RealEight
by MusicLab · Instrument · Sampled 8-string electric guitar
Not rated yet
RealEight is MusicLab's sample-based 8-string electric guitar, built for rock and metal production with full chording and strumming.
It includes pinch harmonics, slides and other articulations, a song sequencer and more than 200 effect presets, for $139.
Best for: Guitars. Genres: Metal, Rock & Indie.
Keywords: guitar instrument, sample-based, chord generator, sequencer, open source.
What it does
RealEight is MusicLab's sampled 8-string electric guitar, recorded from a custom handmade instrument and played live from a MIDI keyboard or programmed in a DAW. It uses the same playing engine as MusicLab's other Real guitars, aimed at extended-range rhythm parts.
- Tuning: standard eight-string tuning (F#, B, E, A, D, G, B, E), with a Bass Mode that Sound On Sound notes reaches extremely low notes.
- Samples: 24-bit dry samples recorded directly from the pickups.
- Articulations: mute, bridge mute, harmonics, pinch harmonics, slides and scrapes.
- Single, Double and Quad: separate sample sets for single, double-tracked and quad-tracked sounds, installed in mono and stereo versions.
- Three ways to play: live from a MIDI keyboard, as MIDI programmed in your DAW, or through the built-in song sequencer.
- Chord and strum engine: the patented voicing engine plays 30 chord types with inversions and extensions, and 1,250 rhythm patterns cover accompaniment.
- Guitar FX Processor: more than 200 amp and effects presets, with the open-source Guitarix.vst amp sim included.
The current release is version 6. A fully working 15-day trial is available.
When to use it
RealEight is the pick for low, extended-range riffs and chugs written from a keyboard, with double and quad-tracked versions built in. Compared with Heavier7Strings, it has an eighth string for lower tuning and adds a strumming engine and a large pattern library for accompaniment. Unlike Kontakt guitar libraries, it runs as its own plugin with no sampler needed. Within MusicLab's range it is the heavy counterpart to RealStrat, RealLPC and RealRick, which stay in six- and 12-string territory.
- Best for: extended-range riffs, djent-style chugs, low rhythm parts and wide quad-tracked walls of guitar.
- Genres: metal, djent, progressive and hard rock.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a classic six-string sound (RealStrat or RealLPC) or 12-string jangle (RealRick).
- Tip: Sound On Sound paired it with an external amp sim (Guitar Rig 5) for its metal tones.
What producers say
Sound On Sound called it "a versatile addition to the MusicLab stable" and raised no major criticisms.
- Sound On Sound praised the customisable keyswitches and controllers, the double and quad-tracked sounds ("The Quad sound is truly monumental") and its range across metal subgenres.
- Workflow note: switching between Single, Double and Quad means loading a new sample set rather than flipping a switch.
Where to buy
- MusicLab: $139
Tutorials and reviews
- RealEight Demo
- RealEight 5
- RealEight 6. Banger
- MusicLab RealEight + Amplitube 4 Mesa/Orange
- #RealEight virtual guitar by MusicLab
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