Additions/Enhancements I would like to see..

Somethings I would like to see added to GR2 are:

- a module that allows you to use VST plugins. I use several other VST plugins like Camel Phat and Camel Space that I would really like to use with GR2 in stand-alone mode. I can use Kore (or other host) but sometimes it's nice to just fire up GR2 by itself.

- Ability to import a patch into another patch with a split. For example. You have two patches - great guitar patch and a great bass patch. You are playing the guitar patch but a friend shows up and wants to plug his/her instrument in - so you add a split module to the patch you are playing and then import the patch your friend wants to use into the B section of the split. This way if your friend wants to change the patch you don't have to exit and rebuild another patch to try out the new one. This would be GREAT for Chapman Stick, Warr or Megatar players or others with stereo pickup systems on their instruments. I guess this would be similar to a 'performance' mode on a Roland synth..

- a Looper with more real-time control. Multiple loop tracks, etc. Too many things really to list - look at the Mobius looping software at www.zonemobius.com. Killer looping s/w!

- a reverb that is not quite so CPU intensive as the current one but not a spring emulation.

- more bass amp models like Eden, SWR, Trace, etc.

- guitar synth mode w/waveforms, etc. like on the Roland GT6. Polyphonic would be even better (see suggestion further down list)

- ability to use the Kore controller in GR2 directly without having to fire up Kore.

- Expansion foot pedals that match the style/build of RK2

- Surround capability. Obviously not with the RK2, but when used with compatible sound cards.

- better GR2 software latency. I know that latency is usually set in the audio driver. However, when using my RME Hammerfall 9652 with multitrack software, plugins, etc.. and running a lot of tracks I can use a lower latency setting (6ms) then when running GR2 by itself on the RME card - I have to bump it up to (I think) 12 ms to keep it from glitching.

- Ok this one is out there but - polyphonic HEX pickup input. The Roland VG88 and V-bass have this and allows you to have a true polyphonic octave and pitch transpose effects. (well, one can wish, right?) Then if that all goes well - have audio-to-midi conversion... Yea, you're right, probably need a small Cray computer to do it...or a plug in DSP card?


Dave
www.ambientstickist.com

 

- Ability to control more than one parameter at a time with controllers ala the modifiers. The problem with modifiers is that there are some parameters you can not control (i.e. on/off of effects).

- Second for the synth mode ala the Boss GT series.

- Change of patches nearly instananeous with no pause or skip in sound.

 

Many good suggestions above. I second all of them!

- I am enlightened to see that I am not the only one thinking about surround guitar! (That said; it means that now I can't register a patent on it :-D ). Splits and delay-taps should be possible to assign to for instance four channels instead of two.

- You should be able to decide if you want echoes to trail over when you change presets. This is very musical.

- The whole pitch shifting engine needs a major overhaul, it simply isn't up to par. In addition to faster tracking (less latency) and a smoother sound, there should be a polyphonic option. One usage is to play parallell harmonies fixed, but artificial harmonies that follows a scale has been around for over a decade. Scales should be user definable of course - and do not limit this to just the well tempered scale, please!

- Numeric input is especially needed on any time-based effects. Once upon a time not too long ago numeric input was all you had on a computer, but now it's gone? Granted, real stomp boxes and old tube amps don't have numeric input, but why cut away something the computer is really good at. In some circumstances it is more convenient and even faster than dialing a small button with your mouse, and definetly more precise!

- A free floating 'data' window the user can customize to heart's content. The idea is to have a (small) collection of vital data collected in one cleaner space. Especially useful when performing. For instance it can contain:
* The name of the current preset in HUGE letters, visible from a distance too.
* Some selected values for effects, like delay time etc.
* The position of any connected pedals (say you are in a situation where you alter the modulation with a pedal, and you know that when the pedal is at "90" it will lock in with some other sound)
* etc. etc. etc.

