This article will discuss some of the best acoustic guitar plugins and might help you with your workflow.
Working with acoustic guitars in our musical project can be challenging, from finding the perfect virtual guitar to getting your desired tone. Often we find ourselves wanting or needing an acoustic guitar in our tracks to reach a certain feel we’d like to add to them.
At the same time, it might also be common that we have a great song idea at the moment. But we may not be in the right place to set a microphone and record an acoustic guitar or even plug it into an interface if we’re talking about an electroacoustic guitar, that is, leaving us with our laptops as our only work tool at that particular moment.
In a nutshell, here are the best acoustic guitar plugins in 2023:
1. ujam Virtual Guitarist: Amber 2
3. Ample Sound – Ample Guitar M III
7. Ample Sound – Ample Guitar T
Our goal with this article is to help you get a better grasp and understanding of virtual guitar instruments that might be helpful for you to achieve the best guitar sound you can with these following plugins. Let’s get to it!
Top 7 Acoustic Guitar Plugins 2023
1. ujam Virtual Guitarist: Amber 2 NEW*
Infused with innovative features such as the new instrument mode and open chords, it serves as an expansive musical palette for composers.
Whether you seek the intimate tones of an indie song, the resonating chords of a pop ballad, or the fiery riffs of a rock anthem, Amber 2 empowers you to manifest your musical vision seamlessly.
Key Features:
- Style and Phrase
Amber 2 has over 30 styles and 350 phrases, making it your go-to acoustic guitar session player. The diverse range of styles allows flexibility and creativity, allowing you to find the perfect rhythm for your compositions. - Finisher Section
Amber 2’s updated version introduces the Finisher multi-effect rack, a sonic sculptor’s dream. This feature is home to numerous effect algorithms, ranging from subtle spatial effects to extensive modulation and distortion options.
The Finisher section is an tool for shaping and personalizing the sound to fit your unique production style, letting you carve your sonic signature into your tracks. - Voicing Controls
Amber 2 gives you control over voicing their virtual instrument through its Chord and Note modes. Chord mode provides full, lush strums perfect for rhythm guitar parts, while Note mode offers detailed articulation for single note lines or lead parts.
This feature lets you adapt the plugin to the specific requirements of your composition, ensuring that Amber 2 will always find a way to complement your music. - Extensive Effects Library
With 30 stomp box emulations and 60 Finisher FX Modes, Amber 2 is more than just a virtual guitarist—it’s an entire effects rack. The variety includes compressors, filters, delays, reverbs, and wah-wahs, delivering everything you need to shape the guitar sound to your liking. - Microphone Selection And Finisher FX
Amber 2 was recorded with carefully chosen microphones to ensure optimal sound variety. The result is a sound that replicates the richness and depth of a live, professionally-recorded guitar, suitable for various styles of music.
Also, it introduces the Finisher knob, which offers access to 60 multi-FX chains. This feature allows for adding unique textures and ambiance to your tracks, enhancing the depth and dimension of your compositions.
Compatibility:
Ujam Virtual Guitarist Amber 2 is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST, AU, and AAX formats.
Summary:
It has a very good audio quality that approaches realism, and the multitude of articulations allows users to explore their sound in more detail. With the UJAM plugins, you will get an algorithm at the highest levels and be able to use it most efficiently because the interface is well designed.
If you are looking for a nylon guitar plugin, we would recommend checking UJAM Silk as well.
Related Reading:
Top 20 UJAM Plugins For Music Production
2. WEDGE FORCE Oolong
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
WEDGE PRESSURE Oolong allows keyboardists to produce realistic guitar parts by simulating the sound of a professionally recorded acoustic guitar.
This ground-breaking software instrument allows keyboardists to include the full, authentic tone of acoustic guitars in their music. The harmonic resonances of guitar strings, and especially the way these resonances shift with each note played, are not captured by sampled guitar synths; therefore, they never fully sound natural.
With WEDGE Force’s “Synthetic Force Engine III,” this acoustic guitar plugin perfectly preserves their tone by synthesizing each note in real-time from waveforms captured in a studio. Oolong’s meticulously constructed algorithms allow it to retain each note’s authentic waveform character.
Key Features:
- Expression
Oolong tone is generated, so you may decide exactly where the plucking occurs. You may adjust the plucking position in real-time using the MOD wheel controller on your MIDI keyboard. If you play towards the bridge, your tone will have that actual guitar treble boost.
Modulating the string damping force from completely open to substantially muffled strings and everything in between is another approach to achieve expressive variety. Again, you may adjust the string damping by assigning a controller to your MIDI keyboard. - Effects
There have been countless iconic guitar riffs captured in the studio using only an acoustic guitar and a microphone. You can achieve impressively massive results straight out of the box with oolong, and only a small amount of EQ is required.
The built-in Delay and Flanger effects allow you to create a more contemporary sound. A custom-built multi-band compressor protects the bright high-end frequencies in Oolong. - Better Than Sampled Guitar
Because the harmonic resonances of the guitar strings change for each rapidly played note, regularly sampled guitar synths have never sounded fully natural. WEDGE’s “Synthetic Force Engine III” was developed for this purpose. It synthesizes each note in using algorithms designed to faithfully reproduce the timbre of the original waveforms from which they sampled them in the studio. - Mixing Console
Oolong provides a clean DI signal for acoustic guitars, which can then be re-amped and processed. Additionally, it provides a Studio-MIC and an Ambient-MIC signal; both captured using the Blumlein pair technique in a professional recording studio. You can adjust the balance of the three signals in any way you like to find the perfect blend for your music. - Surround Sound
Oolong can be played on a mono or stereo track, but it can also be placed on a multi-channel track in your DAW to give depth to your movie or gaming soundtracks. In addition, the Delay and Flanger effects are optimized, and the surround channels are automatically outputted, giving your tone a more three-dimensional quality.
