BasiQ is an acronym for Baxandall simulation equalizer. It is a 3-band equalizer plugin with photorealistic graphics from Kuassa, Inc. As the name implies, the engine are modeled after a design of classic baxandall equalizer well known for its smooth shelves and natural-sounding responses, similar to the tone control on a hi-fi systems. Download free VST plugins without having to spend a dime or waste time trawling the internet. SimpleSide is a volume automation plugin by Armando Montanez. It features an edible curve that changes volume over a tempo-synced period. Use it to simulate sidechain compression or create complex LFO effects. Home › Free VST Plugins & Instruments › 10 Free Guitar VST Plugins – Best Guitar VSTs 10 Free Guitar VST Plugins – Best Guitar VSTs Here are the best Free Guitar VST Plugins online that can be used with FL Studio, Reason, Ableton Live, and other VST supported software. We all want the best sound, but getting a great guitar, amp, pedals and so on is quite expensive, so why break the bank when you can get some Virtual Instruments that will do the job. Of course, they will not sound EXACTLY like the real thing, but close enough! There are many Guitar VST 17 Best FREE Guitar VST/AU Plugins that actually sound Great!

• Best Guitar Effect Vst
• Best Guitar Fx Vst Plugins 2018 Free
• Best Vst Guitar Pedals

Do you ever struggle trying to make your sound more unique or creating neat transitions on your track?

Best Guitar Effect Vst

Well, having the right glitch VST plugins can add that extra edge you’ve been looking for!
However, finding the right plugins for this can be a bit tricky, since there are a multitude of options available to you.
So, to save you some time, we’ve put together the ultimate list of the best 15 Glitch VST Plugins on the market!
But first of all, what’s a glitch?

What Do Glitch Plugins Do?

The term “glitch” refers to anomalies, errors, and technical faults of sounds. We can find these in music as irregular clicks, unintentional skipping, distortion, beat repeats, and other digital artifacts.
You can hear these occurring naturally in a skipping CD and scratched vinyl records.
At first, they were considered errors that disrupted the track, but they’re actually sounds that producers manipulate to create cool sound effects.
In fact, there are even dedicated digital plugins whose only job is to generate these technical glitches.

How to Use Glitches in Music Production

Glitch sounds have become remarkably common in modern styles of electronic. Music such as glitch op, lo-fi hip-hop, IDM, and downtempo utilize it.
But it doesn’t stop there. Heavier genres like dubstep, neurofunk, and drum & bass use it as well. A great example of this is Mr. Bill’s music.
If you’d like to add it to your own track, you can use glitches to replace the percussion, as they have a unique sound and timbre. You can also glitch full parts of your track as transitions.
But these are just a few examples. The truth of the matter is there are endless ways to use glitches.
So we suggest trying out some of these plugins to incorporate glitches into your tracks. And don’t forget to experiment with the placement of the glitches, the plug in settings, and even the type of glitches.

15 Of The Best Glitch VST Plugins in 2017

1. Glitch 2by Illformed [49 USD]

Main Features:

• Advanced sequencer

• Ten high quality and unique effects

• Powerful distortion module

• Play multiple effects simultaneously

• Trigger scenes from your keyboard

• Randomize function

Glitch2 is a big step forward from its former free predecessor and is now one of the most used plugins of its kind. And It’s easy to understand why.
The simple and user-friendly interface allows you to dive straight in and have fun the moment you download it.
What makes this plugin special is the multi-lane sequencer, which allows you to trigger any combination of its effects. At the same time, it is easy to navigate and program too.
All the most-wanted features are available in this plugin like the tape stop, lo-fi gloss, reverser, and many more!
It allows you to create anything from subtle effects to crazy ones by supporting multiple effects simultaneously.
System Requirements: Available for Mac (VST and AU), Windows (VST), and Linux (VST)

2. Effectrixby Sugar Bytes [119 USD]

Main Features:

• 14 high-end effect modules

• 16-step sequencer with tempo divider

• Swing feature

• Hundreds of presets available

• Two modulation tracks

• Randomizer

As the primary competitor of Glitch2, Effectrix boasts many more exciting features that set it apart from its contestants.
With a very similar interface to Glitch2, this plugin headlines a transparent workflow with powerful effects. Mix them together and channel your creativity!
The grid allows you to draw in the effects at the right time, correctly sync the effects to the track, and also apply some swing if you’re looking for a more human touch.
The “Tonal Delay,” is one of the more exclusive features that can create a melody out of any sound it’s applied to!
You can also use this plugin to juice up your live show. You can sync it with your DAW or DJ software and trigger it through any MIDI controller.
System Requirements: Available for both Windows and Mac as VST, AU, AAX, and standalone.

