6 Superb Software Modular Synths – Best Of 2021 | Production Expert

Open source and free, Andrew Belt’s extraordinary ”Eurorack simulator“ draws on a library of over 2500 community-created modules, making it by far the most diverse modular system ever conceived. You’ll find everything from oscillators and samplers of all kinds to wildly imaginative sequencers and signal processors in the tagged and searchable catalogue; and while the quality, naturally, varies wildly, there are plenty of eminently usable gadgets to be discovered, many of them cloning revered real-world modules.

You’re wondering what the catch is, right? Well, while the other five instruments here all work as plugins (and, with the exception of Softube’s, standalone), VCV Rack is standalone only, so you can’t run it in your DAW (although you can host plugins within it). Don’t let that put you off downloading this incredible freebie, though, particularly if you’re new to the modular game and want to find out what all the fuss is about before committing any cash.

Did your favourite software modular make the cut? Tell us about it in the comments.