Retornz released Tonez 2, an updated version of the Tonez freeware synthesizer plugin for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
As the big holidays finally come to a close, we’re going to be bombarded with a deluge of free stuff. If you somehow have space in your heart and hard drive for another synth, then Tonez 2 from Retornz might be worth a look.
In our original Tonez news article from 2019, we described it as an excellent freeware synthesizer for EDM music production. The plugin is now updated to v2, introducing new functionality and a design overhaul.
This versatile polyphonic synth comes packed with features, so let’s take a deeper look at what you’re getting with your download.
Tonez 2 has four oscillators, with up to eight voices of unison per oscillator.
You can choose from up to 12 waveforms for your sound generation needs, or you can even make your own custom waveforms. These oscillators also come with stereo width and detune controls, which are an absolute must for using unison sounds.
In addition, you’ve got four envelopes, with one serving as the amplitude, but the rest are readily used as a modulation source.
Tonez 2 also comes with a pair of filters, which are multi-mode. The options here are a little slimmer, with band-pass, high-pass, and low-pass selections. I would love to see something like a comb or a notch, but sometimes all you need is those three.
It only comes with a pair of LFOs, which is a bit of a letdown. I love going wild with LFOs, so having more is always welcome. I do use Bitwig for most things, so this is less of an issue, thankfully.
Tonez 2 also comes with six effects built-in. Now, I won’t run out and say that these are better than your own favorites, but they work well in conjunction with the synth. I do wish you had a phaser included in the mix.
All said Tonez 2 is a fun, free synth with a fair amount of flexibility. Sure, it might not have as much gas in the tank as something like Vital, but it acquits itself just fine for most usage.
My only real quibble is that you cannot do any sort of FM routing between the oscillators, at least as far as I can see. Thankfully, you can route the oscillators to the two different filters independently.
Download: Tonez 2 (FREE)
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Last Updated on December 22, 2023 by Tomislav Zlatic.
