Is Processed Guitars worth it if you’re shopping in Software Development?

You have the synth patches, the drum loops, the vocal chops. But when a track needs a guitar part that feels human, textured, and slightly off-kilter, you hit a wall. You can’t play guitar, and hiring a session player for a single atmospheric layer is overkill. This is exactly the gap Processed Guitars is built to fill. It’s a $30 instrument from SampleScience Plugins + Samples that gives you 25 pre-processed guitar sounds, ranging from ambient washes to granular experiments, ready to drop into your DAW without touching a pick.

If you’ve ever stared at a blank MIDI track wondering how to get that “recorded in a room” guitar feel without the technical skill, this is the shortcut. It’s not a lesson in guitar theory; it’s a palette of finished textures. (Processed Guitars)

Quick answer

What you’re actually buying

At $30, you aren’t just buying 25 samples; you’re buying a specific sonic perspective. The core of Processed Guitars is a collection of guitar tones that have already been run through stompboxes and digital effects. This means you’re not starting with a dry, sterile signal and hoping a reverb plugin will save it. You’re starting with a sound that has character, grit, and movement built in.

The variety is the key selling point here. The listing describes the range as spanning from “ambient and atmospheric” to “granular and experimental.” For a sound designer, that’s a goldmine. You can use the atmospheric ends for pads and drones, while the granular, pedal-processed tones work as rhythmic textures or melodic hooks that feel organic but alien. One buyer noted that the “granular and pedal-processed tones sound fantastic right out of the box,” which suggests you won’t need to spend an hour tweaking a chain to get a usable result. Gumroad reviews

The plugin version includes a full set of controls that make it more than just a sample player. You get multi-LFOs, a room reverb, lowpass/highpass filters, and amplitude range controls. These aren’t just decorative; they let you integrate the sound into your mix. For instance, the filters let you cut through a dense mix, while the LFOs can add movement to a static sound. You also get three voice modes: polyphonic, monophonic, and legato. This is crucial for how the instrument responds to your performance. If you want a clean, single-note line, monophonic mode ensures no muddy overlaps. If you want a wash of sound, polyphonic mode lets you layer notes freely. (Processed Guitars)

The fact that it’s “remarkably light on the CPU,” as another reviewer pointed out, is a significant practical benefit. In a session with 40+ tracks, a heavy plugin can choke your system. Processed Guitars is designed to be a background workhorse that doesn’t demand your attention or your computer’s resources.

Why it’s on our radar

This product stands out because it solves a very specific, common problem for electronic producers and non-guitarists: how to add organic, human-like guitar textures without the skill or time to record them. Many sample packs offer “guitar loops,” which are often too rigid or too clean. Processed Guitars takes a different approach by focusing on the processed aspect. The sounds are already broken, stretched, and textured. This makes them ideal for sound design, where you want a guitar to sound like a guitar, but not exactly like a standard guitar.

The availability in three formats—VST/AU plugin, Decent Sampler, and Kontakt—is also a smart move. It meets you where you are. If you’re a Max for Live user, you can use the plugin. If you’re a free-tool enthusiast, Decent Sampler works. If you’re a Kontakt power user, you get a full library. This flexibility means the $30 investment is accessible to a wider range of producers, regardless of their DAW choice. (Processed Guitars)

One reviewer specifically mentioned that as a non-guitarist, this plugin was “exactly what I needed to add beautiful, experimental guitar layers to my tracks without overcomplicating my workflow.” That’s the core value proposition: it’s a workflow simplifier. You don’t need to learn guitar. You don’t need to master a complex effects chain. You just need to play a note and get a textured, professional-sounding result. Gumroad reviews

What actually matters

Before you buy, consider how you plan to use the sounds. If you’re looking for a standard clean electric guitar for a rock track, this isn’t it. The sounds are processed, meaning they are altered, textured, and often abstracted. They are best suited for genres where guitar is a texture rather than a lead instrument: ambient, drone, experimental electronic, post-rock, and sound design. (Processed Guitars)

Check your DAW compatibility. The plugin version requires Windows 8.1/10/11 or macOS El Capitan and up, with a 64-bit VSTi/AU host. The Decent Sampler version requires the free Decent Sampler app and 3.07 GB of HD space. The Kontakt version requires the full version of Kontakt 5 or 6 (not the free Player) and 3.18 GB of HD space. If you’re on a tight storage budget, note that the plugin version is the lightest at 2.02 GB. (Processed Guitars)

Also, think about your workflow. Do you want to tweak the sound in real-time? The plugin version offers the most control with its LFOs, filters, and reverb. If you just want to load a sample and play, the Kontakt or Decent Sampler versions might be simpler. But if you want to shape the sound to fit your mix, the plugin version is the better choice. Processed Guitars

Mid-check

If you’re ready to add a layer of organic, experimental guitar texture to your tracks, See current options

FAQ

Is Processed Guitars suitable for non-guitarists? Yes, it is explicitly designed for non-guitarists. You don’t need to know how to play guitar to use it. You just need to know how to play MIDI notes. The sounds are pre-processed, so you get the texture and character without needing to perform complex guitar techniques. Processed Guitars

Does it work in the free Kontakt Player? No. The listing specifies that the Kontakt version requires the full version of Kontakt 5 or Kontakt 6. It will not work in the free Kontakt Player. If you don’t own the full version of Kontakt, you can use the Decent Sampler version (which is free) or the VST/AU plugin version. (Processed Guitars)

How much CPU does it use? It is described as having “low-CPU usage.” One reviewer specifically noted that it is “remarkably light on the CPU,” which makes it suitable for use in large sessions with many other plugins. Gumroad reviews

Bottom line

If you’re a producer who wants to add organic, textured guitar layers to your tracks without the time or skill to record them, Processed Guitars is a smart, low-risk investment. At $30, you get a versatile instrument with 25 pre-processed sounds, full control in the plugin version, and compatibility with three major formats. It’s not a replacement for a real guitar, but it’s an excellent shortcut for adding human-like, experimental guitar textures to your sound design.