# Guitar Rig 6 is awesome



## Pier (Apr 7, 2022)

I had completely overlooked GR as a "thing for guitar" but I think it includes every effect NI has ever made. I mean, there are like a dozen reverbs.

The vast selection of effects is already impressive, but you can also add modulations, create mini racks like in Ableton/Bitwig, etc.

Honestly I know nothing about guitar tone but for synths and drums this thing is a treasure trove.


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## Daren Audio (Apr 7, 2022)

So many possibilities for non-guitar sample libraries!


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## kgdrum (Apr 7, 2022)

In a way I think that’s the problem with GR from marketing perspective imo it should be called Effects Rig most people that like and use it seem to use it on everything but guitars.


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## rhizomusicosmos (Apr 7, 2022)

I think many electric guitarists are chasing "tone", i.e. authentic recreations of hardware amps and effects. But I used to plug my strat directly into an Ensoniq DP4, so Guitar Rig has been right up my alley.


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## jcrosby (Apr 7, 2022)

Pier said:


> I had completely overlooked GR as a "thing for guitar" but I think it includes every effect NI has ever made. I mean, there are like a dozen reverbs.
> 
> The vast selection of effects is already impressive, but you can also add modulations, create mini racks like in Ableton/Bitwig, etc.
> 
> Honestly I know nothing about guitar tone but for synths and drums this thing is a treasure trove.


Glad you discovered how great a tool it is for non-guitar effects Pier. Anyone assuming it's useful only as a guitar plugin suite are missing out on a big treat.

Have you played with the modulators yet?


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## labornvain (Apr 7, 2022)

For a long time, the consensus has been that Guitar Rig had some great effects but the amp models weren't very good.

But with this latest version, Native Instruments has really upped their game.

Guitar rig 6 has 3 new amplifiers that are definitely better than those of the previous version.

The new amps employ a new technology called ICM (Intelligent circuit modelling) which is based on machine learning.

So the old amps sound about the same, but the new ones sound better.

So native instruments has essentially joined the likes of Neural DSP in implementing machine learning to model circuits.


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## Ian Dorsch (Apr 7, 2022)

rhizomusicosmos said:


> I think many electric guitarists are chasing "tone", i.e. authentic recreations of hardware amps and effects. But I used to plug my strat directly into an Ensoniq DP4, so Guitar Rig has been right up my alley.


YES, 100% same, I even still have my old DP4!


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## el-bo (Apr 7, 2022)

GR has always been a great multi-FX app. The problem for me was always that theoverall rack didn’t have a mix knob. I don’t have V6. Has that changed now?


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## R10k (Apr 7, 2022)

Yeah, I had a play with it the other day and was surprised what I could do with it!


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## Anthony (Apr 8, 2022)

I too like GR6. Unfortunately its CPU usage is *much* higher than that of GR5, so I end up using the latter.

Worse still, this has been the trend for most NI FX plugins and VIs over the last year or so. I hope they address this in future updates.


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## TomislavEP (Apr 8, 2022)

For the first time since I've purchased my first version of Komplete (9), I've skipped an update so I'm still on K12 + Noire and patiently waiting for K14. GR6 is pretty much the only thing found in K13 that I regret not having available right now, although I'm still under the impression that apart from several new amp models (that do sound superior to many previous ones), there are not some really drastic changes in comparison with GR5. However, the new look alone makes working with it much more satisfactory and enjoyable.

Ah well, till K14, I guess!


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## lux (Apr 8, 2022)

Anthony said:


> I too like GR6. Unfortunately its CPU usage is *much* higher than that of GR5, so I end up using the latter.


Same here, downloaded the trial some time ago, liked sound and features, but cpu usage is really unbearable for a single effect, expecially compared with its competitors. Hope they will optimize the engine in the future (optimizing in this case to me means at least dropping away half the actual usage).


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## AceAudioHQ (Apr 8, 2022)

I also noticed this a few days ago, I almost always use it on my guitars but I was shopping for a shimmer reverb and I found out guitar rig has replika shimmer which does what I need. I have to dive deeper.


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## Michel Simons (Apr 8, 2022)

el-bo said:


> GR has always been a great multi-FX app. The problem for me was always that theoverall rack didn’t have a mix knob. I don’t have V6. Has that changed now?


