##UPDATED## 25 Free Mastering and Mixing VST plug-ins

There is some very expensive and sophisticated hardware and software out there that these plug-ins cannot possible come close to in terms of quality.

In my limited experience though, what they can do though is give a helping hand with a mix. Also, and perhaps more importantly, by seeing how the controls are set when the various presets are selected, we can maybe start to learn a little more of the various processes that are going on and begin to understand more about mixing and the challenging subject of mastering.

We've attempted to show a preset on each screenshot, and wherever possible, we've snapped the VST in action, so you get to see all the pretty lights!

Click on the product name to go direct to the download page.



1. ANTRESS MODERN 'CHANNEL'



This has a limiter, compressor and equalizer, plus an Analog setting to warm up the sound. The presets are aimed more at individual instruments but with some tweaking the unit can be quite useful.



2. ANTRESS MODERN 'DEEP PURPLE'



This has a default flat setting, plus 7 [un-named] presets.



3. VOXENGO 'OVERTONE GEQ'



Very nice stereo EQ VST which can subtly widen and separate a mix by applying slightly different EQ settings at identical frequencies to the left and right channels. This has a few presets to get you going.



4. PUSHTEC '5 1A LEFTOVER LASAGNE'



Loads of presets, mainly for instruments but there are 12 specific mix options.



5. BOOSTY 'RESCUE'



Nice unit with an analog option, plus controls for 'punch' and 'width'. The presets are quite limited for mastering but there are some useful set ups to be had with a bit of experimentation.



6. SWEETBOY 'T-SLEDGE'



This is a fantastic piece of kit - there are loads of mastering and mixing presets and for my money, the best unit here.



7. TESSLA 'SE 1.1'



Nice saturation VST - I've just updated from my original but haven't had much of a play yet - if it's anything like the previous version, this is a nice bit of kit indeed.


8. TESSLA PRO



Updated version of the SE 1.1 - has a 'Pro' tag but it's still free!



9. TLS 'SATURATED DRIVER'



Emulated tube saturation with some very good presets - with a little experimentation, this is a very capable unit.



10. ELOGOXA 'X-CITA'



In my opinion, second only to the T-Sledge, this cracking little tool only has three controls - 'exiters' for low and high contours and an output level. It has a few presets, but it's so simple to experiment with, these act only as starting points. I've also tried this in conjunction with the T-Sledge for some very nice results - I found the X-Cita placed after the T-Sledge in the chain gave the best sounds.



11. C3 'MULTI BAND COMPRESSOR'



I haven't had this very long so I'll edit in a report when I've had chance to give it a bit of use - there do seem to be some decent mastering presets in there though.



12. BLOCKFISH



Great compressor with characteristics.



13. KJAERHUS CLASSIC SERIES


Classic Compressor pictured

Really good vintage style auto-filter, chorus, flanger, phaser, compressor, eq, delay, reverb and limiter



14. TAL-TUBE



Tube saturator with additional amplifier mode.



15. LMC-1



SSL's own free replication of the original listen mic compressor.



16. GVST GCOMP



RMS/Peak and soft knee compressor. Also check out GClip, a clipper with free soft knee setting.



17. ELECTRI-Q (Posihfopit)



Flexible graphic parametric EQ. Also don't forget to check the Electri-Q manual out about different filter types and how they work.



18. JB FEROX



Tape Saturation plugin. JB also has lots of other great plugins, amongst them a psychoacoustic compressor...



19. STARDUST



Channel/mastering processor.



20. BASSLANE



Tightens bass stereofield without affecting other freq's.



21. YOUWASHOCK



Multiband limiter based on four Maximus presets, pretty much the same as FL Studio Soundgooderizer.



22. WOW & FLUTTER



Speed imperfection emulator.



23. COLORTONE FREE



Analog signal path emulator.



24. NEBULA 3 FREE



Vintage gear emulator multi-fx containg compressors, eq's, saturation etc... CPU hog, but really great sound!



25. LinearPhaseGraphicEQ 2



Great mastering EQ VST - thanks to Daniel Rumley [rumleymusic] for the link.

Thanks for this Steve! I'll have to check some of these out.

I've been using the blue series as well as just the old cakewalk fx1 and 2 bundles and have been pretty happy with them. How much of a step up are these from the old directx stuff? Also, do the graphics work with the vst wrapper as well because with most of the effects I've tried you only get the basic slider type interface after it's been wrapped? Thanks!

It's not long since I got the Blue stuff Cyrus, is there a mastering/mixing plug in there?

The screenshots of the VST's were taken in use in my GT3, the interfaces you see are exactly what you get after the VST adapter has wrapped them.

