It all started two years ago, when my relatives, knowing about my passion for computers and rock music, gave me an iPad and an electric guitar for my birthday. I have to admit that I am not a musician. All my education at that time: one class at the button accordion course during my school years and performing Viktor Tsoi's songs with an out-of-tune guitar on a bench in the yard.

So, having become the happy owner of these devices, I started to realize my old dream - to learn how to play my favorite pieces from the legendary rock bands. At the same time, I tried to use the capabilities of the iPad as much as possible.

Part 1. Helper programs

To any guitarist in his daily musical life it will be useful to always have at hand: a tuner (for tuning the instrument), a metronome (for practicing exercises), as well as various thematic reference books.

In the AppStore you can find a large number of separate programs of this kind, just search for "tuner", "metronome", "guitar chords", etc. In addition, there are many combined programs (such as "N in one"), two of which I use myself:

Part 2. Programs for learning

In order to play and sing along with the guitar, you need to know both the words of the song and its chords. Unfortunately, I found in the AppStore only one program-songwriter, which contains works of not only foreign, but also Russian performers:

GuitarTuna is the most convenient, fast and accurate guitar tuner in the world!
With this versatile tuner you can tune your guitar, bass guitar, ukulele and more string instruments. More than 20 million people use it: from beginners to professional musicians!

Characteristics:
Accurate and convenient tuner for acoustic and electric guitars (uses the built-in microphone of your phone or tablet)
Professional mode with increased accuracy for experienced guitarists (enabled in the settings)
Convenient tuner for beginners (recommended by guitar teachers and tutors)
Clear visual response and signal history. Everything is very simple and intuitive
Auto tuning mode (super fast, no extra tapping, string by string)

Besides:
Metronome: select a beat, change the metronome sound, or manually tap the beat on the screen
Chord learning games: learn, practice and master guitar chords and learn to recognize them by ear
Chord Library: Find any chord charts you need
Learn Guitar Songs: 4 Songs with Tabs to Test Your Playing Skills
Award-Winning Sound Recognition Technology
Alternative guitar tunings
Chromatic tuner

Works with the following tools:
electric and acoustic guitar
Bas-guitar
mandolin
ukulele
viola
violin
cello
fidel
balalaika
banjo
and many other stringed instruments

Over 100 tunings, including:
standard
Open build
drop D
other low tunings
tune down half a step
tune for 7-string guitar including drop A
tuning for 12-string guitar

Additional functions:
Works great in noisy environments (automatically removes background noise)
Designed by guitarists for guitarists and developed by the world's leading audio engineers
Improve your chords, riffs, tabs, ear recognition and playing speed like you would in a guitar lesson
The ability to choose the type of headstock, like your guitar (the type of tuner is changed in the settings)

Attention:
If you are tuning a guitar for the first time, we recommend watching a tutorial video on YouTube, asking an experienced guitarist or tutor for advice, or taking a guitar tuning lesson (otherwise you could break a string).

Review:
Do you have any ideas to improve GuitarTuna? Send us your proposals by mail: [email protected]

Try other Yousician apps too:
Guitar lessons from Yousician: The best way learn to play the guitar and hone your skills
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/yousician/id959883039?mt=8

GuitarTuna Pro Subscription: Subscribe to have unlimited access to all the features of the app. Monthly subscription. Subscription prices may vary depending on the country of residence. The subscription fee will be charged to your iTunes account. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription. Funds for renewal of the subscription are debited from the account within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription. The user can manage their subscription and turn off auto-renewal in their iTunes Account Settings. When you purchase a subscription, the remainder of the free trial period of the application is forfeited.

https://yousician.com/privacy-notice
https://yousician.com/terms-of-service

Today will be very interesting topic for those who actively use mobile devices from Apple. Specifically, I would like to talk with you about how to connect an electric guitar to iPad, iPod and iPhone, and what application we need for this.

Probably, many owners of Apple devices already know or have at least heard that using the iPad tablet platform, iPod media player and iPhone smartphone, you can create your own music studio.

Certainly, we are talking not about a professional studio, but about the fact that with the help of iOS you can realize creative ideas in a virtual environment, using special applications and additional accessories for this.

Method number 1. Guitar Connect Cable

A company that develops and produces accessories for home and portable devices, called Griffin Technology, announced in 2010 the release of a product that should interest many musicians (yes, in fact, it has already become quite popular).

Guitar Connect Cable is a special cable for iPad, iPod or iPhone that allows you to connect an electric guitar to any of these devices and automatically recognize it.

Using additional iOS software such as iShred amp and other similar programs that can process the sound of an electric guitar, you can get a lot of interesting effects. The cost of the cable on the official website of the company is $29.99, but you can order it in China for 2 times cheaper.

Method number 2. Guitar Connect Pro

Also quite unique and interesting device from the same Griffin Technology. Guitar Connect Pro is a special adapter that has a standard 1/4″ jack and a built-in control to boost the output signal.

It can be quite easily and quickly connected to any Apple device. Using this adapter, you get a very high quality and fully digital electric guitar connection using the Garageband application or any other program that can use the audio core of your i-device.

According to the manufacturers, Guitar Connect Pro is by far the most efficient and easiest digital audio interface for iOS devices, which is designed to work with all musical instruments(electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, electric violins) that have a standard 1/4″ jack.

With this device, you can turn your tablet or smartphone into a mini-studio to rehearse or perform your track live. The regulator located on the side of the case allows you to adjust the output signal level.

The Guitar Connect Pro is a simple and intuitive device that has a 1/4″ mono jack input for standard instrument cables on one side, and an output for iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone docks on the other.

The sound can be put both on the speakers and on the headphones or the built-in speakers of the iPad. This adapter is silent and fully digital. Compatible with iPad, iPad2, iPhone4/4S. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. GuitarConnect Pro is priced at $79.99.

