Help Wiki & Documentation (v4.0.36)

Welcome to the official GAAP Help Wiki. This document covers all the features of the AI Guitar DSP & Drums engine.

1. Audio Engine, Latency & Hardware Debugging

GAAP uses a custom-built, ultra-low latency C++ DSP audio engine designed for professional musicians.

• Audio Latency Setting: Found in the top toolbar settings (Gear Icon). You can adjust the internal buffer size to prioritize speed (lower numbers like Ultra Low) or stability (higher numbers like Safe). If you hear crackling or popping on older budget devices, increase the latency multiplier slightly. Flagships should use Ultra Low.
• Hardware Debugging (The Audio Setup Wizard): If you are unsure whether your USB-C interface, TRRS adapter, or headphones are wired correctly, tap the hardware Help icon (question mark) in the app and select "Audio Setup Wizard". This tool acts as a hardware wiring debugger. It will automatically ping your hardware output, listen to the hardware input, and visually tell you exactly where the signal is failing (e.g., "The app cannot hear your guitar. Check your TRRS input connection"). Use this to instantly debug faulty cables or incompatible Dongles.
• Input Muting: You can mute the incoming guitar signal entirely while keeping the drum sequencer running.
• Hardware Requirement: True low-latency performance requires a dedicated USB-C audio interface (e.g., iRig, etc.). Bluetooth headphones are entirely unsupported for live monitoring due to the massive latency introduced by the Bluetooth protocol itself.

2. The Guitar Effects Chain

The signal path in GAAP flows sequentially through a massively capable chain. You can individually toggle each effect or dive deep into their parameters by pressing the settings icon on each block.

Dynamics & Boost

Control your core signal strength before it hits the gain stages. Choose from the following algorithms:

• Freeware
  • Boost: A transparent volume booster with Mix, Gain, Tone, and Output Level controls.
• With Payment
  • Sustain: A squashed compressor to level out your picking dynamics with Mix, Sustain, Attack, Release, and Output Level controls.

Noise Gate

Essential for high-gain playing. Features Threshold (to clamp down on hum/buzz) and Reduction (how aggressively silence is applied) controls. (Freeware)

Overdrive & Distortion

GAAP models several distinct drive circuits. Choose from the following algorithms:

• Freeware
  • Mid-Hump: Based on the Ibanez Tube Screamer. Includes Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Drive, Tone, Level, and Master Volume controls.
  • Clipping: Simple Hard-Clipping distortion with Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Gain, Level, and Master Volume controls.
• With Payment
  • Mid-Hump SD1: Based on the Boss SD-1. Features Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Drive, Tone, Level, and Master Volume controls.
  • Transparent: Based on the Klon Centaur. Includes Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Drive, Tone, Level, Master Volume, and a unique Clean Blend control.
  • Fab: Based on a Fender Amp-in-a-Box. Features Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Drive, Tone, Level, Master Volume, and Tube Sag controls.
  • MAB JCM800: Based on a Marshall JCM800. Features Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Gain, Master Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Presence controls.
  • MAB JTM45: Based on a Marshall JTM45. Features Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Gain, Master Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Presence controls.
  • VAB AC30: Based on a Vox AC30. Features Mix, Dry Pass-Through, Drive, Master Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and a signature Top Cut control.

Tone Shaper (6-Band EQ)

A specialized 6-band graphic EQ positioned directly after the overdrive loop. Use the Tone Shaper for precise post-distortion frequency sculpting to dial out harsh fizz or boost your mids to cut through the mix. Features 6 adjustable frequency bands, each with Gain and Q controls. (Freeware)

Modulation (Customizable Order)

The modulation block contains 5 distinct effects. You can reorder these effects to your preference by dragging them in the modulation chain UI!

AutoWah

• Freeware
  • Classic: Envelope filter that reacts to picking dynamics. Features Mix, Sensitivity, Attack (ms), Release (ms), Gain (dB), Base Frequency, and Q.
• With Payment
  • Modern: A tighter, more responsive envelope filter with Mix, Sensitivity, Attack, Release, Gain, Base Frequency, and Q.
  • Custom: Fully adjustable envelope parameters with Mix, Gain, Sensitivity, Attack, Release, Base Frequency, and Q.

