Guitar

∞ Line 6 releases Pod Farm 2.5

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Line 6 on Tuesday released a new version of its amp and effects modeling software, Pod Farm.

Pod Farm 2.5 features compatibility with any USB audio interface and 64-bit support. There is also a trial version that can be downloaded from the company’s Web site.

Included in POD Farm 2.5 are POD Farm Elements, plug-ins that streamline workflow and conserve CPU horsepower by grouping POD Farm models together by effect type. Users can load single amps, preamps or effects instead of loading multiple instances of POD Farm 2.5.

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∞ Line 6 founder: We want to 'enable musician's creativity'

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When it comes to amp and effects modeling, most people think of Line 6 first. And with good reason — the company has been on the forefront of modeling technology for many years.

I recently sat down with Line 6 CEO Marcus Ryle to talk about the company’s achievements and how Line 6 continues to evolve its technology under ever-increasing competition.

“We’re all about finding ways to harness technologies to enable musician’s creativity,” Ryle told The Loop. “Modeling is one of those ways.”

I visited the Line 6 headquarters a couple of years ago and saw the amp room. This is where the engineers model real tube amp circuitry and transform it into amps we can buy as part of Line 6’s Pod Farm 2 software. To say the collection of vintage amps is impressive would be an understatement.

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∞ Guitarists get the most for their money with Line 6

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I’ve been playing guitar for about 20 years and have a nice collection of analog gear, but I also use a lot of amp and modeling software too. One of the questions I often get is “what hardware and software should I get?”

The answer to that question differs depending on the needs of the person asking, but more often than not, it’s simple: Line 6. I have a lot of Line 6 gear — a Pod X3 Live, Pod XT Live, HD 147, Vetta 3, UX8, a couple of TonePorts, and the latest Pod Farm 2 software (I have more, but you get the idea).

One of the things I like most about the Line 6 hardware, software combination is that it’s easy to use. Literally, you plug it in, install the software and you’re done. It’s hard to beat that when all you want to do is sit down and play.

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∞ Review: AmpliTube 3.5 Custom Shop

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It’s always exciting when new guitar software comes out, but that’s usually about once a year. However, IK Multimedia released the AmpliTube Custom Shop as part of AmpliTube 3.5, allowing you to purchase new amps and effects anytime you want.

When you enter the Custom Shop, you are immediately reminded of Apple’s Mac App Store. That’s a good thing for IK. As far as I know, IK is the first company to take the Mac Store concept and apply it to its own products.

You have a few options when you open the app. You can add credits to your account (credits are used to purchase products), look at the gear you already purchase, and manage your account.Everything you need to do can be done from within the application — very smart move.

When you are ready to browse the available gear, the side menu gives you several options to find exactly what you’re looking. You can browse by Brand, Stomp, Amp, Cab, Mic and Rack. Each category is broken down further to narrow your search.

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∞ AmpliTube 3 Custom Shop for Mac available

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IK Multimedia on Thursday released AmpliTube 3 Custom Shop, the newest version of the company’s amp modeling and effects software for the Mac.

According to IK, the “Custom Shop is an entirely new tone shopping experience that is like visiting a real guitar store, but one that is open 24/7 right in the comfort of your own studio.”

IK is offering a basic version of the software available free to download and it includes the plug-in and standalone version. The software gives you 24 gear models consisting of 9 stomp boxes, 4 amplifiers, 5 cabinets, 3 microphones, 2 rack effects and a digital tuner.

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∞ Apogee unveils the Duet 2

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High-end audio company Apogee released a video showing off its newest product, the Duet 2.

Apogee makes audio gear that’s used in studios and live performances by some of the biggest names in the business. However, with products like the Duet 2, you get the quality of Apogee in your home studio.

The Duet 2 features two combination mic/instrument connectors (XLR and 1/4-inch) built into a single connector and two balanced 1/4-inch connectors for speakers.

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∞ Eleven Rack: Toughest piece of gear in music

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I’ve been using Avid’s Eleven Rack for the last couple of weeks and have been enjoying my time with the unit. I’ll have a full review in the next week, but something happened last night that I just had to share.

I always tell people that I don’t baby my gear. Whether it’s computers or music equipment, I use it like it’s meant to be used. I don’t abuse anything, but if I plug my guitar into it, there’s going to be some punishment coming.

Little did I know just how much.

So far, my time with the Eleven Rack has been spent in the studio at fairly low volume. However, last night the drummer came over and we spent a couple of hours jamming. It’s one of those jams where you just play whatever comes into your head — some Ozzy, Sabbath, or stuff we make up.

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∞ First pictures of GuitarJack 2 for iPhone

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Sonoma Wire Works made quite a splash when it released GuitarJack for the iPhone last September, but it had one problem — it wasn’t compatible with the iPhone 4. That’s going to change.

∞ Connect with Gibson Guitar's CEO online

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Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz is connecting with his customers like no other executive in the industry — through an online forum where he will answer customer questions.