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18. června 2023

The Complete Guide to Harmless, the Free and Easy-to-Use Additive Synthesizer Plugin

Harmless VST Free: How to Get This Amazing Synth Plugin for Free

If you are looking for a versatile, powerful, and easy-to-use synth plugin for your music production, you might want to check out Harmless. This is a unique additive synthesizer that can create a wide range of sounds, from lush pads and leads to gritty basses and plucks. And the best part is, you can get it for free!

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In this article, we will show you what a VST plugin is, what Harmless is and what it can do, how to get it for free and legally, and how to use it effectively in your projects. We will also compare it with other similar plugins, give you some tips and tricks, and provide you with some examples and resources. By the end of this article, you will be able to create amazing sounds with Harmless and take your music production to the next level.

What is a VST plugin and why it is useful for music production

A VST plugin is a software tool that can be used within a digital audio workstation (DAW) to enhance or modify the sound of audio tracks. VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology, and it is a standard format developed by Steinberg in 1996. There are many types of VST plugins, such as instruments, effects, samplers, utilities, etc.

VST plugins are useful for music production because they allow you to access a variety of sounds and effects without the need for expensive or bulky hardware equipment. You can also customize and tweak the parameters of the plugins to suit your needs and preferences. With VST plugins, you can expand your sonic palette and creativity without breaking the bank.

What is Harmless and what are its main features

Harmless is an additive synthesizer that can create complex and rich sounds using simple controls. It was developed by Image-Line, the same company behind FL Studio, one of the most popular DAWs in the world. Harmless was released in 2009 as part of the FL Studio Producer Edition, but it can also be used as a standalone plugin in other DAWs.

Harmless is based on a novel synthesis technique that combines additive and subtractive synthesis. Additive synthesis involves creating sounds by adding together multiple sine waves with different frequencies and amplitudes. Subtractive synthesis involves creating sounds by filtering out unwanted frequencies from a complex waveform. Harmless uses both methods to generate harmonics and shape the timbre of the sound.

Some of the main features of Harmless are:

A user-friendly interface with only nine knobs and nine sliders

A powerful harmonic editor that allows you to draw or edit the harmonic spectrum of the sound

A flexible filter section that can emulate various types of filters, such as low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch, phaser, etc.

A built-in effects rack that includes distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, compression, EQ, etc.

A modulation matrix that allows you to assign various sources (such as LFOs, envelopes, velocity, etc.) to various targets (such as pitch, volume, filter cutoff, etc.)

A preset browser that includes over 100 presets covering various genres and styles

How to get Harmless for free and legally

If you want to get Harmless for free and legally, you have two options: - Option 1: Buy FL Studio Producer Edition or higher. This is the easiest and most straightforward way to get Harmless, as it is included in the package. FL Studio is a powerful and popular DAW that can handle any kind of music production. It costs $199 for the Producer Edition, $299 for the Signature Edition, and $899 for the All Plugins Edition. You can also get a free trial version of FL Studio to test it out before buying it. - Option 2: Download the demo version of Harmless from Image-Line's website. This is a free and legal way to get Harmless, but it comes with some limitations. The demo version of Harmless will work in any VST-compatible DAW, but it will produce a noise every few seconds. This means that you can use it for testing and learning purposes, but not for recording or exporting your projects. You can download the demo version of Harmless from here. A detailed overview of Harmless's interface and controls

Harmless has a simple and intuitive interface that consists of four main sections: the harmonic editor, the filter section, the effects rack, and the modulation matrix. Let's take a look at each section and see what they can do.

The harmonic editor

The harmonic editor is the heart of Harmless, where you can create and edit the harmonic spectrum of the sound. The harmonic spectrum is a graphical representation of the frequencies and amplitudes of the sine waves that make up the sound. You can use the mouse to draw or modify the shape of the spectrum, or use the knobs and sliders below to adjust various parameters.

The knobs and sliders are:

Timbre: This controls the overall brightness or darkness of the sound. It affects the balance between odd and even harmonics. Odd harmonics are more prominent in bright sounds, while even harmonics are more prominent in dark sounds.

Pluck: This controls the amount of decay or damping of the harmonics over time. It simulates the behavior of plucked strings or percussive sounds. A high value means a fast decay, while a low value means a slow decay.

Phasor: This controls the phase offset or shift of the harmonics. It affects the position of the peaks and valleys of the spectrum. It can create subtle or drastic changes in the timbre and stereo width of the sound.

Harmonic mask: This controls the amount of masking or filtering applied to the harmonics. It reduces or eliminates certain harmonics based on their position in the spectrum. It can create hollow or resonant sounds.

Unison order: This controls the number of unison voices or copies of the sound that are detuned and panned to create a thicker and wider sound. It can range from 1 (no unison) to 9 (maximum unison).

Unison pitch thickness: This controls the amount of detuning or variation in pitch between the unison voices. A high value means more detuning, while a low value means less detuning.

Unison phase thickness: This controls the amount of phasing or variation in phase between the unison voices. A high value means more phasing, while a low value means less phasing.

