Best Rhythm Guitar Vst Plugins
- Size 2.52 MB Rhythmus is an old school rhythm machine. Rhythmus is inspired by an old rhythm machine. There are ten buttons available, each button can play two different rhythm sections so essentially there are about 20 different rhythmic loops offered, such as samba, mambo, tango, waltz, rumba etc.
- Top 7 Free Amp Sims Best virtual guitar amplifier plug-ins Source: gearnews.com Previous Next Although guitar simulation plug-ins, or amp sims, have been around for a while, it seems like only recently that they have gotten to the point where you want them printed to the final tracks on your record – and not just used for demo tracks.
- Orchestral music. Typically the best guitar VSTis for cinematic/symphonic composition are, you guessed it, orchestral guitars. These are often acoustic and come in a larger library or bundle with strings, horns, woodwinds and so on. Part of the enhanced application value in orchestral guitars is that there are generally a lot of other textures and harmonies thickening the sonic sphere of the.
- The best guitar amp simulator for more modern high-gain guitar sound, metal, and alike. Distinguished by it’s darker, fuller, heavier sound which will be loved my metalheads and modern guitarists. Supports various audio plugins: VST/VST3/AU/AAX which are compatible with any kind of Digital Audio Workstation softwares.
- Best/Most realistic Guitar VST Plugins Hey guys, as someone who can't proficiently play guitar but would like it to be apart of their music is anyone aware of any really good guitar vsts, plugins, or emus? Would really like to explore that option for integrating guitar into my music.
- Locating the best guitar VST plugins can be difficult and time-consuming. We have assembled a list of the best free and paid plugins that will let you add guitar to your music tracks. These VST plugins will help you capture the genuine resonance of an acoustic or an electric guitar.
What do you do when you’re looking for cool ways to come up with unique bass lines, leads, and melodic motifs?
Top 4 Best Free Ableton VST Plugins of 2020 Updated Ableton Live is a digital audio workstation, which is also known as a digital audio workstation (aka DAW). This workstation allows the musicians to create and to mix music tracks by using various tools and sounds.
Use an arpeggiator.
The best arpeggiator VSTs are capable of so much more than just cranking out static, repeating lines.
If you haven’t looked into the capabilities of the current crop of arpeggiators yet, you are in for a treat!
So this post will take a look at some of the best arpeggiator plugins on the market.
Top Arpeggiator VST Plugins
1. Cthulhu by Xfer Records
Demo & Price
Cthulhu comes from the same maker of Serum, that beast of a synth. Likewise, “One Note Becomes Many” is the intriguing tagline that greets you at Cthulhu’s product page, and it does provide an accurate description of the capabilities of this unique plug-in. Is it an arpeggiator, an instrument, or an audio processor? Like the best arpeggiators, Cthulhu is all that and more.
What Cthulhu primarily does is transform inputted chords in many interesting ways. A versatile and easy to use tool, it encourages the creation of chord progressions and musical motifs that you wouldn’t have come up with otherwise.
Specs and useful features
Although Cthulhu does a great job as an arpeggiator, it is first and foremost a chord recorder/player. This function enables you to come up with plenty of interesting chord variations by pressing single keys on your keyboard. You can play chords right into the plug-in or import chords and progressions in MIDI format.
Cthulhu is equally capable as an arpeggiator, enabling you to transform notes and chords that you input into different rhythmic variations. With no less than eight tabs in the step sequencer, you have ample options for reshaping incoming notes. Even single note lines can result in complex and uniquely memorable riffs.
User impressions
You don’t a lot of musical knowledge to come up with complex and musically interesting motifs with Cthulhu. The chord memorization feature alone is well worth the price tag, and having a very capable arp onboard makes it an even better deal.
Literally dozens of interesting variations can spring forth from even the most basic note sequences. Whether as an idea generator or a way to reinvent tired, old melodic motifs, Cthulhu has the power to consistently surprise.
Bottom-line
A chord generator and arp rolled into one, Cthulhu is a powerful creative tool no matter how you look at it. If your creative well has run dry and you need a source of inspiration, this plug-in definitely gets the juices flowing.
2. Kirnu Cream by Arto Vaarala
Demo & Price
Kirnu Cream took the MIDI world by storm when it was released in 2013. The hype and speculation had been building up to a fever pitch for months before then, and the official release proved to be everything that everyone had hoped for and then some. Cascading arpeggios, sequenced patterns, and ear-catching chord memory progression–all these issued forth from the revolutionary plug-in, and there were many options for modulating the results as well.
