Guitarport Riff Tracker 
by Beau from Atlanta GA, February 2008
Music Background:  Musician

After having been away from my guitar for a few years, I came back to it about 2 years ago and immediately found the guitarport system. I was simply blown away to find that using the computer I already had, I was All these great direct recording tones and effects? Wow! I was in heaven!

But getting the USB hardware interface was only half the treat. Included with the unit was some software called Riffworks by a company called Sonoma Wireworks. Here's where it gets really neat.

The software is a true wonder. Simply put, it gives you full demo-quality multitrack recording with almost no learning curve whatsoever. Yeah, if you don't know how to use a computer, that's one thing. But if you're comfortable pointing and clicking, well, you're on your way to creating some quality recordings in very little time. Watch a couple of short tutorial videos and you're nearly an expert. I found several videos on youtube of people playing with riffworks.

The software is loop-based at its core, but you can also record in 'song layer' mode and record just like you would with traditional multitrackers. But why would you when loop-based is so ridiculously easy?!

If you've got the parts to a song in your head already. You can lay the individual parts down in a matter of minutes, and then drag each 'riff' up into the song bar, and arrange as neccessary.

Quite a difference from the 4 track cassette deck I had saved for the last time around. That thing, while technically advanced at the time, only lasted a couple of years. One big advantage software has over hardware in this regard, there are no moving parts to break!

Now for the golden egg on top of it all. Rifflink! Riffworks does a great job as a multitracker. But if that weren't enough, it also doubles as an online collaboration tool! Up to four people at one time can log on to your song and record in real-time online! Changes made by others are available to each collaborator almost immediately. It's amazing how quickly a song can be created out of thin air with rifflink. I'm amazed at how often I log in to rifflink and listen to a collaboration, only to walk away, and come back ten minutes later to find an almost finished song! Of course, when the song is done, you can post it to the online library of riffworks/rifflink created music. It's called riffcaster.

In summary, I feel lucky to have been on this planet while this stuff is available to us. However, I sure do wish I would have had guitarport/rifftracker when I was a teenager! Kids these days are so lucky.

  This thing rocks 
by Steve Estes from Nashville, February 2008
Music Background:  Guitar and Vocal Worship leader

Riffworks is great for quick sketch ideas. Riffworld is the breakthrough innovation for collaberative recording!!!!

  The best thing to happen to my playing and recording. 
by DougMetzger from Warsaw, In USA, August 2007
Music Background:  Hobbyist

Guitar Port with Riffworks has breathed new life into my playing and recording. Riffworks is so easy to use and the sound is incredible. I have done more recording in the past year than I have in the last 20 years of playing. If you purchase or have purchased guitar port and/or Riffworks you WILL NOT be disappointed. Just be prepared to become a hermit that does nothing but sit in front of the computer :)

  Intunitive, easy, fun to learn and use. 
by Tom Schulz/Charvelguy from MPLS, Mn, August 2007
Music Background:  Pro, Semi pro, covers and original acts.

Without Riffworks, I would have not completed some of the pieces in the fashion and ease of comfort that I did. Its a great way to record ideas and hammer them out while still being able to build layers. It's taking Les Pauls invention into a new realm.

