Is this the future of Guitar Rigs?

We ran into this touchscreen enabled Windows 11 audio interface capable of running standalone guitar software or running VSTs in your DAW. Designed for live or studio use with its included Midi foot controller, and capable of running all sorts of open source software... is this the future of Guitar Rigs?
Full Episode here: • Our BEST Episode Ever!...
Product is here: octavetech.eu

[@ErikAnders]

I can’t jam guys my guitar amp has a virus

[@DaveLizmi]

😂

[@iloveaviation-burgerclub-a8145]

Does anyone have a new set of tubes? I was drunk dropped my Diezel... Oh boys.

[@thomaslthomas1506]

Truth!

[@gregnelson5306]

I have 3 tube amps and had to borrow an amp for the last gig because they are all currently faulty

[@zambination11]

you mean my.. bass guitar amp...

[@skidogbill]

You guys sound like when the iPhone came out and people said, “I don’t want the Internet on my phone.“

[@seanp2k617]

The Kemper Stage hits the spot for me in terms of reliability and “not looking out of place” on a stage for the zero shows per year I play.😢😂😅

[@ledhendrix5054]

You can't beat playing with good old fashioned knobs and stomping on effects Pedals

[@sasmitha8446]

I play with a tablet on stage with an XSonic XTone Pro which is a interface/midi foot switch all in one. It's awesome. The same machine that's responsible for showing me my chord charts is the one doing all the tone crunching. Saves me a bunch of money too.

[@benjamincardenas4219]

I’m still blown away how much better my iOS apps sound than my headrush core and mooer GE250. I still play my xtone with bias fx 2 all the time. Apple devices are very powerful processors, I remember 10yrs ago music apps were hot, it’s seems very dead now, perhaps Apple Store is greedy and prices out developers, or death by dongles.

[@jbognap]

Which app are you using for amp sims/effects?

[@cplock5670]

The chances of me using any windows based device is slim, let alone for a live audio situation! Predicting those forced system updates mid show. The majority of those working in audio use Mac OS, so I can’t see there being a cross over.

[@Emily_M81]

same. this is why I won't be getting this. If I didn't have this setup, I would be ALL OVER this thing. as one stop shops go, it's pretty great. The computer nerd in me says it's underpowered, but as long as it gets the job done who cares.

[@-Thunder]

Hmm. I just got an iPad and I've had the XSonic XTone Pro for a couple of years. I'll have to try this out. I've got a Katana Head, Spark and Bias Elite so I've been trending this direction for years I guess. The Katana head into a 1x12 cab sounds really good to me though. I have a Bugera 1x12 so I can sanity check against a real tube amp. I almost never play it though.

[@demondrive147]

Future is here! Build whatever VST chain you want not dealing with limitations every developer has

[@zoomzoom3950]

The future of guitar rigs for me is my computer plugin rig. Small computer with remote touchscreen, audio interface, MIDI floor controller and expression pedal. I have several guitar plugins I use, the primary plugin is PolyChrome DSP McRocklin Suite, and several Neural DSP plugins, Softube Marshall Amp Room, Helix Native,... The "magic" in this rig is Blue Cat Audio's PatchWork that lets me use different plugins in a MIDI map template (for my MIDI pedal, up to 10 patches), and add external controls such as gain, noise gate, etc. without having to tweak each plugin patch to work across several plugins. I have several MIDI map templates for different styles of music: Hard Rock, Thrash, Hair, Prog, Jazz,... For dive bar gigs, I have my Mooer Prime S1, works great, sounds very good, feel is ok...only thing missing is an input for an external expression pedal. Works great for silent stages and with a powered monitor with stereo inputs, and outputs

[@predigr]

This is the future. Maybe not Octave of course, but the vision, the direction it is.

[@aiRxShop]

I must be the only 35+ guitarist/musician that doesn’t care “as much” about analog amps. Carried them around enough across the US that I’m excited for the next few years. Already starting with the quad cortex, l6 helix, and Kemper profiler player, etc… as long as it sounds good. I’m game. I’ve wanted to develop this software for the last 15 years. Glad it’s finally here.

[@chrisware879]

Guys, I work in product in a closely related market, and nearly fell off my chair when crossing the chasm popped into the conversation. Awesome stuff! Love it.

