Free plugin starter kit

Best free VST plugins for beginners: learn a small toolkit well

Do not install 100 plugins on day one. Start with a focused free toolkit that teaches sound design, mixing, metering and space.

The beginner free VST stack

Synth
Vital Basic

Modern wavetable synth for basses, leads, pads and modulation practice.

Synths
Sampler
LABS or Decent Sampler

Organic instruments and textures that help tracks feel less preset-heavy.

Samplers
EQ
TDR Nova

EQ and dynamic EQ for harshness, mud, de-essing and problem control.

Mixing
Meter
Voxengo SPAN

A spectrum analyser that teaches you what low-end, mud and brightness look like.

Inspection

How to learn them

Use one plugin per job for a month. Make basses in one synth, mix with one EQ, check levels with one meter and use one reverb. Limitation builds skill faster than endless options.

Open full free VST directory