Virtual Guitar Plugin
Giuseppina Worster
This is why I use a dedicated Scaler just for the instruments that rely on chords in a specific area of the keyboard and a specific chord structure. Makes it easier to just do that except when chords change as you get other ideas. Because of the structure if the chords. Worth it though.
I was sad thinking that Strum GS-2 has so few patterns, but UJAM are way less SOB
with the further drawback that UJAM has no MIDI, refills or expansions to add, differently from Strum GS-2 developers that have many Sound Packs, and are working on a Jazz pack
It was a coincidence that a few days ago I was also testing Sparkle and I recorded a song, watching this post I produce this simple video. I use MIDI Polysher at +12 and Grouping C3-B4, and all run fine that way.
BTW, the trick of increasing octaves to feed UJAM has a further drawback: I use Broomstick Bass before Toontrack EzBass because BB follows the guitar automatically and its metronome sound as a basic drums
To sum it up UJAM drawbacks:
it has too few patterns, way less than Strum GS-2, and zero chances to add
the tricks I must use to feed them, kills a significant part of my fun
being sample-based they cripple my old weak office PC
As for Ujam, I think they move at the marketing level with the concept of making music quickly and easy , within reach of those who even do not play anything, and for me they achieve it very well. But yes, if I have noticed the UJAM guitar limitations that you mention, for example, getting an arpeggio is truly hard! Except in the VG Silk (Nylon Acoustic Guitar).
I use some tricks when I need more types of chords from tools like Ujam and similar, which apart from the disminished chord, has no altered seventh or more complex chords than Majors, Minor, Sus, 7ma, etc. .
the funny thing with BB (apart having the same initials of Brigitte Bardot) is that you can add articulation manually during the automatic functioning using the Modulation reel
It is quite a hidden information in the manual
I use Reaper, the native bridge is a blessing! I remember a lot to tweaking and getting fun with BB (the plugin and Groove Agent, good nostalgic times for VST incipient world.
BTW, Sven is a genious!
Using midiForceToRange from the free Piz MIDI Utilities works perfect for this purpose. No need to transpose anything in Scaler, or use groupings. You can use midiForceToRange to force all midi notes into the C4 to E6 range required by UJAM. Three note and four note chords work great with a minimum of fuss.
Thanks for information @courtjestr and @yorkeman but as I said before, the severe shortage of patterns in UAJM, coupled with no chances to find any pattern bank/refills, pushed me to uninstall it with no regret
@ClaudioPorcellana It may be that you are finished with UJAM, but others may be interested in an easy way to use Scaler with UJAM without doing any modification within Scaler itself like transposition. Note that midiForceToRange would work with other guitar plugins as well that do chord recognition outside the range that Scaler normally provides. Things can also get interesting if you feed UJAM or Strum GS-2 with Scaler rhythms or even Scaler performances.
I am a bit confused why you think the pattern database is very very poor for UJAM guitars. There are 50 different styles in Amber, and each style has 12 patterns so that is 600 different patterns. The pattern speed can be changed from half time to double time. Plus there are an additional 23 common phrases available no matter what style you choose. It is true that there are no expansion packs but 600 patterns is nothing to sneeze at.
Some versions of SONAR included AAS Strum Session, Dimension Pro had some guitar programs (some were included in Cakewalk Sound Center), so did Rapture and Rapture Session probably did too, I can't say for sure as I have Rapture Pro with definitely has guitar programs.
Not to mention that free or cheap instruments are a dime a dozen now, literally. Have you checked out the free Ample acoustic guitar? It's excellent! Ample Guitar M Lite II aim to bring the Martin D-41 Acoustic Guitar sound to your studio. -Instruments/64-Virtual-Instrument/4520-Ample-Guitar-M-Lite-II
@abacab, Thank you for your thoughts. I have Amplesound's free acoustic Martin and Fender electric bass. Both are extraordinary instruments considering they are free. I imagine the paid, full featured virtual instruments are outstanding. The free Spicy Guitar virtual instrument has some interesting sounds.
I appreciate all the responses. I'm not looking for third party guitar plug-ins as I have several. I was more thinking out loud and wondering why no DAWs that I know of include virtual guitars since guitar is so prevalent in western pop music.