Tremolo

• Freeware
  • Optical: Vintage soft volume modulation with Mix, Rate, and Depth controls.
• With Payment
  • Sine: Clean, modern volume modulation with Mix, Rate, and Depth controls.
  • Harmonic: Brownface-style frequency-splitting tremolo with Mix, Rate, Depth, and Crossover Frequency controls.

Phaser

• Freeware
  • Phase 90: Classic 4-stage phaser with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, and Feedback controls.
• With Payment
  • Small Stone: Vintage OTA-style phaser with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, and Feedback controls.
  • Modern: High-fidelity phasing with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, Feedback, adjustable Stages, and Feedback Polarity (+/-).
  • Custom: Deeply customizable phaser with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, Feedback, adjustable Stages, and Feedback Polarity.

Flanger

• Freeware
  • Electric Mistress: Vintage liquid flanging with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, and Feedback controls.
• With Payment
  • ADA Flanger: Modern versatile flanging with Mix, Level, Rate, Width, Regen, and Manual sweep controls.
  • Through-Zero: Exotic deep flanging with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, and Dry Delay (ms) offset controls.

Chorus

• Freeware
  • CE-1: Vintage warm analog chorus with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, Feedback, and Dry Delay (ms) controls.
• With Payment
  • Small Clone: Deep, lush chorus with Mix, Level, Rate, and Depth controls.
  • Dimension: Transparent spatial chorus with Mix, Level, Mode, and Stereo Width controls.
  • Tri-Chorus: 80s studio lush chorus with Mix, Level, Rate, Depth, and Voices controls.
  • Detune: Modern LFO-free micro-pitch doubling with Mix, Level, and Pitch Shift (cents) controls.

Delay

Time-based echoes. Choose from the following algorithms:

• Freeware
  • Mono: The classic Mono Delay with Mix, Song/Trainer BPM tempo-sync, Delay Time (when tempo-sync is not engaged), and Feedback.
  • Stereo: Independent left and right delays with Mix, Tempo-sync, L/R Delay Times, Stereo Width, and Feedback.
  • Ping-Pong: Alternating left/right echoes with Mix, Tempo-sync, L/R Delay Times, Stereo Width, and Feedback.
• With Payment
  • Tape: A modified classic Tape Delay with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, Feedback, Low Pass Cutoff, Tape Saturation, and Modulation (Rate & Depth).
  • Multi-tap: A rhythmic delay creating distinct echoes from a single tap. Features Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, Tap Count, Tap Spread, and Feedback.
  • Echo: A vintage BBD/Dark style echo with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, Damping (High-frequency loss per repeat), and Feedback.
  • Dual: Two independent delay paths with Mix, Tempo-sync, Independent L/R Delay Times, and Independent L/R Feedbacks.
  • Modulated: Chorus/Vibrato echoes with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, Modulation Rate, Modulation Depth, and Feedback.
  • Shimmer: Pitch-shifted crystal repeats with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, Pitch Shift (semitones), Shimmer Brightness, and Feedback.
  • Reverse: Reverse delay sweeps with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, and Feedback.
  • Ensemble: Lush and chorus-like delay with Mix, Tempo-sync, Delay Time, LFO Rate, Modulation Depth, and Feedback.

Reverb

Space and ambiance simulation. Choose from the following algorithms:

• Freeware
  • Spring: Classic amp reverb with Mix, Spring Tension, and Drip (attack) controls.
  • Plate: Vintage studio reverb with Mix, Decay (length), and Metalness (tonal color) controls.
• With Payment
  • Algorithmic: Highly configurable studio verb with Mix, Room Size, Damping, Stereo Width, Tail Level, Pre-Delay (ms), and Density controls.
  • Hall: Massive concert hall acoustics with Mix, Decay, and Brightness controls.
  • Room: Tight studio ambiance with Mix, Room Size, and Reflectivity controls.
  • Shimmer: Pitch-shifted ethereal verb with Mix, Decay, Pitch (semitones), Shimmer Volume, Shimmer Brightness, and Modulation controls.
  • Cloud: Massive atmospheric ambiance with Mix, Size, Chaos, and Modulation controls.

