Category: I-phone

Musicians and Apple products go together like viruses and Windows: where there’s one, you’ll find the other. It’s no surprise then that there are a ton of really high quality iOS apps for music lovers.

Today we’ll be looking at a couple of apps that will help you tune your guitar in addition to a whole lot of other cool stuff. If you own a guitar and an iPhone, you won’t want to miss this one!

Gibson Learn & Master Guitar Application

If you don’t want to spend any money and just need a basic tuner, Gibson’s app is the place to start. The interface is beautiful and tops just about all of the other free tuner apps out there.

Though the app has many functions, the tuner is the first tool you see. Gibson provides you with two different modes that you can use to tune your guitar (show below).

Gibson Tuner UIs

The first is a nice chromatic tuner with an awesome faux-analog theme. As you pluck a string, the needle jumps back and forth exactly like the tuner in your guitar case. Simply line the needle up in the middle to tune the string. If you’re used to using a real tuner, you probably won’t ever want to leave chromatic tuning mode.

The second mode is simpler and just utilizes a sharp or flat indicator on an illustration of the head of a guitar. If you activate the sound, you can tap on any of the tuners to hear the note. This allows you to tune by ear if you prefer that method over trusting the tuning software.

In the options for the tuner you can choose between “all notes” to tune any string to any note, or choose a preset from a large list of popular tunings including Drop D and Open G.

Gibson Tuner Options

Metronome

Even though this is only a free app, Gibson certainly wasn’t cheap about the features; it’s actually much more than a tuner.

The first button on the bottom after the tuner will bring you to a metronome. Again we see a really nice interface that emulates physical controls. When you hit the “Start” button the bar at the top slides back and forth at the designated tempo and makes a noise for every beat. The first note is deeper than the rest so you can easily distinguish where you are in the sequence.

Gibson Metronome

To change the BPM (beats per minute), simply slide the big knob in the middle or tap a tempo on the button at the top. You can also change the time signature and mute the sound.

Chords

Next up is a chord chart shown on a zoomed-in portion of the guitar’s neck. All the necessary indicators are present including fret numbers, finger positions and numbering, open strings, and strings that aren’t played.

The screen on the right below shows the list of chords that you get to choose from. Several alternate versions are included for each chord (m, m7, 7, and sus), simply scroll down the list to find the one you’re looking for and tap to see it on the neck.

Gibson Chords

Unfortunately, you can’t actually hear a sample of the chord but hey that’s what your guitar is for right?

Other Features

It seems some of the logic behind releasing the app for free is so Gibson can advertise its “Learn and Master Guitar” program. The app actually comes with a number of sample videos for you to check out the series.

Despite owning the app for quite a while, I had never actually taken a look at any of these videos until I sat down to write this article. I thought that they would be short video clips that lasted only a minute or two but it turns out these are full blown 20-45 minute lessons! There is a lot of solid theory here for beginners all the way through to advanced players. Be sure to check out the jazz guitar lesson, it’s packed with great tips.

Gibson Video Lessons and Mobile Site

The final feature here is a mobile version of the Gibson website. There are quite a few things to check out including instrument prices, articles, news and more.

GuitarToolkit

GuitarToolkit is so similar to the Gibson app it feels like more of a major upgrade than a completely different application. Because of its impressively beefed up feature set, GuitarToolkit will set you back $9.99.

The chromatic tuner works just like in the previous app but feels tighter and has more visual indicators for how close you are to the center. As you can see below, there are also a couple of different styles for you to choose from.

GuitarToolkit Tuners

As you can see, GuitarToolkit has stunning interface that’s definitely not short on visual flair. At this point, it doesn’t seem too different than the previous app but the other features are where your money is really being put to use.

Metronome

On the surface, GT’s metronome seems almost exactly like that of the Gibson app. You set the BPM by either tapping or turning the knob and the little arched indicator goes back and forth to the beat.

GuitarToolkit Metronome

Underneath, there’s a lot more going on. For starters, you have a ton more time signatures to choose from, including 5/4, 6/8, and even 7/8 (if you frequently play in 5/4 and 7/8, you’re better than me). You also have a bunch of different sound effects to choose from and can enable a visual flash for those times when the music is too loud to hear your phone.

Fretboard and Chords

The features that really shine in this app are the fretboard and chord diagrams. The fretboard shows you interactive scales that go all the way up and down the neck. Tapping on a note will play it for you and you can switch between all the popular scales (major, minor, pentatonic, etc.).

