Here are the Best Free Vocal VST Plugins online that can be used with FL Studio, Reason, Ableton Live, and other VST supported software. More 10 Best Free Bass VST Plugins – Best Bass VSTs.
Due to their undeniable complexity, a seasoned engineer can easily spend hours mastering a single vocal track…
Afterall, compressing and paying special attention to levels on the most dynamic instrument only makes sense.
Luckily, there are several free vocal mastering VST plugins to assist in the process without breaking the bank.
In this article, we’ll dive into a couple of compressors, exciters, equalizers, and noise gate VSTs that mimic many of the tools used by the pros to give mixes the extra polish they need.
Free Plugins For Mastering Vocals
Compressor VSTs
With vocal audio constantly wavering between high and low levels, a good compressor is nothing short of essential to the final mastering process. Check out some of these options to achieve a cohesive, condensed vocal sound.
Related: Proper Compression Settings for Vocals, Best Paid Vocal Compressors
OTT by Xfer Records
Pick it up here
With a simple yet sleek user interface, this plugin is approachable to engineers at all ends of the spectrum. The VST consists of 3 bands and is geared towards trap/electronic genres. OTT has the standard controls of any compressor: In/Out Gain, depth, and time without the clutter from any unnecessary bells and whistles. Each band is equipped with a modest visualizer, allowing you to see how your sound is being altered at different frequency ranges.
Although some producers may find the lack of options control-wise limiting, OTT is quick to get you to the sound you desire without wasting unnecessary time. Overall, the price is more than right, and OTT does an excellent job at evening out levels.
DC1A by Klanghelm
Pick it up here
If you’re looking for a simple compressor to give your vocals a bit more of an analog/classic feel, the Klanghelm DC1A is an excellent free plugin to start with. Its most notable feature is the 4 built-in presets with deep, relaxed, negative, and dual mono compression modes.
To add to its retro vibe, the VST has an embedded meter that looks like those on vintage rack mounts and is just as useful. The meter itself is easily understood and has a delineated red threshold so you can tell whether or not you’re clipping even with just a quick glance. The main focus of the plugin is the input and output, nothing else really besides the compression modes, making it a great option for beginners.
Moreover, Klanghelm produces a bulkier compressor VST entitled DC8C, so DC1A acts as a great trial run before investing in a paid plugin. For a seasoned engineer, this VST may be oversimplified, but those looking for efficiency or that classic mono sound, this is an excellent choice.
Equalizers (EQ) VSTs
When mastering a vocal, especially in pop/more current styles of music, producers commonly boost/cut out frequencies to help it stand out a bit more in the master mix. Here are a couple of free EQs that can fulfill all of your vocal mastering needs.
Related post: Best Paid EQ plugins for Vocals
ReaEQ by Reaper
Pick it up here
In general, this EQ plugin is great for the entire production process, but it also has a couple of key features that lend themselves particularly towards vocal mastering. For example, the VST has a dial-in frequency feature that allows the user to enter precisely what frequency he/she would like to be emphasized or lowered. You are able to add an unlimited amount of bands to give absolute clarity to the vocal and add polish to its final master. The bandwidth can be widened or narrowed with a few mouse clicks, streamlining the process.
Moreover, each band has a separate bypass toggle, meaning that you can easily switch one on/off to compare a sound before/after processing. ReaEQ comes equipped with high and low pass filters, bands, much more. The central visualizer makes it easy to locate all of your bands. Although the plugin is not the most aesthetically pleasing, it certainly works well and has a lot of features that normally come with paid plugins.
Free Plugins For Fl Studio
It is a great plugin to download as a beginner, but able to translate into more mature mastering practices with its potentially highly specified input/output values. ReaEQ is a superb tool and comes as a part of the Rea PLugs bundle with many other useful VSTs.
Luftikus By Lkjb
Pick it up here
This EQ is super useful in achieving a retro sound, as it is a digitized version of an analog-style Equalizer. Luftikus is set up like a traditional rack mount and has 5 fixed-frequency EQ bands with corresponding knobs. This feature could be seen as limiting during the mastering process as you cannot type in specific frequencies in the same way that you can with previously mentioned ReaEQ.
