IK Multimedia Amplitube MAX. In my opinion, the daddy of guitar amp modelling plugins. Over 300 different pieces of virtual gear, including both amps and effects, and the new Custom Shop feature from IK Multimedia means you can buy individual new amps and effects units from their website, “like visiting a real guitar store”. The great winner of the survey is without any doubt LePou, who has been developing guitar amp simulation plug-ins for several years. They support both Windows and OS X platforms and are available in 32 and 64-bit VST and Audio Unit versions! GUITAR RIG 5 PLAYER is a free effects processor – great for building effects chains, for warming up a signal, and yes, also for recording guitar. The included FACTORY SELECTION provides a British-style tube amp plus a matched cabinet, and 13 effects and sound modifiers.
If you haven’t looked into the cool world of guitar amplifier modelling softwares like AmpliTube and others, you’re in for a treat — and if you have, then you already know just how much fun it can. These are software plug-ins and they’re generally called “amp and effects simulators” or more correctly “amp modelling” programs and you can use some of them as a standalone application on your PC and Mac or they’ll run inside your favourite DAW like Protools and Cubase while you’re recording that Grammy-winning hit. But let’s forget the home studio for the moment. Here we’ll look at amp software running as a standalone program — something you can do yourself without needing any DAW skills — and what I reckon are the five best front-runners on the market today.
But first, a quick explanation. The developers of these programs go to a great deal of trouble to sample and then “model” the original hardware amplifiers and effects pedals so the results are very close to a genuine reproduction. The gear is meticulously recorded and processed in professional studios before being integrated into the software. Which means that not only are you hearing authentic sounds when you use these programs, also the various controls, knobs and adjustments are accurately modelled, too. You can learn a lot about choosing and setting up an amplifier, stomp boxes and your effects signal chain before you ever buy the real thing.
I don’t consider the following five programs any worse or better than each other, but some do have a different approach to offer. More important, they’re all very high quality.
1. Amplitube 4 by IK Multimedia:
Amplitube is one of the first amp modelling programs I encountered and way back in its early versions it was already a jaw-dropping plug-in. You could instantly dial up Jimi Hendrix’s strat, Hank Marvin’s mellow Shadows sound or shred your computer speakers with some modern heavy metal. Now it’s up to Amplitube 4 and like a lot of designers IKM offers you several different bundles based around a core product.
With Amplitube 4 you still get a large range of different amplifiers and stomp boxes to mix and match, however, if you’re looking for something more then IKM’s Custom Shop allows you to buy extra amplifiers and pedals. What’s interesting is that IKM now licenses the use of famous equipment, so you know exactly what you’re buying, whereas back in the ol’ days it could only hint at the gear being simulated with presets named like “Jimi in the Wind” and “Get The Edge”.
The really good news is that a completely free version of Amplitube 4 called the “Amplitube Custom Shop” can be downloaded and it already has a small selection of amps and pedals to try — no catch, no hidden costs. The idea is that you purchase and build your collection of virtual guitar gear one piece at a time. That’s brilliant.
2. Guitar Rig 5 by Native Instruments
The name “Native Instruments” is synonymous with high quality and Guitar Rig 5 is no exception. GR5 gives you a huge selection of amplifiers, effects and signal modifiers all in a virtual rack configuration. Even some of the most recognisable stomp pedals have been rendered into rack devices such as the lime green “Skreamer” module, which is a reproduction of Ibanez’s legendary Tube Screamer pedal. And the “Distortion” module that mimics the Orange coloured, time-honoured Boss Distortion stomp box. So NI flirts with copyright danger and leaves little doubt as to what original equipment the virtual devices are modelled on.
The rack design makes it easy to rearrange your signal chain with a drag-and-drop action — which can make a significant difference to your sound. Also, because NI has lots of other virtual instrument, synthesiser and keyboards products and the effects for these are shared across the range of VST’s, you’ll get plenty of wild and whacky signal processors in GR5 that create some awesome synth-like sounds from your guitar. So if you’re looking for presets that are “out there” GR5 is the way to go.
There is a free version of GR5 called the “Guitar Rig 5 Player“, which has a very limited selection of modules. After that, you have to upgrade to a GR5 Bundle. You can’t buy individual modules.
3. TH3 by Overloud:
Don’t be fooled by the simple name, “TH3”. It’s a guitar amplifier modelling program that has an enormous range of amplifiers, effects, cabinets, microphones… the list goes on. Overloud is another developer that’s licensed the use of famous hardware — in this case the boutique brands of guitar amps Randall, DVmark and Brunetti, which are sort of the musical equivalent of expensive sports cars with a super-model waiting for you in the passenger seat.
To be fair, new users might find TH3 a little overwhelming at first with the sheer amount of choice on offer. Plus it provides both stomp pedal and rack-mount modules that can be inserted into multiple signal chains… yes, things can get pretty crazy. If you’re already getting a headache just thinking about that, TH3 has over 1000 presets included to work your way through before trying to build any virtual rigs of your own.