Cream today remains largely unchanged from its initial version, which is a testament to its design and functional excellence. Whether used for arpeggiators, lead and bass lines, and even beats, Kirnu Cream is pretty much peerless.
Specs and useful features
Cream has several features that make it as suitable as a live instrument as a studio tool. The arpeggiator is what most people will probably be drawn to. But it also has one of the most powerful pattern sequencers around, with excellent chord memory features added to the mix. Pattern data can be selected and manipulated freely, with four tracks and loopable pattern controls. These features give the plug-in a great deal of flexibility for reimagining melodies and musical phrases.
Amazingly, Cream is very easy to learn and put into use. You didn’t have to dig too deeply into its inner workings to come up with cool motifs, although there is considerable power under the hood for more in-depth tweaking.
User impressions
The many opportunities for direct interaction are what most users appreciate the most about Cream. It goes beyond the capabilities of most arpeggiators and pattern sequencers, producing musical and creative results with very little effort. Many users especially like the “arpeggio on note count” feature, which keeps the arpeggiator from starting up until a specific number of notes are played. This feature makes it possible to combine standard melody lines with arps in a musical manner.
Bottom-line
With so much power onboard, you would expect Cream to be difficult to use. While you will have to do a bit of fiddling around to unlock its full potential, this never gets in the way of its sheer power and capability.
3. Thesys by Sugar Bytes
Demo & Price
Sugar Bytes is known for its plug-ins that serve as creative instruments and unique audio and MIDI processors. Thesys is a prime example, covering many of the company’s strengths in an intriguing step sequencer that is also a pretty kick-ass arpeggiator.
Thesys utilizes the venerable–and still-popular–step-programming paradigm in enabling you to manipulate your music in various interesting ways. Whether for heading off into uncharted musical territory or simply breathing new life into tired, old material, Thesys provides a direct path to creative musical expression.
Specs and useful features
Unlike other plug-ins that lock you into a specific way of working, Thesys lets you work the way you want to work. You could paint in sequences with your mouse, which is a fast and intuitive way of working. If you prefer a more traditional approach, you could input notes from a MIDI keyboard. There is a built-in synthesizer for this purpose, letting you hear inputted notes and the resulting sequence without having to patch in a third-party synth plug-in.
The Randomizer is an especially useful feature, helping you avoid the predictability that often results from step-sequencers and arpeggiators. With this feature, you can come up with interesting variations of your melodic material or head off into wild and wonderful new directions.
Best Rhythm Guitar Vst Pluginsst Plug Ins
The Velocity and Gate Sequencer sections are where you will likely do most of your tweaking. These sections let you finesse riffs and arpeggios into impressive musical phrases without a lot of fiddling around.
User impressions
Thesys delivers far more capabilities than your average arpeggiator plug-in. Users found it to be just as useful live as in a studio setting. This is one plug-in that cranks out more than what you put in, and many users find it a sheer joy for livening up drab MIDI passages.
Bottom-line
Thesys is more than just an arpeggiator or a step sequencer. It is practically a full-blown MIDI workstation, and its sheer power and flexibility will definitely win you over.
4. Consequence by Sugar Bytes
Demo & Price
Consequence is Sugar Bytes’ simpler offering in the arpeggiator category, but it is still pretty capable at transforming inputted notes in interesting new ways. It creates note sequences based on chords that you play in, with numerous options for interpreting the incoming data.
You can load up to three instruments into Consequence, each of which has its own envelope. You can play these instruments via the onboard 32-step sequencer and create very complex rhythms and textures pretty easily. There is even a multi-fx unit onboard for adding extra spice to your creations, and a four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern that helps you keep your grooves locked tight.
Specs and useful features
The chord sequencer is where most of the action takes place. Here, you could store up to 16 chord “snapshots”, and trigger them in any combination you please. The results are never static, with five sequencers enabling you to control various aspects of the groove. There is also a comprehensive modulation section that provides even more options for controlling the three synthesizer parts, the filter, and the FX unit.
As an arpeggiator, Consequence is about as versatile as they come. You can set each of the sequencer steps to “Arp”, “Chord”, “Octave”, or “Tie”, enabling you to go well beyond the capabilities of most arpeggiators. You can even control the play direction in various ways, which lets you create pretty impressive melodies from even the most basic motifs.
