CES 2012: iAxe – the guitar for tablets

At the Consumer Electronics Show, developer and manufacturer of musical instruments, Behringer, has announced the iAxe Guitar ‚ a tablet-based guitar that they say will change people’s perceptions about making music.

The iAxe is much more than an electronic controller or user interface for the iPad: which sits snugly inside the body of the guitar. Designed around an open eco system of apps, the iAxe Guitar is based on Behringer’s concept of ‚progressive discovery‚ to unlock the joy and fun of making music without the frustration that many beginners experience. Bridging the gap between games such as Guitar Hero and a real guitar, the iAxe is the perfect entry point for aspiring guitarists.

iAxe ships with a range of free apps, allowing a user to start playing right out of the box: learn to play the guitar, add percussion, bass tracks and even build and control a whole band. ‚Air Guitar‚ mode allows anyone to play classic songs with skill, while ‚On Stage‚ can trigger other instruments and let you play your own complex composition live. A second dock located on the headstock area allows the player to read music or lyrics from an iPod or iPhone while playing.

As a classically trained pianist who has played on stage with some of the world’s best guitarists such as Lee Ritenour, company founder and CEO Uli Behringer is listed as the patent’s Inventor and has been the key driving force behind the product’s development.

‚With the iAxe Guitar I wanted to make a product that introduces everyone to the lifelong pleasure of making music by not only providing instant musical gratification but to also guide and grow the musician’s talent toward becoming a sophisticated guitar player. The iAxe Guitar uses the power of a tablet computer and the creativity of our partner developers to become a truly open platform for musical expression,‚ stated Uli Behringer.

The iAxe Guitar is only the latest product announcement from Behringer at this year’s CES, where the company has launched 50 new products aimed at consumers. Known primarily for their high-end professional audio and musical instruments, Behringer has made a grand debut at CES this year, launching their Eurosound consumer line that includes instant hits like the SPLASH 100 pool speaker, the Soundscape Air wireless iPod dock and the massive 10,000 Watt iNuke BOOM: the world’s loudest and most powerful made for iPod and iPad dock.

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