| For a touring musician, one of the biggest hassles to | | | | the type of circuitry involved, and the materials used in |
| deal with is moving gear from venue to venue. While | | | | the amplifier's construction, for example, are all |
| most professional audio equipment is designed to be | | | | factored in to create a complete representation of the |
| rugged, even the toughest amplifier or effects unit will | | | | sounds produced by that piece of equipment. The |
| eventually break if it is dropped one too many times. | | | | same process is put to work to simulate classic |
| Not only that, but one of the side effects of making | | | | effects, such as specific types of reverb, distortion and |
| gear solid enough to withstand the rigors of the road is | | | | delay. Guitarists are also able to virtually mix and |
| increased size, making it a real pain to have to | | | | match equipment to try combinations that may not |
| continually load and unload - especially if stairs are in | | | | even be feasible in the physical world. It is also possible |
| the picture. Finally, space constraints limit most bands, | | | | to change the size of the virtual 'room' that the |
| (at least those who don't use a big rig to cart around | | | | amplifier is located in, as well as change where the |
| their stuff) to only a select number of amplifiers, pedals | | | | microphone being used to pick up the amp's sound is |
| and instruments per show. | | | | placed. |
| Fortunately, technology has evolved to the point where | | | | In addition to the customization available, the extra |
| there are now viable replacements to many different | | | | space created in the van by replacing a whole load of |
| types of musical equipment. These replacements | | | | hardware is the next strongest feature of emulation |
| come in digital form - software that is capable of | | | | technology. By using a laptop and a good |
| emulating the exact characteristics of many different | | | | ASIO-compatible external soundcard, this type of |
| types of vintage and new audio gear. One of the best | | | | equipment can be used in real-time in a live situation. |
| implemented examples of this technology can be | | | | This essentially adds limitless possibilities to the stage |
| found in the realm of guitar amplifier emulation. | | | | setup of any performer or band. |
| Programs such as Guitar Rig by Native Instruments | | | | As with choosing any type of musical gear to take on |
| and Amplitube by IK Multimedia allow musicians to tap | | | | the road, it is important to make sure that the laptop |
| into a virtually limitless world of effect and amplifier | | | | and soundcard are selected based on how resilient |
| customization. | | | | they are. Venues can get very hot and moist, and it's |
| How does it work? At their core, these types of | | | | worth investing in a fan to keep equipment cool under |
| programs employ complex mathematical modeling to | | | | the hot stage lights. Many external soundcards are |
| represent the methods used by hardware amplifiers | | | | available with strong steel cases, and there are |
| and effects to generate their particular sounds. Using a | | | | ruggedized laptops that will serve well as gigging rigs. |
| computer code framework, the size of the amplifier, | | | | |