NI Guitar Rig 2 User manual

Operation Manual
GUITAR RIG 2

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH. The
software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not
be copied to other media. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or
otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission
by NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, hereinafter referred to as NATIVE INSTRUMENTS.
All product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners.
Furthermore, the fact that you are reading this text means you are the owner of
legal version rather than an illegal, pirated copy. It is only through the loyalty and
honesty of people like yourself that NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH can continue
to develop and create innovative audio software. On behalf of the entire company,
thank you very much.
Users Guide written by �raig Anderton�raig Anderton
Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down
bugs, but in making this a better product.
© NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, 2006. All rights reserved.
Germany USA
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH NATIVE INSTRUMENTS North America, Inc.
Schlesische Str. 28 5631 Hollywood Boulevard
D-10997 Berlin Los Angeles, �A 90028
Germany USA
[e-mail] [e-mail]
www.native-instruments.de www.native-instruments.com

GUITAR RIG 2 – III
Table Of Contents
1 Welcome to GUITAR RIG 2!.............................................................. 7
2. Installing and Setting Up GUITAR RIG 2........................................... 7
3 The Big Picture, and Why GUITAR RIG 2 is Cool. ....................................8
3.1 About “Standalone” Mode .......................................................... 8
3.2 About “Plug-in” Mode ............................................................... 9
3.3 The “RIG KONTROL 2” Foot �ontroller.......................................10
3.4 �aution ...................................................................................10
3.5 Get creative! Why be normal?.....................................................11
3.6 Patience, please.......................................................................11
4 Instant Gratication/Quick Start ......................................................12
5 GUITAR RIG 2 Layout.....................................................................12
5.1 �ontrol �enter..........................................................................13
5.2 Left Frame View Options ...........................................................13
5.3 The Right Frame ......................................................................14
6 Setting Preferences........................................................................15
6.1 Pref: Global Tab .......................................................................15
6.2 Pref: Presets Tab......................................................................16
6.3 Pref: �ontroller Tab...................................................................16
6.4 GUITAR RIG 2 �ontroller Basics ................................................16
6.5 Rack �ontrols ..........................................................................17
6.6 Presets �ontrols .......................................................................19
7 The Storage Story Banks, Presets, and Templates..............................21
7.1 �omponent Template Management .............................................21
7.2 Preset Management ................................................................. 23
7.3 Bank Operations...................................................................... 23
7.4 Resizing the Bank and Preset Windows .......................................24
7.5 Preset List Operations...............................................................25
7.6 Keyboard Shortcuts for Banks and Presets ..................................27
7.7 Properties ............................................................................... 28
7.8 Search ................................................................................... 29
8 Fixed Rack Components ................................................................ 30
8.1 Input �omponent with RIG KONTROL 2..................................... 30
8.2 Input �omponent with RIG KONTROL 1......................................31
8.3 Output �omponent .................................................................. 32
8.4 Tuner ..................................................................................... 33
8.5 Metronome ............................................................................. 34
8.6 Tapedeck One ......................................................................... 35
8.7 Standard Playback................................................................... 36

IV – GUITAR RIG 2
8.8 Looped Playback..................................................................... 36
8.9 �hanging Playback Pitch and/or Tempo.......................................37
8.10 Recording .............................................................................37
8.11 Tapedeck Two........................................................................ 38
9 Components and Parameters.......................................................... 39
9.1 Mono, Stereo, and Signal Flow .................................................. 39
9.2 �ommon �ontrols.................................................................... 40
9.3 Display �ontrols ...................................................................... 40
9.4 Power On/Off .......................................................................... 40
9.5 Saving and Loading Templates ...................................................41
9.6 �omponent MIDI �ontrol...........................................................41
9.7 Loading and Arranging the Order of �omponents......................... 42
9.8 Amps ..................................................................................... 42
9.9 �abinets & Mics ...................................................................... 43
9.10 Tweedman ............................................................................ 46
9.11 A� Box ..................................................................................47
9.12 Twang Reverb.........................................................................49
9.13 Plex ......................................................................................51
9.14 Jazz Amp.............................................................................. 52
9.15 Lead 800 ............................................................................. 53
9.16 Instant Gratier Solo Head...................................................... 54
9.17 Bass PRO ............................................................................. 56
10 Distort ....................................................................................... 58
10.1 Fuzz..................................................................................... 58
10.2 Big Fuzz ............................................................................... 59
10.3 �at ...................................................................................... 60
10.4 Skreamer...............................................................................61
10.5 Distortion ............................................................................. 62
10.6 Mezone ................................................................................ 63
10.7 Demon Distortion .................................................................. 64
10.8 TransAmp ............................................................................. 65
10.9 Treble Booster....................................................................... 66
10.10 Gain Booster ....................................................................... 67
11 Mod........................................................................................... 68
11.1 Tremolo ................................................................................ 68
11.2 Ensemble ..............................................................................69
11.3 �horus/ Flanger ......................................................................70
11.4 Stoned Phaser........................................................................71
11.5 Rotator ..................................................................................72
11.6 Oktaver................................................................................. 73
11.7 Pitch Pedal ............................................................................74

