USB Pedals That Work With AmpliTube

AmpliTube is a guitar amplifier modeling application by IK Multimedia. Amplifier modeling is the process of emulating a guitar amplifier and accompanying effects in software. Numerous USB guitar pedals intended for use with amplifier modeling applications are available, and most will work with AmpliTube. IK Multimedia even offers USB pedals specially designed for use with the application.

All USB guitar pedals are digital by definition and designed to interface with the numerous amplifier modeling applications and plug-ins available. Some include single or multiple effects of their own, usually modeled on one or more common analog guitar pedals, such as distortion or fuzz pedals. They range from quite simple, resembling a MIDI sustain pedal, to full-blown multi-pedal, multi-effect rigs, such as the Zoom G9.2tt or the DigiTech RP1000.

IK Multimedia offers a USB guitar pedal specially designed for use with AmpliTube. Called the StealthPedal, it is a fully-functional audio interface in its own right. It includes guitar inputs, headphone and stereo audio outputs and an expression pedal resembling a standard MIDI pedal. Its accompanying software and drivers integrate it seamlessly with AmpliTube, but the StealthPedal can also be used with other amplifier modeling applications. It can be purchased separately or as part of a bundle along with AmpliTube.

Zoom offers several multi-effect pedals, all of which can interface with Amplitube. All Zoom pedals include multiple effects that can be routed into AmpliTube, or shut off so that only AmpliTube affects the guitar’s signal. Some Zoom pedals, such as the G1u, are switch-style pedals rather than wah-style pedals, but most models include a traditional wah-style pedal. The higher-end models, the G7.1ut and the G9.2tt, incorporate traditional tube condensation technology, lending an analog feel to their output.

DigiTech offers several USB guitar pedals that will interface with AmpliTube. All are multi-effect pedals with a wide variety of common and unusual guitar effects. Their effect processors can be turned off to supply AmpliTube with a clean signal, if desired. The Apogee GiO, a Mac-only multi-pedal USB device, offers several switch-style pedals and a built-in transport that can be mapped to a MIDI-compatible recording application’s transport functions. Most USB guitar pedals should not have a problem interfacing with AmpliTube, so you are free to choose the one you like best.