Compatibility:
The OS requirements for this plugin are Windows 7 or higher for PC and macOS 10.9 or higher for Mac. It comes in VST/RTAS/AU/AAX formats and supports 32 and 64 bit systems.
Summary:
As far as guitar plugins go, this one comes close to replicating the full range of options and modes available on a genuine instrument. The guitar tuning system is intricate since it allows for a wide range of Hz so that you may play in 432Hz for a more classical sound than at the more common 440Hz, and the effects and mic blending are spots on. Although it can’t quite replace a real guitar, it’s a great instrument.
3. Ample Sound – Ample Guitar M III
If you want to have a legendary Martin guitar as a virtual instrument, the following plugin is just what you need. It is the Ample Guitar M III from Ample Sound.
Ample Sound is a well-known Chinese company that constantly surprises its fans with excellent virtual instruments. They have everything from ethno instruments to bass and electric guitars. Acoustic is no exception here. Among them is a beautiful plugin that gives you the sound of some of the highest quality American guitars of the Martin brand.
The Ample Guitar M III plugin will give you fantastic sound quality and a bunch of parameters and settings, and unique features on top of that. It includes everything you need for guitar performance: strummer, fingerpicking, and riffing, in addition to a first-rate effects suite and plenty of presets.
Key Features:
- Performance
Its different parameters, like the body and ambiance ones, surely give you much control over your sound. You can use Sustain, Hammer On & Pull Off, Legato Slide, Slide in & out, Palm Mute, Pop, Natural Harmonic, and Legato at random length & pitch & poly. - Authenticity
Ample Guitar M III undoubtedly did an excellent job mimicking what an acoustic guitar would sound like when recorded in a professional music studio. Thanks to extensive sampling, you get a high-quality and rich acoustic guitar sound. - FX
You will be able to influence your sound thanks to the 8-band EQ. Also available here is the 2-Line Compressor with support of soft knee, auto release, and auto makeup. In addition, there is a 6-Tap Echo and IR Reverb with options such as Room, Studio, Hall, and Larger Hall and 3D visualization of the IR spectrum.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, AAX formats, and as a standalone host.
Summary:
Ample Guitar M III from Ample Sound is a beautiful plugin that helps you bring the Martin guitar sound to your studio. Thanks to deep sampling, it has got an extraordinary sound quality.
It also has a lot of articulation settings and the ability to add plenty of effects, such as Delay and Reverb.
Related Reading:
Top 6 Classical Guitar Plugins & Kontakt Libraries (And FREE Guitars)
4. MusicLab RealGuitar 5
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
The team at MusicLab brings you a way of achieving steel-stringed or classical acoustic guitar sounds with a wide note range from scratch. It is RealGuitar 5 plugin.
MusicLab is a Russian company that specializes in developing virtual instruments, primarily guitar-based. For example, their list of products includes such plugins as Realstrat, RrealLPC (Les Paul Custom), Realrick (Rickenbacker), and the eight-string RealEight. But the Realguitar plugin implies emulation of acoustic guitars.
With Realguitar you get two virtual instruments at once – Classic, the original guitar models with lots of features, and Steel String, the debut of a new set of guitar samples with five patches and three settings for each.
The developers promise an excellent realistic sound, thanks to high-quality sampling, the possibility to use with MIDI-keyboard, a lot of articulations with noises, guitar-specific tricks, strumming, and fingerpicking techniques.
Key Features:
- Information Packed
RealGuitar 5 brings to the table a way of visualizing the actual notes you’re playing. That can be very much appreciated by those producers that are not necessarily music theory savvy but are passionate about getting an excellent quality sounding acoustic guitar. - Note Range
Look no further if you’re looking to work with a broader note range than what you would get from a standard tuned guitar. This plugin allows you to play with what could be considered alternate guitar tunings. It even has a seven-string guitar mode that lets you go all the way down to B1 if you’re into that. - Flexibility
An excellent example of this can be the slider mode it integrates that allows you to get bluesy style riffs, solos, and more. This way, you will have complete freedom to choose the right type of performance.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.10 or higher, 32 or 64-bit. It comes in VST2/3, AU, and AAX formats.
Summary:
With the RealGuitar 5 plugin from MusicLab, you get everything you need to get quality guitar performance in digital form. A nice feature is that you will have two virtual instruments at once – one is a Classic Guitar, and the other is a Guitar with steel strings.
Thanks to high-precision samples and a massive number of articulation settings, you will be surprised by the realistic sound.
Related Reading:
Top 12 Plugins For Mixing Guitar (Acoustic, Electric & Bass)
5. Acousticsamples – GD-6
The GD-6 plugin by Acousticsamples is a virtual acoustic guitar workstation that can be a handy tool for those who want to save a few bucks and get top-quality sound at the same time.
Acousticsamples is a French company that has excellent experience in creating virtual instruments. You can find everything from drum and keyboard plugins to guitars and basses and even organ on its website. In addition, they provide entire bundles of their products.
The GD-6 plugin is based on the Guild D-40 custom edition electro-acoustic guitar. Samples were recorded using a pair of microphones and built-in pickups. The creators claim they managed to create a plugin, which can surprise you with realistic sound because all samples were created very profoundly and take into account minor nuances of playing.
