Best freeware plug-ins: Six of the best freeware guitar plug-ins
Plug in and play with these suites of guitar effects.
Blue Cat Audio Free Amp
This is a straight-down-the-line, three-way amp emulation featuring Classic Clean, Classic Drive and Modern Drive models. Simply load them onto your DAW channel and play; no nonsense about upgrading to full versions, they work straight out of the download. More importantly, they sound great and each has a range of EQ and drive controls, so can deliver a wide range of vintage, metal and deep tones.
Mac/PC, 32/64-bit. More info here.
Ignite Amps Suite
Guitarists have it all when it comes to freeware – pretty much all of these are complete suites of guitar effects from single developers – and Ignite Amps certainly aims to please with its sweet suite of guitar plugs. Cab sims, amp sims, pedals… you name it, it’s here and for free. The highlights are the TS-999 overdrive stompbox and The Anvil tube preamp, although all of them look as good as they sound (or vice versa).
Mac/PC, 32/64-bit. More info here.
IK Multimedia AmpliTube Custom Shop
Once you get your head around the wordy explanation of Custom Shop, you’ll realise that it’s IK’s version of Guitar Rig for free – a cut-down, but still quite excellent guitar-effects rack, with (of course) easy options to expand it to the paid-for version. What you get for free is quite a starter pack: a digital chromatic tuner, nine stompboxes, four amps, five cabs, three mics, two rack effects and a two-track recorder.
Mac/PC, 64-bit. More info here.
LePou Plug-in Suite
As featured in previous best-of freeware round-ups, it’s a complete suite of freebies for guitarists. This comprises eight amp sims featuring everything from a three-channel tube-preamp emulation (SoloC Head) to British amp simulators (HyBrit). Sadly, the original blog where you can download these seems to have vanished, but you can still download them from the link below. Donations are encouraged with links on each download.
Mac/PC, 32/64-bit. More info here.
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 5 Player
While all of Native Instruments’ free plug-in bundles are adverts for paid-for applications, such is the Berlin company’s breadth of output, you can’t argue with their sheer girth. This cut-down version of the mighty Guitar Rig suite of guitar effects and amp simulators comes with no less than a classic Jump amp with matched cabinet, five dynamic effects, three EQs and filters, three reverbs and delay plus modulation and distortion. Probably the best free guitar bundle you can get…
Mac/PC, 64-bit. More info here.
Plektron Guitar Amp 2 Free Edition
Another wide range of freebies for both guitar and bass players comes in the shape of Guitar Amp 2 Free Edition. You get bass and guitar amp simulators, a flexible cab, a fuzz distortion effect, compressor and even a tuner. The only limitation is that it’s PC only. We couldn’t find the original developer’s site, but you can download them via the lovely people over at Plugin Boutique.
PC, 32/64-bit. More info here.