GuitarToolkit Fretboard and Chords

The chord charts here blow away that of the previous app. Not only can you play and hear each chord but you can move it up and down the neck to see alternative voicings.

Both of these features are awesome for advanced players who don’t really need a standard chord chart but can really take advantage of the additional scales and chord forms.

As a bonus, you can change the guitar to left-handed or switch to a 12-string guitar or four string bass.

If you like GuitarToolkit, be sure to check out Ampkit, an awesome free amp modeling app from the same developer.

Other Guitar Tuners

The two apps above are definitely my picks if you’re in the market for a tuner. The second app might seem a bit pricey but when you consider that a music store can easily charge you $20 or more for a tuner, getting that plus a whole bunch of advanced features for $9.99 is a pretty good deal.

Below are a few more tuners that seemed worth mentioning. If you don’t like the apps above, give one of these a shot. I particularly like the simplicity of tun-d.

Cleartune – Chromatic Tuner

“With support for custom temperaments, transposition, notations such as solfège, adjustable calibration and more, Cleartune packs more power than most pro tuners, yet is simple enough for everyone to use. Cleartune can tune acoustic or electric guitar, bass, bowed strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, tympani, tablas and any other instrument that can sustain a tone.”

Price: $3.99

Cleartune

tun-d

“A dead simple, rock solid guitar and stringed instrument tuner. You will love it’s hands free operation and its big, bright and stable display. There is no fluff in this app, just the best and easiest to use electronic tuner available for the iPhone. Standard, chromatic and alternate tuning presets for guitar. Also presets for banjo, ukulele, mandolin, violin, viola, cello and more.”

Price: $3.99

tun-d

Tuna Pitch chromatic tuner

“Stay in tune with this chromatic tuner and pitch pipe for your musical instrument. It tunes not only with guitars, bass guitars, and banjos, but also many other instruments and even with your voice. (Just sing into it!) The tuner works with the built-in microphone on the iPhone, and with any audio that comes in from an external source, such as the microphone on a headset, on the iPhone and iPod touch second generation. The built-in pitch pipe lets you play a reference tone for tuning by ear. ”

Price: $2.99

Tuna Pitch

Tunic Guitar Pro

“Exclusively featuring StopperStimmung™ (1988), a slightly stretched tuning, which comes to meet more the musical intuition, than this is able with the conventional tuning: By the tunings recently discovered stunning structural symmetry, you can develop an amazing and clear sound on your instrument in chord playing through taking place of symmetrical beat reduction.”

Price: $99.99

Yep, you read that right, this one costs a whopping $99.99! Why does it cost so much more than other tuning apps? I haven’t the slightest clue, nor do I really understand the description above, but I definitely couldn’t leave this one out!

Tunic Guitar Pro

How Do You Get In Tune?

I looked at just about every guitar tuner there is on the app store and I have to say, this specific category is filled primarily with junk. The apps above represent the few gems that I pulled out of the mess, now it’s your turn.

Leave a comment below and let us know about your favorite tuner app. Also let us know which of the apps above you like best and help educate me on why I should drop $100 for the last one.

Hello iCoders. This is a follow up post to my initial post on the Assets Library Framework and Blocks. We came across an interesting problem when working on the application for Animoto.com. They have had an app in the store since the very early days of the app store, and one of our biggest struggles has been creating an interface to allow users to select multiple photos from their photo album for a slideshow. While the iPhone photos application allows for this, the UIImagePicker does not. With the release of the Assets Library framework we can now recreate the experience of the UIImagePicker, with some additional custom functionality to fit our needs. As a result we created a new cloned version of the UIImagePicker that allows for multiple photo selection just like the photos app. We have decided to open source the controller for other developers to use. This post will explain the process of creating the new image picker as well as the method of incorporating it into your code.

The ELCImagePickerController

The ELCImagePickerController is only possible because of the newly introduced Assets Library framework. This framework gives you raw (more or less) access to the photo and video elements of a user. We looked at UIImagePickerController and saw a lot of weaknesses with it. You can only select 1 photo at a time, and even in Apple’s photo app, where you can choose several pictures at a time, you can’t use multi touch to do your selection. To solve these problems we rolled our own solution that works very closely to UIImagePickerController.

How to use it

First I am going to explain using the picker since to many people the process of creating it won’t be very interesting. The image picker is created and displayed in a very similar manner to the UIImagePickerController. The sample application that is part of the GitHub project, where I distribute the controller, shows its use, but I will go into detail here. To display the controller you instantiate it and display it modally like so.

