List of Microtonal Software Plugins
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A plugin is a software synthesizer which can be accessed within a DAW. Usually the plugin is loaded on a MIDI track.
Instrument plugins interface with your DAW through one of a handful of standards. Steinberg's VST is a standard supported by many DAWs. AudioUnit (AU) is widely supported on Mac computers. RTAS is used by ProTools. Put simply, you should check your DAW's user manual to see what kind of plugins you can run.
In some synths portamento/glide doesn't work properly when microtuned. Examples are Xfer Serum and LinPlug synths. There may be others, so it is recommended to test this function before making a purchase, if it is important for you.
Synths to add: all Homegrown Sounds synths
| Name | Description | Platform | Tuning ability | Tuning method | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amsynth | Subtractive / virtual analog | Linux/Mac | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl/kbm file import | Free |
| Applied Acoustics Chromaphone 2 | Physical modelled percussion | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX/RTAS |
Full-keyboard microtuning | Scala file import (is kbm supported?) | $199 |
| Applied Acoustics Lounge Lizard EP-4 | Physical modelled electric piano | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX/RTAS |
Full-keyboard microtuning | Scala file import (is kbm supported?) | $199 |
| Applied Acoustics String Studio VS-2 | Physical modelled strings | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX/RTAS |
Full-keyboard microtuning | Scala file import (is kbm supported?) | $199 |
| Applied Acoustics Ultra Analog VA-2 | Virtual analog | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX/RTAS |
Full-keyboard microtuning | Scala file import (is kbm supported?) | $199 |
| Big Tick Angelina | Vocal formant synthesizer | Windows, VST (32-bit) | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | Free |
| Big Tick Rhino | Hybrid FM | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU |
Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $99 |
| Cakewalk Dimension Pro | Combines real instruments with advanced synthesis | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX |
Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | comes with SONAR Platinum |
| Cakewalk Rapture Pro | Multisample synthesizer | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX |
Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | $149 |
| Cakewalk Z3TA+2 | Waveshaping synthesizer | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX |
Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | $99 |
| Camel Audio Alchemy | Additive synthesizer/spectral sampler | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | No longer available
(it is now part of Apple Logic Pro X) |
| FB-3300 / FB-3200 / FB-3100 | Virtual analog synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Limited to 12 note scales, each note ±100 cents from 12-edo | User input, some presets | Free |
| Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 | Sample-based orchestra library | Windows/Mac,
VST/other? |
Supposedly full-keyboard microtuning, though nonoctave scales are buggy | scl/kbm file import | $149.95 |
| Humanoid Sound Systems Enzyme | Scanned synthesis | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU |
Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $79.99 |
| kv331audio Synthmaster and Synthmaster One | Flexible semi-modular synthesizer | Windows/Mac,
VST/AU/AAX |
? probably | scl file import | $79
$69 |
| Imageline Harmor | Additive synthesizer | Windows only, VST/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import
(cannot adjust reference frequency properly) |
€139 |
| Key Tuner JSFX Script | MIDI note retuning | Runs in ReaJS in Reaper | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | Free |
| KORG Legacy Collection M1 | Retro Wavetable / Sampler | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS | Limited to 12 note scales, each note ±99 cents from 12-edo | User input, some presets | 49.99 USD (199.99 USD for 6 instrument Legacy Collection bundle) |
| KORG Legacy Collection Mono/Poly | Virtual Analog Synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS | Limited to 12 note scales, each note ±99 cents from 12-edo | User input, some presets | 49.99 USD (199.99 USD for 6 instrument Legacy Collection bundle) |
| LinPlug Alpha | Subtractive synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | discontinued |
| LinPlug CRX4 | Sample manipulation synth | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $99 |
| LinPlug MorphoX | Subtractive synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU (and Mac-only RTAS) | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $129, €99 |
| LinPlug Octopus | Modulation synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | discontinued |
