Posted in: Guitar by sgkeat on February 14th, 2011 | 5 Comments
After learning guitar from printed tab sheets for so long, I finally found three interesting tools to help me in my learning journey- the iPad tablet computer and two applications. I do hope budding guitarist will consider these treasures as well.
Actually, it’s now my iPad rather Apple’s since I paid for it. Although news of the second version of the Apple Ipad has been out for a week now, I don’t think I regretted my decision to buy one last week. I did not mean to use it for learning guitar, but rather as a tool to surf the internet anyway in the home using the built-in wifi.
After scouring the Apple iTunes store for loads of free games and application to fan my diverse interests (such as logic puzzles, bible resources and drawing applications), it suddenly dawn on me to search for guitar learning resources.
All this while, I had been relying on various guitar learning websites to self-teach myself fingerstyle guitar. For those who are interested, you might want to visit the followings sites:
These two sites have been my constant companion, and they will still be helpful in the coming days.
It is only through the iTunes search that I chanced upon the two following applications that made me realize the amount of dedication people put into their passion: Wkode’s iPlay Classical Guitar and Agile Partner’s TabToolkit. These two applications have been available for sale for more than half a year already, so I am pretty sure with the constant development from the developers, the current version are pretty stable. I purchased them for download with little hesitation or doubt, and I am not disappointed.
The first application is by wkode called iPlay Classical Guitar. It cost US$0.99 and is well-worth every cent. It uses the screen to layout various notes of the musical scale (which can be customised) to simulate the guitar notes, not necessarily the guitar itself. To me, it is almost like an instrument all by itself. Rather than short-selling the application, you should hear it from the developer himself and be amazed. If you are a budding guitarist, do consider supporting this talented guy by purchasing and learning music theory the fun way. I know that in the coming months, I will be trying out, and even if I fail (which I hope not), it is only 99cents.
In the first video, the developer introduces his application while in the second video shows how he plays a complicated Canon in D (a favorite bridal march).
The developer’s site is here.
Touted as the first iphone guitar tablature application, TabToolkit allows a player to play to the sheet music as it scrolls to the tempo of the song. It allows for multitracks for accompaniment as well. One nifty feature is allowing the user to search for tabs from the internet or to download wireless available tabs in the user’s desktop computer. While I am right-handed, left-handed guitarists might be interest to know the option to cater for lefties have been programmed for.
The application allows you to import various existing formats of tablature and score such as PowerTab and GuitarPro, two popular desktop-based guitar transcription applications. It allows the user to view the music in standard music notation or in tablature.
Although TabToolkit started as iphone application, it has now been developed as an iPad application as well. Given the larger screen estate of the iPad, playing along the scrolling music notation or tablature is a breeze and the automated counting of the muscial notes allows you to learn to play either at slow speeds or preferred speed of the score, guided by an tracking line to show where your current playing position should be. As with most desktop guitar applications, there is the option of displaying either a fretboard or a keyboard to learn finger placement.
Here is Agile Partner’s homepage. They do develop other music products/applications which might be worth my look at a later time.
I am sure there are tons of free guitar-related applications within iTunes, but for someone who has been playing guitar and searching (within iTunes for the last 3 weeks), these two are what I would term as treasures, although they are not free treasures per se. The Apple iPad has now been transformed from a toy to a educational tool for me.
Wish me luck in my learning journey, and thanks to the developers for such amazing applications!!!
(C) copyright 2011.
8-) sgkeat
Here are some of my other articles:
scheng1 February 14th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Interesting. Hope you don’t use the same method to learn to fly the aeroplane.
LCM Linda February 14th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Sounds interesting. I tried to learn playing guitar, but my fingers were too weak. Using iPad with these wonderful applications may be a good solution to me. Thanks for sharing.
tiffi February 14th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
I really want to know how to play the guitar!!! Great share
CHIPMUNK February 15th, 2011 at 4:30 am
good info
cyrenjan February 15th, 2011 at 9:35 am
really loved to learn playing guitar…