'If something seems too good to be true, it probably is', goes the saying, but when it comes to free VST/AU plugins for your PC or Mac, there really isn't much of a catch.

OK, some of the many freeware instruments, effects and other tools on offer might not be of what you'd call 'commercial quality', but if you restrict yourself to the good stuff, then you'll find that it really is the case that you can legitimately download some truly excellent plugins for nothing.

And that's where we come in. Rather than leaving you to make sense of the ever-growing free music making software marketplace, we've compiled round-ups of some of the best synths, effects, samplers and utilities that you can download today. There are other fine plugins out there, but these are some of our personal favourites.

To find out more, click through the gallery, which serves as a handy gateway to our specific plugin round-ups. So, dive in and get downloading.