Haas Double Tracker

Turn a single guitar into a massive 4-track stereo wall of sound. Features Stereo Width, Modulation Detune, and Mix Level controls. (Freeware)

Global EQ

Final tone shaping before output. Choose from the following algorithms:

• Freeware
  • Graphic 6-Band: Classic pedal-style EQ with 6 fixed frequency bands (+/- 24dB).
• With Payment
  • Graphic 12-Band: Finer control with 12 fixed frequency bands (+/- 24dB).
  • Graphic 24-Band: Surgical control with 24 fixed frequency bands (+/- 24dB).
  • Parametric: The ultimate "Pro" model with fully sweepable frequencies. Features Low Shelf (Gain, Freq), Low Mid Peak (Gain, Freq, Q), High Mid Peak (Gain, Freq, Q), and High Shelf (Gain, Freq) controls.

Synchronized & AI-Powered Live Looper

GAAP features an advanced, multi-mode live looper designed to act as your ultimate real-time practicing and songwriting companion. Toggle the LOOPER block to unroll its control panel, featuring 3 distinct, high-performance operational modes:

• 1. Classic Looper Mode: A standard, high-fidelity phrase looper. Lay down a guitar riff, overdub layers, play, and clear loops on the fly.
  • Sync (ON/OFF): When Sync is ON, the looper is perfectly quantized and locked to the Drum Sequencer's tempo and measure boundaries, ensuring your live loops never drift out of time!
• 2. Auto Drums Mode (AI Jammer): Turn on this mode to use GAAP's integrated AI Jammer! Play your guitar naturally (the "Teaching Phase"), and the app's real-time engine will analyze your live tempo and amplitude peaks to instantly generate a matching, human-feeling drum backing track.
• 3. Auto Drums + Bass Mode (AI Jammer): The ultimate power-trio experience. In this mode, GAAP's engine continuously tracks **both the tempo and the pitch scales** of your live guitar playing, dynamically generating a fully synchronized drum beat alongside a polyphonic FM **Bass Drone Synth** that re-harmonizes in real-time as you play!

Features individual sliders for Input Gain, Loop Playback Gain, and Overdub Decay. For hands-free live performance, map your record, overdub, play, and stop commands to your physical BLE MIDI footswitch! (Freeware)

AI Jammer & Auto Backing Configuration

When using the Auto Drums or Auto Drums + Bass modes, the app displays several interactive selection spinners on the screen to let you customize and direct your backing band's style in real-time:

• 1. Genre Selection Spinner: Tells the AI generator exactly which style and rhythmic feel to target. GAAP contains a massive, curated library of regional and cultural musical styles categorized into Chapters:
  • Pop/Rock: Rock/Hard Rock, Pop, Punk
  • Blues/Jazz/Funk: Blues/Shuffle, Jazz/Swing, Funk
  • Soul/R&B/Gospel: Soul/R&B/Motown, Hip Hop/Rap, Gospel
  • Metal: Heavy Metal/Thrash, Progressive Rock/Metal, Industrial
  • Electronic: Dance/EDM, House/Techno, Trance, Disco, Drum and Bass, Trip-Hop
  • Country/Folk (American): Country, Bluegrass, Folk
  • European: Classical, Waltz, Polka, Jig, Reel, Flamenco, Halling/Pols, Polska, Schottis
  • Balkan/Romanian: Balkan Folk, Hora, Sirba, Manele, Doina
  • Greek/Turkish: Greek/Ellinika, Turkish/Anatolian, Aksak, Karsilamas, Zeibekiko, Syrtos, Kalamatianos
  • Middle Eastern/Arabic: Arabic Folk, Egyptian/Baladi, Chiftitelli, Dabke
  • Indian Subcontinent: Indian Folk, Tintal/Teental, Rupak, Dadra, Keherwa, Bhangra
  • Latin American: Salsa/Mambo, Tango, Bossa Nova, Samba, Reggaeton, Merengue
  • African/Caribbean: Afrobeat/Afro-Cuban, Highlife, Jùjú, Soukous/Lingala, Reggae/Ska, Calypso, Soca
  • Liturgical: Christian/Hymn, Byzantine Chant, Syriac/Aramaic Chant
  • East Asian: Gagaku, Nongak, Chinese Opera
• 2. Contextual Time Signature Spinner: Allows you to pick the time signature for your generated backing track. This spinner is strictly context-aware: GAAP's engine filters the available signatures dynamically based on your chosen Genre (for example, selecting Zeibekiko will restrict options to traditional signatures like 9/8 or 9/4, while selecting Punk will default to 4/4). This ensures that the generated backing track matches the absolute musical truth of each genre's rhythmic tradition!
• 3. Bass Instrument Selection Spinner: Determines the physical, acoustic sound of the dynamic FM Bass drone generator. Choose from three professionally tailored synth voices:
  • Bass Guitar: A classic, smooth electric bass guitar simulation with a warm decay, perfect for laid-back groove backing.
  • Slap Bass Guitar: An aggressive, high-contrast slap bass with a lightning-fast attack and metallic bite, ideal for funk, rock, or aggressive popping.
  • Church Bass Organ: An eternal, air-heavy sub-bass pipe organ voice with deep sustain, designed for classical, cinematic, or liturgical ambiance.