- A Ring-modulator. This is a classic device in the electro acoustic world after 1950, and sometimes when I am in 'experimental mode' I wish I had it. There should be a component that can generate waveforms - an occillator, simple as that (takes hardly any CPU at all). And it should be possible to modulate the guitar input against it, in various ways.

- An optional RDI. It stands for "Really Dull Interface". Although the graphics in GuitarRig are really cool and well made, and eften even inspiring, I am an experienced user now and I wish I could have just the nitty gritty more easily accessable. Yes I am talking spreadsheet style interface with names and input fields. OK, throw in a slider instead of a dial then, but with the numeric value beside. I only need to read 'Plexi', not see a picture of it to associate what it does for my sound now, and I know what 'volume', 'bass', 'treble' etc. does as well, so I don't need those fine virtual buttons to turn - always. I am confident that in many circumstances I would work faster and more concentrated with an RDI - I have experienced this when I work with 3D apps where I now always prefer labels with names of the function on instead of cryptic icons.
An RDI would save screen space, the entire 'Plexi' amp controls (as an example) could fit on just two lines of text or so. With an RDI it is possible to use a larger font, if anyone should wish so. It is also easy to compare for instance 'modulation speed' and 'delay time' when given as numbers in columns, if you want to synchronize them.
An RDI would save some CPU resources and definetly GPU (graphics processing), which is a problem for many, escpecially laptop users. You could opt to use the RDI live for instance, to be sure you allocate maximum resources to creating sounds and have some overhead in a critical situation.
I know this is more of a 'laboratory' approach that may put some people off. I'm asking for / suggesting this as an option only, because in my experience working non-analog (there's nothing on screen that is a visual representation of what you're hearing, like the virtual buttons attempts to do) can actually help to focus on listening to what you're doing...

- What I really want is a single button interface that says "create great guitar sound", and delivers...

 

Oh yeah, though too late for me, have a software only version available for purchase. Not everyone needs the RK.

And after readeing several posts, the RK is a bit troublesome for many users. Fix those issues, make it more universal and programmable (aka MIDI) and make it a desirable addition and I don't think you would have problems with people wanting to buy it as an option.

 

For me:

- Fix the pitch shift, so that it works as well as a proper Whammy pedal
- Tape delay emulator
- Mark I/II Mesa Boogie emulation
- Brian May "Deacy" amp emulation
- "me too" on assigning controllers to more than one function

 

Sound morphing between presets.
Multiple assignable parameters per controller.
Get rid of that damn RK and give us a software only version.
UB version pronto!
Give us real window resizing, the one we have now is too stupid really.
Patch-bay plugin for inserting real hardware anywhere into the rack.

 

First of all, sorry my bad english.

I use guitar rig 2 on the stage, Well unfortunaly is NOT possible using GR2 footcontroller have more than 1 controler to a unique function

(example: you cannot have 2 pedals to turn Wahwah ON....)

just because on stage we need to use the expression pedal like a morley wah pedal where you just push it forward a little and it turns the wah on and also uses it to control the wah.

Multiple assignable parameters per controller.
Mark I/II Mesa Boogie emulation
"The whole pitch shifting engine needs a major overhaul, it simply isn't up to par. In addition to faster tracking (less latency) and a smoother sound, there should be a polyphonic option. One usage is to play parallell harmonies fixed, but artificial harmonies that follows a scale has been around for over a decade. Scales should be user definable of course - and do not limit this to just the well tempered scale, please!
"
Best regards

 

And more...

I would like to see a more open ended DIY effect 'laboratory' so to speak. I have seem some circuit designs where you can 'morph' between different overtone characteristics in a distorition sound, for instance. Surley, many of these sounds would probably be more 'interesting' than immediately useful, but for those bold and brave among us...
I am sure the engineers at NI have come across loads of bizarre sounds when programming, deciding to make only a (small) section of one parameter's possible value settings to be available to the end user (us), since these are the traditionally 'useful' sounds. Well, f#*% tradition; we don't all want to mimic Beck, Page, Gilmour, Van Halen ... whoever. Certainly there ARE already many 'adventerous' possibilities in GuitarRig, but I suggest to take off the lid even more.

