The 13 best free VST plug-ins in the world today

The internet is now awash with free VST plug-ins - you’ll find instruments, effects and others that defy categorisation. However, while it’s great to have so many to choose from, this weight of numbers means that it’s difficult to work out what’s worth having and what you should steer clear of. Of course, you won’t lose out financially by downloading a dud or two, but to save you a lot of time, effort and potential disappointment, we’ve compiled a list of the best free VST (and Audio Units) plug-ins in the world today. Our shortlist was put together based on your nominations from 2010, when we ran our first poll, and 2012, when we put the word out that our list was being updated. Before we get down to business, we should also remind you that our sister magazine, Computer Music, features a slew of exclusive plug-ins on its cover disc every month, so if the software on this list doesn't satisfy you, try that as well. NEXT: de la Mancha FMMF

The 30 Greatest Shred Albums of All Time Guitar World presents 30 albums (from three eras) that pushed the speed limit! To some people, shred guitar is about one thing, and one thing only: the need for speed. The yearn to burn. The desire for fire. Just the word itself can conjure glorious images of long-haired, pointy-guitar-wielding metalmen, fingers scaling fretboards with dazzling dexterity and furious speed, melody and musicality by damned. But in fact shred was around well before the Eighties, and it has continued to thrive in the decades since. In the following gallery, we present 30 great players from the Golden Era, the Old-School Era and the Modern Era of shred, along with the album and song that best exemplifies their shredding skills. As these entries attest, shred is about pushing boundaries, exploring the great guitar unknown and, basically, doing really cool stuff that's never been done before. Enjoy! The 30 Greatest Shred Albums of All Time

Better Guitar - Guitar Songs You Should Learn. There are certain songs that every guitar player should try to learn. Either they are commonly requested or they have cool guitar parts that will expand your playing skills. I am going to list songs in several styles of music and explain why I think they should be add to your “play list.” While most are electric guitar songs, there are some acoustic songs also. Obviously, this type of list won’t ever be comprehensive, and no doubt, many will disagree with my choices — and find many ommissions. This is a huge list and will take most players years to complete (if ever.) Johnny B.