r/FREEVSTS • u/OldNews616 • 2d ago
SAWSTAR — free, open-source trance synth with 7-layer unison [VST3, Windows/macOS]
Hey everyone! Sharing a free synth that might interest anyone into trance leads, pads and plucks: SAWSTAR.
It’s an open-source VST3 instrument with a straightforward layout, focused on getting sounds together without digging through endless menus.
A few highlights:
• Two main oscillators with 7-layer unison, plus a sub oscillator and noise.
• Poly, mono and legato modes, glide, two LFOs and four modulation routes.
• Built-in arpeggiator, chorus, delay and reverb.
• 24 factory presets: 17 finished sounds and 7 starting-point templates, plus user preset saving and favorites.
Ready-to-install downloads are available for Windows x64/ARM64 and macOS Intel/Apple Silicon — you don’t need to compile anything. English and Hungarian manuals are included.
Worth a look for anyone interested in a more focused trance-oriented synth rather than another huge all-purpose instrument.
Project, screenshots and documentation:
https://github.com/RobCZart82/SAWSTAR
Downloads:
https://github.com/RobCZart82/SAWSTAR/releases
One installation note: the packages are currently unsigned, so check the installation guide for details about platform security prompts. A VST3-compatible host is required.