User impressions
Consequence strikes many users as a fun and inspirational alternative to most standard arpeggiators. It is especially appealing to those looking for a fresh and creative approach to coming up with melodic ideas. For many users, Consequence has proven value as a songwriting and production tool.
Bottom-line
Like most Sugar Bytes plug-ins, Consequence provides a unique way of working with source material. Even if you already have a well-spec’d arpeggiator in your arsenal, Consequence is still worth adding to the pile for its unique workflow.
5. Audiaire Nuxx
Demo & Price
On paper, Audiaire Nuxx looks pretty intriguing. Billed as a multi-FX processor with an onboard parameter sequencer, it seems like a handy solution for livening up static sounds and sequences. But digging deeper into its features reveals a very capable processing tool that can twist and warp audio in many creative ways.
Useful Features
Audiaire Nuxx essentially lets you modulate up to three parameters of six effects at a time via macro controls. There are 30 effects on-board, including compression, distortion, decimator, chorus, delay, flanger, two flavors of phasers, high, low, and band-pass filters, and more.
Nuxx has a slick and modernistic interface, with all the sections laid out clearly for ease of use. The GUI is scalable and comes with a variety of lane modification tools. The plug-in’s unique interface makes it easy to manipulate sounds quickly and easily and even perform detailed audio editing.
Nuxx can be set up to work as a simple effects unit, with the sequencer bypassed and hidden out of sight. But inputting different values into each step of the sequencer is what truly unlocks the plug-in’s sonic potential. With 27 lanes, independent sequence lengths, step mutes, swing, and probability controls, you have plenty of leeway to mangle your sounds.
User Impression
Users love the sheer variety of sounds that are possible with Audiaire Nuxx. Although it works well enough as a filter and distortion unit to add warmth to cold digital tracks, it especially excels at creative modulations of the 30 effects processors. A potent sound-design tool, Nuxx is also useful for coming up with fresh and inventive ideas when inspiration runs dry.
Bottom-line
Audiaire Nuxx is a simple but surprisingly powerful audio processing tool. Ideally suited for creative sound design, it is made especially useful by the inclusion of some excellent effects with well-thought-out control over the most important parameters. Its onboard sequencer lets you cook up some outrageous and wacky sounds, from liquid filter burbles and rhythmic delays to wild pitch squeals and grinding distortion, and more. Not your garden-variety arpeggiator, Audiaire Nuxx is a hugely entertaining sound design tool.
Bonus Mention: Numerology 4 Pro by Five12
Info & Price
Numerology is something of a dark horse in the music production world, attracting an almost fanatical army of devotees. But it offers a totally different approach to idea generation, programming, and music production.
You could certainly use Numerology merely as an arpeggiator if you wish, even at this comparatively basic task. But its features makes it more of a complete music production solution than a mere arpeggiator plug-in.
Specs and useful features
Numerology is essentially a modular system, providing several options for sequencing audio, MIDI, and even control voltage (CV) signals. The matrix sequencer is your ticket to arpeggios, although you could certainly use it for more subtly melodic material if that’s what you need.
One of the best things about Numerology is that you can modulate almost any parameter. Like an extremely well-spec’d synthesizer, you can route anything to almost anything else, in this case to compositional parameters.
Bottom-line
Numerology is a beast of a plugin. Perhaps it is a bit unfair to lump it in with ‘mere’ arpeggiator plug-ins, but it does such a great job at that role that we simply had to add it to the lineup.
About Arpeggiator VSTs
An arpeggiator is a feature found on many synthesizers, vintage and modern, hardware and software. Often referred to simply as an “arp”, it lets you play a string of notes via a single key press or a single played chord. Even when playing a relatively simple phrase, arpeggiators can produce complex and impressive melodies and repeating motifs.
To learn more about what an arpeggio is, check out this Wikipedia entry.
Arpeggiators typically produce characteristic repetitive motifs that serve as the backbone for countless synth-based tracks. Used on such classic rock tracks as The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and Pink Floyd’s “On the Run”, it is also the most recognizable element in Donna Summer’s seminal “I Feel Love”.
In its simplest iteration, arpeggiators simply play back the individual notes of a chord in sequence. In older synths, arpeggiators provided the option to play the note sequence from high to low, low to high, and little else. Many modern arpeggiators provide many more options for setting play direction, note length, and more. With some of the arpeggiator plug-ins reviewed above–and some advanced arpeggiators on hardware synths–the results can be far removed from the typical robotic lines of a primitive arpeggiator.