Seriously, the whole concept around the Looper needs more work. Its placement in the chain needs to be more flexible, how it interacts with RK2 (blocks other button assgnments) needs some rethinking... And also, functionwise it really isn't an end solution to all looping at all. If anyone thinks GR2 looping is 'advanced' I urge anyone to check this link:
http://www.zonemobius.com/
Heck, it's free software even!
Either give this guy some money and incorporate his design into the next GR, or at least give us a VST handler so we can 'build our own rack' even further.

 

I should have menitoned this in my initial listing but this is probably THE most important update/enhancement I wouldlike to see. Another poster mentioned morphing - that would be cool! Even if it was a matter of setting up a patch list where you had a list of the different setups you were using and then switched between them (giving the computer a chance to prepare in advance for the next patch) - ANYTHING to make this smoother....

Dave
www.ambientstickist.com

 

Glad to see someone else interested in Surround as well! I've been working on doing a 4.1 type setup for a while...would be nice to have the surround developed in GR2 and not have to do it in yet another application... 8>)

The second item - echoes - and I would add - reverb tails - should be allowed to trail over to the next patch change...might make the delay between patch changes more bearable at least...

Dave
www.ambientstickist.com

 

More suggestions:

A volume meter which can be placed anywhere between effects, also in as many instances as desired. With this device one can see if one effect's output is overloading the next ones' input. Probably even more important is that you can monitor places where your signal may be too weak in a chain. These are culprits for noise build-up, but often doesn't reveal itself through just listening, like distortion from overload usually will.

Extended Cut & Paste (this has been mentioned), like copying of multi-selected effects into a split for instance, even in another preset.

Amp-simulations:
We all 'hate' transistor overload, but nevertheless: I had a friend come over which had this horrible distortion on his guitar through his Fostex X15 portastudio (cheapest you could get). He was just starting up, and I taught him how to set the levels right for a clean sound. Truth is, the distorted sound was kind of cool. I find it hard to replicate something really near in GR2, so please...

Speaking of small devices: one of the hugest guitar sounds I've heard came through close-miking a small Tandberg reel-to-reel like this: http://nrhf.no/TB-2.html which had a tube amp and a small speaker built in. This early smaller model was meant for home and education use, but has some of the same quality that their enthusiast and pro machines was famous for. The clean sound is strongly compressed and really sucks you in, and it overloads with a creamy distortion. Miking small speakers for a big sound is an old 'secret trick', used by for instance Eric Claption on his famous Layla record from 1970 (his best ever?!?!?!). He used the Pignose practice amp; also a candidate for modelling!

Strange idea perhaps, but how about a simulated acoustic guitar body as a sort of speaker cabinet? And a cello or double bass for that matter. Would be interesting for very resonant, organic ... indeed wooden sounds... ;-)

Sometimes I like the sound of the reverb in lo-res better, with it's slight graininess. I prefer to work with all other effects in hi-res however. The reverb needs some more space(!) in all directions. Like I've mentioned before: more extreme controls available. I also miss a plate reverb. Again, with a VST-pocket inside GuitarRig itself (standalone), I could pick a plate reverb from somewhere else.

