Gibson Guitars has released a free iPhone app that, while visually targeted at electric guitarists, contains a number of valuable features for any six stringer.
Called appropriately enough, The Gibson Guitar App, it features a number of different tuners. There is an automatic chromatic tuner that will identify and track whatever note is played, a simple tuner that only tracks the six open guitar string tones, and tuners that will track the open strings of a number of popular open tunings.
The app works on both the iPhone and the iPod Touch, but since the Touch has no microphone, it’s functionality as a tuner is limited. The iPhone will display graphically when a note is in tune, or whether it is sharp or flat, while the Touch interface allows you to select specific notes to be played through the headset.
There is also a metronome that can play back whatever bpm you select, or a speed you determine by tapping the screen. Chord shapes and voicings can also be displayed, and Gibson promises to offer regular updates to what can be accessed through this app.
Gibson has clearly presented this as a guitar-specific app, but the chromatic tuner and metronome would be equally useful for banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass and reso players as well.
There is no charge for this app, which can be downloaded from the iTunes app store online.