Steve

I don't use blue for mastering but then again I don't think that waht I do qualifies as such. Right now I only run an eq then the FX2 tape sim with either med or light saturation at 30ips. I do any compression on individual tracks as needed, usually bass and sometimes vox. I'm in the middle of downloading all these programs so I have something to play with this weekend!!

ORIGINAL: SteveStrummerUK


It's not long since I got the Blue stuff Cyrus, is there a mastering/mixing plug in there?

The screenshots of the VST's were taken in use in my GT3, the interfaces you see are exactly what you get after the VST adapter has wrapped them.

Steve

I really like their Blue Stereo. I use it a lot! And sometimes I use the Blue EQ, but I don't use their compressor or limiter at all.

Actually Z, until you mentioned the High Pass filter in one of the Blue VST's in the other thread, I'd never heard of them.

For free stuff, it's a very impressive collection.

T.H.A.N.K.S. for the tip off mate.

I used to use that one too a bunch, when I was using my onboard soundcard, but I don't need it hardly at all anymore, but it still worked good. And yes, for free these things are really pretty cool.
No P.R.O.B.

Good links Steve. I like the TLS-Saturated Driver, that one (on the 'warmer' setting) usually finds it's way to the Master Bus on my stuff.

ORIGINAL: jamesg1213

Good links Steve. I like the TLS-Saturated Driver, that one (on the 'warmer' setting) usually finds it's way to the Master Bus on my stuff.

Hi James, I've had it a while but never really got to run it through its paces - I only did so for this article really and I find it very subtle, but very effective, if that makes sense!

BTW James, I followed up your advice on the Caroline guitar settings - I backed off the distortion stage on the rhythm guitars and ran them through the PSP Vintage Warmer [thanks Doc!!] on the 'Snare drum' setting of all things and it sounds much thicker and less 'fizzy'.

As soon as I've done an updated scratch track, I'll leave the link in my sig.

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

ORIGINAL: pistolpete

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

I can't speak for JamZor but I'm gobsmacked.







Speechless.....

Not Godsmacked?


But really so how does it feel to be completely astounded?

ORIGINAL: Doc_Hollingsworth

But really so how does it feel to be completely astounded?

Completely lost for words Doc - I got a compliment from his Trollness!

Did I just read a compliment from Pete? Thanks for all this Steve I will try them out.

ORIGINAL: ohgrant

Did I just read a compliment from Pete? Thanks for all this Steve I will try them out.

Yup - a compliment from Pete - he must have been sober


Grant, as James mentions, the TLS Saturated Driver is a very nice bit of kit, well worth a try.

Sobriety implies a previous state of inebriation. Which I don't think existed in the first place.

ORIGINAL: Doc_Hollingsworth

Sobriety implies a previous state of inebriation. Which I don't think existed in the first place.

Wise words Doc, if that IS your real name....



.... your sobriety in writing this post shall never be brought into question.








Now where's CJ with my next Guinness..................


................ OI!! We're over here - by the jukebox!!

moocher! Right, you'd take a free Guinness where ever you can get it! Actually you'd take anybody's Guinness. Now where are the three kegs you owe me, Strummy?

Great thread Steve. I've often wondered about a couple of these, Thanks!

Thanks Vernon - kind words.

I was only trying to sort out what was and wasn't worth keeping in my ever expanding VST list when I had the idea to share these.

Hopefully, I'll add a few more categories of free VST's when I get the time.

Steve

Wow..Steve, you got moved..so the Mods do go to GT now and again!

ORIGINAL: jamesg1213

Wow..Steve, you got moved..so the Mods do go to GT now and again!

LOL - I said the same thing to Doc earlier on James!!

I reckon he must have got lost looking for somewhere far more important - still, it got moved for the right reason I guess - only problem is there's two of 'em in here now!

ORIGINAL: jamesg1213

Wow..Steve, you got moved..so the Mods do go to GT now and again!

Yes and they deleted one of my threads!

Outstanding list Steve. To bad the mods did not pin it.

Thanks
Shad

ORIGINAL: pistolpete

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

trying really hard to make friends today i guess huh pete? lol.

ORIGINAL: foxwolfen

Outstanding list Steve. To bad the mods did not pin it.

Thanks
Shad

Thanks for the kind words Shad.

BTW, I haven't forgotten getting you involved on HOTMK - I just haven't got around to arranging the bits and bobs into a coherent song yet. I'll let you know when I finally get there if you're still up for it.

ORIGINAL: joshhunsaker

ORIGINAL: pistolpete

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

trying really hard to make friends today i guess huh pete? lol.

LOL - it took me two or three hours to put the post together Josh - that's probably three times how long it's taken the pisstol man to rattle up his 800 odd posts of puerile drivel. I still appreciate him though, he makes me feel functional!

Some more...

11. Blockfish



Great compressor with characteristics.



