I remember years ago when I embarked on my first studio session. At the time the concept of amp simulation was still rather new, and like many others I was still a diehard believer that a good quality tube amplifier was the only way to go. It was then that the tracking engineer pulled up Amplitube 2 and said “give this a go”. I recall everyone in the room being blown away by the sound quality. I was given the option between Amplitube or my Marshal JCM2000. At the time I ended up going with the Marshal, but based on the technology of today I’m not sure that it will still be my first choice. The engineer did share a couple of horror stories about certain guitar amplification musicians would bring in and expect it to sound great. Amplitube was really a life saver in this regard.
Below is a list of premium software-based (VST) amp simulators that are currently the most popular in 2016. We certainly have a few more options today than just a couple of years ago, so you’re more than likely to find something you’re happy with. Just like traditional guitar amplification, you will need to find the software that sounds right to your ears, playing and taste.
Amplitube is well known for its cross-platform compatibility (works with PC, iPad, Smartphones), and IK Multimedia have a number of custom audio interfaces to make the connection process easy. The new version of amplitube 4 features an all-new acoustic guitar simulator, effects loop slot and an 8 track recorder. Download demo.See also: Using Amplitube Live on Stage.
This is currently my personal favorite guitar VST for a number of reasons. Firstly, in my opinion the sound quality is outstanding, along with the fact that there is no shortage of good sounding factory presets (400). Guitar Rig also has the best user interface out of all the software modelers out there. Download demo.See also: Using Guitar Rig Live on Stage.
Tosin Abasi (see demonstration below) is commonly associated with the Axe-Fx, which is one of the most expensive hardware modelers on the market today. It must say something about Positive Grid’s Bias if Tosin Abasi finds it to be great. “It has more than I need which I always like in a product”. You can check more playthroughs on the Positive Grid YouTube channel, including Marty Friedman and Monuments’ Olly Steele. Download demo.
You may already be familiar with the Waves GTR plugin that has been around for ages. CLA Guitars is the newest addition from Waves, and was developed with the help of Grammy Award winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge. Download demo.
This is an all time favorite that’s been around for many years. One notable feature in the latest ReValver is the profiling feature that essentially allows you to emulate a different instrument. For example, you can turn a humbucker pickup into a single coil much like Boss’s Tone Modify feature. Download demo.
This is a very warm sounding plugin that’s more suited for blues and soft rock. Download demo.
