In Summary
With acoustic guitar underpinning a number mixes, getting it right with a virtual one could be a tall order. Luckily UJAM hope to have a solution with their latest nylon-strung flavour for digital troubadours across the board. See and hear it for yourself as we check it out…
Going Deeper
Classical Guitar For Beginners
Although steel strung acoustic guitars enjoy wider use in many styles, nylon strung instruments are the uber-pastoral ancestors that started it all. As the modern incarnation of the guitar’s gut-stringed relatives, anyone looking for a sound with very deep roots indeed might need a modern nylon acoustic in their mix. With diverse flavours such as Flamenco and Afro-Cuban styles rubbing shoulders with Hip-Hop and R+B, the classical nylon acoustic guitar sound has found friends with countless musical nomads. For everything else where a romantic or pastoral feel is needed, nylon strung acoustic guitars can fit the bill nicely.
It’s probably fair to say that virtual instrument guitars used to struggle to deliver the same realism as their bass, drums, and keyboard bandmates. With an emphasis on pure harmony and melody, as well a reliance on sometimes delicate physical nuances, guitars’ real life sounds used to be very hard to translate into something that can be drawn with a mouse or played on a MIDI keyboard!
Using UJAM Virtual Guitarist Silk 2
UJAM are known for producing an entire universe of virtual instrumentation, bursting with drummers, bassists, self-playing keyboards, orchestral marvels, and more. Also on the roster is a growing band of their Virtual Guitarist helpers that simply do not sound like they are being played from MIDI.
In the video, we check out UJAM’s latest creation for guitar: Virtual Guitarist Silk 2. This nylon strung instrument joins the company’s steel strung acoustic axe, trading the bright lights of Nashville and beyond for the soft ambience of a spanish summer night or any other atmosphere the composer needs. This improves upon the first version with UJAM’s Instrument mode for improved human input, and a new smart chord engine. See and hear it for yourself as we explore its sound and features…
Even if you’re no virtuoso (either on guitar or keys), Virtual Guitarist Silk 2’s Player mode has you covered, however the new Instrument mode is there for anyone who wants to get in-depth with their own playing. What is clear to hear though is Virtual Guitarist Silk 2’s sound, which has a nice authentic air even for solo arrangements. Other singer-songwriter type mixes are also well catered for with features such as the width control for filling out solo performances. If you’re a fan of Virtual Guitarist Silk, or you’re looking for your next virtual nylon, all in all Virtual Guitarist Silk 2 could be a pretty worthy upgrade for songwriters or producing engineers.
UJAM On Virtual Guitarist Silk 2:
SILK 2 beautifully captures the essence of nylon-string guitars with its completely new guitar model. A large collection of phrases, and a wide variety of chords, octaves and riffs makes SILK 2 perfect for crafting elegant pop and rock songs, or adding an intimate touch to just about any genre.
UJAM Virtual Guitarist Silk 2 Key Features:
NEW Instrument mode
Picking and strumming styles
NEW Open Chords feature as part of the new smart chord engine.
40 Stomp box emulations, 75 Finisher FX Modes