1. quarky_uk's Avatar
    I have an iRig which I used to connect my guitar to my iPad (now my iPhone) mainly for tuning, but also recording occasionally.

    Does anyone know if the headphone socket is two-way like on the PB too, and if so, is there an app (either native or android) that I can use to tune my guitar?

    A long shot I know, but thought I would ask!
    space_traveler likes this.
    01-07-12 04:33 PM
  2. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Yes, short shot - Guitar Tuner SE
    Also Instrument tuner
    Both very nice.

    Headphone socket is two way, but not needed the stereo mics in the playbook work fine

    Never discount the playbook!
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 01-07-12 at 04:42 PM.
    hpjrt and bluezone1 like this.
    01-07-12 04:40 PM
  3. alnamvet68's Avatar
    Gretsch Country Gentleman and a Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose

    Vox Supreme 700 Series Amp
    bluezone1 likes this.
    01-07-12 06:23 PM
  4. space_traveler's Avatar
    That's cool the headphone jack can be used as a mic input also, I wasn't aware of that. That makes the PB much more useful for recording and tuning. As a guitarist myself, I know sometimes you need to plug directly into a tuner to get an accurate reading, in noisy environments for example. Just works better direct in IMHO.
    01-07-12 06:37 PM
  5. canuckvoip's Avatar
    Gretsch Country Gentleman and a Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose

    Vox Supreme 700 Series Amp
    Gretsch is nice! And the CG is awesome!
    I'm on a PRS binge... 305, Mira, and SE ONE, also Yamaha Pacifica into Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and PRS H combo...
    Anyway... back on the tuner subject. I had the same query a while back but forgot to follow through. So... this thread prompted an experiment! (Sound of knuckles cracking)...
    I found a stereo cable with headphone on one end and two male 1/4" on the other. I plugged my guitar into the PB and started up "Instrument tuner". I tried both 1/4" jacks (left and right) and it "seemed" as though I was getting results. The display was showing the right note momentarily and then going wayward. Hmmm...
    I adjusted the sensitivity and got varying results but nothing to call solid. Then it dawned on me... Even with the cable plugged into the PB, the mics on it were still live! It was the mics picking up off of my electric guitar strings... NOT the cable.
    So I started up "Voice notes" and yes, it recorded my voice just fine while the cable is plugged in.
    It may be that my experiment or my PB is flawed, but I don't think so.
    Can anyone confirm that the headphone jack has a mic in? I thought I read somewhere that it does, but this little experiment seems to conflict with that hypothesis...

    EDIT...
    My lightbulb just went on! I found my original BB headset. It has 4 conductors (mic) not just 3 (stereo). I started up "Voice notes again, and this time It only picked up the mic in the earbud headset (proven by using the mute button).
    That being said, "Instrument tuner" does not recognize the mic input...
    So... it occurs to me that with the right cable and software it would work beautifully!
    Anybody else?
    Last edited by canuckvoip; 01-07-12 at 07:38 PM. Reason: I made a mistake
    01-07-12 07:28 PM
  6. space_traveler's Avatar
    I just tried plugging my guitar in to the PB, through my effects rig first (to get a little boost), with a typical ⅛ stereo jack (tip/ring/sleeve) and no sound is being recorded from my effects rig using Voice Notes. So either the headphone jack doesn't double as a mic input on the PB or I'm doing something wrong - e.g. using wrong plug type.

    Also tried with the free tuner app "Instrument Tuner" and it doesn't work when I walk away (5 - 10ft) from the PB while plucking various strings when cable is plugged in to PB. But when I again get up close to the PB it picks up the string sound and will tune strings.

