I hear you. I've been using it for a long time. I have Positive Grid Bias Amp, which has some pretty nice amp models in it. The iRig also allows me to run my Amplifire through my iPad, so all of those models are also available.
PSA For Beginners..... Buy an iPad Pro and an iRig
So I've been trying to relearn to play after 25+ years away..... MUCH more difficult to get back at 42 years old than it was to learn at 14 years old but I digress...
Maybe the best purchase I've made to get back at it has been an iRig Pro HD to go with my iPad Pro. Being able to run my guitar through it and practice with headphones has let me play without worry of waking up the kids or my wife.
It works with not only the amp/pedal apps (I can't believe how complex and confusing the whole effects market is. Those apps are unreal at letting me play around with different set ups without having to drop $$$ on gear) but also with apps like Yousician and 4Chords. Since getting this combo my playing has improved in leaps and bounds.
I'm not sure what kind of reputation these kinds of things have amongst the more seasoned and practiced payers but for a beginner/novice like myself it has been a game changer.
Maybe the best purchase I've made to get back at it has been an iRig Pro HD to go with my iPad Pro. Being able to run my guitar through it and practice with headphones has let me play without worry of waking up the kids or my wife.
It works with not only the amp/pedal apps (I can't believe how complex and confusing the whole effects market is. Those apps are unreal at letting me play around with different set ups without having to drop $$$ on gear) but also with apps like Yousician and 4Chords. Since getting this combo my playing has improved in leaps and bounds.
I'm not sure what kind of reputation these kinds of things have amongst the more seasoned and practiced payers but for a beginner/novice like myself it has been a game changer.
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Thanks for the tip! I hadn't heard of these so I'll look into it more... I use an older modelling pedal and a practice amp with headphones at times, but the iRig thing looks portable.So I've been trying to relearn to play after 25+ years away..... MUCH more difficult to get back at 42 years old than it was to learn at 14 years old but I digress...
Maybe the best purchase I've made to get back at it has been an iRig Pro HD to go with my iPad Pro. Being able to run my guitar through it and practice with headphones has let me play without worry of waking up the kids or my wife.
It works with not only the amp/pedal apps (I can't believe how complex and confusing the whole effects market is. Those apps are unreal at letting me play around with different set ups without having to drop $$$ on gear) but also with apps like Yousician and 4Chords. Since getting this combo my playing has improved in leaps and bounds.
I'm not sure what kind of reputation these kinds of things have amongst the more seasoned and practiced payers but for a beginner/novice like myself it has been a game changer.
BTW, I wish I was getting back to it at 42... I started at 50, no previous music experience. 2 years into it I'm still playing 20 to 30 minutes a day and I'm still having fun - there's more to learn in this then I'll ever have the time for.
Your psa is to drop $1k into electronics for starting out?
Nope. Buy a 10w practice amp, get the guitar set up and put the work in.
Practice amps have had headphone and aux inputs for a while now, at a fraction of the cost of apple products. Most newer practice amps offer usb connection to make presets as well.
Nope. Buy a 10w practice amp, get the guitar set up and put the work in.
Practice amps have had headphone and aux inputs for a while now, at a fraction of the cost of apple products. Most newer practice amps offer usb connection to make presets as well.
Have to agree with Budda here.Your psa is to drop $1k into electronics for starting out?
Nope. Buy a 10w practice amp, get the guitar set up and put the work in.
Practice amps have had headphone and aux inputs for a while now, at a fraction of the cost of apple products. Most newer practice amps offer usb connection to make presets as well.
While I'm sure the iPad rig works great,there are many more options, at a much lower price point.
Tried the other set up options, found that this one was the most motivating and most fun for me. I can appreciate that the finances of it may be of concern but if you've already got an iPad (which I'm sure that most do) then the investment is all of $100.
Have to agree with Budda here.
While I'm sure the iPad rig works great,there are many more options, at a much lower price point.
There are lots of ways to get there. This is one and it works well. A lot of people have tablets.
if you've already got an iPad (which I'm sure that most do) then the investment is all of $100.
That is a major assumption. I do not own Apple products, and will never buy one for any reason. I am sure there are plenty of others like me.
Great idea passing on the PSA for new players, and good on you for trying to help them out, but as others have mentioned there are much cheaper alternatives out there that can actually give you more (ie. an amp that you can take to a friend's place, etc.).
