film scores to electronic music to rock and pops to sound effects, so you can be sure that your productions will always feature cutting-edge production values.
• Master Key
  In this section, you can save each MEGA Sampler sample slot to the ‘Master Key. If the music you’re working on is in the key of D#min, you’ll want to ensure the Master Key is also set to D#min. Any sample you drop into a sample slot will automatically be tuned to the key of D#. You can disable this feature by selecting “Auto Key” from the menu.
• Sample Slots
  You may customize every MEGA Sampler’s 16 sample slots with its filter type, LFO quantity, playback mode, and more. The MEGA Sampler is an effective instrument for playing back and shaping samples independently because each sample slot can have individual parameters.
  You can drop loops into the MEGA Sampler’s 16-sample slot straight from the web browser. Samples currently being played are shown in each respective slot. When no sample title is shown, there is no sample data in the active sample slot. Clicking on a sample slot will bring up the associated view; you can alter its settings individually.

Compatibility:

The OS requirements for this plugin are Windows 7 or higher for PC and macOS 10.9 or higher for Mac. It comes in VST/RTAS/AU/AAX formats and supports 32 and 64 bit systems.

Summary:

This plugin would be for you if you got into the music industry to express yourself creatively rather than to turn yourself into a machine that automatically adjusts all the knobs. It’s a cheap and fun method to experiment with your music’s sound and is easy to learn and use.

Related Reading:

Top 11 Plugins On Plugin Alliance 2023

3. Native Instruments Kontakt 7 (Platform For Libraries/Sampler)

More Info & Price 

Get Free Kontakt 7 Player

KONTAKT 7 is the latest version of the popular sampler, and it includes a reworked HiDPI Factory library and new instruments from companies like Orchestral Tools.

KONTAKT is the best instrument-building tool on the market, and it also serves as a source of quick musical inspiration for composers. This mutating platform is much more than a sampler; it has fueled two decades’ worth of Oscar-winning film scores, Billboard singles, and hundreds of instruments.

We’re taking KONTAKT’s 20-year history into the future with the seventh iteration. First, the new adjustable browser makes it simple to locate any sound. Then, you can experiment with new musical ideas and find new inspiration using the updated Factory Library, new effects, and other audio enhancements.

Key Features:

• Effects
  The numerous effects modules in KONTAKT are detailed here, along with information on adjusting their settings. Audio processors that alter the signal in a typically non-linear fashion, such as reverberation, fingering, and distortion, fall under the category of “effects.” Open the drop-down menu of available effects by clicking the plus sign in the lower right corner of each effects slot to access these modules.
• New Sound Quality
  In KONTAKT 7, the Factory Library has been updated to raise the bar in terms of both sound quality and quantity, and it also brings our flagship sampler up to date with modern features like large, attractive, HiDPI user interfaces. In addition, learn to play and modify an extensive library of acoustic and electronic instruments, including Orchestral Tools’ brand-new collection of sampled, full-orchestra soundscapes.
• Faster Interface
  It can be difficult to maintain momentum if you’re constantly on the lookout for your preferred tunes. So to make things clear, we’re introducing a brand-new way to search through them. You can now import your independent libraries and homemade instruments and search, filter, and individual audition sound across your collection.
• Build Instruments
  KONTAKT 7 also comes with brand new libraries like Orchestral, Acoustic, Band, Beats, Choir, Synths and Vintage. It also includes existing Kontakt libraries Ethereal Earth, Hybrid Keys, Analog Dreams and Retro Machines MK2.
• Hardware
  Load KONTAKT into KOMPLETE KONTROL or MASCHINE to manipulate key settings with specialized knobs, listen to sound libraries, and more. S-Series keyboards have an even tighter integration because all the key switches and zones are conveniently located on the Light Guide.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.10 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST/RTAS/AU/AAX formats and supports 32 and 64 bit systems.

Summary:

The music industry is reacting positively to this upgrade. This software improves complexity, efficiency, and audio reproduction every day. Developers have provided us with a rich palette of virtual instruments thanks to their work, and this upgrade will undoubtedly aid in the progress of that effort.

Related Reading:

Top 20 Native Instruments Plugins & Kontakt Libraries 

4. Arturia CMI V (Fairlight CMI Recreation)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

 

Arturia CMI V is a software synthesizer that emulates the legendary Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument) from the 1980s.

The Fairlight CMI was one of the first digital sampling workstations, and it revolutionized music production by allowing musicians to manipulate and transform sounds in previously impossible ways. The CMI V brings this iconic instrument into the digital age, providing modern musicians and producers access to the groundbreaking sound and workflow of the original Fairlight CMI.

Key Features:

• Sampling capabilities
  As a sampler plugin, the Arturia CMI V is a powerful tool for manipulating and transforming sounds. The instrument’s sampling engine allows you to import and manipulate your sounds, with controls for adjusting the samples’ pitch, duration, and timbre. The sampler also includes tools for slicing and looping samples, which can be useful for creating complex rhythmic patterns.
• Granular synthesis
  The granular technique involves breaking down sounds into tiny grains and manipulating them in various ways to create new sounds. The CMI V’s granular synthesis engine allows you to adjust parameters such as grain size, pitch, and density to create unique and interesting sounds that are difficult to achieve with other sampling plugins.
• User-friendly GUI
  CMI V’s interface is modeled after the original Fairlight CMI, which can take some time for those unfamiliar with the instrument. However, once you become familiar with the interface, you will find that it provides a powerful and intuitive way to manipulate sounds.
• Sequencing capabilities
  Along with the plugin, you get a sophisticated sequencer that allows you to create complex musical arrangements. The sequencer includes various editing tools, such as quantization and swing, and the ability to sequence parameters like filter cutoff and resonance. This allows you to create dynamic, evolving sequences that add interest and movement to your tracks.
• Advanced synthesis capabilities
  The instrument includes several sound engines, including additive, spectral, and virtual analog synthesis. This allows you to create a wide range of sounds, from lush pads to biting leads and everything in between. The instrument also includes a variety of built-in effects, such as reverb, chorus, and delay, that can be used to shape further and enhance the sounds.

Compatibility:

The Arturia CMI V is compatible with various digital audio workstations (DAWs) and operating systems. The plugin is available in several formats, including VST, AU, and AAX, and is supported by the most popular DAWs. That means it can be easily integrated into existing production workflows regardless of the DAW used.