However, if you’re mastering a vocal bus with multiple vocal tracks, having fixed bands can help simplify the process and give you a little boost without being excessive. In addition, the VST has an added “mastering” mode which removes superfluous features to get you in and out of mastering efficiently. Luftikus has a separate section dedicated to boosting the high-end frequencies and a couple of preset options between 2.5-40K Hz which is particularly useful during the vocal mastering process.
Outside of the presets, the high-end boost has a knob that can be altered for a more specific vocal top-end boost. The plugin has a “keep gain” button designed to make changes appear more subtle than drastic while EQing, ideal for mastering. The colorful interface makes it exciting to use and Luftikus proves to consistently create masters with a bit more of a vintage feel.
Nova-67P by Vladg/sound
Pick it up here
The Nova-67p is a hybrid between a compressor and an equalizer making it a fine resource for mastering. The plugin is centered around the main visualizer where you can view the waveforms and respective bands. It’s nice that you’re able to see the waveforms in realtime, especially since vocals are fickle and quick to change from one level to the next. Since it also acts as a compressor, there is a small level meter as well to prevent clipping the vocal tracks.
This unique combination makes the VST a one-stop-shop for vocal mastering. Although sidechaining is traditionally done within the mixing stage, it is certainly worth mentioning that this plugin has sidechain capabilities built-in, along with high and low pass filters. It comes with attack, release, and ratio knobs and a separate toggle for mastering. If you’re looking to EQ or compress exclusively, this plugin may not be the best choice as the two components are designed to be used together in the mastering process.
For those looking to do both processes anyway, this plugin certainly accelerates mastering and will give you a more put together sound as the EQ and compressor interact with one another beautifully.
Noise Gate VSTs
A less common but underrated gating possibility is centered around the vocals. Condenser and other common microphones, often pick up unneeded frequencies that can cloud your vocal clarity during the mastering process. In order to eliminate this, try out one of these free noise gate plugins and place it on a vocal track.
Related post: Best Paid Noise Reduction Plugins
preFix by Variety of Sound
Pick it up here
Prefix acts as a couple of plugins built into one with EQ, sidechain, compression, and phasing built-in. Similarly to Nova-67P, the features are meant to be used with one another without external interference. The noise gate feature is notable as it has specified attack, release, hold, and pre-gate knobs allowing the user to hone in on which frequencies they’d like to be ducked.
Although this plugin is best used during the mixing process, it can be a great reference point during mastering since it includes so many of the tools needed to create a polished track. If someone was stuck on a vocal mix and wanted to be able to visualize a finished or mastered product, preFix could be placed on the corresponding vocal bus and quickly adjusted to give the user a vague idea of the polished product. Since there are so many controls and a lack of a frequency visualizer, this plugin can certainly be intimidating and time consuming for a beginner. However, a reference track on its own is extremely valuable, especially for something as nuanced as vocals, and when mastered, preFix is as effective as comparable costly VSTs.
GGate by GVST
Pick it up here
This plugin is as simple as it can get, but don’t let its minimal approach fool you- GGate is very powerful and is straightforward enough to be added to all kinds of vocals. The plugin consists of 3 knobs: The threshold, attack, and fade; Each pretty self-explanatory in their own right. GGate has a dry/wet meter so that the gated signal can be played alongside the unaltered signal. This opens the door to parallel processing for vocals, which can make a significant difference in the listener’s experience.
Moreover, the “fade” knob is suited to create subtle changes in the overall level of a vocal track. For those looking to give a more processed/clear sound to vocals, i.e those centered around commercial/pop genres, this plugin may prove to be insufficient. However, if you’re in a pinch or just need to eliminate a minute level of noise without being too obvious, you can’t beat the control offered by GGate.
Exciter VSTs
In the same way it is helpful to boost the preexisting high-end of vocals in order to bring the sound more upfront during mastering, exciters generate artificial/organic tones typically in the 3K range and above.
Related post: Best Paid Exciter Plugins
Thrillseeker XTC by Variety of Sound
Pick it up here
This exciter is based around analog-style retro sounds and combines a traditional exciter/saturator with a 3-band EQ. Each set EQ range has a separate knob and bypass button so that different frequency ranges can be enhanced independently. This is particularly useful in scenarios where one is utilizing a vocal bus and wants to master an overall sound without emphasizing unwanted tones/frequencies.
