Guitar plugins are the perfect way to expand your musical gear collection without running out of space and money. Let’s check out a few that could revolutionise the way you look at digital effects.
Top 5 Guitar Plugins: A Beginner’s Approach
One day, we’d all love to have our dream studio, right? Littered with amps, guitars, pedals, and anything else we can lay our hands on. After all, this would be a dream studio build.
However, for most of us a couple of pedals through one amp is the crushing reality. Whether it’s through budget or space restrictions, it can be hard to get to where you want to be when it comes to gear.
But, have you ever heard of guitar plugins? That’s right! Downloadable software that will give you that vintage twin reverb sound that you’ve always dreamed of. Many more tones and effects at your disposal, and they’re all digital. When getting started, what is there on offer?
Universal Audio Sound City Studios
Our first guitar plugin is a perfect way to get started with digital guitar tones and manipulation. Available from *£36 / €42, there’s a lot on offer. At one of the cheapest in this list, it represents tremendous value.
Ideal for beginners, there’s a nice bright UI that is sympathetic. Furthermore, provenance is guaranteed as the plugin aims to emulate Studio A at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. Why is this so cool? Well, you’ll get that early 1970s sound, with groups such as Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers having recoded there.
You also get three band EQs and varying microphone setups for maximum control. All of which can be configured to a different range of built in amps and speakers across drums, guitar and piano.
Arobas Music Guitar Pro 8
Next up, we’ve got a guitar plugin that has even more uses. Here, we’ve got a piece of software that act as a song writing tool, as well as providing access to virtual pedal boards.
Guitar Pro, in various guises, has been a go to for creators and home studio managers for years. Moreover, at £53 / €61, it gives you the tools to record your first EP. Should you wish.
Offering musicians access to instruments from 3 to 10 stringed instruments across 24 frets. Furthermore, we’ve got an easy to use guitar TAB creator with all of the dynamic markings you could ask for. Guitarists also benefit from playback effects such as natural and artificial harmonic, delay and palm muting.
Universal Audio Capitol Chambers Native
Another guitar plugin from Universal Audio. This time, we’ve got a worthy addition to your DAW with this dedicated reverb simulator.
For the price of a mediocre reverb pedal, this guitar plugin recaptures the most popular echo chambers located below the Capitol Tower in Los Angeles.
There are various speaker and microphone setups with adjustable decay times between 1 and 9.5 seconds. Notably, we’ve got a high-pass filter and a 3-band EQ for stabilisation.
SSL GateVerb
We’ve looked at some broader guitar plugins, but here we’ve got another dedicated reverb unit. Solid State Logic released this plugin only this week! So it’s hot off the press.
Highlight features include density and time controls in addition to a pre-decay that can be synced up with your DAW’s tempo.
The amount of attack from the 80s gate reverb can be maintained via an advanced control section. So, if you’re looking for a retro reverb sound in your studio, this infinitely adjustable lo-fi is for you.
As well as physical guitar gear, we also cover guitar plugins. You can read our full release on this product right here on gearnews.com.
To conclude our look at guitar plugins, we’ve got one of the oldest names in the business. As the strapline suggests, there are over 430 guitar and bass gear models. And, until September, this is heavily discounted at Thomann!
As a naive guitarist, you could think of this as Garage Band for adults. However, it has so much more to offer. Highlight features include:
- Use 3 amps simultaneously
- 57 digital effects
- 3D amp cabinet with room simulation
- AmpliTube Custom Shop to tweak even further
For guitarists, this is realistically the only guitar plugin you’ll need for solo jamming. It’s versatile, easy to use, and equally affordable as it is impressive.
Guitar Plugins: Practice like never before!
For those not familiar with the wonderful world of guitar plugins, we hope that you have more of an idea of what you’re up against. Sure, nothing beats the physical units that paved the way for rock n’ roll. But when it comes to time, space and money, plugins are king!
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