To be more precise, all frets of all strings with upstrokes, downstrokes, round robins, releases, staccatos, mutes, palm mutes, hand blocks, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, retriggers, fret noises, percussions, and other articulations.
Note that you will need additional software to use the GD-6 Acoustic Guitar. It is the UVI Workstation 3 player, which you can download for free from the Acousticsamples site.
Key Features:
- Strumming machine
The GD-6 plugin can strum every possible way: up, down, muted, legato, and allows picking. The sound is modeled after analyzing thousands of real chords. In addition, you can influence every aspect of the strings yourself through settings. And there’s a chord recognition engine that makes it easy to turn every chord you play on the MIDI-keyboard into an authentic guitar sound. - Pattern Maker
You can create guitar patterns in the plugin with extraordinary ease. It’s all thanks to the Pattern Maker feature. Here you can customize patterns with both fingers and pick. Besides, Acousticsamples has created an exceptional opportunity to save patterns to share them with other users. - Song Builder
This feature comes in handy for those who don’t have experience with music or just those who want to save time. The Song Builder will give you the ability to compose melodies very quickly. Just press the desired note, and the plugin itself decides which chord will be called when you do so. They’ve also included a collection of presets for creating song ideas, chord progressions, fret positions, or chord types.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST, AU, and AAX formats.
Summary:
GD-6 plugin is an excellent option for those who want a virtual instrument in the form of a Guild D-40 guitar. The creators have worked hard to give it as realistic a sound as possible. It has just about every articulation setting you could need. And the unique Song Builder makes it as easy as possible to use.
Related Reading:
9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)
6. AAS Strum GS-2
More Info & Price (Trial Available)
Applied Acoustics Systems developed a plugin that shines because of its powerful software but straightforward interface. Strum GS-2 is the perfect fit for a producer’s first virtual guitar plugin.
Applied Acoustics Systems is a Canadian audio products company that has been in operation since 1998. It specializes in developing many kinds of virtual instruments, from guitars and basses to synthesizers, and creates excellent sound packs.
The Strum GS-2 plugin will essentially be a unique solution for you. The fact is that this virtual instrument includes a vast collection of both acoustic and electric guitars. In addition, there is an automatic chord recognition system, sophisticated chord voicing, integrated strumming and picking action, MIDI riff library, amp emulation, and effects.
With parameters visually presented as amp knobs, it is easy to get familiar with this plugin, especially if you’re already a guitar player looking for a plugin you can work with while on the go without having to carry your guitar with you everywhere.
Key Features:
- Guitar collection
You’ll have access to over 200 different acoustic and electric guitars – nylon, steel, single-coil, and humbucker pickups, clean, crunchy, distorted – plus a 2-channel amp, acoustic cabinet, and 102 MIDI riffs covering a variety of musical styles. - Loop Mode
This function allows you to select loops from a wide variety of musical genres. Different keys will produce many loops or parts of a track. It is excellent for putting together a few ideas very quickly. - FX
The plugin offers built-in eEQ, compressor, and effects with the ability to tweak each string separately. Thanks to the variety of effects, you can create sounds even beyond the acoustic guitar. That is, turn your virtual guitar into a synthesizer.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.11 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, AAX, NKS formats, and as a standalone host.
Summary:
The Strum GS-2 from Applied Acoustics Systems gives you a virtual guitar with a ton of features. First, there are many acoustic and electric guitars with almost all the necessary articulations. You’ll also have access to an amplifier and a cabinet.
In addition, you get a lot of effects that allow you to experiment with your sound, making it almost unrecognizable.
Related Reading:
Top 6 Electric Guitar VST Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)
7. Ample Sound – Ample Guitar T
There’s a reason why there is another plugin by Ample Sound in this list. Ample Guitar T simulates the sound of a Taylor guitar with great detail and clarity at a much lower cost.
The Taylor 714CE guitar needs no introduction, as it is one world-class instrument that costs about $3,000. The guys from the Chinese company Ample Sound decided to recreate it as a virtual instrument. And it worked out, to put it mildly, just incredible.
Ample Guitar T is another excellent plugin that will give you access to a top-notch guitar tone in your home studio.
Ample Guitar T is created through deep sampling and has every possible articulation setting like other plugins from this company. With this software, you can play countries and patterns with your fingers or with a pick.
Thanks to the Customized Parameters Control technology, you can also control all nuances on the keyboard. And Multiple Capo Logics will give you various options of automatic fingering logic to cover different performances such as solo, chorus, etc.
Key Features:
- Play styles
The Ample Guitar T has been sampled with fingering and picking playing styles, adding sustains, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and all sorts of guitar techniques to the mix. The minor subtleties of all these styles of play you can adjust in the settings. - Riffer & Strummer
In Strummer mode, you will have 14 Strum notes and 28 ways to play each chord. There are also four humanization settings, Strum SEQ with customized rhythm and Delicate presets with MIDI export. The Riffer mode will give you the String Roll Editor and the Random Riff Generator. - FX
As with other plugins from Ample Sound, you get access to 8-band EQ with intuitive control of frequency response. There’s also a 2-Line Compressor, 6-Tap Echo, and IR Reverb with Room, Studio, Hall, and Larger Hall options.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, AAX formats, and as a standalone host.
Summary:
Ample Sound’s Ample Guitar T virtual acoustic guitar is probably the best one by them so far, given the fact that it tries to get as close as possible to the sound of a top-quality guitar like a Taylor one.
All possible articulation settings and effects are here so you can get a mix-ready acoustic guitar tone of the highest quality.