TH3, as well as Amplitube and GR5, has dedicated settings for selecting different virtual microphones to “place” in front of your cabinet and where to put them — such as off-centre, in the middle of the speaker driver and the distance away. I’ve waited until now to mention this, because TH3 takes this concept further than most (although Amplitube 4 comes close) with a complete 3D environment for microphone placement including a choice of different rooms. That’s getting kind of beyond what we’re looking at here, but later in your guitar playing career it’s a cool tweak that you’ll appreciate.
There’s no freebie version of TH3 unfortunately, just a time-limited demo.
4. Peavey ReValver 4 by Peavey
You have to hand it to Peavey with its latest version 4 of the ReValver software. Revalver been around a long time and quickly got left behind by the likes of Amplitube and Guitar Rig, but Peavey got busy and rebuilt Revalver “from the ground up” as they say — and the results are impressive. Not surprisingly many of the virtual amplifier and cabinet models are based on existing and vintage Peavey amps which many old school guitarists will tell you have a distinctive sound you’ll either love or hate. But the wide range of settings in Revalver 4 makes that no longer an issue (if it ever was a problem).
Like Native Instruments, Peavey has opted to mimic the third-party effects like virtual stomp pedals and make it very obvious what that original gear must have been. That Ibanez Tube Screamer mentioned earlier appears in Revalver 4 as the “Greener” stomp box (in case you’re wondering, it is an iconic effects pedal and any guitarist who owns an original guards it like the crown jewels). A lot of focus in ReValver 4 is given to cabinet choices, microphone selection and placement.
Proteus 8 download for windows 10. You won’t find a free version of ReValver, but the top Producer pack is significantly cheaper than some of its competitors and you can still buy extra modules.
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5. Line 6 Pod Farm 2.5 by Line 6
Line 6 is a company which specialises in guitar effects, particularly hardware foot pedals and signal processors. Way back in 1998 Line 6’s original Pod processor was revolutionary in the high quality of sounds it produced without a heavy, loud guitar amp in sight. Line 6 progressed over the years to make virtual amp modelling software like Pod Farm available to its customers, but until recently you still needed Line 6 hardware to use it.
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Now Pod Farm 2.5 offers hardware independence — you can use it with any USB audio interface. It goes without saying that Line 6’s long pedigree of amplifier modelling means the virtual sounds, effects and configurations are all top class. You can try Pod Farm 2.5 Free for yourself by downloading it directly and playing with a limited number of amps and effects. If you’re impressed, the next step is an upgrade to the real thing.
Don’t Forget Your Hardware.
All the above standalone plug-ins require that you have a reasonable computer (some cheap laptops might struggle) and some kind of audio interface. There are quite a few inexpensive audio interfaces designed specifically for guitar. We’ll look at these in another blog. Just be aware that trying to use your computer’s in-built sound card will result in latency issues that will drive you crazy.
Now, go and crank up some virtual amplifiers and make some noise. Oh, and just to remind you, with our latest version of Uberchorp App, you can use any of the above mentioned guitar amplifier modelling softwares while you improve your guitar playing skills.
Check out our other article on Amplitube App Review: 5 Things you’ll Love
Every guitar player loves pedals. We all have at least a handful in our collection and will always try a new one we come across. When you're starting out, you probably know when you need something, but you aren't exactly sure what it is. You may not even know what flanging or phasing actually does to your signal and how that's different from a chorus effect. We're offering below some great effect choices that will add some character without overtaking your sound, so you can really distill out what each of these effects do. While distortion and overdrive have their place (and are usually the effects beginners jump to initially), the following picks offer some other alternatives that will feed your creativity and help get you started.
Boost
A boost pedal is one of the most useful pedals one can have. Simply put, it boosts the signal that goes into it. It can perk up a low output guitar, or bring out more character or a different quality to your amp. This is especially useful for solos where overdrive or distortion would overwhelm the tone you've got. Boost adds more “you” to the sound. Look out for what tone the boost adds, like treble or mids before purchasing. Some boosts claim to be transparent, maintaining the same EQ of your original tone, while others spike a certain part of your EQ intentionally.
Beginner Pick:Electro-Harmonix LPB-1
Delay
Delay is essentially echo, but it can be so much more when used well. The two most important knobs are “time” and “repeats”. Time will increase the length between repeats, and repeats will adjust how many echoes are heard. While it is tempting to max the repeats and enter space rock land, less can be more. Used gently you can get reverb or slap-back rockabilly sounds. With careful knob setting you can even create harmonies and loops like The Edge.
Beginner Pick:MXR Carbon Copy
Octave
The octave pedal raises or lowers your pitch an octave. This makes a huge sonic impact as soon as it is heard. This pedal will make your guitar sound huge, broad and bass-rich or fierce and piercing - even both. It's best to look for a pedal with a “mix” knob, so that your original tone is not completely lost. One step and you can change the direction of the riff or the entire song. This effect was used extensively by Jimi Hendrix in combination with a fuzz tone, while more modern users include Tom Morello and Jack White.
