Chapter 1: Introduction - Gibson Dark Fire Applications Quick Start Manual

Chapter 1: Introduction

Gibson's Dark Fire is not just an extraordinary guitar, but part of an advanced system that is
equally at home on stage or in today's computer-based studio. This Quick Start manual
focuses on using the Dark Fire system in the studio.
There are three main components to this system:
RIP interface and Console. This hardware/software combination provides a way to
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feed Dark Fire's multiple outputs (magnetic pickups, piezo pickup, individual hex
outputs) into various software programs for Mac or Windows (XP/Vista), as well as play
back the results through speakers, headphones, or a mixer.
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3. This software program models a wide range of
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amplifiers and effects, and also provides various tools (e.g., tuner, metronome,
recorder). It can run in stand-alone mode, where it essentially turns your laptop or other
computer into a complete rack guitar system, or as a plug-in with host programs like
Ableton Live, Cakewalk Sonar, Apple Logic Studio, MOTU Digital Performer, etc. When
used as a plug-in, it can insert in any track to process the track's signal. While intended
for guitar, Guitar Rig 3 is also useful with other instruments including bass, drums, and
even voice.
Ableton Live Lite 7 Gibson Studio Edition. Live is a sophisticated recording and
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editing program that is ideal for guitar, and particularly, Dark Fire. In the studio, you can
use it to record your playing as well as other instruments. You can also build backing
tracks using loops of drum parts, bass lines, etc. When playing live, Ableton Live can
serve as a "host" for Guitar Rig 3, even letting you insert a separate instance of Guitar
Rig 3 for each string.
Any updates to this documentation are available for download from
http://www.gibson.com/darkfire .
Mac/Windows Differences
All Dark Fire software is compatible with both Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista computers,
and all software works virtually identically with both types of machines. Most screen shots
show the Windows versions, but any differences will be pointed out when needed.
IMPORTANT!
The RIP has a feature where if you don't play for a while, it shuts down and starts charging the
Dark Fire battery. If during the following examples you don't hear any output from the RIP,
strum the Dark Fire strings. This "wakes up" the RIP.
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