This is another iOS app that’s currently free, though it normally is only $0.99. The promotion did have it’s intended effect on me, having me download it and check it out.
Basically, it’s sort of like RockSmith. With the usual stream of numbers coming down the fretboard that you have to play in sync. It also has multiple levels of difficulty, where the easier levels omit notes. You can also adjust the speed to make things easier as well.
The game says you can use an adapter like iRig or JamPlug, or you can use the iOS devices built in mic with an acoustic. So first I tried it with acoustic. You still need to wear headphones in this mode to prevent feedback. I noticed there was a very slight delay between hitting the note and hearing it in the app. The app was also having a hard time hearing the notes I was hitting, registering less then 50%. This could be due to my iPhones mic being very directional and not having it pointed at my guitar. I didn’t spend too much time trying to get it to work though since I have a JamPlug.
So I switched to an electric guitar plugged in through the JamPlug. That completely solved both problems. The lag was gone and all the notes were being recognized. Unlike RockSmith there is nothing in Rock Prodigy to enhance your guitars sound. I tried running some amp simulators in background mode, but Rock Prodigy shut them down. So your stuck with a bland straight in guitar sound.
The app only comes with a couple of very brief “getting started” lessons and one very short song. Additional lessons, which cover such topics as scales, specific chords, picking…are $0.99 each. Song lessons are $1.99 each. Much of the song catalog seems like older classic rock stuff, though all the other genres are represented. There is one free song in the store – “Ave Maria”. There’s a complete list on the Rock Prodigy website.
Over all the app is decent. I think it would be more enjoyable to use with the bigger screen of an iPan but it was workable on the iphone as well. I’d definitely recommend checking it out while it’s free.
