Free Virtual Instruments – Must-Haves! (The Best Freeware VSTi)
In this new article from GuitarRec – Online Recording Studio, we present a selection of the best Free Virtual Instruments (VSTi free) that you must have on your computer to produce music, regardless of the style. You’ll notice that almost all these instruments are the gateway to the paid versions from the same developer, which benefits us because the quality level of these free virtual instruments is getting higher and higher.
In the world of music production, VSTi virtual instruments have become essential tools due to their quality and variety of real instruments they emulate. Whether you are an experienced producer or taking your first steps in your home studio, selecting the right VSTis can be crucial for the sound quality of your productions.
VSTi Instruments vs VST Plugins or Effects (Difference): In this article, you’ll find virtual instruments VSTi. These sound through MIDI installed in your DAW or music production program and imitate the sound of an instrument. If you’re looking for effects or dynamic processors (VST plugins), check out our article on the 80 Best Free Plugins for music production.
The Best Free Virtual Instruments
Below is the list of VSTis we consider essential, sorted by instrument groups with an explanation of each instrument and the official free download link, usually for Mac and Windows PC. Our selection includes instruments from various categories, ranging from pianos and strings to synthesizers and drums, to produce music using just free virtual instruments in the DAW you use on your music production computer.
Free Virtual Instruments for Piano and Keyboards
Labs Vintage Keys (Spitfire Audio)
It offers a range of classic electric keyboard sounds sampled from a Fender Rhodes Seventy Three. (By installing the LABS VSTi sampler, you can download other free libraries for strings, percussion, etc.). Download (MAC and PC)
Reel to Reel Tape Piano (Decent Sampler)
A LO-FI virtual piano that provides rich and expressive sounds, ideal for deep and emotional compositions with a warm personality. Download (MAC and PC)
Sweetcase Virtual Electric Piano
Sweetcase is a free virtual electric piano plugin offering a warm, vintage sound. Recorded with real vintage equipment, its sound is mix-ready with effects such as algorithmic reverb, phase modulation, parametric EQ, and more, providing total control over the tone and presence of the instrument. All you need is a DAW, a home studio sound card, and a USB keyboard to enjoy it.
Compatible with: VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit) for Windows and macOS. Download (MAC and PC)
Monastery Grand Piano (Melda Production)
This free grand piano with over 3GB of samples stands out for its warm and natural sound. A free virtual instrument with professional sound, suitable for a wide range of musical applications. Download (MAC and PC)
Room Piano (Sample Science)
Room Piano is a free virtual instrument designed to add a LO-FI touch to your tracks. Based on a 24-bit stereo recording of an upright acoustic piano, it samples every 3 semitones at two velocities to maintain low CPU usage. Features include amplitude ADSR, a high/low-pass filter, room reverb, and three voice modes: polyphonic, monophonic, and legato. Compatible with: VST, VST3, AU for Windows and macOS. Download free here.
1928 Steinway Piano (Soundpaint/8dio Piano)
A free Steinway acoustic piano VSTi with over 10GB of realistic samples and detailed customization options for total creative control. Undoubtedly one of the best free options for Steinway piano sounds. Download for Kontakt
Free Synthesizers VST Instruments
Vintage – 0723-AAD (Behringer)
The Behringer 0723-AAD is a free plugin that emulates the classic sounds of vintage analog synthesizers. It is designed to offer warm and deep tones, such as powerful basses and atmospheric leads, ideal for electronic and pop genres. With controls to adjust oscillators, filters, and envelopes, it allows precise sound sculpting, recreating the experience of classic synthesizers. This plugin is an excellent choice for producers looking to add analog textures to their digital compositions. Download for Windows and Mac.
Arturia Analog Lab Play (formerly Lite)
This free multi-instrument pack from Arturia includes 100 sounds of keyboards, pads, and basses, ideal for exploring new sound textures. Arturia is undoubtedly one of the leaders in emulating the best synthesizers and classic keyboards, both analog and digital. Download Free Plugin (MAC and PC)
Pendulate – Free Chaotic Synth (Eventide Audio)
A unique instrument with experimental sounds, perfect for producers looking to innovate and unleash their creativity by playing with countless sound combinations and possibilities. Download for Mac and Windows
TAL-NoiseMaker (Tal Software)
An emulation of a versatile and powerful analog synthesizer with 128 presets, ideal for creating a wide range of sounds. Indispensable for any online music producer looking to experiment with the creative possibilities of synthesis for free. Download (MAC and PC)
Podolski (U-He)
Podolski is a free, efficient, and simple virtual analog synthesizer from the prominent developer U-He. With one oscillator, one filter, one envelope, and an arpeggiator/sequencer, this synthesizer is easy to use yet surprisingly versatile. Download (Mac, PC, Linux)
Vaporizer2 (Vast Dynamics)
This free synthesizer is known for its extensive range of presets, from soft pad sounds to aggressive and punchy leads and basses. It includes an innovative wavetable editor with numerous editing options, such as frequency shifting and waveform modification. Download (Mac and PC)
Free Drum Virtual Instruments (Free Drum VSTi)
Steven Slate Drums 5.5 FREE
A free drum plugin that includes several drum kits with realistic and punchy sounds, ideal for any musical genre based on acoustic drum sounds. A free gateway to one of the leading paid drum virtual instruments. Download (PC and Mac) Note: You need to create an account on the website to access the free plugin option.
