Missing Plugins

I just got through getting Platinum on both my laptop and my desk top. It's great, but I'm still learning new things about it. One thing, I can't find three key plugins.
 
I can't find the "Keyboard Talent Simulator," the "Eric Clapton Les Paul," plugin, or the "Stevie Ray Vaughn Strat" plugin. I've played along with "Hideaway," but I still sound like myself instead of Clapton, a problem I've had for years. I was hoping the Clapton plugin would make me sound like Hideaway on the Beano recording.
 
The same goes for the Stevie Ray Strat plugin. No matter how hard I try, I still sound like myself. Especially on "Pride and Joy" and "Floodin' Down in Texas." If some nice person here could tell me where they hid the Steve Ray Vaughn plugin maybe my cover recordings of those two songs would sound better.
 
As for the "Keyboard Talent Simulator" plugin, I can't find it either, and really need it because I'm buying a keyboard and don't know a thing about them. I want to sound good right away without having to practice for years to sound like Floyd Cramer, my third hero after Eric and Stevie Ray.
 
Thanks in advance. I know I can count on you guys to tell me where these important plugins are.
 
JGP
PS. Now that I have SONAR Platinum, I'm wondering if I record a hit song on it, if I have to share the royalties with Cakewalk. Does anyone else have that concern?

JustGotPaid
PS. Now that I have SONAR Platinum, I'm wondering if I record a hit song on it, if I have to share the royalties with Cakewalk. Does anyone else have that concern?

you'll only have the share the royalties with your better half, but rest assured that it won't be an even split and not in your favour, either ... so why bother with a hit song???

I know this is tongue in cheek but I've spent a RIDICULOUS amount of time learning about/playing with my guit amp sims (TH2 and GR5) to emulate specific sounds from specific players (from specific recordings). As it happens I generally use SRV for my cleanish blues strat template.
 
Most importantly though I search for/craft MY old sounds and the sounds of the other players I worked with for my own recreations of what I used to do.
 
Included sim presets are generally garbage but can kind of sort of give you an idea of how to use in sim components to get close to what you want.
 
A better plan (for me) though is to actually read up on the gear your favorite players used then try to recreate their chain (effects, amps, etc) from scratch using the included models of whatever amp sim you own.
 
Many times you will need to find suitable substitions (like instead of some crazy hot rodded Marshal custom job you find a similar Marshal model in the sim components and tweak the heck out of it).
 
Of course the Sonar included TH2/3 are stripped out versions but still have some classic sounds for most things. It's much better to upgrade/own fully stocked sim programs (or buy the desired packs from companies like IK for sepcific models of amps/effects).
 
One of the MOST important things is to work the "room/cab/mic" controls these sims have. In TH2 you click on the cabinet to swap out/add mics, control mic distances/angles, pick a "room", etc. In GR5 you use the cab component options such as the "Air" slider on the cabs or better yet the Control Room Pro module/mixer.
 
More recently I've been using Aux Tracks to feed my dry signals into and stacking those Aux Tracks with different sims/sounds (perhaps I prefer the Marshalls in GR5 over the ones in TH2 and the Fender's in TH2 over GR5 or I want a GR5 head/effect running into a TH2 cab... whatever).
 
So I send that one audio clip/track to multiple aux tracks with multiple sim setups to blend, pan and add effects that compliment each other (like adding a clean attack to a nasty/dirty/mushy distorted sound).
 
It also allows me multiple instances of the Prochannel (and particularly the QuadCurve EQ) to ultra sculpt the guit tone. Then that all gets fed into a final target bus for blending/smoothing.
 
The modelling these days is awesome (it used to suck balls and I never used it) but getting an epic guitar sound in the studio has always been much more than just tossing a mic in front of a nice amp. There are lots of complex tricks and techniques involved (from tracking doubles, mic'ing, panning to straight up post tracking mix effects).
 
It is HARD and complex stuff that requires a TON of reading and experimenting and EVERYTHING changes as soon as you use a different guitar with a different output tone.
 
So sit down with your main guitar and start creating your own presets, reading about gear that your heroes used and mathcing it up with models you have, consider upgrading you entry level amp sims (do your research first to get what you REALLY need), learn your sims THOROUGHLY and learn about traditional guitar amp recording and mixing techniques (mic set up, compression, EQing, effects, etc).
 
I've actually been considering providing a service where someone could send me a dry DI guitar recording (so I have a sample of their actual guitar's output and their playing style), tell me what type of sound they are looking for and then creating custom guit sim presets/Track Templates they can use to toss in their own projects.
 
As far as a "talent" plug... can't help with that but I will be providing online lessons at some point too. Of course technical ability does not equate to real talent... but it doesn't hurt. lol
 
Good luck and have fun.

