# Free synth pluck samples > Free synth pluck samples: short, bright plucked synth notes for house, trance, future bass and pop melodies, with root notes and a licence verdict. 26 samples from 4 sources (Strudel sample banks 14, Openverse 7, Wikimedia Commons 4, OpenGameArt 1), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily. - Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=pluck&category=synth.pluck - Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=pluck&category=synth.pluck"` - Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below. - Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md ## Short, bright and melodic A pluck is a synth sound with a sharp attack and a quick decay. It carries fast melodies and arpeggios without clogging the mix, which is why plucks lead so many house, trance, future bass and pop tracks. Variations range from soft, marimba-like tones to bright, detuned stabs. ## Playing plucks from samples Load a single pluck note into a sampler, set its root (shown on the card when known), and play your melody. Plucks transpose well, because they are short; a sample stays usable over two octaves or more. Program a sixteenth-note arpeggio, add a tempo-synced delay, and you have the basis of a lead. Free plucks come from producer giveaways, vintage-synth sample sites and Creative Commons archives. Licences vary, so check the verdict on each card before a release. ## Samples | Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 0](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20A1%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/0` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Pluck Machine - Day 29](https://opengameart.org/content/pluck-machine-day-29) | `opengameart:pluck-machine-day-29` | Pluck | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Pretty Pluck Sound](https://freesound.org/people/memz/sounds/325141) | `openverse:d29acb3b-05d4-477f-b346-349cbc50783b` | Pluck, Loop, 18 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 1](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20A%232%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/1` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Stratus Plucks](https://freesound.org/people/Stereo%20Surgeon/sounds/273974) | `openverse:398e9a2c-a7c4-49c4-a209-b5f290f38c15` | Pluck, Loop, 20 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 2](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20A3%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/2` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Anonimo - Cielito lindo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anonimo_-_Cielito_lindo.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Anonimo_-_Cielito_lindo.ogg` | Pluck, 3:02 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 3](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20B1%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/3` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Karplus-strong-A2](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karplus-strong-A2.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Karplus-strong-A2.ogg` | Pluck, 11 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes | | [Synthetic Guitar Pluck (180 BPM)](https://freesound.org/people/staticpony1/sounds/343384) | `openverse:be4b2414-d809-440c-8915-5c3d904c2768` | Pluck, Loop, 180 BPM, 43 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 4](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20B3%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/4` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Anonimo - The Huron Carol](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anonimo_-_The_Huron_Carol.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Anonimo_-_The_Huron_Carol.ogg` | Pluck, 3:25 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 5](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20C3%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/5` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Inleiding Pavel Haas Quartet (audio)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inleiding_Pavel_Haas_Quartet_(audio).mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Inleiding_Pavel_Haas_Quartet_(audio).mp3` | Pluck, 30:40 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes | | [foam pluck 01.wav](https://freesound.org/people/tim.kahn/sounds/148078) | `openverse:abe75b01-71f6-43e7-98e2-46cb8e25f9ad` | Pluck, One-shot, 2.1 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 6](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20D2%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/6` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [En-us-pluck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=823079) | `openverse:91a67e8e-919a-43ba-bef4-395d129772c3` | Pluck, One-shot, 0.64 s | Openverse | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 7](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20D%233%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/7` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Popsicle Stick Pluck](https://freesound.org/people/BluetoothBoy/sounds/269335) | `openverse:71d6a280-2d94-4b55-b0f6-c5c3805530da` | Pluck, One-shot, 0.38 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 8](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20D4%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/8` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 9](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20E1%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/9` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 10](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20E2%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/10` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Plucking an Elastic Band](https://freesound.org/people/dsebeste/sounds/355041) | `openverse:6198d26f-362f-442c-9728-658889041fc6` | Pluck, 29 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 11](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20F1%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/11` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 12](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20F3%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/12` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | | [Dirt-Samples · pluck · 13](https://github.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/blob/master/pluck/BS%20G1%20PI.wav) | `strudel:dirt-samples/pluck/13` | Pluck | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes | ## Questions **What makes a synth sound plucky?** A fast attack and a short decay on both volume and filter, so the note starts bright and dies away quickly, like a plucked string. Little or no sustain is the key. **How do I make a pluck melody sound wider?** Add a short stereo delay, a little reverb and slight detune or chorus. Keep the low end of the pluck mono and let only the upper part spread. ## Related collections - [Free synth pad samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-synth-pad-samples.md): Free synth pad samples: warm analogue pads, evolving textures and ambient chords for ambient, synthwave, trap and cinematic tracks, with licences. - [Free marimba and mallet samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-marimba-samples.md): Free marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel and kalimba samples, as notes and loops for pop, house, ambient and game music, with licence verdicts. - [Free synth bass samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-synth-bass-samples.md): Free synth bass one-shots and loops, from acid squelches to analogue plucks and house bass stabs, with root notes where known and a licence verdict. - [Free piano samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-piano-samples.md): Free piano samples: single notes from grand and upright pianos for building an instrument, plus chords and loops, each with a preview and licence verdict. - [Free brass samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-brass-samples.md): Free brass samples: trumpet, trombone, French horn and tuba notes, stabs and section hits for funk, film and hip hop, with a licence verdict on each. - [Free flute samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-flute-samples.md): Free flute samples: concert flute, piccolo, pan flute, recorder and world flutes as notes, phrases and loops for hip hop, ambient and film, with licences. --- Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-synth-pluck-samples