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The marimba is a pitched keyboard percussion instrument(similar to a xylophone) that resides in symphonies, percussion ensembles, orchestras, commercial music, and more.
Finding an excellent-sounding marimba VST isn't a walk in the park — many sound cheap. Not to worry, as I have discovered five exceptional libraries that I will share with you today.
Fear not - you can download ReaPlugs, a package of FX that includes many of the plug-ins that come with REAPER, for free! General features of ReaPlugs: Support for Windows 98/ME/2K/XP/Vista/W7, WINE. Believe it or not, one of the best sounding pitch correction plugins (next to Melodyne,) is Reaper's Reatune. While one can get a better overall experience in Melodyne, the amount of work is substantially lessened in Reatune. I would say Reaper's plugin gets you 80% of the way that a thorough Melodyne edit will, in 10% of the time. ReaEQ By Reaper ReaEQ equalizer VST plugin is one of the best free plugins for music producers. Its a graphic equalizer plugin with lots of features that you generally get with a paid VST plugin. Here are some features of ReaEQ. These are the best VST plugins that can be used with music software like FL Studio, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Reaper, and more. VST instruments give you additional sounds to create with like Pianos, Synths, Organs, and Bass. Common VST Plugin Questions: What Are VST Plugins? VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology.
Table of Contents
- Things to Consider When Looking for Marimba VSTs
1) Vital Series: Mallets (Paid)
I've already mentioned Mallets in a previous post (xylophone VSTs), but it happens to fit perfectly with marimba VSTs.
Vital Series: Mallets is an excellent pitched-percussion plugin from Big Fish Audio, the creators of Electri6ity, Mojo 2, and Apollo: Cinematic Guitars.
The plugin includes patches for marimba, xylophone, bells, chimes, vibraphone, and others.
The sample quality is incredible — when I listened back to my studio monitors, I felt like I was listening to real performers.
Vital Series: Mallets comes with multiple mallet types allowing for more flexibility and better dynamic emulation.
Mallet types included are as follows:
- Soft
- Medium Soft
- Medium Hard
- Hard
- Rods
- Bow
Vital Series: Mallets is available at Plugin Boutique.
2) Marimbaphonic (Free)
For all the composers and producers looking for a free option — rejoice. Marimbaphone is a surprisingly decent-sounding free marimba plugin.
The instrument contains 122 samples from the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios public domain library.
The most disappointing flaw in this marimba VST is the limiting two velocity layers(hey, what can you expect, it's free?).
Here are Marimbaphone's main features:
- 122 mono 24-bit samples
- Two velocity layers
- Release time control
- Amplitude dynamic range control
- Basic reverb
3) Short Marimba VST/AU from Flintpope (Free)
Here's an interesting (and free) marimba VST from a website called Flintpope.net.
The Short Marimba is a cool-sounding free instrument that won't stand up to significant orchestral recordings but does work for many styles like pop and hip hop.
Have a listen below:
4) Soniccouture Grand Marimba (Paid)
I have a hard time distinguishing between Grand Marimba and Vital Series: Mallets' marimba. They both sound so unbelievably realistic.
Grand Marimba is a fantastic marimba VST that features a 5-octave Yamaha 6100, designed with the legendary Keiko Abe.
The 6100 is a flagship instrument with precision tuning, Honduran Rosewood bars, and welded resonators (rattle-free).
Grand Marimba is a Kontakt Player instrument, meaning you do not need the full version of Kontakt to use it in your DAW.
5) Marimba by Frontline Producer (Paid)
Marimba by Frontline Producer is a great-sounding, and very affordable, marimba VST from Producer Loops.
The significant difference from the others on the list: it includes loops. Frontline Producer includes 343 marimba loops at tempos between 100 and 127 (which can be warped to your liking).
In addition to loops is a software sampler patch, which you can use to create your parts and melodies.
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Marimba by Frontline Producer is available at Plugin Boutique.
6) Fine Mallets Bundle from Cinematique Instruments (Paid)
Fine Mallets is an armory of seven mallet percussion instruments including marimba, vibraphone, metallophone, glockenspiel, kalimba, and more.
The marimba patch sounds much dryer than others I have previously listed in this article.
There is also much less sustain, but I think it still sounds excellent and has commercial production potential.
The articulations included for the marimba patch include hard mallet, felt mallet, and big-soft mallet.
Note: the full version of Kontakt is required to use Fine Mallets.
Fine Mallets is available at Plugin Boutique.
Things to Consider When Looking for Marimba VSTs
Depending on your production, you may pick a different plugin. Some digital audio workstations even have marimbas and other percussion instruments included with the software.
Using Marimba VSTs in Pop and Hip Hop Music
Because you're working in pop or hip hop music, you may not need the highest quality samples. A free option may work just fine.
