Strum Session guitar plugin by Applied Acoustics Systems interface

Applied Acoustics Systems·SynthsFree trial

Strum Session: Physical-Modeling Guitar Synth by Applied Acoustics Systems Free Download

Rated 4.4/5 on Plugin Boutique (1,432 ratings)

Strum Session is a guitar plugin from Applied Acoustics Systems that combines acoustic and electric guitar sounds in one instrument. It uses chord recognition, strumming and picking to let you play guitar parts from a keyboard.

VST2AUAAXRTASStandaloneWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Strum Session is built for producers who want guitar parts without a guitarist. You play chords on a keyboard and the plugin voices and strums them as a guitarist would. It includes a library of recorded strumming patterns and MIDI riffs that you can drag into your host sequencer. The instrument covers both acoustic and electric tones, with presets that range from dreadnought and nylon-string sounds to crunch and high-gain lead styles.

Best for

Guitar parts without a guitarist
Strummed chord progressions
Lead guitar lines
Acoustic folk textures
Electric crunch and lead tones
Backing parts for songwriting

Developer: Applied Acoustics Systems
Category: Synths
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Combines acoustic and electric guitar sounds in one plugin
Chord recognition with open, movable and drop voicings
Recorded strumming patterns for drag-and-drop use
Down and upstrokes, scratches, mutes and arpeggio picking
Pitch bend, aftertouch and modulation wheel expression
Physical-modeling engine with no velocity layers
Less than 256 MB RAM per instance and 61 MB disk install
24 presets across acoustic and electric categories

03In depth

Strumming and Chord Voicing From the Keyboard

Strum Session recognizes the chords you play and voices them in open, movable or drop voicings from its basic and extended chord library. Trigger down and upstrokes, scratches and mutes, or build picking patterns using the arpeggio keys.

For parts that need a ready-made starting point, the collection of recorded strumming patterns can be dragged straight into your host sequencer and adjusted to fit your song.

Physical-Modeling Sound and Expression

Applied Acoustics Systems builds the instrument on physical modeling, which shapes the sound at its source rather than relying on sampled velocity layers. The developer describes the dynamics as smooth across the range of playing intensity.

Pitch bend and aftertouch handle slides and bends, the modulation wheel adds vibrato, and hammer-ons and pull-offs are available when playing leads. The included presets load quickly and the plugin has a small footprint, using less than 256 MB of RAM per instance and less than 61 MB of disk space.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Applied Acoustics Systems
Type	Plugin
Category	Synth
Formats	VST2, AU, AAX, RTAS, Standalone
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Strum Session support?

Strum Session is available in VST2, AU, AAX, RTAS and Standalone formats.

Which operating systems can run Strum Session?

It runs on Windows and macOS. The minimum requirements are Windows 10 64-bit or macOS 10.15 or later, with an Intel Core i5 (circa 2015) or later, or an Apple M1 processor or later, plus a 64-bit DAW.

Do I need a host to use Strum Session?

Yes. Strum Session is a plugin and needs a compatible DAW. The developer states it is compatible with nearly all major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, Studio One and Reason.