Orchestral Tools releases FFOSSO, a freemium instrument player for macOS and Windows

Developer Orchestral Tools has released FFOSSO, a freemium instrument player for macOS and Windows.

We’ve seen freebies from Orchestral Tools before, like the Berlin Free Orchestra for SINE Player, but FFOSSO is a little different.

You can use FFOSSO in two ways: with a free account, or with a paid subscription (€10 per month).

Orchestral Tools considers FFOSSO a freemium product because you get access to many premium features with a free account.

The most significant difference is that the free version features ten instruments and 5+ sound engines compared to 100+ instruments and 10+ sound engines for paying subscribers.

Paying subscribers will also have access to newly updated content weekly.

What we know for certain, whether free or paid, is that Orchestral Tools deliver high-quality sounds.

FFOSSO is available in AU, VST3, AAX, and Standalone formats for macOS (11 or later) and Windows (10 or later).

Once you download and install FFOSSO, you’ll have to create an account and log in. The process and interface are similar to those of Output’s Arcade.

The Library page shows all instruments (free and paid) and lets you preview and download each sound.

Once you download a library, you can open it via the Instrument page, where you’ll find various adjustable parameters that change depending on the sound and engine in use.

Although there are visual similarities to Output’s Arcade, these instruments are fully playable.

The free instruments are:

So far, I really like the lo-fi synth vibe of Staub – Drive; it’s ideal for retro modern tracks. I also like the sound of Fjara, which is a cinematic blend of ethereal vocals and strings.

Instruments like Chord Haus – Ambient and Gleam Strings are good examples of what the FFOSSO sound engines have to offer.

The Chord Engine triggers chords from single notes in Chord Haus – Ambient, and allows you to set the key, scale quality, etc. What I like more is that you can adjust the randomness (different voicings/octaves) and the note dispersion to create melodic patterns from chord structures.

With Gleam Strings, you get sequenced strings that are perfect for creating rhythmic patterns, suspense, and drama. You can adjust the feel of the rhythm, the pattern type, and direction.

Another interesting feature of FFOSSO is the Grid page, which displays everything happening in the current patch between the MIDI in and the Audio out in a modular layout. You can modify or switch any of the existing modules to create and save a custom instrument.

I know one common issue people have with instrument players like FFOSSO is the need to be online. Again, similar to Arcade, you need an internet connection to create your account and download new content, but you can access downloaded content offline.

Paid subscribers will need to be online periodically to check their subscription status.

It’s always difficult to predict how subscription-based tools like FFOSSO will be received by users. But, as I said above, Orchestral Tools deliver fantastic sound quality, and that’s true of the free sounds available in FFOSSO.

I’m not sure if or when more free sounds will come, but it would be awesome if the developer added to the free collection once in a while.

If you want more orchestral freebies, check out Sonixinema’s Origins series for the free Kontakt Player, including Delicate Strings; it’s fantastic.