I use Cubase, and it comes standard with Halion Sonic SE 3 — a VST sampler and sound creation system.
Halion Sonic SE 3 isn't the full version of Halion, but it does come with some decent marimba patches. The included presets work fine for pop and hip hop music.
Check if your DAW includes some free virtual instruments and see if they're any good! Free auto clicker.
Using Marimba VSTs For Orchestral and TV/Film Composition
Composition for film, TV, and video games requires next-level libraries — your competition will be using them.
Blowing away music supervisors right from the get-go is imperative, as you may only get one chance.
Using high-quality instrument samples is, unfortunately, a must when working in the TV and film industry.
For orchestral music, quality is also crucial. Unless you plan to hire out an entire orchestra to play your piece and record it, you may want to save up for the best virtual libraries you can afford.
Compatibility of Marimba Virtual Instrument Plugins
Most digital audio workstations today support VST (virtual studio technology) — VST is the most common format today.
However, if you use a DAW like Pro Tools, you may have to use a format known as AAX or RTAS. There are workarounds, but they are obnoxious, requiring you to use Reaper inside Pro Tools to host VST plugins — a total headache.
Fortunately, most plugins today come in different formats.
- VST (Virtual Studio Technology)
- AU (AudioUnits)
- AAX (Avid Audio eXtension)
- RTAS (Real-Time Audio Suite)
- TDM (Time-division Multiplexing)
Read your DAWs manual to see which format it supports.
Conclusion
Vital Series: Mallets remains to be my favorite mallet VST plugin bundle, though I have to say, Grand Marimba is coming in at a close second.
My best piece of advise when working with any plugins and instruments is to keep amassing them until you have an extensive library — like a painter's color palette.
The 'best-sounding' marimba VST may not always be the best application for a given style of music, like hip-hop, lo-fi, or pop.
If you're interested in recording and production, specifically relating to drums and percussion, check out some of my other roundups:
Have you tried out any of the marimba VST plugins I've listed here? What do you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments down below.
Please share this article with your producer friends if you found it helpful.
Thanks for reading.
Synth VSTs are one of the most exciting things about being a producer today.
Marimba by Frontline Producer is available at Plugin Boutique.
6) Fine Mallets Bundle from Cinematique Instruments (Paid)
Fine Mallets is an armory of seven mallet percussion instruments including marimba, vibraphone, metallophone, glockenspiel, kalimba, and more.
The marimba patch sounds much dryer than others I have previously listed in this article.
There is also much less sustain, but I think it still sounds excellent and has commercial production potential.
The articulations included for the marimba patch include hard mallet, felt mallet, and big-soft mallet.
Note: the full version of Kontakt is required to use Fine Mallets.
Fine Mallets is available at Plugin Boutique.
Things to Consider When Looking for Marimba VSTs
Depending on your production, you may pick a different plugin. Some digital audio workstations even have marimbas and other percussion instruments included with the software.
Using Marimba VSTs in Pop and Hip Hop Music
Because you're working in pop or hip hop music, you may not need the highest quality samples. A free option may work just fine.
I use Cubase, and it comes standard with Halion Sonic SE 3 — a VST sampler and sound creation system.
Halion Sonic SE 3 isn't the full version of Halion, but it does come with some decent marimba patches. The included presets work fine for pop and hip hop music.
Check if your DAW includes some free virtual instruments and see if they're any good! Free auto clicker.
Using Marimba VSTs For Orchestral and TV/Film Composition
Composition for film, TV, and video games requires next-level libraries — your competition will be using them.
Blowing away music supervisors right from the get-go is imperative, as you may only get one chance.
Using high-quality instrument samples is, unfortunately, a must when working in the TV and film industry.
For orchestral music, quality is also crucial. Unless you plan to hire out an entire orchestra to play your piece and record it, you may want to save up for the best virtual libraries you can afford.
Compatibility of Marimba Virtual Instrument Plugins
Most digital audio workstations today support VST (virtual studio technology) — VST is the most common format today.
However, if you use a DAW like Pro Tools, you may have to use a format known as AAX or RTAS. There are workarounds, but they are obnoxious, requiring you to use Reaper inside Pro Tools to host VST plugins — a total headache.
Fortunately, most plugins today come in different formats.
- VST (Virtual Studio Technology)
- AU (AudioUnits)
- AAX (Avid Audio eXtension)
- RTAS (Real-Time Audio Suite)
- TDM (Time-division Multiplexing)
Read your DAWs manual to see which format it supports.
Conclusion
Vital Series: Mallets remains to be my favorite mallet VST plugin bundle, though I have to say, Grand Marimba is coming in at a close second.