GUITAR RIG 2 – V
11.8 Electric Lady..........................................................................75
11.9 Phaser Nine ...........................................................................76
11.10 Harmonic Synthesizer............................................................76
12 Filter ..........................................................................................78
12.1 EQ Shelving ...........................................................................78
12.2 EQ Parametric........................................................................79
12.3 EQ Graphic........................................................................... 80
12.4 Pro-Filter...............................................................................81
12.5 AutoFilter ............................................................................. 82
12.6 Wahwah Pedal....................................................................... 83
12.7 Talkwah................................................................................ 85
12.8 Equalizer Tips ....................................................................... 86
13 Volume ...................................................................................... 88
13.1 Volume Pedal ........................................................................ 88
13.2 Limiter ................................................................................. 89
13.3 Noise Gate............................................................................ 90
13.4 Noise Reduction.....................................................................91
13.5 Stomp �ompressor ................................................................ 92
13.6 Tube �ompressor................................................................... 93
14 Reverbs and Delays ......................................................................95
14.1 Spring Reverb ....................................................................... 95
14.2 Studio Reverb ....................................................................... 96
14.3 Quad Delay............................................................................97
14.4 Psychedelay.......................................................................... 99
15 Tools ........................................................................................101
15.1 Loop Machine ......................................................................101
15.2 Split....................................................................................103
15.3 �rossover Mix.......................................................................105
16 Modiers...................................................................................107
16.1 About Modiers....................................................................107
16.2 LFO ....................................................................................109
16.3 Envelope ............................................................................. 110
16.4 Step Sequencer....................................................................113
16.5 Analog Sequencer................................................................. 115
16.6 Input Level Modier..............................................................116
17 Control via RIG KONTROL / MIDI ................................................ 117
17.1 The Virtual RIG KONTROL ..................................................... 117
17.2 �alibrating RIG KONTROL 2...................................................117
17.3 Assigning Parameters to MIDI �ontrollers ................................118
17.4 Assigning Parameters to MIDI Notes .......................................119
17.5 MIDI Synchronization ............................................................119

VI – GUITAR RIG 2
18 Interfacing Guitar Rig with Other Gear..........................................120
19 Using GUITAR RIG 2 with a Host Program ....................................122
19.1 Installing GUITAR RIG 2 as an Effect ......................................122
19.2 About Re-Amping .................................................................122
19.3 Avoid Zero-Latency Options! ..................................................123
19.4 Total Recall..........................................................................123
19.5 Typical Examples..................................................................123
20 Automating Plug-In Parameters ...................................................125
Appendix A: Optimizing System Response .........................................129
Use Low-Latency Drivers...............................................................129
What About Direct Monitoring? ......................................................130
How Low �an You Go? ..................................................................130
About Samples and Buffers...........................................................131
Warning: Different Types of ASIO ...................................................132
Tips on Minimizing Latency ..........................................................133
Appendix B: About MIDI ..................................................................134
MIDI Basics.................................................................................134
MIDI �onnections.........................................................................134
About Program �hanges and Bank Select .......................................135
About �ontinuous �ontrollers.........................................................135
Appendix C: Tips on Creating Your Own RIG.......................................137
Series and Parallel Effects ............................................................137
Placing �omponents in the Right Order...........................................137
The All-Important First Effect ........................................................138
Series Effects �ombinations ..........................................................138
Parallel Effects ............................................................................140
Appenidx D: About Ground Loops .....................................................141
A Non-Solution: Ground Lifters ......................................................141
Solution #1: The Single Plug Theory ...............................................141
Solution #2: The Broken Shield Effect............................................142
Solution #3: Audio Isolation Transformer.........................................142
Solution #4: A� Isolation Transformer.............................................142
Index.............................................................................................143

