Guitar Rig 5 as a Reaper Plugin

[Vaulsc]

I'm having some trouble using GR5 in Reaper to achieve a good quality sound, so I want to write down everything I can think of that might be relevant. For those able to help, just ask for whatever info I seem to have missed and hopefully I can find that out so we can troubleshoot.

My electric guitar (Ibanez) goes through a Scarlett Focusrite interface, then in to my PC (windows 10), and when I do this with GR5 as a standalone desktop APP it is pretty easy to use and sounds pretty good.

Only problem is when I open up reaper (64bit). Even when the levels haven't changed, when running as a reaper plugin, I'm getting some annoying feedback/noises in the background, which can only be removed by using very low gain or turning the tone pot on the guitar right down (I don't have to do this outside of Reaper).

I'm constantly playing around with guitar volume settings, the gain control on the interface, the input/output volumes in GR5, the gain settings on the amp/cab simulators themselves and gain effects within GR5, and track levels in reaper. There's definitely something going on in Reaper to cause a difference compared to GR5 standalone.

On my reaper guitar track, I'm using the plugin for Input FX, not for post-audio FX, if I can put it that way, since I understood that to be the way to do it.

I've played around with latency settings through the interface, but there doesn't seem to be a solution there either. Within the Reaper audio settings/preferences, I'm pretty sure I have a normal sample rate etc.

What other tests can I run, what other settings can I investigate?

[RobU]

Hello Vaulsc

So, I have an Ibanez, a Focusrite interface, and Win10 - I don't use GR5 in standalone very much, but when I do it sounds the same as it does in Reaper.

I use it as an insert not as in input FX. I don't recall every hearing that it should be input fx, although there's not reason not to, unless you want to edit GR5 after recording..

My general setup:

Set input levels on the Focusrite first, no clipping on loudest hits. Latency settings as low as you can, 64 if possible, but 128 should still be ok depending on how sensitive you are to latency...

Create track in Reaper
Set the track recording input
Activate recording
Activate input monitoring
You should hear the guitar at this point and see a level on the Reaper meters

Add GR5 to an insert FX slot

Set input levels on GR5, again no clipping on loudest hits, make sure the input is set to mono (by clicking on the LR indicators, only L should be on)
Setup amp/cabinet/fx
Set output levels on GR5 using the learn button (next the cabinet output level), again on the loudest hits

Reaper faders are at unity

After that you should be good to record.

If you change preset/amp/cab/fx in GR, then you should only have to set the output gain again, at most

As for the feedback... not sure... maybe if you run through your settings we can work it out

Cheers
Rob

[solger]

Originally Posted by Vaulsc

On my reaper guitar track, I'm using the plugin for Input FX, not for post-audio FX, if I can put it that way, since I understood that to be the way to do it.

I'm also using GR as Insert FX. This way the dry audio signal is recorded to the track (which you can also use for further or different processing, etc.). And you can, for instance, record the processed audio signal to a second track (at the same time or later) ...

Keep in mind that when using an effects plugin like GR as Input FX, the effect is directly added to the recorded audio. So you can't change this later.


Is the [HI] Quality button in the GR header enabled in both GR standalone and the plugin?

[bob]

Make sure you are away from your computer with a well shielded guitar cable

[Vaulsc]

Thanks guys, this advice was helpful. Under what circumstances would you actually use the input FX feature then?

[solger]

Originally Posted by Vaulsc

Under what circumstances would you actually use the input FX feature then?

In general, the difference between Input FX and Track (Insert) FX is how/when they are processed in the signal chain:

Input FX are directly applied to the input signal. So they won't affect already recorded or placed items on a Track. And since they are basically only 'active' during recording, they don't take any CPU when not armed.
Track (Insert) FX basically affect Audio/MIDI items on a Track.

I'd say, Input FX are useful for MIDI FX. And using Input FX for Audio mainly comes down to personal preference.


You can find some examples for using Input FX here:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mSDZYGq3u8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZalVwJuCHBQ

And in the User Guide - chapter 3.26 Recording with Input FX Plug-Ins.