kennywtelejazz
 
Hi abacab
Yes , you can use your P Bass to trigger Midi and VST synths ...
I use The Jam Origin Midi Guitar app for all my guitar synth and midi work ...
For Bass I use The Jam Origin Midi Bass Beta ...this works pretty nice ...

 
Kenny

Hey Kenny, thanks, great find!  Will have to check that one out!
 
I see that they offer a fully functional demo, very cool!

Rain
My list of freebies would include:
 
Arturia's MiniFilter V, which they gave away recently. Messed with it tonight. Nice.
 
Arturia's MiniMoog V, a freebie from a few years ago. 
 
Camel Audio's Camel Crusher - I've been using that one for ages.
 
Eventide Stereo Room, a gift from Focusrite.
 
Focusrite Red EQ and Comp, also a gift from Focusrite.
 
NI's Kontakt Player (because I'm too lazy to convert those few remaining libraries that I use to EXS-24's format).
 
 
I can't say that I use any of them regularly, but I wouldn't want to be without them.
 
 
Freebies that I used to use on the PC which aren't available on my platform:
 
HG fortune's synths - ProtoPlasm and STS-21 in particular. Inspiring stuff.
 
E-Phonic plug-ins - pretty much all of them. Tape Delay, Retro Delay, LoFi and Drumatic were among my go-to.
 

I also grabbed that Arturia MiniFilter V when it was free, very nice!  Same with Cakewalk's CA-2A.  That's premium quality stuff that was free, but only for a limited time.  Must stay tuned into cclarry in order to not miss out!
 
NI Kontakt Player 5 is cool, lots of instrument libraries available ($$) for that.  NI also had a limited holiday freebie, KINETIC TREATS, a unique KONTAKT instrument based on the timeless sounds of vintage children’s toys.
 
I forgot to mention NI also has the Reaktor Player 6, that you can use with their free Blocks Wired and Mikro Prism Reaktor instruments.  This seems to be an ongoing offer.  Interesting sounds!
 
AAS also recently had a giveaway for their customers, even for AAS Player, of any one of their sound sets for free.  I grabbed Epicycles, a Chromaphone 2 sound bank.  Very nice!

The freeware I have used the most:
 
Triangle II
Crystal
sfz
Synth 1
Ugo Audio series
iZotope Vinyl (seriously, how is this not on the list)
 
and of course ... Delay Lama
 
Then there's all the magware.  CM-303 and CM-505 got a lot of play.

Here's 14,000 free patches for Synth1.  Enjoy!
 
Over 14.000 free patches for Synth1 - a free virtual instrument for both PC and Mac
http://veryrandomstreams.blogspot.com/2012/03/over-10000-free-patchessounds-for-free.html
 
And if you are like me and the Synth1 panel color is less than inspiring, you can change it up!
 
Panel size and color
For ease of operation, you can change the size of the user interface panel, as well as the background and text color. These options are accessed via the opt button in the bottom of the panel --> Panel Size, Color Customize.
* If you change the panel size, please close and reopen the window once. In some host applications, the panel does not change until you have reopened the song file.

I just fixed some broken links on my OP, and added a few more instruments and FX.
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3542942
 
The hyperlink for AAS Player is apparently still broken, but if you copy and paste the text for the link, it is correct.
 
I will edit that, but I don't want to push my luck with the spam filter anymore today! 
 
Have fun!
 
[Edit: all links fixed today!]

Cakewalk synths are on par with what ships with most DAWS. No, they are not competiing with the likes of Omnisphere or Nexus, but they hold their own.  Beatscape was a decent ideas that was poorly implemented

dubdisciple
Cakewalk synths are on par with what ships with most DAWS. No, they are not competiing with the likes of Omnisphere or Nexus, but they hold their own.  Beatscape was a decent ideas that was poorly implemented

As a synth nut, I can remember when V-Sampler was first shipped with an early version of Sonar.  That lit a spark in me of what could be possible.  I also realized right then that I would need a better PC than the one driving my external MIDI gear at the time.
 
So I jumped on Project5 when it was first released.  That sounded almost too good to be true!  A dedicated virtual synth studio, that could also do audio, loaded up with synth toys! 
 
Since then I have discovered Dimension Pro and Rapture (before they were a Sonar bundle item), as well as Z3TA+2.
 
I have both editions of Simon Cann's book "Cakewalk Synthesizers, from presets to power user".  I told myself that I would learn them all before I spent another dollar on a 3rd party synth.  But the flesh is weak!  So many choices today!
 
I still consider my Cakewalk synths my "core" virtual studio, with all the rest just there for variety and inspiration!
 
In the past year I have come to appreciate the quality of the free synths that are now available.  After listening to the contest submission tracks on KVR's OSC (One Synth Challenge), I have to admit that it is the artist who makes the synth, not the other way around.  If you can't make music with what Cakewalk offers, plus the free stuff ... then you just can't! 
 
I was really impressed with the KVR OSC that featured the classic z3ta+.  Wow!  All that with just one synth!  I am not worthy, LOL!!! https://sites.google.com/site/kvrosc/osc-31-z3ta
 

And then there is this: https://sites.google.com/site/kvrosc/osc-94-synth1
 
OSC 94: Synth1
 
This totally changed my mind about free soft synths ... not to mention the 14,000+ community supplied presets ...
 
How much free time does it take to audition 14,000 presets???
 
Hats off to the creator of this gem!!! 

Fleer
Some other beauties: VirtualCreations Ultrachopper, ikjb Luftikus EQ & PitchDelay, Vladg Molot comp & Limiter6 & Nova-67P, Acon Multiply, Stillwell Event Horizon, Ignite PTeq 1-A, PluginAlliance (Brainworx Solo & Cleansweep & SPLFreeRanger, Elysia Niveau Filter), Klevgrand Squash and others, Flux Bittersweet v3, AudioSpillage Minispillage (drum), AudioDamage Rough Rider, Blue Cat Pack II, TDR Feedback Compressor & VOS SlickEQ & Proximity, Thomas Mundt LoudMax limiter, FXpansion Dcam free comp, Kuassa basiQ eq & Amplifikation Lite, VacuumSound ADT. RIAA & PoorPlate, SoundHack bundle+, Cerberus Ice9, EAReckon Limit & EQ & Gate & Comp, ToneBoosters V2.9.1 EZQ & OsoneSurround & OmniSone & TimeMachine & mvMeter, AudioAssault/BPB FilterCrusher.
 
Best 2016 (and older) freebies list to be found at the bedroomproducersblog site. Can't post the link 'cause of bots.

Luftikus is a GREAT Free Maag EQ...that whole list is full of goodies...

Need to supply the appropriate "links" for everyone Flee!

Here's the Luftikus page on KVR
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/luftikus-by-lkjb