Brandon Stoner
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Writer/marketer in the music industry, film/TV, sports, tech. Published in Guitar, Music Radar, Guitar World, VICE, Headliner, American Songwriter, Fansided.
Articles by Brandon Stoner
12 of the best free VST plugins we could find
There has never been a better time to surf the freeware market for free VST plugins to try. Companies continue to innovate, and there are almost too many options available these days that can rival – and sometimes surpass – paid options. Plugins come in multiple formats, but VST has by far the most popular as digital audio has really come into its own over the past 25 years.
Best BluesBreaker-style pedals to give your tone that classic Marshall vibe
With Marshall’s reissue of its beloved BluesBreaker pedal (based on the sound of the classic amplifier), it sent the guitar pedal world into a bit of a frenzy. But if you’re looking for alternatives when it comes to the best BluesBreaker-style pedals you have no shortage of options. The news about the reissue originally surfaced about a year ago when the pedal started showing up on distributor websites. Marshall heavily denied it at the time, but it looks like it’s true.
Best free EQ plugins: Sculpt your audio without paying
EQ is one of the primary tools in the engineer’s arsenal. While there are fantastic paid EQ plugins like the ProQ series from FabFilter, and the Waves Audio and UA stuff, it is also a category with a rich freeware inventory. So, whether you need something surgical for removing unwanted resonances, or something with some mojo for additive EQ, here are our picks for the best free EQ plugins. Best free EQ plugin overall Sonimus SonEQ It only offers 3 bands, but this is a great Swiss army knife EQ.
Best Marshall-style pedals: Get that Marshall tone in a pedal
Marshall Amplification is legendary in the guitar world. Their sonic signature is all over some of the most popular recordings in music across pretty much every genre. And for good reason! They are incredibly well-crafted and have the tone to match. These are our top picks for some of the best Marshall-style pedals available today. But if you want to get the famous Marshall sound without having to move away from your current amp, or if your budget is slim, you can always look to the pedal world.
Best free LA-2A compressor plugins: Get that classic sound without paying a penny
In the audio world, a few compressors are notorious for their timeless sound. The LA-2A is one of them. There are plenty of great paid options, but you might want to try it first. That’s why we put together this list of the best free LA-2A plugins. It’s an optical design that uses a photosensor to read the incoming signal and the compression circuit reacts accordingly. This is very different than something like a FET compressor like the 1176.
Best free Fairchild plugins: Get that classic sound without spending a penny
As far as legendary compressors go, few stand in myth and mystique like the venerable Fairchild. When it comes to compressor plugins that emulate specific hardware, there are very few freeware options for the Fairchild or Vari-mu compressor design. But the ones that do exist are pretty damn good. We’ve covered the best free LA2A plugins and the 1176, so let’s explore the best free Fairchild plugins.
Best free virtual instruments: Make music without breaking the bank
If you’re looking to add to your virtual instrument collection but your budget is slim, you still have plenty of options. Unlike a lot of paid virtual instrument plugins, some freeware is not to everyone’s liking. But one of the biggest benefits is that you can feel free to try them at no cost to you. With so many great options out there it’s impossible to include them all.
“It changed what we thought was possible for electric guitars”: How a $20 box designed for cheap speakers became the secret weapon behind Metallica’s massive Black Album guitar sounds
Metallica in concert at the NEC Arena, Birmingham. James Hetfield, lead singer and guitarist with the band, 4th November 1992. When you think of the iconic guitar sounds on some of the biggest records in rock, consumer equipment definitely isn’t the first type of gear that comes to mind. But a small and mighty consumer device from SRS called The WOW Thing changed that, and proved that great guitar tones can come from the most unlikely of places.
