I know I been quiet for a few days but it was thanksgiving in the US and the holiday week got the best of me! Cooking, eating, cooking, eating and chilling with the family!
But we back at it this week!
To go along with the post I did about the Top 10 places to download samples legally, I wanted to take it in another direction.
When I first started making the switch over to software production, I didn’t quite have many plugins yet, so I would look around for the free stuff.
Let me just say that, while there is some good free plugins and instruments around, you really have to look, and do a bit of trial an error.
I don’t use every single free thing I can find, I just look for those that have the best sounds, are expandable, and have a nice appearance
I don’t go through the torrents and other dark corners looking for software, so if that’s you as well, then you’ll love this article.
The 5 dopest FREE workstations and samplers
kontakt player – http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/kontakt-player/
This is the same player that’s been around for years in many “powered by kontakt” sample libraries and instruments. Now you can download it for free, it also comes with it’s own collection of instruments and sounds. It’s easy to expand with native instruments own expansions or any sample library that comes in kontakt player or “powered by kontakt” format.
Note, this doesn’t open regular kontakt files, only those that are specifically made to work with the kontakt player, but there are tons of them.
kore player – http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/kore-player/
kore player is another one from native instruments, based on their popular kore 2 workstation. This instrument has all the same synth/sampling engines under the hood as the full version of KORE. Absynth, Reaktor, Kontakt, Massive, Guitar Rig, FM8 engines are included. But you can’t tweak them separately unless you have the full version of these instruments.
kore player comes with it’s own sound library, and there are tons of expansions available to give you a good sound library without having to own the full versions of each instrument. Kore player isn’t multitimbral like the full version of KORE, so you can only load one sound per instance. It’s a great way to get started and it can continue to grow with you.
proteus vx - http://www.emu.com/promo/proteusvx/welcome.asp
This is another great deal, you get a full multitimbral workstation based of of the famous EMU modules and samplers. Not dongles or usb keys to worry about. It comes with the full composer rom bank, basically that’s a full sound module like 1024 sounds.
This one is only for pc if I remember correctly. It can also play pretty much most of the sounds and libraries made for the Emu Proteus X or Emulator X instruments, and I use it to play all the emu sounds I used to have in hardware modules 
independence free – http://www.yellowtools.us/cp21/cms/index.php?id=842
This is another high quality free workstation.
Based on the same technology as Yellow Tools flagship independence workstation, it comes with 2.5 gb of sounds and instruments to get you started.
It can also be expanded with their downloadable sound library.
Now you are limited to 25 audio file imports in this version, and it can’t host vst plugins like the full version, but other than that it’s a good source of high quality FREE sounds, without turning yourself into a criminal to get them lol
This one is definitely worth checking out.
uvi workstation- http://www.uvisoundsource.com/uvi-workstation/article_info.php/articles_id/8
This is the work horse of the uvi soundcard line of products. You can find the same technology in Motu’s bpm and other devices, and it can play any uvi soundpack or soundcard they release. It comes with it’s own library, which is a demo of all the libraries they have created.
I like the interface of this one a lot, very easy. This is it, there is no “full version” this is the workstation they use for their sounds.
It has a very deep arp engine, and it is also 64bit pc compatible. Unlimited parts, unlimited fx…yes it’s a workhorse! Definitely download it for free, and if you want to expand it just go on over to uvisoundsource and look around.
So these are, in my opinion, the best free sample/workstation instruments around. I don’t just look for free, I look for usefulness, sound quality, and expansion support so that it can grow with you in your music.
Check them out, let me know what you think below.
Have you used any of this yet? What is your opinion? What do you think about my list?
leave me a comment.
