【AMP SIMULATOR】JamUp Pro for iPhone/iPad App

Link to the HD ver.
http://youtu.be/gwjYvCOzGSU?hd=1

---Review by ginjineko----

I've just reviewed the amp simulator for iPhone/iPad called "Jam Up Pro".

I've got a message from its developer the other day, asking me if I'd like to review their app.
And I said, "Hell yeah!".
I received the app and the interface, tried it, liked it so much, so went ahead and shot the video between my regular job (By the way, I work here now: Himeji Beta Music http://www.beta-music.com/web/index.html ). Yup, I pretty much work at the studios. This time the video is shot at my work place, not in my room as usual.


Anyway...

There are tons of iPhone/iPad amp simulators out there.
I've pretty much tried every single one of them (free ones and paid ones) but to be honest, guys, this Jam Up is the best so far, for both the sound and the features.


First, the sound.
It's thicker than AmpliTube. Distortion takes effect better too. So does EQ.
The amp lineup is wide in variation. Each has the unique sound. There are none that sounds the same.
All the stompboxes you'll need are there. Color difference is very clear too.

With the amp at the center, you can drag and switch the order of stompbox connection (host or pre), which is very convenient.

M favorite stopmbox is Tape Echo.
It's warmer and fatter than digital delay.
When you need some depth and glaze on your sound, this is the best choice.
As for the reverb, spring reverb is the best for me. It's just better than any compact boxes in my opinion.


When you use this kind of apps, I'm sure the biggest concern will be the latency.
As for Jam Up, it does delay just a little bit, but it's "just-a-little-bit" enough. You won't have any problems while you actually play.
In my demo video, the first half of "Song of Our Days" is directly recorded from the PA speakers in the studio, using my iPhone camera. I'm sure you don't notice anything odd.
The last half part of the song is the line-recorded sound through my PC so that you can tell the details of the sound. It really doesn't sound that much different from any amp simulators in the market today.


The best part of Jam Up is its high quality sound, of course, but other features are also just great.

The classic, good-old tuner, for example.
I know most of the simulator apps have tuners, but Jam Up has an analog meter. I personally love that.
Recently most apps have LED meters, probably for better looks, but LED tuner is only for rule-of-thumb tuning. It's just not suitable for accurate tuning.
As for analog meter, you can see the hand on the meter. Jam Up even has the analog scale meter under the hand so you can accurately tune your guitar.
All tuners are naturally accurate. But this visibility is very important. You can tell if your guitar is accurately tuned only by looking at it.

Very user-friendly.


Next feature: Mix with backing tracks.

The backing track you hear in the video is played by Jam Up.
I usually record my guitar play and the backing track seperately but this time, I recorded both in 1 track on my Mac Logic, using the feature of Jam Up that can directly call the backing tracks from iPod library.
This "call feature" is very rich. You don't need to copy the backing tracks on the app, they will be directly called from your iPod so you don't have to worry about eating up the capacity.

Also, changing the tempo without changing the pitch, changing the pitch by halftone, changing the volume... you can do all this instantly in real time, which is just great.
You can slow down the tempo in half
when you practice fast tunes. Even if your band play half-down tuning songs only, you can practice regular tuning songs without changing the guitar settings just by changing the pitch on this app.

Very convenient.



There's another nice feature: The sampler, which is covered at the very last of the video.
You can sample the phrase played on your guitar and use it as a loop track.
In the video, I played A7 and D7 whole notes, recorded it, played it back as a backing track and played solo to it.


There are other nice features such as multi track recorder etc.
You can do may things with this app.


With all these included, it's only $19.99.
But right now, they are on sale! (only $9.99!!)
You better not wait, seriously.


They have the special interface for this app, but the ones by other manufacturers also work.


My video is 20mins-long including demonstration guitar play, but it covers all the features of the app so go ahead and check it out!


■Jam Up official Web site
http://www.positivegrid.com/jamup/