I have suggested a harmonic pitch shifter in an earlier post. For this to work, GuitarRig must be able to determine which note is played by the performer, i.e. if you have a preset that says 'give me a third', when you play a C and the user-set scale is A minor, GR should play an E, but if the user-set scale is (changed) to C minor then GR should play an E flat. Technology that does this trick well has been around for over a decade, just to mention it. My (new) point is that this pitch data can be used to all kinds of funny things. Imagine having distorion added only when you play an A - it is possible! Pat Metheny played something he called Synclavier guitar years ago. With prices starting at 100.000 $/€ this thing wasn't widely available... On one record he used a setup where he magnified the tone leaps he played. There was a center tone he chose, and every interval he played outside that was multiplied. For instance a third became a sixth, a fifth became an octave and so on. This is a receipe for instant insane music for sure, but as always the musical usefulness depends fully on the musician. Technology shouldn't limit us! The opposite effect of the above, where the intervals are shrinked is perhaps more interesting; I've always found it hard to play microtonal music on a fretted neck :-D
(Since GR is not a guitarsynth or a device with string-by-string input, this effect will only work predictably on single string runs, but still...)

I mentioned that I wanted a single button that created 'great guitar sound' just like that. I also want one that creates 'sound that gets the attention from girls'. OK???

 

Already exists - handily labelled "compare" ;-)

 

...urrm - I had a hunch, but I wrote that away from the computer I have GR on. Must learn to use this function then. I have now deleted that query from my post above.

 

I´ve using GR2 for a couple of monthsand I just wanted it to have an Orange Amp, more Electro Harmonix FX (please, how could you forget for example Deluxe Memory Man), and a nice acoustic simulator. Ups, I forgot that either cabinet simulators or mics don´t sound as warm and as real they should be.

I have spent 6 monhs building a whole new amp with the guitar rig, for live and studio, and I have to congratulate Ni team, because after using a VOX AC30 for 2 years, a Rectifier for 6 months, and Twin Reverb for almost 3 years, I bever thought that a digital software was going to convince me. But when it comes to play live or in my garage band, you don´t know how easy is to plug and play.

Great Job NI team

Take a look at my set up pictures

 

I really need the ability to map the Save button to the foot controller or a MIDI event.

I often use a pedal to change a patch's relative volume on the fly (especially when there hasn't been a soundcheck) and I need to be able to quickly save those changes so that the rest of the performance goes smoothly.

 

could you please write some more about how your rig is put together. it looks really cool...

 

-I would like to see a tuner option that uses the lights and display on the RK to tune onstage OR be able to make the tuner in the rack large enought to see from across the stage.

-I would like to be able to use the pedal inputs for three functions ring,tip, and ring/tip

-I need to be able to tie more than one parrameter to a foot switch so that I can turn off the cat and turn on the reverb with one switch, ect.

- plus one for the ring mod.

- plus one for the vst host

- plus one for the patchbay to include out board gear

-more delays, analog, tape, ect.

-a volume pedal that is set up to behave just like an ernie ball because that's the sweep so many players are used to.

that said I love GR2 and I toured with it and really enjoyed it.

 

mrzosonp - when you were touring with GR, how did you deal with relative volumes between patches? Did you just sound check extensively in each venue prior to performance, or did you have a sound guy riding a fader all night? Both?

I'm trying to cope with 15 minute open mic sets where there's no sound check at all and I'm tweaking patch levels on the fly. As I said in my last post, this really necessitates mapping the Save button to a foot controller.

 

I have menitoned this in my initial listing but this is probably THE most important update/enhancement .

 

Melody6, not sure which enhancement you're talking about in your last post, but I just read your first one. I love the idea about being able to drop references to other patches inside a given patch - for instance to be able to split between them etc. That is brilliant, although I would settle for the ability to copy and paste multiple modules from one patch to another as a group.

"Ok this one is out there but - polyphonic HEX pickup input. The Roland VG88 and V-bass have this and allows you to have a true polyphonic octave and pitch transpose effects. (well, one can wish, right?) Then if that all goes well - have audio-to-midi conversion... Yea, you're right, probably need a small Cray computer to do it...or a plug in DSP card? "

This is the future of guitar IMO. And ultimately I foresee a guitar w/ hex pickup and bus powered firewire (or some future standard) on board, with a PC processing the signals as you describe. Add the next generation of Variax-type processing, but in a native VST format, and you have complete flexibility. The PCs that could handle it are only a year or two away.