Steinberg Announces Virtual Guitarist 2

Steinberg Media Technologies today presented the new version of its renowned Virtual Guitarist software product at the Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California. Offering a full 6.8 GB of authentic, editable riffs, parts and licks in 88 musical styles, Virtual Guitarist 2 offers a complete computer-based instrument that creates astoundingly realistic electric and acoustic rhythm guitar parts from scratch. Superseding both predecessor Virtual Guitarist and Virtual Guitarist Electric Edition versions, Virtual Guitarist 2 is shipping February 2006 for Mac OSX and Windows XP.

"Virtual Guitarist 2 represents the peak of technology in the computer generation of guitar parts," says Helge Vogt, Steinberg's Product Manager for Virtual Instruments. "It not only plays totally realistic guitar parts in any of 88 musical styles, but because all the parts are fully editable you can actually tell this guitarist exactly what, when and how to play," Vogt continues.

Among the highlights in the new version is the drastically expanded audio library. Virtual Guitarist 2 ships with an impressive 6.8 GB of high-quality library consisting of meticulously recorded performances by top studio guitarists.

Including the entire content of both Virtual Guitarist and Virtual Guitarist Electric Edition and adding a wealth of new top quality content, Virtual Guitarist 2 offers a staggering total of nearly 1100 different parts across 88 styles including pop, rock, metal, reggae and country to name but a few.

The new Part Editor allows full editing control over every single Virtual Guitarist 2 phrase. Each chord is broken up into slices, which the user can manipulate as desired. Each slice can be transposed to new note or moved around rhythmically within the part to provide almost limitless new possibilities in creating licks and grooves, that move and groove exactly as desired. GrooveMatch technology allows parts to be moulded to any drum loop or file, including Steinberg's Groove Agent 2 virtual drummer product.

Virtual Guitarist 2 also ships with an impressive range of virtual stomp box effects that have been painstakingly modelled to recreate effects like tube saturation, wah, flanger, distortion and many more. The new amp modelling section recreates the sound of both modern and vintage guitar amps, as well as microphone type and positioning.

Price and availability
Virtual Guitarist 2 will be available in February 2006 for €239.00*. Existing Virtual Guitarist or Virtual guitarist Electric Edition customers can update to the new Virtual Guitarist 2 version for only €79.00*.

*SRP includes 16% German VAT. Prices subject to regional variations

For more information, visit their web site at www.steinberg.de.