Offered to music producers, sound designers and synthesiser enthusiasts ‘looking for genuine sonic inspiration’, Sounds Like This is a dedicated YouTube platform that takes a ‘pure, unvarnished’ look at synth and effect plug-in presets as they sound out of the box.
As discovering how a instrument actually sounds can be a time-consuming exercise, the site is designed to mirror the experience of stepping into a music store and playing a synth for the very first time.
‘What sets Sounds Like This apart is its rigorous consistency,’ the hosts say. ‘Every preset demo is triggered using identical Midi sequences and matched backing tracks. This uniform approach enables direct, objective ‘shootouts’ across a vast library of hardware synths, software instruments and effect processors.
‘Whether searching for the ultimate analogue bass, an evolving ambient pad, or a driving arpeggio, producers can listen to identical musical phrases auditioned across tons of different instruments and plug-ins.’
Key Highlights:
- Over 50,000 preset demos across nearly 1,500 videos.
- More than 200 hours of continuous audiovisual reference material.
- Categorised playlists for easy comparison.
- No talking, just audio.
- New demos added daily.
- No paywalls or subscriptions.
The library is available to stream free of charge.