The plugin has a “Mojo” and Drive section, catered to leveling out the amplitudes of generated frequencies running parallel to the dry vocal. Moreover, the VST can be switched in between blue or black versions depending on how precise an engineer desires the finished master to be. Thrillseeker in this way lends itself to a variety of genres and applications. Although it is somewhat limited in being linked to retro or vintage type sounds, the VST is absolutely worth a try at no cost.
BuzVintageMaxi by Buzzroom
Buzzroom has created a true exciter plugin with BuzVintageMaxi. The VST is very minimal, with two main knobs: gain and ceiling for the threshold level of the audio signal. The plugin is known for adding thick, warm sounds to any track it is applied to. This can be especially useful for mastering female vocals, where sometimes the upper register can lose warmth/low-end frequencies when translated to an audio signal. It has two included processing modes, normal and deep, to cater to the depth of harmonics applied to the signal.
Although this plugin cannot be used to master an entire vocal tracks alone due to its lack of complexity, it certainly produces a warm vocal within a short amount of time. It’s definitely worth a try, even just train your ears on what a warm/fat vocal should sound like.
Modern Exciter by Antress
Pick it up here
Antress has a number of strong plugins free for download on their website. Modern Exciter has a user interface resembling a standard rack mount and is not overly muddled by too many controls. Harmonics can be added to low or high frequencies and adjusted with their respective knobs. This lends itself well to mastering vocals as different voices will have different areas in which they need more widening depending on the frequency of the dry audio signal. Modern Exciter includes a VU meter, which especially lends itself to mastering since it helps display the average level of the processed signal.
If you want more of a retro sound, this VST has a built-in analog preset. Moreover, the VST processes in stereo and has separate left and right channels appropriately. The plugin does not have a whole lot of controls which may seem to limit to some, but it notably separates the high and low ends to organically fill in vocal frequency gaps.
Quick Tips For Mastering Vocals
In general, the mastering process involves adding the final polish to a preexisting mix. This includes leveling, preparing for distribution, and making sure that the project as a whole is cohesive. Let’s dive into a couple of tips that illustrate what that process is like for vocals.
#1. Keep Mixing and Mastering Separate
With any aspect of a song, especially vocals, it’s important that you’re giving the mixing and mastering processes their own space. This is because the philosophy behind mixing involves deep adding/subtracting, sometimes involving an entire rework of a track.
When you master, you are looking to polish and heighten the parts of something that is already complete. By keeping the two operations independent of one another, you allow for your vocals to be better thought out in terms of context (mixing) and the overall level/vibe of the song as a whole (mastering). A good master on a bad mix still produces a poor track. Therefore, make sure you do your homework before jumping into the world of mastering plugins- The real work comes out during mixing.
#2. Know your Vocals
What type of voice is presented on your track? What kind of frequency is it lacking? Is your vocal the focus of your song or more in the background? It’s vital that you consider these questions deeply before beginning the mastering process so that you have a clear roadmap to lead you down the right mastering path with plugins that fit accordingly.
#4. Use a Reference Track
Vocals are by far the trickiest aspect of understanding audio engineering since they are so unique. It can be extremely helpful to use a reference track during the mastering process to get your vocal exactly where you desire. Moreover, so many of these free plugins include bypass features, sometimes for each separate band, which makes it easy to compare against your model track.
Mastering is the icing on top of the cake, not the cake itself, but that does not diminish its importance- especially with vocal tracks. A good master sets your music apart and is a mark of a seasoned producer. Try out one of these free vocal mastering VSTs on your next track to get you one step closer to the coveted warm, thick vocal our ears crave.
Last Updated on December 15, 2020.
Vocoders are fun! In short, they are used to synthesize thehuman voice making them sound robotic and even “inhuman”.
The great thing about vocoder plugins is that they can add alot of flavor to your music in just a matter of seconds.
Now, in this post I will list the seven best professional/commercialvocoder plugins, as well as the 7 best free ones.
