Strum Plate is a free Omnichord-inspired MIDI effect plugin from Gulf Coast Synthesis, available in AU, VST3, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows.
If you’re wondering what on earth an Omnichord is, you’re likely not alone. If you already know, then you’re one of the lucky ones!
Well, perhaps saying one of the lucky ones is a bit of a stretch; the Omnichord is more of an 1980s oddity than a classic.
Suzuki launched the Omnichord in 1981 and, after releasing various models, discontinued the product in 1996. The manufacturer recently released a new model, decades after discontinuing the original.
The Omnichord is a strange-looking digital instrument with two core features: major/minor chord buttons and a strum plate, which forms the foundation of this free plugin.
The strum plate lets you turn basic triads into impressive runs and flurries by running a finger over it (or a mouse, in the case of the Strum Plate plugin).
Being an oddity isn’t necessarily bad; it often leads to two great things: very unusual sounds or sounds so terrible they are actually amazing (a concept that is never lost in the 80s realm).
Some people call the Omnichord a cult classic, but I’m not quite there, and the current price seems way off to me. The good news is that if you want some of its ’80s charm, Strum Plate delivers it for free.
With the Strum Plate loaded, you can play any chord held in a buffer until you swipe across the plate, turning it into an extended run in either direction.
You can also trigger notes using the pitch wheel and adjust the note length using the mod wheel.
The type of run you create, whether it’s short and melodic or long and grandiose, depends on the note length and octave range that you set.
Of course, with the benefit of a MIDI keyboard, you have a much broader harmonic choice than you would have with the Omnichord’s buttons.
The setup of Strum Plate varies from one DAW to another, and the developer has posted short step-by-step instructions for Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton on the product page. There are also instructions for a Mac-only standalone version.
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Don’t forget to keep an eye on the 12 Days of Soundtoys promotion, too!
Download: Strum Plate (FREE)
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Last Updated on December 9, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
