Technical help needed....

[rwillett]

Now that I have your attention, I'm hoping somebody can help me with a technical issue. It's odd, weird and very first world.

 

Background

 

1. I'm still learning to play bass, some people who have heard me think that is too strong a statement and that I haven't even started

2. I work in IT for a living so have a lot of laptops and other things lying around. My other half would say too much stuff and she's probably right.

3. My immediate solution to a problem is to solve it from an IT point of view. Thats what I do for a living so why wouldn't I?

4. I have a bass guitar lesson wth a bloke in Sedbergh who is an absolute genius when it comes to playing guitar and writing music down.  I am in awe of his skills and that rarely happens.

 

As part of my learning to play I have the following workflow setup.

 

1. My tutor will write something down in tabbed notation (e.g. second string, third fret) during the lesson

2. We practise and he pretends I'm doing well and then I go home and practise some more.

3. I normally transcribe his work into Guitar Pro 8 on my Mac. I have a legit copy and it's easy to do.

4. I then copy the .gp file to my iPad into the Guitar Pro 8 ipad app.

5. I 'play' the file on Guitar Pro 8 iPad app and it displays the tabs and plays back simple notes. I normally slow things down and then slowly get better.

6. I have an iRig HD that connects my bass to the iPad, I run either Amplitube 5 or Bias FX 2 on the iPad (works very well) and I use headphones to listen to the cats being strangled as I play.

 

So whats the issue?

 

1. The output of Guitar Pro 8 on the ipad is so low, I can't hear it properly. I can hear it in the headphones if nothing is being played, but the moment I play anything the Guitar Pro output is drowned out.

2. I have contacted Guitar Pro owners and raised a ticket.

3. Other people have had a similar issue with low volume.

 

My thoughts

 

1. I like seeing the tabs and hearing the notes as I practise in Guitar Pro 8 on my iPad. It makes a big difference to my practise.

2. I'm not wedded to Guitar Pro 8 but it's a great system on the Mac and I have paid for it.  The iPad version is not that good to be honest.

3. I have a NUX Mighty Pro as well and have connected the iPad up via Bluetooth and have the same issue as with the iRig.

4. I like using the iPad for this and it's dedicated for music.

 

What are my options?

 

1. At this point Guitar Pro 8 iPad works well visually but is rubbish for sound output. is there an alternative ipad app that shows the tabs and plays something resembling bass sound? It needs to show the tabs, thats critical.

2. Could I put a USB mixer on the headphones of the iPad and the output of iRig and then feed that into headphones? Amazon has some cheap ones. Not keen as this is yet more hardware.

3. Could we use a software mixer on the iPad to increase the volume of Guitar Pro 8 and blend it with the output of Amplitube or Bias FX 2?

4. Some other hardware option such as a Mod Dwarf and use the iPad just for controlling the Mod Dwarf. I know @Smanth loves her Mod Dwarf and it has an awful lot of inputs.  Does that take Bluetooth in?

5. Some other clever idea that I know nothing about.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

Best wishes

Rob

[ambient]

I saw an app demonstrated on instagram last week called Tomplay. It looked pretty good for people just starting out.

 

I use MuseScore for my scoring. I’m pretty sure it works with TAB. You could transfer your TAB as an XML file into MuseScore and have it play back the file. Its MIDI instruments are OK.

[rwillett]

5 minutes ago, ambient said:

I saw an app demonstrated on instagram last week called Tomplay. It looked pretty good for people just starting out.

 

I use MuseScore for my scoring. I’m pretty sure it works with TAB. You could transfer your TAB as an XML file into MuseScore and have it play back the file. Its MIDI instruments are OK.

I saw MuseScore and downloaded it, it mentioned a free three day trial and £69.99 subscription per annum, so it got deleted very quickly. Is there a free version or something?

 

Thanks

Rob

[ambient]

1 minute ago, rwillett said:

I saw MuseScore and downloaded it, it mentioned a free three day trial and £69.99 subscription per annum, so it got deleted very quickly. Is there a free version or something?

 

Thanks

Rob

Yes, the subscription is only for the pro version. Make sure you download from MuseScore dot org, and not MuseScore dot com.