Let’s get started…
Best Commercial Vocoder VST/AU Plugins
- VocalSynth 2 by Izotope (Windows, Mac)
- Vocodex by Image-Line (Windows, Mac onlyin FL Studio)
- Morphoder by Waves Audio (Windows, Mac)
- XILS V+ by XILS Lab (Windows, Mac)
- Vocalizer PRO by Sonivox (Windows, Mac)
- Waldorf Lector by WaldorfMusic (Windows, Mac)
- Razor by Native Instruments (Windows, Mac)
VocalSynth 2 by Izotope ($199)
This is one of the most powerful commercial vocoder pluginsout there that also comes with loads of other features which are great forcreating cool and futuristic vocal effects.
VocalSynth 2 features a Vocoder, Compuvox, Polyvox, Talkbox,and Biovox, which is a brand new effect based on the sonic qualities of thehuman vocal tract.
It’s more than capable of creating the typical roboticeffects, however you can also get any kind of oldschool or “newschool” soundswhich should help you find that secret sauce that you need to make your mixessound awesome.
Since it’s one of those plugins where you can certainly getlost in all the features available, VocalSynth 2 also provides you with loadsof presets, which not only is a good starting point when you’re trying toachieve that awesome vocal sound, but it also helps you save loads of time.
The newly added “Biovox” feature is pretty interesting aswell;
Using scientific modelling of a human vocal tract, you canadjust human vocal characteristics like nasality, vowel shapes, and formantsfor a smooth, textural vocal treatment to any audio signal.
VocalSynth2 also features a visual animation that moves withthe shape of your audio, which gives you a pretty unique audio meteringexperience.
All iZotope products feature inter-plugin communication,allowing seamless integration with essential tools for music production andanalysis.
Features
- Biovox: Modelling of human vocal tract.
- Stompbox-style effects
- Inter-plugin communication
- Extensive plugin enhancements
- Best Free Vocoder VST/AU Plugins
You can find out more about VocalSynth 2 here.
Related: I’ve also written other posts about VST plugins that might interest you;
Vocodex by Image-Line ($99)
Image-Line is the company responsible for creating theamazing DAW FL Studio.
One important thing to note here is that Vocodex works in Windowsin almost any DAW, however if you want to be able to use it with a Mac computer,you’ll only be able to through FL Studio.
I believe that Vocodex is an ideal plugin for beginners becauseof how straight forward and easy to use the interface is.
It also features voice doubling and reverb capabilities, aswell as up to 100 filter bands which are individually controllable, giving youloads of options for creating extremely precise sounds.
It’s a lot more basic than VocalSynth 2, but that is why it’sbetter for beginners.
Plus, it allows you to get straight to the point withoutwasting time going through all the features.
Features
- Speech enhancement contouring of noise ormodulator pass-through.
- Modulator noise reduction to reduce ambientnoise bleeding through carrier.
- Voice doubling and reverb capabilities.
- Built-in Soundgoodizer for limiting and warmoutput.
- Up to 100 bands individually locatable anywherein the spectrum.
- …and more!
You can find out more about Vocodex here.
Related: Are you looking for a new DAW? Here’s a list of the best DAWs currently available!
Morphoder by Waves Audio ($29)
This Vocoder plugin by Waves is not only powerful, but alsofeatures a built-in synth that works as a carrier.
However, this synth is pretty limited in the sense that itonly allows you to choose between 8 internal voice synthesizers.
The good news is that you can sidechain your own soundsources and completely ignore the built-in synth, should you want to.
It also comes with a 5-band EQ and some other features likeformant, smoothing and pressure controls.
As you can see, Morphoder is a very simple andstraightforward Vocoder plugin.
But what it lacks in flashiness it more than makes up in easeof use and overall effectiveness.
Just like Vocodex, I can definitely recommend Morphoder toany beginner and even pros.
Features
- 8-Voice stereo synthesizer
- Formant control
- Modulator with Linear Phase EQ
- MIDI control
You can find out more about Morphoder here.
XILS V+ by XILS Lab ($159)
The XILS V+ is a plugin based on Roland’s classic VP330which was comprised of a simple vocal synth, a very simple string synth and abasic vocoder.
The original Roland VP330 only does three things, but itdoes them in a style and quality, which have not yet been surpassed.
The plugin version combines a Vintage 10 band Vocoder,Supreme Top Octave Divider based Strings and Human Voices, or any sophisticatedlayering of these three elements.