[@reacherstudio]

I’ve been using a $400 Lenovo tablet (i5 intel 32gb ram) and interface (axe I/O) for 6 years. I got a 16 switch USB midi controller on eBay. I run tonex, amplitude, and even synths and vocals with autotune etc. it all fits on my pedalboard and you can’t even tell it’s a computer. Many many people made fun of me for this rig, but I guarantee running 192Hz through axe I/O interface is 10x higher quality than anybody I’ve played with. Now those same people are getting rid of their Simplifiers, Helix, etc. As for people saying it’s not rock and roll… there is just simply no comparison to the stompbox amps like Iridium, Simplifier, or even real amps with a cheap 57 and a terrible FOH engineer. I’m still running multiple stacks of delays, reverbs, and drives, with 192hZ fidelity and JFET input on my guitar… You can take the laptop with you to the green room and use it for other things. Obviously if you buy this big chunky pedal computer thing it likely doesn’t run on batteries etc. I definitely get why there’s a lot of hate around this but it’s a no brainer for me

[@reacherstudio]

Also, don’t sleep on Tonocracy, totally blew Tonex and everything out of the water, although I love the Ac30 in amplitude

[@benjamincardenas4219]

People use to laugh at my iPad rig too, Everything is digital and sounds good now, why are we even pretending another non analog form factor is better than another. I’m seriously looking at getting a mooer GTS guitar with a built in modeler. We called these types of gear gimmicks and cheesy but it solves so many problems.

[@shredding51]

I’ve always preferred the sound of my plugins vs a modeler. I think its a great idea

[@MrDEFORCER]

just imagien puting multiprecosrs , exiters , extra thigns you can do in daw parelel compression etc people is os lcose mindedi this is great

[@ajcruz0329]

plugins are absolutely superior than modelers. however they're not stable because depends on the processing unit of your computer. it could crash in the middle of a song. however there are handheld pc's now as well that can handle the stress of running a standalone vst with midi controller. I currently use the ROG ally and plus it's also pedalboard mountable.

[@christianpucciarelli]

Peavey tried this many years ago with the muse box,I’ve done this in the past with a surface pro and a midi controller …I’ve tried every machine out there,every modeler out there…now I want a 3 knob thing that just plays good. Like volume gain and tone .

[@yaboyshelz]

I’m 32 so I’m speaking to myself too…..the younger players will do this flawlessly. Use all the new stuff and make what we do the old fashioned way.

[@NicholasGreenwood]

A lot of Quad Cortex users are furious with: 1) the slow pace of development, 2) the lack of MIDI flexibility, 3) the lack of footswitch assignment flexibility (*true* flexibility beyond just hybrid mode), and of course, 4) the lack of plug-in compatibility (I'm writing this in Q1 2024; it's expected in Q2. Also, it will be "block based", not VST based.) If the Octave Haricane can address those 4 issues, people will flock to it.

[@FamousByFriday]

You know what’s weird? I basically play only amps, but if I were going to go that way I’d want a pedalboard that plugs into my phone. I think the format that catches on will be the one that uses the phone/ipad we already have, because I don’t want hardware that gets out of date.

[@christianthompson7495]

This is the direction of studio performing/recording. I don't think it's the future direction of guitar rigs for live performing or overall. Software and hardware crash a lot more often than a standard heavy played tube/ss amp. And now that modelers/profilers are in a pedalboard platform, that will continue to be the future of guitar rigs. Devices like HX Stomp/Helix/AxeFX/Kemper and now the Friedman IR-X and a ton of tube-based preamp pedals like Victory makes, paired with a Seymour Duncan PowerStage. This is and will continue to be the future of guitar rigs. They're very reliable, keep getting better and better tone-wise, and all of us guitar players can do a gig/tour/recording session with 2 guitars and a briefcase that houses our full rig and a melange of cables. Done deal, simple and true. Besides (imho) Windows would have to be the worst OS to build a rig on. Microsoft has a terrible track record with pairing hardware and software, at least compared to Apple. That said, I never want to bring a laptop to a gig and have to rely on it regardless of any companies OS and hardware. Line6, Fractal, and the individual amp companies are on the right track with pedal format modeling and preamp boxes. When I'm recording, sure I rely on VST plugins and such. The PT-100 is great one! But live.. I run 2 types of rigs: 1) a full Marshall half stack or Fender Bassman Tweed with a big fancy pedal board that also includes an HX Stomp, or a lunch-box size all-in-one pedal board (still using the HX Stomp) that fits into my suitcase with my clothes. But I'll be looking to build a 3rd pedal board using the IR-X & PowerStage.

[@xeridian]

It would prevent being locked into a brand ecosystem, Ive thought about this product on many occasions in the past 3 years. Youre not going to fight off the future, might as well be a future that gives the least amount of walls. A device that just lets you utilize and be a conduit for what you already have, that can be brand made. Then even Helix Native wouldnt be the biggest selling point. You could literally always be able to recreate your sound regardless of where the hardware goes, as long as you got your VSTs in tow. DSP, VST, its all the same. The device just has to be easy for everyone to use and be intuitive, sound good have all the routing, stereo ins and outs with loop, DI and not kill the wallet. This thing sounds interesting, gotta check it out.

