Installing non-linux guitar simulator VST’s on Linux (via Wine & Yabridge)

[bulevardi]

So I wanted to run and test a couple of non-linux guitar simulators (amps & effects) on my system and I tested 3 major packages (Guitar Rig 7, Amplitube 5 and Bias FX 2) and I downloaded/installed the Windows versions.
(I’m using Linux Mint and Reaper as DAW, I added the install process below)

There are some pros and cons to consider for each.

Guitar Rig 7 and Bias FX 2 had the easiest install process. For Amplitube 5 there’s a little workaround, which I explain below.
I always love a community feel when users can share their presets online. With Amplitube 5 and Bias FX 2 you benefit the most of this. Bias FX 2 currently offers over 50 000 presets online, which you can preview before installing. However, it’s less CPU friendly and it freezes / crashes your DAW after a while.
Guitar Rig 7 doesn’t have this option yet, but currently has a modest user library via their community:
https://community.native-instruments.co ... er-library

That said, Guitar Rig 7 seems the smoothest running on my i5 processor. It’s the most lightweight to install with less than 700 MB.
Bias FX 2 takes around 1,4 GB of space on your hard drive to install and Amplitube 5 takes 3,5 GB (product manager included), which took pretty long to install and it’s a bit sluggish to run on my computer.

I personally found Amplitube 5 and Bias FX 2 too much options to try (amps, cabs, fx,…) so you could spend endless time to find and perfect your tone. IMHO, they’re too much focused on particular tones for branded amps and fx, while Guitar Rig 7 is much more straight-forward, intuitive and creative, focused on the tone you have in mind regardless of brand or how you create it.

After a first test, none seemed ‘perfect’ to me, but Guitar Rig 7 was the personal winner for the purpose I need it.

For Amplitube 5, if you download software, you actually download their ‘Product Manager’ app from where you can download their actual software. However, I always stumbled uplon the following error when trying to download the software:
“The download path
you've selected does not exist, you do not have permissions to write to this location, or there is insufficient space in the current download path. Please close this window to select a new path or clear up some space. (code: 108)”
In order to avoid this, you can more easily download Amplitube 5 if you make an account on the website itself, login and click on “My Products”, and then “Past Releases” and download the latest release.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/userarea/my-products/


Installation process for Wine & Yabridge
(I found several tutorials online, below you find the sources)

Enable support for 32-bit
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

Install the WineHQ keyring
sudo mkdir -pm755 /etc/apt/keyrings

sudo wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/winehq-archive.key https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key

Add the WineHQ repository
sudo wget -NP /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/debia ... rm.sources

Update your package information
sudo apt update

Install Wine Staging
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-staging

Install DXVK
winetricks dxvk

When certain errors occur or dependencies are missing, install the necessary stuff.

Download & Install Yabridge:
https://github.com/robbert-vdh/yabridge/releases

Extract the archive in the following folder:
/home/YourName/.local/share

Go to the yabridge installation directory
.local/share/yabridge

Now Add the folders to Yabridge in order to sync them afterwards.
(Be aware that some VST’s are installed in the ‘Common Files’ directory.)

yabridgectl add "/home/YourName/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Common Files/VST3"

Now sync the plugins
yabridgectl sync

The plugin will 'normally' show up after rescanning installed plugins in your DAW.
For me it wasn't that smooth, I had to do multiple attempts.

If it’s not working yet, do an additional wine install via the Software Manager, install the Wine Windows Compatibility Layer, Desktop Files, etc…
Do another sudo apt update, go back to your yabridge folder and do another yabridgectl sync.
Normally it should work after a couple of times.

Sources:
https://interfacinglinux.com/2024/01/22 ... -yabridge/

https://wiki.winehq.org


If there are some other good (non-linux) guitar simulation packages worth to mention, feel free to share your findings!

[audiojunkie]

Nice tutorial!!

Are you using Native Access 2, by chance? I've been waiting for WINE to do a better job with Native Access 2 before installing any Native Instruments stuff. The legacy Native Access could be disabled at any time, and then I'd be stuck.

Personally, I've been looking very seriously at MusicLab and Blue Cat Audio products. Both have good reputations for working with WINE. I'd like to get Axiom at some point.

Great job on the tutorial!

[bulevardi]

No I don't have Native Access installed. I downloaded the demo version of Guitar Rig 7 at some page on their site.

However, when I use a particular preset and restart my daw, the previously chosen preset is not in the memory anymore and I have to set it again. I'm wondering if that's a demo restriction or it will be like that after purchase too.... Hmm

[bulevardi]

Are you using Native Access 2, by chance? I've been waiting for WINE to do a better job with Native Access 2 before installing any Native Instruments stuff. The legacy Native Access could be disabled at any time, and then I'd be stuck.