Summary:

5. Algonaut Atlas 2 (Sample Organizer & Much More)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Atlas 2 is a sample browser, kit creator, and drum sequencer by Algonaut.

It uses AI technology to analyze your countless samples and organize them into categories based on their common characteristics. It aims to speed up creating cohesive and interesting drum kits and make creating beats an easy process.

Here is a playlist with 9 various teasers covering house, techno and UK garage. All sounds you can hear comes from Atlas 2:

Key Features:

• Excellent user interface.
  Atlas 2 uses AI technology to split your samples into categories such as kicks, snares, open hi-hats, closed hi-hats, toms, etc. If the sounds are not percussive but synth one-shots or vocals, they are in the “others” category. These categories are color-coded, and once you focus on one, you will see that there are further sub-groups of sounds with similar timbre and character. For example, if you zoom in the snares category, there will be multiple sub-categories with similar snares, making sound picking a very easy and fun process. You also can display the samples in separate maps based on genre, brand, style, etc. The interface is clean and easy to use and can save a lot of time wasted on mindlessly scrolling through hundreds of drum samples.
• In-depth editing.
  Once you load the samples of your choice in a new kit, you can modify them in great detail. You get pitch controls for each sample and volume, pan, filter, resonance, and velocity controls. Another great feature is the time control, which will nudge a sample forwards or backward in time by a few milliseconds. This is a handy feature for creating more humanized sequences, as is the shuffle knob that works universally on the entire sequence.
• Easily save kits and sequences.
  You can save a kit and a sequence to use them in future projects. Once you save a kit, you can load it in a new sequence by dragging and dropping it, or drag and drop an old sequence to a new kit for inspiration.
• Smart technology.
  Atlas 2 is meant to cater to each producer’s needs. Its smart AI technology uses machine learning, meaning the more you use it and the more loops and kits you create, the more it understands and learns what sounds you prefer to use in your productions.

Compatibility:

Atlas 2 is available on macOS and Windows, in VST3, AU, and Standalone formats, 64-bit only.

Summary:

Atlas 2 is a smart and useful software for modern music producers. It helps organize your samples in a manner that sparks your creativity rather than slowing down your production sessions. Its AI technology will organize your samples in useful categories and learn what sounds you gravitate towards to suggest the most appropriate samples for your style. It’s a great tool to have if you own hundreds or thousands of samples and need a handy tool to organize them.

Related Reading:

Top 15 Plugins 2023 For Techno, Tech House, UK Garage

6. Native Instruments Battery 4 (Specialized Drum Sampler)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Battery 4 is a Native Instruments’ sampler focused on producing predominantly electronic and hip-hop drum samples. Its constructive library and interface are great for fast-paced productions.

The Native Instruments plugin is highly intuitive. While featuring a pleasant interface, all the resources and parameters will be easily accessible through an interactive color-coded display.

With a fully complete library easily placed in the interface, any producer will have the ability to drag and drop factory samples quickly while also loading their samples.

Key Features:

• Main Panel
  You will have access to an extensive library of kits and samples that he can drag and drop freely in the main panel. The cell-matrix is where samples will stay. Cells can provide parameters like colors, sizes, and other applicable settings to make the central board organized and friendly. You can choose a preset size or make his custom by adding rows and columns. By adjusting and experimenting with the Cell Matrix, the user can create interesting layering patterns with randomness and creative potential, which can also be present in Native Instrument’s Polyplex Drum Design plugin.
• Engine
  In an exciting segment called Engine, Battery 4 will provide impressive options for shaping the sound. This segment has a Standard and Vintage button. When “standard” is selected, the sample will play as usual. The Vintage option will offer six modes to affect your sample with the vintage and authentic characteristics of the S1200 and MP-60 models.
• Effects
  Battery 4 equips complete and intuitive controls. In a volume envelope, you can set parameters, such as Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, and Release, to add flavor to the note. There will be Amount, Decay 1, Break and Decay 2 controls for adjusting a pitch envelope. You can also assign Velocity to volume or pitch. This value can be proportionately adjusted using knobs. A filter is easily accessible in the Main Panel. It can provide high-cut and low-cut in the sound’s frequency range. A compressor, which features a monitor for measuring compressed information, is also displayed, and a Delay and Reverb effect on the main panel. Apart from these commonly built effects, the plugin also has LoFi and Saturation. LoFi works interestingly by changing the Bits, Hertz, Noise, Color, and Output signal.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.13 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, and AAX formats.

Summary:

Native Instruments Battery 4 is straightforward to use and provides any producer with an optimal workflow for designing drum patterns and loops. Battery 4 also offers highly accessible effects and customization options to improve every user’s creative experimentation, along with its handy library to provide easy drag and drop solutions.

The Native Instruments drum sampler is crucial for beatmakers wanting to craft unique and one-of-a-kind beats.

Related Reading:

Top 9 Drum Machine Plugins (And Groovebox Plugins)

The 4 Best Free Sampler Plugins 2023

1. NI Kontakt 7 Player (Sample Player)

More Info & Download

KONTAKT PLAYER 7 is a plugin that can run Native Instruments’ sample-based instruments and any third-party products developed for the KONTAKT platform.

KONTAKT PLAYER aims to provide its users with various creative instruments and sounds. This version of KONTAKT, available for no cost, includes 50 instruments and a 500 MB sound library and gives users access to various additional instruments and libraries made by developers worldwide.

Key Features:

• Outputs Section
  The outputs panel emulates a classic mixing console layout and includes controls for routing and mixing. The Rack’s Instruments feed their output signals into this section, sending them to the audio interface or host program’s physical outputs. Create, delete, rename, and configure Output Channels in the Outputs section to serve as final stops for mono, stereo, or multichannel Instrument signals.
• On-Screen Keyboard
  When a MIDI keyboard is unavailable, you can use the On-Screen Keyboard in KONTAKT PLAYER to play instruments with the mouse. When a key on the keyboard is depressed, it triggers a note event sent to the active Instrument. When you click higher on a key, the resulting notes will have a slower velocity, and the resulting notes will have a faster velocity when you click lower on the key.
• Snapshots
  Snapshots make it simple to try out different configurations of any KONTAKT PLAYER Instrument and store them for later recall. You can create your custom sound presets with Snapshots, then save them as .nksn files for usage in future projects, across machines, or to share with other users.
  During the editing process, you can save snapshots at any time. It is possible to create a User Snapshot by loading a Factory Snapshot and then modifying its settings. To show off all of KONTAKT’s features, you’ll need to save a Snapshot outside the KONTAKT Factory Library.
• Rack Multi-Instrument
  Whenever you’re working in KONTAKT, you’ll be in the Rack. Rack instruments can be seen and edited in both Multi and Performance views when in Multi-Instrument mode. Instrument Edit mode is included in the full version of KONTAKT, allowing you to modify a single instrument’s internal structures.
  When in Multi-Instrument mode, the name and associated settings for each Instrument in the Multi are displayed in a horizontal Instrument Header. With a maximum of 64 Instruments, you can break out your Multi among four pages of up to 16 Instruments each.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for macOS 10.10 or higher (64-bit only) and Windows 10 or higher (64-bit only). It comes in VST/RTAS/AU/AAX formats and supports 32 and 64 bit systems.

