“Too many plugins—I don’t know where to start anymore…”
“The settings are complicated, and I’ve just installed them and left them alone…”
“I want to start with free ones, but what if the sound quality is bad…”
“Even when I want to create something, I’m afraid of compatibility issues and can’t move forward…”
These worries are a path everyone takes. In fact, over 80% of people who started music production cite “the plugin selection maze” as the main reason they initially gave up.
To My Past Self, Lost in Plugin Choices
I still remember the day I first opened my DAW.
When I searched for free plugins, thousands of names filled the screen.
Everything looked appealing, but I couldn’t tell which was the right choice.
I tried some, deleted others, researched more, got confused again, and before I knew it, it was the middle of the night.
But now I can say this:
To start music production, you only need just 5-8 plugins.
And the path to finding them is much simpler than I thought.
Why We Get Lost — 3 Barriers
Too Many Options
Thousands of free options alone.
Everything says “recommended.”
But those “recommendations” vary completely from person to person.
The more you compare, the deeper you sink.
→ Solution: Follow the rule of “narrow down to 5-8 based on purpose.”
Technical Terms as Walls
“VST,” “AU,” “Comp,” “EQ”—
Those nights when you wanted to close your search window from the continuous stream of unfamiliar words.
Even when reading expert explanations, more unknown terms kept appearing…
→ Solution: Start by “feeling the sound changes with your ears.” Theory can come later.
Fear of Failure
“What if I choose the wrong plugin and waste it…”
When you think that, your finger stops clicking.
But in the world of sound, there’s “freedom to start over.”
→ Solution: Have the courage to try small in the safe zone of free options first.
3 Stories of Setback and Restart
📝 Kenta Tanaka (32, Office Worker) Reclaimed “The Joy of Sound”
After work, while putting in his earbuds, Kenta thought, “I want to create my own music.” He installed a free DAW and excitedly started searching for plugins. But EQ, compressors, reverb—everything was unfamiliar. Reading the explanations only made him more confused, and eventually, for 3 weeks, he made no progress.
Then one day, he came across a guide for a “5-plugin starter set for beginners.” Just 5, all free, setup in 3 steps. He tried it half-skeptically and experienced the thrill of “sound changing” for the first time. 2 months later, he completed his first original song and was playing it for friends.
“That initial confusion seems like a lie now. Now working with sound is purely fun.”
Kenta now creates new work at a pace of 2 songs per month.
📝 Misaki Yamada (25, Student) “Decoding the Cipher”
“VST,” “AU,” “AAX”… To Misaki, plugin format technical terms looked like codes. Which one to choose? She worried for 2 weeks without making progress. “Maybe this isn’t for me,” she started thinking.
But when she learned that “plugin formats” are simply “compatibility differences,” her shoulders relaxed. If you’re on Windows, choose “VST”; if Mac, choose “AU.” When she successfully installed her first free plugin, she was surprised: “It was this simple.”
Now she’s mastered 5 essential plugins and is called “the plugin teacher” by friends. “That first step was actually the lightest,” she says with a smile.
📝 Tetsuya Sato (45, Office Worker) “The Simplicity Revolution”
With the desire to “start without spending money,” Tetsuya kept searching for free plugins. But unable to judge what was “really good,” he ended up downloading over 50, just making his PC slow. Startup took forever, freezing during work. Before making music, he was exhausted from stress.
Upon discovering the “Essential 5-Plugin Set,” he deleted the unnecessary 45 plugins. His simplified DAW ran smoothly, and sound quality actually improved. By narrowing down to only necessary plugins, he could deeply understand how to use each one.
“Fewer was actually better,” he laughs.
Now he maintains stable production at 2 songs per month.
Essential 5-Plugin Set for Complete Beginners
✅ What You’ll Learn in This Section
- Beginners really only need 5 plugins (all can start free)
- The specific role and selection criteria for each plugin
- How to get started without confusion using the 3-Step Setup Method
- Plugin compatibility and pairing (foolproof order)
🎵 Essential 5-Plugin Set (All Free)
1. EQ (Equalizer) – “Sound Balance Adjuster”
Role: A tool for adjusting the balance of sound frequencies (bass, mids, treble). Like “seasoning” in cooking.
Recommended Free Plugins: TDR Nova (intuitive for beginners), MEqualizer in MeldaProduction MFreeFXBundle
Usage (3 Steps):
① Open the plugin
② Select from “Presets” (Vocal Enhance, Bass Boost, etc.)
③ Listen for sound changes
💡 Beginner Tip: Start with simple changes like “boost bass a bit” or “clarify mids.” Fine-tuning can wait.
2. Compressor – “Volume Guardian”
Role: A tool for evening out volume differences to make it easier to listen. It tames loud sounds and lifts quiet ones.
Recommended Free Plugins: TDR Kotelnikov (gentle sound), Rough Rider 3 (rock-oriented)
Usage (3 Steps):
① Set Ratio to 3:1
② Set Threshold to -15dB
③ Confirm the meter moves slightly (adjust if it moves too much)
💡 Beginner Tip: Overdoing creates “flat sound.” If the meter moves wildly, that’s a sign of too much compression.
