The iOS Amp Modeler App Thread!

[Sephael]

+1. I am wary of PG at this point. Their disjointed plugins and seemingly never ending push for people to buy and rebuy stuff (separate amp and "FX" plugins/apps, expensive tone matching version of desktop, lack of IR support (their next stand alone app, I'll bet, LOL), No unified Bias computer plugin, Jamup discontinued and replaced with FX, "packs" for everything, etc) make them seem like they are trying to come up with hyped (sponsoring youtube 'personalities' to promote them etc) stuff simply to get more cash as fast as possible.

They tend to not respond to criticism, support or feature requests, and do not seem to have any rhyme or reason to their product architecture other than how many possible cash extraction points can we generate.

I will not buy Bias FX at the current price with the current features. I have other more capable gear anyway.

It was like that time Nintendo put out the Super Nintendo and quit making stuff for the original, how the hell dare they!!! And oh my god, the system didn't even come with every game ever made so it was OBVIOUSLY a ploy to milk cash at every turn.

I could go on and pick apart every complaint you made as just being normal, but I think the point is made.

 

[marcwormjim]

First, explain how Bias FX is like a Super Nintendo.

 

[cubix]

It's a toy that tries to make you sound like something real (Like Nintendo made you think you're a marine shooting aliens) LOL.

 

[Elric]

It was like that time Nintendo put out the Super Nintendo and quit making stuff for the original, how the hell dare they!!! And oh my god, the system didn't even come with every game ever made so it was OBVIOUSLY a ploy to milk cash at every turn.

I could go on and pick apart every complaint you made as just being normal, but I think the point is made.

No, not really. I have been a tech enthusiast for decades so I get upgrade cycles. I have also been around long enough to see when a tech company has a disjointed development strategy that is simply throwing products at the wall to see what sticks. PG has been the latter of late.

But if you think having the FX engine and the amp modeling engine be separated plugins, if you think EQ matching warrants an entirely separate version of the plugin that costs twice as much as the amp modeler plugin, and having DLC packs for each of their FX/Amp plugins, and no support for user IRs on top of that is somehow recommended; you might want to reevaluate the other products on the market. If you think its awesome feel free to keep throwing money at these guys but I won't.

The iPad apps are good tools *for an iPad app*. I still recommend them for the most part. The plugins are a rip off.

PG's interfaces are *slick* their plugins sound okay. I need an external IR loader to make the amp plugin usable compared to PC quality tools... Their pricing policy for features delivered per product is a poor return on investment.

For the record I do not hate PG. I just think they need to up their game if they want to live up to their potential and compete at a higher level than par for mobile device apps.

 

[Sephael]

Haven't downloaded FX yet, but as I see it amp and effects apps being separate makes sense when you think about it. It allows you to use Audiobus to insert other effects between the two parts.

 

[marcwormjim]

That's all fine, I guess - But how can I use Audiobus to close the gap between Bias Fx and Super Nintendo?

 

[Zalbu]

So what's the difference between Bias and Bias FX? I've been thinking about picking up Bias FX for my desktop since I'm running Bias + Jamup on my iPad directly into my DAW when I'm jamming anyways, and the desktop version is way more convenient to use than fiddling around with an iPad.

 

[marcwormjim]

Bias is just amp modeling, Bias FX is somewhere between a POD and AXE-FX. Both have worse micro-transactions than an Iphone videogame.

Think of Bias as a software answer to Kemper.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So, good news for those of you that want more cab availability.



EDIT: Currently only BIAS desktop.

 

[Zalbu]

Bias on iOS now lets you use the amp modeling block so I went ahead and grabbed the amp Mark Holcomb made for his Bias demo video from the tone cloud and it's sounding pretty good on my setup. The tone they used on the Haunted Shores stuff is seriously one of my favorite recorded metal tones ever.

 

[PBGas]

Glad that they finally added this capability! Will try it out shortly!

 

[Zalbu]

Well, my Jamup Plug which has been held together with tape for the last months is finally on its last breaths. What interface do you guys recommend that won't break the bank completely?

 

[Chuck]

I liked both the Apogee Jam and the Line 6 Sonicport. Preference to the sonic port.

 

[tylerpond05]

Well, my Jamup Plug which has been held together with tape for the last months is finally on its last breaths. What interface do you guys recommend that won't break the bank completely?

If you have a little bit more to spend, I'd look into a dock, if you use an ipad.

Amazon.com: Griffin StudioConnect - Audio and MIDI Interface for iPad: Musical Instruments

If not a dock, Apogee: http://www.amazon.com/Apogee-JAM-96...ie=UTF8&qid=1442338173&sr=1-2&keywords=apogee

http://www.amazon.com/JAM-Studio-Qu...ie=UTF8&qid=1442338173&sr=1-7&keywords=apogee

 

[Zalbu]

That dock looks neat but a bit outside my budget if I want to buy it here in Europe. Looks like the only thing I can find around here is the iRig and iRig 2, does anybody know how the build quality is compared to the Jamup Plug?

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Just had to pop on here for the first time in forever to say this: Well thanks to PG being a total cluster .... lately and their updates being total ...., in addition to ignoring my suggestion to IMPORT AMPS AND PEDALS INTO BIAS FX FROM PEDAL AND AMP VERSIONS OF BIAS, I have decided to forsake Bias, JamUp and anything Positive Grid from my iPad and go with AmpKit because it is fast, easy and I actually get around to playing instead of tweaking.

And holy run on sentence, batman!

Tl;dr: .... Bias. Ever since they moved to desktop and catered to it, the mobile versions have been absolutely AWFUL!

 

[P-Ride]

Bias' iOS offerings are so convoluted in terms of which platform to use and where your purchases end up that it puts me off.

Nonetheless, amidst the mess I've worked out that JamUp Pro makes the most sense for practise and bought the pack of all gear.

It's great, but what I'm missing is the ability to drop any of my many gigabytes of drum loops in to play on constant repeat for jamming.

Any apps which offer this functionality yet? (Please quote if replying to me).

 

[marcwormjim]

I certainly backed the wrong horse in purchasing an Air 2 just for Bias FX when it launched last April. Sticking with iOS 8.4.1 has things running as smoothly as they can, but it's rare I make it a day without rolling my eyes at Positive Grid for something.

 

[marcwormjim]

Edit: Wrong thread.

 

[Mathemagician]

Just redownloaded jamup pro to my iPhone, looks like I've missed a lot. Damn. I may have to switch from the sound of it. Hopefully it's still ok for practicing to a click.