Summary:

The younger sibling of Kontakt 7, this plugin is useful for any music producer or artist. Many free sound libraries are compatible with it, and using it is a good way to test the waters before investing in the full version. If you want to learn piano but want to save time and money to buy a piano, this plugin could be just what you need.

Related Reading:

20 Best FREE Kontakt Libraries 2023 For Various Categories

2. Big Fish Audio Momentum

More Info & Download

With inspiring tools for shaping the sound, this free sampler will deliver quality and workflow to any project while also on budget.

Momentum has an incredibly well-thought interface, features exceptionally intuitive controls, and a great library that you can access at any time, and is vital for fast-paced projects.

You will enjoy a very modern and acclaimed loop technology and slicing effects, giving him the ability to produce impressive tracks and notes for any project.

Key Features:

• Store
  The built-in library in Momentum is complete and easily navigatable; this segment will organize categories, styles, and genres exceptionally well. Professional and award-winning samples and loops will also be easily accessible through the built-in store, which provides many well-made audio files to any producer’s reach.
• Effects
  The effects featured in Momentum are beneficial and make this free plugin complete and fully operational. While offering 18 slice effects, the samples can go through pitch-shifting, stutter, delay, and reverse for each slice. The BPM and stretching algorithms featured in the Big Fish Audio’s plugin are also convenient and provide informational changes for any sound. Momentum also offers a unique One-shot Engine that delivers one-of-a-kind one-shots with high quality and performance.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.11 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

Momentum is a handy tool for any project. Its great one-shot engine will focus on delivering One-Shot sounds that stand out perfectly in a mix. The many featured effects are also intuitive and effective. They are incredibly high-quality and surprising for a plugin that’s budget-friendly.

3. ApisonicLabs Speedrum Lite

More Info & Download

ApisionicLabs delivered an easy-to-use and user-friendly drum sampler with Sppedrum. Its customizable and intuitive interface makes any fast-paced project hugely easier.

Its main controls panel is fully equipped with the best effects and controls that any paid sampler could offer. Along with its complete performance, the plugin also is surprisingly effective for delivering high-quality drum patterns.

With exciting effects, Speedrum will color the drum patterns of your project with any vibes and textures that it needs. It can be more in-depth customized by waveform changes and layering effects.

Key Features:

• Main Controls
  Highly intuitive controls are present on the plugin’s main panel. Apart from being incredibly handy, you can assign these controls to MIDI Learn, which improves workflow and quality. You can also set the pads featured in the main panel to any 16 stereo outputs. An envelope for both volume and pitch is also present in each pad. In addition to that, Velocity, Pitch, Time, and Pan can also go through a humanization function.
• Effects
  Some interesting effects can serve exceptionally well for tuning and fine-shaping whatever drum samples in Speedrum. You can apply many distortion effects for unique sound creation. Filters and compressors work well in Speedrum, as well as an exciting Transient Shaper. With a Gain Control and a Hard clipper, you will be able to set the final adjustments before creating a solid drum sample.
• Layers
  Speedrum features eight sample layers assigned to every pad individually while also giving an edit option. With controls such as Lowpass and Highpass filters, every layer is highly customizable and you are able to rearrange and multi-edit layers with simple clicking and dragging. A waveform view of a loaded signal is also convenient to organically adjust the parameters of any sample.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.7 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

Speedrum is a convenient tool for shaping and setting unique drum patterns. The plugin’s many featured effects and controls will deliver the best options for customizing and coloring a sample for a brilliant drum impact in any mix. While Speedrum is an extraordinarily complete and fully-featured sampler, it is also free, which gives every producer an unmissable chance to upgrade whatever drum loop they want in their projects.

4. Decomposer Sitala

More Info & Download

Sitala’s editing controls are incredibly crucial in the process of creating a drum pattern or loop that stands out in any mix.

The Free drum sampler by Decomposer is a fantastic addition to any producer’s arsenal. By featuring a tremendous amount of options for operating the signal’s characteristics, you will be able to edit, slice, and shape whatever sample it’s implemented in the track.

With a complete interface, this plugin delivers satisfactory results while still being on a budget.

Key Features:

• Editing
  The complex algorithms of Sitala work exceptionally well in your favor. With automatic silence detection, the sample inserted will feature ideal start and endpoints, ensuring that the signal will start precisely on its first sound and resume on the last noise instead of featuring the whole audio file. Along with this brilliant algorithm, the plugins also has a Beat slicing assistant that automatically detects individual hits and slices them out.
• Effects
  Sitala offers four primary effects. You can determine the attack, length, and sustain of the sounds with shape while keeping the volume steady. The compression works intuitively well in Sitala, and it’s a fine addition to the effects panel. A tuning feature will be responsible for pitching the sound while giving you a handy monitoring display. With tone, you will be able to emphasize the high or low-end of a sound. The volume and pan offer intuitive controls and high-quality results.
• Management
  The Decomposer’s plugin has a constructive way of delivering freedom to you in its interface. While simply dragging and dropping, any producer will manage sounds quickly and effectively. The 16 assignable pads are also fascinating, allowing you to use Sitala’s built-in 808-kit. With many straightforward controls, you will make dynamic adjustments in the sample with musicality.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher 32-bit or 64-bit and macOS 10.10 or higher 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

The straightforward interface of Sitala makes it optimal for producers who want to make subtle sampling applications while still controlling every parameter in a quick and learning way. With complete main effects panels, you’ll be able to shape the characteristics of the implemented samples with some great tuning, pitching, and dynamic algorithms.

