By default, your DAW offers a number of tools to help you mix, such as volume level meters or spectrometers, included or not in the software interface.
However, these basic features are sometimes quite limited, and it quickly becomes necessary to download some additional utility plugins to speed up your work and gain efficiency.
Especially for everything related to loudness metering, frequency spectrum visualization, and stereo manipulation.
After a previous article where I grouped some free reverbs, I searched through my VST library to offer you this selection of VST/AU/AAX plugins… totally free.
It’s your turn to play and test those that interest you 🙂
1. SPAN
Developer : Voxengo
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
My first choice when I need to take a look at the frequency spectrum of the track or piece I am mixing.
The interface is very clear and the display is highly customizable (visualization, sample block size, curve smoothing, calculation window type settings).
A large number of different measurements are available. Notably, there is an interesting option to measure levels in LUFS and an indication of clipping related to ISP (True Peak).
In short, an excellent utility plugin, completely free, that everyone should have in their software library — it is truly a standard used in many studios and home studios!
► Click here to download the SPAN plugin
2. FreqAnalyst
Developer : Blue Cat Audio
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX, RTAS, DX
Another free spectrum analyzer, also nice although it integrates fewer features than SPAN presented earlier.
The display is smooth, and the somewhat dark base colors will be pleasant to look at if you often work in the dark. If you work during the day, however, the plugin will be difficult to read as the curves lack contrast.
Blue Cat Audio (a French brand!) also offers a paid version with more features of this plugin, FreqAnalystPro, which you can also check out.
► Click here to download the FreqAnalyst plugin
3. AnSpec
Developer : Voxengo
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
Let’s continue with free metering plugins.
If you like spectrograms that are a bit more analog-styled, like bar graphs, the AnSpec from Voxengo will likely interest you.
It is a very simple plugin that offers a nice visualization of the frequency spectrum that is primarily visual: practical for quickly analyzing the frequency balance of a piece.
► Click here to download the AnSpec plugin
4. s(M)exoscope
Developer : Bram @ Smart Electronix (64-bit port by Armando Montanez)
Formats : VST, AU
Normally, your DAW already allows you to display the waveform of the audio corresponding to your music, so you might think this plugin is not very useful.
Indeed, perhaps the most professional users won’t need it.
But for beginners who want to see the effect of a compressor or distortion on the signal, or who would like to understand the behavior of a synthesizer, s(M)exoscope will be a welcome tool.
Keep it handy 🙂
► Click here to download the s(M)exoscope plugin
5. MOscilloscope
Developer : MeldaProduction
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64 bits only)
One of the many plugins from the MFreeFXBundle, a pack of free plugins — and as its name suggests, another tool for visualizing audio signals in real-time (you can pause, of course).
Notably, there is an effective pitch detector integrated into the main visualization (and you can adjust the sensitivity in terms of frequency range).
Like the previous plugin on this list, it may not be an essential tool for everyone, but it remains a good quality utility that is useful from time to time.
► Click here to download the MOscilloscope plugin
6. Wave Observer
Developer : PressPlay Music
Formats : VST, VST3, AU (64 bits only)
Last option for visualizing sound waves: Wave Observer.
This plugin is quite nice because, beyond the configurable visualization, you have access to two metering modes:
- the “envelope” mode offers fairly long durations suitable for observing signal envelopes;
- the “waveform” mode allows you to visualize waveforms and individual oscillations.
In addition, there is a peak level indicator and the possibility to customize the graphical interface (window size and colors).
► Click here to download the Wave Observer plugin
7. bx_solo
Developer : Plugin Alliance / Brainworx
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64 bits only)
This small free utility plugin from Plugin Alliance may not look like much (especially since it’s quite small!), but it can be very useful in various situations.
On one hand, it allows you to listen to the left and right channels in solo, as well as the mid and side channels, which can be very handy during mixing. You can also reverse the position of the left & right channels.
A button on the right side of the interface also allows you to widen or narrow the stereo image as needed. It’s not very precise, but it remains very practical.