ELCImagePickerController *controller = [[ELCImagePickerController alloc] initImagePicker];
[controller setDelegate:self];
[self presentModalViewController:controller animated:YES];
[controller release];

The ELCImagePickerController will return the select images back to the ELCImagePickerControllerDelegate. The delegate contains to methods very similar to the UIImagePickerControllerDelegate. Instead of returning one dictionary representing a single image the controller sends back an array of similarly structured dictionaries. The two delegate methods are:]

- (void)elcImagePickerController:(ELCImagePickerController *)picker didFinishPickingMediaWithInfo:(NSArray *)info;
- (void)elcImagePickerControllerDidCancel:(ELCImagePickerController *)picker;

GIT Hub

You can find this project now on GitHub. Please let me know any issues you may have and look for future releases with feature enhancements

General Structure

The ELCImagePicker is a collection of UITableViewControllers that are placed inside a UINavigationController. While the ELCImagePickerController is actually 5 separate custom classes I have written, I have put them all within a single header and main. I chose this to make the classes that were required to be imported into a project when using this as few as possible.  While usually when presenting a UINavigationController you would create one yourself in code and use the initWithRootViewController method, in this case we have created a UINavigationController subclass called ELCImagePickerController which does all this behind the scenes. In the end all a developer has to do is use the initImagePicker method and present the controller modally. This lets the class match the functionality of UIImagePickerController closer. You can see the Header and Main for the ELCImagePickerController class below.

Today we presents roundup of useful WordPress plugins for September 2010.

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So, after almost two weeks on the UK staff favourites I thought I’d post some info on the downloads. It’s certainly made a difference to what I was getting before it went on the front page. Below are a couple of screen shots of the info on SLQ from iTunes Connect. This image shows the […]

Steve Jobs admitted it. Apple TV is a hobby. He has stated so more than once. But there are compelling reasons to believe that the newly released Apple TV Mark 2 matters even more than its expected sales (currently estimated at about a million devices per quarter) might indicate.

Here are some of the points that I believe are why Apple TV matters.

Apple skipped PVR and moved straight to content on demand. With the concept of a shared data cloud growing ever more important, a limited storage device that feeds on streamed content offers an exciting peek at our future. Apple’s rent-don’t-buy model transforms Apple TV into a controllable point-of-entertainment device outside of the iTunes purchase and TiVo recording model that has dominated the last decade. If you want to Netflix your entertainment, Apple TV provides that feature at a great price-point, as well.

Click “Read More” to check out the other four reasons.

TUAWFive reasons why Apple TV matters originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has given final notice to those publishing content through the old .Mac service.

A note was sent to MobileMe members today stating that as of the 8th November, web pages published using the obsolete .Mac service will become unavailable. Those publishing via iWeb will not be affected.

If you’re one of those still going about things this way, fret not. Your content will not be deleted. Instead, you’ll find your content stored on iDisk and, should you wish, you can re-published your content through MobileMe tools, like Gallery.

Apple first warned of shutting down its legacy .Mac services over a year ago. A FAQ page pertaining to this can be found on Apple’s support forums here.

It’s certainly the end of an era, but bigger and better things have arrived. Mark your calenders for November 8th and take a minute to remember just how far things have come.

[Via TheLoop]

TUAWApple will discontinue .Mac HomePage viewing Nov. 8 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I’ll admit it was a problem that I had created myself: I had moved my iTunes library from one computer to another. Then I tried syncing it across two computers. Add in a bunch of music from SXSW, along with other music given to me along the way, and before I knew it, my iTunes library was a 160GB mess. Worse, it was overwhelming. I never listened to any music because i knew that I was going to be frustrated by duplication and a bunch of songs that I didn’t enjoy.

So a few weeks ago I declared iTunes bankruptcy. I moved my ~/Music/iTunes library to my Desktop. I launched iTunes while holding down the option/alt key on my Mac and created a new library. It was completely empty, and full of possibility.

Click “Read More” to see what I did to restore sanity to my iTunes database.

TUAWiTunes bankruptcy, step one: The Great Purge originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dear Mark Zuckerberg,

You’ve made the the biggest social network on the planet, you’ve made quite a few enemies, and you’ve made Jesse Eisenberg into Hollywood’s next Oscar-winning megastar (I know all this because I just saw your Mr. Fincher’s movie). Now why can’t you make a Facebook iPad app?

When you announced your Event the other day, I got excited and thought one small announcement might be an iPad app. I wasn’t the only one either. But the event came and went, and while Facebook’s new download feature is freaking awesome, an official Facebook iPad app would be pretty cool too.

