EDM is basically controlled chaos: a sub that stays disciplined, a drop that hits like a door slam, and “just one more layer” until your CPU files a complaint. The goal of this pack is simple: give you a full, modern EDM toolkit using only free plugins—synths, movement tools, mix essentials, and mastering utilities—with direct links inside the article.
- 1) Free Synths That Actually Sound Like EDM (Not Like 2009 Demo Mode)
- Vital (Wavetable monster)
- Surge XT (Open-source powerhouse)
- Helm (Straightforward EDM sound design)
- Odin 2 (Semi-modular for bass, FX, and “why does this sound so good?”)
- Tyrell N6 (Analog-style thickness)
- Dexed (FM for bright keys, bells, and metallic layers)
- 2) EDM Movement Tools (Pumping, Gating, Motion, Width)
- TAL-Filter-2 (Trance gate + volume modulation + rhythmic filtering)
- Kilohearts Essentials (A whole free FX rack)
- PanCake 2 (Auto-pan with drawable curves)
- Voxengo MSED (Mid/Side control)
- 3) Reverb, Delay, Chorus: The “Big Room” Department
- Valhalla Supermassive (Epic space + creative delays)
- TAL-Reverb-4 (Vintage plate that sits nicely in a mix)
- TAL-Chorus-LX (Juno-style chorus widening)
- Acon Digital Multiply (Clean chorus/doubler)
- 4) Mix & Master Tools (Clean, Loud, and Not a Brick of Pain)
- TDR Nova (Dynamic EQ + sidechain ducking)
- TDR VOS SlickEQ (Musical EQ for fast tone shaping)
- TDR Kotelnikov (Clean compression for buses/master)
- Klanghelm DC1A (Character compression, easy to dial)
- Klanghelm MJUC jr. (Vibe compression)
- Softube Saturation Knob (Free saturation)
- Klanghelm IVGI (Free saturation/distortion)
- Free Clip 2 (Clipping for loud EDM without wrecking your limiter)
- 5) Metering (Because EDM “Loud” Still Needs to Translate)
- Voxengo SPAN (Spectrum analyzer)
- Youlean Loudness Meter (LUFS / True Peak)
- TDR Prism (Modern spectrum analyzer)
- The “Install This First” EDM Starter Table
- 6) EDM Chain Templates (Copy-Paste Concepts)
- A) Kick Chain (Punchy, Controlled, Loud)
- B) Bass Chain (Club weight + phone audibility)
- C) Supersaw/Lead Stack (Wide without wrecking mono)
- D) Instant “Pumping” Without Sidechain Setup
- 7) A Clean EDM Mastering Starter (Safe and Effective)
- AUDIARTIST
What this pack is built for
- Electro / Dance / Festival EDM
- Punchy kick + tight bass
- Big supersaws, wide leads, clean plucks
- Pumping sidechain, rhythmic gating, stereo motion
- A master that translates on phones, clubs, and earbuds
1) Free Synths That Actually Sound Like EDM (Not Like 2009 Demo Mode)
Vital (Wavetable monster)
If you only install one free synth for EDM, make it this. Modern wavetable workflow, aggressive unison, great filters, and it takes modulation like a champ.
Link: https://vital.audio/
Surge XT (Open-source powerhouse)
Huge range: supersaws, pads, plucks, digital bells, distorted basses. Very capable for modern dance production.
Link: https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
Helm (Straightforward EDM sound design)
A classic free synth that still delivers for leads, plucks, and straightforward bass patches when you want speed, not menus.
Link: https://tytel.org/helm/
Odin 2 (Semi-modular for bass, FX, and “why does this sound so good?”)
Great for gnarly basses, hybrid tones, and evolving movement without needing paid modular tools.
Link: https://thewavewarden.com/pages/odin-2
Tyrell N6 (Analog-style thickness)
Perfect for warm bass layers, soft leads, and “glue tones” that make digital stacks feel less sterile.
Link: https://u-he.com/products/tyrelln6/
Dexed (FM for bright keys, bells, and metallic layers)
EDM still loves FM bells and sharp digital accents. This is a free classic.
Link: https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
2) EDM Movement Tools (Pumping, Gating, Motion, Width)
TAL-Filter-2 (Trance gate + volume modulation + rhythmic filtering)
This one is gold for EDM because it can do tempo-synced volume patterns (a “pumping” feel) and rhythmic filter movement.
Link: https://tal-software.com/products/tal-filter
Kilohearts Essentials (A whole free FX rack)
A large bundle of clean, modern utilities—filters, delays, distortion, dynamics, utility tools—great for sound design and mixing.
Link: https://kilohearts.com/products/kilohearts_essentials
PanCake 2 (Auto-pan with drawable curves)
Instant stereo motion for hats, FX, risers, fills, or even synth layers (careful on the low end).
Link: https://www.cableguys.com/pancake
Voxengo MSED (Mid/Side control)
For EDM, this is huge: keep subs mono, widen highs, adjust side level safely.
Link: https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/

3) Reverb, Delay, Chorus: The “Big Room” Department
Valhalla Supermassive (Epic space + creative delays)
EDM-friendly ambience, huge washes, wide echoes, clean modulated tails.
Link: https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/
TAL-Reverb-4 (Vintage plate that sits nicely in a mix)
Great for snare plates, synth sheen, and that classic “bright but controlled” reverb vibe.
