Voxengo Sound Delay
Voxengo not only makes a great reverb, their delay leaves an impression, too. The free
Sound Delayplugin allows for precision control (to the millisecond), sample delay, A/B comparison, mid/side channel processing, stereo and multi-channel processing, preset control, a maximum of three seconds of delay, and more. Due to its precision control, it’s fairly easy to achieve a chorus effect with the proper parameter setup as well.
Valhalla FreqEcho
On the surface, this delay doesn’t look as versatile as the Sound Delay, but it does offer some unique qualities that make it worthwhile. In particular, the
Valhalla FreqEcho can do wonders with its feedback knob. When cranked, the knob allows audio to feedback into itself, creating an infinite, ever-building signal. This signal can be manipulated in real time, resulting in some trance-like, perhaps nightmarish loops. The plugin also features delay sync, meaning the signal will repeat at different note lengths. There’s a lot to discover and mess with here.
KR-Delay FS
Admittedly, the
KR-Delay FS might not be the flashiest plugin of the bunch, but that doesn’t negate its functionality. In addition to standard delay time and feedback controls, this tool is complete with panning, EQ, resonance, low- and high-pass filters, dry/wet signal control, and output gain. The simple visual display makes it easy to see how these parameters play out in real time. The KR-Delay is surprisingly useful and versatile. Plus, it’s free.
Voxengo Latency Delay
Sometimes you don’t want delay. In fact, when recording, delay (latency) can be a great adversary. Latency is often caused by a lack of processing power. When too many plugins are running at once, latency enters the equation, making recording difficult at times. Voxengo has another trick up its sleeve with this
Latency Delay plugin. Without getting too technical, it allows you to trick the DAW into compensating for its own latency, by either milliseconds or samples. In other words, it artificially eliminates any potential lag while recording. This comes in handy for most producers.
Guitar Effects/Amp modelers
Most guitarists love their
effects pedals and various tones. While it’s fun to collect physical pedals and heads, tinker with their functions, and build the perfect board, stomp boxes and amps can get pricey. Logic Pro X already comes packed with different amp simulations and effects, but if you’re looking for some free alternatives, check out these guitar effects and amp modeler plugins.
Guitar Rig 5 Player by Native Instruments
The
Guitar Rig 5 Player might be a free bite-sized version of its bigger brother, Guitar Rig 5 Pro, but that doesn’t mean it lacks in features or functionality. This free
amp modeler offers 17 different cabinets to play with, along with 13 effects. If you want to plug and play, the plugin also comes equipped with 50 effects presets. For a free version, the Guitar Rig 5 Player has a lot to offer.
FuzzPlus 3 AAX by AUDIODAMAGE
The
FuzzPlus 3 is a nifty little digital fuzz pedal with tons of control options. Its interface allows you to tweak frequency, response time, distortion, feedback, and level. Additionally, the screen shows you the waveform output in real time, so you can clearly see the level of distortion. This is an impressive free plugin that can hold its own compared to physical fuzz and distortion pedals on the market.
LePou Plugins
Few software developers are more skilled or generous than Poulin Amplification. The
LePou Pluginsare a series of amp simulators that run the gamut of rock and metal tones. You’ll find simulations of Marshall, Mesa, Orange, EVH, and much more. Every single one is free, though you can donate if you want to return the love. You might be compelled to after seeing how much Poulin has to offer.
Limiters
While a limiter is a type of compressor, compression and limiting are not to be conflated. Limiters are defined by their high ratio and attack time. In other words, limiters completely block a signal from exceeding a certain threshold. They’re more akin to walls while compressors are more like sponges. Limiting can be a useful tool for mastering and when dealing with extremely hot signals that risk clipping or distorting. There are quite a few Mac free plugins out there for limiting purposes. Take a look.
Limiter No6 by Vladislav Goncharov
This might be the most popular free limiter plugin out there, and for good reason.
The No6 by Vladislav Goncharov can compete with any paid for limiter on the market. With both brickwall and soft limiting options, an analog looking display, mid/side and multi-band modes, and five modules, this free limiter has it all. The interface might overwhelm those new to limiting, but fortunately a
free manual is available too.
Thomas Mundt’s LoudMax
For a simpler interface, check out
LoudMax by Thomas Mundt. This limiter is mainly for mastering, though it serves standard limiting purposes for mixing as well. The plugin only features two faders, one for threshold and the other for output level. There isn’t much to this one, but that’s part of its charm. For some quick and easy limiting, this fits the bill.
ClipShifter by LVC Audio
The
LVC ClipShifter plugin doesn’t only look cool, it functions in a unique way, too. This limiter sort of works backwards. In other words, its goal is to distort the audio rather than prevent distortion. In some ways the ClipShifter is effectively a
distortion plugin, but with more versatility. The plugin can produce both clipping distortion as well as transparent compression. The paid version of this plugin offers even more features, but the free version already boasts quite a bit. For a different kind of limiting and distortion, ClipShifter has you covered.
Stereo Effects
There is more than one way to
widen your mix across the stereo field. That said, plugins can come in handy in this process. Whether you want to make a mono track stereo, vice versa, or just control the overall spaciousness of your track, check out these stereo effects and control Mac free plugins.
Voxengo Stereo Touch
Voxengo makes the list yet again with another great free plugin. Their
stereo touch plugin allows you to artificially create spacious stereo sounding tracks with ease. On the technical end, this plugin utilizes a mid/side coding technique. The plugin also features built-in high-pass and low-pass filters, A/B comparison, two delay lines, and supports all sample rates.
STC-3 by RAZ Audio
The Spatial Expander STC-3 by RAZ Audio simplifies things a bit further. This stereo expander takes an existing stereophonic track and can widen it even further. The bold visual display makes it easy to see how wide and at what angles the left and right sides are going. The STC-3 can even turn a stereo track into a mon track, if desired. This free plugin is yet another useful tool in your mixing arsenal.
A1StereoControl by A1 Audio
Like the STC-3, the
A1StereoControl plugin offers a central visual display that makes tinkering with a track’s panning simple and fun. Additionally, it features a large knob for the amount of stereo width, as well as a smaller knob above indicating pan control. A unique feature, the safe bass button, allows for full stereo modification without affecting the low end. In other words, this plugin will keep the bass tones in the center of the mix while widening the field for the rest of the track. For a free plugin, this stereo controller offers great versatility and functionality.
Conclusion
And there you have it! These are 25 of the best Mac free plugins, and we haven’t even mentioned all the free instrument plugins for Mac yet. Still, this list should keep you Mac users busy for a while. Remember that most of these are also compatible with PC. Let us know of any other Mac free plugins or other devices worth our while. Happy downloading! And don’t be afraid to throw a donation or two at those hardworking developers who make this all possible.
https://www.masteringbox.com/mac-free-plugins
