Guitar Rig 3 Update
The combination of guitar and computer has really come a very long way in the last ten years. Stomp box chains and bags of nine volt batteries have been replaced to some extent by multiprocessor systems.
For many guitarists the all in one floor processor system is ideal for playing live while software solutions remain the domain of the recording studio. The Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 application for Mac & PC is about to radically challenge our thinking by bringing the power of a computer based processing system together with an easy to use floor controller.
Guitar Rig 3 is described as “the ultimate all-in-one guitar and bass solution. Simply connect your guitar to your computer via the enhanced Rig Kontrol 3 foot pedal and you are ready to go. The on-board studio-quality soundcard routes the signal to your speakers, while the software grants you access to an incredible number of perfectly modeled classic amps, cabinets, mics and effects – all arranged in a super-simple drag-and-drop rack format. Any style, any time – the perfect solution for professional studio and live setups.”
Guitar Rig 3 is available as a software-only version or as the Kontrol Edition. The Kontrol Edition features the enhanced Rig Kontrol 3 foot controller (see page 3) for the fast and convenient control of the Guitar Rig 3 software. This is definitely an advantage when playing live. For this review we were able to use the Guitar Rig software in conjunction with our Line6 X3 live USB output without any problem.
Guitar Rig 3 is a really easy application to use. The graphical user interface makes changing effects, amp heads and even wah wah levels very easy. If you have a basic understanding of the different guitar effects customising the presets or creating your own patches will soon become second nature.
We are reviewing the software only version but jumping between patches is as easy as pushing the up and down cursor keys. The latency in patch changing is virtually nil. I can remember when I first started playing live, I needed an amp, 5-6 stomp boxes, and a tuner, the result was a large, expense and somewhat limited range of sounds. Guitar Rig really a massive technological leap that really works.
One of the most impressive aspects of Guitar Rig 3 (other than the signature series sounds that are amazing) is the FX category. Some of the sounds are simply stunning from pitch shifting to dramatic delay these sounds offer the guitarist the ability to add something completely different to a recording. It would be fair to say that Guitar Rig 3 offers the ability to covert the guitar into a full blown synthesiser.
Sound Quality
Guitar Rig 3 will blow you away ! The range and capabilities of this application are nothing short of amazing. It is yet another example of the advantage of a computer based recording system. I have used a number of rack systems, floor based units and stomp boxes but Guitar 3 has to be the easiest to use yet while offering absolutely stunning sound output. I really can’t come up with a single fault with the quality of the effects and output of this software. Naturally we should say this software offers amp simulation and with the best will in the world the sound is never going to be a perfect match to the real thing but in Guitar Rig it is impressively close. I think it is also important to point out that the computer system requirements are particularly modest for an application of this standard.
The amp simulation is stunning and best of all completely adjustable, the range of customisations means you won’t ever be stuck for a sound again. (Click below to read the rest of the article)
Recording with Garageband
If a guitarist is going to run a software solution for their main guitar rig then digital recording is the next logical step. It can be difficult to find software that will talk to 3rd party recording software properly but Native Instruments have worked to ensure maximum compatibility with a range of applications.
For this demo we used Garageband to record a range of the FX sounds from Guitar Rig 3. In Garagband firstly add a new ‘real’ instrument. Select ‘Guitar – No Effect’ and double click. On the bottom right of the screen you will see a series of drop downs entitled “none” click on the first one and scroll right down to the bottom of the list. (see screenshot).
If you want to manually adjust the patch click the pencil icon to the right on this line. This will load Guitar Rig 3 and it is then a matter of selecting the patch you want to use.
As you can see we have selected the “Delay Funbox” patch, clicking this drop down displays all the patches in this category for quick and easy recall.
You can save this instrument for future use. It should be noted that you can also mix the Garageband effects with the Guitar Rig 3 system although we found Guitar Rig to offer the easiest and most controlled adjustment of reverb and echo but the adjustment option is there if you need to make a quick adjustment during a recording.
I would have loved to test the foot controller system while using Garageband but if anyone has tried this please feel free to add your comments at the end of this article.
