IK Multimedia

IK Multimedia is always coming out with new ways for musicians to use their iOS devices to assist in performing or recording. Now the company has introduced the iRig PRE, a mic preamp designed to let you use standard XLR mics with your iPhone or iPad. The unit (US$39.99) won't be available until the early part of the second quarter of 2012, but when it's finally in the hands of music makers everywhere, they'll enjoy the features of the iRig PRE. It's powered by a standard 9V battery, and can amp up a dynamic mic for up to 40 hours or a condenser mic for up to 15 hours. The dongle, which plugs into the headset port on your device, also has a 3.5 mm jack for monitoring your music, auto gain control, and the aforementioned XLR jack. IK Multimedia plans to ship iRig Recorder and VocaLive with the PRE, so if you're not already an owner of these apps you'll get a nice bonus. The full scoop from IK Multimedia is hidden below -- push the button, Frank. Show full PR text IK Multimedia presents iRig PRE The universal microphone interface for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad January 2012 – IK Multimedia is proud to present iRig™ PRE, the ultimate solution for connecting any type of microphone – from regular stage microphones to expensive studio models – to any iPhone, iPhone touch or iPad providing access to the widest range of recording applications. iRig PRE is the first high-quality microphone preamp designed specifically for iOS devices that allows musicians to use their favorite high-quality stage or studio mics with their iOS device. The microphone plugs directly into the standard XLR connector of iRig PRE with no need for extra cables or adapters. Its adjustable thumbwheel gain control allows the user to easily make precise level settings. The onboard 9V battery provides the necessary voltage for phantom-powered studio condenser microphones for at least for 15 hours of continuous use. The 3.5mm (1/8") standard stereo headphone output allows monitoring while recording. The lightweight housing sports a convenient cable for iOS device connection and also includes a Velcro strip slot for easy mounting on a mic stand or other stage locations. Like all other IK Multimedia microphones, it includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder (an easy-to-use recording/editing app) and VocaLive (an effects processing app for singers). And like the entire range of iRig accessories, it's highly Read More

During December and January, The Unofficial Apple Weblog is soliciting your nominations and votes for the best products for Mac, iPhone/iPod touch, and iPad. We'll start with nominations in a category, and then tally your votes for the top-nominated products a few days later. The winner in each category receives the highly-coveted title of TUAW Best of 2011. This is it! The final category in the TUAW Best of 2011 awards. We're asking for your nominations for the best iPad music app, and since the iPad has been such an outstanding success with musicians and those who love listening to music, this should be a popular category. What's in this category? Apps such as Apple's own GarageBand (US$4.99), algoriddim's awesome djay ($19.99), TuneIn Radio Pro ($0.99), AmpliTube ($19.99) from the musical geniuses at IK Multimedia, and the recently reviewed Air Harp ($0.99) There are thousands of additional iPad apps in the music category, so let us know what you think is deserving of the Best of 2011. Leave your nomination in the comments below. Voting starts soon! Nominations close at 11:59 PM ET on January 1, 2012. Read More

Back in July, IK Multimedia (the company that's brought us the iRig, iKlip, Amplitube for iOS and a whole host of other music hardware and software) announced the iRig MIDI, an interface allowing MIDI instruments and machines to be connected to iOS devices. However, the device didn't come to market until just this last week. And while there are other ways (MIDI to USB cable) and interfaces (Line 6, Yamaha) allowing you to get a MIDI connection to your iOS device, there are only a few which have created a MIDI interface to be used with Apple's 30-pin dock connector. And IK is one of the first to release one in conjunction with their own app, SampleTank for iOS. Before you read on, if you don't know what MIDI is or why and how you'd want to use it with your iPad or iPhone, check out this previous post. The iRig MIDI Hardware The iRig MIDI is a standard Core MIDI interface. It has 3 ports (IN/OUT/THRU), two LEDs and a micro USB port for keeping your iDevice charged. It is essentially a small, black, plastic box with a 30-pin dock connector attached to it. Unlike the ruggedness of the iRig for guitar or even the iRig Mic, the iRig MIDI doesn't feel particularly sturdy. In fact, it feels like if you were to accidentally stand on it, it would crack. However, it is neat and tidy, and it gets the job done. Coincidentally, it looks remarkably similar to the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer I and II, though I haven't physically handled one myself (white on black print, triangular, red LEDs, dock connector to the right of the unit). Two MIDI cables and a micro USB cable are bundled with the iRig MIDI. The MIDI cables are a good meter and a half in length, which means you should find ample length to position your setup the way you want it. The micro USB cable is for keeping your iDevice powered while using the iRig MIDI (connecting to any standard USB power supply) and it plugs directly into the side of the iRig MIDI. This is a welcome feature, however the provided cable is particularly short, making it rather difficult to reach a standard USB power supply! To get things up and running, simply plug the iRig MIDI into your iDevice (I used my iPad) and connect your MIDI cables to Read More

