Navigating: Home » VST/AU/AAX Plugins » The 15 Best Free [Guitar] (VST/AU/AAX) Plugins 2020 The 15 Best Free [Guitar] (VST/AU/AAX) Plugins 2020 Posted on by Pascal Faruq Disclosure: When you buy through our links, we may get a commission at zero cost to you.After searching for good free guitar plugins here and there, I finally came up with a couple of dope ones that will sound at least similar to regular guitar instruments. Bear in mind that these are free plugins, so, you should do your test on which you prefer, what are you waiting for, go get ’em below! Starting with… Page Contents1.) Ample Guitar M Lite II2.) Ample Sound – ABPL II3.) Mildon – Strummer4.) Keolab – Spicy Guitar5.) Simple Media – String Thing 26.) CutterMusic – Revitar 27.) E-phonic – SoloString8.) bigcat Instruments – MF Concert Guitar9.) Iridium Iris – Lethality10.) Dream Vortex Studio – DVS Guitar11.) bigcat Instruments – Cute Emily Guitar12.) DSK Guitars Acoustic13.) DSK Guitars Nylon14.) Malaclypse the Younger – BJAM 315.) SuperRiff GuitarUseful Related posts: 1.) Ample Guitar M Lite II Ample Guitar M Lite II is the lite version of the Ample Sounds amazing AGM guitar simulator which aims to bring the Martin D-41 Acoustic Guitar sound to your instrument toolbox. It comes bundled with over 800 samples and has a separate sample cycle for each note and velocity layer to improve sample utilization efficiency. Also, it features DFD which stands for Direct from disk, this way, you can always ensure you are saving enough CPU resources. The Limitation of Ample Guitar M Lite II is, you can only play four strings in strum mode, and the sample rate is pegged at 16bit/44.1khz which isn’t bad considering you won’t even get most of the free version features in some paid guitar plugins Anyways, these are some of its features: 866 Samples, 16bit 44.1khz. DFD(Direct from disk). Controllable Resonance. Rich Fingering Noise – more vivid and realistic. Finger Instrument libraries to fit different needs. Each Cycle & Rhombic Sampling structure – Separate sample cycle for each note and vel layer to improve sample utilization efficiency. Sustain, Hammer On & Pull Off, Palm Mute, Popping 5 articulations. Sampling: Size: 848MB Finger sample libraries. Stereo and Mono Modes. Sustain, Hammer On & Pull Off, Palm Mute, Pop 5 articulations Technology: CPC (Customized Parameters Control) – any controller can be controlled by MIDI CC or Automation. Double Guitar. Poly Legato and Slide Smoother. Alternate Tuner. Multiple Capo Logics – providing various options of automatic fingering logic to cover different performances such as solo, chorus, and so on. System Requirements: Windows: Windows 7/8/10, 64-bit only (32-bit not supported). Mac: 10.9 or newer. VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, and Standalone host. 10 GB Hard Disk, Intel i5 or higher. Click The Download Link and once you get to the Ample Sound website, click the overview tab to download Download Ample Guitar Lite 2.) Ample Sound – ABPL II This is another amazing guitar plugin from the guys at Ample Sound. Ample Bass Lite is a free version of ABP that is recorded on a Fender Precision Bass. One thing I love about ABP lite is the Tab Player, it can load and play several prevalent bass tablatures file formats, users can load, display and playback any specific track inside a tablature file. When used in DAWs, the Tab Player also allows users to export the tablature as an audio file. Another is that the Tab Player supports fingering, chords, articulations, looping and other markers in the loaded tablature. An example of the supported articulations includes Strum, Harmer On/Pull off, Tremolo Bar, Legato; slide in and out, Vibrator, picking and lots more. I personally use this on some occasions, so, you should definitely give this a try, here are some of its features: DFD (Direct from disk). Rich Fingering Noise – more vivid and realistic. Each Cycle & Rhombic Sampling structure – Separate sample cycle for each note and velocity layer to improve sample utilization. New technology: Auto Buzz system. CPC (Customized Parameters Control), any button knob etc can be controlled by MIDI CC or Automation. Poly Legato. Slide Smoother. Open String First Function. Manual vibrato wheel designed specifically for string instruments. Capo – Transpose without need to modify midi. Sampling: 443 Samples, Size: 450 MB, 16bit 44.1khz DFD(Direct from disk) Rich Fingering Noise – more vivid and realistic Each Cycle & Rhombic Sampling structure – Separate sample cycle for each note and vel layer to improve sample utilization Sustain, Hammer On & Pull Off Accent. System Requirements: 6 GB of free hard disk space. Windows Vista or newer, Pentium 4 or Athlon processor with 2 GB RAM. Mac OS X 10.7 or higher, Intel-based Mac with 2 GB RAM. AU, VST, AAX or RTAS host application and professional sound card recommended. Stand-alone version included. Click The Download Link and once you get to the Ample Sound website, click the overview tab to download Download Ample Bass Lite 3.) Mildon – Strummer Strummer is an