Guitar Rig is an amp and effects modeling software package developed by

Native Instruments Native Instruments is a German company that develops, manufactures, and supplies music software and hardware for music production, sound design, performance, and DJing. The company's corporate headquarters and main development facilities are lo ...

. The software can function either as a standalone application, or as a

plug-in Plug-in, plug in or plugin may refer to: * Plug-in (computing), a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program ** Audio plug-in, adds audio signal processing features ** Photoshop plugin, a piece of software that ...

for other software. It was originally released in 2004.

Overview

The Guitar Rig environment is a

modular Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of modularity. They may also refer to: Computer science and engineering * Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components ...

system, providing capabilities for multiple

amplifiers An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It is a two-port electronic circuit that uses electric power from a power suppl ...

effects pedal An effects unit, effects processor, or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing. Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with el ...

s and

rack mount A 19-inch rack is a standardized frame or enclosure for mounting multiple electronic equipment modules. Each module has a front panel that is wide. The 19 inch dimension includes the edges or ''ears'' that protrude from each side of the ...

ed hardware. Primarily designed for

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups ...

and

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

, the software uses

amplifier modeling Amplifier modeling (also known as amp modeling or amp emulation) is the process of emulating a physical amplifier such as a guitar amplifier. Amplifier modeling often seeks to recreate the sound of one or more specific models of vacuum tube ampl ...

to allow

real-time Real-time, realtime, or real time may refer to: Computing * Real-time computing, hardware and software systems subject to a specified time constraint * Real-time clock, a computer clock that keeps track of the current time * Real-time Control Syst ...

digital signal processing Digital signal processing (DSP) is the use of digital processing, such as by computers or more specialized digital signal processors, to perform a wide variety of signal processing operations. The digital signals processed in this manner are a ...

in both

standalone Standalone or Stand-alone may refer to: *Stand-alone DSL, a digital subscriber line without analog telephone service; also known as ''naked DSL'' *Stand-alone expansion pack, an expansion pack which does not require the original game in order to us ...

and DAW environments via plug-in ( VST/ DXi/ RTAS/ AU). The software simulates a number of devices such as

preamplifier A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier a ...

cabinets A cabinet in governing is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are ...

and

microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...

s under pseudonyms (such as renaming the

Shure SM57 The Shure SM57 is a low-Electrical impedance, impedance Microphone#Cardioid, cardioid Microphone#Dynamic microphone, dynamic microphone made by Shure Incorporated and commonly used in live sound reinforcement and studio recording. It is one of the ...

as the "

Dynamic Dynamics (from Greek δυναμικός ''dynamikos'' "powerful", from δύναμις ''dynamis'' "power") or dynamic may refer to: Physics and engineering * Dynamics (mechanics), the study of forces and their effect on motion Brands and enter ...

57"). The system allows customisation of module

parameters A parameter (), generally, is any characteristic that can help in defining or classifying a particular system (meaning an event, project, object, situation, etc.). That is, a parameter is an element of a system that is useful, or critical, when ...

– either through manipulation of the graphical interface, use of a

MIDI controller A MIDI controller is any hardware or software that generates and transmits Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data to MIDI-enabled devices, typically to trigger sounds and control parameters of an electronic music performance. They mos ...

or employment of the RigKontrol foot control pedal. Settings can be saved as presets and exported and shared with other users. Version 3 included a redesigned interface to allow improved preset categorisation and customised interfaces for "live" use.

Rig Kontrol

The Rig Kontrol is a foot-operated

USB Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard, developed by USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), for digital data transmission and power delivery between many types of electronics. It specifies the architecture, in particular the physical ...

and

. It contains an

audio interface An audio interface is a piece of computer hardware that allows the input and output of audio signals to and from a host computer or recording device. Audio interfaces are closely related to computer sound cards, but whereas sound cards are opt ...

and

DI box A DI unit (direct input or direct inject) is an electronic device typically used in recording studios and in sound reinforcement systems to connect a high output impedance unbalanced output signal to a low-impedance, microphone level, balanced ...

, allowing integration with live sound environments. The device can operate Guitar Rig using eight

switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type o ...

es and an

expression pedal An expression pedal is an important control found on many musical instruments including organs, electronic keyboards, and pedal steel guitar. The musician uses the pedal to control different aspects of the sound, commonly volume. Separate expr ...

. Earlier versions of the device contained only six switches and an expression pedal, and did not support

interfacing Interfacing is a textile used on the unseen or "wrong" side of fabrics to make an area of a garment more rigid. Interfacings can be used to: *stiffen or add body to fabric, such as the interfacing used in shirt collars and cuffs *strengthen ...

functionality.

History

Versions 1-2 (2004-2006)

Guitar Rig was first released on both macOS & Windows in September 2004. At this time, it was a hardware/software hybrid system, with the Rig Kontrol hardware

preamp A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier a ...

and foot controller feeding into the software. The software featured a

drag-and-drop In computer graphical user interfaces, drag and drop is a pointing device gesture in which the user selects a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object. In general, it can be used to ...

interface and a selection of 3

tube amplifier A valve amplifier or tube amplifier is a type of electronic amplifier that uses vacuum tubes to increase the amplitude or power of a signal. Low to medium power valve amplifiers for frequencies below the microwaves were largely replaced by so ...

emulations (some with multiple preamp variations). Version 2 of the software, released in February 2006, added a number of additional amp options (including the software's first bass amps), added a new looping feature, and expanded the Rig Kontrol hardware.

Versions 3-5 (2007-2019)

Guitar Rig 3, released in December 2007, included the option to purchase the software independently of the hardware. The updated software also featured a streamlined view dedicated to live performances. Before version 3 was released, the

graphical user interface A graphical user interface, or GUI, is a form of user interface that allows user (computing), users to human–computer interaction, interact with electronic devices through Graphics, graphical icon (computing), icons and visual indicators such ...

simulated amplifier logos and design construction; however, with version 3 this was replaced with a generic name. Released in October 2009, Guitar Rig version 4 introduced improved cabinet and microphone modeling software, alongside the "Control Room" feature, which allowed for greater customisation of preamp, cabinet and microphone combinations. Announced in August 2011 and released in September 2011, version 5 of the software included an expanded version of the Control Room feature, and introduced the ability to perform sidechaining within the software.

Version 6 (2020-2023)

Version 6 of Guitar Rig, announced in September 2020 and released on October 1, 2020, was the first major update for the software since 2011. This new version included a redesigned user interface, "Intelligent Circuit Modelling" (an amp reproduction system based on

machine learning Machine learning (ML) is a field of study in artificial intelligence concerned with the development and study of Computational statistics, statistical algorithms that can learn from data and generalise to unseen data, and thus perform Task ( ...

), 3 new amp options (including 1 new bass amp), and additional effects.

Version 7 (2023-Present)

Version 7 of Guitar Rig was launched on September 6, 2023. New features include effects and amps modeled using

Machine Learning Machine learning (ML) is a field of study in artificial intelligence concerned with the development and study of Computational statistics, statistical algorithms that can learn from data and generalise to unseen data, and thus perform Task ( ...

(branded as Intelligent Circuit Modeling), a

Looper Looper may refer to: Animals * Cabbage looper (''Trichoplusia ni''), a member of the moth family Noctuidae * Inchworm, of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies People * Looper (surname), a Dutch-language surname with the meani ...

, and a new

Impulse Response In signal processing and control theory, the impulse response, or impulse response function (IRF), of a dynamic system is its output when presented with a brief input signal, called an impulse (). More generally, an impulse response is the reac ...

loader.

References

External links

* {{Native Instruments Native Instruments Guitar-related software