Electric Guitar Sound Sources Edition - A Must-See for DTMers! An Introduction on Recommended Sound Sources

Hello!
It’s Kaoru the composer here!

This time, I’m going to talk about my introduction on recommended sound sources: “Electric Guitar Sound Sources Edition.”

The electric guitar is an indispensable instrument in modern music.
Although, it was said to be the most difficult instrument to express realistically with MIDI and there weren’t many truly realistic software options available until some time ago.

Many people chose to record real guitars instead.
However, the evolution of electric guitar sound sources in recent years has been incredible!
It does take some time, but if you carefully fine-tune them, they can deliver extremely realistic performances.

I’ll be picking out and introducing some products I personally recommend.

VIR2 / ELECTRI6ITY Software Electric Guitar Sound Source

A standard guitar sound source is often referred to as a milestone among electric guitar sound libraries.
Although it’s one of the older guitar sound sources, it remains popular thanks to its high level of completeness.

This product includes the following instruments:

• Stratocaster
• Telecaster
• P90
• Les Paul
• Rickenbacker
• Danelectro / Lipstick
• ES335
• L4

A total of eight types are included.
From highly versatile models to more unique ones, everything is covered, so this alone can get the job done.

All sounds are carefully sampled with clean tones, so by combining them with the built-in multi-effects, a wide range of sound design is possible.

I often use it together with AmpliTube.
I highly recommend it!!

It’s extremely flexible, so it can also handle special playing techniques.

However, one drawback is that it’s difficult to operate.
This sound source assumes you can make full use of automation and CCs, so it may be hard for beginners to master right away.

That said, once you get used to it, you can program parts quickly, so if you’re motivated to improve, you’ll be just fine!
It’s extremely high quality, and I consider it a “sound source you can use for a lifetime.”

UJAM / Virtual Guitarist Sparkle

Personally, I decided to get this electric guitar sound source after watching the official videos.
They specialize in pop-style guitars covering everything from the 1970s to the present day.

Crunch-style guitars are notoriously difficult to program realistically, but this sound source freed me from that frustration.

Chords, octave phrases, and single-note phrases are included and organized by category.
You can also simply choose from a wide range of presets, and it will play electric guitar parts that feel completely natural.
Honestly, once you get used to using this, you won’t be able to let it go….

I felt this is a groundbreaking product that truly reflects the innovation UJAM has been showing recently.
You can sometimes get it at a great price during sales, so if you’re interested, be sure to check regularly!

PROMINY / V-METAL

Just like its package design suggests, this is a metal-focused electric guitar sound source that delivers ominous, writhing sounds.
It faithfully recreates the sound of the EMG humbuckers, a standard pickup in the world of metal.

As you can see from the official videos, with detailed adjustments it can perform incredibly realistic guitar parts.
It also supports drop C tuning, so it should be able to handle just about anything in these genres.

Another nice point is that Prominy is a Japanese manufacturer, so they have a solid support system in place.

Note: To recreate distorted sounds like those in the official videos, you will need separate software such as an amp simulator.
Please keep this in mind when making your purchase.

UJAM / IRON 2

Virtual Guitarist IRON 2 is the most popular product in the UJAM lineup.
In addition to phrases such as riffs, power chords, and chords, the addition of Instrument Mode now allows single-note programming as well.

In other words, the increased flexibility means it can now handle not only backing parts but also lead roles.

It’s a groundbreaking piece of software that reflects UJAM’s style, allowing you to program guitar parts with confidence even without any guitar knowledge.
It also supports MIDI drag-and-drop, so you can use the phrases as-is or customize them to your liking!

Despite having such a rich set of features, it’s nice to know that it can be purchased at an affordable price.

By the way, it seems that UJAM products can be installed on any number of machines as long as they’re not launched simultaneously!
That’s great news for those with secondary setups!!

CRYPTON / REAL STRAT 5 / BOX

As the name suggests, this is a software guitar sound source that delivers a realistic Stratocaster tone.
Its popularity has led it to finally evolve all the way to version 5.

In particular, the MIDI management features are very convenient!
From solo phrases to chord backing and arpeggios, everything can be reproduced with ease.

This software includes a full set of functions necessary for realistic guitar reproduction.
In addition, starting with REAL STRAT 5, the introduction of Multi Performance Technology has strengthened features aimed at live performance.

One drawback is that it only includes “Strat sounds.”
That said, if you love Strat tones, the REAL STRAT 5 is a perfect fit!

That wraps up my introduction on recommended sound sources: “Electric Guitar Edition.”
Putting everything together here, I realized something… surprisingly enough, each company really has its own unique character.

Choose what suits you best and enjoy a fun musical life!!

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