[@iNX974974]

I use a windows gamer console on my pedalboard. It takes me time to works everything but it was fun and I can have so much variety of sound with VST. Next step will be convert audio to Midi and use Synth

[@jamesearl389]

This is exactly what I want so I hope it’s awesome. I’m thrilled at the thought of being able to play helix native on one song, amplitube 5 w/Tonex on another, then guitar rig 6 on another……….all from a little box on a mic stand attached to a controller on the floor. This would be my perfect rig as I already own all those and know them inside and out from my studio efforts.

[@jimsimmons2674]

Yes this should be the future of amp modeling and capturing,a VST hardware host is the way to go i already created some great tones in Tonocracy and Genome!The sky is the limit with devices like this,i would just have one VST hardware host unit and not have to buy any other new modeling or capturing floorboard pedals again!

[@donniejean]

I feel the same! Heck I’m even keeping my Casio calculator watch from the 80s just in case I can use that too!

[@Emily_M81]

that's a great use case. I use Studio One and its Live mode allows for automated preset changes, etc. if I didn't already have a laptop that blows this out of the water in specs AND battery life, and USB interface/floor pedal, I'd be all over this.

[@msi1985]

Oh wow, this is awesome! So long as it's compatible with the vast majority of plug-ins, this is pretty kick a$$!

[@ThomasBrunkard]

I've been gigging plugins since COVID 19 restrictions ended. I've a very particular use case that kept me away from Quad Cortex (I sold a Helix). Firstly, a laptop is a dangerous thing to have on a stage so I use a Mac Mini. I use an iPad as a touch screen controller for the Mac Mini. The Mac can go into a half rack case with the interface and be protected. It's very easy to protect an iPad. I control the whole thing with a Morningstar MC6 midi pedal over WIDI. I use an AXE I/O interface with four outs. Two go front of house and two are for my monitors which I can control EQ and volume without upsetting the mix. The issues I have are software based. If my plugins (or suitable alternatives) were available for iPad, I could ditch the Mac. iPads have very powerful processors now. Then you have a rig that's a very low payload. In terms of turning it on, I've got my back up rig in AUM Mixer with ToneX and MixBox. It's not quite as powerful as my Mac rig but it sounds much better than the Helix for what I do. One tap and it's open. Being able to bring in various plugins is very practical. Gigging with Helix Native handling some pitch shifting for easy key changes and Tonex and Amplitube creating the sound. I have some EQ to make the soundman's job easy too. If I could just have it run on an iPad!

[@zacharykim295]

Thats awesome, good on ya. When I finished building my massive pedalboard I just sat back looking at it wishing it were smaller!

[@predigr]

what about latency? and sound? Typically, to reduce latency you need to configure the audio interface with a small buffer size wich could be an issue if the hardware is not fast enough. Regarding sound, I don't use these VSTs from long time, so I don't know if their sound is good, in the sense "I like to play because it feels great". I know that in a mix nobody would distinguish anything. But you do when you play. Can you share more about this? I am thinking of making some kind of PC laptop (tactile screen) with Amplitube 5 + audio interface + guitar + expresion pedal ??? as a real setup instead of purchasing fender master pro, quad cortex, helix and so on.

[@ThomasBrunkard]

@@predigr You're absolutely correct on the latency. You can't go cheap if you're sensitive to latency. I use an M2 Mac Mini and I'm running the thing at 192khz and it just eats it up, previously I was using a 2018 Mac Mini i7 and had no issues either at 48khz and a very small buffer. So latency hasn't been an issue for me. The player's experience is as important as the mix engineers. I did a video on how I do it with the Mac and iPad here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4C9c56qathoZ7c I've done a but of work on a sequel with what I've learned. I've also got a Fender Tone Master Pro but I bought that for me at home. The sound is great but having the flexibility of having the plugins in place has made soundcheck very fast as I sent something very usable to the front of house. The biggest win over the pedal units is that I have more control over my own sound on stage without upsetting the mix. I cover some of the control of the rig in the film too over wireless midi but how I do that has changed too. I don't use a laptop because I find them too hard to protect. As I'm wireless, I could use one but the fear is real!

[@predigr]

@@ThomasBrunkard So 48KHz and 128 buffer size does is possible without causing distorsion?

[@ThomasBrunkard]

@@predigr Distortion is a different problem but for latency the 2018 Mac was well able to run at that buffer and resolution.

[@jwright8838]

It seems to be a great step in the right direction. I have been putting together a laptop rig that effectively accomplishes this using a small pedalboard (drives), audio interface, laptop and NAM, Tonex, Genome, and other VSTs like Valhalla Supermasssive. The problems I'm solving are reliability and durability. Edit: It works great at home. Reliability and durability refers to using it on stage live.

