KVR Audio

SciFiArtMan · Post by **SciFiArtMan** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:23 am

This seems like a subject that's probably been beaten to death around here, but I went back 7 pages and couldn't find anything so...

I'm looking for a (hopefully freeware) distortion plugin to get a very distorted Metal type tone for my guitar. I'm thinking of a tone like Green Day gets, or even old Led Zep's heavier sounds. Not just overdrive or tube distortion but a pretty serious grind. I tried FreeAmp2 with good success, but the hit on my CPU is pretty painful. So I'm looking for some alternatives - lots of crunchy buzz with a minimum CPU hit.

I also tried SimulAnalog's Guitar Suite, but didn't care for the gentle tube and amp sim effects. Hoping to hear what others like for this heavy metal sound.

PS - I'm looking for a VST for this effect, not suggestions on how to get a Marshall stack and mic it, or how others used saturated amps and such. Thanks.

akisd28 · Post by **akisd28** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:37 am

The best guitar amp sim I've heard is Tubifex for Powercore, but obviously you need the card.

Dominus · Post by **Dominus** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:44 am

Line 6.

The Chase · Post by **The Chase** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:46 am

Boogex!

SciFiArtMan · Post by **SciFiArtMan** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:50 am

Maybe I should add that I'd like to exhaust all FREEWARE VSTs before considering commercial items. Thanks.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:58 am

Boogex +1

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:03 am

Sascha made a great point on page 2 of this thread. I've tested it tonight and it sounds great.

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=154907

My chain was slightly different, though, as I used a hi-pass filter first (GHi), then a slight compressor (Voxengo Marquis), Voxengoo HarmoniEQ pushing the mids with a boost (as Sascha suggests), then the SimulAnalog JCM900 vst with the gain about halfway, then another EQ (posihfopit) subduing the same general frequency area that was pushed in the previous EQ, then a final light compressor (Voxengo Marquis).

Here's the link to GSuite with the JCM900:
http://www.simulanalog.org/GSuite.zip

-S

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:10 am

I should add that the reason for the hi-pass is because I'm using a baritone guitar and there's quite a bit more beef in the lows to get control of. That's probably optional for a regular guitar, though it might add something if you palm mut a lot and want to dial in the resonant freq for your low E and the first few power chords.

Also, I noticed that when subduing the freqs at the end of the chain, it wasn't necessary to subtract as much as I had boosted. Seemed more alive to just dip into the mid/hi-mids a touch, not much, to get it smoothed out when using a bridge position humbucker.

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:11 am

LOL. I just re-read your post. My method isn't going to save you on CPU with the compressors in there. But it does sound better than any other combo I've tried so far except Amplitube 2 (and it competes with A2 on some level though clearly not if you're aiming for variety).

Moseph · Post by **Moseph** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:24 am

Check these out:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/2342.html
http://www.pxe.buntweb.de/

Those are designed for a heavier style of distortion. They use less CPU than FA2 on my computer as well (X-Amp is pretty low on CPU for me especially).

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:31 am

Try The distortions in here... They go to 11.

http://www.ele4music.com/plugins/efm-stompers.zip

Watto · Post by **Watto** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:31 am

akisd28 wrote:The best guitar amp sim I've heard is Tubifex for Powercore, but obviously you need the card.

Thanks for the tip - I've never used it, for no real reason, until you said that, and I must say it seems pretty cool so far

Watto · Post by **Watto** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:35 am

Is it just mono though, akisd28?

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:48 am

Moseph wrote:Check these out:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/2342.html
http://www.pxe.buntweb.de/

Those are designed for a heavier style of distortion. They use less CPU than FA2 on my computer as well (X-Amp is pretty low on CPU for me especially).

Holy crap. That "Extremist" looks like it will be a great toy to play around with in eXT, even for non-guitarists. I'm hoping the feedback does something cool, 'cause one could rig that up as a secondary signal path controlled by a volume swell...might get interesting. Back in a bit after I check it out.

aetmos · Post by **aetmos** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:51 am

I've found Cyanide to be pretty handy recently...

http://bram.smartelectronix.com/plugins.php?id=3

Fave Distortion/Amp Sim VST?