Last Updated on January 4, 2024 by IDS Team
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6 comes in two separate forms: Pro and Player. Whilst Pro is the paid for version, Player is so great for the novice musician that it is equally popular. Both can be a welcome addition to any collection of plugins, so let’s take a look at them in this review, as well as contrast the new Guitar Rig 7 update!
What is included in Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6?
Guitar Rig 6 has all the things provided to create amazing sound that hits the mark, emulating true-to-life instruments in an astounding way. It’s truly packed full of bonafide, plugins modeled on real instruments. In fact, you can find both modern, vintage, and boutique amps as well as effects from both Native Instruments and Softube.
It also contains Native Instruments’ Patented Intelligent Circuit Modelling, the ability to colour code and personalise presents, and the chance to discover Native Instruments’ own FX. These are unique and you can’t get them with any other company, and they are generally very high quality. And, of course, you can turn it up to eleven by running multiple amp heads at the same time (with the Pro version).
How does Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6 differ from other products out there?
There are a lot of options out there and it’s sometimes hard to wade through the mass of similar VST products. One problem is that many products claim to be all encompassing. Yet like any great piece of studio software, Guitar Rig 6 has stand-out features that set it aside from the rest.
For Native Instruments, this is the Intelligent Circuit Modelling. Native Instruments have gone so far as to work with the creators of the corresponding analog products to perfectly simulate each individual component in the circuits of their amps, pedals, and effects. This means that every single part of the FX chain on Guitar Rig 6 is completely true to life.
How Does Guitar Rig 6 Stand Up to More Recent Updates?
One of the biggest VST updates of 2023 has been the arrival of Guitar Rig 7. But if you are wondering what to get, Guitar Rig 6 is still very worthwhile.
That’s because most of the additions to Guitar Rig 7 come in the form of new gear and small adjustments. Guitar Rig 6 still has the bulk of this VST’s main selling points. In fact, not all gear in Guitar Rig 7 has been updated. There is still all the legacy from Guitar Rig 6, however.
How Does Guitar Rig 6 Compare to Real Gear?
For the musician without the space or money for a full home studio, it’s an amazing way to see what gear is out there. Like any amp simulator, Guitar Rig 6 lets youuse it in your own projects without having to fork out a hefty fee or track it down.
Yet it’s the ICT which sets Guitar Rig 6 apart, because unless you are a hardcore audiophile with a need/desire for analogue instruments, it’s as good as the real thing. This amp sim is a real way to get as much true-to-life gear in one place. This means you can compare and contrast different sounds, too and this gives you an unprecedented ability to tie all tracks together.
How Does Guitar Rig 6 Sound?
Most musicians with a good ear will be able to tell this is an amp sim, but it doesn’t matter. The point is that it is a very good amp sim that recognises it’s not a substitute for real gear but instead is both a complement and an instrument in its own right that hinges on being as accurate as possible.
Therefore it makes the sounds of favourite amps and FX accessible to the average musician while letting more seasoned pros sustain disbelief because the makers understand which sounds they are looking for.
Check out the latest price and possible deal on Guitar Rig 6 by (redirects to the official Native Instruments website)
How to use Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6?
Guitar Rig 6 contains digital copies of real amps that all your favorite guitarists use. Yet how does it stand up in terms of genre-availability, true-to-life sound, and a real studio experience?
What Does Guitar Rig 6 Work Well With?
Guitar Rig 6 allows you to build a wall of sound out of many different amps, meaning that you can combine sounds to create the perfect medley of different FX, which works well in genres like grunge, post punk, pop punk, and indie.
It also lets you get a bird’s eye view of the signal chain.
Therefore, it can be a lifesaver for complex projects where having all your gear in one place can help with a streamlined workflow.
What Genres Does Guitar Rig 6 Suit?
- This is a general, all-round amp sim that can work on everything from classic rock to modern indie pop
- It’s less suitable for distinct styles such as jazz or extreme metal, which have their own production conventions
- There is some bias towards classic and vintage amps, but the combinations you can make are great for all styles
- The NI browser is also very intuitive and allows you to quickly filter through sounds to find the perfect ones
The sounds involved in Guitar Rig 6 can take on this kind of grungy, effects-heavy production, yet are versatile enough to encompass softer genres. . Overall, it does have something for every mood provided you are willing to combine and experiment.
Guitar Rig 6 Pro vs Guitar Rig Six Player
Guitar Rig 6 has two different models: Guitar Rig 6 Pro and Guitar Rig 6 Player. The difference ismostly in the price and amount of features. Guitar Rig 6 Player is just as useful for musicians on a budget; It may not contain as many effects and pedals but you can easily use what’s there creatively.
It’s great for boutique, specialized effects which can add verve and color to your music.
What Updates does GUITAR RIG 7 introduce?
Ok, here’s the big one. The first major update to this software in three years, Guitar Rig 7 introduces the following exciting features in the PRO version:
- Ozone maximiser, a powerful limiter that integrates the guitar based features with production
- 4 new pedals, ranging from grunge, death metal, to classic hard rock
- A pack of 4 LOFI effects including vintage vibrato, tape wobble, and Kolor. Great with current trends in indie pop, these are applicable to all genres and can lend an analog believability to any recording. Although Guitar Rig can sound generic and isn’t the same as a real analog studio, it does come very close and this pack gives you the potential to make up for its shortcomings.
- Impulse response loader, which lets you add FX such as filters to the sound of your amp and cab. It also enables panning, all with a smooth and intuitive interface. One thing it lacks compared to competitor Amplitube is mix placement modelling, but some of the other production features make up for this depending on what you’re looking for.
- There are also preset IRs, designed with real musicians for further control over sound
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6 – not just for guitarists!
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6 stands out in containing all of the above plus plugins with unusual variants of noise such as radio effects which can be used for more creative, avant-garde production.
Apart from Classic Guitar Music, What Can You Use This Amp Sim For?
As we said, the sounds Guitar Rig 6 includes are focussed mostly towards indie, funk, rock, and blues. Ni created some individual plugins with with legendary musicians from all genres including Richard Z. Kruspe of Rammstein.
Some of the FX on the Guitar Rig 7 update are aimed at heavier genres. Depending on what you play, however, Guitar Rig 6 is still worthwhile if you don’t need these sounds as much or have a lot of other FX plugins.
Cinematic Sounds: the Native Instruments site has a demo video that shows how FX such as the eerie ‘Area 51’ can be used for violin, creating ethereal and unearthly sounds that can be extremely atmospheric. Natural FX such as reverb and delay also enhance almost any instrument. Guitar Rig 6 is greatto adapt to other instruments through present FX chains that can warp the sound of more than just guitar.
Check out the latest price and possible deal on Guitar Rig 6 by (redirects to the official Native Instruments website)
Final thoughts
Why buy Guitar Rig 6? Whether Pro or Player, it does not hurt to have something this all-encompassing on your side when producing. There is a slight bias towards classic sounds, which can be restrictive. However, it also makes this plugin super easy to apply to any genre of music. Plus, NI have taken enough care when creating itthat it is not too vanilla.
Overall, the choices are broad yet NI gives each enough focus that it does them well. The technology isn’t cutting edge, a seasoned music lover can hear the difference, but this amp sim does make up for this in specificity, range, and intuitiveness.
Overall it’s not necessarily a top-of-the-range substitute for a home studio – but Guitar Rig 6, depending on your requirements, is still a trusty staple to have in your DAW that you can apply to a vast variety of projects.
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