Line 6® And Planet Waves® Announce First Interface To Control Musical Instruments Via Apple® iPhone™ At Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2009

Jun 08, 2009

Line 6, Inc. and D'Addario announced today at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference the development of the MIDI Mobilizer™, a portable Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) device, and Planet Waves Rig Remote™ iPhone software for use with Apple iPhone and iPod touch® using OS 3.0.

"With the MIDI Mobilizer, the iPhone becomes the most portable and versatile editor and tone storage device for your Line 6 gear," remarked Marcus Ryle, Line 6 co-founder and SVP of research and development, as he demonstrated a prototype this morning at Apple Inc.'s annual Worldwide Developers Conference. "Finding the perfect tone has never been easier."

When used with Rig Remote, the forthcoming iPhone app from musical-instrument company Planet Waves, MIDI Mobilizer gives guitarists the freedom to control Line 6 Variax® digital modeling guitars and Vetta™ II digital modeling amplifiers.

Digital modeling technology, which was pioneered by Line 6, makes it "possible to put the sounds of hundreds of amps, guitars and effects into one system," stated Ryle. Digital modeling "greatly simplifies the amount of gear needed for a guitarist to play a wide range of sounds."

Line 6 Variax guitars accurately model the distinctive sounds of 25 celebrated instruments including electric and acoustic guitars, a banjo and even an electric sitar. Line 6 Vetta II amplifiers feature models of 80 guitar amplifiers, over 80 effects, and more. All models can be controlled with Rig Remote and adjusted in real-time via its realistic, amp-panel-inspired knobs.

Planet Waves' Rig Remote app features an attractive graphical display that takes a nod from the Line 6 software commonly used to adjust Variax and Vetta II tones via personal computer. The iPhone display and touch screen make it simple to scroll, choose and adjust models of amps, guitars, pickups, pickup placement, alternate tuning and more. Guitarists can easily save their favorite settings and apply them to any Variax guitar or Vetta II amplifier.

MIDI Mobilizer and Rig Remote 1.0 are currently in development, with pricing, availability, and more detail on the complete feature set to be announced at a future date.