“It changed what we thought was possible for electric guitars”: How a $20 box designed for cheap speakers became the secret weapon behind Metallica’s massive Black Album guitar sounds
How rhythm and lead techniques can combine for the ultimate blues solo – especially in a trio There are several benefits to be taken from this solo, even if I do say so myself, depending on how you might choose to approach it. First, the …
Best Pultec plugins: Get that classic Pultec sound in the box
First released in 1951, Pultec equalizers are one of the few pieces of gear to have achieved mystical status in the recording world. Original units in mint condition can fetch upwards of $10,000 on the market. Pultec plugins are the answer. Like a lot of other pro audio gear, the magic lies in an all-tube circuit design, and the unique way that this design lets you boost and cut at the same time.
The best plugins: Discover the best choice for your library
There are a lot of plugins to choose from. Finding the best plugins for your library can be a daunting task. We’ve done a lot of plugin rundowns that cover different categories. Here we go over our favorites in each type – paid and free – so you can save some time shopping around and get back to making music. Best all-in-one channel strip plugin Waves Scheps Omni Channel Who better to design a channel strip plugin than one of the most legendary mix engineers on the planet.
Beyond the hype: are we entering a new era of guitar technological innovation?
The Circle Guitar. Image: Andy Ford for Guitar.com When you purchase through affiliate links on Guitar.com, you may contribute to our site through commissions. Learn more Talking about innovation in the world of guitar is a slippery topic at the best of times. On the one hand, the instrument has endured as a key vehicle for popular musical expression for over 70 years – with each new generation finding new ways to use the instrument to express themselves.
Best vocal microphones money can buy
No matter what level of studio you operate or what styles of music you work with, it’s critical to have at least one solid microphone that can handle vocals. Vocal microphones come in as many varieties as the voices you’ll be recording. Some work are more tailored for male or female vocals. Some have a fairly neutral frequency response. Others can offer some pretty drastic EQ curves – normally in the high-midrange and/or high end.
Best electronic drum kits: Get your groove on
Electronic drums have so many benefits. They’re great for low volume playing and portability. Through MIDI you can use them to trigger virtual instruments (not just drum plugins either) and other types of plugins. With everything that can affect the sound of your drums, they also take room acoustics out of the equation in the studio. But they are not a replacement for playing on an acoustic kit. The most appealing feature might be the advancements in sound modules over the past decade.
Best blues guitar pedals: Sounds with soul
Rock would not be what it is today if it weren’t for the blues, and blues today wouldn’t be what it is without rock. Even though it’s a genre that relies more on technique than gear, players often wonder – what are the best blues guitar pedals?
Best guitar pedals for beginners: Getting your pedalboard started
If you’re just starting to learn how to play guitar, you might have begun looking into the wide world of guitar pedals. And, if so, you’re in luck! We’re in the golden age of pedals, and there has never been a wider selection of the best guitar pedals for beginners at every price point. The best guitar pedals for beginners is a wide-ranging topic, but one that applies to every future guitar hero, no matter what their budget.
Best guitar amp pedals: Give your tone that amp-like sound
The days of lugging around an amp rig that weighs as much as your car are over! You can now get big, realistic amp tones from guitar amp pedals that aren’t much bigger than the others on your board. Unlike guitar amp modelers, each selection here is an analog design. So rest easy, no more putting your precious tone in the hands of fate by relying on vague descriptions of venue backline or having to rent whatever the sound company has available. Here are some of the best guitar amp pedals.
Guitar amp attenuators: Everything you need to know
It’s no secret that tube amps just sound better when cranked. Finding the right balance of drive to the preamp and power sections results in an undisputedly heavenly tone. But many tube amps become unmanageably loud when played at the volumes needed to achieve this. This is where a guitar amp attenuator comes into play. They’re not only for tube amps, but for any guitarist looking for ways to dial in appropriate volume without sacrificing tone.
Best free 1176 plugins: That classic 1176 sound without spending a cent
Compressors all have their own sonic flavor. If you’re looking for a smooth, transparent sound look into an optical style like an LA2A. We went over the Best Free LA2A Compressor Plugins previously. Another of the most infamous compressors is the 1176. It’s a FET design, which is a type of transistor. These types of compressors have faster time constants than others, with greater preservation of the transient material.
