Last month, KV331 Audio made its flagship synth app, SynthMaster 2 for iPad, available as a free download. Only a few weeks later, KV331 is celebrating the festive season with another giveaway, offering up its SynthMaster One plugin (VST/VST3/AU/AAX) free of charge until January 4.
Typically priced at $49, SynthMaster One is billed as an "easy-to-use wavetable synthesizer with an intuitive workflow", designed for those that don't require as many of the bells and whistles you'll get with more full-featured instruments such as SynthMaster 2 and 3. That said, it's not a basic synth by any means, and there's more than enough versatility here to make it worth a download.
SynthMaster One is equipped with two stereo oscillators that can produce a number of standard analogue-style waveforms, or load sampled single-cycle waveforms and wavetables. The output of each oscillator can then be shaped using an array of 16 waveshaping algorithms or spread out in 16-voice unison for a rich, detuned effect. You also get two sub-oscillators to dial in some low-end beef.
The synth's oscillators pass through dual analogue-emulating filters in either series or parallel, with a choice of four filter types modelled on classic synths such as the Roland TB-303, Oberheim SEM and Korg MS-20. Both filters and the amp are paired with two ADSR envelopes that can also be assigned to other parameters for modulation duties, along with dual LFOs that can load custom waveforms.
SynthMaster One comes with a selection of 11 effects covering everything from delay, reverb, EQ and chorus to compression, distortion, bitcrushing and tremolo, and there's also a 16-band vocoder onboard – up to six of these can be chained together in the synth's effects rack. You get a flexible 16-step sequencer and multimode arpeggiator too, and the synth's latest update brought 200 new artist-designed factory presets and microtuning support.
All in all, that's not half bad for a freebie. In our review of an earlier version, we described SynthMaster One as an approachable, retro-inspired instrument with a "huge, mix-filling sound", noting that "basses, leads, plucks, keys and other attacking sounds are its forte, but it’s no slouch when it comes to pads, strings and FX either, with the wavetables serving up a smorgasbord of rich, expressive textural foundations".
If your plugin folder is lacking a workhorse soft synth, you're curious to test out a new instrument, or perhaps you just like free stuff (who doesn't?) then head on over to KV331 Audio's website before January 4 to pick up SynthMaster One for nothing. Check out some demos below.
Considering that you clicked on this article, you're probably on the hunt for free plugins, so we advise that you check out effects developer Soundtoys' festive giveaway and pick up a free Universal Audio plugin while you're at it.