Sitala works delivering high-quality sounds while still being incredibly accessible.

Bonus Plugins:

1. Initial Audio Slice (Slicer Sampler)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Slice is excellent for shaping, stretching, reversing, and all kinds of modulations in any recorded sample. It focuses on delivering high-quality loops and beats.

Initial Audio made Slice deliver a precise service for producers and beatmakers wanting to create unique, colorful loops. By offering exciting patterns, parameters, and effects to help shape the loop, the brand new plugin by Initial Audio is efficient for genres such as hip hop and EDM.

With over 300 samples, you can shape and experiment with exceptionally recorded beat starters and drum patterns.

Key Features:

• 760 Samples
  Initial Slice packs more than three hundred unique beat starters produced by Initial Audio. It also has three hundred loops and one hundred and sixty well-recorded Drum sounds, all royalty-free. With these many alternative sounds, the plugin gives you room for experimentation and high-quality creations. The factory presets are highly rich in texture and fullness.
• Sample
  The process in which the samples go through in the plugin is exciting. By dragging and dropping samples, you can then apply fade-in, fade-out, stretching, pitch shifting, formant shifting, and a noise gate in the entire signal. You can also preserve a sample’s formants and loop or reverse them. The Sliced parts of the sound can be detuned pitch-shifted, looped, and reversed. There are three effects racks in Initial Slice. You can choose between eleven effects to add in one of the three effects racks. The effects, even though being standard for samplers, are extremely rich in textures and quality.
• Slice Sequencer
  The Slice Sequencer is a fantastic tool that has tremendous importance in the creative process. By selecting this feature, you’ll be able to compose directly in a built-in piano roll. This fantastic and unique option works accurately well with whatever sample is inserted and offers an intuitive and easy-to-use piano roll.
• Drum Sequencer
  The plugin also has a drum sequencer segment. The drum sequencer will give any producer the freedom and tools to create a drum pattern or sequence intuitively. With ten slots for holding drum samples, this feature will provide you the control over every individual slot’s gain, pan, pitch, and reverb. The possibility to add each of the slots to the sidechain is also pretty solid.
• Bass Sequencer
  By offering a slot to let you drag and drop their bass sample, the Bass Sequencer also features a piano roll for melody creation. The slot has knobs to control the sample’s Gain, Pan, Pitch, Fine-tune, Threshold, Release, and a handy Side-Chain button, which, when activated, will duck the bass concerning the drums.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.14 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

Initial Slice is a convenient sampler for creating unique and exciting loops. The plugin provides a Drum Sequencer feature that will intuitively help anyone achieve fantastic results for crafting unique drum patterns and sequences. With a Bass Sequencer and Slice Sequencer, you will explore different melodies and rhythms in a piano roll display.

Apart from the unique Sequencer features, Initial Slice provides a brilliant design with easy-to-use controls and effects to shape any sound with precision and swiftness.

Related Reading:

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

2. Audiomodern Loopmix (Loop Remixer, Sequencer)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Loopmix by Audiomodern is a creative loop remix and rearrangement plugin for transforming your loops into interesting and artistic sounds. 

It allows you to work with loops unconventionally and mix full-length loops with one-shots, other loops, sounds, etc. It inspires new beats and songs and does detailed sound design. It’s also a good way to recycle old ideas, melodies, grooves, etc., into something fresh.

Key Features:

• Presets
  The plugin has a great preset management system, using which you can import presets, create preset packs, and browse through a great collection of sounds, including presets of Late House, IDM Kits, LoFi kits, and more.
• Workflow
  Loopmix sequencer window has six tracks on which you can fix different loops on different time stamps.  In addition, there are windows for rearranging, reversing, and adjusting density, volume, and pitch for different loops. That can help you create interesting loops and track beds. You can also set the tempo for the Loopmix session.
• Utility
  It’s an interesting and creative way of creating drum loops, melody loops, basslines, and other elements. You can also drag in your loops, slice them, pitch them, edit them, etc., and create something new. Using a MIDI instrument, you can also trigger different clips from six tracks.
• Multifunctional keyboard
  You can arrange your stems and clips and assign them in up to two keyboard octaves to trigger sequences, loops, and arrangements with a single button click.

Compatibility:

The plugin is available in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin versions and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.12 or higher or Windows 10 or later operating system and 2 GB of hard disk space.

Summary:

Loopmix is one of the best looper plugins due to its detailed editing window and simple drag-and-drop workflow. The controls are intuitive, and the interface is attractive. However, it may seem a bit intimidating and all over the place at first, but it’s quite easy once you get your hands on it.

3. Glitchmachines Polygon 2.0 (Hybrid Sampler)

More Info & Price 

The updated version of Polygon by Glitchmachines, Polygon 2.0, is a hybrid synth sampler with many modulation modules and complex tools to provide excellent sound design.

The Glitchmachines plugin offers an extensive amount of controls on its interface to help any sound achieve uniqueness. Its granular mode is beyond helpful for delineating any instrumental vibe.

With a complete interface, Polygon 2.0 will entirely control any sound’s texture characteristics with intuitive knobs.

Key Features:

• Granular Engine
  Polygon 2’s Granular Mode will bring depth and color with its brilliantly designed algorithms. Any samples will be highly modified while still containing natural textures and organic elements when processed through Glitchmachines’ unique technological Granular Engine featuring a modern dual oscillator. The granular mode, when active, will offer many granular synthesis settings, such as timbre textures and sonic characteristics in the grains. When you assigns this mode, he will select between Rectangular, Triangular, and Hanning windows, changing aggressiveness levels. A Grain Chaos parameter is also present in this segment. It is an exciting tool for setting specific amounts of deviation on the size, pitch, and space of the granular level.
• Mod Section
  The modulation segment on Polygon 2.0 is fascinating. This segment will be optimal for any experimentation and sound designing technique while offering four mod sequencers, 8 LFOS, and many mod utilities. Featured in the Modulation Section is an impressive Randomizer panel, which, when active it isolates the plugin’s parameters for either a broad or narrow randomizing setting defined by yourself.
• 4 Sampler Modules
  The sampler modules come in four sections that you can insert any audio files. Apart from the many presets available, you can load his samples in the Modules section and define a significant number of parameters. By activating a chromatic mode, the plugin will play the sample chromatically. It can also reverse itself if you select the reverse playback option. Each of the four samples features attractive sound design options such as Amp, Coarse, Fine, Pan, Attack, and Release. The loaded samples can also be tuned, allowing some parameters and oscillators to track a standard pitch.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.11 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

Polygon 2 is an upgraded version of the renowned Polygon sampler. This new version features an immense field of possibilities for any producer and sound designer that wants unique and complex sound effects or instrumental tones. With many exciting features, the Granular Engine grabs extra attention with its easy-to-use controls and in-depth parameters. 