Unison panning: This controls the amount of panning or variation in stereo position between the unison voices. A high value means more panning, while a low value means less panning.

The filter section

The filter section is where you can shape and sculpt the sound by removing or boosting certain frequencies. Harmless has a flexible filter that can emulate various types of filters, such as low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch, phaser, etc. You can also modulate the filter cutoff and resonance with various sources, such as envelopes, LFOs, velocity, etc.

The knobs and sliders in the filter section are:

Cutoff: This controls the frequency at which the filter starts to attenuate or boost the sound. A high value means a higher cutoff frequency, while a low value means a lower cutoff frequency.

Resonance: This controls the amount of feedback or emphasis applied to the sound near the cutoff frequency. A high value means more resonance, while a low value means less resonance.

Filter type: This controls the shape and slope of the filter curve. You can choose from 12 different filter types, such as low-pass 12 dB, high-pass 24 dB, band-pass 6 dB, notch 12 dB, phaser 24 dB, etc.

Keyboard tracking: This controls the amount of modulation applied to the filter cutoff based on the note played on the keyboard. A high value means more modulation, while a low value means less modulation.

Velocity tracking: This controls the amount of modulation applied to the filter cutoff based on the velocity or force of the note played on the keyboard. A high value means more modulation, while a low value means less modulation.

Envelope amount: This controls the amount of modulation applied to the filter cutoff based on the envelope or shape of the sound over time. A positive value means an upward modulation, while a negative value means a downward modulation.

Envelope attack: This controls the time it takes for the envelope to reach its maximum level after a note is played. A high value means a slower attack, while a low value means a faster attack.

Envelope decay: This controls the time it takes for the envelope to drop from its maximum level to its sustain level after the attack phase. A high value means a longer decay, while a low value means a shorter decay.

Envelope sustain: This controls the level of the envelope that is maintained while a note is held. A high value means a higher sustain level, while a low value means a lower sustain level.

Envelope release: This controls the time it takes for the envelope to drop from its sustain level to zero after a note is released. A high value means a longer release, while a low value means a shorter release.

The effects rack

The effects rack is where you can add some extra flavor and character to your sound by applying various effects, such as distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, compression, EQ, etc. Harmless has a built-in effects rack that includes eight different effects that can be turned on or off with a switch. You can also adjust some parameters of each effect with knobs and sliders.

The effects and their parameters are:

Distortion: This adds some harmonic distortion or saturation to your sound, making it more gritty and aggressive. You can adjust the amount and type of distortion with two knobs.

Chorus: This adds some modulation or movement to your sound, making it more spacious and lush. You can adjust the depth and speed of modulation with two knobs.

Delay: This adds some echo or repetition to your sound, making it more rhythmic and atmospheric. You can adjust the time and feedback of delay with two knobs.

Reverb: This adds some ambience or space to your sound, making it more realistic and immersive. You can adjust the size and dampening of reverb with two knobs.

Compression: This reduces the dynamic range or difference between loud and quiet parts of your sound, making it more consistent and punchy. You can adjust the threshold and ratio of compression with two knobs.

EQ: This adjusts the frequency balance or tone of your sound, making it more bright or dark. You can adjust the gain and frequency of three bands (low, mid, high) with six knobs.

Phaser: This creates some phase cancellation or interference between two copies of your sound, making it more swirling and psychedelic. You can adjust the depth and speed of phasing with two knobs.

Limiter: This prevents your sound from clipping or exceeding a certain level, making it more clean and safe. You can adjust the ceiling and release of limiting with two knobs.

The modulation matrix

The modulation matrix is where you can assign various sources (such as LFOs, envelopes, velocity, etc.) to various targets (such as pitch, volume, filter cutoff, etc.) to create dynamic and expressive sounds. Harmless has a simple but powerful modulation matrix that includes four slots for modulation assignments. You can also adjust the amount and polarity of modulation with knobs and switches.

The sources and targets in the modulation matrix are:

Sources

Targets

LFO 1

Pitch

LFO 2

Volume

Envelope 1

Filter cutoff

Envelope 2

Filter resonance

Velocity

Unison pitch thickness

Mod wheel

Unison phase thickness

Pitch bend

Unison panning

Aftertouch

Harmonic mask

A comparison of Harmless with other similar VST plugins

Harmless is not the only additive synthesizer plugin available on the market. There are other similar plugins that offer different features and capabilities. Here are some of the most popular ones and how they compare with Harmless:

Harmor

Harmor is another additive synthesizer plugin developed by Image-Line. It is considered to be the bigger and more advanced brother of Harmless, as it has more options and possibilities. Harmor can create sounds not only from sine waves, but also from any audio sample or image. It also has more modulation sources and targets, more effects, more filters, more envelopes, more LFOs, etc. Harmor is a very powerful and versatile plugin, but it is also more complex and expensive than Harmless. Harmor costs $149 as a standalone plugin, or $899 as part of the FL Studio All Plugins Edition.

