# Ipad Learning Environment



## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Hello,

I am looking at setting up a simple learning environment in the corner of my bedroom for guitar. I have a computer and a Fender G-DEC in the living room but I never get to use them as the wife is usually watching t.v. hence something for the bedroom. My questions are related to using the iPad as the center of my learning environment since it has many more uses than just that. Anyways, with using the iPad, Garage Band (or other related software) and an interface like the Apogee Jam or Alesis I/O Dock can you do the following:

1) Generate a click track to jam along with while the iPad is rendering the guitar signal through Garage Bands modelling?
2) Import mp3's into Garage Band to jam along with while the iPad is again rendering the guitar signal?
3) Change the pitch of the mp3 to help faciliate learning the song?

I ask these questions as I have never really played with an iPad let alone Garage Band and hope that others may have done things similar to this before.

Thanks,

David


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Not sure about the ipad, I plug my g-dec into my laptop with a usb cable. I also plug headphones into the g-dec. Anything that is playing on the laptop is heard through the headphones. Anything that I play on the guitar is also heard through the phones. I can play mp3's from my library on the laptop and play along with them. There are a lot of backing tracks available at the Fender forum, accessible through the Fuse software. There is a larger manual available through the Fender website too, it goes more in depth to set up anything you need. Not the clearest instructions, but workable. The forum helps too. Important to note that I have not plugged in for a while, so I am rusty. Again, the fuse software and the forum is a good resource. Oh, I think there is a way to slow tempos down, not sure how it works. I am not sure it works on everything, maybe just what is loaded into the amp, not sure. As far as garage band, well, not an apple owner so......but if it is playing on the computer, it ought to be coming over the headphones (or, I guess, the g-dec speaker if phones are not being used). Hope this helps, I really like my g-dec even though I very rarely plug a guitar in.


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2013)

dcole said:


> 1) Generate a click track to jam along with while the iPad is rendering the guitar signal through Garage Bands modelling?


Yes, GarageBand can do this but you can't do it (well) with pre-recorded music. Aligning the click to the tempo of the recording is nigh impossible to do well over a long stretch of audio. But if you just need a click: no sweat. You could also look in to something like AmpliTube for iPad -- does modelling and has some utilities like a metronome and tuner built in to it: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitubeipad/



> 2) Import mp3's into Garage Band to jam along with while the iPad is again rendering the guitar signal?


Yes in GarageBand, also see AmpliTube above. But...



> 3) Change the pitch of the mp3 to help faciliate learning the song?


Best app for this is Capo: http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/Capo/iphone.html -- probably AmpliTube can do this, but I've grown so used to Capo and love it's workflow for transcribing, it's what I recommend.

Tie it altogether with AudioBus: http://audiob.us/ -- and you've got a rockin' little practice rig.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks for the replies guys. 

So you can use this AudioBus app to send the Capo audio into Garage Band or AmpliTube to have a slowed down version of a song while still having the modeling program do its job?


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2013)

dcole said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> So you can use this AudioBus app to send the Capo audio into Garage Band or AmpliTube to have a slowed down version of a song while still having the modeling program do its job?


No, but you can use it to mix the audio output of multiple programs running at the same time.

My advice is to start with Garage Band -- it might do 100% of what you need. If it doesn't, try AmpliTube. Move on from there.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I think I get you know. I have a much better feeling about taking this route now. Do you have any experience with the Apogee Jam or the Alesis IO Dock?


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## neldom (Apr 29, 2009)

I own the Alesis IO Dock and it has always worked very well for me. Lots of inputs/outputs and good quality (so far) hardware. 

GarageBand is great and cheap so that's a good place to start. 
I've also got JamUp Pro and I like the modelling sounds in it better than GB. 
It can also import mp3s and slow down or speed them up without altering key if I remember right.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Hey neldom,

That sounds cool. It looks like I'll be able to do anything I would need to with the iPad. Do you need iTunes to load music on the iPad. I use Linux and just want to make sure that won't kill me. 

That Alesis IO Dock looks so cool to. Can two people jam together with the 2 inputs on the IO dock?


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2013)

dcole said:


> I think I get you know. I have a much better feeling about taking this route now. Do you have any experience with the Apogee Jam or the Alesis IO Dock?


The Jam is excellent. I swear by Apogee gear and have used it with my Macs and iDevices for years now.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Thats good to know. I see that the Alesis IO Dock doesn't have a lightning connector for the new Ipads, so the Jam might be the way to go. Oh well, it would have been nice to have MIDI and inputs in the same package.


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## neldom (Apr 29, 2009)

I believe you would require iTunes to load music on any Apple device, thought I'm not 100% sure as I've never had to try to find an alternative method.
As for jamming with the 2 Inputs, it may be possible but not through either GB or JamUp Pro as they both only use 1 input at a time.
There are other DAWs that can use both at once but I have no experience with them.

I never thought to mention the lightning connector being absent as I'm still running an ancient iPad2 from way back in yesteryear.

Also, I suspect the Apogee would have the better sound quality, but for my purposes the added functionality outweighed the audio quality.
Not that I've had issues with the audio quality either, but I know Apogee makes really quality products.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Do you guys noticed any problems with latency while playing through the iPad and jamming along to songs?


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## ghynes (Oct 12, 2009)

Nope. None. Tie whatever apps you use together with Audiobus and you are good to go. I'll add another one that I'm finding vital for practicing on the iPad - Loopy HD. It's a wicked looping app, so you can quickly and easily lay down drums and chord progressions to work over.

I'm using an Apogee Jam (highly recommended) - Loopy HD - GarageBand - tied together with AudioBus when I'm on the road for practicing, and it is a sweet setup. I've made some good quality demo recordings of new songs with this setup as well.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Since you guys are all awesome at answering my questions, do you have any recommended headphones?


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2013)

dcole said:


> Since you guys are all awesome at answering my questions, do you have any recommended headphones?


Sennheiser HD280 Pros if you want something closed, sealed are my recommendation.


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