Ok I was wrong here before about the possible download.
I bought the Pro version... but there's no download possible via your account on the website at all.
It's only possible to download that "Native Access 2" thing, which isn't working on my linux computer neither.
It always errors to grant permission to install dependencies...
AFAIK, this has nothing to do with your Wine version.
From their support page it looks general, so I had to install the "NTK Daemon installer":
https://support.native-instruments.com/ ... pendencies
This runs... but doesn't fix anything.
So I installed the Native Access (1) Legacy version:
https://support.native-instruments.com/ ... ng-Systems

This Legacy version runs, but shows my product as "installed" (which wasn't the case yet).

I deleted everything from my hard drive from Native Instruments again, and downloaded the 'demo' version again:
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/d ... ZD23ovBLZ/

It installed correctly. I added via Yabridge, synced... and it opened in my DAW right away as the full pro version.
It didn't ask for my licence number, but when checking the details it apparently was added/registered automatically, very strange.

So for future 'updates', I hope things appear in the Legacy application, if that works to do updates at all.

[questionaire]

I have had good results with Neural DSP plugins. And Kuassa both brands work well Yabridged.
Especially Neural DSP is considered to be a real good amp simulation in VST world and is regarded as one of the best amp sims. They also make the Quad Cortex modeler.

https://neuraldsp.com

I find Kuassa also having real good Amp sims. I was never a fan of Guitar rig. Also i never got Guitarrig working on Linux. Amplitude draw way too much cpu but it works on Linux.

I cant complain anymore i have bought the kemper player and this can not be beaten with VST's

https://www.kemper-amps.com

I had a look on the Native Instruments site and Guitarrig pro costs 200,- Euro! And my Kemper player costs 700 Euro and you get real hardware with real quality support! I would save some money.
And then you have the Ik multimedia Tonex hardware modeler even a small version is out:

https://www.thomannmusic.com/ik_multime ... ex_one.htm

Nowadays i would never invest in software emulations, both Tonex and Kemper are superiour to VST's at the moment. Maybe Neural DSP can compete. And then you have Line 6 also great hardware.

I must commit also hardware for a big deal is mainly software nowadays. But you have it in hands and not a vague virtual ownership.

[bulevardi]

Especially Neural DSP is considered to be a real good amp simulation in VST world and is regarded as one of the best amp sims.

Sorry, not convinced.

10 years ago I started with Vandal amp.
Ok, Magix is not a good reference, but that particular amp was developed by Sascha Eversmeier, who later worked at U-He (one of the best Synth developers).
The sound of Vandal is not comparable to all other VST's I tested in the last decade.
https://www.magix.com/us/music-editing/vandal/

Anyway, I managed to get it to work under Linux aswel via the Wine-Yabridge combo solution.

However, the UI / UX is a bit outdated, not flexible and screen not scalable, which makes it small and unreadable on my screen.

Nowadays i would never invest in software emulations, both Tonex and Kemper are superiour to VST's at the moment. Maybe Neural DSP can compete. And then you have Line 6 also great hardware.

I must commit also hardware for a big deal is mainly software nowadays. But you have it in hands and not a vague virtual ownership.

Yeah, hardware isn't always that.
I once used Line6's Pocked Pod, sounded like plastic, wasn't user-friendly neither.

For years I've been working with a Mod Duo pedal from open-source project Mod Audio:
https://mod.audio/
It's nice for live stuff, but on computer it's a bit workaround and lately I couldn't find my way/tone in it anymore since I had to tweak it for my new guitar.
Therefore I was looking for alternatives.
Guitar Rig 7 is more user-friendly, seems very intuitive and has much more to offer. It's aswel non-destructive recording in your DAW.

[questionaire]

Bulevardi,

Have you tried Neural DSP plugins? If not i would try them. But if you like to tweak then i think you like Guitarrig more. I like simplicity but good guitar tone which the Neural DSP's have.

Interesting never heard of it:
https://mod.audio/

[bulevardi]

No, haven't tried Neural DSP, yet.
It seems you have to pay each time over € 100 to get a new plugin / tone.
And that Cortex Control seemed a bit too much options to tweak for me.
I'm sure the sound will be top, but the workflow not my thing.
I previously tried other IR-based things like Aida-X and Neural Amp Modeler and it's not directly my cup of tea.

However, the Axiom from Blue Cat Audio that @audiojunkie mentioned seems maybe something more my thing. Haven't tested yet.
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_Axiom/
But I now just bought GR7, so I think I'm going to spend some time on that first.