Serum

Serum is a wavetable synthesizer plugin developed by Xfer Records. It is one of the most popular and widely used plugins in the music production industry, as it can create a huge variety of sounds, from analog to digital, from simple to complex. Serum can create sounds from wavetables, which are collections of waveforms that can be morphed and modulated. It also has a powerful wavetable editor that allows you to create your own wavetables from scratch or import them from other sources. Serum has a lot of modulation sources and targets, effects, filters, envelopes, LFOs, etc. Serum is a very flexible and creative plugin, but it is also more CPU-intensive and expensive than Harmless. Serum costs $189 as a standalone plugin.

Morphine

Morphine is another additive synthesizer plugin developed by Image-Line. It is similar to Harmless in that it can create sounds from sine waves with a harmonic editor. However, Morphine has a unique feature that allows you to morph or blend between four different sounds with a XY pad. It also has more effects, filters, envelopes, LFOs, etc. Morphine is a very expressive and fun plugin, but it is also more outdated and less supported than Harmless. Morphine costs $159 as a standalone plugin, or $899 as part of the FL Studio All Plugins Edition.

Some tips and tricks on how to use Harmless effectively

Harmless is a very easy-to-use plugin, but it can also be very powerful and versatile if you know how to use it effectively. Here are some tips and tricks that can help you get the most out of Harmless:

- Experiment with different filter types and modulations to create different timbres and textures. - Use the harmonic editor to draw or edit your own harmonic spectra and create unique sounds. - Use the unison feature to create thicker and wider sounds with detuning and phasing. - Use the effects rack to add some extra flavor and character to your sounds with distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, etc. - Use the modulation matrix to assign various sources to various targets and create dynamic and expressive sounds. - Use the preset browser to browse through over 100 presets covering various genres and styles. - Use the randomize button to generate random sounds and get inspired. Some examples of sounds and genres that can be created with Harmless

Harmless can create a wide range of sounds and genres, from ambient and chillout to EDM and dubstep. Here are some examples of sounds and genres that can be created with Harmless:

- Pads: Pads are sustained or evolving sounds that create a background or atmosphere for your music. You can create pads with Harmless by using low-pass filters, long envelopes, high unison, chorus, reverb, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for pads are Ambient Pad, Dreamy Pad, Epic Pad, etc. - Leads: Leads are melodic or rhythmic sounds that play the main melody or motif of your music. You can create leads with Harmless by using high-pass filters, short envelopes, low unison, distortion, delay, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for leads are Acid Lead, Funky Lead, Saw Lead, etc. - Basses: Basses are low-frequency sounds that provide the foundation or groove of your music. You can create basses with Harmless by using band-pass or notch filters, pluck envelopes, high distortion, compression, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for basses are Deep Bass, FM Bass, Wobble Bass, etc. - Plucks: Plucks are percussive or transient sounds that create a rhythmic or melodic pattern for your music. You can create plucks with Harmless by using high pluck values, short envelopes, low unison, phaser, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for plucks are Bell Pluck, Guitar Pluck, Mallet Pluck, etc. - Ambient and chillout: Ambient and chillout are genres of music that focus on creating a relaxing and soothing mood or atmosphere. You can create ambient and chillout music with Harmless by using low-pass filters, long envelopes, high unison, chorus, reverb, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for ambient and chillout music are Ambient Pad, Dreamy Pad, Epic Pad, etc. - EDM and dubstep: EDM and dubstep are genres of music that focus on creating a energetic and exciting mood or atmosphere. You can create EDM and dubstep music with Harmless by using high-pass filters, short envelopes, low unison, distortion, delay, etc. Some examples of presets that are suitable for EDM and dubstep music are Acid Lead, Funky Lead, Saw Lead, Wobble Bass, etc. Conclusion

Harmless is an amazing synth plugin that can create a wide range of sounds and genres with simple controls and a user-friendly interface. It is based on a novel synthesis technique that combines additive and subtractive synthesis to generate harmonics and shape the timbre of the sound. It also has a flexible filter section, a built-in effects rack, and a modulation matrix to further enhance and modify the sound.

You can get Harmless for free and legally by either buying FL Studio Producer Edition or higher, or downloading the demo version from Image-Line's website. However, the demo version will produce a noise every few seconds, so it is recommended to buy FL Studio if you want to use Harmless without any limitations.

If you want to learn how to use Harmless effectively in your music production, you can follow the tips and tricks we provided in this article. You can also check out some examples of sounds and genres that can be created with Harmless to get inspired and motivated.

Harmless is a great plugin for beginners and experts alike. It is easy to use but also powerful and versatile. It can create complex and rich sounds with simple controls. It is a plugin that you should definitely try out if you want to take your music production to the next level.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Harmless:

What are the system requirements for Harmless?

Harmless is compatible with Windows 7 or higher (32-bit or 64-bit) and macOS 10.11 or higher (64-bit only). It requires at least 2 GB of RAM and 500 MB of free disk space. It also requires a VST-compatible DAW to run as a plugin.

Is Harmless compatible with Mac OS?

Yes, Harmless is compatible with Mac OS as a VST or AU plugin. However, it is not compatible with Logic Pro X as it does not support AU plugins.

How many presets does Harmless have?

Harmless has over 100 presets covering various genres and styles. You can access them from the preset browser at the top right corner of the interface.