It also features a couple new additions that the people at XILSLabs decided to include; A virtual keyboard, an Advanced Stereo Space effect, asimple but nice sounding reverb, an Analog like resonant Phaser, up to 6 freeassignable modulation nodes, and more…
If you’re looking for a simple and great sounding vocoder thatdoes these three things extremely well, and that is capable of a hugerange of related sounds that you can’t obtain from the original, then check outXILS V+.
Features
- Access to a lot of parameters which its hardwaremodel kept secret under the roof.
- One strings section.
- One human voices section.
- One 10 bands vocoder.
- A virtual keyboard
- …and more!
You can find out more about XILS V+ here.
Related: Here’s a list about the best Guitar VST Plugins.
Vocalizer PRO by Sonivox ($49)
If you’re looking for an affordable vocoder plugin thatstill performs incredibly well, then Vocalizer Pro might be for you.
It features a total of four Spectral Synthesis modules whichcan be routed in, around, and through each other in various combinations toincrease your sonic potential.
Now, add to this that each of these modules offers pitch shifting,filtering, and modulation using LFOs, and you can see how each module cancreate awesome sounds.
And since you can combine these modules in any way you like,the possibilities are endless.
Two rows of MIDI-mappable pads provide great performancecontrol.
The top row saves snapshots of parameter settings, while thebottom row stores multi-note chords for expressive real-time interaction.
Features
- Revolutionary MIDI-controlled audio effect
- Unparalleled vocoding, re-synthesis and signalprocessing from subtle to mind-blowing
- Expanded controls including FFT audio processingsuite
- Pitch shift, formant, improved frequency controland spreading
- Two rows of performance pads extend playabilityand live performance control
You can find out more about Vocalizer Pro here.
Lector by WaldorfMusic ($180)
The interface of Lector might seem a bit intimidating atfirst because of all the knobs and controls, however it’s pretty easy to use.
The analysis filter bank splits the incoming audio signalinto as many as 100 frequency bands, which basically means that you can getextremely detailed with the carrier if you want.
It comes with some unusual features such as; The Waldorfmultimode filter (12dB-24dB slopes), a whitening filter and a three-band EQ.
The Lector also features two oscillators with analogwaveforms such as sine, triangle, sawtooth, square and more, as well as variouseffects such as distortion, delay and reverb.
Features
- 3 to 100 band Vocoder
- Adjustable range of Analysis Filter Bank
- Adjustable offsets and LFO modulation ofSynthesis Filter Bank
- 3-band Equalizer with variable mid band
- Individual Compressors for Speech and Carriersignal
- Voiced / Unvoiced Detector
- …and more!
You can find out more about Lector here.
Razor by Native Instruments $(99)
Native Instruments is known for creating some of the bestplugins out there, be it Guitar VST Plugins or even samplerplugins, and they all sound fantastic.
Razor is actually a soft synth but it comes with anexcellent 34-band vocoder function.
This vocoder function is capable of creating the classicvocoder sounds which we all know, but it also allows for more experimentationwhere you can come up with some pretty cool sounds.
You might be hesitant of purchasing this plugin because ofits price tag, but remember that you are getting an overall excellent synth aswell, and not just the vocoder function.
Features
- Detailed, dynamic additive synthesis
- Extreme sonic flexibility and morphability forboundless sound design
- Easy-to-use subtractive controls and uniquevisual feedback
You can fin out more about Razor here.
This concludes the list of the premium vocoder VST/AUplugins.
Now, let’s move on to the free ones…
Best Free Vocoder VST/AU Plugins
- TAL-Vocoder by Togu Audio Line (Windows, Mac)
- FBVC by Full Bucket Music (Windows, Mac)
- VSMINI Vocoder by WOK (Windows only)
- CANNABIS VOCODER BY BITSONIC (Windows only)
- VINTAGE VOCODER BY SONICISM (Windows only)
- Vocovee by g200kg (Windows only)
- mda Vocoder by mda (Windows only)
TAL-Vocoder by Togu Audio Line (Free)
TAL-Vocoder is a vintage vocoder with 11 bands thatemulates the sound of vocoders from the early 80’s.
It includes analog modeled components in combination withdigital algorithms such as the SFFT (Short-Time Fast Fourier Transform).