I'm not looking for third party guitar plug-ins as I have several. I was more thinking out loud and wondering why no DAWs that I know of include virtual guitars since guitar is so prevalent in western pop music.
True, which is also the case with Ableton Live, although the guitar samples they include with their instrument rack and sampler are probably more suitable for electronic music. But with the integrated sampler in Live, one could import any guitar samples they wish.
Going back to the OP, I will submit the distinction that the connotation of "virtual guitar" speaks to a more elaborate instrument than just a sampler with guitar samples. Although with a bit of effort, one could make that work. I have several 3rd party virtual guitars and they all offer much more than pure sample playback for realism, such as keyswitches and modulations, to easily trigger different guitar articulations from within a single preset. This allows a keyboardist to sound a bit more like a guitar player.
IMHO, such purpose built virtual guitar instruments are a premium product and not likely to be bundled with any DAW, as the necessary bundle price would push it beyond the cost anyone would be willing to pay for a DAW. I would suggest that premium and boutique instruments have generally always been ala carte 3rd party choices. For example, just look at the success Native Instruments has had with their sample based instruments!
As already stated, most DAWs have some form of guitar preset but are generally more suited for electronic music rather than quality guitar emulation. I think this is because to truly get a convincing guitar sound takes either very innovative modeling ( like IK's MODO bass or AAS strum session) or heavy sampling and advanced articulations like Kontakt. The expense is probably not worth it. Oddly enough, Maschine may offer the best non-third-party guitar since it includes Komplete Select. The factory guitars are not bad that come with Kontakt player. Also, several DAWs have given away decent guitar plugs via third party. Cakewalk used to give away strum session and Presonus gave away Sparkle. I think overall, developing a guitar plugin pleasing to actual guitarists is more challenging than developing workhorse synths and romplers.
As abacab eluded to, If I developed a truly quality guitar plug that was more than simply a collection of samples, I would sell as a premium product. This is exactly what native instruments does. You receive ok guitars free but for as low as $50 (often on sale for half) you can have a session guitarist instrument that works in free player.
Playing a guitar via a piano keyboard is so unintuitive, I can't seem to get my brain to do the learning required to get the articulations and patterns that I can achieve almost sub-consciously with my hands on the strings.
I see the guitars are part of the Core sample package. However, this instrument package is not included with the Artist edition but it is included with the subscription version of Studio One or the $399 retail Pro edition. Since the Presence XT sampler is available in all editions it might would be cheaper to get the Studio One Artist edition and then purchase the acoustic guitar and electric guitars sample packages separately.
You may run into some sonic issues if you attempt to build an entire song using sample libraries in place of real guitars, especially when it comes to strumming chords or particular dynamics on an emotional solo.
As I mentioned earlier (you may have missed it, I only spent the entire introduction talking about it) the nuances of guitars are traditionally difficult to perfect for digital playing, so most producers tend to avoid virtual guitars and supplement a lack of equipment/space with a virtual amp.
By contrast, amp VSTfxs are employed to alter sound and can only be applied to a MIDI track plugin effects chain after a virtual instrument is applied (however on audio tracks, virtual amps can be placed anywhere on the signal chain to affect recordings from guitars, keyboards and even vocals).
Typically the best guitar VSTis for cinematic/symphonic composition are, you guessed it, orchestral guitars. These are often acoustic and come in a larger library or bundle with strings, horns, woodwinds and so on.
However, once you put the effort into learning keyswitches, different articulations, rhythms and programming settings on any given sample library, you will notice that many of the more developed virtual guitars begin to resemble something not too dissimilar from the real thing.
My recommendation is: find a creative use for them. Spruce them up using additional virtual amps and saturators, use them in situations that will complement their unique sound, not accentuate the brittleness and artificialness.
But perhaps a lo-fi song with a bitcrusher applied to each track, or a solo piece with nothing but acoustic guitar software, or a club banger that deliberately brings out the unnatural makeup of many virtual guitars might work perfectly.
For those that are lazy or bad at guitar (I unabashedly raise my hand at both suggestions) it can just be easier to record demos or guitar riffs to test how they sound via a MIDI keyboard than having to setup, practice and play with a mic, amp and guitar.
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