Related Reading:
Top 10 Guitar Libraries For Kontakt (Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Freebies)
The 6 Best Free Acoustic Guitar Plugins 2023
1. Ample Guitar M Lite II
Ample Sound makes a bold move by delivering a free plugin with virtually no compromises. It is the Ample Guitar M Lite II plugin.
This plugin from the Chinese company Ample Sound is based on the Martin D-41 acoustic guitar, known for its rich sound. Beautiful inlays and the fingerboard make it a dream for many guitarists.
As with their other software, Ample Sound has taken care of deep sampling. The plugin includes Finger Instrument libraries to fit different needs and features rich firing noise, which has become more vivid and realistic. There are Sustain, Hammer-On & Pull-Off, Palm Mute, and Popping five articulations.
Key Features:
- Technology
The plugin is equipped with Capo Logic technology, which provides intelligent play according to guitar rules. It also has Double Guitar, which means different samples at L & R channel. In addition, Ample Guitar M Lite II has Poly Legato, Slide Smoother, and Alternate Tuner. - Strummer
This feature will give you unusually realistic strum samples. In total, there are 14 strum notes with 28 different ways to play each chord. In addition, four humanization settings, strum SEQ with customized rhythm, and delicate presets with drag & drop support. - Tab Player
With the Tab Player, you can download and play several standard guitar tablature file formats. When used in a DAW, the Tab Player also lets you export tablature to an audio file. This feature supports all fingering, loops, chords, articulations, and other markers in the loaded tablature.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST2/3, AU, AAX formats, and as a standalone host.
Summary:
Ample Sound has made it possible for you to have the Martin D-41 acoustic guitar as a virtual instrument for free. You can use the rich sound of this guitar both in your DAW and as a stand-alone host.
Deep sampling and all possible articulations make this software a gift for beginner producers and experienced ones alike.
2. DSK Dynamic Guitars
The virtual instrument that DSK Music developed could probably be among the first choices when talking about a guitar plugin for beginners. Dynamic Guitars software is next on our list.
The Dynamic Guitars plugin is available on the DSK Music website, which provides music production software completely free. There are just a lot of different virtual instruments in the form of guitars, synths, drums, and more.
This software includes three types of guitars and a good number of controls to help you tweak the guitar tone to fit it well in the mix. Dynamic Guitars come with specific features that are just about what you would need if you want to write a guitar melody into your track without breaking the bank and having some fun while you’re at it.
Key Features:
- Ease-of-Use
DSK Dynamic Guitars is the kind of plugin you can open up and get started with playing right away. The fact that it has such a simple-looking graphical interface lets you focus on what you’ll play instead of having a million parameters to worry about. - Less is More
There are three types of guitars available in the plugin: Acoustic, Nylon & Steel. Each has a characteristic sound – Nylon is softer, Acoustic, and Steel – sharper and more resonant. - Voice Selector
You can choose whether you’d like to work with a polyphonic instrument or a monophonic one. It is crucial, especially if you want to differentiate between the sound you get when playing chords and the one you get when playing a melody.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS, both in 32 and 64-bit. It comes in VST and AU formats.
Summary:
We’d recommend you use this plugin if you want to materialize an acoustic guitar melody or riff quickly in your DAW. Dynamic Guitars DSK software can give you a pretty good-sounding virtual acoustic guitar.
Its main advantage is choosing between three different types of guitars and quite extensive sound settings.
3. Quiet Music Classic. Gtr Lite
This multi-sampled plugin is an excellent way of getting you inspired with few yet powerful presets and parameters. It is a Classic. Gtr Lite by Quiet Music.
The Quiet Music website is not entirely dedicated to music software development. These guys provide relaxing music, nature sounds, audiovisual production, and field recordings. They also have a bunch of free plugins, including Classic. Gtr Lite.
This plugin offers you a high-quality-sounding classical guitar in the form of a virtual instrument. In addition, you can apply many effects that will have a dramatic effect on your sound.
In general, the plugin has seven presets that you can play with. Quiet Music seems to have created this plugin to give producers and musicians alike the opportunity to get a very big-sounding guitar to get inspiration as soon as they open it and start messing with it.
Key Features:
- Influential Parameters
The plugin has a vast number of settings – a total of 8 knobs, which will significantly affect your sound. For example, Release can extend or shorten the duration of notes; Mod-Rate and Mod-Depth help you simulate the pitch of an instrument; Cut-Off acts as a high-pass filter to cut off the high frequencies of your sound. - Presets
Seven presets that’s an excellent variety for a free plugin. For example, here we can see Original, which is the default and gives you the sound of classical guitar and a rather extended-release. Also, here we have the more sleepy 1200 Cancer VII, the spacey Adus, the smooth-sounding Azathoth, and many others. - User Interface
It is not easy to find a nice-looking graphical interface of free plugins, but this particular one does a great job. Everything looks straightforward and clear here. So it doesn’t take you long to figure out the interface.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 8.1 or higher and macOS 10.13.6 or higher, 32-bit or 64-bit. It comes in VST/3 and AU formats.
Summary:
Classic. Gtr Lite from Quiet Music is a lovely free plugin that gives you an extensive field of experimentation with sound. You’ll get a good-sounding classical guitar and a lot of tweaks to its sound, in addition to effects that can turn it into something cosmic.
Plus, there are plenty of presets to give you an idea of what this software can do.
4. CutterMusic Revitar 2
Sometimes it’s necessary to stop the sampling and go full-on synthesis to achieve results that won’t repeat a sound whatsoever. It is the free Revitar 2 plugin from CutterMusic.
