Official Virtual AMPEG Portaflex Club

[BluesMan845]

I know back when these apps and adaptors first hit the market, reps from IK and Ampkit were on these forums and commenting. I imagine they still watch ( lurk ) and keep tabs so maybe they are seeing the trend of preference leaning in Positive Grids direction. If PG embraces the open method of allowing Audiobus into their app and IK tries to keep it all proprietary, IK will be the loser in the end. People don't like to be "told" how to use their devices and equipment

[Rip Topaz]

Exactly. IK only seems to care if we keep buying their stuff. They don't even really care if that stuff works for us!!

On a side note, I'm working on a new recording. This one is being done on my Roland VS recorder, but all of my guitar and bass tones will come from iOS apps.

We'll see which one I end up using over the other. I'm gonna experiment with them all.

[adambomb]

No audiobus will work in AT.......for 9.99

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by adambomb

No audiobus will work in AT.......for 9.99

Lol. Yeah, they wanna get every last buck!!

[adambomb]

how does the redhead sound? does jamup sound better than AT through PA?

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by adambomb

how does the redhead sound? does jamup sound better than AT through PA?

I haven't bought the Redhead yet, probably will on payday.

It's a toss-up. The BDDI in Jamup sounds fantastic through the PA. I A/B'd it against my Behringer BDI21 (BDDI clone, actually sounds better than the real thing to me), and also against my amp sound.

Having my amp on definitely fills out the sound, but if the PA support is big enough, you won't be able to tell Jamup/Amplitube from any other DI.

My system isn't big enough to really shake the building (only one powered sub) but it definitely could hold its own against a loud drummer. Against a big guitar stack, I'd still run my amp just for the extra power, but running into the effects return bypasses the amp's pre, and allows me the same tone through every speaker.

I like the tone enough that I'd be comfortable using it live. I still can't decide which I prefer though, the BDDI in Jamup or the B15R in Amplitube. I've gotten pretty great tones with both.

I REALLY dig the Mutron in Jamup.

Both Amplitube and Jamup are able to produce the low end through the PA. I can't wait to upgrade to the Jam interface.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by adambomb

how does the redhead sound? does jamup sound better than AT through PA?

I can not answer the PA thing, but I do use both with my headphones or running into the AUX of my Ibanez 20W bass combo, so bypassing the preamp and using only the power amp section of my combo.
I can't really say which sound "better" the Redhead or the B15R. But I do manage to come closer to the tone I'm after with the B15R. I has a bit more muscle in the high mids without being too bright on the treble. The B15R have also a bit more grit. And, if i need "more" I engage the Møller and the envelope filter.

The Redhead can get close to the tone I'm after but it almost demand that I engage the Turbo and Transparency switches. With the Transparency switch on the amp pick up everything so one have to play extremely smooth.

Edit: Last time I've used AT through PA it was with the iRig. It worked fine then. With the Apogee it should be even better. There is more control in AT regarding input and output gain.

[Duke21]

The Redhead can be quite throaty, but it lacks a bit grit compares to the B15R.

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I haven't bought the Redhead yet, probably will on payday.

Oh....I thought you bought the bass expansion pack. But you purchased each item separate?
I think I would go ahead and buy the one package since one amp is like 5 bucks a piece right and each pedal is like 3 bucks a piece?
I for sure want the svt and redhead and sansamp so right there that's more than the whole packs price isn't it? Idk.....ill have to go back and check. But what you guys say would make or break me to buy it at all......I want to hear you guys say if its worth it....... live or not.

[Duke21]

And that is why I like the SVT on JU, it is dirtier then the Redhead..

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by adambomb

Oh....I thought you bought the bass expansion pack. But you purchased each item separate?
I think I would go ahead and buy the one package since one amp is like 5 bucks a piece right and each pedal is like 3 bucks a piece?
I for sure want the svt and redhead and sansamp so right there that's more than the whole packs price isn't it? Idk.....ill have to go back and check. But what you guys say would make or break me to buy it at all......I want to hear you guys say if its worth it....... live or not.

Nah, the only thing I did was get the free app (Jamup), then I added the BDDI. I ignored the app for months because it sucked, then when the update improved it I added the Mutron in app.

My next purchase will be the bass expansion pack, just didn't see the point of buying it when I first got the app cuz it sucked.