All arpeggiators are able to play back the notes in a held chord. But more advanced arpeggiators can store note patterns, and even chords, providing you with even more options to come up with fresh and inventive parts. Some even allow for layering of different arpeggio patterns, polyrhythms, and random triggering. When you add the capability to modulate the output in many different ways, there is no reason why arpeggiators should simply be relegated to churning out basic, repeating lines.
At the very least, you will want an arpeggiator that gives you a few different options for playing back notes. Extensive modulation options are also good to have, as is the ability to send the note data out as MIDI.
If you’re a guitarist, you’ve probably had the common problem of wanting to make professional music from the comfort of your home but not having the right setup to do it. Your recording will end up sounding less than stellar if you aren’t able to create a good setup with your amps. This is where an amp simulator could step in to save the day.
There are multiple reasons why an amp simulator might be preferable over a standard guitar amp. One major reason is the neighbors. If you live in close proximity to anyone who doesn’t have a tolerance for loud noises, the guitar amp isn’t going to be ideal. Others aren’t well versed in the fine art of professional recording. Then there are those who don’t have the money right now to buy the equipment that will give them a professional sounding result.
No matter what your reason is for considering an amp simulator, there is a wide variety of options currently available for all styles of guitarists. We’re going to go over some of the best electric guitar VST’s today so that you can narrow down which one will work for you.
Top 13 Electric Guitar VST Instruments
1. Softube Metal Amp Room
The Softube Metal Amp Room is a bit of an upgrade from the Softube Vintage Room. It was developed with Patrick Jensen, better known as the guitarist for the Swedish metal band The Haunted. It features a variety of brutal and aggressive guitar tones right out of your DAW. One unique feature is that it can be run in mono if you want to tighten your sound, or run it in stereo to let it fill up the stereo spectrum.
It comes with the same continuous mic placement as the Vintage Amp Room, and they have added on adjustable stereo panning and twin microphones. To get heavy palm-muting in, you can use the high-quality gate. It has a super fast opening, more so than any hardware gate. You can play as fast or as slow as you want, as the gate is program dependent.
The cabs were measured by Tue Madsen in the Flames Studio. He created a wide variety of presets, each meticulously designed to give you the best metal tones possible.
Pros
- Exciting collection of aggressive guitar tones ideal for metal
- Super user-friendly
- Uses continuous mic placement
Cons
- Lacks versatility
2. Heavyocity Scoring Guitars 2: Gravity Pack 05
Heavyocity has been developing VSTs that are worthy of the big screen for many years now. Scoring Guitars 2 will give you 5GB of high-quality content that can be utilized for a wide range of cinematic productions. You’ll be able to develop some truly atmospheric tracks with tools like driving pulses, complex pads, cinematic phrases, and ambient guitar beds. With this VST Heavyocity strays from its mainstream guitar roots to explore some edgier sounds.
You’ll have the opportunity to experiment with a great selection of guitar tones, including chunky rhythm pedals and a multi-sampled semi-hollow body. There’s also a new set of keys to play with, including D and G, which can take your sound to a different dimension. These sounds come from high-end guitars like the 335, Stratocaster, and others. The sounds are boosted with the help of a collection of American and British amps and cabs and the other pro outboard gear utilized by Heavyocity. You’ll be impressed by the amazing depth and warmth that we’ve come to expect from analog equipment.
If you are at all interested in scoring, this is an absolutely must-have VST. It’s also great for those who want to explore some edgier guitar sounds with some versatile guitar software.
Pros
- An abundance of presets to choose from
- Super detailed samples and effects
- User-friendly keyswitches
Cons
- Melodic phrases are quite ambiguous
3. Audified Audified Live Guitar and Bass Bundle
The Audified Live Guitar and Bass Bundle is a great value for everything that’s included. Audified gives you just about everything you could ask for, including seven power amps, eight microphones, thirty effects, twelve speakers, and nine top-notch guitar preamps. With all these pieces to work with, the possibilities for guitar tones are almost endless. You can easily utilize it in your DAW. You also have the option to use it as a standalone application whenever you are playing live in rehearsal or on stage.
