ION Audio Guiter Apprentice Turns iPad Into Usable Guitar

Ion Audio, the maker of the iCade iPad arcade machine, has crafted a full size guitar accessory that houses an iPad. It then, using apps such as GarageBand, allows you to play virtual axe tunes with the addition of real frets.Guitar Apprentice will let you play the guitar and even give you lessons. Combined with other apps or games, it will give geek music lovers the best of both worlds. Use the iPad as a toy, and as a potentially serious musical tool.The Ion Audio Guitar Apprentice is a full-scale, electric-guitar-style controller.Which can be played anywhere as it requires no leads or external connections.

Guitar Apprentice is one in a series of music learning app-and-controller sets from Ion Audio, which also includes Piano Apprentice and Drum Apprentice, as well as Drum Master, which comes with a full-size electric drum kit. The plastic instruments connect to the iPad, and each shows students where or how to play, lighting up frets, piano keys or drum pads as appropriate. Teachers also appear on the apps to present basic lessons to users.Although the frets on the controller are designed to simulate fretting real guitar strings, it doesn’t look like the app will alleviate the sore fingers students will have if they ever move up to a real guitar.