Belt, braces and a bit of string, just in case...

[noelford]

As I may have mentioned (ad nauseum!), these days, all my effects processing, amp modelling (as well as backing tracks) are done with the JamUp Pro app on my iPad. However, even though (or maybe, because) I have worked with computers for well over 30 years, I still don’t trust them, and it has alway been a worry that, if my iPad throws a wobbly on a live gig, I’ll be well and truly stuffed.

Bearing that in mind, I have developed a fully independent back-up system that I can switch to in seconds. I finally got it together, today, and am very happy with the result – and everything, main rig and back-up rig, fit nicely together on to a music stand, using Velcro pads. The only thing not backed up here is the Bose L1 Compact amp that both rigs run into, but any PA system at the venue would suffice in an emergency. Backing tracks I already have backed up on my iPhone and a MacBook.

The main rig comprises just the iPad, which is interfaced using the iRig Stomp pedal.

The back-up rig comprises Dyna Comp compressor, Stanley FX overdrive, Stanley FX eTap pedal (the new one with halo), Marshall Reflector reverb and Joyo AC Tone.

Despite the big physical differences between the two rigs, the tones I am getting are remarkably similar and are really excellent. Some numbers sound slightly better on the iPad rig and others sound slightly better on the back-up rig. Switching between the two, however, is so quick and easy , that it is viable to switch back and forth between the two, even on a live gig.

One thing about the eTap pedal. I know some people have bought them and then sold them because there are no presets and they found setting up for different numbers a bit fiddly and time-consuming. I have found that by having an easy reference chart for the basic echo settings (that’s it, above the iPad), it is just as quick making a setting as selecting a preset patch.

I’m already looking forward to the next gig to give it a thorough work out.

[Hank2k]

nice little setup there Noel. i keep messing about with an Ipad rig but i still come back to hardware, i guess im just a little stuck in my ways but carrying an AC30 around is a bit of a pain sometimes especially if you can get somewhere near it with a little setup like that.

[kipper]

great stuff noel and all without parting with mega money. peter

[noelford]

The object of the exercise was not simply to have a back-up rig, but one that could be switched over to in seconds, on the fly, and which did not involve a load more physical gear to be hauled around. With this set up, additional weight is negligible and the number of trips between car and stage remain the same.

[dakwah]

Hi Noel

well organised board. Wish my house was this tidy. Love the stickers on the joyo.

will be interested to here how it worked under gigging conditions.

Stan

[noelford]

I have tried the Joyo out on a gig and it sounded really good, using it with my old back-up rig which included a Quad GT. I will try it in the new set-up at our club meeting next Saturday afternoon. Playing around with the new rig in the the house, I'm getting excellent sounds for everything from clean Shad's tones to overdriven stuff like Gary Moore's The Loner. It's almost a shame that the iPad does the job so well, I won't need to use the new rig a lot in normal circumstances!