7 of the Best Free Linux Synthesizers
A software synthesizer, also known as a softsynth, is computer software which creates digital audio. Computer software that generates music is not a recent arrival. However, with processors that offer multiple cores and faster clock speeds, software synthesizers can complete tasks that previously needed dedicated hardware. The advantage, of course, of software synthesizers is that they are less expensive than dedicated hardware, and simpler to integrate with other types of music software.
Synthesizers are often controlled with a piano-style keyboard. Several other forms of controller have been developed to mimic guitars, organs, stringed and wind instruments. A real analog synthesizer has a lot of knobs and switches which give immediate access to all important parameters of the generated sound.
Linux has a good range of open source software to be a serious contender in music production without having to venture into the commercial software world. Some of the software featured in this article provide operation similar to analog synths from the 1970s, such as the Moog Minimoog and Roland Juno-60.
To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 7 capable software synthesizers. Hopefully, there will be something of interest here for anyone who wants to create a known or unknown, common or unusual sound experience without the outlay of dedicated hardware.
Now, let’s explore the 7 software synthesizers at hand. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, screenshots, together with links to relevant resources and reviews.
| Synthesizers | |
|---|---|
| Fluidsynth | Synthesizer based on the soundfont2 specifications |
| Bristol | Vintage synthesizer emulator |
| AlsaModularSynth | Realtime modular synthesizer for ALSA |
| ZynAddSubFX | Realtime software synthesizer |
| Psychosynth | Inspired by the ideas of the Reactable |
| terminatorX | "Scratch" on digitally sampled audio data |
| amSynth | Two oscillator software synthesizer |
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