You can use your iPad for all kinds of applications, but did you know that you can also use it as a guitar amplifier? We show you how it works.
This is how you use your iPad with your guitar
As an (electric) guitarist you know how difficult it can be to practice to your heart’s content. Many guitar amps have a headphone jack, but you still have to take it with you everywhere. Playing guitar via your iPad is therefore a godsend, because you only need to bring your tablet and headphones or earplugs.
To use apps to make guitar sound, you need a so-called interface. This is a small device that forms a bridge between your iPad and your guitar. After all, you cannot just poke an instrument cable into the tablet. You can then listen to what you are playing via the headphone jack.
Interfaces come in many different price ranges. Cheaper interfaces can be connected to the audio port of your iPad, while more expensive interfaces can be connected via the Lightning port. For example, for 35 euros you can purchase the IK Multimedia iRig 2, which provides excellent sound for practice situations. A digital interface, such as the Apogee JAM (148 euros), is slightly better, but is really only really necessary if you want to make recordings in the studio.
Of course, to get the most out of your interface, you also need apps. Below we have listed a number of apps that not only offer decent sound and many options, but also have handy tools built in that you need as a guitarist.
1. Garage band
Apple’s own Garageband has been free to use since this year, and includes a lot of features not just for guitarists. In theory, the app allows you to record an entire song and record different instruments. Of course you can also use the app to play guitar, where you can choose from different types of amplifiers.
Garageband has also built in a number of other skills. For example, you practice with the metronome at tempo and the built-in tuner makes a separate tuner unnecessary. You can also add pedals to your amplifier, so that you can play with a reverb or echo, for example. If you don’t want to spend money on a single app, Garageband is one of the best apps you can download.
→ Download Garageband from the App Store (free)
2. BIAS Amp & FX
BIAS consists of two apps aimed at advanced guitarists, which give you a lot of control over the sound of your guitar. In BIAS Amp you can adjust every aspect of a guitar amp, from the tubes used to the type of speaker used. You can also change small details, such as the type of transformer or the settings of the power amplifier.
BIAS FX lets you use the amplifiers from Amp in a live situation, where you can use all kinds of pedals in combination with your homemade amplifier. Here you can also adjust the order of effects, choosing from a variety of pedals. Classics such as chorus and phasers are present, but also equalizers and tremolos.
The downside is that the apps are not the cheapest. In-app purchases also allow you to purchase additional effects and amp packs. On the other hand, the maker of BIAS regularly offers its apps, with discounts of up to 50 percent not uncommon. It can therefore pay to wait.
→ Download BIAS Amp from the App Store (21.99 euros)
→ Download BIAS FX from the App Store (21.99 euros)
3. AmpliTube
AmpliTube is completely aimed at guitarists and bassists and therefore offers similar functions as BIAS. The difference is that AmpliTube does its best to recreate real amps as closely as possible, including the original brand names and product names. For example, in AmpliTube you see amplifiers from Fender and Marshall, while in other apps they often have fictitious names.
In addition to an amplifier and speaker, the app lets you set six separate pedals. Four of these are set up in front of the amp, with two pedals at the end of the chain. These range from distortion, chorus and fuzz to wah-wah and octavers.
AmpliTube offers a package per manufacturer that you can purchase with in-app purchases to access the corresponding amplifiers. These packs often also include pedals, microphones and other extra settings to shape your sound. This way you determine how much you spend on the app, in addition to what the app itself costs.
→ Download AmpliTube from the App Store (21.99 euros)