Product Reviews

Guitar Rig 3 is a guitar amplifier emulator that you can use as a plugin for your existing music-production software, such as Cubase or Cakewalk. It has 12 amp models and 44 effects, plus virtual cabs and mics to give you a high degree of control over the sounds.

The user interface, which Native Instruments calls KoreSound, is clear and easy to use, with the right side of the screen displaying your virtual rack, into which you drag whichever amp, effect, or cab model you want to use. The left windows offer a choice of presets, organised into genres, which act as a good starting place.

The

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Guitar Rig range has always sounded impressive and the choice of new amp models shows careful consideration by Native Instruments. There's a new high-gain model, plus a couple of 1960s and 1970s British rock types, plus one based on the Fender Tweed Deluxe. For effects, you get a new wah wah, ring modulator, distortion, EQ and two delays, which bolster an already comprehensive list.

A virtual tape-deck allows you to record guitar parts and play along to them, so Guitar Rig can be used as a standalone practice or sketchpad tool. However, to use it only for this is to waste most of the program's potential.

As this is the software-only version of Guitar Rig, you'll need an interface to connect your guitar to a computer. For an extra £130, you can buy the Kontrol version with its purpose-built pedal that connects your guitar via USB. Otherwise, a standard USB interface will do the job perfectly well. There's a free downloadable demo available at www.native-intruments.com, so you can try before you buy.

Guitar Rig 3 is a top-quality application that produces excellent results. Any guitarist with a home studio should try it immediately.