Triple Cheese
Triple Cheese is a unique freeware synthesizer that employs comb filters for sound generation instead of traditional oscillators or wavetables. It features three comb filter modules arranged in series, each offering eight different modes, allowing for a wide range of sound design possibilities. The synthesizer supports polyphonic (up to 16 voices), duophonic, monophonic, and legato modes, with adjustable portamento time. It includes two ADSR envelopes with customizable sustain stages, two host-sync-able LFOs (one regular and one "vibrator" with delay and amplitude modulation), and a VCA with amplitude modulation and pan controls. Triple Cheese also offers five built-in effects, including chorus, flanger, phaser, delay, and reverb. Modulation sources encompass wheels, velocity, pressure, breath, key follow, and random inputs. The user interface is scalable from 70% to 200% and skinnable, providing flexibility in appearance.
Learn more
Podolski
Created in 2005 and still going strong. Podolski is a free, straightforward, CPU-efficient virtual analog synthesizer. One oscillator, one filter, one envelope, and an arpeggiator/sequencer. Simple, but with a few tricks up its sleeve. Create high-quality sounds with ease. Podolski is a simple, CPU-efficient virtual analog synthesizer. Basically a cut-down version of FilterscapeVA with just one oscillator, one filter, one envelope, and two LFOs, it also features a Zebra-style arpeggiator/sequencer plus chorus and delay effects. Podolski's specialties are the click parameter (which emphasizes the filter attack) and its ability to seamlessly morph between three waveforms (WaveWarp). Oscillator with variable symmetry (sawtooth to triangle, PWM) and glide. Combination arpeggiator/16-step sequencer with extra modulation source. ADSR or HDSR, linear or exponential. Sustain has fall/rise control.
Learn more
Diva
Diva captures the spirit of five decades of analog synthesizers. Oscillators, filters, and envelopes from some of the greatest monophonic and polyphonic synths of yesteryear were meticulously modeled for unmatched analog sound. More than a single synthesizer: Recreate an old favourite or mix-and-match modules to design your unique hybrid. Authentic, award-winning analog sound. Per-voice oscillator detunes and user-definable modulation source. Zero delay feedback (ZDF) filter design for authentic resonance behavior. 3 ADS(S)R envelope models based on classic synth hardware with keyboard follow and velocity scaling. Host-sync-able arpeggiator with continuous rate offset, swing, and various progression options. 2 host-sync-able LFOs with multiple waveforms, restart options, and phase controls. 2 stereo effects slots, each with chorus (3 modes), phaser (2 modes), plate reverb, delay, rotary speaker.
Learn more
Zebralette
Zebralette is our version of a Trojan horse. A free synthesizer and an introduction to Zebra2's fantastic oscillators. Perhaps it will persuade you to try Zebra2 and upgrade. If one oscillator is this powerful, imagine what you can achieve with four, and all the other great features available in Zebra2. Zebralette is an introduction to Zebra2's powerful oscillators. Zebra2 can seem overwhelming at first glance, so we stripped it down to a single oscillator plus a few other features and created Zebralette, the little Zebra. Once you master Zebralette you can move up to Zebra2 with confidence. Your presets can come with you, as Zebralette presets can be opened in Zebra2. But more than a teaching tool, Zebralette is an incredible-sounding synth in its own right. Surrounding Zebra's spectral oscillator with a few core modulation options and effects makes Zebralette highly capable.
Learn more