- Reaper isn't free, but it has an unlimited, 0 trade-off trial period
For some free open source synths:
- Vital is a great wavetable synth
- Dexed is a DX7 close that is phenomenal
- dsp56300emu emulates a bunch of classic high quality synths, notably the virus
- Surge Synth
...there are so many excellent open source VSTs you really do NOT need to spend any money.
I don't really know of any high quality open source DAWs, unfortunately.
- Reaper isn't free, but it has an unlimited, 0 trade-off trial period
For some free open source synths:
- Vital is a great wavetable synth - Dexed is a DX7 close that is phenomenal - dsp56300emu emulates a bunch of classic high quality synths, notably the virus - Surge Synth
...there are so many excellent open source VSTs you really do NOT need to spend any money.
I don't really know of any high quality open source DAWs, unfortunately.