Link: https://tal-software.com/products/tal-reverb-4
TAL-Chorus-LX (Juno-style chorus widening)
Instant width on pads, plucks, and softer leads.
Link: https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx
Acon Digital Multiply (Clean chorus/doubler)
Perfect when you want widening without obvious “chorus wobble.”
Link: https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/
4) Mix & Master Tools (Clean, Loud, and Not a Brick of Pain)
TDR Nova (Dynamic EQ + sidechain ducking)
Essential for EDM: de-harsh leads, control resonances, and duck bass/synths from the kick with precision.
Link: https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
TDR VOS SlickEQ (Musical EQ for fast tone shaping)
For broad “make it brighter / cleaner / tighter” moves without overthinking.
Link: https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-vos-slickeq/
TDR Kotelnikov (Clean compression for buses/master)
Transparent compression that helps glue without destroying transients.
Link: https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/Download/
Klanghelm DC1A (Character compression, easy to dial)
Good on drums, synth bus, bass layers—simple controls, surprisingly versatile.
Link: https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/DC1A
Klanghelm MJUC jr. (Vibe compression)
If you want a little “record-like” density and movement, this can add flavor fast.
Link: https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/MJUCjr
Softube Saturation Knob (Free saturation)
Perfect for adding harmonics to bass, edge to leads, and presence to drums.
Link: https://www.softube.com/eu/plug-ins/saturation-knob
Klanghelm IVGI (Free saturation/distortion)
More control than a one-knob saturator; great for bass grit and drum bite.
Link: https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI
Free Clip 2 (Clipping for loud EDM without wrecking your limiter)
Clipping is a core EDM trick—especially for kicks and drum buses—when used with restraint.
Link: https://www.vennaudio.com/free-clip/
5) Metering (Because EDM “Loud” Still Needs to Translate)
Voxengo SPAN (Spectrum analyzer)
See your low-end balance and spot harsh peaks fast.
Link: https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/
Youlean Loudness Meter (LUFS / True Peak)
Great for checking loudness consistency and avoiding ugly streaming distortion.
Link: https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
TDR Prism (Modern spectrum analyzer)
A very readable analyzer focused on perception—excellent for tonal balance decisions.
Link: https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-prism/free/

The “Install This First” EDM Starter Table
Synths
- Vital — https://vital.audio/
- Surge XT — https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
- Helm — https://tytel.org/helm/
- Odin 2 — https://thewavewarden.com/pages/odin-2
- Tyrell N6 — https://u-he.com/products/tyrelln6/
- Dexed — https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
Movement / EDM rhythm tools
- TAL-Filter-2 — https://tal-software.com/products/tal-filter
- PanCake 2 — https://www.cableguys.com/pancake
- Voxengo MSED — https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/
- Kilohearts Essentials — https://kilohearts.com/products/kilohearts_essentials
Mix / Master
- TDR Nova — https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
- TDR Kotelnikov — https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/Download/
- DC1A — https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/DC1A
- MJUC jr — https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/MJUCjr
- Saturation Knob — https://www.softube.com/eu/plug-ins/saturation-knob
- IVGI — https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI
- Free Clip 2 — https://www.vennaudio.com/free-clip/
Space
- Valhalla Supermassive — https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/
- TAL-Reverb-4 — https://tal-software.com/products/tal-reverb-4
- TAL-Chorus-LX — https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx
- Multiply — https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/
Meters
- SPAN — https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/
- Youlean — https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
- TDR Prism — https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-prism/free/
6) EDM Chain Templates (Copy-Paste Concepts)
A) Kick Chain (Punchy, Controlled, Loud)
- Free Clip 2 (light clipping, not brutality)
https://www.vennaudio.com/free-clip/ - TDR Nova (tiny cut if there’s boxiness around 200–400 Hz; tame click if too sharp)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/ - Saturation Knob (very subtle harmonic lift if the kick feels thin)
https://www.softube.com/eu/plug-ins/saturation-knob
Tip: In EDM, the kick often “wins” by being shorter and cleaner, not by being louder.
B) Bass Chain (Club weight + phone audibility)
- IVGI (add harmonics so bass translates on small speakers)
https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI - TDR Nova (control mud dynamically; keep sub tight)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/ - Sidechain ducking (best done with your DAW sidechain compressor, or with Nova’s sidechain features)
C) Supersaw/Lead Stack (Wide without wrecking mono)
- TDR VOS SlickEQ (broad tone shaping: sparkle + cleanup)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-vos-slickeq/ - TAL-Chorus-LX or Multiply (widening)
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx
https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/ - Valhalla Supermassive (send for depth/throws, not always-on soup)
https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/ - Voxengo MSED (keep the fundamental more “Mid”, widen the air)
https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/
D) Instant “Pumping” Without Sidechain Setup
Use TAL-Filter-2 volume modulation synced to tempo for a classic EDM pump that’s consistent even when the kick drops out.
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-filter
7) A Clean EDM Mastering Starter (Safe and Effective)
- TDR Kotelnikov (gentle glue, small gain reduction)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/Download/ - Free Clip 2 (tiny clip if you need extra loudness without limiter smear)
https://www.vennaudio.com/free-clip/ - LoudMax (simple limiter to catch peaks)
https://loudmax.blogspot.com/ - Youlean Loudness Meter (check LUFS / True Peak)
https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
![]()



