What are the best guitar FX plugins?

I was thinking of getting Guitar Rig, but I don't know if that'll be enough (I make industrial rock/metal).

I can't see you possbily missing out on anything with Guitar Rig. You'll have more than enough for your genre plus any other genre.

Who knows if it's the best? That's subjective and we had a debate on it recently. Guitarists are notoriously protective of tone, and many tone-heads have stepped forth to say it sounds great.

For features, I can't imagine anything you'd feel is lacking.

PLUS, it's still fledgeling and I imagine there will be more and more modules/effects added on-- some will be free, and others MAY be paid. Hard to say!

Greg

Thanks for the quick response. I was wondering because I saw some people saying the distortion sucked.

It's very simple actually. Download the demo and have a ride - you'll easily find out whether it will deliver what you're after.
In my humble opinion, Guitar Rig is really no good for Metal sounds so far. I'd suggest to download the demo of GreenMachine Amp II too. That one really is very nice for heavy guitars.

Cheers, Pädy

Well you are giving up the ability to use to have a standalone effects processor (one that would not require a PC to run). Just make sure that it really sounds like something you want before you make that trade.

I'd listen to some of the demo sounds on the Native Instruments website to give you an idea of how it sounds.

As far as distorion, many peoples tastes vary: some like the classic 4x12 w/Marshal (Tube-Based) Cab distortion, some like the more digital based distortion, while others like stompboxes like the Big Muff for nice Fuzz distortion. I've used the ProCo Ratt pedal and loved it.

http://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/Data/ProCo/Vintage_RAT_2-01.htm l

It's also cool to simply record direct (with a powered direct box) and use software disortion with a good automated filter effect. Sometimes you can get crazy guitar sounds by recording direct and trying multiple software distortions and bit crusching effects.

In terms of things like delay, it's nice to have MIDI syncable delay and thats something that seems hard to find in alot of hardware guitar delay units. But then again things like the Electro Harmonix Memory Man still sounds awesome....

http://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/Data/Everman_Custom_Audio_Effec ts/Electro_Harmonix_Memory_Man_Mod-01.html

Just try to pinpoint the types of sounds you want and judge the device you are going to buy against it.

Pädy wrote:

I'd suggest to download the demo of GreenMachine Amp II too. That one really is very nice for heavy guitars. Cheers, Pädy

Agreed. Guitar Rig is loaded with lots of different features, but will you really need them? I sure wouldn't. When I want a good distortion, I always go to Green Machine Amp II. Pady's presets are fabulous, as are the original set. I'm working on a set right now, too, which I'll make available. I have one or two that are particularly for super chugging metal-style music.

Greg

Lunch Money wrote:

Agreed. Guitar Rig is loaded with lots of different features, but will you really need them? I sure wouldn't. When I want a good distortion, I always go to Green Machine Amp II. Pady's presets are fabulous, as are the original set. I'm working on a set right now, too, which I'll make available. I have one or two that are particularly for super chugging metal-style music. Greg

Thanks for the cheers, Greg.

Let me know when and where you put your presets online.

Cheers, Pädy

Pädy wrote:

Thanks for the cheers, Greg. Let me know when and where you put your presets online. Cheers, Pädy

No worries! The great thing about the Green Machine II is that it's the perfect plugin for people who like to start with a preset and then tweak. The simple filter (which I don't know if people understand the true power of), combined with the EQ section on the back makes for powerful tweaks. You like the basic sound of a preset, you just move that frequency/rez dot around until it cuts through your mix a bit more, and Bob's your father's brother.

Pady Hard Rock (1 + 2), along with Pady Power Solo (1 + 2) are killer.

Greg

Alright, I know it's a deadly game playing the hardware vs. software card in this forum, but here it goes anyway:

You could get Guitar Rig for $500, or you could take a look at Line 6's PODxt. The PODxt right out of the box has 32 amp models that cover a pretty wide variety of sounds, including some pretty good sounding metal stuff. It also has tons of effects, cabinet sims, microphone modeling and lots of other tasty extras. That's a pretty good amount of stuff for the freshly slashed price of $300.

And for $50 extra you can buy model packs, including a set of 15 high-gain metal monsters, like the Bogner Uberschall and Engl Powerball. There are 3 packs all together (a vintage amp pack and a pack of effects) and if you buy 2 then the 3rd is free.

So $400 total gets you the PODxt, and all all 3 model packs. Or you could pay $500 for Guitar Rig with it's 4 amp models, none of which aren't exactly metal amps(Don't get me started on the Rectifier model in Guitar Rig). Plus, with a PODxt you can take it pretty much anywhere, plug some headphones in and rock out.

I'm not saying that this is the be all / end all of guitar solutions (I have immense respect respect for green machine) but I think that it's a great package. You owe it to yourself to atleast check out the sound samples for the newly updated PODxt. Head over to http://www.line6.com/podxt/US/listen.htm and listen to the Lunatic (Line 6 original), Agro (Line 6 original), Treadplate (Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier) and Satch Boogie (Soldano SLO-100) clips for a little taste of what the little, red kidney bean can do.

iZotope Trash. Even Macs can come in and play now (they're about to release OSX plugs for all of their products). Game over.

for metal :

i tried amplitube, no luck.
guitar rig, no luck

Greenmachine (just downloaded the demo). Think this is the only VST that might work fot that thick wall of guitar sound...

recently i recorded a demo for a local band. Amplitube just cud not get anywhere near (maybe i dont know how to use it). The guitarist was using a kramer. Finally used his zoom processor. Multi layer.. and a good sound.

i havnt cheked out line 6. Is the pod worth over the Guitar rig. esp since it's cheaper ????

Sidhu

Do you guys know where to get Pädy's presets for Greenmachine?

Thanks!

-a

They come included...!

Greg

sidhu wrote:

for metal : i havnt cheked out line 6. Is the pod worth over the Guitar rig. esp since it's cheaper ???? Sidhu

In my opinion, yes it's much better than Guitar Rig for pretty much everything I've tried on both. The metal sound for the PODxt really is awesome now. Check out those sound sample links I posted above.

As always, all the sound samples for the PODxt were recorded straight into the mixing console. There are no $5,000 compressors, EQs, or anything like that being run over the sample. What you hear in those samples is entirely from a PODxt.

sorted sounds..

whats the dif between the POD XT and the Pod ? i was actually lookig at the POD pro (rackmount) ?? im not a guitarist.. but that wud be a killer in this on its way studio of mine.... hmmm... got monitors, getting a soundcard, pod pro... yes!

http://www.line6.com/productDetail.html?model=3

check out Nomad rock amp legends.

best sounding guitar distortion ever!


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