This vocoder does not make a direct convolution of the carrier and modulation signal as other digital vocoders may do.
It includes an envelope follower for every of the elevenbands.
It is mostly been optimized for voice processing andincludes some algorithms for consonants to make the voice more intelligible.
Features
- 11 band vocoder engine.
- Internal carrier synth (pulse, saw, sub osc,noise, mono, poly, portamento, sync mode, tune).
- Possibility to route an external carrier signal.
- Harmonic control (adds more harmonics to anycarrier signal)
- …and more!
You can download TAL-Vocoder for free here.
FBVC by Full Bucket Music (Free)
The Full Bucket Vocoder FBVC is a plugin thatsimulates the classic KORG VC-10 Vocoder from 1978.
It emulates both the sound character and the signal chain ofsaid vocoder while still introducing some new features.
The front panel is pretty easy to use and it features thebasic controls such as; the global tuning control, the volume controls forcarrier and modulator, the vibrato controls and the built-in patch browser.
One cool feature about this vocoder plugin is that it can loada .WAV file, which will then be used by the modulator.
This means that you can avoid routing the audio around inyour DAW by simply loading the .WAV file onto the vocoder.
Features
- 20 band full stereo vocoder
- 64 voice polyphonic built-in Tone Generatorsection
- Accent Bending and Vibrato effects
- Optional WAV file playback
- Fully tweakable Analysis/Synthesis section
- …and more!
You can download FBVC for free here.
VSMINI Vocoder by WOK (Free)
VSMINI is a 20-band vocoder effect plugin based on theSennheiser Vocoder, however this one is a much more simplified version.
It features an internal carrier signal source with saw ornoise and optional MIDI control.
Also, an external signal can be used as the carrier on onechannel of the stereo input, the other channel receives the modulation signal.
An integrated noise generator for sibilance parts of the speechsignal improves articulation quality.
You can download VSMINI for free here.
CANNABIS VOCODER BY BITSONIC (Free)
Best Free Plugin For Vocals
Clearly, this isn’t your traditional vocoder plugin, as youmight have been able to make out from the name.
However, it really does have an interesting sound to it eventhough it’s quite a limited plugin.
It comes with a couple of built-in presets which sound a bitfunny… actually, the whole plugin sounds funny, but it’s pretty interesting aswell.
The mono version is an effect plugin, meaning it’s not a VSTinstrument.
The poly version is a VST instruments application, where youcan load the vocal track into the software and using the midi channel you cancreate a polyphonic vocoder.
You can download the Cannabis Vocoder for free here.
Vintage Vocoder by Sonicism (Free)
Vintage Vocoder was originally a commercial productpublished by Sonicism Digital Audio Solutions in 2002.
It was used for the robot voices and sound effects in thecomputer game Freelancer.
The interface is simple and easy to use, which is always nice,but it’s still a pretty powerful plugin, especially considering that it’s freeand pretty dated.
Features
- Screaming analogue style filtering:
- Versatile and powerful Filterbank for analyzingthe modulator signal:
- Onboard tone generator for use as the carriersignal:
- Modulate anything with anything.
You can download the Vintage Vocoder for free here.
Vocovee by g200kg (Free)
Vocovee is a VST Effect version of g200kg’s VocovVocoder and its features are pretty limited.
It does not have sidechain routing but it does have a lowerlatency, making it ideal for performances.
It also has an improved built-in synth which is nice.
Features
- Digital vocoder engine.
- Built-in 8 Voice polyphonic 3-OSC 2-LFO synth.
- 6-band Graphic EQ.
- Delay, Chorus and Reverb effects.
You can download Vocovee for free here.
Vocoder by mda (Free)
This is a really simple switchable 8 or 16 band vocoderplugin.
Its interface is extremely simple and it doesn’t reallyfeature anything out of the ordinary.
It’s basically an earlier and less sophisticated version ofthe Cubase Vocoder.
Note: The website is a bit outdated and the downloadlink isn’t that easy to find. It’s the second-to-last one on the “Plug-ins”section.
You can download the mda Vocoder for free here.
Conclusion
Vocoder plugins are super fun to use, especially the goodones.
I would recommend all the beginners to download a couple ofthe free ones first before moving on to the higher-end ones.
I hope this information was useful.
Have a nice day!