Best Free VSTs: Woodwinds & Reeds

Virtual flutes, now available in seven flavors.

Woodwinds section

Ensemble sustains/staccatos/marcatos/crescendos/octave runs (up and down)

VSL Big Bang Orchestra: Free Basics can be used for this — either only download the Woodwinds component or turn off everything except the “WW-Cl” mic inside the plug-in’s Mix tab. There still seem to be some brass sounds in the lower end, but the other octaves are serviceable. VSTAUAAX (VSL)

Ensemble sustains/staccatos

Red Room Audio Palette – Primary Colors includes various dynamics. The overall sound favors the double reeds sections. NKI (Woocommerce + Pulse)

Ensemble aleatoric

ProjectSAM The Free Orchestra‘s “Wild Winds” patch has various runs with a flute, oboe, clarinets, and bassoons. NICNT (account)

Flutes

Transverse flutes

Flutes you play like a corn cob.

Bamboo flute

Jan Sutti’s WooFlute is an unidentified six-hole transverse bamboo flute ranged G4-C6. It has sustains, staccatos, marcatos, and flutter tongue. The sound isn’t super professional but the breathy quality makes it sound highly realistic compared to ye olde SoundFont or modeled synth woodwind. NKI

BGOllie’s Odd Flutes NKI (account)

Bass flute

lofi Audio Basflöjt. Click the download link at the bottom of the main page copy, not the “add to basket” button. dspreset

Sonixinema Brute Flute Freebie offers some stylized overblown-like staccatos. NKI (Shopify)

Daegeum (large Korean flute)

36play Samhyeon-Yukgak has a jeongak daegeum with some really nice vibrato. NKI

CATSNU Gugak LE has both jeongak and sanjo daegeums with a few more variations on vibrato. NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Dizi

Quilcom Sim-Dizi‘s “Dizi 2” and “Dizi 3” patches are decent modeled versions. Win VST

Placeholder Stick’s Dizi from Freesound contains mordents that could be useful for decorative accents. SF2WAV

Shinobue (Japanese bamboo flute)

おとわび Shinobue. Click the blue button that says “ダウンロード.” NKI

Sogeum (small Korean flute)

CATSNU Gugak SoGeum LE NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Concert flute

You know… “flute!”

Solo sustains/staccatos/flutter tongue/half note trills/grace notes/falls/crescendos

MSLP Flute Grbavac for Kontakt and Reason has sustains with and without vibrato. NKISXT (optional attribution @ MSLP/Erick Kvist & Ivona Grbavac)

Solo legato/sustains

Malaclypse the Younger’s Party Pipes‘ “Fruit Machine” and “Plastic Fruit” patches are concert and treble flutes, respectively. The versions not marked “keys” are designed to be used with a breath controller. SFZ

Alpine Project‘s Flute patch NKI (newsletter)

Solo legato/staccatos

Fluffyaudio Simple Flute NKI (FastSpring)

Solo crescendos

Dan Keen’s NFO: Orchestral Swells‘ Woodwinds patch has a flute that can be soloed. NKIdspreset (account)

Solo overblown sustains

G-Town Church Sampling Project Overblown Flutes as a Kontakt instrument or part of the whole SFZ library NKISFZ (attribution @ Tobias Marberger)

Solo tremelos

Philharmonia‘s woodwind set has a few flute tremolos. MP3

Solo key sounds

Ashley Bates’ Conrad Mollenhauer – Flute Key Staccato NKIdspreset (account)

Ensemble sustains/staccatissimos

Spitfire BBCSO Discover includes a flute section. VSTAUAAX (Spitfire)

Piccolo

Solo legato/sustains

Alpine Project‘s Piccolo patch NKI (newsletter)

Solo sustains/staccatos

VSCO2 Piccolo VSTAU

Spitfire BBCSO Discover includes a piccolo. Just one. All alone. VSTAUAAX (Spitfire)

End-blown flutes (without fipple)

Flutes you play like a hot dog.

Bottle flute

Jason’s Marginal VSTi Beer Bottle Flute Win VST

Danso (Korean bamboo flute)

CATSNU Gugak DanSo LE includes sustains with and without vibrato, as well as various ornaments. NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Didgeridoo

Not a flute. See Horns.

