Irig Guitar App

[Michael Rosiles]

Ifyou loved iRig's versatility, you'll love iRig 2's new adjustable gain dial, which works with its built-in 1/8" TRRS output connector to give you a true plug-and-play experience with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac.

Volume levels vary from instrument to instrument and from device to device. And while the original iRig provided superior sound, it was limited in that you were unable to customize the input gain level to your particular setup. With iRig 2, you get an input gain dial that gives you the power to ensure high-quality sound in every situation. This means that you'll be able to perform at your best no matter whether you're connecting a wailing 3 humbucker electric guitar or a jazzy archtop to your iPhone.

Even better is that iRig 2 features a switch that lets you select between a processed signal and a clean "thru" input signal. This means you can also use your mobile device as a tuner, recorder or other tool while preserving the purity of a 100% analog signal path.

iRig 2 is there to help you make your practice and performance sessions as easy as possible. It comes with a microphone stand mount and Velcro strip that allow you to easy attach it for performance alongside other convenient tools like IK's iKlip range of mic supports for all sizes of smartphones and tablets.

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My acoustic guitar is a Martin, with pickups installed by the shop where I bought it, with a single volume control. When I record via the iRig, GarageBand records it at a very low volume, even when I turn the volume switch on the guitar up to the maximum. Is there some setting I am missing here, or is the iRig not good for this use?

I was able to record something workable into GarageBand by using a Yamaha Compass Series acoustic-electric guitar, but only after turning up all of the pre-installed pickup controls to the maximum. But even then, it still isn't great. I would only expect poor or zero sound if the pickup controls were all turned right down.

I replaced the battery in the Martin - it hadn't been replaced in five years! I replaced it with a new battery, and the quality of the sound being recorded has improved, but not by much. So still the same problem I'm afraid.

You will gain a huge boost in signal strength with a better input device.

But it you are financially unable to address this issue you might consider

a signal boosting pedal. There are a few and lot's of pedal knowledge sites and

videos. Joyo and Behringer can get you a reasonably priced pedal to boost the signal

and maybe even offer you some EQ controls which can be helpful in the way into

the iPad.

The most simple and efficient solution would be an Apogee Mic in front of the Martin.

Any of the entry models (2nd hand) will do, not need for the 96k or Hype model.

A pickup doesn't record the acoustic performance of the guitar's top wood.

Some expensive systems have mixed microphone/piezo setups, but generally a pickup is for live amplification in the first place.

This is a cheap (X Series) Martin with a dynamic mic (5 bucks flea market), captured by an Alesis ioDock One, unprocessed. The mic is a Telefunken TD26 (same as Sennheiser MD402), once a standard accessory of consumer reel-to-reel tapes. The mic is very good for guitar recording, though.

I agree with @Telefunky, a (condenser) mic placed in front of the guitar will give you a more natural recording of how the guitar really sounds - not the nasal sound you get from piezo pickups. I used an old Tascam IM2 for years (surprisingly good) before getting an Audio-Technica AT2020. You could also just experiment with the internal mic - Pete Johns gets good results as seen here.

It's a very good Martin, it's the OM21. It would make sense to have a good recording setup that would pick up the natural tone of the guitar. I can afford to spend a bit of money. But because of the place I live in, space is at a premium (I'm in a shared house with a small bedroom). So, the apogee mic would be a no-no for that reason.

I was considering something like the iRig Acoustic that I could clip to the sound hole of the Martin. Would this be better than the iRig HD2 that you mentioned? Is the HD2 for electric guitar rather than acoustic? Also, is there a problem with latency on either device? Or are there other (similar) recording devices you would recommend?

If the internal mic captured too much background then you didn't set it to measurement mode (in settings of your revirding app).

In 'normal mode' it auto-adjusts gain (therefore the noise) and it has a significant low cut.

It's quite a good mic delivering a 60dB signal to noise ratio (in measurement mode with manual fixed gain setting), but as an omni (directional character) it will capture a lot if room.

The more stuffed your room - the better... at least compared to clean walls.

But you can improve it a lot with relatively few effort by 2 mobile shield walls that you put in an arc shape in front of you and the instrument, suggested size 3ft square, 4 inches thick from a foam called Basotect. It's very light and a standard in acoustic treatment.

In that case you should have something in your back, say a couch or a book shelf.

Otherwise add a 3rd shield behind you.

Basotect is rather expensive, but easy and clean in handling (looks quite good, too).

Ideally you put those blocks on stands to lift the 1-2 ft above floor level.

Stow away unde bed after use...

I was considering something like the iRig Acoustic that I could clip to the sound hole of the Martin. Would this be better than the iRig HD2 that you mentioned? Is the HD2 for electric guitar rather than acoustic? Also, is there a problem with latency on either device? Or are there other (similar) recording devices that you would recommend?

The iRig HD2 is for an e-guitar pickup, but should handle the system on your Martin equally well.

Just checked the specs of the iRig Acoustic and it indeed solves most of the room problems.

Btw it has the same microphone type as used in iPhones/iPads, also featuring a DSP processor to handle the specific location of the device.

According to reviews it's a significant enhancement - if connected directly the (raw) sound is much weaker and needs tweaking in the DAW.

Btw I used a similiar strategy in the recording example above: the mic is only 1-2 inches above the guitar top... a challenge on it's own to keep the distance constant while playing.

The iRig Acoustic will ne much more convenient - it's probably your best option in the $100 price range.

@Telefunky said:

The iRig HD2 is for an e-guitar pickup, but should handle the system on your Martin equally well.

Just checked the specs of the iRig Acoustic and it indeed solves most of the room problems.

Btw it has the same microphone type as used in iPhones/iPads, also featuring a DSP processor to handle the specific location of the device.

According to reviews it's a significant enhancement - if connected directly the (raw) sound is much weaker and needs tweaking in the DAW.

@mrufino1 I was referring to the 'Stage' version, which is marked 'class compliant interface' in it's specs.

But according to your description the processed signal is not delivered via USB, but on the line out socket only.

USB then carrying the 'weak' raw signal (as mentioned in a review) - is that correct ?

Confusing thing...

@Telefunky said:

@mrufino1 I was referring to the 'Stage' version, which is marked 'class compliant interface' in it's specs.

But according to your description the processed signal is not delivered via USB, but on the line out socket only.

USB then carrying the 'weak' raw signal (as mentioned in a review) - is that correct ?

Confusing thing...

I recently bought an electric guitar (actually I'm new to it), since beginning it has a problem connecting with the MacOS Mojave Garage band/other Guitar tools but its working with the Ipad Amplitube. When I connect the Irig 2 (connected with headphone and Guitar) to the Mac I can see the internal micro- phone changes to External micro-phone in sound preferences, but I cant see it in the garage band and it is not picking any sound coming frm the guitar. does anyone know what is the issue?

there are new security settings in the latest OS to prevent apps from secretly using input devices; see if this helps - open the Security & Privacy settings in System Prefs and make sure that GB has permission to use input devices.

You can hear the guitar through the amp, right? Do you have enough adapters to get the guitar pickup directly into the sound card? If you really hog down on a musical chord on the guitar, the signal from the pickup is almost line level. It will distort seriously and overload if you try to plug it into the Mic-In.

Now restart qjackctl and run Rakarrack (qjackctl MUST run first), if you set your interfaces correctly that should be all you need, you will here your guitar from the speakers and can use Rakarrack to set up some nice tones ;)

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