Solemn Tones releases Mini Fenrir, a freeware guitar amp sim plugin for Windows and macOS.
There is very little to drag me away from my Helix and Helix Native for guitar sounds these days. Still, sometimes you want to window shop, sample the goods, and whatever other tired phrases you could employ.
I’ll admit I’m not the most familiar with Solemn Tones, but Mini Fenrir packs quite a punch despite its name. This pint-sized amp sim is built for metal rhythm guitars, so let’s take a bit of time to explore it before you go on your way.
So, what is Mini Fenrir?
At first glance, it calls to mind the single-knob amp sims you’d find from the likes of Bogren Digital. However, rather than leaning on algorithmic models like you’ll find with some amp sims, it is leveraging the tech behind the Neural Amp Modeler.
The result is pretty stunning, honestly, and these amp captures just continue to get better and better. Now, you could realistically just go out and piece out your NAM rig of choice with your own IRs.
However, Solemn Tones has crafted an immediately usable and immense-sounding amp sim with Mini Fenrir. I’m not super versed in modern metal, but this sounds absolutely huge when you’re playing. It isn’t super suited for lead guitar playing in its default state, but you could readily place together a delay and reverb and have a grand time.
The controls are simple and to the point. You’ve got an input gain knob, so you can coax out more distortion if you really want. There is a noise gate, which has a fair amount of range as a whole depending on the output of your pickups. This is capped off with an output knob, so you’re not overwhelming a mix.
Really, this seems like a worthy addition if you like this sort of tone. Everything is included in one simple package. The boost pedal is integrated into the signal chain, meaning you’re getting the best settings for the amp without having to mess around.
If you want more guitar amps, check out the free Neurontube Debut plugin. We also have an in-depth tutorial on mixing guitars.
Mini Fenrir is available for Windows and Mac computers. Supported plugin formats are VST3, AU, and AAX.
Download: Mini Fenrir (FREE)
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3 Comments
Al
onfun little amp sound. Good if you want to get a heavy tone quick without a lot of fiddling- you can always replace it later, but it’s good enough to probably work on its own in a mix. Good for writing because you aren’t tempted to mess with a ton of settings when that isn’t the goal
In this case, a lack of tweakability (no EQ; no way to disengage the IR from what I can tell) can be seen as a bonus. I tend to group my plugins by quality tier and then usually with a “simple” sub-category for each if I want options that will give me a speedy result- this will be a nice addition to my “simple” high-gain amp sounds
Al
onAbove I was referring to the free version, obviously. And a nice GUI- white amps look sweet
James
onFenir is not accepted by Apple on the M1: They say this is due to being not able to check the plugin for malicious software