Best wireless microphone systems: Range meets reliability
There’s no disputing the advantages that wireless microphone systems offer. They give you freedom to move around the stage and not worry about long runs of cabling. These are just a few of the true benefits of the technology. We’ve run down some of our favorite wireless systems under the $500 price range. But you might have a little more spend to work with and be looking for something over that threshold.
Best acoustic guitar microphones: Capture that perfect tone
Looking for the best acoustic guitar microphone? A lot of people think of a small or large-diaphragm condenser as the first choice. They do a great job of capturing the detail and nuances of the instrument. If you’re going with a small-diaphragm, the transient detail they capture makes an acoustic sound great. But think about this, how is the acoustic guitar contributing to the mix? In a dense band track, the acoustic tends to become more of a percussion instrument.
Best acoustic guitar pedals: Improve on that natural tone
If you ask an acoustic guitarist if they use pedals, you might get a confused reaction. For some reason the acoustic guitar has been the last bastion of purity in the guitar player world, with many vehemently opposing the introduction of effects. But the reality is that the acoustic guitar leaves a lot of room for experimentation, and although you can go effect crazy with an electric guitar setup, subtle is more the name of the game when pairing acoustic guitars and effects pedals.
Best outboard equalizers to sculpt your perfect sound
While software equalizers can do things that hardware just can’t, hardware EQ definitely has its merits. It can impart a particular analog flavor to a signal that most software just can’t, especially when used on the front end. The best outboard equalizers tailor the sound in ways that make things really easy when it comes to mixdown. There are a lot of great hardware EQs available today, from full rack units to 500 series. These are some of the best outboard equalizers available today.
The best microphones you need for your studio
It can be hard to narrow down the best microphones you need for your studio when you’re looking to build out your collection. Everyone works within a budget, and that can be limiting at times. Luckily, microphone technology has gotten so good that you don’t have to spend thousands on one to be able to make great recordings. In fact, you can spend far less, and still get an incredible sound! Here’s everything you need to know.
Best channel strip plugins
The term “channel strip” goes way back to the days of analog recording. As recording technology evolved and large-format consoles became de facto, so did the concept of the channel strip. In the most basic form they consist of a preamp and equalizer. More sophisticated models include additional processing like compression, gates, and expanders. EMI out of Britain were pioneers in the early days.
Best saturation plugins: Give your tracks some grit
There are few types of plugins that can take a track to the next level like saturation. It’s a versatile effect that is one of the best ways to spice up a digital recording. It sounds like a recording cliché to say that it can give a production that little something that’s missing. But it’s true. Even if there is no standout contender for the best saturation plugin. It sounds great on any track type, and even sounds good if you stack one plugin with another.
Best pedalboards: Better organize your effects
When it comes to arranging your guitar effects chain, the options you have when it comes to pedalboards can seem endless. A good, professional pedalboard helps out guitar and bass players in a number of ways. They can clean up some of the mess by making your wiring arrangements more organized, they make it easy to set up and tear down at shows or during recording sessions, and for some they can force you to be as efficient as possible with your setup due to their size.
Best compressor plugins: Tame your dynamics without hardware
There are a lot of great free compressor plugins available. But it’s a worthwhile investment to have some paid versions in your library. It’s not always about budget either. When investing in the best compressor plugins you usually get support from the manufacturer, patching updates, and access to their official knowledge base. Since compressors are all designed to provide something different, we picked some from each category. These are far from your only options, but they’re a to start.
Best studio monitor controllers
Sometimes just one set of monitors isn’t enough. You might normally work with 8” or 10” studio monitors, but want to have a set of 12” to reference. Most people listen on computers and devices with really small speakers, so you might want to have a set of consumer-grade “monitors” so you can check your mixes on what the average listener will be using. This is where studio monitor controllers come in. Just like a control surface or MIDI controller, they’re a really useful studio accessory.