Djinndrum VST (SimpleRecorder)
This plugin recreates the iconic sounds of the Linn LM-1 drum machine (predecessor to the Linndrum). Available for free in VST format only, it’s perfect for giving your productions an ’80s vibe using your DAW and any of the best MIDI controllers available on the market. Download free VST (MAC and PC)
Drum PRO (Studiolinked)
A free downloadable drum machine VST featuring 20 built-in kits and 12 pads, along with integrated effects, covering a wide range of styles. Perfect for Hip Hop, EDM, and other urban genres. You can later download additional expansion drum kits for a very reasonable price. Download for Windows and Mac
MH Thump v4 (Metric Halo)
MH Thump v4 is a free percussion synthesizer designed to create sub-bass sounds, perfect for enhancing the low-end in your percussion tracks. This plugin generates subharmonic frequencies that enrich the low end, ideal for genres like Hip Hop, Trap, and EDM. With adjustable controls, you can emulate powerful 808 kicks or classic 90s bass drums and adapt parameter changes to the structure of a song. Compatible with Windows and Mac, it’s an essential tool for adding body and punch to your rhythms without overloading the bass range. Download here for Windows and Mac.
Free Guitar and Bass Virtual Instruments
Ample Guitar M Lite II and Ample Bass P Lite II (Ample Sound)
A free acoustic guitar plugin featuring a Martin D-41 with nearly 8GB of samples, realistic sound, and numerous functions to emulate a real guitar. On the same page, you’ll find the corresponding freeware bass plugin from Ample Sound, featuring a sampled Fender Precision Bass. Download (Windows and Mac)
Monster Guitar (MonsterDAW)
Monster Guitar is a free virtual guitar instrument focused on distorted sounds, designed for producers wanting to create MIDI mockups of guitar recordings. While it doesn’t replace the feel and sound of a professional session guitarist, this plugin is a solution for those who want a rough idea of how an electric guitar part would sound in their tracks. Download (Windows and Mac)
Sapphire Guitar (ZAK Sound)
A free plugin based on recordings of acoustic, electric, and classical guitars, designed to add an ambient and cinematic touch to your music productions, thanks to its built-in effects like reverb, delay, or distortion pedal. Download free (Mac and PC)
Classic.GTr Lite (Quietmusic)
An excellent free option for those looking for the authentic sound of a classical guitar. With 7 presets and over 300 samples, this is one of the best free options for this instrument. Download (Mac and PC)
Also worth checking out: our selection of the Best Studio Headphones
Comprehensive Free Virtual Instrument Packs (Freeware VSTi)
NI Komplete Start (Native Instruments)
This selection of free instruments, effects, and sounds from Native Instruments is essential for anyone serious about music creation and production from initial stages to the final product. This toolkit includes a diverse array of free VST instruments, sound libraries, drums, and effects to start equipping your recording studio. You need to register on NI’s website and download the Native Access software to gain access. Download Native Access here (Mac and PC)
Labs (Spitfire Audio)
As mentioned in the first section (Labs Vintage Keys), Spitfire’s free library, aside from various pianos, also offers a wide variety of free instruments and sample libraries (strings, organs, drums, brass, etc.). This library is undoubtedly one of the best in terms of free virtual instruments. Download (PC and Mac)
Sforzando (Plogue)
Sforzando is a free sample player compatible with the open SFZ 2.0 standard, ideal for advanced sample enthusiasts looking to experiment and share instruments without being tied to proprietary formats. With a simple interface, Sforzando stands out for its flexibility. The SFZ format, free of rights, is widely accepted and used in the ARIA engine, making it a perfect choice for sound development and distribution, such as free drum loops or sampled instruments. Download Plugin / Sample Pack 1 / Sample Pack 2
Final Tips and Recommendations for Using Virtual Instruments
Although many of these free virtual instruments are a limited version of their paid counterparts or a gateway to explore the rest of the plugins offered by the developer company, these Free VSTis offer a range of high-quality sounds and textures that will surely inspire new ideas to compose a song and improve the sound of your musical productions.
We strongly recommend also exploring the native plugins of the DAW you’ve chosen to equip your studio. Some production programs like Ableton Live, Cubase, Logic, or FL Studio include an impressive arsenal of instruments and libraries. Simply using them in your productions along with your sound card and some of the best home studio microphones, you can achieve fully professional results on your own.
We encourage you to experiment and explore all the possibilities these free plugins offer before stepping up to paid VSTi instruments. We hope they help you and that you enjoy creating music with them to the fullest. Enjoy the process!