[@zoomzoom3950]

I have a computer rig: computer, audio interface and remote touchscreen. On the floor I have a MIDI controller and expression pedal I've had no latency or reliability issues. The key is to have a solid state drive, and optimize the operating system for minimal software. That said, I plan to house it in all in a 2U shallow rack case for added protection.

[@vonbleak101]

I think people need to forget where the tone/sound is coming from and focus on the tone and playing the guitar... 'The experience' should be creating the music and playing the guitar, having big loud heavy amps should not be a requirement for that... I think i combo rig with something like this running through a 2x12 speaker and a nice pedal board would be awesome... You could literally have the tones of your album and play them live...

[@DavidNorris-qx7gk]

Won’t ever beat a heavy amp , playing matters more , but there’s a reason why the stars play amps and you don’t …Yall don’t have an ear if you think digital sounds as good …just pathetic really

[@vonbleak101]

@@DavidNorris-qx7gkI can tell you are not talking from experience - And plenty of 'stars' play Axe Fx and the Quad Cortex, so yeah go back to the trailer man...

[@94nolo]

VST pluggins for guitars is an elite idea. been waiting for it. Just the beginning of the future.

[@igorzavalnyi5341]

this is an exciting unit. Since it is a computer, you can connect it to your audio network (Dante, Soundgrid) with a single ethernet cable, have low latency (no additional DA-AD conversion required to get your sounds into the FOH mixer) and be able to run muuuuultiple channels with ease. This would be an awesome solution to run drum VSTs with an electronic drumkit and run playbacks at the same time, or run your guitar software and playbacks too. I think it's awesome.

[@duartefaria7134]

I played with digital for 17 years and now i bought my first "real" amp, with tubes. I use it with a hx stomp in 4cm. I think is all i need, best of both worlds. I always have a patch prepared if my tube amp goes down, never happen, but if it happens i already have it prepared in hx stomp with a amp simulation to go direct into the PA. To record i just need a IR block in the chain of hx stomp and i can record the sound of the amp.

[@korayem]

This would be great with midi foot switch configured with your favorite amp sim

[@valentinneufeld6182]

I love this product

[@gtz999]

6:30 - Reaper is not open source. Also Reaper is not free. Everybody should buy a license to support the creators, because it's not expensive. But it's not free.

[@colinparks619]

Agree

[@ToneJunkieTV]

I bought a license because I use it for commercial purposes but I thought it had a free license too. My mistake.

[@timhintz]

Agreed, I've been a paid Reaper user for years, it's very affordable.

[@jwright8838]

Yeah, after using reaper a few days, I knew it was great and the price is very affordable.

[@TedSchoenling]

Meanwhile keyboard players are saying "So what? We bring laptops all the time, you guitarists are the worst" and bass players "If it is something 'new' the luddite guitarists won't touch it"

[@reacherstudio]

Exactly. I’ve been using a tablet laptop for my guitar for years. I can trigger pads, had everything synced to the BPM of the song, as well as display the chords for the song. I could advance through each song with the foot switch. Absolute powerhouse. Good luck doing that with a typical pedalboard

[@joetowers4804]

​@@reacherstudio what do you use to display chords?

[@jusplayinmybass]

I have been using a laptop with my bass for over a decade. I don’t know anybody else in my area doing it. Luddites indeed.

[@Rafaelluques]

In 2012 I played in a performance for approximately 450 people in a famous theater in Brazil using only my iPad as an effects simulator. (using the Guitar Rig) and the sound engineer at the place told me at the time that it was one of the best guitar tones he had ever heard. (I don't know if he was lying or it was true) and at the time I activated the pedals with my finger (no bluetooh pedal at the time) :D

[@sb4663]

YUCK

[@John-vw4vg]

@@sb4663lmao you’re probably a boomer playing the pentatonic on $15,000 worth of gear

[@agreensall]

Interesting......14 years ago we designed the precursor to this and was and still is ahead of the curve. We were too ahead ! It was called DarkMatter Audio

[@modelcitizen1977]

This video is the only mention of this product on KZbin. If it did what it says it does, you'd think the KZbin guitar creators all would have spotlighted it. Coupled with the fact that their website domain is only 6 months old, I think I'll be waiting for launch reviews to make sure they can actually ship something.

[@msi1985]

I've been using native instruments on my PC for years, and it's only improved over time... something like that that just makes it more portable seems like a decent enough idea. Guitar rig has presets that are customizable, so this should, in theory, work

[@IfSwineFlu]

I fully believe that if this machine was in the form factor of the quad cortex, especially with the i/o, it would be the top unit for anyone who is already fully on the digital train. The current iteration feels more like a proof of concept or a lab sample rather than a ready to gig unit. I am very excited to see where this takes the market for the next gen of digital processors.

