David Andrew Wiebe, Author at MIDINation

10 Best Free Drum Sample Packs 2021 – Super Realistic Drum Kit Sounds

10 Best Free Drum Sample Packs 2026 – Super Realistic Drum Kit Sounds

So, chances are you already have a sampler, drum rompler, or some other VST tool that allows you to work with your samples to make beats (or maybe you just import them all into your DAW). And you might even have a bit of a sample library building up already.

But it’s hard to find all-purpose sample packs, and there can easily be gaps in your library. You might need more high-quality sounds. You might need some lo-fi sounds. Maybe you could benefit from some sounds that cater to a specific genre, be it hip-hop or EDM. It could be that you need more variety.

In this guide, we look at several sample pack collections that’ll give you access to a ton more sounds, and help you enhance your beat-making efforts. Here they are.

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10 Best Free Drum Sample Packs 2026 – Super Realistic Drum Kit SoundsRead More »

10 Best Free Drum Sample Packs 2026 – Super Realistic Drum Kit Sounds Read More »

41 Best Free VST Plugins EVER 2021 – ESSENTIAL Instruments & Effects

42 Best Free VST Plugins 2026

Free VST Plugins, VST Plugins

Every sound engineer, music producer, composer, and beatmaker needs access to powerful tools to be able to enhance and bring their music to life.

These days, recording is mostly done “in the box,” with VST plugins. And in recent times, even the free ones are starting to sound better and are quite versatile besides.

There are different categories of VST plugins you’re going to need to build out your library to handle the many things you want to be able to do. So, whether you need to build from scratch, supplement, or augment your toolkit, you’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, we look at the best free VST plugins of all time – essential instruments and effects.

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42 Best Free VST Plugins 2026Read More »

42 Best Free VST Plugins 2026 Read More »

22 Best Free Violin VST Plugins 2026

Free VST Plugins, VST Plugins

Looking to add some nice sounding violin to your projects? You can hardly be blamed for that. Whether it’s lo-fi beats or intimate singer-songwriter tunes, violin can be effective in a variety of musical situations.

And wouldn’t you know it, there are a ton of free VST plugins that might just do the trick.

In this guide, we look at the best free violin VST plugins you can use to enhance your beats and projects.

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22 Best Free Violin VST Plugins 2026Read More »

22 Best Free Violin VST Plugins 2026 Read More »

15,737 Best Trap Sample Packs & Loops 2026

Samples

Nowadays, trap beats can be heard on all types of music – pop, hip-hop, EDM, dubstep, chillout, bass, and more.

Trap is also thriving as a sub-genre. It’s showing no signs of wearing thin, but it is evolving, and if you don’t keep up with where the genre is headed now, your beats could easily become stale and outdated.

To keep with the times, you need to stock your arsenal with the best tools. And that’s where sample packs and loops come in. These are ready made sounds you can easily incorporate into your projects and do with as you please.

In this guide, we look at the best trap sample packs and loops.

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15,737 Best Trap Sample Packs & Loops 2026Read More »

15,737 Best Trap Sample Packs & Loops 2026 Read More »

14,092 Best Hip Hop Sample Packs & Loops 2026

Samples

Hip-hop sample packs and loops abound. For all those times your creative well is dry, you can always turn to your favorite samples and loops, because they can bring something fresh to the table – ideas you hadn’t even considered before.

Samples and loops are a practical necessity for the genre. Whether you’re constructing beats from scratch or producing a new track from start to finish, you need the right tools to do right by the job, to put together the next chart-topping hit.

In this guide, we look at the best hip hop sample packs and loops.

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14,092 Best Hip Hop Sample Packs & Loops 2026Read More »

14,092 Best Hip Hop Sample Packs & Loops 2026 Read More »

18 Best Free Trance VST Plugins 2026

Free VST Plugins, VST Plugins

The magic of trance is getting your listener engrossed and immersed in the music. If you can do that, you’ve hooked them.

As with any other genre or style of music, though, you’re going to need the right tools to get the job done. And while there isn’t a shortage of VST plugins available, if you’ve got budget constraints, no doubt you’re going to want to seek out the best free options out there.

The good news is the number of solid free VST plugins is mushrooming by the day. Here are some of the best free trance VST plugins available.

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18 Best Free Trance VST Plugins 2026Read More »

18 Best Free Trance VST Plugins 2026 Read More »

21,282 Best EDM Sample Packs & Loops 2026

Samples

It’s often been said that modern music (especially pop and EDM) is simply made up of synthesizers and drum loops. To an extent, this is true, but there are many nuances that make it all work, and your beats aren’t going to sound like big club hits without a little help.

Of course, you could invest in expensive soft synths and sound design tools. Or you could turn to sample packs and loops, which teach you the ins and outs of the genre while giving you audio material you can drag and drop into your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for immediate use.

In this guide, we look at the best EDM sample packs and loops.

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21,282 Best EDM Sample Packs & Loops 2026Read More »

21,282 Best EDM Sample Packs & Loops 2026 Read More »

7,144 Best Guitar Sample Packs & Loops 2026

Samples

The sound of the guitar crosses cultural and stylistic boundaries. It doesn’t matter whether it’s rock, metal, blues, country, funk, soul, or even flamenco – it brings a unique flavor to all genres.

If you’re not much of a guitar player, don’t know any, or even if your inspiration well is a little dry, you’re in the right place at the right time. Guitar sample packs and loops can help you find both the material and inspiration you need to make your next track a smash hit.

So, in this guide, we’ll look at the best guitar sample packs and loops.

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7,144 Best Guitar Sample Packs & Loops 2026Read More »

7,144 Best Guitar Sample Packs & Loops 2026 Read More »

28 Best Free Ambient VST Plugins 2026

Free VST Plugins, VST Plugins

Hooked on atmospheric music? There’s just something about it, isn’t there? It’s often relaxing and engrossing, and it can even get you into flow or a trance like state.

But what if you wanted to make your own ambient music? What tools would you require? Are there enough free tools to cover your bases?

In this guide, we look at the best free ambient VST plugins.

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28 Best Free Ambient VST Plugins 2026Read More »

28 Best Free Ambient VST Plugins 2026 Read More »

15 Best Free Filter VST Plugins 2026

Free VST Plugins, VST Plugins

There are several ways to shape sounds in music production, including EQ, saturation, and sometimes even compression. Another favorite tool, for most, are filters.

Nowadays, there are plenty of VST plugins with built-in filter options, but that isn’t to say standalone filter modules don’t also have their place.

In this guide, we look at the best free filter VST plugins you can use to create sweeps, filter out frequencies, clean up mixes, and more.

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15 Best Free Filter VST Plugins 2026Read More »

15 Best Free Filter VST Plugins 2026 Read More »