TUAWDear Mark Zuckerberg: Where’s the Facebook iPad app? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple is rumored to be discussing music subscriptions with major labels that would bring unlimited, streaming music to its iTunes customers.

According to the New York Post (NYP), Apple’s VP of iTunes Eddy Cue has been in talks with major labels about a subscription model that would give customers unlimited access to music for a monthly fee. Details are few and far between, but NYP’s sources suggest that the monthly cost could be around US$10-15. They also suggest that label representatives are receptive to the idea, as single-track sales have begun to decline.

Similar services like Rdio have gained a following by offering streaming and cached versions of favorite tracks for a small fee (Rdio starts at $4.99 per month). Spotify offers a similar service in the UK and is currently pushing for a US release.

TUAWRumor: Apple pursuing iTunes music subscription originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Legends has been out on the App Store for quite a while now, but if you (like me) haven’t seen it in a while, you might want to check it out again. Spacetime Studios has been steadily updating the game, and the title they showed off at GDC Online 2010 this week was pretty impressive — an instanced MMO, running in full 3D with three character classes, dungeons and loot, and almost all of the other trappings you’d expect from the genre.

This week, I got to sit in on both Cinco Barnes’ panel about the studio and its up-and-down background. I also chatted with the company’s CEO, Gary Gattis, both about Spacetime’s history and what it’s done with Pocket Legends so far, and what’s in store for the growing title.

TUAWGDC Online 2010: Spacetime Studios and the making of Pocket Legends originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When my wife got a new 2009 MacBook to replace her dead 2007 model, one minor irritation I had with the new MacBook was that its wall charger no longer worked with my Early 2008 MacBook Pro. That’s no longer an issue; today, Apple issued an SMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks and MacBook Pros which allows them to charge using the newer MagSafe adapters.

MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.4 is available either through Software Update or via direct download, and is applicable to the following models:

MacBook (13-inch Late 2007)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)

The update weighs in at a paltry 178 KB, but it does require a restart. I can confirm the update works as advertised, because my MacBook Pro is merrily whirring along while plugged into my wife’s MacBook’s MagSafe port. Hooray for unexpected fixes!

[via Mac|Life]

TUAWSMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks now available originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joshua Hill (aka p0sixninja) has tweeted that a public iOS 4.1 jailbreak is imminent. The jailbreak, codenamed greenpois0n, is due for release on Sunday, October 10th, assuming there are no last minute stumbling blocks. This jailbreak leverages the SHAtter exploit developed by @pod2g, based on a crash discovered by Hill and is expected to work on newer iOS 4.1 devices, including the refreshed Apple TV, iPod touch 4G, and iPhone 4.

TUAW recently posted about a video created by the team showing the Apple TV jailbreak in action.

[via Redmond Pie]

Thanks, Danny

TUAWiOS 4.1 jailbreak due on 10/10/10 10:10:10AM GMT originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey Auntie TUAW,

I just ordered my new Apple TV, and have a ton of footage in MKV, AVI, etc. which probably won’t work with iTunes, let alone my Apple TV.

What can I do to batch convert and import all my movies to iTunes, which will work with Apple TV and be as high-rez as possible?

With all my love,

Ari

TUAWDear Aunt TUAW: Apple TV and oddball video formats originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember when Civilization IV came out, and Mac users had to wait nearly a year for the game to come to OS X? You’d be forgiven for thinking the same thing would happen with Civilization V, especially since there’s been no official word from either Firaxis or 2K on when the turn-based strategy epic will make its way to the Mac. According to Mac Rumors, however, the wait for an OS X-compatible version of Civilization V may not be long at all — they claim the Mac port may be coming sometime in the next few weeks.

The Mac has enjoyed a sort of gaming renaissance in 2010, with Steam integration earlier this year followed by many high-profile titles (finally) making their way onto the platform. The Civilization series is one of the biggest names in PC/Mac gaming, so if it does indeed make it to OS X only a couple of months after its Windows debut, it’s another hopeful sign that game developers are finally taking Mac-based gaming seriously.

Civilization V requires registering with Steam, even if you bought a copy in a brick-and-mortar store. If you’ve already bought the game for Windows, you might not have to purchase it again to play it in OS X — so far this has been the case for other titles released through Steam’s online store, but it may or may not apply to copies bought through other retail outlets. Either way, I’ll definitely be holding off on purchasing the game until after I finish my Master’s thesis… because “Just one more turn” very quickly turns into, “Whoa, it’s February already?”

TUAWCivilization V coming to OS X soon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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