[@illgottengains1314]

Valve power amps will be the next big product fashion

[@joetowers4804]

Very interesting conversation. I am putting together a rig with a Helicon pedal for voice and harmony. I put an interface under the pedalboard and mounted a Surface Pro to a mic stand. This is just because I want to play backing tracks and be able to play with headphones, through monitores or even play with friends or whatever. I am about to get a midi controller and there are a number of things that can be done in Reaper with it, including recalling presets. One thing that could make this interesring to some players is using a guitar as a midi controller. I use Guitar Midi by Jam Origin and it works fairly weel, and with any guitar. I am more on the early adopter camp, but not really, since I already did it myself. However...I also got an Ampero because I never had a pedal before, and I like having the immediacy of physical controls to tweak something. I think that this product has the advantage of being able to become part of a hybrid rig. At least, that is what I am trying to do.

[@philipmarsh3522]

Most guitar players won’t even use the knobs on their guitar but will spend thousands of dollars buying dozens of pedals and computers with dozens of knobs and buttons to chase toan.

[@djabthrash]

18:06 and you could also control this device with your smartphone or tablet remotely (using Teamviewer or something), which would allow you to tweak your tone from the FOH / audience position for instance

[@eddiesimonmusic]

I think they may have their place in a studio setting but not onstage… I use the Line6 HELIX Floor onstage and its amazing and Helix Native plugin in the studio

[@benjamincardenas4219]

Mount it on a mic stand at lap level, use external midi foot switches, no bending over ever again, winner. iPads have already been doing this for many years now, the apple AppStore has created a desert of pro audio apps, developers can’t afford the fees. It makes sense there is a portable pc bc there are way more choices for plug ins than iOS apps.

[@picksalot1]

Here is a quote from an article called: The 8 Best VST Hosts for Live Performance 'A VST host is a software program that can load VST instruments or effects plugins. A VST host can be a DAW or a dedicated software program just for running VSTs." It would be great if we could run easily VSTs from inside our Modelers, Profilers, etc.

[@KeizerSinbad]

Here is why much of this debate will never result in moving away from hosting this stuff in an OS. NDSP and each other plugin each have their own DRM, and that DRM is usually a kernel level program that NEEDS an OS before it will validate the VST. So even IF you built a VST host outside of an OS, many of them would not run because their activation layer would be missing. You would be able to boot up NDSP plugins, sure. But you wouldn't be able to use them because they wouldnt be activatable. That is why these boxes will stick with OS's instead of some fancy custom RTOS. If I had the money and an EE that could help with the design of the Interface section of the board, I as an Embedded Windows developer could easily make a tool that fixes all of these problems. The user would never need to know they are on windows, even if they ARE on windows.

[@adamkrauss303]

Been enjoying your channel for a long time and watched countless NAMM vids, but hadn’t heard about this. That being said, I wish you would have better described the product at the outset, before going into reactions, as I frankly tuned out because I didn’t have a good baseline as to what we are dealing with. Thanks.

[@nasticanasta]

NO, and I'll tell you why, I'm 65, I've watched music go from tubes to solid state and back and forth as soon as a new thing comes around and changes thing, the next thing ya know everyone is screaming for vintage. Remember when we thought records were done for? Ya...

[@NeopolitianNPLTN]

I think the Kemper Player is better because it doesn't have a touchscreen. Tweaking the effects and rigs and everything is a separate activity that is offloaded to a different screen that you already own. Plus the Kemper is built for the floor while also looking at home on a desk.

[@CanaldoOTA]

This device would be great for keyboard players who runs Vsti live. I thought that Native would be the first to release something like a Kontakt Player hardware.. since they already make the program, make the plugins, make audio interfaces and make midi controllers

[@BassCommunion]

I can't really understand the windows arguments against it, you can always use a custom stripped down build, it will only have what it needs to run the OS and the software. No need to install pinball or paint on it :p and a bunch of unnecessary services and programs that run in the background

[@blvckno_1]

All of your complaints about this idea I’ve been working on for a while… if and when I’m finished with it I think some people will be pleased

[@jeremymunoz9905]

I see this device way more useful as a live playback device. You can have your backing tracks/midi timeline and be able to route your audio on the built in I/O. I could see more of the band member who doubles as the sound guy to have more fun with this. You can have your rack mounted mixer and control it with this device, route Waves SuperRack Performer/Live Professor for some plugins on your channels, and have your backing tracks all in one device.

[@Ghaos]

If this is what I think it is, this is what I was hoping the Quad Cortext was going to be. A hardware device that lets you play any plugin, coupled with Fractal/Helix/Neural level routing. Gamechanger.

