Tab hits the iPhone age

There are already a few companies making digital sheet music readers, but they're mostly expensive units for professional musicians. Now a company that calls itself iTab (subtract points for unoriginal, yet market-friendly name) has come up with a smartphone-sized device that's centered around the universal language of guitarists: tab (add points for enabling guitar geekery).

The touchscreen iTab lets you quickly flip through your tab list to select the song you want. Then the iTab will scroll through the lyrics and chords at whatever speed you select (so you can match the song's tempo) while you play along. Having trouble with a song? iTab offers downloadable videos to help you out with any tough parts. iTab has also built an accompanying store where you can download more tabs.

The iTab also has the ability to output the display to a TV so you can set up an instant guitar-and-karaoke party. There's even a mounting system that lets you keep it attached to your guitar's headstock. The best part is that with an estimated street price of $199, you don't have to be a professional to convince yourself to splurge on one (add more points for catering to hobbyists). The company has put some demonstration videos up on YouTube.



via engadget.

How to record good electric guitar sounds

There's a treasure trove of information stored on the various websites Musician's Friend runs which isn't very visible to the general public. Unless you know it's there, you'd probably never find it. From time to time I'll highlight some of these articles and help spread the wealth.

Guitar Miking: Getting a Great Guitar Sound is an article by the skilled Barry Rudolph. If you're unfamiliar with Barry, some of his credits include work on gold and platinum records by musicians such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Corrs, Waylon Jennings, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi, and The Beach Boys. Trust me, you're in good hands.

If you've ever struggled with getting the guitar sound you want for your recordings, check out this two-part article. It deals chiefly with speakers and mic positioning, delivering some basics on each and divulging some of Barry's favorite, tried-and-true techniques. There's a lot of voodoo out there on recording electric guitars but Mr. Rudolph slices through it with his practical, experience-honed take on the subject.

For more infomation on guitar miking and recording in general, check out Cherry Lane's DVD Miking Guitars In The Studio, Hal Leonard's Professional Microphone Techniques, or Hal Leonard's The Recording Guitarist.

For those just getting started in recording, check out books like Hal Leonard's Musician's Home Recording Handbook, Making The Ultimate Demo, The Desktop Studio, or Berklee Press' Recording and Producing In The Home Studio.