The Revitar 2 is available on the popular free software site Plugins4Free. It is a very peculiar plugin that doesn’t use any samples and relies entirely on a synthesis process to make it sound like it has been taken out of a retro sci-fi video game.
Despite this, there is quite a vast number of settings here.
For example, you can choose your virtual guitar body, tuning, and pick area. Besides, there are articulation adjustments, vibrato, and amp emulation.
Key Features:
- Body Types
This section allows you to choose one out of six different body types. It will make your sound fuller and warmer or thinner and flatter. In addition, two knobs control to control the Gain and Sympathetic levels. - Pick Shapes
The shape of your pick will also dramatically affect the sound you get from this plugin. With this, you can influence the sharpness of the sound and the expression of the attack. - No Sampling
Revitar 2 has no samples whatsoever, and everything is being handled and processed by your computer’s CPU. Even so, you can still influence articulation, as there are 48 programmable chords available, using absolute and relative positions and different playing styles – slides, hammer-on/pull-offs, chords, single string.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows, both 32 and 64-bit. It comes in VST format.
Summary:
Revitar 2 might not be the most amazing-sounding free plugin for you.
It does have a very digital sound, but in some cases, that might be precisely what you’re looking for. Plus, there is an extensive number of tweaks that have a noticeable effect on the sound of this virtual instrument.
5. Spicy Guitar
Spicy Guitar is the kind of plugin that will get you started with playing plenty of chord progressions in a very natural way as soon as you open it.
Spicy Guitar is a free, physically modeled acoustic guitar synthesizer. This virtual acoustic guitar is designed to give you a pretty fascinating array of features that not many free plugins can claim to have in their arsenal.
First, you can choose between 9 guitars, including Classic, Jumbo, Folk, and Flamenco. Also, there are two sets of strings, and you can experiment with five playing techniques.
Regarding technology, the plugin uses physical modeling. It does not work with recorded samples but uses a sound synthesis method that generates sounds using a mathematical model.
It can then be manipulated in very different ways than a plugin with samples.
Key Features:
- Chord Detection
The chord detection feature of this plugin allows you to build chords quickly. Just play three notes on your keyboard, and this virtual instrument will automatically recognize them. If you play them accordingly as if you were playing an actual guitar, it’ll provide you with four-note chords. - Presets
In addition to the choice of different types of guitars, the developers have put here 16 presets. For example, Tiny Ukulele, Old Banjo, Heavy, Sweet Pop, Musical Box, and other. - Sustain & Legato
A sustain and legato trigger makes up for a more natural, vivid, and organic sound. You can control it by getting the performance you want.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows and macOS, both in 32 and 64-bit. It comes in VST and AU formats.
Summary:
The Spicy Guitar plugin is a good solution if you want to experiment with a virtual instrument without investing money.
It has a pretty good sound despite the lack of sampling. Also, a nice feature is the large availability of guitars, presets, and sound settings.
6. DSK AkoustiK GuitarZ
AkoustiK GuitarZ will help you get a genuinely atmospheric guitar sound that can fit into almost any track you want.
It is another free virtual instrument that you can find on the DSK Music free software site. Although many free acoustic guitar plugins may not have excellent sound quality, AkoustiK GuitarZ overcame the stereotype and even added great-sounding effects.
A good advantage of this software is that you can choose between 4 types of guitars: Acoustic Guitar with low tuning, regular Acoustic Guitar, Nylon Guitar, and Dobro. They also put in amp envelope and fine-tuning, stereo spread, and portamento.
Key Features:
- FX
All in all, you will find three effects here: flanger, delay, and chorus. Each of them has three settings: Freq, Fback, and Mix. - Performance
With AkoustiK GuitarZ being a free plugin, its CPU usage and storage are almost always kept to the bare minimum. It is why you’ll have little to no problem having it run even in multiple instances in the same DAW session.
Compatibility:
The plugin is available for Windows 7 or higher and macOS, both in 32 and 64-bit. It comes in VST and AU formats.
Summary:
It may not surprise that this plugin is not for everyone as it has a very niche-oriented sound, user interface, and applications.
Despite this, we’d still recommend you go ahead and check it out so you can decide for yourself as to whether or not it might be worth it or valuable for your typical workflow.
Bonuses: Top 4 Sample Libraries For Kontakt
1. NI Session Guitarist Picked Acoustic
An extensive sample catalog might make you think twice about whether you should get a virtual guitar plugin or rather a Kontakt library like this one. It is the Session Guitarist Picked Acoustic by Native Instruments.
When we talk about Native Instruments, we mean a famous company that has been on the market for 25 years. It was founded in Berlin and now has offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Shenzhen.
Native Instruments specializes in developing software and hardware for computer-based audio production and DJing. And, of course, they are the creators of the famous Kontakt player themselves.
With the Session Guitarist Picked Acoustic library, you get the rich sound of a vintage guitar with both fingered and picked. The samples were recorded on a small-bodied 1973 Martin 00-21 by a studio veteran.
Besides that, the creators claim that they also used boutique and vintage microphones and high-end outboard gear. But this is not all the advantages of the library. In addition, you can experiment with a variety of effects.
Key Features:
- Play Styles
There are various rhythms, arpeggios, and string patterns in different styles and musical genres. You can also polish your performance with vibrato, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and advanced playing techniques such as harmonics and tremolo. - Mic Section
You have a choice of three microphones. For example, Condenser helps you get an authentic, modern-sounding stereo image. Dynamic is a vintage microphone to replicate the rock and folk sounds of the 70s. And the Ribbon will give you a rich and warm vintage sound. - FX
Speaking of effects, the library lets you adjust stereo width, add doubling and high-end studio effects. For example, there is a built-in REPLIKA delay, plate reverb, chorus, vintage compression, tape saturation, and more.
