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Introduction to Soundshed Guitar

Soundshed Guitar is a guitar amplifier and effects processor that runs on your computer — either as a standalone app or as a plugin inside your recording software (DAW). It combines the warmth of real amp modelling with a flexible effects chain, so you can dial in any tone from clean and airy to saturated and aggressive.

What it does​

  • Amp modelling using Neural Amp Models (NAM) — captures that capture the real character of physical amplifiers
  • Cabinet simulation using Impulse Responses (IR) — the "speaker in a room" part of your tone
  • A full effects chain — gate, drive, compressor, EQ, delay, reverb, modulation, pitch effects, and more
  • A visual signal chain editor — drag and drop effects into the order you want them
  • Preset management — save and recall your complete setup instantly
  • Community sharing — browse and download amp models and presets from other players

Who it's for​

Home recording guitarists who want professional amp tones without mic'ing a cabinet — just plug in and record.

Gigging musicians running a laptop rig — reliable instant recall and low latency so your tone never surprises you on stage.

Audio engineers who need flexible routing and want to run multiple amp setups simultaneously.

Tone enthusiasts who love exploring amp models and building custom effect chains.

Key concepts​

Neural Amp Models (NAM)​

A NAM is a digital capture of a real guitar amplifier. Instead of simulating amp circuits with maths, it records how the amplifier actually responds to an input signal, so it sounds and feels like the real thing. Soundshed Guitar can load any NAM-format model file.

Impulse Responses (IR)​

An IR is a snapshot of how a guitar cabinet and microphone sound together. When you put an IR Cabinet block after your amp model, it adds the speaker and room character to complete the tone.

The signal chain​

Your guitar signal travels from left to right through a chain of effects, exactly like a pedalboard. The order matters — a gate before your amp tightens up the noise, while a reverb after the amp adds space without washing out the dry tone.

Presets​

A preset saves your entire setup — every effect, every parameter, and the order everything is in. Load a preset and the whole chain is restored instantly.

Getting started​

Head to Getting Started to set up your audio device and load your first preset.