[rwillett]

1 minute ago, ambient said:

Yes, the subscription is only for the pro version. Make sure you download from MuseScore dot org, and not MuseScore dot com.

I downloaded from the Apple app store, I'll have another go and see if there is a free version.

[ambient]

Just now, rwillett said:

I downloaded from the Apple app store, I'll have another go and see if there is a free version.

Here:

 

https://musescore.org/en

[rwillett]

You can use the iPad version for free but it constantly keeps nagging me to sign up for things. I look at a score, sign up, Iearn, sign up, local library give me your e-mail, it never ends.

 

It also seems to be sheet music only and my music reading skills are prerry much zero, however my daughters play Sax and Flute so they may have a look and see if it fits their needs.

 

Guitar Pro 8 on the iPad is very basic, but it does more or less do what I wanted, though the app does look very much like an afterthought compared to the desktop version. 

 

Thanks

Rob

Edited July 11, 2023 by rwillett

[Woodinblack]

You can output guitar pro to any midi source. Get a midi synth (or software midi synth) that is louder, or an amplifier.

Also with Guitar Pro, the bass is hard to hear as it is low - transpose the whole thing up an octave and it is a lot easier to hear.

[fretmeister]

All good advice up there ^

 

I am going to be 'that guy' though - if you are getting lessons, then learn proper notation while you are at it.

It's not difficult and it will open up so much other music options for you.

 

You don't need lessons to read tab - that's the point of it. But it doesn't give timing / rhythm information, only the note.

 

I resisted for many years and then got thrown into a big band. No tabs available. Changing keys (one does not retune a bass in that circumstance, and there's no time between songs anyway) and sometimes having to work something out from a written part for a different instrument.

 

It's definitely worth your time.

 

 

[ambient]

7 minutes ago, rwillett said:

You can use the iPad version for free but it constantly keeps nagging me to sign up for things. I look at a score, sign up, Iearn, sign up, local library give me your e-mail, it never ends.

 

It also seems to be sheet music only and my music reading skills are prerry much zero, however my daughters play Sax and Flute so they may have a look and see if it fits their needs.

 

Guitar Pro 8 on the iPad is very basic, but it does more or less do what I wanted, though the app does look very much like an afterthought compared to the desktop version. 

 

Thanks

Rob

Download it directly from MuseScore dot org.

 

It does do TAB too, I’ve used it with students in the past.

[rwillett]

@Woodinblack

 

Thats a good idea, didn't think of transposing. I know I can export this into Midi, but I wanted the tab notation displaying at the same time. Its nice folloiwng it along as it moves through the song.

I;ll try this.

[rwillett]

11 minutes ago, ambient said:

Download it directly from MuseScore dot org.

 

It does do TAB too, I’ve used it with students in the past.

 

I can't sideload on the iPad, so I have to download it from the Apple app store. I don't even know if you can jailbreak an IOS anymore, you used to be able to about ten years ago.

[rwillett]

14 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

All good advice up there ^

 

I am going to be 'that guy' though - if you are getting lessons, then learn proper notation while you are at it.

It's not difficult and it will open up so much other music options for you.

 

You don't need lessons to read tab - that's the point of it. But it doesn't give timing / rhythm information, only the note.

 

I resisted for many years and then got thrown into a big band. No tabs available. Changing keys (one does not retune a bass in that circumstance, and there's no time between songs anyway) and sometimes having to work something out from a written part for a different instrument.

 

It's definitely worth your time.

 

 

I've tried learning musical notation and I find it difficult. I thought i would be better as I have a maths background and have developed in over 40 different computer languages over the years, but like foreign languages, my brain doesn't want to work like that. I know some people just pick it up, my daughters read music, but I'm the kid in the class that struggles here and needs special tuition.

 

I'll have a look again and see if the last head injury at rugby has helped at all.

[pineweasel]

You could try Steinberg’s Dorico notation app on the iPad, entering your tab directly into it. It’s free to use for single instruments. 

[Dood]

Do you have any spare laptops?

 

I’ve been using GP8 on my laptops and desktops for years with sound issues.

 

Inside to use Bias FX but have used GP8 alongside most audio apps on my desktop without issue.

