Hi Rally,

The Direct Input, or "Dry" Realtracks are designed for use with guitar amplifier/cabinet simulator plugins such as the included Amplitube plugin.

Rather than have "only" the kind of sound that was recorded by the original artist, using their preferred amplifier, speaker and effects, which can limit the kind of sound available for a particular song project, the Direct Input tracks plus the amplifier simulator (Amplitube) allows for you to dial in the kind of sound you desire for your song. Things such as Overdrive/Distortion (or for that matter, NO distortion, as in a "clean" guitar sound), Reverb type and amount, EQ or Tone settings, even the kind of speaker cabinet used, can make for a myriad of different sounds from the same basic Realtrack performance.

It also works well for the Rhodes Piano Realtracks where we can get a host of different sounds in much the same fashion as used with the original analog Rhodes Piano. For example, a Rhodes played thru a Fender Twin Reverb has a much different and cleaner sound than one jacked into, for example, a Marshall stack.

These Direct Input tracks are duplicates of the other tracks of the same name that already have the amplifier and settings as dialed in by the pro when making the Realtrack, so if you like what you get from those, no need for the above. But it is very nice to have this option, especially for those who use the bb program as their autoaccompaniment band for backing tracks, or mult-track recording production, etc.

As to whether or not an, "ordinary user" -- whatever that is -- needs them or not, well, I'd have to leave that decision up to each "ordinary user" to make for themselves. To some, the sound of the guitrar is *everything*. To others, it may well suffice to say that, "if it sounds good, it IS good" and leave it at that.

Have Fun,

--Mac

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