If it motivates you that's all that matters,Tried the other set up options, found that this one was the most motivating and most fun for me. I can appreciate that the finances of it may be of concern but if you've already got an iPad (which I'm sure that most do) then the investment is all of $100.
As for "most people having an iPad" ,I guess that would depend on your circle of acquaintances .
It's certainly not apparent to me .
The iRig also works with Android or Windows tablets. It comes with various connectors (micro usb, Apple, etc.) It is just an interface to a tablet/phone.That is a major assumption. I do not own Apple products, and will never buy one for any reason. I am sure there are plenty of others like me.
Great idea passing on the PSA for new players, and good on you for trying to help them out, but as others have mentioned there are much cheaper alternatives out there that can actually give you more (ie. an amp that you can take to a friend's place, etc.).
have an ipad/irig set up for basic home recording, but I don't have to worry about being quiet. If I play too quiet, my wife wonders if I'm okay.
I'm with the OP on this and let's leave the Apple bashing out of this thread. I started off with Amplitube on my iPad and it worked great. And then I discovered BIAS FX which worked even better and has access to thousands of patches put together by some pretty talented people. Also, for those pushing to get a cheap amp, that's not what the post was about. It's about having fun with an almost unlimited number of pedals, effects and amps. More fun to play with than any of my amps, tubes or solid-state. Although, when the wife is away, I run the BIAS FX outputs to my two amps.
Im not bashing apple, im saying most beginners do not have the money for what he is proposing.
If you can afford the ipad pro then im guessing you're learning on a fender usa etc (and i know some folks do - mostly people over 40).
If you can afford the ipad pro then im guessing you're learning on a fender usa etc (and i know some folks do - mostly people over 40).
I resemble that remarkIm not bashing apple, im saying most beginners do not have the money for what he is proposing.
If you can afford the ipad pro then im guessing you're learning on a fender usa etc (and i know some folks do - mostly people over 40).
Who is bashing Apple?I let's leave the Apple bashing out of this thread.
Fender Mustang, among others, give you all of that too.Also, for those pushing to get a cheap amp, that's not what the post was about. It's about having fun with an almost unlimited number of pedals, effects and amps.
I bought an Irig to go with our iPad. It is pretty cool and all but I found I got much much better sound from the simulators on a zoom G3 ( which I already had.) nothing wrong with iPad/Irig set ups. But if you find the sound lacking if your iPad is first Gen, I have been told to try a headphone booster. The only reason I didn't buy one is because I rediscovered the zoom (which can also be used with a future amp - except for the amp simulators)
I had a similar experience some 10+ years ago with a (relatively new at the time) Line 6 product called a Guitar Port that I could plug into my home PC. I'm pretty sure it was under $100.
Access to emulations of lots of different amps and effects really helped me to figure out how I would like to spend the limited funds I had available to build a live rig.
They sounded pretty decent too - good enough to motivate me to play more.
This kind of tech is always advancing.
Access to emulations of lots of different amps and effects really helped me to figure out how I would like to spend the limited funds I had available to build a live rig.
They sounded pretty decent too - good enough to motivate me to play more.
This kind of tech is always advancing.
There are a ton of tools that the budding and budget guitarist can use these days. Heck, an older Pod is pretty cheap and sounds decent enough.
For my headphone work, I use my Eleven Rack, and it sounds good enough to me. I have the iRig Pro as well, but my son took my wife's iPad as his own. We barely get to use it now.
For my headphone work, I use my Eleven Rack, and it sounds good enough to me. I have the iRig Pro as well, but my son took my wife's iPad as his own. We barely get to use it now.
I don't disagree - money into lessons and a good guitar should be priorities for sure. Amazingly good used practice amps can be had for $30 or less too.Im not bashing apple, im saying most beginners do not have the money for what he is proposing.
If you can afford the ipad pro then im guessing you're learning on a fender usa etc (and i know some folks do - mostly people over 40).
But, and it's hard to generalize these things, I think lots of kids starting out today might have their own iPad (or access to Mom or Dad's) - our school basically made us buy them for our kids, entering grade 7, because the teachers did everything online! Yes, we even got a nice letter from the principal asking us nicely to provide an electronic device for our kids because the school could not provide one for everyone at school. We were the hold outs - nearly every other kid had an iPad or iPod or Android thing in grade 4. Our lives have been forever made worse because of it but that's another story...
Well, as I extensively wrote about my recent experimentation with iRig mic, I prefer plugging in my amp with headphones : no software to master and, as @Budda outlined, less expensive.
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