Guitar amp simulations can turn your clean, weedy-sounding DI guitar into pretty much any guitar sound you want. They often incorporate multiple amps, miking options and pedalboards and have become a standard toolkit item. Even so, options, sound and of course price vary considerably from one plugin to the next, and if you’re a newbie, you may be cautious about shelling out on features you won’t use.
Enter this month’s addition to our evergrowing Plugins suite of free instruments and effects: Stark CM. It’s been built exclusively for Computer Music by Swedish developer Klevgrand, home to class creative processors such as DAW Cassette, Degrader and more.
Stark CM (PC/Mac, VST/VST3/AU) is an algorithmic guitar amp simulator with four modules: Amp, Cabinet, Ambience and FX. It includes two amps (Guitar and Bass), each with clean and overdrive channels, and both preamp and master amp gain controls (Gain and Boost respectively). There are two cab types (Guitar and Bass) with amplifier stereo width, plus a room effect (Ambience). Rounding things off is a pedal effects slot (FX) with 14 effects.
In our tutorial, we’ll walk you through Stark CM’s features, showing you how to dial in terrific tones for guitar, bass and non-guitar use. We’ve even included Tutorial Files to help you follow along with our walkthrough and video.
Fancy more features, AAX support or an iOS version? Then check out the full Stark (PC/Mac $79.99, iOS $19.99). And get 50% off the desktop version with code CM2019 – see p57 for more. klevgrand.se
Step by step
01. Getting started with Klevgrand Stark CM
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sonuscore The Score $399 PC MAC
The Score comes up with a film soundtrack based on your stylistic choices, but that’s just the start of it. Andy Jones scores The Score
Baby Audio Humanoid $129 PC MAC
Humanoid brings the ‘extreme’ and ‘radical’ to the world of vocals, but is also one of the easiest plugins to use and abuse, says Andy Jones
The Synth Factory Horizen $129 PC MAC
A synth/sampler that packs in a lot of power at an almost silly price - despite its low profile, Andy Jones gazes at Horizen...
Flow Mastering Suite $15/month PC MAC
Mastering your music just got as easy or as complex as you want. But, Andy Jones asks, is it worth yet another monthly subscription?
Universal Audio LA-6176 $299 PC MAC
UA has bundled three of its classic emulations into one channel strip. Is this analogue dream your ideal plugin team? Andy Jones finds out
Rack'em up...
IK Multimedia has announced a comprehensive update to its mixing and mastering software, T-RackS, that brings some smart mastering additions
FX Collection 5 €499
Arturia's huge bundle of effects gets its regular update and it's still easily as essential as the company's V Collection
Make a pulsing bass with GForce Axxess
Get mechanical, with a garage-inspired bass patch, which gets right to the pulsing heart of the Axxess synthesiser
The software that shaped us
Computer Music has had a 25-year history, and over the life of this magazine, the technology behind music production has changed beyond recognition. Here are the products that set the stage for the modern world…
PERFECT VIRTUAL GUITAR!
Need a great guitar sound, but lacking any guitar-playing contacts, or the skills to play it yourself? Have no fear, your computer is here! With a few pointers, buying advice and hands-on tips, you and your PC or Mac can emulate the greatest guitarists in the world…
