i-Tab. The first real time guitar chords, vocals and tempos

PREVIEW: I-Tab teaches songs in real time. Looks like a Mac product but isn’t!

There’s a neat device from i-tab.com that will allow players to advance guitar and more effectivily through learning tabs/chords to time.

Like Riffworks that I’m using, that keeps players to the tempo/beat and time, this goes a step further and tells you exactly what’s being played, when and how to sing it.

So, how does the i-Tab work? Well, obviously despite it’s name, this devise ISN’T a new device from Apple. I was very amused that their logos and website is so MAC it’s untrue.

What’s it like then? As with iTunes you can browse, listen and download and  store locally on a HD or use the 4GB of on-board memory within the device. It looks quite compact, but apparently there’s a 5″ touch screen, speakers, headphone slot, USB connector [not firewire].

The i-Pad is light [obviously not to over weigh your guitar at 0.14kg.Saying that, most BC Rich’s you will notice the unbalancing of neck to body!

On the plus side, i-Pad  seems supported with full legal downloads of backing tracks with associated tracks, chords, tabs, and lessons.They are not expensive as I thought, tracks come at 25 cents per tab, 50 per backing track and 99 for a video. BUT, note these prices say FROM. Those prices are probably one from Simon and Garfunkle and not the new Metallica album!

It’s no small cookie. But I guess it’ll take time for more fringe artists to get up there. News from other sites suggests they’ll be +5000 songs [NOT BANDS]. Some of the bands included with the i-Tab include: Pantera, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, AC/DC. Apparently i-Tab will be working like crazy to put new material up per week.

The i-Pad is packaged with 30 songs, some of which are from Metallica, AC/DC and Iron Maiden and costs 149 EUR.

Official site here: www.i-tab.com