Synthwave is a love letter to the 80s… written with chorus, sealed with tape, and delivered by a bassline that doesn’t ask permission. The good news: you can get that authentic neon vibe with a 100% free plugin setup—no shady installers, no “FREE* (requires your soul)” fine print.
This expert pack focuses on what synthwave actually needs:
- Warm analog-style synths + classic digital
- Chorus, tape, reverb, and delay that feel period-correct
- Simple mixing tools to keep it big but not messy
- Meters to stop your master from turning into a glowing brick
All links below are direct.
1) Synths (The Heart of the Synthwave Sound)
Vital (Modern wavetable that can still do vintage)
Yes, it’s modern—but it’s also a monster for warm pads, drifting leads, and polished basses if you keep it tasteful (less “EDM laser,” more “neon sunset”).
https://vital.audio/
Tyrell N6 (u-he) — Free analog character
A synthwave staple for Juno-ish warmth, soft bass layers, and leads that sit in a mix without sounding plastic.
https://u-he.com/products/tyrelln6/
PG-8X — JX-style 80s poly vibes
If you want that classic 80s poly-synth flavor (pads, brassy stabs, dreamy keys), PG-8X is a strong pick.
https://sites.google.com/site/mlvst0/
Dexed — FM for bells, EPs, and metallic sparkle
Perfect for glassy keys, FM bells, and retro digital textures that scream “arcade at midnight.”
https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
Surge XT — Deep, flexible, and surprisingly “retro-friendly”
Great for pads, arps, plucks, and hybrid tones. It’s not “80s-only,” but it covers a lot when you need range.
https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
Charlatan — Fast, analog-ish, no nonsense
A lightweight synth that’s excellent for basic vintage leads and basses when you want speed and simplicity.
https://blaukraut.info/
2) Arps & Motion (Because synthwave without arps is… just “wave”)
BlueARP — Free arpeggiator (excellent for classic patterns)
Drive any synth with proper arps and rhythmic patterns. Fantastic for sequenced basslines and pulsing chords.
https://omg-instruments.com/wp/?page_id=8
PanCake 2 — Autopan that makes everything move
Perfect for hats, arps, FX, and gentle stereo animation. Don’t use it on sub-bass unless you enjoy chaos.
https://www.cableguys.com/pancake
3) Chorus & Width (The Neon Paint)
TAL-Chorus-LX — Instant Juno-style chorus
If synthwave had a national anthem, this chorus would be in the first bar.
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx
Acon Digital Multiply — Clean chorus/doubler
Great when you want width without too much vintage wobble.
https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/
Voxengo MSED — Mid/Side control (keep low-end centered)
Widen the highs, keep the bass mono. Your kick will thank you.
https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/
Wider — Quick stereo widening (use responsibly)
Nice for pads and background layers—just check mono compatibility.
https://polyversemusic.com/products/wider/
4) Tape, Saturation, and Lo-Fi Flavor (The “VHS Soul” Section)
CHOW Tape Model — Free tape with real character
Warmth, compression behavior, subtle movement—great for synth buses and masters (lightly!).
https://chowdsp.com/products.html
Softube Saturation Knob — One knob, instant grit
Perfect for giving bass and drums a touch of harmonic thickness.
https://www.softube.com/plug-ins/saturation-knob
Klanghelm IVGI — More controllable saturation
Adds bite and density without turning everything into fuzz.
https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI
TAL-Bitcrusher — Retro digital dirt
For crunchy intros, degraded drums, or that “old sampler” edge.
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-bitcrusher
5) Reverb & Delay (The Night Sky)
Valhalla Supermassive — Huge delays + lush space (free)
Perfect for endless tails, wide echoes, dreamy atmosphere. A synthwave favorite for a reason.
https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/
OrilRiver — Classic clean reverb (still excellent)
Great for plates/rooms when you want depth without drowning the mix.
https://www.denise.io/store/denise/orilriver
TAL-Reverb-4 — Bright vintage plate vibes
Excellent on snares and synth leads for that 80s sheen.
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-reverb-4
6) Mixing Essentials (Clean the Fog, Keep the Glow)
TDR Nova — Dynamic EQ (de-harsh, de-mud, de-ouch)
Essential for controlling harsh resonances in bright synths and keeping low-mids from getting swampy.
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
TDR Kotelnikov — Clean compression for bus/master
Transparent glue without flattening your transients.
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/
Klanghelm DC1A — Easy compression with vibe
Simple and effective on drum bus, synth bus, or bass group.
https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/DC1A
7) Metering (Because Neon is Better When It’s Not Clipping)
Voxengo SPAN — Spectrum analyzer
Check your low-end balance and keep harsh peaks under control.
https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/
Youlean Loudness Meter (Free) — LUFS / True Peak
Helps you master consistently and avoid “streaming distortion surprises.”
https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
LoudMax — Simple limiter
Clean, lightweight limiter for demos and final checks.
https://loudmax.blogspot.com/
Synthwave Chain Templates (Practical, Fast, Works in Any DAW)
A) Synth Bus “Neon Glue” Chain
- TAL-Chorus-LX (subtle)
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx - CHOW Tape Model (light drive)
https://chowdsp.com/products.html - TDR Nova (dynamic cut on harshness if needed)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/ - Reverb/Delay on sends: Valhalla Supermassive
https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/
B) Bass Chain (Big, Warm, Still Controlled)
- IVGI or Saturation Knob (harmonics for translation)
https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI
https://www.softube.com/plug-ins/saturation-knob - TDR Nova (tighten low-mids; control boom dynamically)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/ - Keep sub mono with Voxengo MSED if needed
https://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/
C) Snare “80s Plate Hit”
- TAL-Reverb-4 (plate) as a send
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-reverb-4 - Optional: TAL-Bitcrusher very lightly for grit
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-bitcrusher
D) Master “Don’t Kill the Vibe” Starter
- TDR Kotelnikov (gentle glue)
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/ - LoudMax (final limiting)
https://loudmax.blogspot.com/ - Meter with Youlean + SPAN
https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/
The “Top 10 Essentials” (If You Want a Minimal Install)
- Vital — https://vital.audio/
- Tyrell N6 — https://u-he.com/products/tyrelln6/
- PG-8X — https://sites.google.com/site/mlvst0/
- BlueARP — https://omg-instruments.com/wp/?page_id=8
- TAL-Chorus-LX — https://tal-software.com/products/tal-chorus-lx
- CHOW Tape Model — https://chowdsp.com/products.html
- Valhalla Supermassive — https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive/
- TDR Nova — https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
- SPAN — https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/
- Youlean Loudness Meter — https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