Be ready to introduce unique and specially customized sound effects by changing many sonic textures and characters with the sophisticated and unique sampler by Glitchmachines. Another splendid sampler from Glitchmachines is Palindrome. Check it out as well.

Related Reading:

Top 6 Glitch Machines Plugins For Music Production 

4. Accusonus Rhythmiq (Drum/Slicer Sampler)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

The level of practicality and control offered by Rhythmiq is exceptionally sophisticated. Using the central knob, you can adjust quickly and effectively any drum’s track characteristics.

Rhythmiq works phenomenally as a Drum Sampler. The plugin offers many options for performing drum patterns and variations accurately, allowing for exciting breaks and build-ups.

The Accusonus plugin also delivers fantastic assistance with a one-of-a-kind virtual assistant that helps any beats reach a unique level of quality.

Key Features:

• Beat Assistant
  Rhythmiq has a fantastic tool that uses a unique and formidable technology by Accusonous. The groundbreaking virtual assistant will analyze every beat character and apply changes to subtlety to make drum patterns and textures reach perfection. The variations offered by the Beat Assistant will constantly be evolving throughout the musical performance so that the beat will stay at a safe and high-quality standard.
• Stems
  There are three stems in Rhytmiq’s interface. They organize themselves so that the first stem controls the kick, the second the snare, and the third the hats sounds. Each of the stems has controls for Freeze, Arrange, Reverse, Silence, Pan, and Gain. With a giant library easily accessible on the plugin’s interface, any of the 100 preset factory samples can be added and customized with the stems. After setting the effects and parameters on the stem, a universal knob featured on the Beat Assistant display will provide general changes to the whole output.
• MIDI Learn
  The Accusonus plugin also has an exciting and exciting MIDI Learn function. For a quicker workflow, you can assign a midi control on any feature found on the main interface. This beneficial tool will make any producer operate in the most practical and fast-paced way. Almost every interactive part in Rhythmiq can be assigned to a MIDI learn option, making the plugin highly customizable and adaptative.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.10 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

With the Accusonus drum sampler Rhytmiq, anybody can produce exciting and detailed drum patterns and loops. By providing a high amount of freedom to assign controls and operations in your MIDI devices, Rhytmiq fits perfectly for fast-paced productions. The Beat Assistant will work with you to deliver perfect changes in textures for smooth or aggressive delivery.

5. Serato Sample (Intuitive Sampler)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

With many customizable options for the sonic’s sound characteristics, the Serato Sampler is an excellent tool for anyone looking to chop, stretch, or key-shift samples.

The immense possibilities for sound-shaping within Serato Sampler are mind-blowing. The algorithms in Time-stretching, Key-shifting, and many other processes are incredibly technological and modern.

The easy-to-use controls featured on the interface make this plugin seem extremely simple and handy for any producer independently of their experience with samplers.

Key Features:

• Manipulation
  Serato Sampler works incredibly well with creativity. The many exciting parameters featured on the main panel of the sampler are intuitive and modern. With single knobs, you can adjust specific values to the sample’s level, Filter, Attack, and Release. A reverse, key-shift, and time-stretch setting can also manipulate the sound to any vibe it needs.
• Control
  The plugin gives easy and total control over the inserted track. With indicative colored waveforms, the sample’s workspace will be organized and easy to use. The unique grid is extremely well-versed at synchronizing your samples to your project’s beat. With a waveform scrub and needle drop, you will be able to find precisely the textures he wants in his track and will be able to jump around and between tracks easily.
• Workflow
  By featuring Serato DJ’s famous Cue Point, every producer will be able to set and adjust trigger pads for a steady and quick workflow. The Keyboard mode is also incredibly effective at speeding up the work process. The plugin will feature a full-scale piano that you can play chromatically with the keyboard mode. You can also set the excellent search algorithm for a fast workflow to bring up the 32 best samples to work within the project.

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, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

Serato Sample is an incredible sampler that features extremely modern and technological algorithms. The time-stretching and key-shifting controls will completely manipulate the sample, which the plugin will organically make the effects through complex codes and data.

The sampler by Serato is also extremely easy to use. The controls can be adjusted and optimized to whatever the producer finds easier.

Related Reading:

Top 6 DJ Software For Live & Studio Use (+ 2 Free Apps)

6. Accusonus Regroover Essential (Regroover)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Accusonus’ Regroover Essential is a highly versatile plugin for creative, fast, and high-quality productions. The plugin makes it possible to reach magical and fantastic drum sounds and loops.

All the elements of a drum are incredibly well-represented in Regroover. With magical texture enrichment in kicks, snares, or claps, Regroover is an exciting addition to any track.

The plugin by Accusonous also features incredible modernity with its algorithms and Artificial Intelligence technology. Regroover is a must for any beatmakers and DJs.

Key Features:

• Artificial Intelligence
  Regroover Essential features an interesting artificial intelligence that does a highly accurate job. It takes audio files and separates them into Stems using complex algorithms and intelligent codes. For example, a fully recorded drum loop would individually give its kick, snares, and hats elements for different stems. This process is only possible because of the unique Artificial Intelligence developed by Accusonus and implemented in Regroover Essential.
• Layers
  The layers in Regroover Essential can be adjusted and perfected with the use of different friendly controls. For effects, apply an equalizer, noise gate, or compressor to any of the layers. A multichannel output also gives you an option to apply external effects. Apart from providing controls for panning and volume, the Accusonus plugin also offers loop markers that you can use to change the duration of the layer.

Compatibility:

This plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher 32-bit and 64-bit and macOS 10.10 or higher 32-bit and 64-bit. It comes in VST 2/3, AU, AAX, and RTAS formats.

Summary:

The award-winning Regroover by Accusonus will be the ideal tool for creatively recreating loops with freedom and control. By using intricate Artificial Intelligence, Regroover will let you redefine whatever texture and pattern in any drum mix while changing the tempo, rhythm, and parameters found in every layer of the audio sample.