Maybe I am not getting what you mean, but you can add an extra element to the rack where you have an overall mix knob or slider. This is already present in GR5 (and probably in earlier versions). It's one of the buttons in the top right part of the plug-in.


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

Michel Simons said:


> Maybe I am not getting what you mean, but you can add an extra element to the rack where you have an overall mix knob or slider. This is already present in GR5 (and probably in earlier versions). It's one of the buttons in the top right part of the plug-in.


Thanks! But where do you mean, exactly? The row which brings up the metronome etc?


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## doctoremmet (Apr 8, 2022)

This one?


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## doctoremmet (Apr 8, 2022)

Btw, @Pier - thanks for this post. Having fun with it, I just HAD to check it out and re-acquaint myself. It is indeed good.


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## Michel Simons (Apr 8, 2022)

doctoremmet said:


> This one?


I believe it's the one next to it. I have GR5 myself. But this one obviously works as well. Thanks Temme.


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

doctoremmet said:


> This one?


Thanks! Unfortunately, GR5 doesn't have that. BUT!...I have just found the 'Container' tool. How many effin' years have I owned this thing, and NOT found out how to do this...and with no need to even open the manual. What a fuckin' idiot!! 

So...The container allows macros to be assigned (And control of separate mix/ratio sliders, which is nice). Adding a 'Split Mixer' provides two 'Split' containers (containers within containers, like a dream within a dream) and a dj-styled mixer A/B slider. All one has to do is place all the effects on ether the 'A' or 'B' containers, keeping the other empty, then just mix between the two. This now effectively works as a mix knob and can be mapped to one of the 4 main macro knobs. Of course, it's possible to place different effects in the two different sub-containers and mix between them, and, perhaps (I've yet to try, though) then split again to still have an overall mix knob for the whole patch.

So, I'm guessing if I save a patch, which is empty except for the splits, split mixer and a mapped mix macro, then all I have to do is decide which container to put things in when designing FX patches.
Not saying I still wouldn't want a global 'Mix', like in the Soundtoys Rack. But this is definitely workable. And the FX sound as solid as they ever did. And I assume the containers are still available in GR6?

Now I have more things to keep me occupied instead of actually making music 

Thanks, again 

This is container preset that I just tweaked, as proof-of-concept














Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow —
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less _gone_? 
_All_ that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand —
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep — while I weep!
O God! Can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
_One_ from the pitiless wave?
Is _all_ that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

Michel Simons said:


> I believe it's the one next to it. I have GR5 myself. But this one obviously works as well. Thanks Temme.


The one next to it is a Tape Deck, I believe. There is no similar mix/macro icon in the top rows in GR5, unless I've totally lost it (That is a possibility)


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## rollasoc (Apr 8, 2022)

For me, GR5 had great effects and ok amps. I haven't seen anything in 6 to disprove that thinking. The "we can now easily add amps" and then never add any new ones, doesn't bode well. 

But it has some unique and interesting effects, so I do use it in front of other amp sims occasionally.


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## EvilDragon (Apr 8, 2022)

Pier said:


> but I think it includes every effect NI has ever made


Nooooot quite. For example it doesn't have Vokator nor Spektral Delay, nor Molekular...



Anthony said:


> Unfortunately its CPU usage is *much* higher than that of GR5


New FX are indeed higher quality DSP so they do require more CPU, but for old FX GR6 constantly runs in high quality mode, which was also available in GR5.



rollasoc said:


> I haven't seen anything in 6 to disprove that thinking.


Fire Breather sounds friggin awesome and much better than any prior GR amp. Definitely at the same level as Kazrog, NeuralDSP and all that ilk.


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## Michel Simons (Apr 8, 2022)

el-bo said:


> The one next to it is a Tape Deck, I believe. There is no similar mix/macro icon in the top rows in GR5, unless I've totally lost it (That is a possibility)


I believe it's the one labelled PRST.

Sorry for not being of much help, but I will check later today if I go and do some musicking.


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

Michel Simons said:


> I believe it's the one labelled PRST.
> 
> Sorry for not being of much help, but I will check later today if I go and do some musicking.


That's the 'Preset Volume' It doesn't work as a mix knob. Even at the lowest level, which strangely seems to still let through some amount of signal, there are still clearly heard echos from the delays in my preset.