This week, March 13-20, 148Apps awarded the Editor's Choice badge to Amplitube Fender and Garageband. Also, we take a look at iFixit's teardown of iPad 2 and also confirm the ability to run iMovie on the original iPad with a quick trick. This week, March 13-20, 148Apps awarded the Editor’s Choice badge (along with 4.5 stars a piece) to two music apps: IK Multimedia’s Amplitube Fender and Apple’s Garageband. Editor Rob LeFebvre, who reviewed the Amplitube Fender application along with its hardware counterpart – the iRig – commented: “it’s so easy to configure and use that I’m planning on using it on stage in the near future.” Rob’s been playing guitar for over twenty years. $10.99 $14.99 Released: 2011-02-17 :: Category: Music Garageband was the other application to rock the boat, setting the bar for portable music creation. “Ever since the iPad’s introduction people have wondered why GarageBand (or any of the other iLife software for that matter) wasn’t available,” writes Timothy Smith in his in-depth review, noting the third-party counterparts that have attempted to fill the gap – but not like the way Garageband has finally done. “Apple did a great job making their portable version of GarageBand accessible for beginners, but feature rich enough for real musicians. It isn’t going to replace a real studio set-up, but it’s definitely more than a novelty. Their price point is really competitive too.” $4.99 Released: 2011-03-10 :: Category: Music In other news, a subtle update found in iOS 4.3 reveals a change in the way Apple handles in-app purchases. Bonnie Eisenman reports: “One complaint that has been consistently leveled against in-app purchases is that it’s easy to accidentally make a purchase in real-world money by accident … In response to such complaints, Apple has changed its handling of in-app purchases in iOS version 4.3. Now, a password will also be required to make an in-app purchase, though for fifteen minutes after entering your password that time you’ll be able to make multiple purchases.” For the most part, this should stop any unexpected in-app purchases by your friends or relatives. On the hardware front, iFixit stripped the iPad 2, revealing a number of interesting points along the way that may lead you to rethink how careful you are with your new device. “Once the team were able to remove the glass, it was noted that both the LCD and glass thickness were smaller Read More

iPad Only App $10.99 Our Review By Rob LeFebvre on March 18th, 2011 Rating: :: GUITARTASTIC Rock n Roll (and blues and jazz and pop) from your iPad with this sweet software/hardware combination. Developer: Price: $14.99 for Amplitube Fender, $39.99 for iRig Version Reviewed: 1.0.1 iPad Integration Rating: User Interface Rating: Re-use / Replay Value Rating: Overall Rating: Amplitube is an app from IK Multimedia that works with the iRig hardware peripheral. The iRig allows musicians to plug in their analog instrument, most typically a guitar when used with Amplitube, and then listen to the output through headphones or other audio output like speakers or PA system. The iRig itself is a $40 piece of equipment that is essential for connecting your real guitar or bass to the iPad. There are cheap radio shack adaptors that can adapt the plug size, but the iRig has circuitry to help minimize line noise, and allows for line level input like synthesizers and the like, in addition to the guitar or bass input. The iRig comes with instructions on what type of cables will help avoid nasty feedback, since the only kind of feedback guitarists want is the kind that comes from the effects boxes, not the cables or connectors. Aside from that, the iRig is as simple to use as it is to open the package. It plugs right into the headphone port on the iPad, and allows players to plug in a larger 1/4 inch instrument cable and a smaller 1/8 inch headphone jack (or adaptor for connection to a PA or amplifier). This functionality will allow it to be used with a variety of music apps on the iPad, and not just Amplitube. Amplitube for Fender is, simply put, the best multi effect, amp modeling and recording solution for the iPad I’ve ever used. Running down the features, there are five classic Fender amps, including the famous Twin Reverb and Bassman LTD. The six included effects are all classic Fender boxes: Tape Echo, Compressor, The Blender, Phaser, Overdrive and Noise Filter – there is room to enable four of them at a time for a ton of different sound combinations. The sounds, to my ears, are classic Fender sounds — all what I expect from the Fender name and the Fender products I actually own. If the near limitless combinations of these six effects and their settings sounds daunting, Amplitube Fender Read More

In a recent App Smart column, I highlighted apps for guitarists who want an alternative to a crate full of effects pedals. Since then, one of the leading developers of guitar-related software, IK Multimedia, has introduced a new app, AmpliTube Fender ($15 for iPhone and iPad), which should make the short list of any guitar player. IK Multimedia worked with Fender, the amplifier and guitar manufacturer, to digitally reproduce the tones from five classic Fender amps, including the 1965 Deluxe Reverb, the Super-Sonic and the 1959 Bassman LTD. Six Fender stompbox effects, like the Phaser and Tape Echo, are included. To my ear, the tones were excellent, and were better than the Fender amp reproductions offered in competing apps. You can test it yourself with the free versions of the apps. (You’ll need to buy a piece of hardware to connect your guitar to the device, like Griffin Technology’s GuitarConnect, for $30, or IK Multimedia’s iRig, for $40.) Speaking of free guitar apps, Met Guitars (for iPhone) is a must-have. Even non-musicians will appreciate the videos, text and photography from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s special exhibition on the craftsmen who helped build some of the early, legendary examples of the instrument. Read More

