PreSonus Forums

In a recent PreSonus News email there is a link to this free guitar VST from UJAM called SPARKLE! The code is in that email from PreSonus.

https://www.ujam.com/partner-checkout/?partner=presonus

You can check out Sparkle here:

https://www.ujam.com/sparkle/

This is quite a great guitar plugin. Comes with 3Gig of library which can be easily installed on whatever drive you want too. It is $129 US normally which is over $180 AU which is quite a lot in fact. Great value here.

It is easy to create a UJAM account and download and authorise this.

Ah - that's a pity, I already have Sparkle & Amber, why couldn't they have offered a choice from all 4 guitar types in their range (Iron or Silk)?

Find these plugins useful for adding background/filler guitars but haven't used them for an upfront primary guitar track yet. Takes a little time to get used to and can be frustrating auditioning numerous presets (in combination with half/double time options) trying to find the riff that suits.
The playback timing also suffers glitches if you don't start at the beginning of a phrase/bar and it doesn't pick up on the modifier key relevant to the section being played back until it passes a new modifier, electing instead to utilised the last used modifier (although this might be due to a setting I have missed).
Overall though, I'd recommend giving this plugin/s a try - especially if it's available for 'free', a no brainer.

Regards....

p.s. Why didn't I get the Presonus News email...???

Yeah I didn't get the email either, is there a different code for different users or is it all the same like the Waves one was? Wonder if I should just get a code from someone since I didnt' get the email.

More info here including discount codes etc.

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/studio ... ugust-10th

Studio One Expert is a great site and one should check in there regularly from time to time.

Is this one of those programs that can only be installed via internet onto the Studio One computer ie a bootstrapper downloads and then it downloads the program onto your computer.

There are demos of Sparkle on YouTube of course so you can make further judgements via those.

Even though I'm a guitar player, I'll probably try it.
I do think it sounds quite thin in regards to the guitar tone I get from my gear when recording.

thnx jeff cheers

tezza wroteIs this one of those programs that can only be installed via internet onto the Studio One computer ie a bootstrapper downloads and then it downloads the program onto your computer.

Not sure. I just downloaded the 3 gig file from my account (on my iMac) once it was set up and it all
just copied over to my main (Win 7) machine and installs normally like any other virtual instrument. All very easy.

The tone is very controllable. You can get a variety of tones with this. Plus using other guitar fx type plugs there is no reason why you cannot get a great tone.

Granted this may not replace an amazing lead soloist but not could do a lot of other stuff though. I bet with care and the right keyboard articulations very credible solos could be performed as well. I have not spent a lot of time with it yet.

right scotty... i am a guitarist too but i do like sometimes to use midi on some parts using for example Xpand2's 12 string acoustic (since i don't have a 12 string) and blend it in so it can be handy for additions. cheers

Jemusic wroteNot sure. I just downloaded the 3 gig file from my account (on my iMac) once it was set up and it all just copied over to my main (Win 7) machine and installs normally like any other virtual instrument. All very easy.

Great, I'll give it a shot then, I do appreciate these little gifts from Presonus, but it really kills it for me if it has to install direct from the internet onto my DAW or if there is no offline authorization because my DAW is not connected to the internet ( and never will be).

Looks like I might be able to download it on to the laptop and then transfer across. Got to be better than my Kontakt factory guitars. I am a guitarist myself and have been perfecting a nice DI sound for my electric and acoustic (with the help of some pedals) sounds great now but I also like the idea of guitar VST's because a lot can be done with those, certain sounds. Then I don't have to get the guitar out and connect everything up all the time. Some things need a proper guitar though.

Download the manual too you are going to need it! I am not a guitarist at all but interested in how far you can take these things. I was going to get into AAS Strum 2. I can for $99. There are other guitar VST's as well. This one seems really good and nice to use I think. Get into fine tuning the sound in Sparkle itself and then follow it up with some nice guitar amp and speaker IR's etc.. Plus effects of course. Play some interesting things with it.

Thanks for the links! As I hadn’t received the email as well.

I thought it might be a VST like RealGuitar where you can create the individual chords etc but it is a pattern player. So you play set patterns or recorded rhythm loops with it, triggered by midi, like Scarbee funk guitarist which I have. It would have it's uses in general music creation but probably not so good in contributing to or driving original songs where you have the rhythm already worked out and know what you want.

I've tried fighting with Scarbee funk guitarist and can never get anything close to what I want or what is needed to fit my original songs, however it's a great tool if you need to create music generally or you want to make some music starting with a pattern base.

It is now quicker and better for me to play in the parts directly for my original songs. It may be because I am a stubborn guitarist who wants exactly what I can play and hear in my head.The only exception I found is drums where starting with a few patterns and then manipulating them seems easier and more realistic than starting from scratch, especially since I am not a drummer.

I'll give it a whirl anyway, hopefully, it's not as hectic as Scarbee funk guitarist, but I won't be able to replace my Kontakt factory guitars with it (as I was hoping to do), they are all written in parts.

This is something that would appeal more to non-guitarists.

I have v3 Artist. Has this plugin been whitelisted for my version? I can't get it to work

I think you may need to have the VST(i) add-on for S1-Artist, without it you won't get third party plugins to work with Artist.

I did get the email. It also included information about
New LUCID Samples new for Studio One (Presonus Site Link)
New From MVP 4 Forty, Purple 6, Modern Melodix, Changes and Mainstreams
(Presonus Site Link)
The New (improved?) FaderPort 1 (Presonus Site Link)
Get VG Sparkle for Free (Link to ujam site)
30% Off Presonus' Channel Strip Collection (Presonus site link)
A Link to Craig Anderton's Studio One Tips. (Blog.Presonus.com Link)

Steve Carter wroteI think you may need to have the VST(i) add-on for S1-Artist, without it you won't get third party plugins to work with Artist.

I have the other free plugin bundles that S1 put out before installed and functioning. But I'll look into it. Thanks for the tip.

Artist will allow some PreSonus extensions and even some free bundles but overall will not allow third party VST's to be installed. You really need to be on Pro or get the VST add-on for Artist.

Jemusic wroteArtist will allow some PreSonus extensions and even some free bundles but overall will not allow third party VST's to be installed. You really need to be on Pro or get the VST add-on for Artist.

Hmmm. Some of those other free plugins that do work are 3rd party VST addons. The restrictions were removed by S1 and they function just fine. I was holding out hope that this one would also work, but so far it doesn't look like it will.

danibarra wroteHmmm. Some of those other free plugins that do work are 3rd party VST addons. The restrictions were removed by S1 and they function just fine. I was holding out hope that this one would also work, but so far it doesn't look like it will.

Thanks for that and that is interesting. Having never been on Artist I don't know a lot about it. I was always under the impression no third party VST's actually worked under Artist.