12. Kjaerhus Classic Series


Classic Compressor pictured

Really good vintage style auto-filter, chorus, flanger, phaser, compressor, eq, delay, reverb and limiter



13. TAL-Tube



Tube saturator with additional amplifier mode.



14. MB Spatty



Mid side gain to adjust stereowidth



15. LMC-1



SSL's own free replication of the original listen mic compressor.



16. GVST GComp



RMS/Peak and soft knee compressor. Also check out GClip, a clipper with free soft knee setting.



17. Electri-Q (Posihfopit)



Flexible graphic parametric EQ. Also don't forget to check the Electri-Q manual out about different filter types and how they work.



18. JB Ferox



Tape Saturation plugin. JB also has lots of other great plugins, amongst them a psychoacoustic compressor...



19. Stardust



Channel/mastering processor.



20. Basslane



Tightens bass stereofield without affecting other freq's.



21. YouWaShock



Multiband limiter based on four Maximus presets, pretty much the same as FL Studio Soundgooderizer.



22. Wow & Flutter



Speed imperfection emulator.



23. Colortone Free



Analog signal path emulator.



24. Nebula 3 Free



Vintage gear emulator multi-fx containg compressors, eq's, saturation etc... CPU hog, but really great sound!


_____________________________

Other nice effect plugs are off course interruptor's different delays, Izotope's Vinyl and the Tapestop plugin as well as GVST's GRevDly
(a reverse delay) and the different guitar amp-emulators like Studio Devil Britich Valve Custom, Fretted Synth's Free Amp 3, Cortex and the Simulanalog Guitar Suite.

I would definitely recommend the Voxengo Overtone GEQ, Pushtec, Rescue, Tessla and TLS Saturated Driver Steve mentioned as well.

Hi there Legion.

There's some great stuff here - I've linked your post direct from mine.

Many thanks for your time and research.

Best wishes

Steve

Ha ha, being poor means one has to searsh for the gems in the jungle of free stuff I got really inspired by your post and as I saw some of my favourite plugs mentioned I thought I could add some more to the list. This thread is definitely a great initiative!

ORIGINAL: Legion

Ha ha, being poor means one has to searsh for the gems in the jungle of free stuff I got really inspired by your post and as I saw some of my favourite plugs mentioned I thought I could add some more to the list. This thread is definitely a great initiative!

I've only paid for two plugins - the PSP Vintage Warmer 2, which is a really impressive bit of kit and gets used all over my mixes, and I just bought the Har-Bal software two days ago but I haven't had much chance to play with it yet.

The rest of the 200 plus VST's I've got available either came with my recording software or a free downloads!

I just did a scan of my vst-folder and found 697 dll-files... I haven't bought one VST yet (just don't have the money, there sure are some I want...) if one don't count the ones that comes bundled with hardware or the Sonah. (I really need to have a late spring clean in my folder though as there, obviously, are a lot I never actually use and some that indeed are quite bad)

Ha ha - 697!! - and I thought I was a hoarder!!

BTW, I can't believe I missed out the Bass Lane from my original set - it has a permanent spot in my bass guitar FX bin and if I'm not using loops, I bus it and send the kick drum through it too.




PS - I'll be done in about 5 minutes with the edit!

So does the wow and flutter affect both channels the same or each individually? Or could applying this effect separately to L and R channels with subtle yet slightly different settings be used to make a recording sound wider (since the L/R difference would be slightly increased)? After reading some threads about how some people claim that digital recording narrows the stereo field someone suggested that L and R channels on tape may not be 100% in sync that it may be the cause of the so-called "wider" analog sound. It would be interesting to test that idea in digital using something like this plugin...

ORIGINAL: SteveStrummerUK

BTW, I haven't forgotten getting you involved on HOTMK - I just haven't got around to arranging the bits and bobs into a coherent song yet. I'll let you know when I finally get there if you're still up for it.

Bien sur mon ami. Looking forward to it.

Cheers
Shad

ORIGINAL: altima_boy_2001

So does the wow and flutter affect both channels the same or each individually? Or could applying this effect separately to L and R channels with subtle yet slightly different settings be used to make a recording sound wider (since the L/R difference would be slightly increased)? After reading some threads about how some people claim that digital recording narrows the stereo field someone suggested that L and R channels on tape may not be 100% in sync that it may be the cause of the so-called "wider" analog sound. It would be interesting to test that idea in digital using something like this plugin...

Lucas - if you set the unit to 'Dual' mode, there are separate controls for the left and right channels - Legion may be able to help you more as it's one of his.



Shad - I'll be in touch.

The description for the YouWaShock plug is a classic:

Use: Though nothing can bring back the missing particle You Wa Shock ! strength is in the behind parts. Excrete excite sound for your trucks. Push harder for more excite sound. The knob will go up. You can operate You Wa Shock ! as early as possible in the truck or to be late. The 4 A B C D fixings create new crunch excrete. Listen for a happy sound.

