SampleScience releases Clean Electric Guitar, a FREE sample-based plugin for macOS and Windows.
SampleScience has sampled two electric guitars note by note to create this free plugin. The samples are intended to provide users with public domain electric guitar sounds to feed virtual guitar amplifiers and effects racks.
The main features include a Multi-LFO with selectable Wave, Target, and Source. You also get a Highpass/Lowpass filter and three different voice modes: Polyphonic, Legato, and Mono.
Also, in the main control section, you’ll find an adjustable velocity curve. Depending on your controller, often overlooked features like this can make a significant difference.
There are four knobs on each side of the main section. To the left, you have Depth, Rate, Low, and High.
In a recent post, SampleScience clarifies the function of the Low/High knobs by saying, “They are not EQ settings, but amplitude & velocity range controls. A narrow range = loud. A wide range = quiet.”
You have Pan, Volume, Reverb, and Cutoff to the left.
Lower down the GUI are the usual ADSR controls and Preamp and Glide.
If you’ve used any ScampleScience plugin before, you’ll see Clean Electric Guitar follows the usual straightforward GUI layout.
Sometimes a developer comes up with a layout that’s more form than function, and they stick with it, and it can be an instant turn-off. Luckily, SampleScience has found something that works and doesn’t stray too far. It’s also a good example of how a simple interface can look great.
If you need some guitar amp/effect freebies to pair with Clean Electric Guitar, look at STR-X from Arboreal Audio and The Klone by Fazertone. IK Multimedia often run Amplitube freebies/promos, too.
The Canada-based developer has already given us multiple freebies and shows no sign of slowing down.
Previous releases include Rusty Piano and Retro Cazio.
Clean Electric Guitar is available in 64-bit VST, VST3, and AU formats for macOS (El Capitan upwards) and Windows (8.1/10/11).
Download: Clean Electric Guitar
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10 Comments
Dave
onHey James,
Thank you for this freebie finding.
The good:
Doesn’t need full Kontakt!!! – Advantage for all.
Easy to use.
The bad:
Their sound is SO! Not accurate. This is not a guitar by any means.
Well, maybe their other vst are better.
Take care now,
Dave
James N
onHey Dave,
Thanks for the comment, and feedback on the freebie.
Sometimes, when posting a short news article, I’ve not had a chance to test the instrument/plugin, so I can’t give any detailed opinion. This is one of those times, and I’ll expect to try it out over the coming weekend. But, I have liked some previous freebies from SampleScience.
Which amp-sim and/or effects did you try it out with?
Cheers!
aeonicb
onIt’s not meant to be used standalone. I’ve tried it with Rekabinet 4 and Kuassa Creme, and it sounds wonderful.
Neytcev
onI overall like it so much, not as a guitar, but just as a lovely
and useful sounding instrument, very clean for me and my
taste and expectations, and meantime enough vivacious ,
i like its own reverb too (in possibilities combining with others).
we think that it will apply well in our future productions, as a part
of orchestrations, applications, layer in combination or so …
Peace
James N
onHey Neytcev,
That’s great to hear, thanks for sharing!
Cheers.
Neytcev
onYes, JAMES, it is a pleasure and great to share just such kinds
of positive informations nowadays, but no other (like TV news) :).
Enjoy! Thank you!
David Paskey
onAfter some adjusting and absolutely running through a virtual amp and cabinet (It is as they say, a completely clean electric guitar sound), I really like the sound of this. I ran it through Positive Grid Bias FX 2 LE, featured on this site, and also free until April 30th. It also helps to have a basic understanding of how you would play the notes on a guitar in order to make it sound more real. This isn’t something that has pre-recorded phrases or riffs. But it sounds really nice if you play arpeggios, especially with delay.
James N
onHey David,
Thanks for the Positive Grid Bias FX 2 LE tip. I agree, getting the best out of most guitar-based virtual instruments depend largely on how you play them, and knowing its limits.
Glad to hear it was useful for you!
Cheers!
David M N
onAs a glam/punk guitar basher since the early mid 70s, I think I know by now what constitutes good or bad tone..
So there, that’s my credentials to say I don’t care if a Guitar VSTi or Kontakt [etc] instruments sounds like a real guitar.
Sometimes they may be far more use in a mix as a not quite right sounding Electric Piano, or ZIther, or any cool sounding wonky instrument
if we use our creative IMAGINATION…
.. and if they don’t cost a penny – then that’s total ‘winner winner chicken dinner’ !!!’
BTW..
remember those crap wince inducing heavy metal guitar presets from 1990s general midi keyboards and modules ?
Yes, even they can be craftily repurposed as usable off kilter oddities in a mix…
James N
onHey David,
Since the early 70s, and still making music; that’s something to be celebrated! It never stops, nor should it!
Winner winner chicken dinner indeed! your point is strengthened by the fact we can spend a small fortune today to emulate things that were once thought to sound terrible. We shouldn’t limit ourselves, and if we can can do it for free, even better.
I remember some amazingly terrible modules, but my musical journey started a little past the 90s. Thanks for the comment!
Cheers!