Compatibility:
The library is available for the free and paid versions of Kontakt 6.1 or higher, which runs on Windows 7 or higher, and macOS 10.13 or higher, 64-bit only.
Summary:
The Session Guitarist Picked Acoustic library from Native Instruments gives you the first-class sound of a Martin 00-21 acoustic guitar. There is an intense sampling here that gives you the ultimate impression of realism.
In addition, you can experiment with your tone by using different types of microphones and applying effects that are also of high sound quality.
2. Heavyocity Scoring Acoustic Guitars
If you’re looking for the sound of cinematic guitars that have an epic atmosphere and feel to them, this is the way to go. It is Scoring Acoustic Guitars by Heavyocity.
Heavyocity consists of professional composers and sound designers who create world-class virtual instruments for today’s composers and sound designers. Their assortment includes libraries of guitars and basses, keyboards and synthesizers, percussion, orchestral, vocals, and various effects.
Giving a cinematic feel to our guitars from scratch can be tricky, and sometimes it can get complicated, especially if you’re a beginner or intermediate producer. Heavyocity developed this acoustic guitar library that has just about everything you need to get that epic soundscape.
The Scoring Acoustic Guitars library is the latest addition to the award-winning Heavyocity GRAVITY Packs line of virtual instruments. It runs on the GRAVITY engine and can provide a vast collection of tempo-synced acoustic phrases.
For example, you’ll find complex pads, pulses, guitar scapes, and multi-sampled rhythmic strums and pedals.
Key Features:
- Variety of sounds
This library is based on folders with a collection of different sounds and guitar phrases. They are divided into Acoustic Guitarscapes, Melodic Pulses and Phrases, Pads, Performance Palettes, Rhythmic Harmonies, and Rhythmic Pedals. In each folder, you’ll find different harmonies, nylon or steel guitar sounds. - Main controls
In the middle of the library window, you will see three categories of control: Punish is responsible for adding aggressiveness to your sound; Twist – twists up the tonal properties of the patch; with Sample Tab, you can see the waveform of your sample and adjust the tune, pan, level, starting point and randomize the samples. - FX
You get quite an extensive number of effects, including Reverb, Chorus, Delay, and Distortion. They all have separate settings to get the tone you want as much as possible.
Compatibility:
The library is available for the free and paid versions of Kontakt 6.4.2 or higher, which runs on Windows 7 or higher, and macOS 10.12 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:
If you’re tasked with writing soundtrack and need a quality acoustic guitar library in a cinematic style, Scoring Acoustic Guitars is the perfect vibe for you. You’ll get plenty of samples in all-important keys and many of options for tweaking effects.
The developers of this library make sure that you can convey your emotions as accurately as possible with this sound.
3. Orange Tree Samples – Evolution Modern Nylon
Orange Tree Samples shows off how much their libraries and engines have been advancing with the Evolution Modern Nylon library in the last few years.
Orange Tree Samples is a California-based company that creates high-end sample libraries that sound virtually indistinguishable from a live performance. On their website, you can find many packs with acoustic and electric guitars, basses, banjos, and keyboards.
The Evolution Modern Nylon Kontakt library contains various sounds and features that make it a great choice regardless if you are a music producer, sound designer, musician, etc. Its organic and vivid sound is a somewhat particular characteristic.
Orange Tree Samples created the samples of this library in collaboration with the Rosewood Recording Company, one of Utah’s most respected recording studios. The creators used analog audio equipment to skillfully sculpt and emphasize the rich tonal qualities of the nylon guitar.
Key Features:
- Play Styles
The articulation of this library includes sustains, palm mutes, harmonics, plus special effects such as body hits, string slaps. There are also legato samples for slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. In addition, there is a strum pattern editor for authentic guitar strumming. - FX Rack
This section includes over $10,000 effect models, including tremolo, wah-wah, reverb, EQ, compression, chorus, flanger, and delay. There’s also an amp and cabinet emulation. - Accurate Mapping
MIDI mapping within this library is probably one of the most straightforward ways of carrying it out. Having a menu at the bottom tells you which parameters are mapped and which are not as well as the MIDI value set to them (from 0 to 127).
Compatibility:
The library is available for the free and paid versions of Kontakt 5.5.2 or higher, which runs on Windows 7 or higher, and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only.
Summary:
Evolution Modern Nylon is an excellent library of guitar samples from Orange Tree Samples that will give you a very natural and realistic sound.
It has all the possible articulations you’ll need for your creative process. In addition, the creators have filled the library with a mass of effects so that you can find the tone you want.
4. Vir2 Acou6tics Acoustic Guitar
Acou6tics has a wide variety of presets and sound, resulting in a handy tool for any music producer looking for a raw acoustic guitar tone.
The last on our list of libraries will be a product from Vir2 Instruments. It is an international team of sound designers, musicians, and programmers, developing virtual instrument libraries. Their products cover different genres of music and include guitars, basses, percussion, orchestral, and many other instruments.
Acou6tics Kontakt library gets a number six right in the middle of its name for a reason as that is the number of acoustic instruments recorded to make it possible.
Having a steel-string guitar, a nylon-string guitar, a twelve-string guitar, a ukulele, a guitalele, and a mandolin, this library brings a lot of sonic versatility and flexibility to the table.