Floghera (Greek bamboo flute)

Eamon’s Politiki Flogera NKI (account)

Kuvytsi (Russian pan pipes)

EdgeSounds SF2: Kugikly SF2 (EdgeSounds)

Ney (Persian flute)

Native Instruments Kontakt Factory Selection has one under “World.” NICNT (account)

Fernando A. Martin’s Arab and Turk instruments‘ Ney patch SF2

Pan flute/panpipe

Gu Ziqing’s Bird Whistle is a decent generic pan flute soundalike. NKI (account)

Siku (Peruvian pan flute)

Trackxico’s Zampoña Pan Flute v1 GM patch SF2

Stefingo Unosson’s Hoveflute NKIdspreset (account)

Quena (Bolivian flute)

Les Studios Palace Quena NKI (Sendowl)

Shakuhachi

Kontakt Factory Selection Shakuhachi has one under “World.” NICNT (account)

Samplephonics Shakuhachi has sustains and staccatos. NKIALPEXSSFZM5PSXTvstpreset (account)

KKLab Otoshi Dama 2019 contains some breathy shakuhachi ornaments and licks. Warning: sample filenames are in Japanese, so you should extract using the proper locale to avoid encoding errors. NKI (account)

Suling (Indonesian bamboo ring flute)

Monster Ethnica‘s “Suling Melayu” patch VSTAU (Maize)

Xiao (Chinese bamboo flute)

JADE Ethnic Orchestra Xiao Freebie includes legato, sustains, and ornaments. NKI (Strezov)

Vessel flutes

Flutes you play like a… dumpling?

Aztec death whistle

Boom Library Free Sounds – Death Whistle WAV (Woocommerce)

Kukkopilli¹ (Eastern European rooster whistle)

Atom Hub Free Cuckoo Clay Bird NKI (account)

Hun (Korean musical dumpling)

CATSNU Gugak Hun LE NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Kazoo

NoiseCollector’s Kazoo! as a VST, Kontakt instrument, or SFZ (direct link) Win VSTNKISFZ (attribution @ NoiseCollector)

Ocarina

VCSL‘s “Ocarina, Typical” patch (SFZ mapping and samples) SFZ (Github)

VCSL‘s “Ocarina, Small” patch as a Kontakt instrument, plug-in, or SFZ with samples NKISFZ (none or Github)

Precisionsound Peruvian Ocarina NKISFZEXSFXP

Train whistle

VCSL‘s Train Whistle, Toy as a Kontakt instrument (“Train & Whistle”) or SFZ with samples) NKISFZWAV (none or Github)

Fipple flutes/whistles

Flutes you play like a hot dog with a… fipple on it…? I’ve lost the metaphor.

Apito (samba whistle)

Gomafu Sounds Roulette Samba Whistle NKI (account)

Ball whistle

VCSL‘s Ball Whistle patch as a Kontakt instrument (“Train & Whistle”) or SFZ with samples NKISFZWAV (none or Github)

Fujara (Slovakian overtone flute)

VSL Fujara Flute VSTAUAAX (VSL)

Recorder

Unreal Instruments Two Whistles has legatos, sustains, slurs, staccatos, half- and whole-tone trills, mordents, grace notes, and appoggiaturas. SFZ

Walid Feghali’s Feroyn’s Flute is your basic legato recorder. NKI (account)

VCSL‘s Baroque Recorders as Kontakt instruments, one plug-in (“4 Recorder Pack”), or SFZ files (soprano SFZ mapping and samples, alto SFZ mapping and samples, tenor SFZ mapping and samples, bass SFZ mapping and samples) has sustains and staccatos. NKIVSTAUSFZ (none or Github)

Piccolo/Garklein recorder

Eamon’s Garklein NKI (account)

Shittyflute (meme recorder)

smartelectronix dmiflute is a modeled flute that can sound like a dumpster fire with just a few parameter tweaks². VST

Fracture Sounds Emotional Recorder NKI (Woocommerce)

MSLP Recorder Out of Tune SXT (optional attribution @ MSLP/Erick Kvist)

Shvi (Armenian fipple flute)

TAQSIM Free‘s Shvi patch is a little cheesy sounding, but are you really in a position to complain, person who needs a virtual shvi? NKI (newsletter OR account)

Siren whistle

VCSL‘s Siren patch (SFZ mapping and samples) SFZWAV (Github)

Slide whistle

Ethan Winer’s Slide Whistle has various pre-recorded up and down slides. SF2

Orange Tree Samples Free Slide Flute (direct link) uses the mod wheel to emulate the sliding mechanism. NKI

Spilåpipa (Swedish pastoral flute)

Stefingo Unosson’s Evertsberg NKI (account)

Tin whistle

Cordaro Rodriguez’ Legato Tin Whistle also includes a sprinkling of appoggiaturas, gruppettos, and mordents. NKI (account)

Toy whistle

Conner’s Pianobook Party Pack I “Christmas Cracker Fipple Set” patch is a toy whistle/fipple from a Christmas cracker. NKI (account)

Single reeds

Xaphoon (bamboo “saxophone”)

FluffyAudio Bamboo Xaxophone NKI (FastSpring)