Method number 3. iRig

Another cool device for connecting an electric guitar from IK Multimedia, which has been a leader in the market of innovative digital solutions for musicians since 2002. The company's activities are largely aimed at developing various guitar amplifiers and effects, including for the mobile segment of iOS devices.

iRig provides the ability to perfectly connect your guitar to your iPad, iPod or iPhone using an adapter and a special AmpliTube app that acts as a virtual processor. Simply plug your guitar into the iRig adapter and then plug it into your Apple device.

To output sound, use headphones or active speakers, you can also connect to an amplifier. You will also need to download and install the AmpliTube program in iTunes and after that you will enjoy playing the guitar. The declared price for iRig on the official website is $29.99. Link to aliexpress.

AmpliTube features:

  • Game without sound delays in real time
  • 11 effects, 5 amps, 2 mics, 5 cabinets
  • Includes digital tuner and metronome
  • Ability to create and save your own presets (up to 36)
  • There is a function of recording tracks with 8 tracks, a mixer and effects
  • Import and listen to samples and tracks in the background
  • Ability to change the playback speed of tracks

Method number 4. Homemade iRig

This method will appeal to those who are friends with a soldering iron and want to save a few bucks. An iRig analog can be easily made in one evening with the necessary components. So, the recipe.

In order to make iRig we need:

  • 4-pin jack 3.5 mm
  • Capacitor 0.047uF
  • 10 kΩ resistor
  • 1/4″ mono jack (input)
  • Connector 1/4″ stereo "jack", 3.5 mm "jack" (output) is possible

Such parts are easy to find in any radio market. To power various peripheral devices, the 4th contact on the “jack” is intended, which is supplied with a voltage of 2.7 V. To prevent this voltage from entering the input, a capacitor is installed.

A resistor is also important, which is connected to 4 and 3 pins. By measuring the power load, which we have 2.7 V, the program thus scans the connected device. If the resistor is missing, then the program may crash.

Connect an electric guitar or microphone to the mono input jack, and headphones or an amplifier to the stereo output jack. We do everything according to the scheme, after that we connect the guitar and enjoy.

So we have considered with you several options for how to connect an electric guitar to an iPad, iPod or iPhone. All these gizmos can be found in online stores or on Aliexpress and ordered with a strong desire, especially since the reviews are mostly positive everywhere.

iRig AmpliTube for iPad

iRig AmpliTube for iPhone

GuitarTuna is the most convenient, fast and accurate guitar tuner in the world!
Guitar, bass, ukulele and many other stringed instruments can be tuned with this versatile tuner. More than 20 million people use it: from beginners to professional musicians!

Characteristics:
Accurate and convenient tuner for acoustic and electric guitars (uses the built-in microphone of your phone or tablet)
Professional mode with increased accuracy for experienced guitarists (enabled in the settings)
Convenient tuner for beginners (recommended by guitar teachers and tutors)
Clear visual response and signal history. Everything is very simple and intuitive
Auto tuning mode (super fast, no extra tapping, string by string)

Besides:
Metronome: select a beat, change the metronome sound, or manually tap the beat on the screen
Chord learning games: learn, practice and master guitar chords and learn to recognize them by ear
Chord Library: Find any chord charts you need
Learn Guitar Songs: 4 Songs with Tabs to Test Your Playing Skills
Award-Winning Sound Recognition Technology
Alternative guitar tunings
Chromatic tuner

Works with the following tools:
electric and acoustic guitar
Bas-guitar
mandolin
ukulele
viola
violin
cello
fidel
balalaika
banjo
and many other stringed instruments

Over 100 tunings, including:
standard
Open build
drop D
other low tunings
tune down half a step
tune for 7-string guitar including drop A
tuning for 12-string guitar

Additional functions:
Works great in noisy environments (automatically removes background noise)
Designed by guitarists for guitarists and developed by the world's leading audio engineers
Improve your chords, riffs, tabs, ear recognition and playing speed like you would in a guitar lesson
The ability to choose the type of headstock, like your guitar (the type of tuner is changed in the settings)

Attention:
If you are tuning a guitar for the first time, we recommend watching a tutorial video on YouTube, asking an experienced guitarist or tutor for advice, or taking a guitar tuning lesson (otherwise you could break a string).

Review:
Do you have any ideas to improve GuitarTuna? Send us your proposals by mail: [email protected]

Try other Yousician apps too:
Guitar Lessons by Yousician: The best way to learn how to play the guitar and hone your skills
https://website/us/app/yousician/id959883039?mt=8

GuitarTuna Pro Subscription: Subscribe to have unlimited access to all the features of the app. Monthly subscription. Subscription prices may vary depending on the country of residence. The subscription fee will be charged to your iTunes account. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription. Funds for renewal of the subscription are debited from the account within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription. The user can manage their subscription and turn off auto-renewal in their iTunes Account Settings. When you purchase a subscription, the remainder of the free trial period of the application is forfeited.

https://yousician.com/privacy-notice
https://yousician.com/terms-of-service

GuitarTuna is considered to be the best guitar tuning software for iOS. The main advantages of the program include a fairly simple interface, not overloaded with unnecessary tools and panels, as well as outstanding speed. Another distinguishing feature of this application from its competitors is the support for both electric and acoustic guitars. The program will cope with the tuning of the instrument even in conditions of strong background noise. The fact is that it has a special tool that allows you to "separate" the sound of the guitar from other noises. To use it, you must first select the type of guitar you are going to tune. GuitarTuna is also great for tuning six-string guitars and for left-handed musicians.

Despite all its functionality, this program is completely free. Of course, you can buy additional settings for an additional fee, but the Free version will also satisfy even relatively picky users. In general, we have one of the best guitar tuners for mobile operating systems.