Key Features:
- Organization
The Acou6tics library offers a well-organized way of interaction that presents you with four different pages that go from a playback page and a key switches page to a chords page, mics, and effects one. It doesn’t matter what you want to do with it. Finding your way through this Kontakt library is simple and very user-friendly. - Count Patterns
Folks at Vir2 got to pack some MIDI files that go beyond your typical 4/4 count patterns, going as far as adding 3/4 and 6/8 patterns, just in case you would like to go a bit crazy with time signatures in your tracks. - Mix & FX
There is also a Mics & FX page to work on the perfect tone for your project. Here you can control the volume and panning of the mics and the distance of the mic from the instrument. In addition, Acou6tics provides various effects, namely EQ, compression, chorus, delay, and convolution reverb with hand-picked impulse responses.
Compatibility:
The library is available for the standalone version of Kontakt 5 or higher, which runs on Windows 7 or higher (both 32 and 64-bit), and macOS 10.7.3 or higher.
Summary:
The Acou6tics library from Vir2 Instruments will be ideal for those who want to get several virtual instruments at once. Here you will have the possibility to use steel, nylon, twelve-string guitars, mandolin, and even ukulele.
The library has all the articulations and effects kit you need to create a mix-ready guitar tone.
Bonus Plugin:
Acousticsamples Sunbird
Acousicsamples company delivered a genuinely fantastic option in the market with its Sunbird iteration of their virtual acoustic guitar vision.
Sunbird is another excellent plugin from the French company Acousticsamples, based on the vintage 1962 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar. This instrument was created in 1960 and was Gibson’s first square-shouldered dreadnought.
The guitar was designed to encompass use in as many musical genres as possible. The instrument has a deep tone and is ideal for accompanying the voice.
Acousticsamples claims to have managed to sample the spirit of this guitar. It was profound, all the frets of all the strings with ups, downs, rounds, releases, staccato, muffles, fretting, brush blocks, slides, hammerheads, pull-offs, retriggers, frets, percussion, and other articulations.
These sounds were captured thanks to a pair of DPA microphones for detailed stereo perspective, with the U87 for catching bass and accurate mono perspective.
And together with their powerful strum, pattern, and song engine technologies, the plugin will be ideal for creating accompaniments.
Key Features:
- Mic Sources
Sunbird offers the ability to select different microphone sources within this plugin, which helps you get the exact desired tone you need for your tracks. The sampling for this plugin was done with three high-quality mics; this means that this piece of software will allow you to get particular room tones and reverbs with ease. - Strumming Engine
The strumming engine allows you to choose between a finger or pick playing styles with added muting functionality that offers a more natural and organic feel when playing. Nonetheless, you do need some keyboard-playing knowledge to be able to take full advantage of this function. - Solo mode
This mode uses an intelligent hand position system that decides for you where a real guitarist would put his hand and which string he would play. The Sunbird also has a powerful legato mechanism that automatically turns on legato, hammer-ons, pull-offs, or slides, and the legato distance determines the maximum interval.
Compatibility:
The plugin requires its sample player, the UVI Workstation 3. It’s available for Windows 8 or higher and macOS 10.9 or higher, both 64-bit only. It comes in VST, AU, and AAX formats.
Summary:
Acousticsamples has done the unbelievable by translating the legendary 1962 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar into a virtual instrument. The plugin captures all the minor nuances of playing and even the spirit of this vintage instrument.
You will get a lot of features that will make using the plugin straightforward without distracting you from the creative process.
Verdict
As we can see, the variety of plugins and acoustic guitar libraries for music production is excellent. We can choose between different guitars, genres, and nuances on which our work as musicians or sound producers depends.
But how do you choose the right plugin or library? First, we advise you to figure out your budget. If you can afford premium software, UJAM’s #1 Virtual Guitarist AMBER 2 will be an excellent option for you.
We also definitely recommend checking out Ample Guitar T from Ample Sound at number 6. The sound quality of these two plugins is incredible. But if you do not want or can not invest in plugins – it will not be a problem because there is enough free software.
For example, number 1 of our free list Ample Guitar M Lite and 2 Dynamic Guitars, will pleasantly surprise you with their sound quality.
Also quite important is the nuance in what form you want to use your virtual instrument. If you like to use the Kontakt player, we recommend the #1 library – Session Guitarist Picked Acoustic by Native Instruments.
And if you need not just an acoustic guitar, but with a cinematic vibe – number 2 Scoring Acoustic Guitars by Heavyocity will help you write the soundtrack for a video.
The plugins and libraries we presented to you in this article have almost unlimited possibilities for your creativity. Just choose one or more of them and go on a journey to meet your creativity and art. Good luck!
Guitar Related Topics:
Are Expensive Guitars Worth It? Electric, Acoustic & Bass
Top 12 Best Bass Guitar Brands
8 Best Strings for Slap Bass & Funk Guitar
Why Do My Guitar Strings Feel So Tight/Loose? Solved
Why Are My Guitar Strings So Hard to Bend & How to Fix It
Can I Use Guitar Pedals For Bass? Is it okay?
Why Do My Guitar Strings Keep Breaking At The Bridge?
