5 instrumentos virtuales gratuitos que cualquiera puede usar para crear música y sonido increíbles

Aquí te presento algunos descargables gratis con los que podrás aprender y producir sonidos de alto nivel y que no tienen nada que envidiar a otros costosos instrumentos de software.

El mundo de los instrumentos virtuales es tan extenso que se pierde de vista, a veces creemos que para producir buena música o diseñar sonidos interesantes necesitamos una gran inversión.

En principio, Vital es un sintetizador de tabla de ondas, que también ofrece la posibilidad de doblar/estirar las formas de onda. Puede navegar por la tabla a voluntad y modular esta “navegación” con los múltiples bloques de control que proporciona, como LFO y generadores de envolvente. Es uno de esos tipos de instrumentos que permite diseños de sonido mutantes y complejos.

Este instrumento es tan completo que cubre por completo todas las etapas de un buen diseño sonoro: la producción de la materia prima (los generadores de ondas), las modulaciones, los efectos y el esculpido final, la ecualización, la compresión y la imagen estéreo.

Además, la interfaz es gráficamente explícita en cada proceso y tiene la posibilidad de modular cualquier parámetro con cualquier fuente.

• Tipo de sintetizador: sintetizador de modelado físico. Sintetizador de tabla de ondas con deformación espectral.
• Main features:
  • Two oscillators with different synthesis models (FM, wavetable, VA)
  • Multi-mode filter with resonance and distortion.
  • Wide range of effects, including delay, reverb, chorus, phaser and compressor.
  • Flexible modulation matrix to modulate any parameter with any source
  • Arpeggiator and step sequencer

Official web site: https://vital.audio/

Helm sounds great for bass, similar to Vital but with a slightly less digital feel. It does not have wave tables but rather several oscillators. Ideal for beginners.

• Synthesizer type: Subtractive synthesizer.
• Main features:
  • An oscillator with multiple waveforms and timing options.
  • Multimode filter with resonance and distortion.
  • Two ADSR envelopes and one LFO.
  • Wide range of effects, including delay, reverb, chorus and phaser.
  • Arpeggiator and step sequencer.

Official web site: https://tytel.org/helm/

Pendulate is a chaotic mono-synth that uses a new dual-pendulum oscillator to create previously unheard sounds – biting bass and gritty textures. It can fade smoothly from a sine wave to total chaos, with a stretch of territory to explore in between.

• Synthesizer Type: Granular Synthesizer.
• Main features:
  • Granular synthesis engine with control over grain length, waveform and dispersion.
  • Multimode filter with resonance and distortion.
  • Two ADSR envelopes and one LFO.
  • Wide range of effects, including delay, reverb, chorus and phaser.
  • Arpeggiator and step sequencer

Oficial web site: https://www.eventideaudio.com/plug-ins/pendulate/

VCV Rack revolutionizes and puts within reach the possibility of getting started in the world of modular synthesizers. It is a visual environment that emulates existing synthesis modules on the market, exposing them in an extensive free downloadable library. Ideal to start studying this type of synthesis.

• Synthesizer Type: Virtual Modular Environment.
• Main features:
  • Extensive library of free and paid modules.
  • MIDI and audio support.
  • Ability to create custom synthesizers and effects.

Official web site: https://vcvrack.com/manual/Installing

In this case it is more of a visual environment or virtual studio. It is a tracker-style software, these would be the first programs to produce music that existed, with vertical playback, based on the management of samples written in a grid.

Its free download version includes almost all the functions included in the paid version, the only limitation is the export of .wav or finalized files. However, it is worth experimenting and learning using it.

Características Principales:

• Step Sequencing: Create rhythmic patterns and melodies by placing samples in a step grid.
• Sample editing: They offer tools to edit, cut, loop and transform audio samples.
• Effects: Include a variety of audio effects to process and manipulate sounds.
• MIDI Support: Allow integration with MIDI controllers for more precise control of music.

Own file format: Each tracker usually has its own file format to store musical projects.

Aditional resources:

• List of Best Free VST Plugins To Start Making Music in 2024.
• VCV Rack Tutorials in YouTube.