Amplitube 3 - screenshot (from NAMM)

[Hink]

Welcome, Hink! There's a lot of stuff to dig into with AmpliTube 3 but you'll have AT2 Live to dig into to get somewhat familiar with it. Then we'll change up some of it for you. You know how it goes.

thanx Peter, well it's all done, live installed, authorized and crossgrade ordered

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Yes, the Preset XChange should be jumpin' with presets, judging by the excitement building already. We also have the internal folks that always contribute great presets (I just recommended a Boston preset in another thread, and it was done by an IK guy, for example) and many many others. I'll see if there's a chance to do any contests with presets too. There's definitely a cool thing (maybe a couple) coming with a future rev of the Preset XChange too.

[cliftone]

Excellent, so many good things to look forward to. Thanks for keeping us posted Peter.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

We will have some sort of incentives based around the Preset XChange. One that's probable is also based on something I can't disclose But definitely we love to do the Preset XChange contests and incentives. I should have expected that was the answer, it is sort of our M.O. to reward folks who do the great presets there. I'll be uploading a few for sure since I've already made some for my own use. I have to nail a couple down better though since they are artist/song based.

[BuleriaChk]

I wonder if it would be possible to include acoustic effects in the future (e.g., modeling some of the tube preamps (not necessarily guitar?). Or various parameters of acoustic guitars (top, body, bracing, etc.), together with some of the Di's on the market.

I realize that AT3 has all kinds of stuff that can be cross-applied, but there are some differences (reverb/chorus voiced for (nylon string) acoustic guitar...

(I use a Takamine TC132SC, with CTP-2 preamp/palathetic pickup, which sounds great as it its, but I do like to experiment...)

Don't know if this makes any sense or not, but it might be included as a separate "Acoustic" module.....

(Acoustic guitarists were ignored for decades, and only recently have really good aoustic amps - Fishman SoloAmp, LR Baggs A-Ref, and the new Roland AC-33, all of which I own as well as acoustic-specific effects - Fishman AFX series, Aura Spectrum, etc. become generally available. The idea behind the Aura Spectrum is to record your guitar with a mic, and have software compare it with the DI sound, and process it so that the DI sound is identical to the mic'd sound....)

Of course, there are other acoustic amps, but quality has improved drastically over the past 5 years, driven by (of all things) the Worship market.. (I'm a Zen Existentialist, but hey, I'll take what I can get...

[PeterL]

I wonder if it would be possible to include acoustic effects in the future (e.g., modeling some of the tube preamps (not necessarily guitar?). Or various parameters of acoustic guitars (top, body, bracing, etc.), together with some of the Di's on the market.
(Acoustic guitarists were ignored for decades.......)

You speak out of my mind.
I also wait too many years for such a solution (still sticking with hardware).
It's just my loud shout for AmpliTube Acoustic.

[susiwong]

Not pro, not contra, but out of curiosity - what would you expect to see in an acoustic ampsim that you don't already have ?
Some suggestions for completely pro freeware (!) that would cover all you'll ever need imho, for acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo, violin, you name it.
-- EQ : BootEQ 2, NastyCS (ignoring the saturation part it's simply a great EQ)
-- comp : Density 2 or the dynamics part of FerricTDS
-- algo reverb : epicVerb
-- convolution : SIR 1 with impulses from here :
http://www.rhythminmind.net/presetblog/ ... ulse-sets/
and here : http://www.acousticas.net/World/IRs/AcousticasM7.zip
-- add the delays, modulation and special FX of your choice - too many good stuff out there, the Kjaerhus Classic series or TAL are good places to start.
-- Can't think of anything atm I couldn't do with these plugs for acoustic instruments, and do it quick.
All that stuff is free, you might consider a donation in some cases

The real magic with acoustic instruments happens outside of the PC, miking, layering, tunings - that type of stuff.
If you don't have condensers and are on a budget get a pair of these :
Behringer C-2, $59 for the pair , you'll be amazed.
No, they are not Neumanns, but definitely capable of pro results when used correctly.
And finally, here's a good primer for miking:
http://www.uaudio.com/webzine/2009/august/basics.html

Mind you, there are plenty of alternatives, but the mentioned free/cheap setup will get you fantastic results if you take the time to learn your tools.
Big studios don't work that much different.
And built-in pickups, fine for live use but I have yet to hear one that can even remotely rival a mic recording, I'm using Highlander, Graphtec and various Fishmans myself, but certainly not for recording.
Ymmv,
susiwong

[redshift factor]

Well, I dunno. I wouldn't mind seeing an acoustic guitar amp inside AmpliTube, along with a Boss AC-2 or AC-3 Acoustic Simulator pedal.

[BuleriaChk]

susiwong-

The point is that most acoustic problems are with the pickups, preamps (SBT's, UST's, etc.) Acoustic guitarists have been tearing their hair about these, and speaking from 40+ years (I am 69, started playing when I was 20), it has been a very, very expensive journey to solve the problems.

My problem with pickup/preamp was solved when I switched to Takamine (CTP-2/Palathetic pickup), which is a UST solution with Tak magic). I've heard Yamaha is good also. But none of the other pup/preamps worked for me (PUTW/SBT was the best I found, but that required a 1-meg resistor across the output to rolloff the bass - and the effect could NOT be duplicated in graphic/parametric EQ, either hardware or software.

The pup/preamp technology is getting better, but it still is very dicey - just go on the Acoustic guitar forums to feel the pain.

The software you mention might work - but then again, it might not. It may not be focused on the acoustic issue (which again is divided between steel string and nylon string configurations, each having their separate issues, not to mention user preferences/musical perceptions). In any case, even if they did work, they are scattered around, and not configured for the problem in a logical way. And in any case, they are not made with the technological power of IK (or Guitar Rig, or any of the others).

