In the last few decades, synthesizers have played an undeniably critical role in sound design and music production. In the past, analog synthesizers occupied a lot of space in music studios. While they’re still favored by many producers, virtual synthesizers have come so far in emulating analog and digital synthesizers, all stored in a computer.

Apple’s Logic Pro comes with a plethora of industry-standard stock plugins and presets, including powerful virtual synths like the almighty Alchemy. If you haven’t checked them out and don’t know how to use Logic’s stock synths yet, I highly recommend giving them a shot before moving on to other VST plugins. You can check out my YouTube video in which I go through everything you need to know about Logic Pro’s synthesizers.

If you’re already familiar with Logic’s stock library, installing third-party VSTs to expand your arsenal as a music producer is a must. In this post, I’ll list six of the best synth VSTs you can install on Logic Pro, exploring both free and paid options. Determining the qualities that make a virtual synth worth opting for is difficult. The list below contains plugins I found the most helpful and inspiring as a songwriter and music producer. Here’s a quick look at the VSTs covered in this post:

1. Baby Audio Atoms ($59)
2. Arturia Analog Lab ($99)
3. U-He TyrellN6 (Free)
4. Audio Spillage MiniSpillage (Free)
5. NewFangled Audio Generate ($99)
6. Spitfire Audio LABS (Free)

1. Baby Audio Atoms ($59)

Baby Audio has gained a lot of popularity in recent years for providing creative and practical plugins for music producers. Among the different VSTs offered by this company, the Atoms stands out as a powerful physical modeling synthesizer, emulating the behavior of real-life instruments. Moreover, the model is triggered by a virtual bowing action and offers organic fluctuations that mimic acoustic and analog instruments.

The plugin offers six main parameters that you can control and automate. Using Atoms, you can create anything from sci-fi sounds to natural bowed instruments. Baby Audio has designed a very intuitive user interface for Atoms, making it impressively straightforward to navigate and create the sound you’re after.

You can purchase Atoms by Baby Audio for $59. You can use my coupon code CHARLES20 for a 20% discount.

2. Arturia Analog Lab V ($99)

Arturia is a household name in the music production industry. Arturia’s reputation comes from offering industry-standard MIDI controllers, digital synthesizers, and software instruments. The Analog Lab V is an insanely valuable software instrument offering a virtually endless list of different sounds. The plugin gives you access to a vast variety of instrument types; anything from keys, bass, and studio strings to vintage synths and a lot more.

Each instrument comes with different parameters that allow you to shape the sound into what you’re after. A huge advantage of the Analog Lab V is its seamless integration with Arturia’s MIDI controllers and other products. I have an Arturia KeyLab 49 in my home studio, and besides the quality of the keyboard itself, its integration with Logic Pro and Arturia’s software instruments has helped me immensely in my creative journey as a songwriter and music producer.

You can purchase Analog Lab V for $99 on Arturia’s Website.

3. U-He Tyrell N6 (Free)

It’s hard to believe the Tyrell N6 plugin from U-He is free! The software instrument is impressively responsive and offers a lot of high-quality sounds. It comes with over 500 presets and a lot of parameters that allow you to control the sound of your synth with precision. The plugin comes with two LFOs with eight waveforms, Analog-type ADSR envelopes, chorus effects, and a modulation matrix with depth modulation from a second source.

The interface resembles that of vintage analog synthesizers, with a bunch of knobs and faders to control each parameter. You can download the Tyrell N6 VST for free exclusively from the German online magazine Amazona. You can read more about the product on the U-He’s website, but it does not give you a download link directly.

4. Audio Spillage MiniSpillage (Free)

If you’re looking for a drum synthesizer software instrument, the MiniSpillage by Audio Spillage can be an excellent option that you can download for free. The VST offers three synthesis algorithms, along with distortion effects and resonant filters. The three algorithms are Bass Drum, Wood Drum, and Hi-Hat.

Although the samples and presets offered by MiniSpillage are rather limited, this minimalist approach allows you to explore creative ways to integrate this drum synth into your project instead of spending hours browsing through different menus. You can download the MiniSpillage drum synthesizer from Audio Spillage’s website.

5. NewFangled Audio Generate ($99)

NewFangled Audio’s Generate is a phenomenal virtual synthesizer for creating cinematic sounds. If you’re looking for a VST to help you create epic ambient sounds, I highly recommend giving this plugin a shot. Moreover, the NewFangled Audio Generate is a great tool for creating sound effects and background music for movies and videos.

You’ll face a noticeable learning curve when installing this VST plugin. The sound that comes out of it might feel a bit random at first, but every little detail is programmable. So, investing some time into learning how to use this plugin to integrate it deliberately in your tracks can pay off quite well.

You can purchase the NewFangled Audio Generate plugin for $99.

6. Spitfire Audio LABS (Free)

Last but not least, LABS by Spitfire Audio is an excellent VST that, in my opinion, is a must for all music producers. Spitfire Audio offers an extensive list of different instruments. Anything from choir and pipe organs to vintage drums and bowed instruments, you have a ton of high-quality virtual instruments to use in your projects for free.

Although these are mainly sampled instruments rather than virtual synthesizers, the quality and the variety of plugins offered in the Spitfire LABS package make it an extremely valuable third-party plugin. In another post, I reviewed Spitfire’s Soft Piano in Logic Pro.

You can download the Spitfire Audio LABS for free from the company’s official website.

Final Thoughts: Always Put Skill Over Quantity

Although the aforementioned VST plugins can be extremely useful, it is your skill and knowledge in using synthesizers that determines the quality of your musical projects. Installing countless third-party effects and virtual instruments on your DAW will not magically make you a successful music maker. Therefore, you should take your time to learn how to use synths before spending hundreds of dollars on extending your library of virtual instruments. You can click here to watch my YouTube video tutorial on Synthesizer tricks the pros use in music production.

If you’re a newbie in the world of music production, I highly recommend steering clear of the whirlpool of downloading gigabytes after gigabytes of music production software and samples. In a YouTube video, I explain why I started music production with no paid plugins, and why I think you should, too.

If you’re looking for more of a linear approach with regards to learning music production, songwriting, mixing, and mastering, make sure to check out my Free 6 Pillars To Learn Logic Pro Faster guidebook.