My best piece of advise when working with any plugins and instruments is to keep amassing them until you have an extensive library — like a painter's color palette.
The 'best-sounding' marimba VST may not always be the best application for a given style of music, like hip-hop, lo-fi, or pop.
If you're interested in recording and production, specifically relating to drums and percussion, check out some of my other roundups:
Have you tried out any of the marimba VST plugins I've listed here? What do you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments down below.
Please share this article with your producer friends if you found it helpful.
Thanks for reading.
Synth VSTs are one of the most exciting things about being a producer today.
Powerful synthesis tools that used to cost thousands are now available in your DAW anytime, anywhere.
And the best part? Many of them are available as completely free plugins.
Software synthesizer plugins are great for everything from ambient pads to massive sub bass.
In this article I'll break down the top 8 free synth VSTs for producing music in your DAW.
Let's get started.
1. Digital Suburban Dexed
Dexed is a freeware FM synthesizer based on the legendary Yamaha DX7. It puts all the classic sounds and functions of the original synth in a modern package.
But Dexed makes classic 6 operator FM synthesis much easier to understand and program than it ever was with hardware.
This great free synth VST is perfect for percussive sounds like tines and mallets as well as icy pads or aggressive distorted basses.
2. Matt Tytel Helm
Synthesis is hard to understand even when you have real hardware synthesizer in front of you. It can be even more difficult when you're working with an abstract software plugin.
That's why Matt Tytel's Helm is such a great synth VST.
Helm is a great sounding, two oscillator subtractive synth that's dead easy for beginners to use.
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It's well laid out with a logical interface and helpful graphics that let you understand every aspect of basic subtractive synthesis.
Helm is perfect If you're just getting started and need an easy synth to learn on.
3. u-He Tyrell N6
u-He Tyrell N6 is a stylish synth with bold analog sound and simple workflow.
It features a great preset library and modulation matrix as well as handy extras like unison mode, loopable envelopes and built in overdrive.
Overall, Tyrell N6 is a quality freeware synth that any producer can use to make great sounds.
4. DiscoDSP OB-Xd
Speaking of analog sound, DiscoDSP's OB-Xd models one of the most sought-after instruments in analog synth history—the Oberheim OB-X.
This completely free plugin gives you access to the lush sound of the OB-X in your DAW.
From enveloping analog pads to deep basses and searing leads, the OB-Xd is an inspiring free synth to add to your plugin folder.
5. TAL Noisemaker
TAL's excellent Noisemaker synth proves that VSTs don't need to be complicated to work well in a track.
TAL's excellent Noisemaker synth proves that VSTs don't need to be complicated to work well in a track.
This straightforward synth has a powerful sound and compact, lightweight interface.
It contains a unique visual envelope editor and handy onboard effects including bitcrusher and TAL's emulation of the Juno 60/106 chorus effect.
6. Vember Audio Surge
Vember Audio Surge is probably the most powerful free VST synth on this list.
Surge is open source which means you're free to download the code and do whatever you want with it.
It's fantastic sounding digital synth that can cover all kinds of different sonic territory.
Its highly flexible architecture includes wavetable oscillators, two filters with eight different modes each and routing options for frequency modulation.
If you're looking to get lost in the possibilities of sound design, Surge is the best way to do it for free.
7. VCV Rack
This next one is a little different, but it's so exciting that it had to make it to this list.
VCV Rack is a standalone synth program that models nearly every module available for the Eurorack format.
That's right—those enormous racks of modular gear that creative producers spend thousands of dollars collecting.
VCV Rack lets you create your own dream modular rig right on your desktop. You can even create patches authentically with virtual cables to get the real modular experience.
Integrating it with your DAW is a bit trickier—but using the plugin in standalone mode is just as fun for creating inspiring patches.
Every musician should try using VCV Rack to see what modular is all about.
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Every musician should try using VCV Rack to see what modular is all about.
8. ML PG8X
The 80s are a popular decade for free synth plugin builders. This retro-leaning synth from developer Martin Lüders models the classic Roland JX-8p.
The JX-8p polysynth was one of the most popular keyboards of the time for a reason. It's classic presets made it onto hundreds of recordings from the golden age of synth pop.
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The ML PG-8X plugin version gives you all the vintage mojo of the original for free. It's a nice analog-style polysynth with a unique retro character.
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Pair it up with Dexed for authentic 80s stacked synth textures!
Free to play
You don't need tons of expensive gear to make a great track. Free synth plugins prove that there's plenty of capable tools out there to make music that sounds good on a shoestring budget.
Whether you're looking for classic vintage tones, deep sound design tools or you just want to choose a good synth to get started, there's a VST on this list to inspire you.
Now that you have some great new synths in your plugin folder, get back to your DAW and keep creating.