Ah... yeah, even though I'm addicted to the sims (I have no other choice for tone bending due to lack of gear and proper soundproofing) I still think good amps, good guits, good mics, good hardware effects in the hands of an experienced user will outshine the sims.
 
HOWEVER... those sims can get pretty darned close with some wrangling (as well as allow for all new creations).
 
Sounds like you know what you want/like and most certainly have the gear/knowledge to do it ferrealz.
 
On the other hand though sims do of course provide a MASSIVE amount of options without the need to have a huge room set up like an amplifier museum (AND have to still setup and mic all that crap).
 
To me the hardest tones to chase with a sim are the nice, bright, classic and simple "tubey" clean tones of something like an old Fender Twin or HiWatt/Sound City. Part of the reason why I'd really like to eventually get a little tubed 5-10 watter and a functional SM57 (or a pair) as well as a "reamp" style splitter for some REALLY nice jangly clean tone stuff. All the high gain or crunchy rock sounds the sims can do.
 
With the Aux tracks method though I have been starting to hone in on reasonably passable "clean tube jangle" but it's a lot of screwing around AND still just ain't as sweet as the real deal.
 
Cheers and nice profile pic.
 
:-)

Late reply is late but I wouldn't give up on that Kemper. I guess for me I have been a little skeptical about how good the modelling actually is with them but since I mostly rely on modeled amp sounds these days (sims and my ancient Line6 Duoverb) and the Kemper is supposedly the creme de la creme of modelling it seems like once someone gets their hands on one it's worth hanging onto.
 
I'm sure you've already looked into/played with this aspect of the Kemper but just in case here is their model exchange webpage...
 
https://www.kemper-amps.com/rig/exchange
 
Basically an evolving catalog of amps being modelled by users and I'm assuming some "pro" level models from studios/gear vaults. I've seen vids of the proper modelling method (which looks like it needs to be done in a very specific way inside an isolation box to be accurate) so I don't see how a regular user without the right tools could do it correctly BUT there are people doing it.
 
So maybe next time you see that amp (very strange the same one keeps being put up for sale and then yanked again) ask the dealer if they would contact the seller about letting you model it for your Kemper... even for a small fee. You could do the same for your Fender or other fave amps (and maybe you could find a Fuch model or get one modelled).
 
I'm also assuming the modelling is only half the story as well. As in going through the modelling process would get the response of the head itself in relation to it's matched (or attached in the case of a combo) cabinet/speakers but you would want to find/build a similar cabinet to run the Kemper into for that model. So find out what speakers and wiring config were used and the design specs on the cab. Then try to buy something that matches or better yet bring the specs to a woodworking shop (or if you are good with wood/tools build it yourself) then load it up with the correct speakers in the correct wiring config.
 
Just some ideas. I'd just really love to have something like a Kemper around even if it wasn't PERFECT then save up for any super special gear it can't mimic. Just seems like one of those highly flexible pieces of gear that could be endlessly useful. Partly why I didn't get rid of my old Line6 Duoverb even though the modelling pretty much sucks. It's just got too many cool/useful routing options for recording and some of the clean models actually do work quite well as a base for sims/effects (as opposed to straight DI). It actually works VERY nicely for a good bass sound too. Much better than straight DI'd (into the interface) bass.
 
Again I'm sure you've already considered all that but it's a VERY intersting topic.
 
Cheers!

@Danny...
 
Ha! I was lazily trying to remember the name of the fancy unit you've been using but was drawing a blank (and I don't know much about them aside from what you and the other guys have said in previous threads). Great info... even if it does sound a bit like a sales pitch. ;-)
 
Thing is though I KNOW you wouldn't pitch something like that unless you were truly happy with it and I know how high your standards are (they'd have to be at the level you're working at).
 
Thanks for the extra deets on the Fractal stuff. Of course way out of my price range at the mo but definitely the type of unit I could use. I'm all over the place musically and prefer a pantheon of tone options over the best of the best of a specific sound (and paying through the nose for one single specific sound). However I obviously want those sounds to be as high quality and responsive as they can be.
 
That's why I've been fascinated by the Kemper stuff since I first heard of it (a couple of the CH guys own them IIRC). I've seen your Fractal posts too but I'll start paying more attention to their stuff.
 
Now I'm also curious about these Fuchs amps but just because I've never heard of them nor played through one.
 
Again not that anything can be done about any of this due to lack of fundage but I'm hoping some stuff I've been patiently waiting on will come through in about a year or so that will free up some of my meager income. At that point I will definitely want to look into some SERIOUS guitar units for my recording adventures.
 
