Patent Sounds released Scratchpad, a freeware lo-fi virtual instrument for Windows and macOS.
Scratchpad is a free virtual instrument for all lovers of the Lo-Fi aesthetic. If you like degraded audio sources that sound like they come from way back in the past, this free plugin by Patent Sounds will tickle your fancy.
Even though it’s a free download, Scratchpad comes with carefully produced presets and an FX section for creating that textured, grainy, aged sound that all lo-fi lovers enjoy.
The plugin offers twelve presets that are designed to cater to the lo-fi aesthetic but will fit easily into other music genres, too. The sounds are fairly universal, and they easily translate into hip-hop, downtempo, and chillout sounds, as well as soundtracks and cinematic scores. The included presets cover leads, pads, bass, and keys.
The sounds are well-crafted and fit well into the DIY aesthetic implied by the interface design. The quality is production-ready and will work for professional projects that you might be working on.
Scratchpad also includes a set of built-in effects that let you customize and add texture to the included sounds.
There are three different texture controls to choose from – rain, vinyl, and tape. As the names suggest, these controls will add their respective texture to the wet signal, creating a nostalgic effect of noisy, dusty recordings of a bygone era.
On top of that, there is a dedicated effects section that has a chorus, trash (distortion), and a wobble effect. This allows you more options for creating the sonic scape that you are looking for.
Scratchpad is available for free from the Dixon Beats website. If you’re into lo-fi sounds, check out our free BPB Dirty Spring reverb plugin, too.
There are also some demo sounds under the “description” drop-down menu if you want to get a feel for what Scratchpad sounds like.
Download: Scratchpad
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