Steve Jones talks through his live set up.
This video is about 9 minutes long and Steve talks through how he uses Guitar Rig 3 with a Macbook Pro live on stage.
User Patches
Given the power of this software solution it is no surprise that you can share user created patches with other Guitar Rig Users. have created a dedicated area of their site to facilitate easy sharing of files Click Here. In addition”GuitarAmpModelling.com” also offer a forum filled with user created pre-sets and are also offered the ability to discuss preset creation with out GT2 and 3 users.
Installing a bank is as simple as downloading, loading GR3 and clicking File “Import Bank” There is a great “The Edge” bank I personally used to test the bank management and it really well made.
The floor Controller
The dedicated Guitar Rig Controller really has to be seriously considered when buying the Guitar Rig Solution. For those of you who are upgrading from version 2 or have the software version of 3 only Native Instruments offers a hardware upgrade cosing 249 Euros.
The stylish new Rig Kontrol 3 for even greater synergy between player and software. Now with eight switches and a sturdy pedal, the real-time control of any parameter within Guitar Rig 3 is no different than using pedal effects. Integrated into the Rig Kontrol 3 is a hi-end audio interface featuring crystal-clear 192 kHz, 24 bit-quality analog-to-digital converters, meaning Guitar Rig 3 sounds pristine, and yet is tough and robust enough to thrive in any studio or on any stage. New coloring, labels and In/Out level meters complete the stunning, updated design.
Key Features
- 12 supreme-sounding guitar and bass amps, all perfectly emulated in stunning detail
- New matched cabinet module provides tried and true classic sounds in seconds
- 44 effects: Meticulously modeled stomp boxes, distortion and volume pedals, as well as other popular units
- 18 guitar and six bass cabinets, four rotary speakers and nine microphones—All based on popular vintage gear
- Highly flexible, intuitive and easy-to-use “rack” concept with drag-and-drop operation
- Intelligent preset management for fast access to a huge selection of ready-to-play sounds for all styles
- Essential tools: Integrated tuner, metronome, and two tape deck modules for easy recording
- Premium special features include a loop machine for on-the-fly jamming, plus modifiers such as LFOs, step sequencers, envelope followers, and multi-step envelopes for dynamic signal modulation
- Dedicated “Live View” for instant parameter assignment overview
- Dynamic Tube Response Technology® delivers a profound sonic quality
Conclusion
If you are a user of any previous version of Guitar Rig then this is a must have upgrade. If you are a first time user I would highly recommend splashing out and buying the foot controller version of the package. In the past I have always treated software guitar effects with a degree of caution. Imagine having a gig interrupted while the guitarist “reboots” their computer, it just would not happen.
Having done our homework on this it is clear many pro players are happy with a Macbook Pro as part of their master rig and as one user pointed out on the user forums an Apple computer is much more reliable than a Tube Amp ! That very small concern addressed the quality of the sounds produced by this software can instantly justify the inclusion of a computer in your live rig.
If you don’t play live and are looking for every effect combination under the sun in one studio software application then this is it ! If you are home guitarist looking to the best amp simulator and effects available but don’t want to spend a massive amount of money, then this is the solution for you.
I we had an award scale this system would be an impressive 9/10.
NOTE: UPDATE 13/1/2009
Further improvements in version 3.2 include a new MIDI input filter function, new mono plugin variants for AU and RTAS, reduced memory footprint, and various minor optimizations and fixes. The 3.2 update also enables a third amplifier model and an additional effect unit in the LE version of GUITAR RIG 3.
The 3.2 update is now available as a free download for registered users of GUITAR RIG 3, GUITAR RIG 3 XE and GUITAR RIG 3 LE.
More information on GUITAR RIG 3 can be found at www.native-instruments.com/guitarrig.info
System Requirements
Mac OSX 10.4.x, G4 1.4 GHz or Intel® Core™ Duo 1.66 GHz, 512 MB RAM
+ Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista (32 bit), Pentium/ Athlon XP 1.4 GHz, 512 MB RAM
Related Links:
Guitar Rig Patches and Presets