For now slogging through things with the sims/gear I have on hand and forcing it all to bend to my will has started really working out well and I think most importantly taught me a buttload about mangling guit sounds to bark out what I want to hear. It's a pain fershure but once I finally get my hands on some REAL gear it should give me a nice leg up.
 
Anyhoo... nice to hear from ya and thanks for the post.
 
Cheers.

Beepster
@Danny...
 
Ha! I was lazily trying to remember the name of the fancy unit you've been using but was drawing a blank (and I don't know much about them aside from what you and the other guys have said in previous threads). Great info... even if it does sound a bit like a sales pitch. ;-)
 
Thing is though I KNOW you wouldn't pitch something like that unless you were truly happy with it and I know how high your standards are (they'd have to be at the level you're working at).
 
Thanks for the extra deets on the Fractal stuff. Of course way out of my price range at the mo but definitely the type of unit I could use. I'm all over the place musically and prefer a pantheon of tone options over the best of the best of a specific sound (and paying through the nose for one single specific sound). However I obviously want those sounds to be as high quality and responsive as they can be.
 
That's why I've been fascinated by the Kemper stuff since I first heard of it (a couple of the CH guys own them IIRC). I've seen your Fractal posts too but I'll start paying more attention to their stuff.
 
Now I'm also curious about these Fuchs amps but just because I've never heard of them nor played through one.
 
Again not that anything can be done about any of this due to lack of fundage but I'm hoping some stuff I've been patiently waiting on will come through in about a year or so that will free up some of my meager income. At that point I will definitely want to look into some SERIOUS guitar units for my recording adventures.
 
For now slogging through things with the sims/gear I have on hand and forcing it all to bend to my will has started really working out well and I think most importantly taught me a buttload about mangling guit sounds to bark out what I want to hear. It's a pain fershure but once I finally get my hands on some REAL gear it should give me a nice leg up.
 
Anyhoo... nice to hear from ya and thanks for the post.
 
Cheers.

They all have similar functions and operations, Beeps. The difference with the hardware gear as opposed to VST plugs is we usually have some "secret sauce" on the input, as we say at Fractal. Remember me talking about using compressors, overdrives, tube screamers etc before you go into a VST? That's sort of what you get when you use the Kemper, the Axe Fx or even a Line 6. This is where VST's really fail in my opinion because without some sort of buffered signal on the input, you get stuck with loads of gain, but very little sustain. We even have impedance control on the Fractal which makes a pretty big difference with certain pups.
 
To be honest, the gear you have is good enough. The Fractal/Kemper/Line 6 stuff just gives you a hardware option which uses 0 cpu and modeling that in my opinion, seems to be a bit more accurate and "realistic" compared to an actual amp.
 
Yeah, I know I do sound like a salesman. I don't know how else to talk about this thing. LOL! It's changed my life, that's for sure. Yeah, you know me...even if they were putting money in my pocket, I'd never mention something unless it did something good for me. I do wish it was more affordable, then again, the AX8 at $1399 is pretty darned sweet for all that it does.
 
Ya know, tone has been something I've been interested in for many years. Though you may question why I don't have a great tone after so much trial and error and great gear, it's the ride that has been the most important to me. :) I may never have that great tone that I hear in my head. But I sure do have a good time trying to get it, and with the Fractal stuff, I'm closer than I have ever been with all my real amps and pre-amps combined.
 
If you do get the funds, check out the Ax8. It's an amazing piece of kit built into a pedal board. Personally, I think you would probably like the rack, XL+ due to the tone matching stuff. That is so fun, man. I finally got a super close EVH tone out of the thing and managed to create a preset that spans from Van Halen I all the way to the Balance album. It's pretty scary as far as authenticity goes. I'll have to share some stuff sometime for those that may be into that sort of thing.
 
Last night after posting, I checked out that Fuchs we have in the Fractal...and man, it sounds darned close to that one in the video. If only I could play what that guy was playing, it may sound a little more realistic. The biggest thing after messing with the amp, is choosing the right cab. I don't know if Fuchs has their own speakers or use Celestions or something...but I got like 800+ different cabs to choose from. LOL!
 
You know what else is cool about the Fractal, Beeps? It has a built in direct box, so you can send out clean signals and your dirty effected signals if you want to, at the same time. I never thought I'd use anything like that, but man, now that I have found a use for SPDIF (after 20 years of having it lol) I can record one time and get everything right, and then feed back into the Fractal and change stuff in real time the same way you can with VST's. I really never thought about that before. But in the world of non-destructive audio, it's stupid to not take advantage of this technology.
 
Anyway, sorry to you and JGP for taking a really funny and humorous thread, and turning it into a guitar based, fractal exploitation.
 
-Danny