Meat Beats releases Micro Keys, a freeware 90s rompler virtual instrument for Windows and macOS.
Yesterday we wrote about Roast Beef by Caelum Audio, and today we’re taking a look at a new plugin from Meat Beats. As someone who loves cooking, I knew that BPB would turn into a food blog at some point, but I didn’t think it would happen this soon.
If the name Meat Beats sounds familiar, that’s because we already covered a few plugins they released in 2022. We fell in love with their FEM-BASO plugin, which samples a variety of bass sounds from notable 90s synths.
The new plugin from Meat Beats is a freeware rompler called Micro Keys, and it continues the developer’s trend of releasing 90s-inspired virtual instruments. After all, the developer describes the plugin as an instant source of “Classic House & Garage Keys.”
To be more precise, Micro Keys includes 32 classic presets from several 90s rackmount samplers, including four electric pianos, two acoustic pianos, two organs, eight string patches, ten synths, 6 bass, and one sax preset.
GUIs don’t get a lot simpler than what we have on offer here. Micro Keys shows the preset name, lets you adjust the volume, and fine-tune the envelope, filter, modulation, and reverb. All of this is neatly packed into a compact interface that resembles an LCD screen from a, you guessed it, 90s rackmount sampler.
Romplers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Producers who enjoy designing sounds from scratch would rather spill the aforementioned cup of tea on their favorite synth than touch a rompler.
However, if you’re a fan of 90s electronic music and you like the idea of firing up your DAW and jamming right away, Micro Keys should be on your download list. It’s compact, it’s lightweight, and it sounds good.
Check out the demo video below to hear some of the included presets.
Micro Keys is available in VST2, VST3, and AU plugin formats for 64-bit digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. The plugin is free to download via Gumroad. Enter $0 as the price to download it for free, or enter any other amount to support Meat Beats.
Download: Micro Keys
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8 Comments
Mike
onHi Tomislav and everyone there!
I have just run into something that looks so very unusual and unique and also inspiring – a reverb based on the piano strings response (if I got this right from the description!) and also sounds great, and is also free!
I haven’t even tested it myself yet, because first thing I thought about was to check if you had this plugin covered in your blog, and if not – I just had to share the link! And here it is:
https://www.pspaudioware.com/products/psp-pianoverb
The Venus Theory guys’ review included, and it does impress!
Have a wonderful day and all that, cheers!
Tomislav Zlatic
onHi Mike, thanks for the suggestion! It’s an old freebie, and it’s very good! One-of-a-kind reverb plugin. Thanks for the reminder. :)
Qodesmith
onSo it’s basically a Korg M1. Got it.
Brenny C
onUnlike the M1, it’s free.
Jare
onMeat beat manifesto
Darryl Lim
onTomislav’s cooking blog: For extra luscious servings of tracks, saturate with secret algorithmic sauces for that extra spicy zest, cook till a pleasant level of crispness, but not too much as to avoid brittleness or harshness… Compress the ingredients slightly for smoothness, but not overdone so as not to ruin its natural textures…
Could go on but need to stop myself, feeling hungry now! :P
Tomislav Zlatic
onHaha! :) And don’t forget to add some tasty lo-fi crunch to the mix!
Darryl Lim
on(Needs more double-entendre food terminology) Lo-fat lo-fi old-school flavours with every sample-sized bite!
EXTRA MOAR:
…This SUPERMASSIVE-ly good recipe allows for LUSCIOUS servings of tracks that REVERBERATE throughout ones senses, leaving a LONG & pleasant aftertaste, so good that it reminds you of VALHALLA…
(I know i overdid it. Gotta stop for real now hahaha.)