Guitar FX: Expensive, but nice for the dedicated thrashers
Who ever heard of an iPhone application costing $16.99? What could possibly be worth it.
Well, iRock…that is, if you are a very specific kind of user.
iRock is an iPhone virtual amplifier. More than that, it allows users to run their voices or drums or guitars through effects to get a specific sound.
The result is an application that, through the use of microphones or direct inputs, alters, amplifies, and outputs your music. That’s actually not bad for $16.99.
The application comes with a list of seven presets to choose from. Once these presets are loaded, they can be changed and stored as new presets. Or you can build a preset from scratch by going into the FX tab. In here you will find a surprisingly professional-oriented list of options including delay times and styles, feedback rates, LFO depth, and a bunch of things I don’t have the slightest clue about, but I can tell that if you are a hardcore music guy/gal, you’ll probably take one look and scream out “Neat-O!”
But this isn’t worth $16.99. There are other similar apps that allow you to change and amplify music and to output it via speakers (the suggestion on this is to use a dock and output through the line out…good idea for an impromptu amp). What makes this better than other apps, though, it the ability to record and manipulate your tracks.
You heard me right. With a simple click, the iPhone app records whatever you input to it, effects and all. And how can you work with your music files? The app works as a server that you can connect to on a mac and PC to download the song.
Not only that, but you can import the sound file as a .caf file which will open in ProTools so you can play with it, add to it, and manipulate it ad infinitum.
So it kind of doubles as a cheapo recording studio with digital effects built in.
“Neat-O!”
I got this, to be honest, out of sheer curiosity about the cost of the app. I do play guitar, but it’s a leisure/time wasting kind of thing, and I’m not very good or knowledgeable. So take everything I am saying with a grain of salt.
I wouldn’t get this unless you already know what you are going to do with it. Also, know that Mark’s Recording Studios offers a lite, $.99 version of the app. So if you just want something to play with, go that route.
But if you’re serious about your music, grab the full version of this baby and start playing music through your sound system. Pretend to be the badass you so desperately want others to think you are.
You can buy iRock HERE.
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Comments (1)
Chris
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I tried iRock Lite….
Well there is so much feedback that you can only use it with a headset.
Guitar fx echo is free and a at least a bit better with speakers (though you shouldn’t expect too much). I probably gonna buy the Guitar fx deluxe version for 3$. 16$ for irock is too much.
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