intuitive guitar plugin by Mildon which gives you the ability to strum any guitar SoundFont, VSTi, or even sample player. To get started, all you have to do is either load a SoundFont or you connect a second VSTi and you are ready to become a strummer ninja 😉 One missing features of some great sounding plugin guitar are that they usually do not have supports strumming, which is why strumming by Mildon is built, with this plugin, you can ensure a universal solution that can be used for a wide variety of sample players and virtual instruments. Did I mention it is free, go download it below. Make sure you watch the Walk-Through video below: Download Mildon's Strummer 4.) Keolab – Spicy Guitar Spicy Guitar is a free plugin by Keolab which is a physical model of an acoustic guitar synthesizer. The great things about Spicy Guitar is that it has 2 different positions for each chord, chord inversions, one-hand up and down strumming, adjustable strumming speed, assignable switch key to trigger controls and much more. Features: 9 guitars, 2 types of strings physical-based sound design astonishing expressivity easy-to-use strumming engine many types of chords, 2 positions 5 guitarist playing techniques Spicy Guitar is built on a simple but powerful playing mode. Piano chords are automatically detected and converted into guitar chords on the fretboard. System Requirements: Available as a free download for Windows and Mac (VST/AU). Video Walk-Through: Download Spicy Guitar Win 32 Download Spicy Guitar Win 64 Download Spicy Guitar OSX VST Download Spicy Guitar MAC AU 5.) Simple Media – String Thing 2 This is a simple Plucked string based on a new comb filter with advanced controls and filtering. It uses an impulse, Resonator and Resonant Body model similar to ‘Super String Thing’ but specifically tailored to recreating the sounds of acoustic plucked strings. Download String Thing 2 6.) CutterMusic – Revitar 2 Revitar 2 is a guitar synth by CutterMusic that can produce a wide diverse range of guitar sounds and playing styles. Realistic guitar sound tends to be difficult in guitar plugins but to mitigate this CutterMusic employs a unique guitar pick, string, and body simulations, this way, it can at least, sound realistic. Also, No samples are used in the entire process, so no two notes ever sound the same. Features: Unique string and body simulation. Adjustable pick shape. 48 programmable chords, using absolute and relative positions. Different playing styles – slides, hammer-on / pull-offs, chords, a single string. 6 guitar body types to choose from. Fully programmable MIDI control of all knobs and sliders. Intuitive user interface. Download Revitar 2 Win32 Download Revitar 2 Win64 7.) E-phonic – SoloString Solo String is a physically modeled acoustic guitar synthesizer by e-phonic. Note: Only Supports Windows VST Download Solo String 8.) bigcat Instruments – MF Concert Guitar MF Concert Guitar is a sampled nylon strings guitar. The samples were recorded by Markus Fiedler. Download MF Concert Guitar 9.) Iridium Iris – Lethality Lethality is an electric guitar by Iridium Iris which contains all important articulations and effects to cover the span of alternative and rock genres, and some of them are triggered by standard MIDI note input and mod-wheel. These articulations and effects include: Open / muted power chords with or without Major and minor third. Open / muted octave chords. Open / muted refused chords. Open / muted single notes. Down / up or alternating strumming of chords. Bending of single notes and chords with automation. Pinch harmonic squeals (reachable in algorithm mode from note E5). Gain / distortion / fuzz control. Palm mute algorithm with automation. Hammer on / pull off. Portamento/neck slide control with automation. Strumming control with automation. Unlimited velocity curve. Full chokes (all strings mute with G0 and Ab0). Patterns. Download Lethality_Win32 Download Lethality_Win64 10.) Dream Vortex Studio – DVS Guitar DVS Guitar is based on a sampled electric guitar. It’s good for leads and heavy sounds, and very realistic if your good with a pitch wheel controller. Note: Only Supports Window VST Donate To Dream Vortex Studio Download DVS Guitar 11.) bigcat Instruments – Cute Emily Guitar Cute Emily Guitar is a sampled electric guitar. This is an Epiphone SG type electric guitar sampled by Karoryfer. As it was recorded dry, use a guitar amp sim after this plug-in. Download Cute Emily Guitar 12.) DSK Guitars Acoustic DSK Guitars Acoustic is a sampled acoustic/folk guitar. Features are: High expressive and dynamics sounds. Clean and very simple GUI. Download DSK Acoustic 13.) DSK Guitars Nylon DSK Guitars Nylon is a classical guitar with nylon strings. Features are High expressive and dynamics sounds. Clean and very simple GUI. Download DSK Nylon 14.) Malaclypse the Younger – BJAM 3 BJAM is a Strat electric guitar rompler by Malaclypse which is designed for those familiar with the playing techniques idiomatic to the instrument, and the signal processing techniques used to shape their output. A