RdPiano, MixComp, Crunchrr: Free Plugins of the Week
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Remember those iconic digital pianos of the 80s? Let RdPiano take you back in time! This new free plugin faithfully emulates the legendary Roland MKS-20 module and other pianos of the SA synthesis era. Our other freebies of the week are a versatile bus compressor by HoRNet Plugins and a digital degrader by blepfx.
Free Plugins of the Week
giulioz RdPiano: Iconic Digital Pianos of the 80s
The FM pianos of the Yamaha DX7 and its siblings were all over the 80s. But the decade brought about some other iconic digital pianos, as well, most notably the Roland MKS-20, RD-1000, and Rhodes MK-80 (Rhodes was a Roland brand back then). Just listen to the sounds in the above demo video and you’ll know which sounds I’m talking about. Sadly, there aren’t many sample libraries or software instruments that emulate these classics.
RdPiano by Italian developer Giulio Zausa a.k.a. giulioz is new free plugin that faithfully emulates these classics, down to the mainboard and CPU used in several models. He even analyzed the silicon structure of the custom chips used in these instruments to accurately recreate their sound. The result sounds pretty amazing!
RdPiano is available for macOS and Windows in VST, AU, and standalone formats.
HoRNet Plugins MixComp: Free Bus Compressor
HoRNet MixComp is a free plugin “inspired by the legendary compressor found on one of the most famous analog mixing consoles” – SSL, anyone? Like the original, MixComp is great for dynamic control, sonic character, and that iconic “glue”.
As a Bus Compressor emulation, it has fairly simple controls, making it great for quick adjustments. You get a pair of input and output level sliders, three knobs for Radio, Threshold, and Release, and a Fast Attack button. There’s also an Analog mode for added saturation. Simple but effective – just like the original!
HoRNet MixComp is available for macOS and Windows in VST3, AU, and AAX formats.
blepfx Crunchrr: Free Digital Degradation Plugin
Crunchrr by blepfx is a degradation plugin that artfully turns any audio track into a digital pile of rubble. It’s based on a modulated delay line, which creates a wide range of effects from subtle bit crushing to distortion to a “complete noisy mess”.
You can choose from a variety of waveforms for modulation and dial in the desired frequency. The frequency and amplitude of the modulation can be controlled simultaneously using the X/Y pad. There’s also an offset parameter for the left and right channels, allowing you to create stereo effects. I especially love the cool digital visualizer!
Crunchrr is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux in VST3, AU, and CLAP formats. The plugin is distributed on a name-your-price basis.
Looking for more free plugins like RdPiano, HoRNet MixComp, and Crunchrr? Check out our archive!
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One response to “RdPiano, MixComp, Crunchrr: Free Plugins of the Week”
The RDPiano is very buggy. And the patches can distort easily. It cannot be used in professional environment.