Introducing ForgeEFX: Meet the DL-1

I've got something new to share: ForgeEFX is live, and its first product is DL-1, a guitar multi-effects processor that brings the feel of a classic rack unit to your computer.

If you've followed my game development and software projects here, this one takes things in a musical direction. It's for guitarists who want to build a rig around their own amp captures, arrange their effects and get on with playing. There's a free edition available, so you can try it with your own setup.

Meet the DL-1

DL-1 combines a Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) player with guitar effects in one place. Load your own compatible NAM captures, put a drive before the amp, add delay and reverb after it, and use the IR Loader for your own cabinet impulse responses. Bring your own captures and IRs; they're separate from the included effects.

The interface leans into that familiar hardware feel: a charcoal front panel, rotary controls, navigation buttons and a green LCD. Underneath it is a routing grid that lets you connect effects in series or split them into parallel paths. You can keep a straightforward chain or experiment with where an effect sits in the signal.

DL-1 runs on Windows as a VST3 effect in your DAW or as a standalone application. Strobe and polyphonic tuners are built in, along with saved presets to bring your setup back for the next session.

Start free, keep playing

DL-1 Free includes 18 blocks, including both NAM players and the IR Loader. There are no time limits, usage limits, upsell interruptions or audio blanking. You can use the free edition for as long as you like.

The full version is a one-time payment of $20. It includes all 71 released blocks, lifetime updates and support for loading your own custom blocks. There's no DRM, no online activation and no cloud licensing.

You can browse the block collection on the ForgeEFX website, with controls and guides for the individual effects.

Build an effect of your own

For the developers here, there's also an open-source Blocks SDK. It lets you develop custom effects, whether you're exploring DSP yourself, working with AI coding assistance or combining the two. The paid edition of DL-1 can load and play those custom blocks.

That opens up another way to experiment: start with the included effects, then build something around an idea you want to hear.

Give it a try

Head over to ForgeEFX to download DL-1 Free or get the full version. Load a capture, put together a chain and see where it takes you.

If you give it a go, I'd love to hear what you make with it.