Best budget gear for your bedroom studio: Recording for cheap
Believe it or not, putting together a bedroom recording studio isn’t really that complicated, and it certainly doesn’t have to be expensive. There are so many fantastically affordable products on the market that finding the best budget gear for a bedroom studio offers more than a few options. All you need is a recording computer (analog recording is a separate beast!), an interface, playback source (monitors or headphones), a microphone, cabling, and some sounds to record.
Best DAW Control Surfaces
DAW control surfaces give you an entirely new dimension of control over your music productions. One thing to consider is that not all control surfaces are compatible with every DAW, so when you’re shopping around make sure the models you’re interested in work with whatever software you’re using. They provide external transport controls, make writing automation easier, and give you a level of external control that makes working with digital audio much easier.
Best mini amp heads: Power meets portability
Mini amp heads are a practical way to add half stack sound to your setup while saving on space. They pack in every bit of tone, and many of the features, of their big brothers. One of the best things about them is that most of them are really affordable. Like, under $300 affordable! How many guitar players have gear lusted over adding something like a Friedman, Bogner, or Soldano to their backline but had to give up the dream because of cost, space, or volume concerns?
Best delay plugins: Give your tracks some depth
Delay effects are one of the best ways to add depth and dimension to tracks. Along with reverb plugins, you can give your productions the perfect amount of space. The best delay plugins for your library vary based on your needs. Are you looking for a clean, modern delay or something vintage and darker? Do you want something simple or a large control set? They can be complex to dial in depending on how many controls and parameters they offer.
Best next-gen guitar amp modelers
Amp modeling technology has made some huge forward bounds over the past few years. As more and more artists of all calibers move to units like the Axe-FX, Kemper, and other companies are challenged to remain on the cutting edge when it comes to sounds and features. “Next-generation” might seem like a vague term, so we’re looking at units that are innovative and progressive while providing stellar amp sounds.
Best acoustic guitar amps: Natural tone, louder volume
In most acoustic guitar amplification scenarios, the signal will be sent into a D.I. box and then out to the house sound or recording system. While this method is simple and tried-and-true, you might want to explore the different sounds that acoustic guitar amps provide. With an acoustic guitar amp, you can expand your sound by adding effects and microphone modeling, as well as being able to amplify your direct signal, a microphone, or even vocals.
Best clean guitar amps: Perfect pedal platforms
Having your entire rig “at your feet” is a growing trend among guitar players, especially those that do a lot of traveling. Renting or relying on third party backline can be a nightmare for a number of reasons, so it’s become not only useful, but somewhat necessary, to be able to get “your sound” with your guitar pedal chain alone. Building your rig this way provides a blank canvas for painting any tone. Here are five of the best clean guitar amps.
Best virtual instrument plugins: A whole band in your computer
Virtual instruments are some of the most fun plugins to play with. You can create sounds you wouldn’t otherwise have access too, or add in instruments that you don’t know how to play. We’ve covered the best free virtual instruments, so let’s talk about some of our favorite paid virtual instrument plugins. MIDI is a powerful tool that has been around since the late 70s/early 80s. And there is a reason why it’s still a standard – it’s incredibly useful.
Best EQ plugins: Sculpt your sound
Equalization is one of the most important types of processing. There are a lot of options when you’re looking into the best EQ plugins, even though there are a lot of free EQ plugins available to you. Some of them sound great, but there are a lot of advantages for choosing officially licensed versions. You get access to updates as they’re released and can lean on manufacturer support if you experience any issues.
Best loop switchers: take control of your pedalboard
Is controlling your pedalboard getting out of control? Do you feel that your playing time is more like a tap-dancing display than a musical performance? This is where loop switchers come in. They provide a lot of benefits to help you make sure you have the right pedals engaged at the right time.
Best reverb plugins: Give your tracks some space
Artificial reverb was invented in the 1930s. The way they did it back then was playing recordings through speakers in different spaces and recording the sound of the space. By the 50s it was clear that the reverb effect was here to stay. Fast forward to reverb plugins. The workflow for using an analog reverb was cumbersome and time-consuming. Thankfully with digital audio none of that is a concern anymore.