| LinPlug Organ 3 | Organ emulation | Windows/Mac, VST/AU (and Mac-only RTAS) | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | discontinued |
| LinPlug SaxLab | Saxophone emulation | Windows/Mac, VST/AU (and Mac-only RTAS) | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $99, €79 |
| LinPlug Spectral | Additive/subtractive synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $149, €119 |
| Madrona Labs Aalto | Semi-modular synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | $99 |
| Madrona Labs Kaivo | Semi modular synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | $129 |
| Madrona Labs Virta | Sound-controlled synthesizer and effects | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | $89 |
| Mark Henning AnaMark | Virtual analog/modulation synthesizer | Windows, VST | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | Free |
| Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt | Based on circuit-bent analog synths | Windows (32-bit, but works on 64-bit). Easy to use, robust, good for beginners. | Full-keyboard microtuning | .mts file import, 5000+ tuning files included, easy to add more | Free |
| Microtonal Poly Worms | VST, virtual analog | Windows (32-bit, but works on 64-bit). Easy to use, robust, good for beginners. | Full-keyboard microtuning | .mts file import, 5000+ tuning files included, easy to add more | Free |
| Modartt Pianoteq | Physical-modeled piano | Windows/Mac/Linux, VST/AU/RTAS/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl/kbm file import | €249-€399 |
| Native Instruments Absynth | Virtual modular subtractive synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX/standalone | Limited to 12 note scales, each note ±50 cents from 12-edo | User input | $199 |
| Native Instruments FM8 | FM synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX | Limited to 12 note scales, each note ±50 cents from 12-edo | User input | $199 |
| Native Instruments Kontakt 5 | Sampler | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | Kontakt script | $399 |
| Plogue Alter/Ego | real-time singing synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import | Free |
| Plogue chipsounds | Emulation of classic arcade/console sound chips | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning
(IIRC buggy with nonoctave scales) |
scl/kbm file import | $95 |
| Plogue Sforzando | Sampler, .sfz soundfont format | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX/standalone | Limited to 12 note scales | scl/kbm file import | Free |
| PolyGAS | Granular synthesis | Windows, VST | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl/tun file import | Free |
| Reveal Sound Spire | Subtractive synthesizer with flexible oscillators | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX, 32/64 bit | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl file import with adjustable reference pitch | $189 |
| Spectrasonics Omnisphere | Rompler/synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/RTAS/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $499, €379 |
| SynthFontVSTi | Soundfont player (sf2, sfz, sfark, gig, dls, etc.) | Windows, VST | Limited to 12 note scales | Manual entry or choose from a list | Free |
| synthv1 | Subtractive polyphonic | Linux, Standalone/LV2 plugin | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl/kbm file import | Free |
| TAL BassLine-101 | Virtual analog synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | €55,80 |
| TAL Sampler | Sampler/Synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $60 |
| TAL U-NO-LX | Virtual analog synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | €55,80 |
| u-he ACE | Virtual modular analog synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | €69 |
| u-he Bazille | Virtual modular synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $129 |
| u-he Diva | Virtual analog synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $179 |
| u-he Zebra | Various synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU (and Mac-only RTAS) | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $199 |
| UVI Falcon | Hybrid synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | scl/kbm file import | €349 |
| VAZ Modular | Virtual modular synthesizer | Windows, VST/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | £129.99 |
| VAZ Plus | Virtual analog synthesizer | Windows, VST/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | £14.99 |
| Vogue MK2 | Virtual analog and wavetable | Mac Standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | MTX | Free |
| Virtual CZ | Virtual emulation of classic digital synthesizer | Windows/Mac, VST/AU/AAX | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | €70 |
| Xfer Serum | Wavetable synthesizer | Windows, OSX, VST/AU/AAX 32/64-bit | Full-keyboard microtuning | tun file import | $189 |
| ZynAddSubFX | Various synthesizer | Windows/Linux, VST/standalone | Full-keyboard microtuning | Direct input of values, or import
scl/kbm file |
Free
$59 for 3.0 version |