Live out your rock star dreams Guitar effects are usually sold as stomp boxes and pedals. They are always awesome, and are necessary for a serious guitarist. Amp distortions and effects usually just don’t cut it. Luckily, there are plenty of Apps for your iDevices that can recreate many of the popular effects people love. Hook one of those up to your guitar amp or PA system and you’re rockin. Have a look at some of the cool Apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad that will turn your device into a sweet amp and effects system for your guitar. 1 ) Amplitube This one is made by a popular software developer, but it comes with a serious price. We aren‚Äôt kidding. Still, if you are a musician looking to get a setup for recording or playing on stage, this may be the App for you. You can purchase the hardware, iRig in order to plug your guitar into your iOS device and send the signal out to a speaker (we are sure there are other ways, possibly cheaper, to do this.) The Amp app comes free with the hardware piece. However, there are in-app purchases. That‚Äôs kind of cool as it allows you to expand your setup, but don‚Äôt expect to have a full-featured effects box without buying several pieces within the App. 2) Stompbox This doesn‚Äôt remind us much of a stompbox. It looks a lot more like an effects rack you‚Äôd see in a recording studio, while the pedal looks more like one of those fancy multi-effects pedals. It has various effects and distortion tones, a tuner and even one of our favorite effects, a Whammy pedal, which is basically just a harmonizer that shifts your pitch up to add a bit of extra ‚Äúscream‚Äù to your solos. 3) PocketAmp Those who aren‚Äôt fans of in-App purchases, will enjoy this App. You buy the $9.99 application, and you‚Äôre done. It has various effects, such as distortion, reverb and flanger. The noise gate is nice for cutting out unwanted guitar hum (which many guitarists know about by now) and it‚Äôs very cool that you can set it up to play along with your iTunes music. That makes it great for learning new songs or practicing your bands music. 4) OMGuitar We enjoy the interface in this application, and the audio quality is great. We  are also looking forward Read More

By Leanna Lofte, Friday, Feb 18, 2011 | Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you! Tap-Translate: Get word translations while browsing with Apple’s official browser. [$1.99 - iTunes link] AmpliTube: Connect your guitar to your iPhone and use this app as a mobile multi-effect processor and mobile recording studio. New update includes official Fender amp and stomp models via in-app purchase. [$19.99, with in-app purchases - iTunes link] TomTom U.S.A.: Updated to support the Verizon iPhone. [$34.99 - iTunes link] Ms. PAC-MAN: The classic arcade game is now available on iPad! [$1.99 - iTunes link] TripAdvisor Hotels Flights Restaurants: iPad version now has Go Before You Go: see a street-level view of your destination, plus nearby hotels, restaurants, and more. [Free - iTunes link] Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think! Read More

...Apps, iPad apps, iPod touch Apps & App Reviews iPhone App Reviews appSafari Top 25 Categories Store Giveaway Submit Help AmpliTube Fender for iPad Zoom User Reviews FEATURED APP TweetShare AmpliTube Fender is the latest iPhone and iPad app from IK Multimedia that converts your device into a series of Amplifiers and Effects for your electric guitar or bass. This iOS app is an extension of the... Read More

Posted 01/29/2011 at 9:00am | by J.R. Bookwalter One category of iOS app that’s really pushing the boundaries of the platform is music, which is making a splash at Macworld 2011. In addition to a number of iOS software and accessory developers on hand to show off their wares, the expo also features a section of the show floor dedicated to iOS and Mac music, the Macworld Music Studio. Macworld 2011 was again host to the Macworld Music Studio this year, a popular show floor attraction hosted in collaboration with the Berklee College of Music, offering sessions and performances by professionals from the school and featuring instruction, demonstrations and training. Previous years have strictly focused on the Mac, but this year’s expo added a number of iOS-based sessions to the mix, including “iOS Mobile Apps for the Guitar” on Thursday and Friday and “Mobile Applications for the Musician” on Saturday morning. Much of the Macworld Music Studio iOS presentations are focused around IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube, a guitar tone and recording studio available for the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as the iPad. When coupled with the company’s $39.99 iRig guitar interface adapter, musicians have a powerful, full-featured, on-the-go guitar rig and recording studio for those moments when inspiration strikes. AmpliTube costs $19.99 for either the iPhone/iPod touch version or the iPad version, with free versions for both also available, as well as a $2.99 LE edition for the iPhone/iPod touch. Sonoma Wireworks is also on hand for Macworld 2011 with their GuitarJack, a $199 dongle (currently on sale for $149 from select dealers) that plugs into the dock connector and allows a single quarter-inch instrument input as well as an eighth-inch stereo mic/line input, plus one eighth-inch stereo output with increased drive for headphones. GuitarJack Model 1 is currently only compatible with iOS 3 or later on the iPod touch second and third generation models, but the company is targeting a Model 2 compatible with the iPhone 4, iPad and fourth-generation iPod touch for this spring. Sonoma also publishes a trio of GuitarJack-compatible iOS apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, including the free TaylorEQ, the 99-cent Recorder and the $9.99 FourTrack. The company took their first plunge into the iPad market late last year with StudioTrack, a $39.99 tablet-only app which offers a full complement of eight-track recording studio capabilities. Another iPad favorite on hand for Macworld 2011 is Read More