IK Multimedia’s highly anticipated AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix modeling software finally made it to stores last month, but the big news for me––yep, I’m a bit of a cheapskate––was the release of their free demo, which contains the full working product, and is good for ten days.
I don’t know about you, but I like to take a product for a test-run before I drop $250 on something as subjective as digital modeling software. Anyways, the demo is available for both PC & Mac, and having played with it all afternoon I’ve gotta’ tell you it’s a highly recommended download.
AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix is basically a software suite that painstakingly re-creates Hendrix’s full rig, including 9 classic stomp-boxes (Vox Wah V846, Univox Uni-Vibe, Arbiter Fuzz Face, Roger Mayer Octavia, Mosrite Fuzzrite, Maestro FuzzTone, Roger Mayer Axis fuzz, Roger Mayer Classic fuzz, and Fender Opto-Tremolo,) 4 vintage guitar amps (Marshall 1959 JTM100 Super Lead, Fender Bassman, Fender Twin Reverb, and Fender Dual-Showman,) 7 different cabinets, and 5 microphone models.
On my iMac G5 the demo runs fairly well, though I am noticing a few digital clicks & pops here and there––in fact, they could be intentional artifacts left in the demo to encourage people to buy the real deal, but I’d need to verify this before plunking down my hard earned cash.
I’ve personally found that AmpliTube’s pre-sets, which are named for the various parts of popular Hendrix tunes that they re-create (Intro, Solo, Rhythm, what have you,) are actually a bit lacking to my ear, while the real magic lies in the software’s Stomp Box pane.
The Stomp Box interface allows you to load up to 6 effects at a time, and trust me––it’s a helluva’ lot of fun! I particularly like the Octavia model and the VOX V846 Wah (which runs in auto-wah mode in case you’re like me and don’t happen to have a USB expression pedal just lying around the house,) not to mention all the great fuzz pedals.
On top of that, the amplifier models are easily the best I’ve heard (check out those Fender models!)––totally blowing away the ones found in my copy of Line 6′s GearBox.
Anyways, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix is well worth checking out if you’re a true Jimi fanatic, or even if you just want to see what kind of trouble you can get into with all that screaming power at your fingertips––heck, my Hendrix chops pretty much suck, but I did manage to to thoroughly Syd Barrett-ize a finger-picked rendition of Beethoven’s Ode To Joy ;)
Fun, fun stuff. Click here to download the demo.
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May 30th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Hey Cary,
I’ve used the Amplitube stuff for years, and while it does sound very good (even on vocals sometmies)…they continue to charge almost as much as a “new” version for an upgrade. Then they also have the 3 computer limitation to the license key. I have a laptop (which seems to get upgraded by work every 9 months), and a dedicated music workstation which I upgraded to in December (2 years since my last workstation upgrade). So I run through three computers every 18 months or so. I wish they used dongles like the more expensive plug-ins….. also, when I compare version 1.4 to 2, there has not been a compelling enough reason to change (2 channels at once? just run the plug in twice into two channels!)
Why the Hendrix version? Why can’t they just add new models to Amplitube 2? Line6 adds new models to Pods all the time. The big reason why the Line6 stuff doesn’t sound as good is that it is being converted through at least 2 A/D-D/A stages before it comes out of your speakers. When you go to a big ProTools HD studio they are using Line6 AmpFarm, and you are only converting the guitar signal to digital once, and have as many DSPs as you need to do the processing. You can now buy a VST plug-in from Line6 to do this in your workstation software (althought it’s $200)….if you do this, you could run it through a nice emulated mic pre and match just about any recorded guitar sound. Mic Pres and channel strip emulation (compression/EQ) have more to do with matching a “classic” recorded tone than an amp model does…. in my opinion.
I have no doubt that the Hendrix thing sounds good…if not great, but as a working producer/engineer, I had to throw in the ding about the relentless marketing this company does, expecting its existing customers to practicially re-buy software when there is a minor tweak to it. I’d probably pony up the money if they went to dongles.
May 30th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
That’s too bad — you’d think they would want to foster long-term customer loyalty over short-term profits.
Anyway, that’s why free demos ar so much fun — they’re free! The download is definitely good for ten days worth of “gettin’ your Hendrix on,” even if you have no intention of actually buying it.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I’m gettin’ some mileage out of these 3 quotes, but they seem to fit here:
“… I think people overemphasize the importance of gear in their search for tone. Your sound comes from how you pick and dampen the strings, and from your attack as much as anything…” – Eric Johnson
“Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
- H.L. Mencken
“The culture of the country has been hijacked by life-style hotshot pimps who join with consumer fascists in selling you back to yourself.”
- Ry Cooder
May 30th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Hehe… great quotes :)