Digital Audio Editing

Audacity is a popular free multi track sound recorder and editor, with up to 16 channels and many editing features, for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Vocal Remover for Karaoke, removes anything that is present equally on both tracks of a stereo signal

Ardour is an audio workstation with multi-track record, edit, mix, plugins and master audio and MIDI projects, for Mac and Linux

Wave Pad is a sound editor, with recording, editing and adding effects, and supports up to 96k sample rate, for Windows and Mac.

trakAxPC is a multitrack recorder editor and video creator for Windows.

Wavosaur is a sound editor with pitch shift, karaoke filter, silence remover, crossfade loop and support for VST and ASIO, for Windows.

Quick Audio is an audio file editor with effects like noise remove, reverb, spectrum analysis and adding up to 24 VST plugins, for Windows.

Kristal is a 16 track Digital recorder. It includes basic effects, and supports 2 VST's.

Linux Multimedia Studio (LMMS) is an open source multi track audio editing program for samples, drum machine, beat editing, and VST plugins.

Rosegarden is an audio and midi sequencer/recorder for producing, editing and printing music, using Linux.

Koblo (in development) is an open source music recording and editor for Mac and Windows.

Traverso is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with recording, editing, mastering, unlimited track count, unlimited undo and support for Jack, ALSA, PortAudio, Laptops, Mac, Windows and Linux.

Hydrogen is an advanced Drum Sequencer and general sample sequencer with, 16 samples per multilayer, 32 tracks and unlimited pattern sequencing that can be chained into a song, for Linux, Windows, and Mac.

Psycle is an open source music creation and sampler and VST software with a 64 track pattern editor and traditional tracker interface, for Windows.

Frinika is a complete Digital Audio Workstation with sequencing, midi support, audio recorder, and piano roll/tracker, for Java on Mac, Linux and Windows.

Zone Mobius, based on the Echoplex Digital Pro, is for real time creation and manipulation of audio loops.

Jackdmp is for routing audio from one application to another, for Mac, Linux and Windows.

Soundhack is an powerful synth and effects toolbox for creating your own unique sounds, for Mac.

Sapling is a free program for processing and remixing up to 4 audio files, for Mac.

Soundmag is like Spectral for Mac OS X, realtime processing of sound with 23 AU effects.

Mixere is a free, automated mixer, like a rack full of CD players, for Windows.

Mixxx is an open source DJ tool that works with several audio files, and can be controlled via MIDI or other DJ controllers.

VST plugins and effects

VST 4 Free has free VST instruments, effects and hosts

VSThost is a stand alone VST host so you can load a VST plug in to use for a synthesizer, in Windows

Autotalent - Free Auto Tune plugin is a VST plugin with select % correction for each individual pitch, mono, for Windows and Mac.

LFX-1310 is an highly efficient 24 effects plugin for Windows or Mac.

TAL-Tube is a VST plugin that provides the effect of vacuum tube (valve) saturation, for Windows or Mac.

Fuzz Plus is a VST plug in with a basic fuzz pedal effect, for Windows or Mac.

IIEQ is a 10 band parametric EQ with low CPU consumption. Click on the "FREEWARE" link at the top of it's home page.

Ohm Force :: Frohmage is a plugin that combines phaser, glides, echos and filtering, for Mac and Windows.

Stempel-Free Vocoder effect is a free VST vocoder effect with a smoother sound, for Windows.

SoundScaper II - VST Plugin for Windows and OS X is a VST effect plugin that creates comb effects, reverbs and delays, for Windows or Mac.

Glitch chops audio and applies a variety of effects, with much ordering and tweaking made possible.

Mechaverb is a free VST reverb plugin that can do individual delays for each component of the sound in each frequency, for Windows.

Nibiru 2 is a 4 band filter VST effect plugin with LP, HP, BP, Notch, Peak, resonance and spread, and individual sync-able LFO, for Windows.

Knobster Bundle is a free collection of low-fi and analog sounding VST synths, audio processor sample packs, for Windows.

de la Mancha is a collection of synthesis and processing VST plugins, such as "bent" analog circuits, for Windows.

xoxos is a slew of possibly unique free VST plgins for Windows.

Studiotoolz is a big collection of free audio applications and VST plugins, for Mac.

Toybear Productions with free plugins on the MidiBag and InsBag pages, for Windows.

Ugo Audio offers several free VST synths, including Motion sound, textures and atmospheric, for Windows.

Togu Audio Line has free downloads for a variety of sound generating and processing plugins, including Juno-60, bassline synth, virtual analog synth, Vocoder, Reverb, Filter and Chorus, as VST plugins for Windows and Mac

Vst Plugins and Vsti Soft Synths include a mono bass, an analog synth, Flanger, and Granulator, for Windows.

Kara-Moon has an collection of free VST synths, for Windows.

Sound Software by Oli Larkin is a collection of Synthedit VST plugins, for Windows.

The Best, 100% Free Windows Music Plug-ins is a large list of free VST plugins for Windows.

Sound and MIDI Software for Linux is an entire page of links to various types of sound and MIDI software for Linux!

Blechturmstudios is a German site with a collection of Synths and effect plugins for Windows.

dsp.mutagene.net is a collection of possibly unique free VST effect plugins for Windows.

Synths and Samplers

Native Instruments Player with sound engine is a free software instrument with a 300MB sound Library, for Mac or Windows.

VST Planet is a large collection of virtual instruments.

E-MU Proteus VX V2 is a top class software synth that was previously a commercial product.

Psychosynth (in development) is a free modular software synthesizer inspired by the Retractable sound Modules.

Analog Box 2, 2008 Electronic Musician magazine's editor's choice, is a graphical program for creating your own synthesizers.

