PadScape Lite by the developer Electronik Sound Lab is a free virtual instrument available for both Windows and Mac.
I love pads, and I’m sure you do, too. Everyone does. Even when you dabble in DnB and similar genres, where bass design is crucial, you need some nice pads to fill out things here and there.
Pads are a great way of adding atmosphere, motion, intrigue and so much more to your compositions. Electronik’s new Padscape Lite is a virtual instrument dedicated to the art of the pad.
This is a sample-based plugin, so sound design opportunities are a bit thinner overall. However, if you can work past this, you’ve got a wonderful-sounding instrument. Elektronik sampled some diverse sound sources, with the Hydrasynth serving as the primary inspiration.
Padscape Lite is a bit cut down when compared to all the features of the full version. You’re getting nine presets in total, which sounds fantastic, all things considered. They might not fit every genre under the sun, but I find they certainly work well when paired with a breakbeat and a Reese bass.
There is some degree of control over the sound. You’ve got an LFO for modulation and a quartet of effects. These are your usual suspects, with a standard delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion all being present.
However, I’d hope for something like a flanger or phaser so you could coax some trance atmospheres out of things.
Padscape Lite has the makings of a source of inspiration if you’re feeling stuck in your next composition. The presets present and factors like the filter and ADSR help coax some control and variety out of the admittedly sparse presets.
If you want to upgrade, it might be worth the extra cash to grab Padscape. More enterprising producers are likely to transform these presets into something truly incredible, especially if you start thinking about things resampling.
At any rate, anyone can play with Padscape Lite. You’ll need a Windows or Mac host capable of hosting VST, VST3, or AU plugins.
It is Apple Silicon native, which I used for the sake of testing things when taking a look at it. You don’t need Kontakt either; everything is self-contained in plugin form for ease of use.
Download: Padscape Lite (FREE)
More:
1 Comment
John
onESL followed up with another freebie, called CMP100. It has 36 presets based on samples from an 80s synth called the Philips PMC 100 (which I’ve never heard of) with some basic knobs and effects thrown in for tweaking.
Sounds pretty 80s-cool, based on the YouTube demo.
https://electroniksoundlab.com/cmp100/