NAMM: IK Multimedia iRig BlueBoard and iLoud
IK Multimedia was one of the very early adopters of guitar products for mobile devices, and they’ve now completed the portable rig with iRig BlueBoard and iLoud. BlueBoard is a Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iPhone, iPad and Mac which lets you control your sounds with your feet instead of having to do the ‘tap tap tap’ thing with your fingertips when you’d rather be going ‘tap tap tap’ on your fretboard. And iLoud is a deceptively powerful stereo speaker with built-in iRig interface for plugging guitar guitar in and rocking. Here are the press releases.
IK Multimedia Announces iRig BlueBoard
The first Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iPhone, iPad and Mac, gives musicians hands-free control over music apps
January 23, 2013 – IK Multimedia – the leader in mobile music-creation apps and accessories for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad – is proud to announce iRig® BlueBoard, a groundbreaking new Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iPhone, iPad and Mac, which gives guitarists, bassists and keyboard players hands-free control of mobile and Mac music apps. Continue reading
AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix For iOS. Cool.
I have a lot of affection for AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix. It was the first amp sim I ever reviewed (for Mixdown magazine), and I have memories of sitting in the dining room (which was also an office and guitar room) plugging in my axe and trying out as many Jimi riffs and licks as I could remember or muster. We’ve moved house since then and I don’t usually have to riff out at the dining room table any more (well, I did a couple of weeks ago but that’s a long and boring story). But with AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix now being available for iOS, we’ll all be able to get our Jimi on no matter where we are. Here’s the press release… Continue reading
COOL GEAR ALERT: T-Racks Custom Shop
Do you use T-Racks? I love this program! Been using it since about 2000 for everything from mastering tracks to making my own better-sounding mix of Van Halen III. I’ve even been known to use it as a preamp for bass and acoustic guitar. T-Racks has just knocked it up a notch with the release of the T-Racks Custom Shop, giving you access to even more muscle for your mix. Here’s the press release:
New T-RackS Custom Shop Available from IK Multimedia
The mixing/mastering powerhouse now features 5 new processors, built-in Custom Shop, new bundles and a free version
December 6, 2012 – IK Multimedia is proud to announce the release of T-RackS® Custom Shop, the updated version 4.0 of its world-class mixing and mastering suite for Mac and PC. The new T-RackS CS offers five brand-new, must-have analog-modeled and digital processors, and it integrates the Custom Shop, IK’s exclusive online gear shop, which allows users to purchase gear models à la carte from within the T-RackS software itself, and much more. Continue reading
IK Multimedia iRig STOMP out now
IK Multimedia’s iRig was one of the first guitar interfaces for iOS devices, and while it’s a very handy little device, a few later products trumped it in features. IK have never rested on their laurels though, and they’ve hit back with what’s got to be the most impressively-specced and most player-friendly iOS guitar interface yet. It’s housed in a stompbox case, lets you plug your iDevice into your amp, gives you manual control of the input signal strength, and hell, it even lets you use the iPad in line with other pedals, which is great for incorporating guitar synth apps or other gadgetry into your guitar rig.
Here’s the press release:
IK Multimedia announces iRig STOMP: First stompbox-style guitar and bass interface for iPhone/iPad is now shipping
Take the stage with your mobile guitar rig – incorporate your mobile guitar amps and effects into your live performance
September 6th, 2012 – IK Multimedia, the leader in mobile music creation accessories and apps announced today that iRig STOMP, the first guitar and bass stompbox-style interface for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, is nowavailable from retailers worldwide and the IK Multimedia online store.
IK Multimedia upgrades SampleTank for iOS
SampleTank Makes Performing on iPhone/iPod touch/iPad Even Easier
The first pro-quality sound and groove workstation for iOS adds MIDI Control and Program Change + free instruments in every category
July 2012, Modena, Italy – IK Multimedia is proud to announce the 1.2 update to SampleTank® for iOS, the universal app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, through the iTunes App store. The update, for both regular and free versions, is available as a free download to existing users that adds support for MIDI Program Change and Controller editing of all edit strip knobs for enhanced expression and performance in any environment from the studio to the stage. The 1.2 update also now provides free instruments in every category so users can create instantly anytime and everywhere.
NAMM 2012: IK Multimedia iRig Stomp
Now this looks cool. To be perfectly honest I wasn’t 100% happy with the original AmpliTube iRig – I bought one from my buddies at World of Music and and it was certainly handy, but the feedback and crosstalk issues meant you couldn’t really turn it up loud enough to rock. And cranking it up loud is part of what makes rock fun! As a result I found myself looking around for other options, which I felt pretty awful about because the IK Multimedia folks are awesome and AmpliTube is one of the best things you can ever do for your guitar in a digital environment.
Well IK has solved that problem and made a more stage-friendly and roadworthy unit in the iRig Stomp. It can go on your pedalboard, it has an active circuit to improve the headroom (especially when used with high-gain amplifiers in the AmpliTube app) and this reduces feedback and crosstalk when recording. Awesome! It can be used inline with other effects pedals, or directly connected to amplifiers or PA systems using regular 1/4″ guitar cables, with no need for adapters.