Best power conditioners: Guard your gear from eletrical danger
Safe, clean power is one of the most under-considered aspects of good sound. So it makes sense that power conditioners are one of the most misunderstood types of gear. They provide different types of protection and notification against signal killers like voltage differentials, interference, and surge protection. They’re used in all types of situations, but are really common in recording studio, live sound reinforcement, and guitar/bass rigs.
NAMM 2026: The Korg Phase8 is a hybrid kalimba with digital controls
Korg really killed it with their electronic music production gear at NAMM 2026. They announced the release of a new, full-size Kaoss Pad, but that wasn’t the only interesting electronic music production tool they rolled out. Created by Tatsuya Takahashi, the inventor of Korg’s renowned Volca and Minilogue synths comes the Phase8. Labeled as an “acoustic synthesizer”, it’s basically a synthesizer and electric kalimba, an African instrument also called a “thumb piano”.
NAMM 2026: Korg Kaoss Pad V, a unique instrument for creating electronic music
There was plenty of gear that appealed to electronic musicians at NAMM 2026, and Korg definitely didn’t hold back. The Kaoss Pad has been popular in electronic music production since the first version became available, but the line hasn’t seen anything new (at least not a full-size model) since 2013’s KP3+. That changed with the announcement of the Kaoss Pad V.
NAMM 2026: Fender Studio Products - A DAW, audio interfaces, and controller!
PreSonus has rebranded their popular Studio One DAW as Fender Studio Pro. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has been pushing to reshape the perception that they’re a guitar-only brand, but Studio Pro isn’t just Studio One with a fresh name. “Fender Studio” is an entire music ecosystem, but it is still the Fender we all know and love. So they’ve added multiple guitar-based elements.
Best reverb pedals: Give your guitar tones some space
Reverb is one of the most versatile types of effects. From the subtle slap of a spring, to pleasant plate resonance, all the way to the ethereal skyscapes of shimmer it seems reverb and guitar is the ultimate tandem for great tone. Let’s dive into some of our favorite reverb pedals.
NAMM 2026: Polyend Endless - text your effects!
There have been many very cool pieces of gear at NAMM 2026 that integrate new technology like machine learning and AI. How appealing these will be to musicians once the shine fades a bit remains to be seen, but the Polyend Endless is definitely one of the coolest ideas at the show. You probably never thought you’d hear the terms “guitar pedal” and “open source” in the same breath, right? Endless is an effects pedal with sounds that can be totally customized through a number of methods.
The latest release from Kurzweil, the SP8, is tailor-made for performance
The latest release from Kurzweil at NAMM 2026, the SP8, is tailor-made for performance. Whether it’s on the stage or in the studio this is a terrific digital piano/synthesizer hybrid. It’s got the robust sound library you’d expect from the company, and with the SP8 they’ve added organ models to the acoustic and electric piano instruments. Kurzweil also added a 6-operator FM synth to the selection of sounds.
NAMM 2026: The Solid State Logic UMD192 is a portable USB, Dante, and MADI audio interface
Solid State Logic stepped into the audio interface arena in 2020. They’ve been pushing the envelope ever since, and at NAMM 2026 they announced their most sophisticated unit yet in the UMD192. This two-channel desktop design is packed with the inimitable SSL sound, but what makes it truly unique is the Dante and MADI connectivity integration.
NAMM 2026: Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini - same sound, smaller size
Guitar players of all career and skill levels have adopted the ampless rig idea, and there have been a lot of new types of digital guitar technology released to accommodate the increased demand. Neural DSP is one of the companies leading the way, with some of the best modeling tech. Their flagship product, the Quad Cortex, is one of the best and at NAMM 2026 they rolled out a smaller version – the Quad Cortex Mini.
NAMM 2026: Friedman IR-LOAD - tube tone and machine learning
It’s virtually impossible to come across technology that isn’t powered by artificial intelligence and/or machine learning these days. The Friedman IR-LOAD changes that. And to this point it seemed like guitar amps were one of the last types of tech that wasn’t in AI’s grip.
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