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A Useful Guide to Guitar VST Plugins

If you are one of those individuals who finds themselves inseparable from the guitar, then this article is for you.

Be it a hardcore guitarist or a vocalist who loves strumming his instrument at a live gig or the recording studio, VST plugins can substantially improve the quality of music. Once you’ve decided to create exclusive music for your audience, you can take a look at some of the best sounding real guitar VST list that can help you in making a comprehensive choice. Here’s all you need to know before getting started!

 


There are countless plugin options you can land on today. Some are free while others are paid. Beyond the richness of texture and quality of sound, these plugins enable musicians to access exclusive pedal tones and real-time amp that improve the overall sound generated by the instrument.

From recording your tracks on guitar to using your PCs as an amplifier, these special guitar plugins provide a range of effects and amps that you can experiment with.

If you are a beginner and want to know what a guitar plugin is, here’s some information that can help you create some magical music. So, what is a guitar plugin after all?

Let’s say, you record a song on your instrument and now want to add more vigor to your music, how would you do it? Well, sourcing external sounds or processing your recorded pieces in a variety of ways can give it more life. This is where VST plugins can play a massive role as they allow access to a range of sounds that can be blended with your original piece to create something premium. Click here to know more about VST.

Designed in the form of software, plugins can either run on their own or inside a digital audio workstation (DAW). If you are a guitarist searching for options to stimulate your instrument’s amps and effects, quality plugins can make all the difference. 

The best part is that these aren’t restricted to just guitar plugins as there are ones that can be used to create complete support tracks. So, you can program any other instrument from your keyboard to bass, drums, and more.

VST is a typical audio plugin format you’ll find in DAWs although there are other formats and versions of each that you may find in the market. VST has emerged as relatively more popular when it comes to DAWs.

Another advantage of downloading the plugins regardless of their free or paid version is that these are downloadable in multiple versions so that they can be seamlessly used with any digital audio workstation. However, do check its compatibility when downloading a plugin format.

Guitar plugin specifications

As a user, you should know the available bit rates. One is the 32-bit and the other is the 64-bit. The different versions that you find differ based on their bit rate. It is essential to seek for one in which the bit rate matches that of the digital audio workstation. Find out more about the connection between higher bit rate and audio quality here: https://www.quora.com/Digital-Audio-Does-higher-bit-rate-necessarily-mean-higher-quality

Another significant thing to note is that not all DAWs come in the same edition, and sometimes, you may find that a chosen plugin isn’t compatible. This is quite common with some of their special editions, in which the DAW comes with their plugins.

How to use it?

If you have already downloaded one, it wouldn’t be difficult to use them. Running them as a standalone program is common while you could add it to the digital audio workstation. In the latter case, the plugin can be simply added to a track whereas the former option allows you to run jam with other effects and amps even if you aren’t in the mood to record your music on the guitar.

Another feature of standalone plugins is that it allows users to connect the computer as an amp and use it to create the desired guitar tones. For the ones designed inside the DAW, it would require the user to first install the plugin into a familiar folder as recognized by the DAW.

In most cases, the plugins are installed into a folder that can be scanned by the digital audio workshop on your device. This scan helps identify the newly added plugins. In case you are unable to track it there, you can head to the setting in your DAW, select the folder that has the plugin. This way it can be added to a library, thereby making it easy for you to add the plugin to your selected track whenever you want.

Stimulation plugins 

From your amp stimulation to chorus and EQ, there is a multitude of effects that can be added. It also involves a tuner, a compressor, and many other such stimulating effects. Most of these can be found included in your DAW itself. Even the chorus, delay, and tuner effects can provide an ultimate experience. Here’s how you can plug a guitar into a laptop.

Creating quality guitar riffs in style isn’t a challenge anymore; thanks to the virtual studio technology that makes it possible. Gone are the days when you would have thought twice before using this technology. And if you are still thinking that the computer-generated would sound robotic, you might change your opinion once you use such software. 

Some brawny plugin coupled with heavy computer processing and you will be ready for any stand-up performance.