Maybe I'm just using it incorrectly.


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## Pier (Apr 8, 2022)

jcrosby said:


> Have you played with the modulators yet?


Yeah!

Reminds me a lot of Bitwig and KiloHearts' stuff. GR6 is a really powerful sound design environment. Honestly I think NI should really market this very differently.

And the UI is fast, resizable, clean, modern. Is this really a NI product? 😂

In all seriousness, if this is the new UI engine that will power future NI products, Kontakt 7 is going to be awesome.


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## GregSilver (Apr 8, 2022)

Okay, have to install it now. I always skipped it in NI-Service-Center.... Thank you Pier


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## Pier (Apr 8, 2022)

el-bo said:


> GR has always been a great multi-FX app. The problem for me was always that theoverall rack didn’t have a mix knob. I don’t have V6. Has that changed now?


Not sure about a general mix knob (I'm not in my DAW machine now) but it has all sort of audio routing utilities now.


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

Pier said:


> Not sure about a general mix knob (I'm not in my DAW machine now) but it has all sort of audio routing utilities now.


No. It's not so simple. The functionality is there, though (as I explained in a later post). And yes, GR5 has these tools. Will look to exploring the crossover next


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## jcrosby (Apr 8, 2022)

TomislavEP said:


> For the first time since I've purchased my first version of Komplete (9), I've skipped an update so I'm still on K12 + Noire and patiently waiting for K14. GR6 is pretty much the only thing found in K13 that I regret not having available right now, although I'm still under the impression that apart from several new amp models (that do sound superior to many previous ones), there are not some really drastic changes in comparison with GR5. However, the new look alone makes working with it much more satisfactory and enjoyable.
> 
> Ah well, till K14, I guess!


GR6 added all of the current NI effects as modules. (Raum, Dirt, Bite, Driver, Choral Flair, Freak, Phasis, RC24, RC48, Replika GR & Replika Shimmer, Supercharger GT, Transient Master, VC 160/2A/76, Solid Dynamics/Bus Comp, Solid EQ). 

Obviously nothing special on their own, but when you add the modulation, splitters, etc it adds ton of new and better sounding sound design possibilities....


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## TomislavEP (Apr 9, 2022)

As a K12 owner, I have standalone versions of Replika, Raum, Choral, Phasis, and Flair; agree, they do sound gorgeous, and having them inside GR will be a big boon. Also, Replika Shimmer looks interesting though my go-to is definitely Valhalla.

BTW, I've always wished that NI makes Reflektor a standalone plugin. As a rule, I only use convolution inside Kontakt libraries themselves and prefer algorithmic reverb overall, but have recently begun experimenting with IRs for general reverberation. The ability to use Reflektor on its own without having to run GR would be (IMO) more elegant, but there are probably very slim chances for this to happen.


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## EvilDragon (Apr 9, 2022)

There's nothing _really_ that special in Reflektor, feel free to use most any other standalone convolver out there instead...


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## Pier (Apr 9, 2022)

EvilDragon said:


> There's nothing _really_ that special in Reflektor, feel free to use most any other standalone convolver out there instead...


But but but but... what about the _patent pending Zero Latency Convolution technology_ ???? 😂

BTW the marketing page still says GR5 (although the links correctly go to GR6).


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## EvilDragon (Apr 9, 2022)

I'm pretty sure a few other convolvers figured out the same (or similar) trick.


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## TomislavEP (Apr 10, 2022)

EvilDragon said:


> There's nothing _really_ that special in Reflektor, feel free to use most any other standalone convolver out there instead...


There is definitely plenty of more advanced and better solutions out there, especially when it comes to the content. However, looking at Komplete as a solid foundation and a long-term investment, I always try to take advantage of what's included inside before thinking about getting a 3rd party tool. I was thinking of using Reflektor primarily as an engine for loading IR files. For occasional use, it seems OK to me.


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## EvilDragon (Apr 10, 2022)

Right, nothing wrong with that!


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## Pier (Aug 29, 2022)

Guitar Rig 6 is now native on Apple Silicon.



https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360014683497-Apple-Silicon-M1-M2-Compatibility-News


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## GregSilver (Aug 29, 2022)

It's actually great, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this list... M1 was released in 2020.


