OVERVIEW

Smith’s involvement focused primarily on the hardware section—an interface that changes the guitar’s unbalanced, high-impedance signal into a balanced, low-impedance signal to reduce hum and retain the instrument’s full dynamic range. The Waves end of the deal was designing software that offers 19 guitar and seven bass amps, 16 guitar and six bass cabinets, and 26 effects (including compression, gate, noise reduction, distortion, modulation, delay, and reverb). The software works in stand-alone or plug-in mode.

In stand-alone mode, the interface offers pages that include a virtual pedalboard (with slots for a maximum of six effects that can be placed before or after the amp), an amp page offering a pair of amps that can be mixed or matched along with cabinets and mic choices, a tuner page, and a preset page.

In plug-in mode you can instate the Tool Rack—which operates much like the stand-alone mode—or a modular system in which you get a choice of pedalboards containing two, four, or six slots, amp modules, and a tuner module. This allows you to place the amp in the track strip while placing some of the effects in an aux bus. All parameters can be controlled by MIDI—either with a controller or DAW automation. The program requires an iLok authorization and a USB iLok key.

IN USE

Though labeled an interface, the GTR3 hardware is actually an impedance-matching device that includes preamp circuitry. Designed expressly to deliver a balanced, hum-free signal into a DAW, the interface offers no direct connection to the computer, and therefore requires an additional Firewire, USB, PCI card, or mixer interface. I ran it into the line input of an M-Audio 1814 FireWire interface for recording in Ableton Live. The unit runs on two included 9-volt batteries in an accessible compartment, or with an optional 12VDC positive-tip adaptor. Originally only available as a hardware/software set, Waves is now offering the software by itself. I found the PRS hardware definitely adds girth to the guitar tone over running directly into the 1814—though a variety of other preamps could very well produce the same effect.

The software is quite simple to use on a basic level—especially if you are in tune with the GTR philosophy. The company’s concept is that you are looking for a certain, general type of amp sound—such as Warm, Edge, Sweet, or Shredder—rather than a brand-specific Fender, Vox, or Marshall tone. However, Waves hedges its bets by also providing brand references for their titles if you click on the Help question mark (i.e.—“Punchy: Based on a 100W Marshall head”). The same holds true for the effects, though these hold a few graphic clues like the Electro-Harmonix appearance of Fuzz, and the green-colored (Tube Screamer anyone?) Overdrive.

The software interface is well labeled and intuitive. In no time, I was getting all sorts of sounds. And what sounds! The amps appeared big, warm, and decidedly un-digital. Effects such as pitch shift, delay, and reverb reflected the years of Waves refinement that professional engineers have come to depend on. The dynamics and touch response made playing a pleasure, and all with a relatively low CPU drain. These are sounds that will slot neatly into a professional recording—and not just as an extra color, but as a viable alternative to hardware amps. That said, the sounds are decidedly mainstream—more Maroon 5 than T-Bone Burnett.

Delving deeper into the software, I discovered to my dismay that when attempting to automate GTR3’s parameters within a Live track, the parameter controls were displayed as numbers (1-7), rather than names. Once again, I was required to go to the Help menu to determine which number referred to which control. As even my free plug-ins provide control names, this seems unfortunate. [Waves states that Ableton Live—which processes automation using MIDI—is not a supported host. Parameter controls are labeled in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, and any host that doesn’t process data via MIDI.] It would also be nice if the hardware interface actually served as a FireWire or USB connection to your computer, doubling as a dongle, to save those increasingly precious USB ports.

CONCLUSIONS

It would have been great to see Waves include some of the cool effects from its plug-in bundles in this incarnation—such as Enigma or SuperTap. Still, this latest version of the collaboration between PRS and Waves offers all the basic, real-sounding and feeling amp and effects emulations a guitarist might need. If your tastes lean toward the radio-ready, you would be hard pressed to do better than GTR3.

Product Type: Amp and effects modeling software bundled with a hardware interface.

Target Market: Guitarists and recording studios seeking professional amp and effects emulations.

Strengths: High quality, warm, responsive sounds. Easy to use.

Limitations: Hardware part less than essential, MIDI destinations numbered rather than named.

List Price: $500 Native/$600 TDM (includes Studio Guitar Interface); software only is $380 Native/$480 TDM; Interface only is $120.

Contact: www.waves.com