Following on from success with the iPhone, IK Multimedia has now released an AmpliTube app for the iPad. Using an iRig interface adapter, the app offers guitar and bass players real-time, mobile tone-modeling and multi-effects solutions on the bigger multi-touch screen of the iPad. It is available in both free and paid-for versions, the latter giving players 11 effects, five amps and cabinets, plus two microphones to play around with.
As with the iPhone setup, users will first need to buy a US$39.99 iRig interface to allow a guitar or bass to be connected to an iPad. That done, players could start with the free version of the app which includes three effects, an amplifier and cabinet setup and a couple of microphones. If the included Delay, Noise Filter and Distortion effects prove too limiting or you yearn to try out different effects/amp configurations then you can add such things piecemeal from the App Store.
Of course, if you want everything at your fingertips from day one then you could just dive in and go for the paid-for version of the app which includes all 11 effects, five amps and cabinets modeled on classic real-world rigs from the likes of Marshall, Fender and Vox, and a dynamic and a condenser microphones. Effects units on offer include chorus, classic 1960s fuzz, distortion, a funky envelope filter and an octaver.
Unlike the iPhone setup, AmpliTube for the iPad makes up to four effects units available at the same time. These are displayed across the top of the screen with the amplifier underneath. Setting up intensity and presence on the effects and activation is not unlike real-world equivalents, all taken care of via the iPad's multitouch screen. Amp tone and drive tweaking is undertaken in a similar fashion and favored setups can be stored in the bank of 36 presets for later easy recall.
As well as amps, effects and microphones the AmpliTube for iPad app also features a tuner and a metronome. There's also an included backing track player to allow players to jam along to imported songs.
The free version of the AmpliTube for iPad can be downloaded from the Apple Store here or the US$19.99 paid-for version from here.
The following demonstration video shows what's available: