Time for more free stuff! Up this time is another interesting piece of software called “iReal b”. This is a program, available for iOS, Mac, Android and Kindle Fire, that can play back chord charts as backing tracks. You can import charts or you can create your own. You then can adjust the style it will play back in, such as rock, jazz swing, latin etc.. Additional styles are available as in-app purchases. You can also adjust the tempo, or transpose into another key.
The unusual name of the program comes from the “Real Book”, which is the ‘bible’ of jazz standards chord charts. In fact, with any of the versions of iReal b, once you have it installed, you can go to the iReal b forums and download a version of the Real Book that works with it, containing 1200 songs. There are many other songs and practice tracks on the forum as well, or you can make your own. This is a great practice tool, as well as a way to easily carry around all the chord charts you might need.
For iPhone:
For iPad:
This give away is for the iOS version. Next week I will have a copy of the Mac version to give away. To enter, just become a fan of guitarify on facebook. I’ll pick the winner next Wednesday, February 8th. Find out more about iReal b over at their website.
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.
Get this tuner while it’s free, which will only be for a few days. Click the App Store button to get it.
Tune your guitar faster than ever with the HT-6 FastTune App. Based on the best-selling HardWire HT-6 Polyohonic Tuner, the HT-6 FastTune allows you to up to six strings at once. One strum and you’re done.
Don’t get stuck plucking each string to tune your guitar, wasting your time you have to play. With the HT-6 FastTune you simple strum your guitar and the app will show you the tuning status of all 6 strings at once. You’ll know which ones are sharp, flat, or perfectly in tune. The easy to read display that has been designed to look like guitar tablature shows you how far out of tune each string is, making it even easier to get back in tune.
The HT-6 FastTune uses both chromatic and polyphonic tuning. This means you can tune your guitar string by string with the chromoatic mode or tune all six strings at once in the polyphonic mode. The HT-6 FastTune app makes it even easier to tune your guitar because it automatically detects what tuning mode you’re using. The HT-6 app seamlessly switches between the two modes without changing the display. The display will show you the tuning status of each string you strum, if that’s just one or even all six. The HT-6 FastTune works like six tuners in one; one for each string.
The HT-6 FastTune app works with acoustic and electric guitars, and bass guitars with up to 6 strings. The app will work using the mic, headphone jack, or 30-pin connector on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad to get the most accurate signal for tuning your guitar.
Features:
* Single note or full strum tuning capability
* Works with acoustic and electric guitars, 4, 5, 6-string bass guitars
* Works with device mic input, headphone jack, or 30-pin input
* Unified polyphonic and single note display
* Uses familiar guitar tab layout making it easy to read
* Incredible accuracy in both polyphonic and chromatic tuning modes
* Available Tuning Modes (Standard, Drop D, 4-String Bass, 5- String Bass, 6 String Bass)
* Includes Guitar Drop-D Tuning Mode
* Adjustable tuning reference A440, A, A♭, G, G♭ F, E, and 436 Hz to 445 HZ
* Automatic fret detection for tuning with a capo
* Normal and strobe mode-chromatic tuning only
Apparently the Music Zoo was given permission at NAMM to take a peak into “Larry’s Lab”. Larry Thomas, the CEO of Fender has commissioned the prototype Fenders in this room to push the boundries. New designs, and new manufacturing techniques. The one shown here was built by Charvels Josh Hurst. The guitar shown here is dubbed the “Voyager”. A very sexy blend of vintage and modern designs.
I had never heard of Piccolo Bass strings before I came across this guys videos. Apparently they are bass strings meant to be tuned an octave higher then normal. I like the tighter sound and this guys playing is pretty cool. He has a few other videos on his Youtube channel worth checking out if you like this.