[@Alfernav]

What they need to do is a pedal board with EQ knob, Compressor Knob and then around 4 switches (with a wet/dry option on the same switch) with a screen on each switch. If I set a Valhalla Reverb on a switch, on the Screen I get the plugin 😂. So each switch stomp has its own screen 😙

[@jameslanclos568]

There's a comment on Reddit about this pedal saying: "Windows updates popping up, viruses, etc. all on your pedalboard, no thanks. Anybody that would buy this probably already has a PC with an..." I didn't read the full comment. Personally, I like this pedal, but I hope that what this guy is saying, is irrelevant with this pedal. I have the Quad Cortex but this pedal has a 10" touchscreen and a separate foot switch. I just hope it can be connected to the foot switch with a cable, because I'm not too crazy about bluetooth.

[@jacobholmes6201]

There’s no way I would trust this running on top of Windows. Maybe a bedroom jamming solution, but not for gigging.

[@grgwashnton23]

pretty sure when the axe fx came out there would've been similar thoughts though youtube wasn't this beneficial enough to let out thoughts like in this form of a video. but eventually fractal became the most advanced player in that realm and this new thing would be the norm in 10 years. on stages. imho.

[@guitar-21]

And also don't forget that many startup companies these days have a plan to be acquired not succeed on their own. So this could be the investment in the initial ideas that then is acquired by a larger player in integrated into their

[@ianbrown1474]

a vst host? R.I.P. Muse Receptor …. The receptor used linux instead of all the windows update bullsh*t and was beloved for many years by pro touring keyboard players. The space needs a big player to produce an OSX product (ipad or mac mini) with an amp and in a robust case

[@bungalowbill3409]

Plugin Alliance already has Gig Performer and Nembrini just dropped the Nexus Subhost.... Except here's the advantage of using something like one of the two above... If you add something like BlueCat Connector to the very end of your plugin chain, then instead of having to recreate your live rig in a DAW you can just add another Connector to the first slot of your plugin chain in the DAW and you can pipe the output from your live rig straight into the DAW right over ethernet, then the DAW doesn't even need any of the plugins you might use in your chain as they're all hosted from your live rig....

[@jazzzfer]

Reaper has more new features than most daws. The UI sucks but it’s more complete than most. It also isn’t free

[@winstonsmith8240]

I've got a stereo 335. It sounds incredible played through 2 tube amps. If you can afford Roadies.

[@vubear]

I’d really like to see a hardware standard like Native Instruments’ NKS for products like the Quad Cortex etc, whereby third party companies could sell compatible software that was already mapped to hardware products. I’ve been dreaming lately about Apple buying Native Instruments so that all Logic software becomes mapped to my NI controllers. Talk about seamless workflow 😊

[@breadnaut3087]

I just want the TMP to add more amps and features and then Ill buy one.

[@BipityBopity93]

I would NEVER run something off windows in a live context. The possibility for your entire rig to just stop working due to it being run off of windows. I agree that this is essentially what is going to happen though. Which is essentially a step backwards. It’s a rack with a foot controller. Buuuut it’s great!

[@TheMrClaus]

VST are not exclusive to any OS, so you don't need to run a virtual machine to run a VST. You can make your own VST loader. There is literally nothing stopping NDSP from doing it. Unless of course, if the QC is not THAT powerful and it cannot run VSTs...

[@nonnomir]

I think the future is a Cuvave Cube Baby with open source software. So, a kind of what you showed, but much more compact, running a Linux OS (for sure not windows...) and totally open and customizable in every part. Plus... very cheap.

[@jakestewartmusic]

What if plugin companies came together to develop a set of standards and an open, inclusive platform for seamless integration of plugin products across brands? We're on the precipice of most major brands having the hardware product and the plugin, virtual-twin version of the same product. Laney Ironheart, UAD 1176, Soldano/Neural DSP SLO 100, Strymon BigSky, etc. I think the end user will have an easier time getting all of these different plugin products from different brands to work together if there were at least one of a couple of options for shared platforms where you could host your pedal, amp, VST, and effects plugins in a storable virtual 'rig/studio', with presets and setlists. This might sound really crazy, but I could even imagine a future where these platforms have accounts that you can log into and access your tones. Show up to a studio, log in on the producer's computer, and you're set up with all of your tones. Floorboard broke on tour? Connect it to wifi, log in, and download your tones to it from backup. Perhaps even someday we'll show up to clubs with a wireless dongle and our instrument, log in on the mixing desk, and the mixer hosts the entire band's DSP needs with a rough mix ready to go, wireless IEM mixes ready, and backing tracks + light show. If you make changes at the gig, you can save updates before logging out after your set and they'll be ready for the next show....

[@ajcruz0329]

There are already handheld windows pc than can run them VSTs and mountable on the pedalboard at the same time (Steamdeck along with em). That's what I currently use. Now I only use my kemper stage on larger stage gigs and when there's a sound tech. But on bars and tiny clubs, this is my way.

