Best electric guitar sample collection

[klagga]

I´m looking for an electric guitar sample collection containing this:
- Flexible clean electric guitar sounds that I can run through an amp plugin (Amplitube etc).
- Detailed, natural & expressive, with velocity switching, dynamically-controllable string slides, pops & harmonics, etc.
- Great number of different playing styles.
- Lead sounds as well as rhythm guitar stuff.
- Nice play-feeling.
- Formatted for Kontakt.
I prefer the flexibility of a sample collection to a limited VST-instrument.

As far as I can see, these are the alternatives:

- Slayer is out of the question. Cheap sounding crap IMO. VST-instrument. http://www.refx.net/pro_Slayer.htm?lang=eng

- Virtual Guitarist “Electric Edition” has only chords. VST- instrument. http://www.steinberg.net/ProductPage_sb ... angue_ID=4

- Clean guitar by Vintaudio lacks the extra sounds, pops and clicks that make the sound come alive. http://www.vintaudio.com/GCEG.htm

- Lyrical Distortion by Bela D Media looks nice, but lacks clean samples. It´s only distorted. http://www.beladmedia.com/lyrical-distortion.htm

- Vienna instruments Overdrive looks even better, BUT lacks clean samples. Only distorted Steve Vai sounds. http://vsl.co.at/english/pages/products ... rdrive.htm

- Prominy Sound Library: LPC Electric Distortion and Clean Guitar looks like the thing. (Over 60 Giga-bytes, 150,000 samples recorded from a single instrument.) BUT - only for Gigastudio. According to the producers, they don´t even consider a Kontakt version. Of course it can be imported into Kontakt, but, again according to the producers, too much is supposed to be lost in the process, for example realtime legato slide instruments' using GS3's Legato Mode function and some instruments CANNOT be imported into other samplers. http://www.prominy.com/les.htm

- Hans Zimmer guitar vol 1 by Spectrasonics has clean electric guitar samples -- anyone tried it? http://www.ilio.com/spectrasonics/hansz ... index.html

For those of us who can´t play the guitar, and don´t have time spending 6 years of 25 hours every day practising, what are really the alternatives in the world of sample collections?

[jeffn1]

It sounds like you have done your homework. I like adding VSTi guitar to my pieces (with varying degrees of success). I have used VG EE (as well as VG), Slayer, and Vintaudio's electric guitar library.

I just received Lyrical Distortion (I was choosing between it and Overdrive), but I have not had the opportunity to use it. I am curious why you think Overdrive is better.

My impression is the different libraries do different things. So, if $$ is not and object, you might want to mix and match. (I have no idea how LPC is, but its certainly huge and expensive.)

I think Slayer has a nice niche in doing Van Halen hammer ons.

I still have to see how Lyrical Distortion is with palm mutes and chords to creates rhythm parts. Up to now I have been pretty happy with VG EE for that.

Vintaudio is pretty good is you want to add slight distortion for a more bluesy/hard rock (as opposed to metal).

Oh, there is also Monzter Guitars, which seem to fill a narrow niche of Nu Metal Chords.

I have used VG, VG EE Slayer, and Vintaudio Electrics in a number of pieces.

If you feel like it, check out the first five pieces listed at: www.soundlick.com/jeffreynaness

jeffn1

I´m looking for an electric guitar sample collection containing this:
- Flexible clean electric guitar sounds that I can run through an amp plugin (Amplitube etc).
- Detailed, natural & expressive, with velocity switching, dynamically-controllable string slides, pops & harmonics, etc.
- Great number of different playing styles.
- Lead sounds as well as rhythm guitar stuff.
- Formatted for Kontakt.
I prefer the flexibility of a sample collection to a limited VST-instrument.

As far as I can see, these are the alternatives:
- Slayer is out of the question. Cheap sounding crap. VST-instrument. http://www.refx.net/pro_Slayer.htm?lang=eng
- Virtual Guitarist “Electric Edition” has only chords. VST- instrument, http://www.steinberg.net/ProductPage_sb ... angue_ID=4
- Clean guitar by Vintaudio lacks the extra sounds (see above) that make the sound come alive, http://www.vintaudio.com/GCEG.htm
- Lyrical Distortion by Bela D Media looks nice, but lacks clean samples. It´s only distorted, http://www.beladmedia.com/lyrical-distortion.htm
- Vienna instruments Overdrive looks even better, BUT lacks clean samples. Only distorted Steve Vai sounds.
- Prominy Sound Library: LPC Electric Distortion and Clean Guitar looks like the thing. (Over 60 Giga-bytes, 150,000 samples recorded from a single instrument.) BUT - only for Gigastudio. According to the producers, they don´t even consider a Kontakt version, http://www.prominy.com/les.htm
- Hans Zimmer guitar vol 1 by Spectrasonics has clean electric samples -- anyone tried it? http://www.ilio.com/spectrasonics/hansz ... index.html

For those of us who can´t play the guitar, and don´t have time spending 6 years of 25 yours every day practising, what´s the alternatives in the world of sample collections?