3. Gross Beatby Image Line [99 USD]

Main Features:

• Only available for FL Studio

• Manipulate time and volume with repetition, scratching, and gating effects

• Presets can be linked to a keyboard/controller for real-time automation

• 36 volume/gating envelopes

• Two bar audio buffer

For all FL Studio users, this plugin is an excellent addition to your arsenal of creative tools.
It features a wide range of creative presets to get you going right away.
And other than displaying a large selection of gating, scratching, glitching, and repeating effects, it can also be utilized as a side-chain tool.
This eliminates the need to link your audio to an external source, and it already has a few duckin-style presets to instantly make your track pump!
While it may not have as many effects as other plugins, Gross Beat is effective and useful for any live setting needs.
System Requirements: it can only run on FL Studio and Windows.

4. Artillery 2by Sugar Bytes [119 USD]

Main Features:

• 28 distinct effect algorithms

• Individual modulation, Envelope, and Dry/Wet parameters per effect

• Simple and intuitive interface

• Unique keyboard layout

• Vocoder function

You’ll notice that this effects plugin has a unique layout. Artillery 2 delivers a fun and intuitive way to apply glitch effects to your music.
The cool thing is that you can trigger its numerous effects with configurable zones on your MIDI controller. This makes it the perfect companion for live shows, but it’s also great for using it around in the studio.
What’s even neater is its vocoder feature, which is not very common with these kind of plugins.
On top of that, every effect module has its own modulation, envelope, and dry/wet parameters for a precise and customizable experience. While this might be a little overwhelming to have so many parameters, this is what allows you to achieve intricate sound design tricks.
System Requirements: Available for both Windows and Mac as VST, AU, AAX, and standalone.

5. Turnadoby Sugar Bytes [119 USD]

Main Features:

• 24 different effects to assign to eight different slots

• Modulate the effects in real time through the eight knobs, mappable to your MIDI controller

• Incredibly simple layout

• “Expert mode” for an in-depth customization of the effects

• “Dictator mode” allows you to control all eight effects at once with one fader

This is one of the most fun plugins to play with. By keeping the interface simple, you can concentrate on having fun and experimenting with the 24 different effects.
Whether you use it in the studio or on stage, this tool is versatile and effective while keeping the controls to a bare minimum. In fact, you can control all eight parameters with a single knob!
But don’t worry, if you’re looking for more in-depth and advanced tweaking, Turnado also features an “Expert Mode,” which allows you to fully personalize its settings.
System Requirements: Available for both Windows and Mac as VST, AU, AAX, and standalone.

6. Stutter Editby iZotope [249 USD]

Main Features:

• Easy to you use with clean interface

• Powerful for both studio and live settings

• Cutting-edge engine to slice and manipulate your sound in real time

• Over 800 presets built in

• Ideal to create dramatic and unique transitions

• Control its “gestures” with your MIDI controller

Because of its high-end price, you’ll immediately understand that Stutter Edit is the Ferrari of glitch plugins.
While it is easy to understand, you still need a basic knowledge of MIDI routing to make it work.
Once you lock in the tempo-syncing feature, you can experiment with various modules like gating, panning, filtering, delays, and bit reduction. Every note on your MIDI controller will trigger a different combination of effects and patterns.
However, the secret ingredient of this tool is its Stutter Matrix, which enables you to restrict the stutter module to the size you want. Use anything from eighth-notes to 32nd-notes to create unique rhythmic fills.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST, AU, and AAX

7. Fractureby Glitchmachines [FREE]

Main Features:

• Impressive engine to create robotic glitches and artifacts

• Buffer, Delay, and Filter FX

• Three LFOs

• Allows you to reconfigure the order of the effects in the chain

• 110 creative presets

The fact that this little glitch monster is free blows our mind. That’s because it’s such a powerful tool with so many cool applications.
This versatile processor is extremely useful when applied to drums, percussion, and synth lines. Run your audio through it and experiment with the different presets to generate crazy glitchy reactions!
You can also activate the randomize function to set all parameters to random values and generate unusual creative effects.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST or AU.

8. Hysteresisby Glitchmachines [FREE]

Main Features:

• Free advanced feedback-based glitch delay

• Stutter effect

• Useful lowpass filter and modulation FX

• Over 100 presets

Here’s another free gem from Glitchmachines. It’s centered around a feedback-based glitch delay process.
This plugin can create reverse delays, crazy pitch-shifting, and granular malfunctions.
Just like “Fracture,” the presets are a fun starting point to experiment with as they create robotic sounds and technical glitches.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST or AU.

9. Bundleby Glitchmachines [259 USD]

Main Features:

• Includes seven creative tools to completely mangle and morph your sounds

• Best bang for your buck

• Includes samplers, sound generators, and effects processors

This is the bundle for you if you’ve decided to dive into the world of sonic manipulation and glitches.
In this bundle, you'll find all the right tools to experiment and morph your music to the next level.

Best Guitar Fx Vst Plugins 2018 Free

For $259 USD, you get seven unconventional, one of a kind instruments, ranging from samplers, modular sound generators, and effect processors designed to generate abstract musical glitches.
There’s no other bundle out there focused on just glitch and sound mangling.
However, we do recommend trying their free plugins first (described above). If you fall in love with it and can't wait to dive deeper into experimental sound design, then this Glitchmachines bundle is for you.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST or AU.