 

@rwillett

[rwillett]

@Dood I have a few spare ones here, I can see two spare Macbooks and a Windows one.

 

I was trying to just use the iPad as it's a bit easier. The problem with the Macbooks is that you have to stop and use a keyboard and/or mouse, the ipad is simpler, I did start with a Macbook as the irig comes with Amplitube. Perhaps the solution might be Amplitube, iRig and a midi foot controller. I have all of that, but my home office is pretty crowded already. Perhaps I need to declutter

 

The best solution would be Guitar Pro 8 to sort out their app and do something about their low volume level. I can but dream

 

Thanks

Rob

 

 

 

[Dood]

35 minutes ago, rwillett said:

@Dood I have a few spare ones here, I can see two spare Macbooks and a Windows one.

 

I was trying to just use the iPad as it's a bit easier. The problem with the Macbooks is that you have to stop and use a keyboard and/or mouse, the ipad is simpler, I did start with a Macbook as the irig comes with Amplitube. Perhaps the solution might be Amplitube, iRig and a midi foot controller. I have all of that, but my home office is pretty crowded already. Perhaps I need to declutter

 

The best solution would be Guitar Pro 8 to sort out their app and do something about their low volume level. I can but dream

 

Thanks

Rob

 

 

 

Just wondering, is it not possible to turn the level of bias way down and then crank up the output of the interface? 
 

If in this case there isn't sufficient output either the interface can’t drive the earphones or the earphones are presenting too much load on the interface. (An issue I definitely had trying to use a set of tracking cans with a USB powered interface in the past.  

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, rwillett said:

I've tried learning musical notation and I find it difficult. I thought i would be better as I have a maths background and have developed in over 40 different computer languages over the years, but like foreign languages, my brain doesn't want to work like that. I know some people just pick it up, my daughters read music, but I'm the kid in the class that struggles here and needs special tuition.

 

I'll have a look again and see if the last head injury at rugby has helped at all.

No more than 10 mins per day with genuine beginner / Grade 1 stuff

 

You’ll get it.

[SamIAm]

I use musescore on my macbook to put together basslines, it can display tab notation with timing markups and can play them back quite nicely.

I've never tried the iPad version, but I gather it can play back.

 

This app also looks quite funky

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/guitar-tabs-x-editor-guitar/id1138809362

 

S'manth x

 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Smanth

[SamIAm]

On another note (bada boom) I've been using musescore to try to get better at reading music, you can get it seup to show tab in parrallel and also print note names in the ususal musical notation.

 

S'manth x

[rwillett]

2 hours ago, Dood said:

Just wondering, is it not possible to turn the level of bias way down and then crank up the output of the interface? 
 

If in this case there isn't sufficient output either the interface can’t drive the earphones or the earphones are presenting too much load on the interface. (An issue I definitely had trying to use a set of tracking cans with a USB powered interface in the past.  

Tried that. The sound is just too low in GP8 on the iPad with an iRig.

 

The iPad is better using a Bluetooth Audio stream to the Mighty Nux Pro plug. My daughter nicked it off me, so I might nick it back and give her a lttle Vox AC30 headphone amp.

 

Rob

[rwillett]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

No more than 10 mins per day with genuine beginner / Grade 1 stuff

 

You’ll get it.

 

Mmmmm.....

[rwillett]

@Smanth

 

I don't think the iPad version of MuseScore uses tabs.  Sheet music yet, but not tabs. It states that it has guitar tabs in the app store description, but none of the app store pictures show tabs at all. I couldn't get it to open anything other than a few somgs unless I signed up or did the free trial, so gave up.

 

I've got Guitar Pro 8 on the Mac for reading music and tabs. I have to confess to not looking at the notes and only looking at the tab.

 

[rwillett]

let see if the makers of Guitar Pro 8 come back with any sensible suggestions. What I'd like to do is feed the output of that into either Amplitube or Bias FX 2. and from there into headphones.

 

Fall back is using a macbook which was not as easy as an iPad.

[SamIAm]

I can confirm Musescore does tabs on an iPad

But I hear what you say about the nag nag nag to sign up!

S'manth x