3. Reverb – “Space Magician”
Role: A tool for adding “resonance” to sound, creating width and depth. Think of karaoke echo for easy understanding.
Recommended Free Plugins: Valhalla SuperMassive (cosmic resonance), OldSkoolVerb (classic resonance)
Usage (3 Steps):
① Set Dry/Wet (balance of original and effect) to 20-30%
② Set Room Size to Medium
③ Listen for spatial spread
💡 Beginner Tip: Start conservatively. “Slightly not enough” is actually the right amount. Easy to add more later.
4. Delay – “Echo Craftsman”
Role: A tool for repeating sound to create rhythm or depth. Achieves an “echo” effect.
Recommended Free Plugins: TAL-Dub-3 (simple operation), Valhalla Freq Echo (experimental)
Usage (3 Steps):
① Set Delay Time (repeat timing) to 1/4 note
② Set Feedback (number of repeats) to around 30%
③ Turn ON the Sync button to match the song tempo
💡 Beginner Tip: Settings matching the song tempo are important. Most plugins have a “Sync” button—always turn it ON.
5. Limiter – “Guardian Against Distortion”
Role: A tool for preventing volume from becoming too loud and preventing distortion. Essential on the master track.
Recommended Free Plugins: LoudMax (simple and powerful), TDR Limiter 6 GE (feature-rich)
Usage (3 Steps):
① Place the limiter at the end of the master track
② Set Ceiling to -0.3dB
③ Basic distortion prevention is complete with just this
💡 Beginner Tip: Always place at “the end of the master track.” This is the golden rule. Wrong order reduces effectiveness.
🎯 With just these 5, you can achieve 80% of pro-level sound quality
Why not download these 5 for free first and try them out?
10 Common Plugin Selection Questions
Q1. Free or Paid—Which Should I Choose?
Answer: For beginners, free is sufficient. Many free plugins are used in professional music production. Consider paid plugins only after you’re comfortable with free ones and have a clear purpose like “I want this specific sound.” Buying without purpose usually means never using them.
Note: MirrorTone Academy’s Core Pack, Premium Pack, and Master Pack come with a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee. You can try them risk-free if they don’t meet expectations.
Q2. How Do I Install Plugins?
Answer: Most plugins install automatically by double-clicking the downloaded file. For manual installation, copy the .dll file (Windows) to your VST folder (usually C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins on Windows, /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST on Mac).
Q3. What’s the Difference Between VST, AU, and AAX?
Answer: They’re just compatibility differences. VST = Windows/Mac both, AU = Mac only, AAX = Pro Tools only. Just choose based on your DAW and OS. No need to overthink it. Most DAWs support VST.
Q4. What If Too Many Plugins Slow Down My System?
Answer: Uninstall unused plugins. “I might use it someday” rarely happens. Also, if you have too many plugins per track, use the “Freeze” function to temporarily reduce CPU load. It’s standard in most DAWs.
Q5. What’s the Best Plugin Management Method?
Answer: Use your DAW’s “Favorites” function. Register only your frequently used 5-10 as “Favorites” to eliminate search time. Also, numbering plugin names like “1_EQ” “2_Comp” arranges them in order of use—very convenient.
Q6. Are Plugin Compatibility Issues Real?
Answer: Mostly no. However, using plugins from the same manufacturer keeps the design unified and easier to use. More important than compatibility is “whether it suits your ears.” The same EQ sounds different depending on the manufacturer.
Q7. Should I Buy During Sales?
Answer: Sales happen several times a year (Black Friday, year-end, summer sales, etc.). Paid plugins can be 50-80% off. However, calmly consider “do I need it now?” Buying during sales but not using them is wasteful.
Q8. Is It OK to Use Presets?
Answer: Absolutely OK. Pros use them too. Presets are perfect as “starting points,” and tweaking slightly from there creates your preferred sound. Using presets to grasp “this kind of sound” makes learning faster than configuring from scratch.
Q9. Are Plugin Updates Necessary?
Answer: Generally yes, but “wait if you have ongoing projects” is safer. Updates can occasionally cause bugs. Batch update during times without projects. Prioritize security updates.
Q10. Which Plugins Should Beginners Avoid?
Answer: Synthesizers and complex multi-effects are safer to avoid initially. Too many parameters cause confusion. First master the 5 basic plugins introduced on this page, then gradually expand. Take it slow, step by step.
🌟 MirrorTone Academy Track Record
Realistic music mastery proven by data from 3 years and 1,200+ students.
Learning success rate over 80%, monetization achievement 60%, customer satisfaction 4.6/5.0.
Start risk-free with our 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee.
Next Steps: Let’s Start Together
🌟 Finally, To You
Getting lost in plugin selection is proof that you’re “seriously engaging with music.”
Don’t seek perfection—why not start with just 5 plugins?
Enjoy the changes in sound, little by little, at your own pace.
We’re always here, supporting your music-making journey.
MirrorTone Academy provides an environment where anyone can realistically master music production under the philosophy of Constraint-to-Strength Transformation.