Guitars
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By Felix Ward
Best Distortion Plugins (2026): Industrial Design
Destroy your sound. We review the best creative distortion units (Trash 2, Thermal) for aggressive sound design and heavy basses.
Read Review →
Last Updated: January 2026
The Composer's Guide to Guitars Libraries (2026)
Tone is in the fingers, but the gear matters.
Whether you strictly play DI or mic up a vintage cab, the signal chain defines your presence. We tested the Best Amp Sims and Guitar Libraries to find the ones that respond like the real thing.
Read Full Introduction
The Criteria
We prioritize feel and dynamics:
- Breakup: Does the clean tone crunch up naturally when you dig in?
- Latency: Is the tracking immediate, or is there a disconnect?
- Cab Realism: Does it sound like a speaker pushing air, or a fizzy EQ curve? aren't just samples; they are instruments.
- Strumming Engines: Automatic pattern generation.
- Articulation Switching: Moving from palm mutes to sustains.
- Amp Integration: Built-in tone shaping.
Our curated lists below cover the essentials.
Tone is in the fingers, but the gear matters.
Whether you strictly play DI or mic up a vintage cab, the signal chain defines your presence. We tested the Best Amp Sims and Guitar Libraries to find the ones that respond like the real thing.
The Criteria
We prioritize feel and dynamics:
- Breakup: Does the clean tone crunch up naturally when you dig in?
- Latency: Is the tracking immediate, or is there a disconnect?
- Cab Realism: Does it sound like a speaker pushing air, or a fizzy EQ curve? aren’t just samples; they are instruments.
- Strumming Engines: Automatic pattern generation.
- Articulation Switching: Moving from palm mutes to sustains.
- Amp Integration: Built-in tone shaping.
Our curated lists below cover the essentials.
Guitars
•
By Felix Ward
Best Distorted Bass (2026): Industrial & Cyberpunk
Gritty low end. We review the best processed bass libraries (Damage 2, Substance) for aggressive industrial tracks.
Read Review →
Guitars
•
By Felix Ward
Best 8-String & Extended Range Basses for Metal
Low and heavy. We review the best extended range bass libraries (Eurobass, Loki) for modern metal production.
Read Review →
Guitars
•
By Felix Ward
Best Acoustic Guitar VSTs for Strumming & Picking
Can a VST sound real? We test the best acoustic guitar engines (Ample, Session Guitarist) to see which one strums most realistically.
Read Review →
Guitars
•
By Felix Ward
Best Cinematic Guitars (2026): Post-Rock & Ambient
Explosions in the Sky style. We review the best guitar libraries for creating washed-out, emotional post-rock swells and textures.
Read Review →
Frequently Asked Questions
Amp Sim vs. Real Amp?
Real amps move air, but amp sims offer incredible convenience and consistency. Modern modeling technology (like Neural DSP) is indistinguishable from a miked cab in a full mix.
What is an IR (Impulse Response)?
An IR captures the sound of a specific speaker cabinet and microphone chain. Swapping IRs is the single biggest way to change your tone in an amp sim.
How to reduce hum?
High-gain tones are noisy. Use a noise gate at the very start of your chain. Ideally, use humbucker pickups or a noise-canceling position on single-coil guitars.
Pedals before or after amp?
Traditionally: Overdrive/Wah before the amp. Modulation/Delay/Reverb after the amp (in the effects loop) for a cleaner sound, or before for a vintage, gritty vibe.
Double tracking guitars?
For a wide stereo image, record the same part twice and pan them hard left and right. Never copy-paste the same track; phase cancellation will ruin the sound.
DI box necessity?
A DI box ensures the correct impedance signal hits your interface. Without it, your direct guitar signal can sound dull and lifeless before it even hits the plugin.