Wrap It Up

By allowing music and sounds to be made from anything, the samplers provided in this article will treat any producer with versatility and practicality. With a vast array of options, Beatmakers can benefit from Native’s Instruments Battery 4, Accusonus Rhytmiq and Regroover Essential, and ApisonicLabs’ Speedrum Lite featured in previous sections.

Our favorite plugin for Beatmakers would be Regroover Essential. Its incredible Artificial Intelligence works precisely well at separating digital audio into organized Stems, which for us is a giant leap for changing different sections of literally any drum pattern.

For building intensively exciting instruments such as pads, leads, basses, and plucks, we favored plugins such as Kontakt 6 and Polygon 2.0. The option to mix any digital audio with Kontakt’s deeply developed instruments while using the plugin’s eight modules and changing whatever parameter within it is a unique opportunity to experiment with infinite possibilities.

Polygon 2.0 is also on the top of our list with its exciting granular mode making timbre settings in pads highly customizable, rich, and full of texture.

Sound Designers from movies, games, and films can get these highly easy-to-use plugins to achieve a great variety of sound effects and immersive ambient noises. With plugins such as Initial Audio’s Slicer, any creative barrier will nullify itself by the advantages of its slicing versatility, eleven effects, and three flexible sequencers.

All plugins mentioned in the article are full of modern and attractive traits. Our favorite selection is simply driven by our tastes and does not mean that some plugins are superior. Trying all samplers in the list by prioritizing one’s particular tastes and preferences is the best recommendation since all plugins featured in the article bring specific attributes to the table.

Similar Topic:

Top 6 Rompler VST/AU Plugins 2023 You Can Get (Paid & FREE)

This article will explore the best rompler plugins for 2023 and what a rompler plugin is.

Rompler plugins are a great way to get out of a creative rut since they come equipped with loads of inspiring sounds and require no time spent on sound design. However, before we get to the meat of the article, it’s essential to analyze what exactly is a rompler plugin and how it differs from other synthesizer plugins.

The difference between a rompler and a sampler is that you can actually load your own samples into a sampler and modify them. A rompler comes with sounds that you can’t adjust in much detail. On the other hand, a synthesizer is a tool that helps you craft sounds from scratch without needing audio samples.

A rompler is a synthesizer that plays ready-made sounds based on audio samples.   The appeal of romplers is how convenient they are. The chances are that a rompler will come with 100-200 sounds. After a while, you will familiarize yourself with them and be able to recall them when you need a quick sound to flesh out an idea.  Instead of tweaking a synthesizer for hours to get a sound right (by which time the original idea you had might be gone), a rompler helps you flesh out your production ideas fast without spending time on sound design.

1. TheSynthFactory HoriZEN (Paid)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

HoriZEN is a hybrid rompler synthesizer by TheSynthFactory. It combines a rompler with a dual OSC engine.

HoriZEN is one of the more flexible rompler options since it includes an oscillator for subtractive synthesis. Add a broad range of effects, an excellent user interface, and an interactive X/Y pad, and you get a sophisticated rompler synth.

Key Features:

• Hybrid sound
  The main feature of a traditional rompler is its sample engine, where the sounds you trigger are stored. HoriZEN has a four-voice sample engine, and you can control each voice through the matrix panel. Each voice has knobs for envelope and filter modulation, pitch, tremolo, vibrato, volume, panning, FM, and many more options. You can also enable and disable sample voices as you see fit. Where HoriZEN truly innovates is in the dual oscillator synth engine. This engine consists of three subtractive synth voices. Each voice is made of two oscillators that are cross-faded together. You can control the volume, panning, FM, vibrato, Filter 1 & 2, and tremolo from the synth engine. If you click the E button, you enter the synth voice editor, where you get more control over the oscillator.
• Player pages
  HoriZEN includes three player systems that help users generate melodic and rhythmic ideas quickly and effortlessly. First, there is an arp page that works as a straightforward arpeggiator. It can run on six different modes, including latch and MIDI thru. The second page is called gates and hosts three master gates, two gain-based gates, and a filter gate. The filter gate uses a dedicated multimode filter which you can edit according to your needs and select between nine different types of filtering. The gain gates allow you to select the number of steps, modulation depth, tempo, and inter-step smoothing. Finally, the last player page is called chords. It’s a robust system that helps you generate chords with ease. This is particularly useful for producers who are not familiar with music theory. You can even augment the basic chords it provides by adding extra notes for exciting voicings.
• Nine effects
  HoriZEN includes a compelling selection of effects. Each of the four sample voices can hold up to two dedicated independent effects. The effects come from a selection of nine choices which include options like reverb, delay, saturation, convolution, wave shaper, phaser, EQ, and compressor. You can also select up to four independent master effects from the same list of effects. These will affect the sound of HoriZEN as a whole.
• Filters
  HoriZEN has two independent filters. Each of them has nine different custom filter shapes. They come with the usual cutoff, resonance, envelope modulation, and key track controls. Interestingly, each filter has a dedicated LFO assigned to the frequency knob. The LFOs come with six different shapes, including a custom one that the user can draw. They can run freely or synced to the host DAW tempo and can also be set to loop or one-shot modes.
• X/Y pad
  One of the most fun features of HoriZEN is the X/Y pad. It’s assigned to the volume of the four sample voices, and the idea is that you can interactively mix them by drawing on the pad. The pad sounds excellent and smooth, the result of hard research by TheSynthFactory, which ensured the pad will sound musical at all times. In addition, you can record your patterns on it, which you can later retrigger, something that makes HoriZEN an insanely powerful live performance tool.

Compatibility:

HoriZEN is available on Windows and macOS in VST3 and AU formats, 64-bit only.

Summary:

HoriZEN is not your typical rompler. It includes features not commonly found in romplers, like the X/Y pad, the three-voice synth engine, and the ability to generate musical ideas through the player pages. All of these features combined with an intuitive user interface make HoriZEN an excellent choice for all new or experienced producers.

 

2. Nils’ K1v (Free)

More Info & Download

K1v is a VST rompler plugin that emulates the Kawai K1 digital synthesizer. 