A module that I envision would have to be focused on the Acoustic Guitar problem - but after my years of experience trying to solve it with existing hardware/software, the solution is not to say there is not a problem. With my PUTW, I went through hardware modelers GT-10, GS-10, GNX4, PodXT, Zoom pedals (G2, G7) - I have Guitar Rig 4, AT2/3 on order, Pod Farm (all modules), GTR Waves. I also have Sonar 8.5, Ableton Live 8.1.1, Fruity Loops (the latest version).

All of them effect the sound of my plugged in guitar, some in interesting ways, but NONE of them were the solution (Takamine). I have to admit I haven't tried EVERY combination, but I did concentrate on the ones that made the most sense.....

But Takamine doesn't sell their pups/preamps to the general guitar market....

Anyway, my problem is solved; AT3 is probably my last purchase in the electric guitar modelers. For me, luckily, I can set down my suitcase at last with the Tak(s) I own - AT3 is strictly for fun. But it would be nice to get my non-Tak guitars sounding as good when plugged in ....

So much for live sound, but there should be a solution for recording. Fishman is making a valiant effort with the Aura Spectrum - not quite there yet, IMO, but the idea is great - maybe IK could license their technology and include it with AT4 (right....). But the focus on such a program would be eliminating the color of the pup/preamp by comparing that signal with one from the mic (various types) and using the rooms, distances, etc. to create acoustic ambience.... Sheesh, it should be possible - in the end, it is still only audio waves you're hearing...........

The following is an interesting poll from the AGF:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... b&t=176667

[Hink]

well I'm only 50, but my first guitar with a pick-up was my first acoustic and my father being an electro/mechanical engineer (not too mention an expert on radio) took a 3" speaker and taped it to the body. Dynamic speakers go both ways, emit or pick up.

Recently I built an 11/12 hammered dulcimer, I put two seymour duncan pick ups (woodys) in it which was a costly mistake because they do not work well but aren't coming out either. I looked at what others do (even toyed with dad's speaker concept) but bought two piezo pick ups (about the size of a quarter) on ebay for 8 dollars each.

[susiwong]

BuleriaChk,
I was talking about recording mostly.
Believe me, the mentioned software will work to get you pro quality acoustic sounds - provided you forget about PUs and start recording the real way, using condenser mics.
Don't know about "logical layout" - it's the kind of layout that's routinely used in pro studios for acoustic instruments.
The quality is definitely top notch, Bootsie's plugs for example compare quite well to my UAD- and SSL plugins, I'm not using them cause they are free but because they sound fantastic.
Of course that's no "one click preset" solution, but it's the approach that you hear on millions of records ...
Live is different, in most situations there's no way around a good pickup system including the problems you mentioned, unfortunately.
I'm old school, for live give me hardware over computers any day, not for sonic reasons but for reliability under less than ideal conditions.
Ymmv,
susiwong

[BuleriaChk]

I want to use a pickup to record, since I don't have a studio, don't WANT to use mics and all the hassle that implies. I can do everything you suggested live in any one of my guitar packages. But I don't want to be interrupted by the garbage truck down the street, the airplane flying overhead, or the TV next door, since I live in a one bedroom apartment. Nothing worse than being in the middle of a difficult take that is turning out well and having a dog bark outside (and I have experienced that enough to know....)

And purchasing a studio in the countryside may be available to the Beatles, Lady Gaga, Eric Clapton, or yourself, but not to me. The same principle as having the incredible equipment choices for AT3 can also apply to plugged in acoustic guitar...

So I definitely want a plugged in studio equivalent - I certainly accept that others may want real mics in real studios with real groupies and free beer, but software mics and pickup compensation would be far cheaper for me to produce my projects. (I'd have 15 mics I could use right off the bat in AT3)...

(Actually, the only mic I've really liked with my Taks so far was the Schertler Dyna-G, and it sounded just like the guitar. I was going to purchase it as a second source (the CTP-2 allows a second input), but the Tak is so good I don't have to.) I'm lucky; I'm pretty satisfied with what I've got, but there are a LOT of guitarists that aren't, and that's why I was suggesting the market to IK...... (and I don't even use the tube aspect of the CTP-2 -I leave it turned off).

[Boncop]

Maybe acoustic players and jazz players could team up and get "Amplitube Jazz/Acoustic".
You know, some Polytones, Jazzkats, Henriksens, Acoustic Image, AER, some other acoustic amps, pre-amps, effects...
I don't think the market'll be big enough for those products made separatedly.
You have to join some of them to make the idea work. Maybe jazz+acoustic is still not enough, could join with "country" or something similar...

[chaibuka]

I want to use a pickup to record, since I don't have a studio, don't WANT to use mics and all the hassle that implies. I can do everything you suggested live in any one of my guitar packages. But I don't want to be interrupted by the garbage truck down the street, the airplane flying overhead, or the TV next door, since I live in a one bedroom apartment. Nothing worse than being in the middle of a difficult take that is turning out well and having a dog bark outside (and I have experienced that enough to know....)

And purchasing a studio in the countryside may be available to the Beatles, Lady Gaga, Eric Clapton, or yourself, but not to me. The same principle as having the incredible equipment choices for AT3 can also apply to plugged in acoustic guitar...

So I definitely want a plugged in studio equivalent - I certainly accept that others may want real mics in real studios with real groupies and free beer, but software mics and pickup compensation would be far cheaper for me to produce my projects. (I'd have 15 mics I could use right off the bat in AT3)...

+1 Ever since Amplitube Fender came out I've been using the "Almost Acoustic" preset with my semihollow more than anything else. It may not be 100% acoustic but it's a sound I enjoy. I'd really be into more of these simulations.

[Jasper Al-rashid]

It's a shame I've never tried Amplitude before. It's about time.