[@RobertFisher1969]

The problem is that something like the Haricane is that there’s no chasm to cross for a music device running a general-purpose OS. Because the people who are comfortable with that workflow and lower reliability are already bringing a laptop on stage. The incremental things they can add are too incremental to appeal to enough of either the dedicated hardware or the laptop camps. What is really needed is a realtime audio OS that can play VSTs, Audio Units, etc. But the plug-ins depend on so much of the general-purpose OSes that they’re written for, that the plug-in developers would need to specifically support this new OS with its more limited capabilities. (UI in particular is an issue.) The plug-in developers have little incentive to do that. (It’s hard enough to convince them to port to iPadOS, which is easier.) That’s the chasm that needs to be crossed, and I’m skeptical it happens. (Actually, I think there’s already a device like that in the synth world that did convince a handful of plug-in developers to port to them. But the name escapes me.)

[@jimmywilliams3972]

I wish I could be in on this conversation. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas on the topic.

[@douglasyoung3654]

Here’s a video idea: tonex & big sky on helix. Helix is both a midi controller and an audio interface. Combined with MainStage you could theoretically run the big sky plugin and any amp sim on a MacBook with helix doing the interfacing.

[@Gerhard468]

Been playing an iPad rig live for years. Since ToneX came along you would be hard pressed to beat the tones I'm getting with any pedal or modeller. Then there is the fact that I can literally cherry pick my fx from companies like Eventide and others. Control wise I have a footcontroller that can setup snapshots within AUM just like the other hardware units. All of this for about the price of an HX stomp. I get your point of purpose built units. But this setup is perfect for my purpose. The "inconvience" of hooking up a interface is really not an issue for me for what I gain in sound quality and versitility. And you would probably anyway bring an iPad to gigs for charts right?And what I save in cash, now I can buy another guitar.

[@Gummibri]

100% been doing this for years WITH REAPER using a laptop with way too much ram. Try installing reaper on an old surface pro 4 and running 3 different amps with lots of effects. It's amazing but the screen size is small. Even jamming at a buddies, he's got an amp with a line in and a pa so I can plug into it either. I don't menu dive. I have my tones set and usually all I need to do is turn the reverb up or down and my acoustic simulator channel which is usually really low volume... I can turn that up for clarity in really reverby rooms. I know it looks nerdy but I prefer my laptop and you can setup a foot controller to make midi changes in reaper. For example your old line 6 hd500/x

[@marcavus1]

I think 1x12 digital combos. Thing needs to be amplified. Only good for use with a PA or through and amp or computer. My Katana head already does just about everything. It has a built in speaker and is as loud as a 100 watt Marshall if you use a cab.

[@Chucksguitargeekery]

The last digital modeler that I gigged with was the Line 6 HD series (it’s been that long…). But I just got so nervous that my entire rig was on the floor at the edge of where drunk people are dancing. Nothing ever happened, but every gig it made me so nervous. I switched back to an amp and pedalboard, and kept a distortion pedal of sorts with a battery as a backup so I could still get through the rest of a gig if I had to.

[@ColdFrixion]

Hardware VST hosts aren't new. Muse Research made a few variations (e.g. Receptor 2, MuseBox, etc.) a number of years ago, though interestingly, they no longer make/sell them.

[@snoopywalker1881]

UA Apollo is a live tracking plugin player for their own platform

[@guitar-21]

Isn't this kind of what headrush did with the Prime to a certain degree? They brought in Revalver and added it to the existing Eleven Rack stuff. They included auto tune. I wonder if the next step for that platform would be something like this, to allow you to bring in other brands into their various physical form factors that already have large color touch screens.

[@alexforget]

It's all software now. Hardware doesn't matter much.

[@Emily_M81]

well Positive Grid, I wanted you to build me a Bias guitar effect and you won't. Well, these guys did. it also comes with a micstand adapter, so it's definitely intended to at least offer the possibility of being mounted up high. it also comes with a footswitch, which is great. It can also run a DAW, and I would want to use it with Studio One's Live Mode (backing track and synths). that said it's an $800 super thicc Windows tablet w/ 5h battery life (and probably more like 3-4, let's be real) Intel Celeron, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD for $800 is a hard sell for me, though. As in, me personally. As an out of the box solution, if it performs well then I think it's a great product for the right person

[@PeanutsOnMC]

This thing is cool, At my church, we've been using helix native on a laptop with a DIY midi controller for two years now, and its been perfect, has not let anyone down Sunday in and Sunday out. Only had to miss the first song of soundcheck because of windows update.

[@djabthrash]

"Only had to miss the first song of soundcheck because of windows update." That's a big one... Imagine that for a big act during a show...

