Gear: July 2010
IK Multimedia
Amplitube For iPhone
It seems like an odd way to portably power your electric guitar via headphones, but Italian-based IK Multimedia announced that its AmpliTube for iPhone, its premier mobile guitar amp and effects system for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, is now available for download from the iTunes App Store. Together with the iRig interface adapter, IK claims AmpliTube “represents the first complete solution for guitar and bass players to play, practice, and have fun anytime and everywhere rocking through their iPhone.” The AmpliTube app relies heavily on IK’s iRig accessory adapter, an adaptable port-able guitar and bass multi-effects designed to get the most accurate tone from your iPhone, offering three simultaneous stompbox effects, an amp-head plus cabinet, and a microphone, designed to offer more power than traditional pocket-size guitar-effect processors. AmpliTube gives the user five amp models (clean, crunch, lead, metal, bass) with full tone and drive controls, 11 stompbox effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus, noise filter), five speaker cabinets (1×12-inch, 2×12, 4×12 A & B, 1×15) and two microphones (dynamic and condenser). Like other portable amp processors, it features a chromatic digital tuner and a metronome. You can also import and play along with songs or backing tracks, and create, save, and recall up to 36 presets on the fly. The complete Amplitube and iRig unit come in at $50. Visit www.ikmultimedia.com for more details.
Sonoma Wire Works
Guitar Jack For iPhone
There are several iPhone-based recording systems available on the market, but Sonoma Wire Works’ FourTrack recording system coupled with its GuitarJack audio device makes recording with good tone and the best audio results the most feasible. GuitarJack connects a wide range of instruments, microphones, and other audio hardware to an iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPhone 3Gs via 1/4-inch instrument and 1/8-inch stereo mic/line inputs. Addressing requests from musicians who use their FourTrack app software, GuitarJack makes both level control and input monitoring possible when using a newly released, enhanced app at the iTunes store. Sonoma Wire Works is also developing a Taylor EQ app for the GuitarJack. The free Taylor EQ app will allow players to hear and adjust the tone of their guitars playing through the GuitarJack using EQ settings custom designed by Taylor Guitars. Your skin for GuitarJack is $199.
Wave Band Audio
Voice Band
What appears to be the most user-friendly and enoyable music app at the iTunes app store, Voice Band is offering a fun and addictive way to make music with your voice by simply singing into your phone. Voice Band transforms your voice into ten different sampled instruments in real time and lets you play along with your iPod library as well. (Please be considerate of others when in public.) Voice Band features a recorder that lets you build a song, one instrument at a time. Auto pitch mode helps you stay on key, and if you’re a musician, you’ll appreciate the adjustable scale and metronome. Voice Band also includes a built-in effects processor with distortion, reverb, and delay. MSRP? $3 bucks. Visit the Apple App Store for details or wavemachinelabs.com.
— David Gedge