Beginner Pick:Henretta Purple Octopus
Tremolo
If you are looking for a simple and old school way to spice up your guitar sound, tremolo is a great option. Tremolo lowers the amplitude of your signal at a regular rate. It's like having a machine move your volume knob back and forth rhythmically, and it's one of the first effects that were built into early amplifiers. While simple in concept , tremolo adds a great movement to you tone, in either a subtle or intense way. The choice is yours. On low settings, a pleasant motion effect can add some ear candy to your tone. Set on high, a “stutter” or “chop” effect can add emphasis to a song or riff. Some pedals will even split the repeats in stereo, which adds a genuine vortex to your tone.
Beginner Pick:Voodoo Lab Tremolo
Compressor
A difficult effect to explain, the compressor’s value is in it subtle and careful use. A compressor acts like bumpers on your signal's amplitude, preventing the volume from spiking too loud while also preventing the volume from decaying too quickly. Because of this, it increases sustain - which is great for solos - while evening out playing dynamics. Country and funk players use compression heavily to achieve spanky and crisp punctuation within their playing. Compressors will add noise to the signal, so many higher end boxes will have a noise gate feature. Other than making cleans sparkle, you can also front-load your distortion or overdrive to get great clear sustain.
Beginner Pick:MXR Dyna Comp
Fuzz
Unlike distortion or overdrive, fuzz is meant to not sound like an amp at all. It is meant to add harmonic content and transistor-like goodness to your tone. Fuzz boxes were used extensively in the 1960s to create an over the top distortion sound. Many times fuzzes will completely change the sound of your amp, so be careful and really focus on buying one that has the sonic makeup you are looking for. Hendrix, Cream-era Clapton, and Dan Auerbach are well known fuzz users.
Beginner Pick:Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff
Chorus
Chorus is an effect that doubles and detunes your signal. It can add an otherworldly effect to your tone, as well as add emphasis to your playing. Chorus adds shimmer and depth to your signal. While it shines in making clean playing more lush, many players, Zakk Wylde included, use chorus to add a doubling effect to their solos, which really will bring it to the forefront of a song. When used carefully, you can even approximate the sound of a 12-string guitar.
Beginner Pick:Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
Reverb
Reverb is one of the most fundamental effects for electric guitar, which is why it is already built into most amps. Reverb adds natural sounding depth to your sound. Used extensively in the recording world, electric guitars do not sound “right” without it. Just a little makes the guitar have more of a natural sound and decay, but you can go to the extremes and get cavernous depth to your sound. Plate and spring are the most common types, but with so many makers coming up with new sonic “spaces” to play in, finding your reverb sound is a priority.
Beginner Pick:Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail
Phaser
The phaser is an interesting pedal that has a surprising mix of uses across genres. What a phaser does is add an out of phase version of your signal with your original signal. This gives your sound a swirling effect that has many sonic possibilities. Eddie Van Halen famously used a phaser set a a low rate to add some “movement” to his solos. In funk, phasers are fundamental in creating the bright and terse rhythm sounds.
Guitar Amplifier And Effects Software Windows 10
Beginner Pick:MXR Phase 90
Vibrato
One of the oldest guitar effects, vibrato changes the pitch of the signal at a constant shifting rate. Vibrato adds motion to your tone, but without the “choppy” feel of a tremolo. Vibrato adds a more fluid movement. The slightly detuned, slightly chorus-ey modulation emphasizes bends and makes chords more interesting to the listener. Jimi Hendrix was a visionary user of the Uni-Vibe, which at its core is a vibrato pedal.
Beginner Pick:TC Electronic Shaker Mini
EQ
While it might seem unnecessary, an EQ pedal is a very handy effect to have. Many amps have very specific voicing that can only be adjusted so far with their tone stack. Also, many small amps have limited on board tone-shaping options. For example, the popular Fender Champ 600 or the Blackstar HT-1, which only have one knob for tone shaping. With an EQ in your chain, you can fine-tune the amp to your liking, or you can perfectly dial in a distortion or fuzz that normally won't cooperate.
Beginner Pick:MXR 6-Band EQ
Free Computer Guitar Amplifier Software
Flanger
Flanger pedals are based on a studio sound made when two tapes were mixed together and one was delayed. What this does is add shifting harmonic content to your signal, as well as modulation. Flanging is a very distinct effect that adds a unique whoosh or airplane-like sound. Used with restraint, the flanger adds an interesting dimension to your sound, almost synthesizer-like sound. Used at extreme settings, flangers will over take the tone and bring a solo to completely different sonic level.
Beginner Pick:Modtone Mini Flanger
These are the most-used 'building block' effects, and in combination, there are an infinite number of sounds you can make. The best thing to do is spend some time and analyze the sounds of your favorite songs and players. Once you have figured out that sound, head to your local store and give them a try. Then come back to Reverb to find a great deal! What were some first pedals that you found yourself loving when you got them?
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