Tone3000 Plugin: Complete Getting Started Guide
Tone3000 is a free plugin built around Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) technology, giving guitarists access to thousands of amp, cab, pedal, and other captures through the Tone3000 platform. The plugin uses the NAM A2 format and can run in either A2 Full or A2 Light mode, making it suitable for both powerful recording computers and lower-spec systems.
What Is Tone3000?
Tone3000 is a free plugin that lets you load and play NAM captures directly inside your DAW. Tone3000 provides access to a massive library of captures, including amps, amp heads, cabinets, pedals, and other sounds, so you can build complete guitar rigs without needing the physical gear.
One of the biggest advantages is support for the A2 capture format. A2 Full provides the highest-quality processing, while A2 Light uses less CPU and is useful when you’re working with an older computer or a larger session.
How to Download and Install Tone3000
Step 1: Download the Plugin
Head over to Tone3000.com and select the Plugin section, then choose Download Plugin. Download and install the version appropriate for your computer and DAW.
Step 2: Create Your Tone3000 Account
After installing the plugin, create or sign into your Tone3000 account. You’ll need to be logged in to access the Tone3000 capture library and download captures directly through the plugin.
How to Add Tone3000 to Your DAW
Open your DAW and create a guitar track. For a typical guitar setup, create a mono audio track and select the input from your audio interface. Insert Tone3000 as an effect on the track, then play your guitar to make sure you’re receiving a signal.
Tone3000 can also be used in a stereo setup, which we’ll cover later in the guide.
Understanding the Tone3000 Interface
The main Tone3000 interface is built around blocks that you can use to create your signal chain. You can add amps, cabinets, pedals, EQ, and other available effects to the chain and rearrange them to create your own rig.
You’ll also find a built-in tuner, input and output controls, a noise gate, and other basic controls at the bottom of the plugin. The tuner is especially useful because it means you don’t need a separate tuning plugin in your guitar chain.
Configure A2 Full or A2 Light
Before building your first rig, open the Tone3000 menu using the three-line hamburger icon and select Settings. This is where you’ll find several important processing options.
NAM A2 Size
You can choose between A2 Full and A2 Light. A2 Full provides the highest-quality processing, while A2 Light reduces CPU usage. If your computer has plenty of processing power, A2 Full is a good choice. If you’re working with a smaller or older system, A2 Light can help keep your sessions running smoothly.
Per-Block NAM Size
Enable Per Block NAM Size if you want to switch individual blocks between Full and Light processing. This gives you more control over CPU usage when you’re building a larger signal chain.
Per-Block Normalization
Per-block normalization helps keep levels consistent between different captures and signal blocks. This can help prevent large volume changes or unwanted clipping when switching between captures.
Calibration
Calibration matches your input level to the original recording level used when the capture was created. This can be useful when you want your guitar signal to interact with a capture more like the original setup.
Oversampling and Multi-Core Processing
Oversampling can reduce aliasing and improve processing quality, but it requires additional CPU. Multi-core processing can also be enabled to take better advantage of your computer’s available processing resources.
Build Your First Tone3000 Guitar Rig
Step 1: Add an Amp and Cabinet
Click the plus button to add a new block, then select Amp and Cab. Tone3000 can show popular and trending captures, making it easy to start exploring the library.
Once you’ve selected an amp and cab capture, you can adjust its available controls and switch between A2 Light and A2 Full if Per Block NAM Size is enabled.
Step 2: Adjust the Amp
Depending on the capture, you may have access to bass, middle, and treble controls. These controls can be enabled when you want to make additional EQ adjustments rather than relying entirely on the original capture settings.
Some captures also include multiple variations. If multiple captures are available, you can scroll through them and compare different settings.
Step 3: Add a Noise Gate
If you’re using high-gain captures, the built-in noise gate can be extremely useful. Turn the gate on and adjust the amount until unwanted hiss and noise are reduced without cutting off your guitar’s sustain.
Step 4: Add a Drive Pedal
You can add a pedal block in front of the amp to create a more complete guitar signal chain. For example, a Centaur capture can provide different gain options that can dramatically change the response of the amp.
A simple chain such as drive pedal → amp and cab is enough to create a complete guitar rig, and you can add additional effects afterward if needed.
Using Amp Heads and Impulse Responses
You don’t have to use an amp-and-cab capture. Tone3000 also allows you to use an amp head separately and pair it with a cabinet capture.
Add an amp head to one block, then add a cabinet to another. This gives you more flexibility because you can mix and match different amp and cabinet captures to create your own combinations.
Choosing a Cabinet and Microphone
Cabinet captures can provide multiple microphone options, allowing you to experiment with different mic placements and tones. Try different microphones when you’re looking for more brightness, clarity, thickness, or a different overall character.
Using the Tone3000 EQ
Tone3000 also includes an EQ block that can be used to shape the sound of your rig. This is useful when a capture sounds close to what you want but needs some additional adjustment.
Use the EQ after selecting your amp and cabinet to make small changes rather than trying to completely transform the capture. Subtle adjustments can make a big difference when you’re trying to fit a guitar into a mix.
How to Build a Stereo Rig
Tone3000 can also be used to create stereo guitar rigs. Start by creating a stereo track in your DAW and add the Tone3000 plugin.
Because a typical guitar interface input is mono, you’ll need to configure the input correctly. In Tone3000, use the link option under the input settings and select the appropriate mono input, such as the left channel.
Once configured, Tone3000 can split the signal into left and right processing paths. You can use different amp and cab combinations on each side to create a much wider guitar sound.
Adjusting Stereo Alignment
The alignment controls let you offset the left and right sides of the stereo rig. Experiment with the timing between the two sides to create everything from a subtle stereo spread to a much wider guitar sound.
For recording and guitar demos, stereo rigs can create a huge sound without requiring two physical amplifiers.
Using Delays and Reverbs
Tone3000 works well alongside other plugins for time-based effects such as delay and reverb. One approach is to use Tone3000 for the amp and cab processing, then place your delay and reverb plugins afterward in the signal chain.
This gives you more flexibility with effects while keeping Tone3000 focused on the core guitar tone. When using stereo effects, make sure your effect plugin is also configured for stereo processing.
A2 Full vs. A2 Light: Which Should You Use?
A2 Full is the best choice when your computer has plenty of available CPU and you want the highest-quality processing available. A2 Light is useful when CPU resources are limited or you’re running a large session with many plugins.
The important thing is that both modes can sound excellent. Start with A2 Full if your system can handle it, then switch individual blocks to Light if you need to reduce CPU usage.
Tips for Getting Better Tones
- Start with the amp and cabinet before adding additional effects.
- Use A2 Full when your computer has enough CPU headroom.
- Use A2 Light when you’re working with large sessions or an older computer.
- Enable the noise gate for noisy high-gain captures.
- Experiment with different cabinet and microphone combinations.
- Try pairing separate amp heads and cabinets for more flexibility.
- Use subtle EQ adjustments to shape the final sound.
- Try stereo rigs with different captures on the left and right sides.
- Use external delay and reverb plugins after Tone3000 when you want more effect options.
Final Thoughts
Tone3000 is a surprisingly powerful free option for guitarists who want access to NAM captures without investing in physical amps and pedals. With A2 Full and A2 Light processing, flexible signal chains, stereo capabilities, amp and cab combinations, and a huge capture library, there’s a lot to explore.
This guide only scratches the surface of what Tone3000 can do. Once you understand the basic signal chain and settings, the best next step is simply to start experimenting with different captures and building your own rigs.
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