I've been searching for a way to excrete excite sound for my trucks. :)

altima_boy_2001: You should be able to do that, just remember to keep the effect subtle or you could easily make it sound old and broke instead (wich sometimes, still, combined with a tape saturator can be just what the doctor ordered )

What pray tell is a truck? (Other than a vehicle for hauling stuff?)

A truck is, off course, what every musician want to excrete excite from. Do it early, don't be to late!

ORIGINAL: Legion

A truck is, off course, what every musician want to excrete excite from. Do it early, don't be to late!

I thougt it was the next step up from a bus.

What a silly pruck I am

If you don't excrete excite on your truck you might be late for the bus. Then you will make an unhappy sound instead of hearing the happy one you were looking for.

Question is can you excite your lorry (if that would be the preffered word depending on nativity) and is YouWaShock working as well as MTV's Pimp My Ride?

Hrrrmmm.. when my keyboard starts excreting, I think I will indeed have to run it over with a truck.

ORIGINAL: Legion

A truck is, off course, what every musician want to excrete excite from. Do it early, don't be to late!

just don't run your truck into your buss and you'll be okay. That might be too much excitement for one excrement.

altima_boy_2001: You should be able to do that, just remember to keep the effect subtle or you could easily make it sound old and broke instead (wich sometimes, still, combined with a tape saturator can be just what the doctor ordered )

With the wow & flutter plugin it seems quite hard to get a subtle effect whenever it's set into "dual" mode. After an hour I just gave up. Another problem was when I closed the plugin GUI and pressed play it reset to some default, over-the-top preset, even if I saved the settings as my own preset. I guess I'll be looking for something else.

Hmmm, haven't had that problem you're describing. Still, to get a subtle effect instead of inserting it directly into the master bus try routing only the sounds more compatible with the effect through it on the way to the master, I've found that working pretty well (it wont solve the problem with the plugin resetting on you though...).

Never mind. Mistaken bump.

Steve, I appreciate learning the kings english from your posts. Don't let us Americans americanize your English. But, please post the definition of what Pruck means... umm but only if it's suitable for nuns and little kids to read.

ORIGINAL: Rbh

Steve, I appreciate learning the kings english from your posts. Don't let us Americans americanize your English. But, please post the definition of what Pruck means... umm but only if it's suitable for nuns and little kids to read.

I was just mimicking the misplaced vowels in the passage about the 'YouWaShock' plugin Bitflipper quoted above.

It misspells the word track as truck - I chose to misspell another word as 'pruck'

The excellent Voxengo Overtone GEQ has been updated to v1.5 - DOWNLOAD HERE

Thanks for the information, downloaded it now

ORIGINAL: pistolpete

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe he uses OZONE 3 and then over to CD Architect for masters.

ORIGINAL: spindlebox

ORIGINAL: pistolpete

Wow, some actually useful info from Steve!
I wonder which one JamzOr uses to compress the crap out of the free mastering he does.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe he uses OZONE 3 and then over to CD Architect for masters.

Hey Scott, I missed that little gem somehow!

Strange ain't it that when you give his trolliness some real info he goes all quiet

I only popped in for a bumpity-bump - up yer go...

Steve/ Legion: thanks for the links to new toys galore! The only one I've used in that list is Kjaerhaus Classic, whioch I've used a lot. But I love new toys, so.......

By the way, that was clearly NOT pete, but a very clever imposter............

BootEQ



Bootsy always makes great plugins and now he's come up with an EQ. I've only tried it a little yet but I really think it's woth it to give it a shot.

Love the concept behind this thread. In keeping with my tendency to look gift horses in the mouth, could I offer a suggestion?...

That only plugins that have been confidently voted (by at least one person) as being significantly better than other widespread alternatives be allowed into the top post. IOW, I love to hear suggestions of cool, weird, or new plugins, but I really, REALLY like SteveStrummerUK's original premise of listing the plugins he is keeping as he throws out all the other interesting ones he's accumulated. There is a very long thread of free plugins on this site, as on most recording forums, but they all grow extremely long and sprawling and full of "try it and see what you think" endorsements. I think there is value in keeping a short list.

In that spirit, my own suggestion for absolute best-of-breed freeware is the Simulanalog suite of guitar effects. Not much mastering application, but they are second-to-none when it comes to guitar effects emulators. No GUI, unfortunately, though! Download here:

http://www.simulanalog.org/

Cheers.

This is actually a great free EQ suitable for mastering. It is fast, easy and does not color the sound at all. A real gem.

Linear Phase EQ

Thanks Daniel - that appreciated.

I've added it to the main list.