I made this list a long time ago, and I think it would be a good fit for this subreddit! I personally use/have used every plugin on this list and I can vouch for their quality. I hope it helps someone!
Synths: 1 -
Helm : A very visually-oriented and user-friendly subtractive synth. Its biggest advantages are its 3 assignable LFOs and envelopes, its step sequencer, and its keytracked comb filter. You can get sounds out of this thing that'd be impossible with really any other plugin.
2 -
Synth1 : An analog emulation synth based on the Nord Lead 2 (popular hardware synth from the 90s). Its greatest advantage is its presets - there's a free bank with 25,000 of them. You can also get the free Synth1 librarian add-on to manage your 25,000 presets.
3 -
Spitfire LABS : A host for several free instrument libraries. Perfect for orchestral sounds.
4 -
DSK's assorted instrument plugins :
Dynamic Guitars,
Brass,
Overture, and
Strings aren't on the same level as $500 Kontakt libraries, but they sound fairly good with the right processing. Use these alongside LABS and you'll be all set for making orchestral pieces.
5 -
Ample Bass P Lite : Free bass guitar plugin. Sounds good with saturation.
6 -
Keyzone Classic : Piano plugin. If you use the Yamaha Grand Piano preset, this is the best-sounding free piano plugin you can get.
Effects: 1 -
OTT : A multiband compressor based on a well-known Ableton multiband compressor preset of the same name. It's a big part of the "EDM sound", put it on anything from basses to leads to make them sound tight and compressed.
2 -
Ozone Imager : A stereo imager that is actually good. Has a stereo visualizer, and only two controls - Width, which increases or reduces a sound's existing stereo width, and Stereoize, which adds stereo width to sounds using the Haas effect.
3 -
dblue.Glitch : A step-sequenced glitch plugin. It's up there alongside Gross Beat and Halftime as one of the best ways to add weird time-based effects.
4 -
dblue.TapeStop : Simulates the downward pitch slide and volume reduction caused by stopping a tape player. Useful in nearly every genre. Only two knobs, one of which is automated to trigger the effect, one of which controls the length.
5 -
CamelCrusher : A compression/distortion plugin perfect for fattening up basses. More versatile and customizable than sausage fattener too.
6 -
Krush by Tritik : Basically the best bitcrusher you can get.
7 -
PanCake : Super customizable auto-panning plugin. You will never need another auto panning plugin ever again.
8 -
NC-17 : Soft clippe Chebyshev filter plugin. Makes things loud, dirty and distorted without destroying the base sound.
9 -
Saturation Knob : Super simple 1-knob saturator, great for adding a little bit (or a lot) of analog warmth to sounds.
10 -
SPAN : Really good spectrum analyzer. Great for checking mixes, and can be used alongside Parametric EQ 2 for more precise EQing.
11 -
Izotope Vinyl : The essential lofi plugin. Simulates playing stuff on an old record, and has a bunch of settings to adjust the character of the simulated wear and tear
12 -
Voice of Snow (link cause it's hard to find from googling alone) : Lets you independently control the volume of the noise and tonal elements of a sound. Great for processing samples and cleaning up noisy sounds.
13 - the
Melda Production FreeFX bundle : A bundle of free plugins with a ton of really good effects. And it's not just the basic stuff, this pack includes a pitch correction plugin, a frequency shifter, a comb filter, and a bunch of other cool stuff.
14 -
Transpire by Sonic Anomaly : A very capable transient processor, simple to learn and use with a sleek GUI. Great for modifying drums, plucks, and everything else with a transient.
Samples/Presets: 1 -
Cymatics Free Download Vault : A bunch of high-quality free samples and presets, all in one place.
2 -
SampleFocus.com : These aren't generally as good as the Cymatics samples, but it's not a bad place to find those specific odds and ends that you can't find in the Cymatics packs.
3 -
Polysonic 10 free dubstep snares pack : This is just some random small sample pack, but I use these snares all the time. The dubstep snares in the Cymatics packs just aren't as good as these.
4 -
99sounds : They have some good free ambience sample packs
