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.

IRig BlueBoard works by wirelessly connecting to a dedicated iOS and Mac app called “iRig BlueBoard,” which receives Bluetooth control messages from the iRig BlueBoard hardware, and translates them into standard MIDI commands for any hardware or software instrument or MIDI-compatible app like AmpliTube. ‎THE IRIG BLUEBOARD APP FOR IPHONE, IPAD, AND IPOD TOUCH, WORKS IN TANDEM WITH IK’S NEW IRIG BLUEBOARD, THE FIRST WIRELESS MIDI PEDALBOARD FOR IOS AND MAC, CONTROLLING THE SETUP AND CONFIGURATION OF THE HARDWARE UNIT. The iRig BlueBoard pedalboard features 4 backlit footswitches that let you change. The irig blueboard app for iphone, ipad, and ipod touch, works in tandem with iks new irig blueboard, the first wireless midi pedalboard for ios and mac, controlling the setup and configuration of.

This review by: Eliot Fitzroy

iRig BlueBoard Review:

The iRig Blueboard comes in the familiar IK Multimedia high quality packaging which I really like. It’s easy to open without ripping (perfect if you want to sell used later) and inside the box you get the Blueboard itself, four triple A batteries so you don’t have to go to the store before you start using this, a one quick start guide, an IK Multimedia product catalogue and finally and most importantly a registration card with a unique serial number on the back that you will need in order to use this with IK Multimedia apps.
In terms of size the iRig BlueBoard measures just 27 cm wide x 9 cm deep (10.6″ x 3.5″) and only 2 cm (0.8″) tall and is very nice and light and will fit perfectly in your backpack or gig bag and the iRig BlueBoard specs are:
  • 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
App

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 Mac App

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 Application

Irig

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).

Irig

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.

This review by: Eliot Fitzroy

Irig Blueboard Mac App

To purchase, Check out iRig BlueBoard check it out on Amazon for the cheapest deal.

Irig Blueboard Mac App Free

Promo Video – iKMulimedia – iRige Blueboard