The Gallien-Krueger amps and speaker setups were designed with bass players in mind. Audified faithfully replicates the features that were originally found on the amplifiers like all the filters and the bi-amp design. The bundle includes the InTone 2, which is perfect for adapting your preferred plugins to live performances. It’s essentially a multi-in and multi-out product mixer that has the capability of playing digital instruments.
We don’t want to overlook the bundle of pedals that is also included. The selection of pedals is sourced from a release Audified made over 10 years ago. This release just so happened to mark Audified as the first to introduce professional guitar software. If you don’t want any limits when you are exploring guitar sounds, the Audified Bundle is highly recommended.
Pros
- The sound is incredible
- Impressive collection of awesome presets
- Beautiful interface
Cons
- Requires great effort to find the best tone
4. Softube Vintage Amp Room
If retro tones are your thing, you will definitely want to check out the Vintage Amp Room bundle from Softube. The amps you’ll find in this guitar plugin emulate vintage amplifiers from incredible names like Vox, Marshall, and Fender. You can authentically replicate tones that sound like they are straight from hits of the 60s and 70s. Softube has built a strong reputation based on their impressive sound applications, and this VST does not disappoint.
There are three amp emulations included in the Vintage Amp Room. If you like the sound of the Fender Twin, check out the Brown Amp. The Green Amp emulates the Vox AC30. And if you’re a fan of Marshall, the White Amp replicates the famous Marshall JCM800. With these three awesome amps, you can pretty much dial in any classic sound you can think of. With the simulated studio setup, you’ll also get speaker cabinets and a flexible microphone setup.
This VST works great for live performances, and it can be used to re-amp guitars that need a little more power. The Softube Vintage Amp Room gives you all the tools you need to bring authentic vintage sounds to your guitar recordings.
ProsFree shaker vst.
- Super user-friendly
- Impressive amplifier simulations
- Incredibly authentic mic positioning
Cons
- A lot of money for only three amps
5. Audiority Tube Modulator
You can achieve a completely new vibe simply by adding some vibrato or tremolo to your guitar sounds. If you’re interested in exploring this idea yourself, check out the Audiority Tube Modulator. It offers a great selection of tremolo, vibrato, and spatial position effects circuits. You’ll find everything from 50s-style tube bias tremolo effects to psychedelic vibe pedals from the 60s.
The spatial effects in this VST include a wide stereo “wow and flutter” simulator for fans of tape, a user-friendly panner to create space for your guitar in the mix, and a rotary speaker. The XY scope will help you understand the spatial position, and it will show your current amplitude. It gives your original signal that classic warmth that you can only get from a tube.
The Tube Modulator gives you amazing vintage effects along with an incredibly impressive interface. The GUI looks super realistic. Just a warning, the interface is so distractingly beautiful that you might forget the project at hand.
Pros
- High quality stereo treatments
- Cool leslie-style effects
- Stunning, realistic interface
Cons
- If you’re looking for modern parameters, you might be disappointed
6. vir2 Electri6ity
Maybe you’re not a guitarist but you still have a need for some high-gain, shred-style guitar for your tracks. In this case, you’ll need to enlist the help of a VST like the vir2 Electri6ity. On the Electri6ity you’ll find eight of the most popular guitar tones that have ever been played. Vir2 accomplished this by combining more than 24,000 24-bit samples of each guitar. The guitars are more versatile than you would expect. Each one has three separate pickup options and plays a range of articulations to give you realistic guitar sounds.
A few of the available articulations are pull-offs, hammer-ons, harmonics, upstrokes, downstrokes, releases, ghost notes, slides, and mutes. The interface keeps things simple, but you have the option of crossing over to the more complicated side if you want to go a little further. On the performance page you’ll find the most essential playback settings like vibrato, strum behavior, and overall volume.
If you want to explore the settings page, you’ll discover incredible control capabilities. You can tweak every little detail of the guitar sound if you so desire. You can go even further with the effects page if you truly want to take your sound to a higher plane. You have your choice from a variety of stompboxes, and you also have your standard delay and reverb units. However, if you don’t want to get into the trenches with shaping the sound, this VST will also essentially take care of everything for you.
Pros
- Amazing selection of tones and styles to choose from
- Unbelievably detailed performance capabilities
- Nuances are super authentic
Cons
- Mastering it will take time and effort
- Requires a lot of RAM
7. Line 6 Helix Native
Line 6 has a reputation for creating modeling amps that are among the best in the industry. Line 6 amps are a great starting point for those just starting out because they don’t cost too much and offer an expansive library of sounds to work with. The Helix Native captures all of the great qualities of Line 6 in software form. If power and versatility are high on your list of priorities, the Helix Native has you covered.
