Audible Genius just updated their Primer synth VST to version 2.0.019, and is now offering the software for free.
Primer works on both macOS and Windows, and comes in AU, VST, and VST3 formats.
The new update includes 400 factory presets and introduces the Famous Sounds Preset Library, where a slew of iconic synth sounds from popular songs are remade within Primer.
You can access this online library via Primer’s preset menu or at the Syntorial website.
The volume meter and visualizer have also been improved, along with other general optimizations and bug and crash fixes.
Check this demo for a walkthrough:
Primer was built by Audible Genius as a device for learning the ins and outs of subtractive synthesis. It’s a fully functional and nice-sounding instrument with a clear layout.
It’s just daunting enough for a rookie who wants to sharpen their skills with synthesis and sound design, but more than good enough for anyone else who needs a powerful engine to tweak.
It has two oscillators with different waveforms as well as a noise oscillator, FM knob, filters, amp and modulation envelopes, LFOs, unison and spread controls, portamento, mono, legato and poly voice modes and more.
Primer also has a selection of internal FX processors, like ring modulation, phaser, chorus, reverb, and distortion if you want even more juice.
There’s an ample amount of detailed control without the UI being completely drowned, which is always a plus. Some of the controls might be unknown for a beginner, but the bare-bones layout will make it manageable.
You’ll be making interesting patches in no time!
Of course, tweaking buttons without knowing what in the world they’re supposed to do is allowed, too; you won’t get arrested!
The plugin is also fully integrated into the Syntorial course, which teaches you to program synths by ear in a video game-like learning style with different challenges you complete within Primer.
While Syntorial is paid software, it also offers a free trial you can check out.
If you’re on a softsynth collecting binge, make sure to check out this list of free soft synths covered here at BPB, or the recent update of the free TyrellN6 classic synthesizer by u-he.
Download: Primer (FREE)
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Last Updated on May 2, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