[BluesMan845]

I have been messing with the Sample looper in JamUp and it's becoming more fun every time I use it. I discovered this morning that you can import audio pasted on the clip board from another app ( i.e. iKaossilator ) and open that as the basis to start your loop. You hit the "load" button after copying audio to the clip board and then select the audio you want. It's now there as a bed for you to start looping lines over. Just don't make the mistake of hitting the REC(CLEAR) button because it will erase your bed track. You use the DUB button instead. Just leave it on and everytime the loop recycles you can lay down a new bass line. Not sure just how many dub tracks you can add or how long the loop can be but it's incredibly simple to use. Use the LOOP and INST dials as a mixer of sort. I just recorded a track ( uploaded to Soundcloud and will be added to the JamUp group ) using a bed track from iKaossilator. I then laid down 3 bass tracks on top of it using the DUB button. The last track was played with a pick and I wanted it in the background under the other two basslines so when I was ready to DUB that line over, I lowered the INST dial by about 20%. This only affects the line you are playing and not the ones already DUBBED in. Super cool and this discovery will officially put AT in second place for me.

https://soundcloud.com/bluesman845/supafunk-jamup

I have to say that for $9.99 you are getting a boat load of cool bass gear and it really makes the other two close to irrelevant for my needs. This app just puts a smile on my face and gives me that spark to pick up and play. It's also got me interested in learning more apps like iKaossilator for bed track creation..

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by BluesMan845

I have been messing with the Sample looper in JamUp and it's becoming more fun every time I use it. I discovered this morning that you can import audio pasted on the clip board from another app ( i.e. iKaossilator ) and open that as the basis to start your loop. You hit the "load" button after copying audio to the clip board and then select the audio you want. It's now there as a bed for you to start looping lines over. Just don't make the mistake of hitting the REC(CLEAR) button because it will erase your bed track. You use the DUB button instead. Just leave it on and everytime the loop recycles you can lay down a new bass line. Not sure just how many dub tracks you can add or how long the loop can be but it's incredibly simple to use. Use the LOOP and INST dials as a mixer of sort. I just recorded a track ( uploaded to Soundcloud and will be added to the JamUp group ) using a bed track from iKaossilator. I then laid down 3 bass tracks on top of it using the DUB button. The last track was played with a pick and I wanted it in the background under the other two basslines so when I was ready to DUB that line over, I lowered the INST dial by about 20%. This only affects the line you are playing and not the ones already DUBBED in. Super cool and this discovery will officially put AT in second place for me.

https://soundcloud.com/bluesman845/supafunk-jamup

I have to say that for $9.99 you are getting a boat load of cool bass gear and it really makes the other two close to irrelevant for my needs. This app just puts a smile on my face and gives me that spark to pick up and play. It's also got me interested in learning more apps like iKaossilator for bed track creation..

Nice clip
What settings and amps were you using?
Doesn't AT have a looper in it? And import track ability?

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by adambomb

Nice clip
What settings and amps were you using?
Doesn't AT have a looper in it? And import track ability?

You can import tracks into AT but it takes several steps:
1) import a clip/ song by adding it into the song player library. There is a loop function in there as well.
2) if you want to record something import this song into the multitrack recorder.

[Rip Topaz]

While we're talking about loopers, there's also an app available called "Loopstation". There's both a free and a paid version.

Save you time. Doesn't work worth a crap.

Duke, glad the wife is doing good!!

[BluesMan845]

Originally Posted by adambomb

Nice clip
What settings and amps were you using?
Doesn't AT have a looper in it? And import track ability?

Thanks, Adam.. 3 bass loops. 2 of them were run through the MutronIII into SVT and the 3rd was run through the MutronIII into BDDI

There is a looper in AT but it's really only for looping a section of music over. The looper in JamUp is a sample looper that lets you continue to layer sounds so it's quite different in how it works.

[BluesMan845]

Duke, happy to hear your wife is doing well and home

Question for you guys that are using your iOS gear for live shows. When you rely on the PA for all your sound needs are you using a PA system that has a sub woofer on stage? A while back I was considering running through a PA and purchasing a powered Sub for low end support. Most clubs/bars in my area don't have actual stages or sound systems but instead rely on the bands to bring all the sound gear with them. Most bands that play in this area don't have powered subs and thus I've yet to see a bass player that runs into the PA instead of an amp.