More info here.
My AmpliTube 3 EVH Soldano preset
Hey! Stumbled across Eddie Van Halen’s Soldano settings online (a Soldano SLO100 played a big role in the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album in 1991) and decided to see how it would sound if I used those settings on the Soldano SLO100 model in IK Multimedia’s excellent AmpliTube 3 (the amp model is available as an extra through the AmpliTube Custom Shop). I also added some pitch shifting and delay like Eddie used on the album. If you have AmpliTube 3 you can download the patch here. Hope you dig it!
COOL GEAR ALERT: IK Multimedia AmpliTube Custom Shop
IK Multimedia has launched a new approach to their famous AmpliTube software with the AmpliTube Custom Shop.
From the IK Multimedia website:
The Custom Shop in AmpliTube 3 brings an entirely new shopping experience for software plug-ins that is like visiting a real guitar store, one that is open 24/7 with a complete offering of legendary brands for building your truly custom tone from the comfort of your studio.
You can now build your own collection of amp and effects models with a level of customization never before seen and at prices never so affordable. You start by downloading a FREE, fully functional version of AmpliTube 3 with all features and a collection of 24 free gear models for recording and mixing in your favorite Mac/Win DAW or for playing on stage or practicing at home.
Then with the included online Custom Shop, you can try and buy à la carte stomp boxes, amplifiers, cabinets, microphones and rack effects from a vast collection of over 200 gear models including officially approved models of gear from world-class brands such as Fender, Ampeg, Orange, Soldano, Seymour Duncan, Groove Tubes, Gallien-Krueger, Jet City, THD, T-Rex and many more.
Continue reading
REVIEW: IK Multimedia AmpliTube 3
I’ve reviewed quite a few of IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube family of products on I Heart Guitar – AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix, AmpliTube 2 and AmpliTube Fender. On top of that I use IK’s T-Racks mastering plugin quite extensively. So I was stoked when the opportunity cropped up to review the latest incarnation of AmpliTube.
A lot of what makes AmpliTube so great is still here: The ability to mix and match power amps, preamps, tone stacks and speaker cabinets; the wide range of stomp and rack effects; the killer high gain sounds and highly detailed clean and edge-of-breakup tones. But as with each new incarnation since AmpliTube 1, you get more of everything: 51 individual stompboxes and effects; 31 amps, 46 speaker cabinets; 15 mics and 17 post-amp rack effects. According to the manual there are pedals based on the EHX Big Muff Pi, Boss’s DS-1, Super Feedbacker & Distortion; Metal Zone; Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer; Marshall Guv’Nor; ProCo Rat; Ibanez WH-10 wah; Roger Mayer Classic Fuzz; Mosrite Fuzzrite; DigiTech Whammy and many many more. New amps include models based on Vox AC30 Copper Panel; Orange OR-120; Peavey 5150; Randall Warhead; Marshall JMP100; Acoustic 360 bass preamp; Gallien-Krueger MB150; Trace Elliot AH250; Supro late 50s combo; Mesa/Boogie MKIII and more.
NAMM 2010: IK Multimedia AmpliTube 3
I’ve long been a big user of IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube series – while I use quite a lot of different amp sims, I definitely return to AmpliTube the most often, and no less a discriminating pair of ears than Steve Vai’s complimented me on the tones I pulled from AmpliTube 2. (Well, the mouth part of Steve Vai said that, not his ears… but I kinda backed myself into a corner with that sentence and the only way to get out again was to write this sentence…). Well now IK Multimedia is launching AmpliTube 3, and it looks like it’s going to be absolutely killer, adding some monster sounds from AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix and Metal, as well as quite a few other additions and improvements. The addition I’m most excited about is the freely movable microphone placement. Awesome!
Take it away, press release:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IK Multimedia Announces AmpliTube 3,
Meet the New King of Tone
More Gear, More Feel, More Power, More Tone
January 2010, Modena, Italy – IK Multimedia is proud to present AmpliTube 3, a massive upgrade
of the leading guitar and bass tone gear-modeling software. AmpliTube 3 raises the industry standard of sound variety, realism and creative power – with over 160 precisely modeled pieces of vintage and modern gear available in one package, it is the ultimate tone gear collection for players, producers, engineers.
More Gear — Infinite Combinations:
AmpliTube 3 contains over 160 pieces of gear, more than double the amount of other packages,
including models from the most sought-after vintage collections and modern day workhorses. You’ll get 51 individual stompboxes and effects, 31 amplifier, preamp & power sections, 46 speaker cabinet models, 15 high-end stage and studio mics, and 17 post-amp rack effects. Plus, with the new AmpliTube 3 open architecture, you can add more packages as you need them, like AmpliTube Fender™ and Ampeg® SVX.