[@PeanutsOnMC]

@@djabthrash just turn your laptop on when you get there for soundcheck, by the time you're setup the update is done. Or alternatively just be good and keep your laptop up-to date🤣

[@djabthrash]

@@PeanutsOnMC1) updating your computer just before a show is a terrible idea, because the upgrade might mess things up, when it supposedly was working fine before the update (ex : new Mac Os update which will break all your system) 2) internet service in venues is mostly shit, and you're in a hurry when you set up in general, so no times for such things as updates. If anything, the update should be done at least a week before a show to have the time to make sure everything is fine, and update should be frozen when showday approaches and until you decide to do the next update

[@MeTuLHeD]

Guitar players...geez. 🙄 Do I want it? Do I not want it? "I can't imagine bringing this onto a stage." You don't have to imagine it. Keyboard players have been using laptops and playing virtual instruments now for years. It's not like this is some new uncharted territory.

[@erickfuga]

I've been thinking about building one of these for years. It's really easy now days: you just need a AIO PC and throw USB interface in it. Didn't know you guys talk about it before, but my thought was exactly the same: how come no one did that, and why the f### isn't this a thing?

[@robertmazurowski5974]

I tried a touchscreen laptop with an interface. It wasn't a great experience. DAWs and VSTs are not made for a touchscreen.

[@jordanmcdonald7116]

I feel like this is step 1 to getting a VST pedal. I think of a pedal that has computer to have the plug in and midi controller to use live all in a Strymon or HX One form factor

[@aiRxShop]

I’ve been trying to figure this out for almost 10 years using raspberry Pi’s… unfortunately I’m not good at programming.q

[@GreatPlanet-c7o]

Loud amps are real. Real beats simulation, if you know better. Modeling is great, if the PA or ears or monitors are giving you the right playback. We have too many options.

[@RichieNavarrete-s5v]

Isn’t that sort of what Tonex is? And QC? And especially UA amp pedals?A mini computer chip dedicated to being a digital version of an amp and cab. As in The “brains” of a vst. Vst is simply the vehicle in which the sound is delivered? Just MHO

[@thesoozeTJ]

Yep, good point. Would love to have the Valhalla VST in a tone x style pedal!

[@baronvonchickenpants6564]

I use a tablet on stage with my boss katana, its great

[@michaelplaysmusic]

Been using a computer with midi sequenced presets for amp and effects plugins since 2010 or so at church. If you’re playing to a click I can never understand the justification for having anything on the floor. Even the extra stage noise of an amp back stage or in an iso box is annoying to me.

[@AJbassist]

its the perfect woman that you learned you do not want anymore.......

[@dvaoa2910]

I'd love to hear your take(s) on Thomas Blug's interminable quest to (eventually) launch his Amp X platform...

[@rikkousa]

I watched a lot of Blug’s output at NAMM….looking forward to buying one of his amps. Fascinating builder .

[@dvaoa2910]

@@rikkousa I love the BluGuitar Amp 1 platform...he is very unique in his approach. I think it's taking him forever to launch the X because a) he's an OTT perfectionist and b) he's working with a small crew and not a ton of resources.

[@manuelvillavieja2102]

Have you considered using something like Gigperformer 4? No need for a DAWS using an OS like WIndows or MacOs. You can have all your VSTs and design your signal chain. Almost limitless possibilities using only a Computer and maybe midiswitcher for convenience playing live

[@Arthur_My_Dear]

I just looked at the their page. It looks like they knocked it up with a couple of days notice - it’s really incomplete, they need to flesh out the content pronto

[@ShaighJosephson]

I had to stop watching after Yourube broke in four times eith ads within the first ten minutes... KZbin has gone way past ridiculous with all the advertising... I'm done with KZbin/Google's BS... 💥

[@vitgit]

it's like my iPad with Focusrite iDock, but Ipad can do much more than just audio vst)

[@JimboLodisC]

So if we look at the mobile device industry, we've already got plugins on iOS... if we "app-ify" these plugins to run on a lightweight mobile OS, and that operating system can run on all kinds of hardware from different companies, it'd basically be like a VST host meets Android OS. In the same way that you can get a smartphone from Samsung, Motorola, LG, etc. you'd be able to get a floorboard from Donner, Mooer, Headrush, Positive Grid, Line 6, UAD, Focusrite, etc. that runs the same OS as a platform. Or just add this new "plugin store" to existing modelers if virtualization is possible on their chips.

[@stahliwood8755]

If modelers can figure out how to move air and the feeling you get from a tube amp then we can talk. I'm not hating because i own plug ins models the whole spectrum.

[@mthao1832]

If it doesn’t process faster and stronger than uaudio or antelope audios best by now at this point I wouldn’t mess with it

[@EarthisnotforSale]

All this new stuff has me lost, what are VSTs?

[@iloveaviation-burgerclub-a8145]

How many keyboarders hav a lap top on stage eversince and tons of stuff not meant to be stepped on? Older to elderly guitar players are kind of stuck in some weirred parallel universe. Holy tone, something of this is fading to release another chapter in string creativity.