You would find an updated list of free and paid distortion plugins on this page for your distortion needs in your preferred DAW.
Without a doubt, distortion and saturation VST plugins will for the foreseeable future remain essential in sound production. It’s almost obvious, but as it turns out- there isn’t a better way to add musical warmth and cohesion to your mixes than using these effects. The way that this distortion VST works is a little bit different than most. Phase Distortion lets the signal modulate the phase of itself. This results in some fat and dirty sounding basses and it can also result in a nice 80s crunch. The interface is quite simple to navigate and you can get your desired effects quite quickly. Check out Computer Music issue 228 to find out how distortion really works, and what you've been missing out on in the quest for professional, attention-grabbing sounds. Plus: FREE Distortion Plugin – 57 more VST/AU plugins.
Over-using might destroy your mixes!
Face Bender (Free Distortion VST Plugin)
Uh!Face Bender can actually bend & skew your face (joking off course!) This is a plugin by Distorque Audio that emulates a Fuzz Face and a Tone Bender MKII with added controls for tweaking. It runs in mono or stereo and has selectable 2x oversampling. it only works with PC!The Fuzz Face was first made by Arbiter ...
Read Full PostTemper – (Free Open Source Distortion VST Plugin)
Temper is a modern digital distortion plugin by the Team at Creative Intent, it features a rich saturation stage and a unique phase distortion. You can use the variable saturation curve to add warmth and edge to your sound and let the phase distortion bring character and clarity through your mix.It also features a simple resonant ...
Read Full PostKrush (Free Bit Crusher Plugin)
Krush comes featured with a bit crushing and downsampling algorithms, plus the combination of a crispy taste of the digital realm with the warmth of its drive stage and analog modeled resonant filters.A modulation section allows you to quickly add extra life to the sound by modulating any parameter.The sound palette produced by Krush ranges from ...
Read Full PostThe Best Free & Paid [Distortion Effects] VST/AU/AAX Plugin [2020]
When I first get started with music production, I wonder why some music producers would want to mess with a distortion effect in their tracks, perhaps, I initially have an understanding that there is a limit for how loud an audio signal can be, once this limit is reached, it would distort and produce an ...
Read Full PostRangebastard (Free Distortion Treble Booster Plugin)
When it comes to emulating distortion effects, I give Distorque Audio 90% rating, and now they present Rangebastard which is an emulation of a Dallas Rangemaster with added controls for tweaking or for use as a full-range booster, an overdrive, and more. Also, it supports both mono, and stereo, and has 2x oversampling.About RangematserThe Rangemaster ...
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These are some free distortion VST plugins that are practical and can be used as your regular distortion VST. There is no particular order, each free distortion VST plugin has its own characteristics and sounds good.
- FuzzPlus 3 by Audio Damage (VST/AU for 32 bit & 64 bit Windows & Mac)
- Disto FX Free by Distocore (VST/AU for 32 bit & 64 bit Windows & Mac)
- Temper by Creative Intent (VST/AU for 32 bit & 64 bit Windows & Mac)
- DoubleToner by Rebel Audio (VST for 32 bit & 64 bit Windows)
- Dystroyed by Damaged (VST/AU for 32 bit & 64 bit Windows & Mac)
FuzzPlus 3
FuzzPlus 3 is one of the best free distortion VST plugins, best for adding extra harmonics to 808s and bass sounds to add crunch to the guitars and leads. FuzzPlus 3 is developed by Audio Damage, the same team that developed free compressor Rough Rider.
This free distortion VST is based on a fuzz pedal model, it features a new filter, a self-feedback, and a modern usable graphical user interface gives it a feel of the commercial VST plugin, it is also available for iOS.
Download: FuzzPlus3 by Audio Damage(Available for Windows & Mac, 32-bit, 64 bit, VST, AU)
Disto FX Free
Disto Fx Free is a free distortion VST plugin by Distocore, especially aimed to completely smash any audio in processes. It has multiple effects built-in one plugin gives you the flexibility to shape the sound according to your taste. This free VST plugin is made for hard EDM genres like Dubstep, Hardstyle, DnB, Gabber, etc.
Best Distortion Plugins Vst Plugin
Disto Fx Free has multi-effects including eight filters, Ring Modulor with five Ring Modulation shapes, 30+ distortion curves with bit crusher, 3 different Shape Forms plus 4 dynamic shaping modes. It also has the three-band equalizer, two saturation units, one can be used in the input section, and one for the output section.
Download: Disto Fx Free(Available for Windows & Mac, 32-bit, 64 bit, VST, AU)
Temper
Best Distortion Pedal Plugins Vst
Temper by Creative Intent is a free distortion VST plugin that does not claim to emulate any vintage distortion units rather it is a digital distortion VST that has its unique ways to distort the audio in a digital way. It features Phase Distortion which will creatively mangle the sounds.
The saturation gives you warm sounding recognizable saturation sound that does not emulate any analog gear, the filter has a lowpass capability with resonance and the feedback to increase the intensity of the tonal characters of the sound. Use it on synth basses, 808s, guitars, and leads.
Download: Temper by Creative Intent(Available for Windows & Mac, 32-bit, 64 bit, VST, AU)
DoubleToner
DoubleToner by Rebel Audio is a free distortion VST plugin which is available for only Windows users, unfortunately, as the plugin has the potential to shape the tones of any sounds. Make some subtle tonal changes or destroy the sound or make it unrecognizable, it has the ability to do it all.
The DoubleToner works on the dual-quad-band distortion concept feature two independent distortion units both having a high and low filter, so you get four filters to play individually and your creativity is the only limit. The crossfader is useful to mix the filters and distortion to your taste. They also have another distortion plugin called OverToner which also a nice free plugin you can try.
Download: DoubleToner by Rebel Audio(Available for Windows, 32-bit, 64 bit, VST)
Dystroyed
Best Distortion Vst
Dystroyed by Damaged is a very straightforward free distortion VST plugin has everything you need to distort any audio you process with this plugin. Dystroyed can be used for creative sound design as it features several elements that are helpful in sound designing purposes.
The Distression knob is used for the main distortion, addition to distortion function, dystroyed also have the bit crushing feature makes it also very useful bit-crusher VST plugin, sample reduction, sample rate envelope makes it more tweakable little plugin.
Best Distortion Vst Plugins
Download: Dystroyed by Damaged(Available for Windows & Mac, 32-bit, 64 bit, VST, AU)