If you enjoy Blue Cat’s Free Amp and want even more amp tones to explore, take a look at Blue Cat’s Destructor or Blue Cat’s Axiom. Both offer an extensive range of guitar and bass amp sounds, with virtually unlimited possibilities for customization, instead of the four amp models included in Free Amp.
We’ve already been asked how to recreate Free Amp’s signature tones in Destructor (see this forum post). The good news is that it’s easy to get started: Free Amp’s four amp models are based on Destructor’s engine, and their closest counterparts are available as presets.
Let’s take a look at how to find them and make them your own!
Note: Free Amp presets cannot be loaded directly into Destructor, as they are two separate plug-ins with different preset formats. Instead, load the corresponding Destructor presets listed below to recreate the Free Amp sounds.
Classic Clean
The Classic Clean amp is based on Destructor’s “Classic Bros – Clean” preset, found in the Guitar – Classic Amps category.
Load this preset in Destructor to get started with the familiar clean tone, then adjust the controls like in the Free Amp preset you would like to reproduce.
Classic Drive
The Classic Drive amp is based on Destructor’s “Brit 800 – Drive” preset, also found in the Guitar – Classic Amps category.
It’s a great starting point for recreating the familiar British-style overdriven sound of the Free Amp plug-in.
Modern Drive
The Modern Drive amp comes from Destructor’s “VH51 – Drive” preset, in the Guitar – Classic Amps category.
Load it to get close to Free Amp’s modern high-gain character, with plenty of room to explore further variations.
Classic Bass
The Classic Bass amp corresponds to the “BMan” preset, which will be available in an upcoming version of Destructor. In the meantime, the “BMan Guitar” model in the Guitar – Clean category is a close alternative.
It’s a good starting point for exploring the bass tones available in Destructor.
A Familiar Amp Interface
Want to keep things simple? Switch Destructor to EZ mode (Rack View) for an amp interface that looks and feels similar to Free Amp.
The available controls are almost identical to those in Free Amp, although the Tone knob offers a wider range of adjustment (so be cautious with it).
You can also drag and drop impulse response (IR) files directly onto the amp to load them into the post section. Alternatively, switch to the full interface for more advanced options, as explained in our tutorial on loading impulse responses in Axiom and Destructor.
More Control Over Your Cabinet Sounds
The full Destructor interface opens up a whole new level of tone shaping.
You can customize your impulse responses, shift their frequency spectrum, adjust the EQ, and add comb filters to fine-tune your cabinet sound. You can also choose from the built-in cabinet models or create your own using the advanced filtering options available in the Destructor 2 engine.
You are no longer limited to the original Free Amp sounds: you can use them as a starting point and shape every detail to suit your needs.
Add Reverb
Blue Cat’s Free Amp includes a built-in reverb, so you probably want to recreate this effect when using Destructor too!
You can use Blue Cat’s Axiom, which includes both Destructor and the Reverb plug-in, or load Destructor in Blue Cat’s PatchWork, which also includes the Reverb plug-in.
In either case, you can add reverb to your amp sound and get closer to the complete Free Amp experience, and also load a third party plug-in if you already have your favorite reverb as a plug-in.
Have Fun with Tone Maps!
If you’re familiar with Tone Maps, here’s where things get especially interesting: load the four Free Amp presets into the Tone Maps view and start morphing between the amp models.
You can blend the characteristics of different amps to create entirely new tones that sit somewhere between the original models. Experiment with different combinations and discover sounds that go beyond what Free Amp offers on its own.
And that’s just the beginning! Destructor comes with a wide range of amp presets to explore, making it easy to discover new tones without having to tweak every parameter yourself.
And Much More!
As you can see, Destructor and Axiom offer much more than Free Amp while letting you choose how deeply you want to explore sound design. Whether you prefer a simple amp interface or want to fine-tune every aspect of your tone, there’s a workflow to suit you, with the right level of details.
So, start with your favorite Free Amp presets, explore the possibilities of Destructor, and see where your experiments take you. You might discover your next signature guitar or bass tone!
Happy tone hunting!
