The 8 Best New Lofi Synth Plugins
People used to laugh at lofi chill beats when the trend first started. Joke is on the haters though, because a decade later, nostalgic mid-tempo hip hop jams continue to mesmerize audiences. They’re great for studying, setting the tone, providing some ambience, or just straight up chilling. They have this feeling of nostalgia, they emanate happiness! Whether you want to get started making chill beats, or you’re a producer looking to expand their sonic palette, I’ve prepared for you a list of my favorite new lofi synth VST plugins, and I’ve even included a free one. I hope you find something you like and make the most laid-back music with it.
1. Electric Keys | Karanyi Sounds
With only a handful of presets, this new offering from Karanyi Sounds isn’t the most generous or versatile, but I still thought it would be worth mentioning.
Electric Keys is inspired by an iconic Japanese FM synth, so it’s probably a safe bet to assume it uses samples from Yamaha’s DX7.
In use, it’s a pretty straightforward retro-sounding keys instrument. It has a beautiful interface and some cool effects built-in, including the lush Vapor Dimension. If you don’t have an FM VST yet, this might be cool to have.
It’s pretty affordable too!
2. microKORG | KORG
This might make me sound really old, but when I started making music, the microKORG keyboard was all the rage. It was one of the most accessible - read “cheap” - synths in the early 2000s, and thus every indie band had one somewhere on stage when they were performing.
This came at a time when companies were still trying to innovate, instead of regurgitating innovations of the past. For better - and often for worse - the gear that came out of the golden age of digital analog sounded thin, artificial and somewhat soulless, but it still managed to define a specific moment in music history.
The release of the microKORG in plugin form is both hilarious and nostalgia-inducing for elderly millennials like me. This synth was the bane of our existence for a decade, but I have to admit that its sound is exceptionally well-suited for lofi genres, from chill beats to dance music.
3. BA-1 | Baby Audio
A tender evolution of a lesser-known monosynth from the 80s, Baby Audio’s BA-1 has “lofi beats” written all over it.
As with everything they do, the company brings a lot of modern functions and fun easter eggs to this one, including the possibility to experiment with the sound of a fledgling battery, a built-in speaker emulation and some circuit bending.
Sonically, the BA-1 is perfect for retro-futuristic and chill music thanks to its pads and textures that sound like they’re coming straight out of a VHS deck. Whether you’re trying to capture a particular tone of lofi synthwave, or you embrace creative limitations, this one is worth a shot.
4. Homage | Native Instruments
Native Instruments continues to dazzle with its Play Series, which recently saw the addition of Homage, a powerful VST that has frequencies in all the right places.
Sporting the same streamlined interface as other instruments in the series, Homage pays its respects to the LA beat scene - think Flying Lotus and the Low End Theory crew - with 150 customisable presets covering keys, guitars, synths and bass.
Made in tandem with MSXII Sound Design, this new addition to the NI family is full of organic character and analog charm.
5. Usynth DELUXE | ujam
ujam is at the forefront of this movement we’ve seen in recent years. They're doing away with the dusty recreations of the clunky hardware of yore. We like the old synths and analog effects for their beautiful sounds, but can we please get rid of the CGI screws and the clumsy knob you have to twist with your mouse?
That’s right, ujam is making plugins that are easy to use, and they have very modern interfaces you don’t need to read the manual to understand.
For the lofi beatmaker, they offer the LoFi Bundle, which includes 4 instruments, among which you’ll find Usynth DELUXE, a creative keys instrument loaded with all the soulful tones you need.
There’s also a powerful on-board sequencer to spark inspiration.
6. Love-Fi 3 | Quiet Music
A few years ago, my grandma passed away and my family gave me an old Yamaha keyboard - the Portasound, if you must know - which instantly inspired me to write tracks and make samples.
For some reason, this toy-like instrument had sounds that, while far from perfect, were nothing like any VSTs I had at my disposal.
I had a similar feeling when I tried Love-Fi for the first time. The Quiet Music plugin is loaded with dozens of presets that make me want to jam and experiment endlessly. Designed with lofi in mind, I think it could probably be used for any genre.
It’s full of naive charm, moody textures and crushed up tones. If you’re not convinced, you can download the lite version, which is free. But be warned, pretty soon you’ll want the full license, which luckily is very affordable!
7. Lofi Panda 3 | Clark Audio
Hey, I get it… You’re looking for those special lofi tones you’ve been hearing in your favorite playlist to chill and study to. Nothing wrong with flipping a sample, crafting a beat and making a couple of thousands of dollars off streaming platforms royalties.
Sure, you can sample your own sounds, process them and tweak them endlessly… Or you might want to use Lofi Panda 3, a charming sampler with a cute interface (and, yes, there is in fact a drawing of a panda on it.)
Somewhat similar to Love-Fi, Lofi Panda is made for the chill beats producer, but its presets could be useful to any musicians out there looking to add a whole bunch of vibes to their compositions.
With 200 carefully designed presets ranging from trumpets to celestas, Lofi Panda might not be the most versatile VST out there, but what it does it does well.
8. Synplant 2 | Sonic Charge
This experimental synth plugin finds its inspiration in the complex world of DNA to take your head out of your knob-twisting tendencies and let you focus on what matters most: childlike creativity.
With often plucky and textural results, this little beast of an instrument can generate sounds that are completely out of the realm of meat-and-potatoes synthesis.
There’s also the possibility of generating what they’re calling Genopatches with a function that uses AI to extract the character of a one-shot sample and turn it into a playable instrument… Albeit with varying degrees of success.
If you want to take your lofi chillhop beats to the next level, Synplant 2 is worth the price of admission.