    So far, no dice here getting the mic cable input to work, if there is a working one on the PB. After a Google search I can't find much about the headphone jack doubling as a mic input, and nothing about it in the PB user manual either.
    01-07-12 08:22 PM
  7. canuckvoip's Avatar
    See my "EDIT" above...
    It absolutely has mic input on the headphone jack.
    We need the right cable and software.
    I wonder of an Android app will work. I'd rather have a native app though...
    01-07-12 08:36 PM
  8. bluezone1's Avatar
    i had a ES 335 dot neck. now just a cheep epiphone "les paul jr.". i use the playbook to view pdfs of amp setting for my line6 practice amp.
    01-07-12 09:16 PM
  9. space_traveler's Avatar
    @ canuckvoip

    Ok so what kind of cable is it? Is it like the plug on the right side in the photo? The left plug in a standard ⅛" or 3.5 mm audio plug.

    01-07-12 09:17 PM
  10. Lead_Express's Avatar
    Gretsch Country Gentleman and a Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose

    Vox Supreme 700 Series Amp
    So classy. I am a Vox man as well; but with Les Paul guitars.
    01-07-12 09:23 PM
  11. alnamvet68's Avatar
    So classy. I am a Vox man as well; but with Les Paul guitars.
    Yes, I still have them....bought them in 1967 with money earned delivering pizzas. I thought I was a regular George Harrison at the time.
    Lead_Express likes this.
    01-07-12 09:34 PM
  12. canuckvoip's Avatar
    @ canuckvoip

    Ok so what kind of cable is it? Is it like the plug on the right side in the photo? The left plug in a standard ⅛" or 3.5 mm audio plug.

    Click to view quoted image
    Yes... the right one... 4 conductor. In looking closely at them both, they are pretty much the same length. That being said, the mic input must be on the sleeve. Not sure which one of the two conductors though...
    space_traveler likes this.
    01-07-12 10:21 PM
  13. canuckvoip's Avatar
    Yes, I still have them....bought them in 1967 with money earned delivering pizzas. I thought I was a regular George Harrison at the time.
    Good sir, that is a classic axe!
    01-07-12 10:22 PM
  14. space_traveler's Avatar
    Yes... the right one... 4 conductor. In looking closely at them both, they are pretty much the same length. That being said, the mic input must be on the sleeve. Not sure which one of the two conductors though...
    Thanks for the info.
    01-07-12 10:32 PM
  15. Lead_Express's Avatar
    I'm running a few fender 52 reissue telecasters with barden pups, a custom shop deluxe tele sunburst with barden pups, an original 52 tele with barden pups all through 2 mesa boogie 100w mark II c++ into 2 marshall 4X12 slants, one used for rythem, the other kicks in for solo's with an mxr distortion, boss delay, you get the drift......
    nice vintage beauties there! I've owned alot of good stuff. I once owned a 1968 silverface Twin Reverb but sold it. Now I've settled on my all in one Vox AD120 with celestion century speakers. Had alot of different guitars but continue playing various Les Paul models, my mainstay is my 2003 classic loaded with DiMarzio Breed pups but I also have an Ibanez Satriani that I like very much.
    01-07-12 10:36 PM
  16. hpjrt's Avatar
    I am older and in my very distant youth performed folk music. I have an almost 100 year old Dreadnaught Framus. It has beautiful beveling inside, still has great sound and is well loved.

    Since it is the unit's mic, do these apps permit my beautiful guitar to qualify for at least the tuning portion?
    01-07-12 10:57 PM
  17. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Just look at the mic/earbud that comes with your BB phone - four conductor. It works. Pretty sure that plugging it in disables the playbook mics...
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 01-07-12 at 11:53 PM.
    01-07-12 11:43 PM
  18. bluezone1's Avatar
    i wonder if that 4th conductor is the mic input. if so there is the point of contact to hook up your play book to the guitar and use the voicenote app.
    01-07-12 11:54 PM
  19. canuckvoip's Avatar
    i wonder if that 4th conductor is the mic input. if so there is the point of contact to hook up your play book to the guitar and use the voicenote app.
    I would have to say yes for sure. The sleeve portion of the plug is two conductors instead of one for normal stereo. One of them is the mic, and the other is he common ground.
    01-08-12 12:41 AM
  20. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Yes, I still have them....bought them in 1967 with money earned delivering pizzas. I thought I was a regular George Harrison at the time.
    It's supposed to be the other way around - buying pizzas with money earned from playing guitar.