More Feel — True Dynamic Response:
AmpliTube 3 gear models give you THE most realistic playing feel — not just the tones — but the actual dynamic response of their hardware counterparts. Nothing comes closer to the feel and touch of playing through a real rig than AmpliTube 3. Plus, with IK’s proprietary VRM™ (Volumetric Response Modeling) technology, you can add ultra-accurate rotating speaker effects, free dual mic placements, plus room ambience and response to customize and craft your tone.
More Power — Creative Inspiration:
Face it — the better you sound, the better you play. AmpliTube 3 unleashes more creative power than ever, helping you to easily carve new, truly unique voices for your guitar, bass, keyboard, drum and vocals. Our new creative effects let you create sounds you’ve never heard before, and the new “drag & drop” effects’ configuration feature lets you quickly experiment with effects in the signal chain to get that totally unique sound.
More Tone — Every Sound You Can Imagine:
AmpliTube 3 is the voice for your soul. With the largest collection of ultra-accurately modeled gear, creative effects and flexible routing features, you’ll never run out of sonic possibilities. Every sound you’ve heard before, and even ones you haven’t dreamed of yet…find them here in AmpliTube 3.
More Gear. In fact, twice as much gear!
- Over 160 gear models included (with nearly 100 added models), more than double the amount
of other packages, from the most sought-after vintage collections to modern day workhorses
- 51 Stompbox effects, 31 Amps, 46 Cabinets, 15 Studio Mics and 17 Rack effects
- 30 brand new models for the most complete anthology of gear, ever
- 70 re-worked and superior sounding models from packages like AmpliTube Metal™ and
AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™
- A new collection of bass gear models makes it also the most complete package for any bass recording or performance needs’ musician or engineer
- Can be directly expanded with packages like AmpliTube Fender™, Ampeg® SVX™ and future packages
- New preset management and keyword system allows you to organize and quickly recall the massive library of included and custom preset tones
More Feel. Nothing even comes close to AmpliTube 3…
- New cabinet module inside now provides double miking per cabinet, with freely movable microphones thanks to IK’s VRM™ (Volumetric Response Modeling) technology, giving you a level of control and sound accuracy never before experienced in software
- New impulse-based reverbs are now used in the entire chain, from spring reverb to room ambience, which ensures the most realistic possible representation of your recording environment
- New rotary speaker module sets the new standard for accurate emulation of these types of cabinets – until now, there had never been such a great sounding rotary cabinet in software
- All models in AmpliTube 3 have been ultra-accurately “remastered” with our new 3rd generation modeling technology (the same found in AmpliTube Fender™), using IK’s exclusive DSM™ technology (Dynamic Saturation Modeling), then painstakingly “A/B” compared with the originals to ensure that the sound you hear from the software is the same sound you hear from the gear
More Power. Unleash more creative power.
- New creative Effects featuring the new StepFilter, StepSLicer, TapDelay, Rezo and Swell stomp
and rack effects that allow you to sculpt your sound and create inspiring rhythmic patterns or
amazing drone and pad-like effects
- New full-stereo path allows you to use the huge collection of analog and digital effects on your
vocal tracks, keyboards and drums
- New Drag & Drop function in the stomp and rack modules now makes experimenting with
effects’ combinations a breeze
- New “MIDI Learn” feature allows you to assign any software control or parameter to an
external controller with a simple click on the parameter’s knob
- New, integrated 4-track recorder/player allows you to capture and layer your ideas quickly and easily right at the moment of inspiration.
Pricing and Availability:
AmpliTube 3 will ship within February 2010 as VST, RTAS and Audio Unit plug-in formats and as standalone software for Mac OSX® and Windows®, and will be available in the following versions and MSRP prices*:
• AmpliTube 3 $349.99/€269.99
• AmpliTube 3 Crossgrade $269.99/€199.99 (available to any IK registered users)
• AmpliTube 3 Upgrade $199.99/€149.99 (available to all previous AmpliTube 2, AmpliTube
Metal, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™, AmpliTube Fender™ or Ampeg® SVX™ registered users)
Additionally, AmpliTube 3 will also be available as a complete software + hardware solution for playing and recording in a bundle with the StealthPedal – IK’s innovative, wah-style interface and controller for guitar and bass players:
• AmpliTube 3 + StealthPedal $399.99/€299.99
Preorders are already available in the IK Online Store and in our network of selected dealers and distributors worldwide.
* All prices excluding taxes.
For more information on AmpliTube 3, please visit:
www.amplitube.com
Hi! I'm Peter Hodgson. I write for Gibson.com, Australian Guitar, Australian Musician, Mixdown Magazine (including my instructional column, 'Unleash Your Inner Rock God,' which has been running since 2007), Blunt, Beat (including their weekly hard rock/metal column Crunch) and The Brag. And I'm Assistant Social Coordinator with Seymour Duncan.
I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old, and I've been writing for magazines since I was 18. I've also worked as a guitar teacher (up to 50 students a week), a setup tech, a newspaper editor, and I've also dabbled in radio a little bit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and my hobbies include drinking way too much coffee, and eating way too much Mexican food.
You can check out my guitar playing at Bandcamp or on YouTube, and feel free to email me at iheartguitarblog@gmail.com