For a more complete version, you can check out bx_control from the same brand.
► Click here to download the bx_solo plugin
8. Stereo Tool
Developer : Flux::
Formats : VST, AU, AAX, WPAPI
An excellent tool for managing the stereo image, offered by the French brand Flux::. It must be said that it is immediately noticeable due to its beautiful orange goniometer and its horizontal volume indicators.
However, it is not just a visualization plugin, as it also allows you to affect the signal: gain for each left/right channel, phase inversion, and modification of the stereo image with the “width” slider.
A pro plugin, very nice but also very simple to use, and of course free.
To be tested without delay if you haven’t already!
► Click here to download the Stereo Tool v3 plugin
9. GŌN
Developer : MAAT
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
Not much to say about this simplistic plugin, except that it also allows you to visualize the phase/stereo image thanks to a rather aesthetic goniometer that is lightweight to install.
► Click here to download the GŌN plugin
10. MSED
Developer : Voxengo
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
Again, a free plugin from the publisher Voxengo (you’ll see, it’s not the last on the list).
MSED is a plugin mainly dedicated to mid/side processing, as it allows you to encode/decode mid/side signals and manage the stereo image by separating the mid and side channels.
In addition, it features a correlation indicator and another for stereo balance, as well as a vector visualization on the right side of the plugin.
So we are halfway between metering and stereo processing.
► Click here to download the MSED plugin
11. Correlometer
Developer : Voxengo
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
I told you there were still Voxengo plugins I wanted to talk to you about :)!
In this case, we have a rather unique tool — which I personally don’t use because I have other habits, but which is extremely well made and intelligent.
As its name suggests, it is a correlation indicator.
But as its name does not suggest, this plugin is multi-band: you can split your frequency spectrum into 4 to 64 spectral bands for which the correlation is calculated individually.
Ideal for spotting phase issues!
► Click here to download the Correlometer plugin
12. Youlean Loudness Meter
Developer : Youlean
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX
This metering plugin is a must-have.
Really.
I use it constantly, in its pro (paid) version, for mastering. I even talk about it in my mastering course, precisely.
But the free version is already very good and allows you to do plenty of things, including measuring loudness levels in integrated, short-term, and momentary LUFS.
Different visualizations allow you to check exactly how your mix behaves in terms of loudness, and you can ensure that these visualizations follow the recommendations of various streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc).
An essential tool for mastering.
► Click here to download the Youlean Loudness Meter plugin
13. MTuner
Developer : MeldaProduction
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64 bits only)
MeldaProduction, in its pack of free plugins, truly offers some very useful tools — and there are still a few more that I would like to recommend to you.
The free MTuner plugin is a tuner: ideal for tuning your guitar or synthesizers before starting the recording.
Note that it includes some nice features and visualizations, including the ability to adjust the reference “A” to be lower or higher than 432 Hz.
► Click here to download the MTuner plugin
14. MNotepad
Developer : MeldaProduction
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64 bits only)
Another very useful tool: MNotepad, which allows you to take text notes on your tracks.
Some DAWs already allow this, but not all.
This can be a way to note down lyrics formatted a bit, or to indicate hardware settings you made during recording or mixing.
Maybe not useful for everyone, but this free utility plugin is quite well made and works perfectly.
► Click here to download the MNotepad plugin
15. MNoiseGenerator
Developer : MeldaProduction
Formats : VST, VST3, AU, AAX (64 bits only)
Last tool on this list: MNoiseGenerator, which is as you might have guessed a white/pink noise generator.
You can use it as a test sound generator to analyze the behavior of your plugins or hardware devices, or as a signal generator for sound design (I particularly think of riser effects in techno music).
The tool is very comprehensive, as it even includes an equalizer to adjust the noise profile.
It’s good to have on hand if your DAW doesn’t offer a similar tool.
► Click here to download the MNoiseGenerator plugin
Want more free plugins?
No problem, I have compiled all my lists into a single article dedicated to free plugins 🙂