ShortCircuit version 1, by Vember Audio, is a free sampler for Windows.

Independence Sampler, by Yellow Tools, is a sampler that comes with a 2GB sound library.

VST-TAL BassLine is a free VST software synth that emulates the Roland SH-101, for Windows or Mac.

Darkness Theory is a free VSY synth by DSK Music, for Windows.

Weepr is a software version of Yamaha's Tenori-On for cross platform with Adobe Air

Krakli Cygnus is a VST based synth with many ambient space sounds, 384 patches and a selection of interfaces.

Minispillage is an real-time adjustable electronic drum synth for Mac.

Software MiniMoog and Arp2600 are free VSTi plugins emulating classic synthesizers, a patchable Arp 2600 and a MiniMoog.

SeeqOne is a sequencer based synthesizer with filter, Pulse Width, resonance, envelope decays, oscillator pitch, pulse width, phasemod, and Gate sequencer with mix option.

crusher-X is a standalone multichannel or VST synthesizer and granular music system for Windows.

Beatburner is a looping sampler with envelope modulation, MIDI learn mode and a built in sample library.

Ceotone Synth2 is a free polyphonic analog VST synth for Windows

EFM Micro Modular Synth is an analog sounding VST synth with 4 oscillators 3 envelopes, 1 filter, arpegiator, pan control, chorus and delay, for Windows.

Commodore 64 Software Synthesizer has the old school retro sound of the Commodore 64.

Kriminal has a bass synth and 4 other synth based on various hardware synths.

Cakewalk Square I Analog Synth is a VST instrument with 3 oscillators, 9 waveforms, noise generator, Low/High pass filters with resonance, 4 LFOs and envelope generators.

Miditzer is a Midi Wurlitzer theatre organ, ready to play in a convenient standalone application.

MIDI Software and Soundfonts

Coolsoft Virtual Midi Synth is like a sound card upgrade, except free. Settings: Decrease the latency to about 8ms (adjust as needed), Load your soundfont, then go to windows control panel, Sound settings, make Coolsoft virtual midi the primary midi playback output.

Virtual Midi Piano Keyboard is a speedy way to get some sounds from your midi keyboard. Settings: Menu, Tools, Midi Connections, Enable midi input, Enable Midi Through and Midi Input, Select your keyboard, Select a synth, such as Coolsoft, click okay, select General Midi and play your keyboard.

Viena SoundFont Editor helps you customize your own soundfonts, and a LOT more is located on the SynthFont downloads page, which has hi-fi SoundFonts and both non-free and free utilities.

Midi Mountain is an open source midi sequencer for Linux.

LoopBe1 is free virtual midi mapping software that allows you to route midi output from one application to another application, for Windows.

Midi-OX can perform filtering, monitoring, mapping, logging, recording of MIDI data streams, which could be played by a sequencer.

ittyBittyMIDI is a dashboard widget that monitors midi signals, for Mac.

Cakewalk SFZ+ Professional Sound Font Player is a VST/DXi instrument that plays sound font (.sf2), has up to 256 voice polyphony, multitimbral, 16 MIDI channels and effects.

MIDI Monitor is an open source MIDI monitor application for Mac.

Nodal is a generative MIDI sequencer for music composition via graphs, Windows and Mac.

MidiSwing is a lightweight MIDI sequencer written in Java for cross platform.

Music Notation Editing and Printing

LilyPond is music notation editor that uses formatted text instead of music notation, for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.

Noteflight is a free web-base music score editor that allows you to edit, display, print, play back and publish your music.

Canorus is a free, opensource, graphical score editor, for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

MuseScore is free WYSIWIG composition, notation, sequencer and synth for Windows, Mac and Linux

Web Based Music Creation

Splice is an online multitrack Digital Sequencer that includes its own virtual instruments, effects, sounds and the ability to import your own sounds.

Jam Studio is for creating backing tracks, karaoke songs etc.... It allows you to enter chord changes, and up to 8 tracks of instrument loops.

RiffWorld is a collaboration site that allows you to record with other musicians over the internet and optionally publish your recordings on the site.

Myna is a web based multitrack audio editor that provides audio clip editing (trim, loop, stretch, reverse), effects (filter, EQ, pitch, reverb, delay).

Soundation Studio is an audio sequencer with 400 royalty free audio loops, effects, track automation, 3 synths, a drum machine, and can mix down to your desktop.

Drumbot is for creating drum tracks by sequencing various drumbeats and then the final drum beat can be exported asw a .wav file.

Sonant Live is a minimalist web based music production app with a tracker based interface and its own built in soft synths for pre-generating playback.

Audiotool is a free online sequencing program so you can record music using it's built in synths and processors controlled by your MIDI keyboard.

Software Creation

SynthEdit is a free graphical based programming environment for creating VST plug ins.

SonicBirth is an Free Open Source tool for creating VST plugins for Mac.

VST Source Code Archive is a collection of data and code for developing VST plugins.

DIY Music&Hi-Fi Equipment

A place to get help with projects, diyAudio.com

Tools software, calculators and documents

DIY a great chip amplifier with Neurochrome

Make a discrete audio amplifier:   Honey Badger

The TDA7297 for easy, inexpensive, first project

Upgrade your digital source to Kmultiplier & Kuartlotron

Browse projects, at Rod Elliot Sound Products

Explore beginner's projects at Decibel Dungeon

Learn how to drive speakers at Lenard Audio

Speaker Design Works, for high fidelity speakers

To play loud with less clipping, try a ClipNipper!

Discover Douglas Self's amplifier institute

Hi-fi news of the 40's and 50's at Wireless World

The basics of Transistors at the Electronics Club