The original Kawai K1 hardware synthesizer used digital synthesis to create luscious synth sounds and evolving pads, although it lacked hands-on control over the tone of the sound. Nil’s emulation with K1v is extraordinarily faithful and includes all ROM cards from the original hardware, which add up to over 1000 presets.

Key Features:

• Four sound sources
  K1v has four sound sources per voice. Each sound source holds 256 waveforms, 204 of which are additive, while the rest are PCM waveforms. This is one of the main features that give K1v its characteristic digital sound. The overall sound is rich and thick, courtesy of the 256 waveforms per sound source.
• Detailed control
  As most romplers do, K1v has a variety of controls to help you fine-tune the samples stored inside it. You can adjust an ADSR envelope mapped to the volume of the sound, a coarse tune knob, and a fine tune knob. Furthermore, you can adjust the modulation properties of K1v, like velocity, pressure, filter modulation, and volume modulation. An LFO can be used as a modulator to affect different parameters, while ring modulation can also be applied between the layers.
• Faithful digital sound
  The biggest aim of K1v was to faithfully emulate the Kawai K1 digital synthesizer. The result is a highly faithful emulation of the original synthesizer with patches that closely copy ones from the original and the inclusion of all original ROM cards. Furthermore, the presets stored in these ROM cards are divided into banks with search capabilities, something that makes for a quick learning curve.
• Preset browser
  One of the most well fleshed out features of K1v is its preset browser. The browser includes the ability to edit and store presets so that you can create your custom sounds. What’s even more impressive is the ability to communicate with the original hardware Kawai K1 synthesizer. So, for example, you could copy presets from the original hardware and transfer them to your K1v software and vice versa.

Compatibility:

K1v is available on Windows, Linux, and macOS in VST2.4, VST3, and AU formats.

Summary:

K1v is a fantastic free rompler. Its digital sound is versatile and can be used in virtually any genre you can imagine. It’s faithful to the original it pays tribute to and has some nifty features, like ring modulation and a well-thought-out preset browser.

 

3. Audiolatry RetroVibes (Paid But Cheap)

More Info & Price (FREE Version Available)

RetroVibes is a rompler plugin designed by Audiolatry. 

RetroVibes offers precisely what its name suggests. It’s dedicated to bringing to life retro synth sounds from the 80s for you to use in your contemporary productions. It can be used in EDM, Pop, Synthpop, Trap, or any other modern music genre.

Key Features:

• Basic control
  RetroVibes looks and feels more like a traditional rompler plugin. This is evident from the basic controls it offers to adjust the sounds it includes. You get access to an ADSR amp envelope for sculpting your sound and a filter. The filter is dual-mode with lowpass and highpass modes, and you can adjust just the cutoff frequency.
• LFO
  One of the big perks of RetroVibes is the LFO it includes for modulation. The LFO can be set to either triangle, sin, saw, square, or exponent wave, and you can adjust the speed and depth of the modulation. You can also send it to three different destinations: pan, expression, or pitch. Finally, you can set the source to aftertouch, velocity, mod wheel, or none.
• Reverb and Glide
  RetroVibes has one master effect in the form of reverb. You can only adjust the reverb amount with a single knob which will add space and depth to your sound. There is also a fun glide knob that will give you the famous glide sound when set on legato mode. You can set the voicing to legato, polyphonic, or monophonic.
• Presets
  RetroVibes has 48 presets for you to get inspired and use. The preset menu is well organized and maps each sound to a different category depending on its type (bass, lead, etc.). There is also a free version called RetroVibes Lite which only includes 16 presets.

Compatibility:

RetroVibes is available on Windows and macOS in VST, VST3, and AU formats.

Summary:

RetroVibes is a straightforward rompler plugin. What you see is what you get, which feels much more in line with what you’d expect from a traditional rompler plugin. The sounds are inspiring, and the addition of a detailed LFO for modulation is much appreciated. I’d say it’s worth trying the free version, and if you enjoy it get the full RetroVibes.

 

4. MonsterDAW Monster Bass (Free)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Monster Bass is a bass rompler plugin designed by MonsterDAW. 

Monster Bass is all about the bass and low-end focused sounds. The sounds come in presets divided in three categories depending on the type of bass sound they offer. It’s an excellent choice for producers working in bass-centered styles of music like Trap, Dubstep, and Bass music.

Key Features:

• Wide range of sounds
  Monster Bass includes sounds that can cover almost any genre of music. The bass sounds are split into three categories: synth bass, electric bass, and acoustic bass. In the synth’s bass category, expect to find Dubstep-appropriate wobble bass sounds and thick fuzzy bass sounds. The other two categories include bass sounds that can be used in any genre, from pop to rock music.
• Basic control
  Monster Bass is exceptionally straightforward and includes just a handful of knobs to shape your bass sounds. There is an ADSR envelope for volume shaping and a filter for sonic sculpting. The filter has lowpass and highpass modes which add a bit of extra sonic flexibility.
• LFO
  The most hands-on feature of Monster Bass is easily the LFO. It’s a single LFO that can modulate a few different parameters. You can choose from a few different shapes, such as triangle, square, and saw, and send the LFO to destinations like pitch or expression to add interest and movement to your sounds. The source of the LFO can be set to aftertouch or mod wheel, something that adds a bit of life and expression to your sounds. You can tweak rate and depth knobs to fine-tune the effect.
• Low RAM
  Because it’s such a simple plugin, Monster Bass requires minimal RAM to run. It requires a tiny percentage of your CPU, so you can run multiple instances of it without worrying about lags or freezes. This is another reason why it’s a great first choice for someone just starting out producing.

Compatibility:

Monster Bass is available on Windows and macOS in VST and AU formats.

Summary:

Monster Bass is a fantastic choice for a beginner producer who needs a quick and reliable synth to create bass sounds. The interface is simple and easy to learn, the sounds are varied and cover a lot of styles, and the low RAM usage means it can run on the cheapest machine without issues. Not much to fault here.

 

5. Electronik Sound Lab 808 Bass Module 4 (Free)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

808 Bass Module 4 is a rompler plugin by Electronik Sound Lab that focuses on 808 sounds.

808 Bass Module 4 is a very cohesive plugin since it focuses entirely on 808 bass sounds. If you produce Trap music, Hip Hop, Electro-Pop, or any other modern genre, you’ll probably need an 808 sound. This plugin can help you get there with ease. The plugin is not free, but a free Lite version includes just 16 presets to get you started.