  Guitar recording kitchen sink 
by Chicago Joe from USA, August 2007

It's not easy to review this product since it's really (at least) three products bundled together. I'll do my best to make it clear which I'm talking about.#1 The Guitar Port hardware: This thing couldn't be simpler. Think of it as a "guitar to usb adapter." In reality, it acts as an external USB soundcard and input device. It functions well in this role and has relatively low latency on mid-range systems. It really is just a single 1/4" input with a big volume knob, and its operation is as simple as that suggests.#2 The Guitar Port software: The best way to describe this product is a visual interface to the PodXT/Vetta amp and effects models. If you're familiar with those products, you pretty much know what you're in for from a sonic standpoint. The digital models are, well... digital. They're very good digital models, though, and I think most people who are familiar with the limitations of digital modeling will be satisfied with the quality. The interface is very easy to navigate as most of the amps and effects look like their real-life counterparts. While you could choose to add packs of additional models (see my comments on "upselling" at the end), the ones you get "out of the box" are very versatile.#3 The "Riff Tracker" software: Having some familiarity with various recording software, I was at first a little frustrated with this product. It is a completely different approach to recording from what I was used to from the studio or traditional DAW recording. Once I understood it better, however, I really started to like it. As the name implies, you build songs by layering guitar, bass, and drum riffs on top of each other. Once you've recorded some of your song components, you can construct a song by dragging and dropping the riffs together. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like writing a song the way we used to do when the whole band wrote together - the drummer would lay down a groove, the bassist or guitarist would chime in, and we'd all just keep playing until the ideas became more solid. It's very cool to be able to do this on your own with the software. Once you've created your tune from the "building blocks," you can go back and add vocals, solos, etc. that span the entire song. Working with the drums fits this paradigm as well - you basically set the style for each riff and tell it how much to vary the beat and play fills, and it comes up with a beat. I know that doesn't sound like it would work, but it's pretty effective in action. Like I said, once I got my mind around how this thing works, I really started to enjoy it.UPSELLING ("selling the blades") - the rest of the products: One of the big shaving product companies (Gillette maybe) came up with this idea that they would sell razor handles at a loss because they knew they'd make their real money selling the blades to fit the razors. Both Line 6 (the Guitar Port folks) and Sonoma (the Riff Tracker people) have taken this concept to heart. Both products act as portals to various add-on products. Line 6 offers a subscription to Guitar Port Online which offers lessons, play-along tracks, setups that match popular songs, etc. They also offer model packs that add amps and effects to the core Guitar Port software. Sonoma offers drummer styles that fit different genres and rhythms. The good news is that all the add-on products I've tried (a small sampling) have been very high quality. The REALLY good news is that you can enjoy Guitar Port and Riff Tracker fully without adding any additional products - they're not "crippled" in any way. The bad news (if you want to call it that) is that you will probably WANT some of these add-ons (in my case, the additional drum styles!) This is just a warning that you may wind up spending a little more money down the road.The best thing about this package is that you can go from absolutely no computer guitar songwriting and recording solution to a complete set-up with one purchase of less than $200.

Very Slick for $100 
by Jack Loganbill from Chicago USA, May 2005

I purchased the GuitarPort with 2.51 firmware to use on the road with a Laptop computer. I own a Digitech GNX4 (almost a year), Korg PX4, and VAMP-Pro so I did not plan on using the GuitarPort at home. However, the quality of the modeled amps and effects of the GuitarPort is outstanding-- consequently I have been using it more than I original expected. Supposedly the GuitarPort uses the same Vetta sound engine as the PODXT and the Vetta amps. This is newer technology than the POD 2, so if you are biased negatively because of the POD 2, give the GuitarPort/PODXT a chance, it is a different animial. Plus, the latest Guitarport firmware (2.51) is significanly enhanced compared to its previous iterations, so I am told.

Literally hundreds of preset "tones" are available to download from Line6 and other web sites. Many PodXT presets work (and all will work if you purchase the $100 addon model powerpack). Many of the presets I downloaded sound good, some stink--but that is true for any similar product.

Some of the amp models correctly setup sound better than anything I have acheived from my other amp modelers, leaving me to wish I had invested in the PODXT rather than some of the others I had purchased.

I use the GuitarPort with ProTracks (bundled with the GNX4) for multi-track recording. Any recording sw should work just fine.

Installation was very easy on my Windows XP system.

The only caveat: The GuitarPort requires a computer--it does not function without one. Period.

Also, the RiffTracker SW is another $100, but I don't plan on purchasing it, nor do I plan on purchasing the online GuitarPort internet feature. The GuitarPort works just fine without either RiffTracker or the Internet connection.

Uses USB to connect to the computer, two RCAs to connect to a Stereo or mixer, and a headphone out.

Can't go wrong for $100. By the way, I love the $100 VAMP-2 and the $170 VAMP-PRO and their amp models, probably prefer them over the GuitarPort if I had to choose; but the GuitarPort connects to the computer via USB for recording! A big plus for me.

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