This VST gives you an overwhelming amount of guitar emulation options, including 37 cabinets, 72 amplifiers, 16 microphones, and 72 amplifiers. You have everything you need to let your creativity run wild. The intuitive interface makes the whole process much more natural and efficient.
The Helix Native also supports third party impulse responses, which gives you some more flexibility when it comes to tone. If you’re already a customer of Helix hardware, you’ll find that the integration is tight. It’s also super easy to transfer your presets from your home to the stage. Line 6 checks all the boxes if you’re looking for a realistic electric guitar VST that comes from meticulous component and behavioral modeling.
Pros
- Amazing selection of effects and presets
- Impressive automation capabilities
- Great live hardware integration
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Adding your own impulse responses can be challenging
8. Native Instruments Guitar Rig Pro 5
The Native Instruments Guitar Rig Pro 5 provides incredible versatility and functionality. The first version of the Guitar Rig software was introduced in 2004 with just three tube amp simulations. That doesn’t compare at all with this impressive VST that gives you control of a range of virtual cabinets, amplifiers, rooms, and effects. Specifically, you’ll have 27 virtual cabinets, 17 amplifiers, and no less than 54 effects pedals.
The Guitar Rig Pro 5 utilizes Dynamic Tube Response technology to offer a legendary collection of guitar tones. Unlike many of its competitors, this VST is set up to look like a virtual rack configuration instead of a pedalboard, cab, and amp configuration. This works well because it makes it easier to view all of the elements at once.
From humble beginnings, the Guitar Rig Pro has become one of the most powerful amp simulators in the game. Any guitarist will benefit from having this comprehensive guitar software in their collection.
Pros
- Thorough list of presets
- Very versatile
- Control Room Pro works well for developing customized tones
Cons
- Can take up too much CPU
- An abundance of amateur-sounding models as well
9. AmpleSounds Plugins
AmpleSounds has a notable selection of playable electric guitars and amps. They also have multiple guitar emulations that could easily be included in this article. But we’re going to look specifically at their Metal and Electric guitar plugins. The Metal Series includes the Stingray Classic Bass emulation and the Metal Eclipse ESP emulation. The Electric Series has the LP Gibson Les Paul, the SC Fender Telecaster, SJ Gibson SJ-200, and others.
Each one of these guitars offers various sounds for diverse playing styles like fingered and picked. The guitars on the plugin were recorded with two adjustable mic positions, and they were also recorded in both stereo and mono playback modes. You have complete control over these sounds with customizable fret noise, resonance, velocity sensitivity, and more.
This VST utilizes automatic doubling with spacing control. There’s also a range of effects for you to play with, including EQ, phaser, reverb, overdrive, chorus, delay, and others. The key switches feature enables you to switch between some different articulations like palm muting, hammer-ons, and popping and sustain, among others. Another feature is the Strummer, which is a sequencer that will allow you to move between chord progressions. AmplSounds Guitars is an awesome option if you want a comprehensive guitar VST with authentic progressions.
Pros
- Customizable interface
- Extensive library of sounds
- Very realistic guitar VST
Cons
- Not very intuitive
10. IK AmpliTube 4
AmpliTube was first introduced in 2002, and it has since evolved to become one of the most comprehensive guitar amp VSTs that money can buy. There are lots of pieces to work with, including 33 stompboxes, 25 amplifiers, 15 rack effect units, 29 cabinets, and more. There’s a good selection of AmpliTube gear designs in addition to emulations from other big names in the amplifier realm like Marshall, Fender, Vox, Mesa/Boogie, and Roland.
Its cab room emulator lets you choose from a variety of cabs, and you can also go further in adjusting the mic positions, speakers, rooms, and other factors. The user even has the option to mix in everything, which simulates a professional recording environment. You will get almost every tool you could hope for to help you shape the best guitar tone for your mix.