GUITAR RIG 2 – 7
1 Welcome to GUITAR RIG 2!
GUITAR RIG 2 will change your musical life. Forget about complex, noisy,
unreliable guitar pedal setups with cables that crackle and batteries that die
in the middle of solos: GUITAR RIG 2 puts the world’s most sophisticated,
exible, and wonderful-sounding guitar rig into any modern laptop or desktop
computer (Mac OS X or Windows XP). Take it to the studio, to the gig, practice
in your hotel room…the possibilities are limitless.
And thanks to the included RIG KONTROL 2 foot controller/DI box/USB 2
sound card/preamp, you can take your guitar, bass, or other stringed instrument
sound to the next level with only a few guitar cords, and some way to hear
what you’re doing.
Of course, none of this would have happened without the visionaries, inventors,
and artisans whose work on guitar amps and effects over the decades dened
the sound of the electric guitar as we know it. All of the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
team would like to acknowledge their creations as an important source of
inspiration in the design of this software; they have both our respect and
gratitude. In this case, we are more than happy to state that imitation is
indeed the sincerest form of attery.
A love of the guitar and its seemingly innite potential has driven our quest for
the ultimate guitar rig. We thank you for your support, and hope that whether
you’re looking for vintage blues timbres, modern rock grunge, or synthetic
sounds for dance music, GUITAR RIG 2 will deliver the tone, punch, and
crunch you crave.
– The NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GUITAR RIG 2 Team
2. Installing and Setting Up GUITAR RIG 2
We recommend that you rst follow the steps described in the Setup Guide
supplied separately before you start reading this manual. The Setup Guide
explains how to install GUITAR RIG 2 on your computer, how to setup the
audio and MIDI interfaces of the Stand-Alone Version or alternatively, how
to incorporate
GUITAR RIG 2 as a plug-in to your Audio MIDI Sequencer. The Setup Guide
also includes a step-by-step introduction to using the new NI Service �enter,
which is available online to help you activate GUITAR RIG 2 for permanent use
on your computer and search comfortably for new updates with ease.

8 – GUITAR RIG 2
3 The Big Picture, and Why GUITAR RIG 2 is Cool.
GUITAR RIG 2 places a complete guitar processing setup inside your computer.
The program contains the �omponents needed for great guitar and bass
sounds: Effects like distortion and wah, ambience creators like delay and
reverb, 8 different amp heads, 26 different speaker cabinets, and more. All
of these have been modeled by the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS team not only
for realism, but ease of use and great tone.
3.1 About “Standalone” Mode
GUITAR RIG 2 can function as a guitar processing setup all by itself, without
needing anything other than a computer and audio in and out. Here’s an
overview:
• Turn off Direct Monitoring (please refer to Appendix A)
• Open the GUITAR RIG 2 program, and select the computer’s audio
input as GUITAR RIG 2’s audio input.
• Plug your guitar (using RIG KONTROL, as described later, or a preamp)
into the computer’s audio input.
• Select the computer audio output as GUITAR RIG 2’s output.
• Patch the computer’s audio output into your amplication system (guitar
amp, mixing console, PA system, etc.).
However, the built-in audio in most Windows machines is not studio quality,
and there will be latency (time delay) between the time you play a note and
when you hear it come out of the computer. Latency is frustrating, because
we’re used to hearing a sound immediately when we pluck a string. Modern
Macintosh computers running OS X are better, but there may still be sound
quality issues with built-in audio.
If you are not using the RIG KONTROL 2 audio interface NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
advises to use an audio interface or sound card designed specically for audio
applications, such as those made by RME, Echo (Indigo I/O), MOTU, M-Audio,
Frontier Designs, Aardvark, TAS�AM, Yamaha, etc. These are higher quality,
and include drivers (software that transfers data from the audio interface to the
computer) optimized for minimum delay. You’ll have a much more pleasurable
musical experience.

GUITAR RIG 2 – 9
In standalone mode, just choose the appropriate inputs and outputs by going
File  Audio+MIDI Settings, and you’re ready to go.
3.2 About “Plug-in” Mode
In this mode, GUITAR RIG 2 works in conjunction with a host program, like
�ubase, Logic Audio, Pro Tools, Live, Sonar, Digital Performer, Tracktion, and
so on. It inserts into the program’s mixer, like a “virtual effect.” Audio passes
through the computer’s sound card into the host program, which feeds it into
GUITAR RIG 2. The host’s output then proceeds to a hardware output, which
goes to your amplication system.
As with standalone mode, an audio-oriented sound card is highly recommended
to avoid the latency involved in going through the host program and
computer.

10 – GUITAR RIG 2
GUITAR RIG 2 is inserted in Cubase SX2 to process a guitar track.
3.3 The “RIG KONTROL 2” Foot Controller
GUITAR RIG 2’s included RIG KONTROL 2 hardware has an expression pedal,
seven footswitches, guitar preamp/impedance converter, and USB 2 computer
audio interface. The preamp is important as it conditions the guitar signal
properly for the best tone and lowest noise when interfaced with other electronic
devices, or your computer. The footswitches and pedal are assignable to various
functions within GUITAR RIG 2 for “hands-off,” real-time control.
3.4 Caution
Guitar pickups are very susceptible to hum, light dimmer “hash,” and the
interference generated by computers and monitors. L�D monitors create
less interference than �RT types, and humbuckers are less likely to pick up
interference than single coil pickups. Piezo pickups, like those used in the
Line 6 Variax, do not pick up this interference.
As you play with GUITAR RIG 2, always position your guitar so it picks up the
least amount of interference. GUITAR RIG 2’s Noise Reduction can help get
rid of some interference, but it is not a substitute for orienting your guitar
away from sources of interference.