Virtual Guitarist SPARKLE 2

Name: Virtual Guitarist SPARKLE 2
Price: 121.36 USD
Author: UJAM

by UJAM · Instrument · Electric rhythm guitar instrument

Not rated yet

A clean-to-crunchy electric rhythm guitar that plays chords, octaves and riffs from the chords you hold, with 30+ styles and 350+ phrases.

Built-in stomp boxes and Finisher effects shape the tone; it lists at $129 and was $28.38 on sale.

Best for: Guitars. Genres: Pop, Rock & Indie, R&B & Soul, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: guitar instrument, clean, crunchy, chord generator, hardware emulation, simple.

What it does

SPARKLE 2 is UJAM's electric rhythm guitarist, for "shimmering clean pop chords, crunchy rock riffs or funky rhythm guitar." You hold chords and it plays strummed or picked parts in time with your song.

Player Mode: automatic guitar performances from simple chords or notes.
Instrument Mode: new in version 2, with a new guitar model for playing parts yourself from a keyboard.
Styles and phrases: more than 30 styles with over 350 phrases, covering strumming and picking.
Open Chords: a version 2 feature that adds picking and more varied voicings alongside strumming.
Stomp Box and Finisher: 30 stomp box emulations and 60 Finisher FX modes, per Production Expert.
Ready to mix: clean to crunchy tones that are pre-produced to sit in a mix without much work.

A free trial is available. All MIDI phrases and sounds are royalty-free for commercial use.

Source: UJAM product page

When to use it

SPARKLE 2 is the pick for songwriters and producers who need convincing clean or crunchy electric rhythm parts in minutes, without playing guitar. Compared with Heavier7Strings, it trades deep playing control and articulations for speed: you choose a phrase and hold chords. Unlike CINEDREAM, which turns guitar into ambient textures, it stays close to a real rhythm guitarist for pop, funk and rock. Within the UJAM range it covers electric guitar, while AMBER 2 and SILK 2 cover steel-string and nylon acoustic.

Best for: clean and crunchy rhythm guitar parts in pop, funk, dance and indie demos and productions.
Genres: pop, funk, rock, indie, R&B and dance.
Look elsewhere if: you want to perform detailed lead lines; a playable sampled guitar like Heavier7Strings gives more control, and IRON 2 suits heavier rock.
Tip: use Player Mode to pick ready-made phrases, then switch to Instrument Mode with a controller keyboard for parts of your own (Production Expert).

What producers say

Production Expert's test found it can stand in for a session guitarist on many tracks, though not for a guitarist's musical judgement.

Production Expert said its results "easily surpass" a pedestrian guitarist, and praised the ease of use and large, clear interface.
Criticisms: the same review noted it "cannot know what the title needs": it plays good phrases but can't make arrangement choices for you.

Production Expert review

Where to buy

Best Service: $121.36
UJAM: $129
PluginFox: $129
AudioDeluxe: $129

Tutorials and reviews

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