IK has outdone themselves with this latest version of AmpliTube with tons of features, expansive control options, and authentic emulations of electric guitar and bass sounds. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Pros
- Stunning sound quality
- Fantastic cabinet and room options
- A great selection of extra models that can be purchased and downloaded
Cons
- Purchasing extra models can add up
- Most presets will need to be adjusted to get a good sound
11. Positive Grid BIAS lineup
Positive Grid BIAS might not be near the top of many people’s guitar VST lists, but it probably should be. As one of the most sophisticated modelers currently available, it’s a seriously underrated piece of software. The BIAS will allow you to build your own amplifier with a number of customization options, including transformers, preamps, power amps, tone stacks, and tubes. There’s also various microphones to choose from and the option of closed or open back cabinets. BIAS makes the amp of your dreams a virtual reality. With all of these possibilities, you could literally spend all day tweaking.
The BIAS utilizes a dynamic tube engine with a touch response that almost perfectly simulates that of a tube amplifier. The reformulated speaker module puts dynamic tone control in your hands. Amazing guitar sounds can be created for any genre—classic rock, metal, blues, acoustic, jazz, and any other.
What BIAS users love is the extensive online community of fellow users on the ToneCloud website. While there you can find, share, and download custom amplifier settings contributed by some of the best guitarists and artists in the industry. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention the BIAS FX plugin, which is included in your purchase. You can use it to add rack and pedal effects to your amp to elevate your sound even higher.
Pros
- Super responsive tones
- Editing options for days
- Top notch Impulse Response software
Cons
- It’s going to cost a lot of money to get the whole experience
12. Overloud TH-U Full
TH-U Full is an innovative product by Overloud that promises to take amps and FX to new realms. This is the most expansive guitar software that you can buy right now with an incredible 239 models to pick from. On this one VST you’ll find 50 guitar cabs, 4 bass amplifiers, 89 guitar amplifiers, 2 bass cabs, and 77 effects in both pedal and rack form. And that’s still not everything. You’ll also have your choice of 1,000 presets in various styles, including metal, rock, blues, jazz, and more. Not to mention the 18 pro microphones you can utilize with as many as four microphones on each cabinet.
Free Guitar Effects Vst Plugins
Overload gives you some of the best authorized models in this collection like THD, Randall, DVmark, and Brunetti. One of the most notable features is the Amp Tweak technology, which gives you the ultimate control over customizing the power amps, pre amps, and more. The Rig Player feature also allows you to simulate real setups with your choice of 20 factory rigs.
ReSPiRe 2 technology is utilized to ensure all of the emulations from the cab IRS to the advanced cabinets are on point. The sound chain makes it possible to apply effects directly to your signal or use parallel processing to integrate them in the mix. TH3 users have the bonus of their software being compatible with TH-U. This guitar software can help you achieve all your guitar sound goals with a truly impressive library of sounds.
Pros
- Very realistic amp tones
- Incredible versatility
- Expansive selection of presets
Guitar Vst Plugins Free
Cons
- Can be a bit overwhelming
13. Waves GTR3 Amps
If you love Waves as much as we do, the GTR3 is an essential tool to have in your collection. You will be amazed at how much versatility you get for the cost. You’ll have access to an exciting library of vintage and modern amp tones from names like Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa/Boogie, and many others. Their professional sampling technology stands toe to toe with the more advanced modeling methods that are used by many of their competitors.
Users will love that this VST is ultra-low latency, which makes it ideal for use in live performances. There’s plenty of options to pick from, including 30 cabinets, 25 stompboxes, and 30 guitar amplifiers. Awesome news for rock guitarists—25 of these are focused on high-gain sounds. One feature that we particularly like is that you can play through two separate cabinets at the same time. This gives you even greater freedom to diversify your tone.
You’ll be impressed by the top-notch selection of stompboxes, including phaser, reverb, flanger, chorus, delay, and pretty much any other stompbox that you can think of. The MIDI controller makes it super easy to adjust their settings or bypass them completely. It’s definitely not the best option in terms of authenticity, but it’ll work well for demo projects that require guitar sounds.
Pros
- Huge library of guitar tones to choose from
- Interface is consistent across all amps
- Ideal for use in the live realm
Cons
- MIDI setup is a little confusing
- Lacks floorboard integration
Guitar Tones Go Digital
The electric guitar VSTs that we’ve just mentioned virtually eliminate the need to lug cumbersome rigs around to various gigs or mic up amplifiers in the studio. Now you can create almost any guitar tone imaginable with just your computer and some software. No, it’s not the same as standing in front of actual tubes and speakers, but it’s incredible how close these guitar plugins come to emulating that experience.