10. Glitch Bitchby Vengeance [55 USD]

Main Features:

• Mangle your audio tracks with crazy glitch and stutter effects

• Advanced buffer modulations

• HP and LP filters

• Internal sequencer

• Volume and pan modulations as well as pitch effects

• 140 crafted presets

Vengeance has built an incredible reputation for their quality sample packs and plugins. And their “Glitch Bitch” is no different.
Built to create wild stutters and glitch effects in your club tracks, this impressive tool presents endless possibilities with its expansive arsenal of modules.
It’s amusing to draw in custom envelopes to control the buffer modes and filters. You even have 140 presets to use as a starting point, reverse engineer, and dig deeper into the heart of the plugin.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST, AU, and AAX.

11. Sandman Proby Unfiltered Audio [99 USD]

Main Features:

• Seven new delay modules

• Advanced and powerful modulation system

• Wide variety of creative time-based effects

• Unique sample rate control

• Clear waveform display for immediate feedback

Unfiltered Audio is another heavyweight in the creative plugins battle.
What’s unique about this tool is the “sleep mode,” which freezes the delay buffer and creates one-of-a-kind loops and grains.
To take this to the next level, you can re-pitch, down-sample, reverse, and saturate the signal to completely transform the source material beyond recognition.
Try applying it to vocals, guitars, and lead elements to create never-ending echoes. Nonetheless, there are endless ways to experiment with this plugin!
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST, AU, and AAX.

12. SpecOpsby Unfiltered Audio [79 USD]

Main Features:

• 36 spectral effects which you can apply three at a time

• 16-step sequencer

• Additional wideband processor with two pitch shifters, frequency shifters, audio freezers, and other glitchy processors

• Six display modes for instant visual feedback

• Analog-style filters

SpecOps is the newcomer of Unfiltered Audio. Their plugin contains a dozen plugins into one.
While this seems like a lot to learn, it’s extremely intuitive and easy to use. It’s hard to find a plugin with this many effects. However, you can only apply three at a time, which will still give you endless creative options.
What gives you even greater flexibility is the ability to apply each processor to a different frequency band!
It is perfect for injecting new life into dull synth sounds or ultimately transforming a vocal track to sound robotic.
This is a true beast for sound designers, producers, and live performers of electronic music.
System Requirements: Available for Windows and Mac as VST, AU, and AAX.

13. Tantraby Dmitry Sches [64 USD]

Main Features:

• Eight powerful multi-stage modulators like lo-fi, glitch, delay, distortion.

• Create complex arpeggiated rhythmic sequences

• Manually adjust the shapes of the envelopes

• Master equalizer and reverb

• Randomizer button for every modulator

Tantra is one of the less known plugins, but is still incredibly powerful and unique.
The concept behind it is to be able to apply a rhythmic pattern to any sound through the application of its modulators and 32-step grid.
It’s also super fun to draw in the shape of your envelopes to accurately control when the sound is modulated.
We especially love the glitch modulation, which is capable of stretching your sound or recreating a modern “Stutter” effect!
There are a lot of fun ways to experiment with this plugin.
System Requirements: It works on both Window and Mac as a VST or AU.

14. Buffeaterby Twisted Tools [49 USD]

Main Features:

• It’s a NI Reaktor ensemble

• Granular multi-effect

• Captures live audio and processes it real-time, with six granular and buffer effects

• Playable via MIDI

• Advanced automation system

Perfect for tweaking your live audio source on the fly, this little wonder can achieve futuristic stutters, glitches, repeats, and the famous “chopped and screwed effect.”
While it is not as user friendly, it does give you some unique mangling capabilities that you don’t get with other plugins. If it’s a little difficult for you, don’t worry. You have over 100 presets to play with.
On top of this, make sure that you own a copy of Reaktor (Native Instruments) to use with this plugin.
System Requirements: It works on both Window and Mac as Reaktor Ensemble.

15. Scapesby Twisted Tools [98 USD]

Main Features:

• It’s a NI Reaktor ensemble

• Six unique delay modules

• Each delay has its own independent and granular controls

• Four modulation sequencers and a six-voice gate sequencer

• Playable via MIDI

Also from the Twisted Tools family, this creative delay effect receives your incoming signal and mangles it through its six independent delay modules.
It also acts as a sort of sampler, so you can generate sounds internally by using any of the samples included.
What’s fun about this plugin is that you can individually modulate each delay module with the built-in effects.
It’s the perfect toy for any producer looking to add any abstract and rhythmic mutations to their sound. You can even control it from your iPad or iPhone!
System Requirements: It works on both Windows and Mac as Reaktor Ensemble.

Best Vst Guitar Pedals

Conclusion

As you can see by now, there are tons of different Glitch VSTs, and they all possess unique features.
But we hope that by highlighting their strengths, you will be able to pick the right one for your needs.
Before you pull the trigger on any of these creative tools, however, make sure to download some of the demos and play around with the free ones!
Which one of these is your favorite? Make sure to let us know how you incorporate Glitch VSTs into your music production in the comments below!

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.

Pros

• 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.

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

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.