Using a PA system makes perfect sense because it would help eliminate bad mixes where someone is too loud ( ahem, GUITAR ) or not getting heard over the half wall they make the band set up behind.

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by BluesMan845

Duke, happy to hear your wife is doing well and home

Question for you guys that are using your iOS gear for live shows. When you rely on the PA for all your sound needs are you using a PA system that has a sub woofer on stage? A while back I was considering running through a PA and purchasing a powered Sub for low end support.

yes the church i play in has recently (well about 3 years ago) added on a new and larger main meeting room where the congregation all meets together for the full worship and message times. and when they were designing and planning went ahead and installed a large house system from jbl with two 18" subs that really bring it. so anything that i send from AT is pumped out with authority. the soundguy just mixes my signal and eq's the room just like playing a cd track.

back in the 90's a band that i was involved with wanted to get "serious" so we took the plunge and all went in together and purchased a peavey system with 16 channel board, a power amp two mains two monitors and two 18" subs with it.
if you are in a band that does get paying gigs its a must. you stop appearing as a couple of guys that just walked out of your garage and appear to be a real band who "should" be payed. (then its really up to your ability) but the difference in sound quality will dramatically improve. your singer will love it your drummer will love the fact that the kick is audible and you as the bassist will for sure love it. Your guitarist on the other hand will be competed with, so he might not be so excited awwwwww (but he should turn down anyway and be mic'd) or run AT too

[Rip Topaz]

The biggest hurdle I'm finding with using AT (or any iOS app) live is that you're very much limited by the size of your PA. If your PA struggles to run just vocals, dropping a bass into it isn't going to sound very good, and you won't get the volume you'd like.

Of course, with subs and high powered FOH amps, no one will ever be able to tell there's no real amp. Unless they look behind you!!

My system at home consists of a Carvin RX1200L powered mixer (350 watts x 4) into (2) LS2153's and 12" monitors. I'm also running a Carvin 18" powered sub. I'd say this is the minimum I'd be comfortable with, because with a loud drummer I won't get the volume I'm after.

Now, if you're using IEMs, then hearing yourself is no longer an issue. I have a separate mixer for this, and can pretty much get anything into my ears that I want. It really helps.

I still haven't used this system live without an amp, but hopefully that'll change soon.

[fivestringgecko]

I bought Amplitube and an iRig when I first got my iPad (about a year ago) and never really explored it until just the last couple weeks. I didn't like the stock bass options, but I bought the B15R model a few days ago when I caught the iRig thread and I have to say it made a big improvement.

I tried Amplitube live for the first time last night at a rehearsal for some upcoming Christmas concerts and wasn't expecting much, but it actually worked quite well. The sound guy (who I've worked with on a number of occasions) and I agreed that it sounded pretty decent through the house. I DI'd straight to house and we were using a Hearback monitor system, and I didn't have any problems despite being in the mix with 20 choral vocalists, piano, drums, aux percussion, violin, cello, an Irish pipes player and three trumpets.

Pbass V with Chromes > Amplitube > DI to house with Hearbacks

I did notice a couple things about the app... 1) unless I just haven't figured it out yet, I miss being able to tune silently, like I can with the TU3 on my pedalboard. 2) I didn't get AT completely dialed in, but I noticed I can't quite get the treble range I normally do. Normally I have the tone knob on my Pbass at about 50% to get the tone I like with it, but through the Amplitube rig, I had to crank it to max. 3) Amplitube seems a little noisy... I didn't have any wild settings and still had to run the noise filter to bring it back down to "acceptable." Not a huge issue, just something I noticed.

Obviously I'm still getting used to it, but I already think Amplitube is a decent ampless solution. Will I switch to it as my main rig? Probably not... I'd rather run my actual pedalboard. But it's a viable option, and will be a handy practice tool if I'm traveling as well. If I get more serious about using it, I might think about upgrading my interface, probably to an Apogee. I also might decide to check out Jamup if I get more serious about an iOS solution... My main effects are envelope and pctaver, and in AT, they're both abysmal.

5sg.

Here's the settings I used at rehearsal last night... I'm sure many are already aware, but the B15 model currently has some bugs: ON is actually OFF and the Ultra HI/LO are reversed. I plugged in a couple pedals before rehearsal to mess around, but didn't use anything other than the noise filter while we were actually playing.