steel-string acoustic (called Ella Gitauru) is also included with BJAM. The steel-string acoustic includes percussion sounds made with the body of the guitar and uses the same general keyswitch layout as BJAM. It can function as a 6-string, 12-string, or Nashville-tuned 6-string. Thanks to Malaclypse (Developer of this guitar) for pointing this out in the comment section. BJAM 2 also provides a bunch of demos, each of which includes MIDI and graphic showing the inserts used to shape the sound. Update: An odd twang in the 6 strings has been fixed (It remains present on the 12-string/Nashville side, for the sake of variety and contrast.) The relevant demos (all the ones using acoustic guitar) have been updated accordingly, again, thanks to Malaclypse (Developer of this superb guitar) for pointing this out in the comment section. Listen To some of the demos Features Include: Sampled S-type guitar with 3 mixable pickups An acoustic guitar is also included. Playing range C0-G8. Hammer-on/Pull-off/Slide mode. Harmonics 2, 3, 5, and 7. Noise modes include chucks, swipes, and pick taps. Controlled by MIDI key switches and CC#7 (Master Volume). 3 fretting positions. 2 palm mute modes. Slap and Pop mode. New – 3.5 band EQ with selectable center frequencies New – Fine tuning of individual notes Download BJAM 15.) SuperRiff Guitar The last guitar plugin on our list is the SuperRiff Guitar which contains a set of custom distorted electric guitar note samples. Note: SuperRiff Guitar contains only 1 soundbank of samples and each note on a keyboard from E1 to DF can trigger three different guitar sample types depending on which one of the 3 velocity values is triggered. 47 samples per type, 141 samples in total Palm-muted single notes. Open string single notes Vibrated single notes. Only Supports Win VST Download SuperRiff Guitar Useful Related posts:MAutopanMB by MeldaProduction (Plugin Review)Best Virtual Acoustic Guitar VST Plugin [2020]Trance Gate Snapin by kiloHearts (Plugin Review)
Hi great article. I have a question for you. What’s the best type of guitar tuner to get for a beginner player? I’ve seen clip on types and they seem pretty good. it’s for my acoustic guitar with a pickup. I appreciate the help. Reply
Hey, I made it onto a “Top X” list! Please note that BJAM 2 also provides a bunch of demos, each of which includes MIDI and graphic showing the inserts used to shape the sound. These include some slightly paraphrased tunes you might recognize, but also actual guitar parts from my songs. I figure it’s no good to throw you in the deep end without first demonstrating how *I* swim. Reply
Could I please ask that you add a note to my entry (#14) that a steel string acoustic (called Ella Gitauru) is also included with BJAM? The steel string acoustic includes percussion sounds made with the body of the guitar and uses the same general keyswitch layout as BJAM. It can function as a 6-string, 12-string, or Nashville-tuned 6-string. Reply
Sorry for taking forever to reply (Your comment went into spam), I have corrected the entry, thanks a lot for pointing this out. I really hope you receive my reply. P.S: Do let me know when you have more awesome plugins!
BJAM 2 has been updated to version 2.20.09. The only change to the instruments is that one particularly troublesome sample in the 6-string acoustic, which was causing a weird “twang” at times, has had that particular edge taken off it. (It remains present on the 12-string/Nashville side, for the sake of variety and contrast.) The relevant demos (all the ones using acoustic guitar) have been updated accordingly. The links to the demos and download have not changed. Anyone using this instrument is welcome to send a “look what I’ve done!” message telling me where it is posted. You can find contact info on the Bandcamp page.
(This is specifically to Pascal, I don’t expect you to post this. I just didn’t see an easier way to contact you.) I’ve released BJAM 3.20.10 now. It’s entirely in SFZ format, and no further Maize Sampler versions will be developed (bug fixes maybe) although I am leaving BJAM 2.20.10 available for download. This is a major upgrade as well as a migration to a new platform. The link you already have points at BJAM 3 now, so you don’t need to correct it. BJAM 2 has been relocated to https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KeB3mfXjHNxAPF5Nn8au8VD6ejaB_KyN and will receive updates only if bugs are detected and/or reported. Here’s my list of all instruments I have available for download, you can borrow bullet points from it. 🙂 https://docs.google.com/document/d/15XBK9LqTsNRG14JD23bidiAvaEaj8UXcT8O8PDTnS3o/edit Reply
Hey buddy, Thanks for the update, I highly appreciate it. Is the contact form not working for you? If you prefer, you can reach me directly: faruq(at)exclusivemusicplus.com Also, I am working on rebranding this website, and one of the big features would be the ability to add plugins to the list, plus the ability to correct any outdated descriptions. Thanks, again 🙂 Edit: Nice list of plugins, I’ll check them out for sure.