iRig Blueboard
With this morning’s update to forScore 6.1 and the exciting addition of MIDI integration, it’s worth taking a look at IK Multimedia’s wireless MIDI controller: the iRig Blueboard. We’ve been testing one over the past few weeks and found it to be a compelling and capable controller, worth considering if you’re looking for a page turner.
iRig BlueBoard is IK’s wireless bluetooth MIDI pedalboard, letting you control your music apps and more, right from the floor. This new Firmware Updater app now allows you to apply firmware updates wirelessly, over-the-air, without needing to connect Blueboard to a Mac or PC. Get notified whenever. IRig BlueBoard is the first wireless MIDI pedalboard that allows you to control your music apps and more from the floor. The iRig BlueBoard features four backlit soft-touch pads housed in a sturdy, a stage-worthy chassis, two TRS expansion jacks for connecting additional MIDI controllers like expression pedals and it's powered by four standard AAA batteries. For more information.See how the iRig BlueBoard app and iRig BlueBoard wireless MIDI pedalboard controller allow you to.
The popular existing choices, the AirTurn BT-105 and PageFlip Cicada, are distinct takes on what a page turner should be and have their own advantages and disadvantages, but the iRig Blueboard is an even bigger departure: it uses Bluetooth 4.0 for incredible energy efficiency, features four soft backlit buttons instead of pedals, and communicates via MIDI instead of impersonating a standard computer keyboard (which works around iOS’ cumbersome virtual keyboard behavior).
BlueBoard iOS app runs in background on mobile devices or Mac computers and translates Bluetooth messages to MIDI; Requires 4 standard AAA batteries; Dimensions (W x D x H): 275 x 92 x 25 mm; Weight: 250 g; iRig BlueBoard is compatible with iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 5th generation, iPad 4th generation, iPad 3rd generation and iPad Mini. IRig BlueBoard is the first wireless MIDI pedalboard for iOS and Mac that allows you to control your music apps and more from the floor.Now control parameters of your MIDI-compatible apps like AmpliTube wirelessly from the floor. Switch between presets, change patches, turn effects on and off.
The iRig Blueboard requires an intermediary app to function, so you need to install it and keep it running in the background whenever you want to use the Blueboard. This is perhaps the biggest disadvantage when compared to other page turners, although the app does give you the added ability to program the four backlit buttons to send different signals. You can use forScore to map those signals to specific functions, just like you can with the other page turner options (choose “Settings” from the tools menu, then select “Page turners & shortcuts”). All in all, it’s a great option for anyone who can benefit from MIDI compatibility in other apps, and the best deal for four controls in a power-conscious, self-contained package.
Epic Tutorials IK MultimediaiRig Blueboard review, tutorial & unboxing where we put IK Multimedia’s BlueBoard through it’s paces and teach you how to use it
The iRig BlueBoard app is available as a free download from the App Store.
This review by: Eliot Fitzroy
iRig BlueBoard Review:
- Bluetooth Wireless MIDI Pedal Board
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), extremely low power consumption
- Backlit rubber pads for easy identification in the dark
- Completely wireless, battery powered (4 x AAA)
- Completely customizable setup via the iRig BlueBoard dedicated iOS and Mac apps
Let me just start this iRig BlueBoard review by focusing on the build quality of the IK Multimedia’s Blueboard. It is made from high quality plastic that feels pretty sturdy and well made and features four backlit soft-touch pads that are really nice to touch with your hands, but as there is no click like standard guitar pedals you will only know you have successfully pressed it once you take your foot off it to see it illuminated.
On the side of the Blueboard you have two quarter inch inputs to connect expression pedals and on the bottom it has a battery compartment for the four triple A batteries to power the device and an on off switch. As the Blueboard uses Bluetooth 4.0 it uses very little juice and should last you ages and you the BlueBoard app will let you know what the status of your batteries is which is a nice feature.
The design of the iRig BlueBoard is spot on and dead simple. The soft-touch pads are a good size and spaced far enough apart that you can easily stomp on them without worrying about accidentally turning the pads either side off or on. There is a small LED under the bluetooth icon in the upper front right that will flash when powered on but not connected to the app and turn solid blue once a connection has been established. Whilst the BlueBoard hardware is very nice, this doesn’t mean anything if the software used is not up to scratch.
iRig BlueBoard App Review:
In order to use the iRig BlueBoard you will have to download IK Multimedia’s free iRig BlueBoard app from the App Store and it is available for both iOS and the Mac which is great news if you work on either or both platforms. You must run this app in the background in order for the iRig BlueBoard to communicate with any Core MIDI compatible app as it acts as an intermediary translating the signal from the BlueBoard foot-switch to something your app of choice can understand.
Irig Blueboard Mac App Download
The iRig BlueBoard’s app interface is dead simple and very easy to use and has the ability to run in two different modes. The first is program change mode and this setting is used for switch amp presets in apps like Amipltube and Jamup Pro for example. You can move up and down through banks by tapping and holding either the A or B pedal for two seconds which means you don’t have to do any swiping in your app of choice, allowing to focus more and playing guitar!
The second mode is MIDI Control Change mode and this is used to send MIDI CC specific commands to compatible apps allowing you to do things like turn an effect on or off or stop and start recording. The iRig BlueBoard app allows you to create custom presets and choose not only which MIDI channel the signal is sent over (1-16 or all channels), but you can customise the individual soft-pad MIDI cc value, name it and load it whenever you want to use a specific app that uses those settings (we did this for Jamup Pro).
Don’t think this device is for guitarists only by the way. We have used it with Loopy HD (our favourite iOS loop station app) and it is a dream combination! Make sure your watch our video review and tutorial above to see this in action.
Irig Blueboard Mac Apps
This review by: Eliot Fitzroy
To purchase, Check out iRig BlueBoard check it out on Amazon for the cheapest deal.
Irig Blueboard Mac App Download
Promo Video – iKMulimedia – iRige Blueboard