Guitar Journal: Two Notes Genome 2.0 Major Upgrade, Jared James Nichols & More
This week we look at virtual amp rigs and real tube amps!
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ScreenshotGuitar Journal: Two Notes Genome 2.0 Major Upgrade, Jared James Nichols & More · Source: Two Notes/Marshall
This week, we check out both virtual amps and real tube amps, starting with the latest Two Notes Genome 2.0 update, which is significant and see what new features have been added to the software guitar rig. Next, Jared James Nichols has joined the Marshall Amplification family, bringing Blues Power to the Bluetooth speaker brand! Finally, Audio Singularity has just added an update to Neurontube Debut, and we take a brief look.
Guitar Journal
Genome 2.0
Two Notes Audio Engineering has dropped GENOME 2.0, transforming their virtual backline ecosystem from a standard plugin suite into a powerful, cross-platform tone creation ecosystem. This latest upgrade is pretty significant, introducing industry-first dynamic modelling tools and expanding mobile flexibility.
Below is a brief overview of the key features you should be aware of, and it packs in a lot of them.
Two Notes Capture Studio & PARADEX
Capture Studio is a free, standalone desktop application that uses local CPU/GPU power to train amp models. Unlike traditional static snapshots (like standard NAM profiles), its new AmpNet architecture creates multi-parametric captures. Played back through the PARADEX engine, the virtual knobs react like a physical tube amp circuit across their entire control range.
7 New TSM-Ai Amplifiers
The stock library gets a massive injection of AI-driven premium models, including the Eldorado100 (Soldano SLO 100 style), Tanger Rock (Orange Rockerverb), Gemini ’64 (Fender Twin Chime), Foxy30 (Vox AC30), FlatBack MKV & Dual (Mesa Mark V and Dual Rectifier), and the Peggy ’76 (Ampeg SVT for bassists).
Full iPad Integration
GENOME goes mobile with native iOS editions. Utilising an optional Access Pass, users can instantly bridge desktop and mobile accounts, transferring premium component and DynIR cabinet libraries without repurchasing gear.
Global Transpose
A system-wide, high-fidelity real-time pitch shifter allowing players to drop or raise the tuning of the entire rig instantly without changing presets or retuning the physical instrument. This could be great for a session in the studio when you want to experiment.
GENOME 2.0 solves the single biggest limitation of digital profiling by making amp snapshots dynamic rather than static. Combined with the iPad implementation and new stock models, it certainly packs a punch and is worth checking out.
Two Notes GENOME 2.0 features a multi-tiered pricing model that begins with GENOME Intro, a completely free lifetime license for both desktop and iOS, alongside the entirely free standalone Capture Studio desktop application used for creating custom amp models.
- GENOME Intro / Intro iOS: Free
- Two Notes Capture Studio: Free
- GENOME Standard (Desktop): €/$89.99
- GENOME Suite (Desktop / iOS): €/$159.99 (Introductory Promo) / €/$299.99 (Standard MSRP)
- GENOME Suite Upgrade: Approx. €150 / £128
Two Notes products are available at Thomann.
Marshall & Jared James Nichols
Yes, he has left Blackstar Amplification and been tempted by the legendary British amp builders, whose name is synonymous with guitars and rock.
Marshall Amplification has officially added Jared James Nichols to its artist roster. Known globally for his relentless touring and a visceral, “no-pick” fingerstyle technique, the Wisconsin-born guitarist brings a raw, physical energy to the brand.
This will help, as they are getting a reputation for making Bluetooth speakers, and many guitarists have moved away from Marshall in recent years.
Young Blood
Nichols joins the ranks of guitar titans like Jimi Hendrix (we just saw a special Marshall limited run), Jimmy Page (now promoting his own Sun Dragon amps), and Slash (who just added Magnatone recently, as well as Marshall).
I can see Nichols doing great things for Marshall’s reputation, as he lives and breathes music.
Stripped Back
The partnership also highlights a stripped-back approach to classic tone. One of the things I admire most about his playing is that he essentially just plugs in and plays, no hiding behind a ton of pedals and studio effects.
I think since he took over Fretted Americana from Phil X, his career has skyrocketed (along with his biceps). I love his guitar tone, and his attitude to life is fantastic. To be fair, anyone who states Leslie West and Paul Kossoff (two of my all-time favourite players) as major influences is all good in my view.
Plexi Tone & Blues Power!
Nichols recently showcased his “back to basics” setup on Premier Guitar’s Rig Rundown, where he pairs his Gibson Les Pauls directly into dual Marshall 1959 Modified Plexi heads and 1960 4×12 cabinets, entirely bypassing complex pedalboards to let the amp do the heavy lifting.
Plexi amps are my personal go-to amp tones, so this new partnership works for me. I’m hoping Marshall does him a solid and gets him his own signature models at some point. He is a monster player with a positive attitude.
He could really help Marshall regain some of their lost credibility and rescue it from the Bluetooth speaker association, which has turned off many guitarists over the last decade or so.
Neurontube Debut Update
Audio Singularity Neurontube Debut is a standout contender for any free plugin, offering premium, boutique-level guitar tones entirely free of charge. I’ve long been a fan, and this week, they have announced a few updates to the system. It is also cross-platform, so available to just about anyone with a computer.
It uses advanced neural-inspired component modelling, delivers authentic tube-amp realism and premium studio processing across Windows, macOS (fully Apple Silicon native), and Linux platforms.
Core Amps & FX
The core of the software features two meticulously modelled amp heads covering opposite ends of the tone spectrum: an aggressive American high-gain beast (inspired by the Soldano SLO-100) engineered for tight, modern metal distortion, and a warm British legend (inspired by the Laney TF300) that excels at dynamic cleans and edge-of-breakup rock crunch.
These heads are paired with three distinct, microphone-sampled cabinet configurations and a boutique virtual pedalboard packed with five essential stompboxes: a compressor, delay, chorus, reverb, and a highly versatile overdrive/fuzz pedal.
Key Updates
Below is a list of all the key updates in the latest release.
- Late-Night Dark Mode: Much easier on the eyes, preserving your vision (and sanity) during marathon 2 AM mixing sessions.
- Flexible Input Routing: Take total control of your signal flow by feeding the amp precisely what it needs with Left, Right, or Stereo input options.
- True Stereo Processing: True dual-channel processing engineered specifically to handle wide, immersive stereo tracks without folding them to mono.
- Slick, Scalable UI: A completely modernised, fully resizable interface that scales perfectly whether you are working on a laptop or a massive studio monitor.
- Under-the-Hood Optimisation: A lighter, leaner, and more stable engine featuring crucial bug fixes and smarter memory management.
- Universal Compatibility: Now plays nice with almost every setup, adding macOS Pro Tools (AAX) support alongside VST3, AU, and Standalone formats.
Who is it for?
If you are on a budget and need a high-quality, 100% free guitar amp sim rig, I would highly recommend this one. It is also perfect for education and schools, as it will run on most systems with zero cost.
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