Impact Soundworks' Shreddage 2 guitar has been our most popular virtual instrument since its release in 2012. Over the years, we've refreshed and updated it several times, and brought two other guitar models to the same engine. But now, it's time for the next generation!
Introducing Shreddage 3
We have created an entirely new virtual guitar engine, scripted from the ground up with cutting-edge tech. S3 harnesses the full range of Kontakt 5.7's features to deliver stunning playability, realism, and customization. Not to mention, it looks badass!
The S3 engine will power newly-recorded guitars starting with Stratus, coming later this month. Older guitars on the S2 engine, as well as Archtop and Shreddage Bass 2, will also be ported to S3.
Blog Post: Shreddage 3 Engine
Key Features:
- Vastly improved realism for fretting, string selection and voicing
- Multiple fretting modes for differing types of playing (lead, poly rhythm, etc.)
- Built-in multitracking and custom pickup blending
- "Poly Input" mode for even more realistic playback of block chords
- Extensive control over all parameters of the virtual guitarist
- New fully-customizable Strumming mode
- Random resonance, anti-repetition, DI noise, rakes and release triggering
- A plethora of engine options from stroke timing to legato playback
Debuting in Shreddage 3 Stratus is our new CONSOLE tab. This is, in our opinion, the most powerful FX mixer in the Kontakt world with unprecedented amounts of control and customization at your fingertips.
While you can of course route the instrument to your host DAW for mixing, Console makes it incredibly easy to set up, save, and load tone presets for ANY S3 instrument. (You'll see this in other non-guitar libraries soon, too!)
Console Features:
- Independent mixing, purging, mute/solo and FX chains for all pickups
- Instantiate up to 8 FX per pickup, plus master inserts and sends
- Add FX in any order, including multiple of the same FX
- Save and load FX chains for individual channels or the entire Console
- 30 FX modules available in total, including...
- Numerous pedals, amp models, and custom cabinet IRs
- Multiple EQs, reverbs, distortion FX, spatial FX (rotator, phaser, flanger, etc)
- FX chain presets are portable between instruments!
"Total Articulation Control Technology" (TACT) has appeared in a number of ISW releases, giving you - as the name suggests - complete flexibility over how articulations are mapped and triggered. Individual techniques could be mapped to velocity, key range, key switches, midi CCs or other methods, with the ability to create multiple 'rules' and mapping presets quickly and easily.
Naturally, for S3, we have given TACT an upgrade as well!
We've kept all the same great functionality from v1.0 but expanded the look to be far less cramped. Legato controls are more flexible as well, giving you extended tweaking capabilities for the origin, transition, and destination samples.
Shreddage 3 Stratus
All of these incredible features are nothing without a killer set of samples, and we're excited to announce the first guitar of the S3 engine is a classic American sound that has long been missing from the ISW lineup.
Stratus is just as deep-sampled as earlier guitars, offering a full range of sustains, palm mutes (with multiple layers), powerchords, tremolo, harmonics, legato, chokes, rakes, and releases.
We've also captured some brand new articulations such as Staccato Snaps and Tremolo Slides that are essential to this type of guitar, and simultaneously recorded three pickups (neck, middle, bridge) which give you three very distinct tones to work with.
How does it sound? Well...
Audio Demos
https://soundcloud.com/isworks/sets/shr ... atus-demos
Launch Trailer
Instrument Walkthrough
Availability / Pricing
Shreddage 3 Stratus is available NOW for MSRP $149, compatible with Kontakt Player 5.7+ and NKS. Full version of Kontakt is NOT required!
Owners of any Shreddage 2 series guitar will get a $20 coupon in their Deals area, plus heavily discounted upgrades on S3 versions of S2 guitars.
We can't wait to hear what you do with S3 Stratus!
I am sure more frugal folks can manage to score a copy for even less.