For sometime now I’ve been considering building a guitar rig using MainStage. I thought it would make a great accessible alternative to rival a stand alone Multi FX/Amp Modeler unit that would not be as accessible without the computer. With a laptop, the Apogee Jam+ and something like an Air Step for switching, it’s portable if need be. Along the way though, I discovered how much I enjoy using the Apogee Jam+, especially it’s overdrive mode when playing and recording guitar parts. So this time out, we are gonna talk about how easy and fast it is to use the Apogee Jam+ to record guitars direct.
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The Apogee Jam+ is a small device not much thicker and longer than a couple packs of gum. It has a guitar 1/” jack on one end, and the spot to plug in the usb cable and headphones on the opposite end. On top is a round knob to adjust the input gain, and pressing it will toggle the overdrive mode on/off. Just behind that knob is a more rectangular button that toggles between your different monitoring options. As I typically don’t need to hear the dry direct Guitar sound, I usually leave the direct monitoring off, opting to use input monitoring in Logic so I’ll instead hear the guitar through the amp sim sound that I am using in the DAW.
While you can get an interface for this price that includes instrument inputs for guitar, which are very adequate for the job at hand, there is a quality to the Apogee Jam+’s DI sound that I like and I enjoy how the overdrive mode can push an Amp Sim a bit. Check out the demo, and if you record a lot of guitar, or want a portable guitar interface for when you are traveling, or one that you can use with your phone on the go (as it includes an USB A, Usb C, and iOS Lightening cable in the box), then consider checking out an Apogee Jam+ for yourself.
