Amp rack Setup Guide
Connect Your Guitar to Your Android Phone
Welcome, Guitarist!
You're moments away from using your Android phone as a powerful guitar effects processor with Amp rack. This guide will walk you through the essential hardware and steps to get you connected and playing. The most important choice you'll make is *how* you connect—using a simple headphone jack adapter or a dedicated USB interface.
What You'll Need
Electric Guitar
(or acoustic-electric)Android Phone
(with Amp rack installed)Headphones
(Essential for monitoring)Audio Interface
(Your connection method)Choose Your Connection Method
This is the most important step. Select the type of hardware you have. A USB interface (Method 2) will almost always give you better sound quality and lower latency (delay), but a TRRS adapter is a simpler, cheaper starting point.
Step-by-Step Guide
Method 1: Using a TRRS Adapter
This method uses the 4-pin connector on your headphone jack. If your phone doesn't have a headphone jack, you'll need the USB-C to 3.5mm dongle that came with your phone.
- Plug in your adapter: Connect the TRRS adapter to your phone's headphone jack (or dongle).
- Connect Headphones: Plug your headphones directly into the headphone port on the TRRS adapter. Do not use Bluetooth headphones, as they will have too much latency.
- Connect Guitar: Plug your standard 1/4" guitar cable from your guitar into the guitar input on the TRRS adapter.
- Open Amp rack: Launch the app. It should automatically detect the audio input.
- Check Settings: Inside Amp rack, go to settings and look for an audio or latency setting. You may need to select "TRRS" or "Headset" as the input. Set the latency as low as possible without hearing cracks or pops.
- Rock On: Turn up your guitar's volume and start playing!
Method 2: Using a USB Interface
This is the professional method and gives the best results. You will need an OTG (On-The-Go) adapter to connect the interface's USB cable to your phone's charging port.
- Connect Interface to Phone: Plug your USB interface's cable into the OTG adapter, and then plug the OTG adapter into your phone's USB-C or Micro-USB port. Your phone should power the interface (a light will usually turn on).
- Connect Headphones: Plug your headphones into the interface's headphone output jack, not the phone's. This is for zero-latency monitoring.
- Connect Guitar: Plug your guitar cable into the interface's "Instrument" or "Hi-Z" input.
- Set Gain: Turn on the interface (if needed) and set the input gain. Strum your guitar loudly and turn the gain knob up until the "peak" or "clip" light just barely flashes red, then turn it down a tiny bit.
- Open Amp rack: Launch the app. It should ask for permission to use the USB audio device. Grant it.
- Check Settings: In the app's settings, make sure the USB device is selected as the input and output. Adjust the buffer size (latency) to be as low as possible (e.g., 64 or 128 samples).
Key Settings & Tips
About Latency (Delay)
Latency is the small delay between when you pick a note and when you hear it. On Android, this is the biggest challenge. To fix it:
- Use Method 2 (USB): USB interfaces have dedicated hardware to be fast.
- Lower Buffer Size: In Amp rack's settings, find "Buffer Size" or "Latency". Set it to the lowest number (e.g., 128, 64) your phone can handle without crackling sounds.
- Close Other Apps: Free up your phone's resources.
Monitoring Your Sound
Always use wired headphones. Bluetooth has too much latency.
- If using Method 1 (TRRS), plug headphones into the adapter.
- If using Method 2 (USB), plug headphones into the interface's headphone port for the best (zero-latency) experience.
Troubleshooting
I can't hear anything!
1. Is your guitar's volume knob turned up? (Seriously, check it.)
2. Are your headphones plugged in all the way?
3. If using USB, did you set the gain knob on the interface?
4. Inside Amp rack, check that the correct input/output device is selected.
5. Restart the app after plugging everything in.
There's a really annoying delay (latency).
This is the classic Android audio challenge. See the "Key Settings & Tips" section above.
1. Lower the buffer size in Amp rack's settings.
2. If using a TRRS adapter (Method 1), there will always be some delay. A USB interface (Method 2) is the best fix.
3. Make sure no other apps are running.
The sound is all noisy, hissing, or crackling.
1. If it's crackling/popping, your buffer size is too low. Go into settings and raise it (e.g., from 64 to 128).
2. If it's hissing, your gain might be too high. If using a USB interface, turn the gain knob down. If using a TRRS adapter, you might be too close to other electronics causing interference.
3. Check your guitar cable. A bad cable is a very common source of noise.