MSLP Maui Xaphoon for Kontakt (listed as “Tropical Typhoon”) and Reason has a shriller sound. NKISXT (optional attribution @ MSLP/Erick Kvist & Christoffer Ahde)

Zhaleika (Russian hornpipe)

EdgeSounds SF2: Jaleika SF2 (EdgeSounds)

Clarinets

Solo alto sustains

Malaclypse the Younger’s Party Pipes‘s “Big Stick” patch is an alto clarinet. SFZ

Abisai Ochoa’s Durango Folk Horn Band has the “Clarinet Durango” patch which has some fairly nice vibrato as SoundFonts go. SF2

Solo bass legato/sustains

Alpine Project‘s Bass Clarinet patch NKI (newsletter)

Solo soprano legato/sustains

Alpine Project has E♭ and B♭ soprano clarinets. NKI (newsletter)

Solo soprano sustains/staccatos

VSCO2 Clarinet has a somewhat nasal quality. VSTAU

Christopher Maier’s Bedroom Clarinet is less pristine — an intimate, “imperfect” clarinet. NKI (account)

Solo soprano crescendos

Catherine Hillier’s Subtle Clarinet NKIdspreset (account)

Ensemble sustains/staccatissimos

Spitfire BBCSO Discover has a clarinet section. VSTAUAAX (Spitfire)

Saxophones

Solo alto legato/sustains/flutter tongue/crescendos

Strezov Sampling Diamond Jazz Trio‘s Alto Sax patches NICNT (Strezov)

Solo alto sustains

Karoryfer Samples Weresax SFZ

Sika Oriental Scale as a Kontakt instrument or VST has legato/sustain with very lively vibrato. Deselect the red keys on the little keyboard to use Western tuning. NKIVST

Solo baritone sustains/staccatos

Karoryfer Samples Bear Sax also has some growls and noises. SFZ

Solo saxello sustains

VCSL‘s Saxello as a Kontakt instrument, plug-in, or SFZ with samples NKIVSTAUSFZ (none or Github)

Solo soprano sustains

DSK Saxophones has a soprano sax. VSTAU

DVS Saxophone… Yes, it’s the Mettaton one. Win VST

Solo soprano trills/subtones/slap tongue

Philharmonia‘s woodwinds MP3

Solo tenor sustains

FreePats Tenor Saxophone SFZSF2

Hidde Pieters’ Tenor Saxophone NKIdspreset (account)

Double reeds

Bombard (Breton shawm)

Michel Cöme’s Celtic Soundfont‘s “Bombarde” patch has a few pitches. SF2

Crumhorn (medieval musical candy cane)

Sasje’s Crumhorn is made using modular synthesis. NKI

Duduk³

Evolution Series World Colors Clar-Duduk has sustains, staccatos, crescendos (with/without vibrato), slides (up/down), and mordents (single/double). NICNT (Woocommerce)

BALKAN Ethnic Orchestra Duduk Freebie has legato, sustains, and various mordents. NKI (Strezov)

Piri (Korean double reed)

CATSNU Gugak LE has a hyang-piri, se-piri and dang-piri. NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Taepyeongso (Korean oboe)

CATSNU Gugak TaePyeongSo LE has sustains, staccatos, ornaments, and some of the most sarcastic vibrato I’ve ever heard in my life. NKIEXSALP (attribution @ Gugak VSTi by CATSNU, see notes)

Concert oboe

The word “oboe” comes from the French hautbois. What a great name for an instrument you blow on.

Solo legato/sustains

Alpine Project‘s Oboe patch NKI (newsletter)

Solo sustains

Florestan Woodwinds includes the oboe from Fluid as one of the patches. SF2

Solo trills/tremelos

Philharmonia‘s woodwinds MP3

Solo crescendos

Dan Keen’s NFO: Orchestral Swells includes a Woodwinds patch with an oboe that can be soloed. It’s a bit pad-like. NKIdspreset (account)

Ensemble sustains/staccatissimos

Spitfire BBCSO Discover includes an oboe section. VSTAUAAX (Spitfire)

Cor anglais/English horn

Solo legato/sustains

Alpine Project‘s English Horn patch, which uses samples from Eddie’s English Horn SFZ. NKISFZ (newsletter or account)

Solo sustains

Dannenberg Wind Oscillator has a decent modeled one. ENS (account)

Philharmonia‘s woodwinds set has some non-looping sustains. MP3

Ziya Mete Demircan’s English Horn has regular and vibrato sustains. SF2

Bassoons

Solo bassoon legato/sustains

Alpine Project‘s Bassoon patch NKI (newsletter)

Solo bassoon sustains

Ethan Winer’s Bassoon NKISF2

Dannenberg Brass has a decent modeled one. ENS (account)

