Resonant DSP has released Swanky Amp, a freeware guitar amplifier in VST3 and AU plugin formats for DAW software on PC and Mac.
Free guitar and bass amplifier emulations are a dime a dozen these days, and they sound pretty good. But having one more to enjoy cannot possibly hurt, can it? Especially since we are talking freeware!
See also: Crunck V2 Is A FREE Guitar Amp Plugin Released Nembrini AudioGreat, here’s Swanky Amp by developer Resonant DSP to scratch that free guitar amp itch!
Resonant DSP – Swanky Amp
The free Swanky Amp is a little different from the typical amp sim where you stack amps, cabs, and effects in a virtual signal chain or rack.
Rather, you are given a single tube amplifier that is not an emulation of any particular amp. The amp model itself is an original creation inspired by classic tube amp circuits such as the Fender Tweed Deluxe. The goal is to open up the controls for tweaking each of the amplifier’s stages separately, without it becoming too technical.
Looking at Swanky Amp, I’d say Resonant DSP succeeded in their intention!
The virtual amplifier features the following segments and controls:
- Levels – Input and Output volume control with meters
- Cabinet – On/Off, Bright, Distance, Dynamic controls
- Pre Amp – Drive, Tight, Grit
- Staging – Stages, Overhead, Low Cut, Tone Stack
- Power Amp – Drive, Tight, Sag
- Tone – Low, Mid, High, Presence
With no-nonsense labeling like this, you are meant to tweak the controls as you play and listen, instead of scientifically. The tonal possibilities are plentiful, for Swanky Amp can start with a clean tube amp tone and end up in the high-gain territory.
That sounds like an amp modeler worth trying if you are bored with traditional amplifier emulations. A Marshall’s a Marshall, a Mesa’s a Mesa, and this thing is whatever you make out of it! Place it in a chain with your favorite effects and cabinet emulations and you can cook up some interesting guitar sounds. That, or use it as a tube saturation and distortion plug-in with detailed sound-shaping controls. A great freebie, all around!
Free Download
Swanky Amp is available in VST3 format for Windows and in VST3/AU formats for macOS. There are no minimum operating system versions specified, but I suppose any reasonably recent operating system will do. There is no registration required to download and install Swanky Amp. Additionally, the plug-in is open source! The whole thing is up on GitHub.
More info: Swanky Amp (2.64 MB download size, MSI installer, 64-bit VST3/AU plugin format for Windows & macOS)
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Last Updated on October 23, 2020 by Tomislav Zlatic.