Cheap VS Expensive Guitar Pedals: Main Difference, Pros & Cons
The 14 Best Combo Amps For Acoustic Guitar
Top 13 Fuzz Guitar Pedals (All Budgets)
The 14 Best Compressor Pedals For Jazz Guitar
The 9 Best Preamp Plugins (For Vocals, Guitars & More)
The 12 Best Tuner Pedals For Bass & Guitar
Top 7 Ring Modulator Pedals For Bass & Guitar
Top 11 Plugins For Making Metal (Guitars, Drums & Effects)
Top 10 Guitar Amp Plugins (And 5 Best FREE Simulators)
Top 6 Overdrive Pedals For Worship Guitar
Best Small/Mini Guitar Pedalboards
Top 12 Small Guitar Volume Pedals (Mini Pedals)
Top 12 Audio Interfaces For Guitar (On All Budgets)
Top 7 Available Arpeggiator Guitar Pedals
The 5 Best Autopan Guitar Pedals
Top 12 Guitar Pedals Great For Telecaster
11 Best Effect Pedals For Jazzmaster Guitar
Top 12 Effect Pedals Great For Les Paul Guitar
Top 9 Pickups For Worship Guitar
Top 12 Guitar Pedals Great For Stratocaster
12 Best Mics For Recording Acoustic Guitar
Top 12 Multi FX Pedals For Acoustic Guitar
Can You plug a Guitar into a Keyboard Amp?
Top 17 Best Guitar Pedal Brands In The World
How To Make My VST Guitar Sound More Realistic? – 8 Tips
How To Make Bass Guitar Sound Like Synth – Tips & Advice
Do Left-Handed Guitar Players Have An Advantage?
How To Make Bass Guitar Sound Deeper / Get a Great Bass Tone?
Top 12 Electric Guitar Brands In The World
Top 13 Acoustic Guitar Brands In The World
Top 6 Electric Guitar VST Plugins (Best PAID & FREE Picks)
Top 6 Classical Guitar Plugins & Kontakt Libraries (And FREE Guitars)
Top 10 Guitar Libraries For Kontakt (Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Freebies)
Top 12 Plate Reverb Guitar Pedals
Top 12 Plugins For Mixing Guitar (Acoustic, Electric & Bass)
Why Did My Guitar String Break While Tuning Down?
Are Guitars A Good Investment? Cons & Pros & What To Look For
Can You Use A Pa Speaker As A Guitar Cab? Answered!
How To Use Guitar Pedals In Logic? Answered
Top 7 BitCrusher Guitar Pedals Available
12 Best Acoustic Guitar Strings For Beginners
Top 12 Guitar Pots For Strat & Telecaster
11 Best 4×12 Guitar Cabinets (Marshall, Diezel, Messa…)
Top 12 Guitar Wiring Kits (Three Types)
11 Best Guitar Humidifiers on Any Budget
Top 9 Left-Handed Bass Guitars (With Best Value)
The 11 Best Ambient Guitar Pedals
The 12 Best Guitar Amp Attenuators
Top 8 Bass Guitar Strings For Metal
The 7 Best 1×12 Guitar Cabinets (All Budgets)
12 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $2000
Top 12 Classical Guitars Under $1000
Does Playing Guitar Strengthen Your Hands? Answered
9 Best Bass Guitar Plugins (And 2 Best Freebies)
Top 10 Doubler Plugins For Vocals, Guitars & More
Top 12 Spring Reverb Guitar Pedals Available in
Top 14 Harmonizer Guitar Pedals (Best Rated)
The 20 Best Guitar Preamp Pedals (Best Rated)
How long does it take to learn Fingerstyle Guitar?
Top 7 Bass Guitars For Stoner, Doom & Sludge Metal
12 Best Ample Sound VST Plugins (Guitars & More)
How to Fix Crackling & Popping Bass Guitar?
How To Use Channel Strip Plugins in Your Mix (Drums, Bass, Guitar)
How To Use Preamp Plugins? (On Guitars, Vocals, Bass & Drums)
How Loud Should My Guitar Amp Be For Recording? 6 Factors
Best Lo-Fi Guitar Effect Pedals For Unique Tone
Can I Run Vocals Through The Guitar Pedals? Answered
Why Do My Guitar Strings Smell Like Metal/Garlic/Pee?
Top 4 Limiter Pedals You Can Get (Best Guitar Limiter Pedals)
Do Electric Guitars Sound Good Unplugged?
Should I Learn 4, 5 Or 6 String Bass Guitar & Why? (Complete Guide)
Can I leave My Guitar Tuned Down a Step? Yes, But Is It Safe?
Can a 6 String Bass Be Tuned Like A Guitar?
Can You Play Two Guitars Through One Amp?
How often guitar necks need reset? Answered & Explained
Can I Play Classical Guitar On A Steel-String Guitar?
How Often Does A Guitar Need a Setup? (Acoustic, Electric, Bass)
If I Learn Acoustic Guitar Can I Play Electric Guitar?
Do Fender Guitars Appreciate In Value? (Are They Worth It?)
Top 2 Best Guitar Sidechain Compression Effect Pedals
How to Record Electric Guitar Into Logic Pro X?
Is Electric Guitar Too Loud for an Apartment? Can Neighbors Hear it?
Top 6 Guitar Amplifiers For Prog Metal
How To Chain Your Guitar Effects Pedals? Ultimate Guide
How To Fix Distorted Bass Guitar Sound?
Should You Put Stickers On A Bass Guitar? Does It Affect The Done?
Why Are Bass Guitars So Heavy? Answered & What You Can Do
Top 10 Guitar Pickups for Low Tunings
Top 14 Pedals For Garage Rock (Distortion, Overdrive & Fuzz)
Is It Worth Upgrading Bass Pickups? Answered
Overdrive vs Distortion vs Fuzz: What’s The Difference?
How Long Do Batteries Last in Your Active Bass?
Ilarion Ivanenko is a remote mixing and mastering engineer from Ukraine, a musician with more than 15 years of experience. Specializes in rock, metal, progressive and the other genres. He can’t imagine his life without music, as it is the biggest passion in his life