Key Features:

• Thick sound
  808s are some of the most popular and influential sounds of modern music. Everyone knows what an 808 bass sound is, no matter what music genre you produce or if you’re familiar with the original drum machine of the same name. 808 Bass Module 4 offers a wide variety of 808s that cover the entire spectrum of what an 808 can be. You get fuzzy 808s or extremely deep ones, but the sound is always rich and thick.
• Sound sculpting
  For sound sculpting, 808 Bass Module 4 includes a lowpass filter to roll off unwanted high frequencies from your 808s. There’s also an ADSR amp envelope to sculpt your 808s shape and ensure it fits your track. Finally, there is a distortion effect with a single knob that adds harmonic distortion to your 808. This is precisely what you need for your 808 to cut through the mix and be felt on all playback systems.
• Main controls
  There are four knobs in the main controls panel inside 808 Bass Module 4. The glide knob will give you the legato glide feel many producers (including myself) are known for. There is a gain knob for adjusting the level of the 808 and two modulation knobs. The modulation knobs (rate and depth) control the LFO that modulates the 808 to add interest and variation.
• Presets
  Romplers are all about presets since they are sample-based instruments and can’t generate sounds from scratch. 808 Bass Module 4 passes the rompler quality test with flying colors since it comes with 318 presets. All presets are of high quality and cover a wide range of 808 styles and sounds.

Compatibility:

808 Bass Module 4 is available on Windows 8.1 – 10 and macOS 10.13. or higher in VST, VST3, and AU formats.

Summary:

808 Bass Module 4 is a highly versatile 808 tool. If you use 808s in your everyday productions, then this could be a worthy investment. The bank of 808s is broad, and the interface is simple enough for anyone to learn quickly. If you’re unsure, try the Lite version for free and see for yourself if this awesome little rompler can suit your workflow.

 

6. MonsterDAW Monster Synth (Free)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

Monster Synth is a free rompler plugin by MonsterDAW.

Created by Agus Hardiman, Monster Synth is the ideal rompler synth plugin for beginner producers. The sounds are of excellent quality, and the interface is easy enough for anyone to learn.

Key Features:

• Versatile sounds
  The sounds that come with Monster Synth are perfect for most contemporary electronic genres. They are divided into categories like bells, brass, pads, risers, weird SFX, and basses. The sounds are great and feel inspiring. They are particularly great for all EDM genres like Dubstep and Psytrance.
• Sound shaping
  Monster Synth is a reasonably simple rompler, so there’s not much sound shaping to be done. You have access to an ADSR envelope, though, for basic sound shaping. There is also a dual-mode filter with a frequency knob to roll off unwanted frequencies and a glide knob to get legato effects. Moreover, a reverb knob lets you introduce reverb for space and depth. Finally, you can set the voicing to polyphonic, monophonic, or legato.
• LFO
  There is an LFO inside Monster Synth, which is how you can achieve some interesting sound design effects. You can assign it to targets like pitch and expression, and also map it to your mod wheel for some expressive control. Finally, you can set the rate and depth knobs to finalize the sound of the LFO.
• Functionality
  Monster Synth is a very functional synthesizer since it requires low CPU usage, meaning you can run multiple instances of it and get no issues of lagging or freezing. There are also 100 presets, which are more than enough to get you started. However, the team at MonsterDAW is already preparing more to share for free soon.

Compatibility:

Monster Synth is available on Windows and macOS in VST2, VST3, and AU formats.

Summary:

Monster Synth is an excellent free choice for producers looking for their first synth. It has everything you are looking for in a rompler, like an easy to learn and simple interface, good quality sounds, straightforward sound shaping controls, and a good team behind it that will keep providing you with new presets.

Bonus

G-Sonique X-Prog 4600 (Paid)

More Info & Price (Trial Available)

X-Prog 4600 is a modern rompler plugin by G-Sonique that specializes in Psytrance.

The overall design of X-Prog 4600 caters to Progressive Psytrance, Classic Trance, Minimal House, and many other similar genres that require high-energy leads and big pads.

Key Features:

• Amazing electro sound
  X-Prog 4600 is a fantastic synth plugin for those who need a reliable and quick choice for Psytrance songs. The sounds are unique and surprisingly eclectic. There are thick lead sounds, evocative pads, experimental sound effects, and abstract textures. There are also fat bass sounds and transitional effects like risers. However, all the sounds are polished enough to inspire you and can be tweaked further for a more customized sound. Overall, there are over 172 presets included in X-Prog 4600.
• LFO
  The LFO inside X-Prog 4600 is very well built and provides some serious sound design options. The LFO can be set to modulate the sound’s volume, pitch, panning, and expression. In addition, you can adjust the depth and rate of the LFO to get the right effect and route it to your mod wheel or aftertouch for more expressive and evocative sounds.
• Multi-sample hard drive technology
  X-Prog 4600 uses a smart multi-sample hard drive technology that saves your RAM data with high-quality sound interpolation. This means that your sounds will always be playback on the highest quality without sacrificing RAM for quality. It also means that your X-Prog 4600 will consume low CPU usage, keeping your processor light and free to work on other processes.
• Basic controls
  The rest of the controls inside X-Prog 4600 are straightforward to use. You get an ADSR envelope for volume shaping, which you can use to turn sounds into pads or long, evocative patches. In addition, there is a space knob for adding reverb, a glide knob that gives you a legato effect, and a voicing bar for setting your patch to polyphonic, monophonic, or legato.

Compatibility:

X-Prog 4600 is available on Windows XP or higher and macOS in VST, VSTi, and AU formats.

Summary:

X-Prog 4600 is the ideal choice for producers that create Psytrance, Minimal, or Trance music who also need a simple synth with a quick workflow. The sounds are amazing and eclectic, and the experimental sound effects and textures steal the show. I’d recommend this to all producers, beginners, or experienced.

Conclusion

Romplers are a very reliable and easy choice for sound selection and production. While they don’t offer the in-depth sound design possibilities traditional synthesizers do, they have their place in a producer’s arsenal. They can be an easy way to start a project with familiar sounds or an excellent place to start when feeling stuck or uninspired.

This list is meant to help you understand what to expect when looking for your first rompler. However, even if you’ve been through some romplers before, this list can still help you get some ideas for new plugin choices and get you unstuck from a creative block.

 

Related Reading:

Top 12 Hardware Samplers For Music Production 2023