[klagga]

I just received Lyrical Distortion (I was choosing between it and Overdrive), but I have not had the opportunity to use it. I am curious why you think Overdrive is better.

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of the Overdrive performance tool. You´ll have to get back and tell me if the Lyrical Distortion feels as alive.

I still have to see how Lyrical Distortion is with palm mutes and chords to creates rhythm parts.

Please, let me know.

[jeffn1]

I just received Lyrical Distortion (I was choosing between it and Overdrive), but I have not had the opportunity to use it. I am curious why you think Overdrive is better.

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of the Overdrive performance tool. You´ll have to get back and tell me if the Lyrical Distortion feels as alive.

I still have to see how Lyrical Distortion is with palm mutes and chords to creates rhythm parts.

jeffn1
Please, let me know. Cheers.

Wil do, but I think it might be a little while before I form an opinon. I am waiting for NI to okay the license transfer to Kompakt before I can try it out.

I wonder if Lyrical Distortion has/will implement similar functions to VSL's performance tool within Kontakt/Kompakt.

The concern I have with Overdrive was that the sound seemed so identified with Steve Vai, where's LD is more generic sounding.

By the way, you probably know that Northern Sounds is a good place to get additional input on this topic.

jeffn1

[Barf]

Plugsound Free has a Les Paul clean which is not 2 bad (and is free). The full Plugsound collection has a 'Fretted Instruments' version but havent tried it.

[Gregjazz]

Try my free Ultimate Guitar Kit.

That might fit part of what you're looking for.

[M'Snah]

Manystation?

[jeffn1]

I guess one question is whether a clean electric guitar library can compare to recorded distorted guitars. Obviously, the libraries recorded with distortion will tend to be less flexible (you can't use them clean!).

But I wonder whether, even with the great amp sims around, how clean guitar samples (with heavy overdrive from amp sims, etc.) compare to those recorded with distortion.

I get the feeling that you get a more realistic effect if the guitars are recorded with distortion (like Overdrive and Lyrical Distortion). But, this opinion is not based on whole lot of real information.

jeffn1

[stale bread]

link to the guitar kit?

[klagga]

I guess one question is whether a clean electric guitar library can compare to recorded distorted guitars.

A relevant question. Maybe you´re right. Can´t tell. Anyone?

Ultimate guitar kit - a link please!

Again, anyone tried the electric guitars in Hans Zimmer guitar vol 1 by Spectrasonics?

[harmony gardens]

No one has mentioned the Sonik Reality Electric Guitar Capsule. http://www.esoundz.com/details/viewDeta ... ductID=130

I have the set and like it a lot, but I haven't tried all the other sets you mentioned. It's very expressive, and loads into Halion. I think it would hit all your criterion but the dynamically controlable string slides. It does respond nicely to pitch bends, though. If you were talking about running it through Amplitube, wounldn't you get a lot of the distortion FX from that?

I'm not an expert, but I would say this capsule belongs on a list to consider.

[tkmattson]

Have you tried the IK/SR stuff? As a guitarist, I generally HATE guitar samples, but these pass my sniff test, um, and they don't sound that bad either. I have found that with the Amplitube FX that they include with their sample players, it is possible to get a good distorted/overdriven sound from a clean sample. I do think they sound the best when used with VERY characteristically guitarish effects - Wah, Phaser, Flanger, "The Edge" like Delays, into preamp/cabinet sims, etc....ST2 Free has a great clean strat sample (with five effect insert slots), so you can give it a whirl and see what you think....

[harmony gardens]

If you buy a Sonik Capsule (like Electric Guitar) you can get Sampletank LE for free, which also gets you into the upgrade path to Sampletank L or XL, if you want to go that way.

Actually, since you mentioned Amplitube, you could buy the Electric guitar Caplsule for $79. Then, upgrade to Sampletank 2 L, for $200, and get Amplitube for FREE. That makes the total cost for the Electric Guitar sounds, Amplitube, and Sampletank L, just $279!! Quite a deal! http://www.esoundz.com/details/viewDeta ... ductID=275
It doesn't say on that link that you get Amplitube for free, but you do, if you buy before April 31st. Buying at Esoundz is actually $20 cheaper than L alone, and you get the Guitar sounds tossed into the deal.
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/Main.html?Promo-0502

Also you can use harmonygardens as a referrer at Esoundz, to get $5 worth of epointz, on each purchase. That would bring the total down to $269 (oops, sorry for the cheap epointz plea)

[klagga]

No one has mentioned the Sonik Reality Electric Guitar Capsule. http://www.esoundz.com/details/viewDeta ... ductID=130

Forgot that one. Well, as you said, it should at least be on the list to consider.

[maximilians1]

link to the guitar kit?

http://audioshots.com/auditorium/viewtopic.php?t=154
Max