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## Pier (Aug 29, 2022)

GregSilver said:


> It's actually great, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this list... M1 was released in 2020.


I agree although it's very probable the market share of NI users with ARM Macs is pretty small thus not really a priority.

ARM on the PC is about 10% of the market. Not PC as in Windows machines, but PC as in "personal computers" including Macs, Linux, and Windows machines. And in the pro audio world the market share could be even smaller than 10%.


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## GregSilver (Aug 30, 2022)

The first


Pier said:


> I agree although it's very probable the market share of NI users with ARM Macs is pretty small thus not really a priority.
> 
> ARM on the PC is about 10% of the market. Not PC as in Windows machines, but PC as in "personal computers" including Macs, Linux, and Windows machines. And in the pro audio world the market share could be even smaller than 10%.


That's the first plausible explanation I've read on this subject! Makes perfect sense.


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## KEM (Aug 30, 2022)

Pier said:


> I agree although it's very probable the market share of NI users with ARM Macs is pretty small thus not really a priority.
> 
> ARM on the PC is about 10% of the market. Not PC as in Windows machines, but PC as in "personal computers" including Macs, Linux, and Windows machines. And in the pro audio world the market share could be even smaller than 10%.



Still not a valid excuse


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## Pier (Aug 30, 2022)

KEM said:


> Still not a valid excuse


Says the Apple fanboi with a Mac Studio 😂


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## KEM (Aug 30, 2022)

Pier said:


> Says the Apple fanboi with a Mac Studio 😂



Exactly my point!!


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## GregSilver (Aug 30, 2022)

i didn't know or realize that it actually is such a small percentage of mac (M1) users. The article Pier linked was pretty interesting.


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## Bman70 (Aug 30, 2022)

GregSilver said:


> i didn't know or realize that it actually is such a small percentage of mac (M1) users. The article Pier linked was pretty interesting.


So is the user percentage small because they're waiting for more software to be compatible (like me), or is the software not compatible because the developers are waiting for more users?


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## telecode101 (Sep 4, 2022)

Guitar Rig still works well and does the job. I use a bunch of different sims but loaded up Guitar Rig 5 which I haven't used in years, just to try something the other day -- I forgot how good it was. You can get a lot of really cool sounding stuff out of it if you know what you are trying to do.


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## telecode101 (Sep 4, 2022)

Pier said:


> I agree although it's very probable the market share of NI users with ARM Macs is pretty small thus not really a priority.
> 
> ARM on the PC is about 10% of the market. Not PC as in Windows machines, but PC as in "personal computers" including Macs, Linux, and Windows machines. And in the pro audio world the market share could be even smaller than 10%.


Interesting article. Sort of makes sense I guess. My kids use chomebooks that are bought by and handed out by the local school boards. At work, I mostly order Intel based systems. Only handful of Apple users and we order M1 systems for them. I always assumed M1 is for Apple users that are on the latest and greatest. My own DAW is a 10+ year old Intel system and I can easily do 100+ tracks on it. I was recently on a studio to do some overdubs for a friend of mine and the studio had a Win XP system for their digital system in the studio.


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## rollasoc (Sep 23, 2022)

GregSilver said:


> It's actually great, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this list... M1 was released in 2020.


Cough cough, VST3 has been out over 10 years and NI hasn't made most things compatible with that yet, so get in line.... (I'm joking, they should do both).


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## Crowe (Sep 23, 2022)

--was replying to a way too old post because cookies were weird--


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## Michel Simons (Sep 23, 2022)

Crowe said:


> --was replying to a way too old post because cookies were weird--


I love weird cookies.


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## EvilDragon (Sep 23, 2022)

lux said:


> Same here, downloaded the trial some time ago, liked sound and features, but cpu usage is really unbearable for a single effect, expecially compared with its competitors. Hope they will optimize the engine in the future (optimizing in this case to me means at least dropping away half the actual usage).


DSP in GR6 is already as optimized as can be. These new effects (Replika, Crush Pack, Mod Pack, Raum...) just need more CPU, but that's also why they sound so great.


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## HCMarkus (Sep 24, 2022)

Guitar Rig 6 is listed as "Apple Silicon-Native" on NI's site. Does this mean the effects, like Raum, are also AS-Native now? Thanks!


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