    1967 - Vox Continental > Hammond M3 > Hammond B3/miniMoog > Diet rockstars.

    Heros:

    Mike Smith (Dave Clark 5) > Ray Manzarek (Doors) > Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) > Greg Rolie (Santana) > Greg Allmann (Allman Brothers) > Rick Wakeman (Yes) > Keith Emerson (ELP) > Rock is dead
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 01-08-12 at 01:07 AM.
    01-08-12 01:05 AM
  21. blackjack93117's Avatar
    Gretsch is nice! And the CG is awesome!
    I'm on a PRS binge... 305, Mira, and SE ONE, also Yamaha Pacifica into Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and PRS H combo...
    Anyway... back on the tuner subject. I had the same query a while back but forgot to follow through. So... this thread prompted an experiment! (Sound of knuckles cracking)...
    I found a stereo cable with headphone on one end and two male 1/4" on the other. I plugged my guitar into the PB and started up "Instrument tuner". I tried both 1/4" jacks (left and right) and it "seemed" as though I was getting results. The display was showing the right note momentarily and then going wayward. Hmmm...
    I adjusted the sensitivity and got varying results but nothing to call solid. Then it dawned on me... Even with the cable plugged into the PB, the mics on it were still live! It was the mics picking up off of my electric guitar strings... NOT the cable.
    So I started up "Voice notes" and yes, it recorded my voice just fine while the cable is plugged in.
    It may be that my experiment or my PB is flawed, but I don't think so.
    Can anyone confirm that the headphone jack has a mic in? I thought I read somewhere that it does, but this little experiment seems to conflict with that hypothesis...

    EDIT...
    My lightbulb just went on! I found my original BB headset. It has 4 conductors (mic) not just 3 (stereo). I started up "Voice notes again, and this time It only picked up the mic in the earbud headset (proven by using the mute button).
    That being said, "Instrument tuner" does not recognize the mic input...
    So... it occurs to me that with the right cable and software it would work beautifully!
    Anybody else?
    I don't think you' will have a lot of luck plugging guitar direct into playbook - impedance matching problem...use the bb headset pretty sure the headset plugged in turns off the playbook internal mics... - or actually I think the PB mics would work better they are not nearfield like the BB headset. Just keep the background noise down.
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 01-08-12 at 01:11 AM.
    bluezone1 likes this.
    01-08-12 01:07 AM
  22. bluezone1's Avatar
    ahhh my friend a simple capacitor in series should do the trick.
    01-08-12 01:33 AM
  23. canuckvoip's Avatar
    I don't think you' will have a lot of luck plugging guitar direct into playbook - impedance matching problem...use the bb headset pretty sure the headset plugged in turns off the playbook internal mics... - or actually I think the PB mics would work better they are not nearfield like the BB headset. Just keep the background noise down.
    Thanks for the input sir! (Pardon the pun) Impedance could be an issue... Hmmm... Yeah, I did prove the BB headset disconnects the mics.
    Thing is, I play in a band and for practice and gigging the mics will pick up way too much ambient noise. So, the only answer is plugging in.
    I think I might go all geek on this things' @$$ and get a 4 conductor plug that I can solder to a cable with a 1/4" female on the other end. That way I can take my normal guitar cable and plug it into this one.
    01-08-12 01:47 AM
  24. braindigger's Avatar
    Awesome thread. So fun to read.
    01-08-12 01:42 PM
  25. canuckvoip's Avatar
    I am older and in my very distant youth performed folk music. I have an almost 100 year old Dreadnaught Framus. It has beautiful beveling inside, still has great sound and is well loved.

    Since it is the unit's mic, do these apps permit my beautiful guitar to qualify for at least the tuning portion?
    Absolutely sir!
    Download "Instrument tuner" free from Appworld. It should work great for acoustic guitar.
    01-08-12 02:12 PM
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