Solo bassoon crescendos

Dan Keen’s NFO: Orchestral Swells includes a Woodwinds patch with a bassoon that can be soloed. NKIdspreset (account)

Solo contrabassoon sustains

Dannenberg Wind Oscillator has a decent modeled one. ENS (account)

Solo contrabassoon sustains/staccatos/flutter tongue

Philharmonia‘s woodwinds MP3

Ensemble sustains/staccatissimos

Spitfire BBCSO Discover has a bassoon section. VSTAU (Spitfire)

Indeterminate quantity of reeds

Bagpipes

FreePats Bagpipes SFZSF2

Quilcom Sim-BP is a decent modeled set. Win VST

Binioù kozh (Breton bagpipes)

Michel Cöme’s Celtic Soundfont‘s “Biniou coz” patch has a few pitches. SF2

Cornemuse (French bagpipes)

Michel Cöme’s Celtic Soundfont‘s Cornemuse patch has a few pitches. SF2

Bock (Bohemian bagpipes)

Soundbytes Dudy has ranges for chanter and drone sounds. SF2S3P

Uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes)

Kelan Rooney’s Uilleann Pipes NKI (account)

Free reeds

For electromechanical and spooky pipe-style organs, see Keyboards: organs.

Accordion

Studiologic Numa Player has a Cavagnolo Vedette-style accordion preset called “Musette” and a Bugari Armando 288-style accordion separated into its “MasteFisa” and “Cassotto” presets. VSTAU

Soni Musicae Diato NKISF2

Bayan (Russian accordion)

EdgeSounds SF2: Bayan SF2 (EdgeSounds)

Garmon

TAQSIM Free‘s Garmon patch NKI (newsletter OR account)

Concertina

Polkasound Productions Old German Concertina. Scroll down to “Concertinas” and click “Download” under “Old German Concertina.” NKI

Bandoneon

J. Bleymehl’s Bandoneon SF2

Studio Montanha Sample Bandoneon NKI6

Hohner Harmonetta

Embertone Harmonette NKI (Cartloom)

Harmonica

VCSL‘s Hohner Special 20 in C as a Kontakt instrument or SFZ with samples NKISFZ (none or Github)

VCSL‘s Hohner Special 20 in F (SFZ mapping and samples) and Hohner Super 64 (SFZ mapping and samples) SFZ (Github)

Bolder Sounds Harmonica NKIEXSSFZ (Zen Cart)

Harmoniflûte (French harmonium/accordeon hybrid)

Rossignol-Studio Harmonéon NKI

Hulusi (Chinese gourd flute)

Rast Sound Chinese Hulusi Flute NKI (email)

Melodica

Christoph Hart’s Volker – the funky melodica maps volume to CC 2 (breath controller). Turn that up, or you won’t get any sound from the instrument. NKI

Pump/reed organ

Rossignol-Studio Francinium NKI

Chord organ

Morgan Fator’s Nostalgic Chord Organ is sampled from an unstated Magnus model. NKI (account)

Lostin70s Audio Harmonus is a Magnus Model 300. VSTAU

Harmonium

Jon Meyer Sounds Harmonium NKI (Woocommerce + Pulse)

Hohner organetta (portable reed organ)

roberg’s Hohner Organetta dspreset (account)

Shruti box

Have Audio’s Shruti Box Ristretto. Sign up for their newsletter and use the code that appears to get the product for free. NKI (Shopify + Pulse)

Sheng (Chinese mouth organ)

Quilcom Sim-Sheng is an okay modeled version. Win VST

Sho (Japanese mouth organ)

Inspire Instruments Sho-Inspire Free NKI (account)

Tsaaj nplaim (Laotian flute)

Piotr Nowotnik’s Tsaaj LT NKI (account)

Free virtual instrument series

View the main page or learn more about 📕 plug-in formats. licenses and download requirements.

• 🎹 Pianos, organs, & keyboards
• 🎤 Solo vocals, choirs
• 🎻 Orchestral strings
• 🎸 Guitars, harps, lutes, & zithers
• 🎷 Woodwinds & free reeds
• 🎺 Brass & horns
• 🔔 Idiophones
• 🥁 Drums, percussion
• Synths & drum machines – Coming soon! (❛◡˂̵ ̑̑✧)
• DAWs, samplers, & FX – Coming soon! (❛◡˂̵ ̑̑✧)

Footnotes

1. I don’t know for certain if this is a kukkopilli but it seemed like the closest fit ok it is a bird-shaped vessel flute with one hole
2. See example. In the words of the first commenter, “lmaoooo.”
3. Perhaps owing to its use in a number of cinematic soundtracks in the early 2000s, the Armenian duduk has become a surprisingly popular sample instrument. It is apparently also the sound behind the fictitious tsungi horn and double flute. Thanks, Wikipedia!