3. Preset Management (.gaapfx)

Save your exact signal chain, including every knob, toggle, and the modulation order.

• Save Preset: Captures the current state to your internal library.
• Load Preset: Instantly recall your favorite tones from the preset carousel.
• Export & Import (.gaapfx): You can export your presets to your device's file system as .gaapfx or .json files to back them up securely. Use your preferred File Manager to share them with friends across devices!
  
  🎸 Want to share your custom tone with the world? Send your exported preset files via email to victorhantelmann@gmail.com. After we review them, we'll feature your presets in the app's community library! (Please include the name or alias you want us to use so we can give you full credit for your creation!)
  
  Use the Import button to load your backed-up or downloaded tones straight into the app.

4. Drum Sequencer & AI Generation

More than just a metronome, GAAP includes a full-featured drum studio.

• Songs & Sequences: Build full songs by chaining different Sequences (verse, chorus, bridge) together.
• Measures & Subdivisions: Support for odd time signatures and complex subdivisions.
• Full Editor: Manually tap out beats, adjust the velocity of individual hits, and fine-tune the groove.
• AI Generation: Let the Firebase-backed AI engine build a drum track for you! Select a Genre, Tempo, and Time Signature, and the AI will analyze and generate a complete, human-feeling sequence.
• Export & Import (.dsg): Back up your carefully crafted drum beats to your device's file system as .dsg files. You can use your file manager to keep them safe or share them with other musicians!
  
  🥁 Have an amazing groove you want to share? Export your best Drum Songs and send them via email to victorhantelmann@gmail.com. After review, we'll feature your beats in the app's community library for others to jam over! (Remember to include the name or alias you want us to credit you with!)
  
  Use the Import button within the Drum Editor to instantly load downloaded beats into your session.

5. BPM Trainer

Build your muscle memory and speed automatically. Start the Drum Sequencer and engage the BPM Trainer. The app will automatically increase the tempo of the drums by a set amount (e.g., +5 BPM) after a set number of measures, pushing you to play faster without taking your hands off the guitar.

6. BLE MIDI & Pedalboard Setup

GAAP features universal support for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) MIDI controllers (e.g., iRig BlueBoard, Boss, generic ESP32/nRF52840 DIY pedalboards).

• Smart Setup Wizard: Tap the Bluetooth icon to pair your pedalboard. The wizard will walk you through physically pressing the buttons and sweeping the expression pedals to automatically map them to the app.
• Expression Pedals: You can map up to two Expression (EXP) pedals simultaneously. Assign them to control Wah sweeps, Delay feedback, Volume, Reverb mix, and more directly from the effect settings dialogs.

7. FAQ & Troubleshooting

1. I hear a lot of noise or feedback!

Always ensure your guitar interface is fully plugged in. If you are using high gain (Overdrive or Boost), noise is normal. We recommend tweaking your input volume on the interface and engaging the Noise Gate.

2. There is a delay between when I play and when I hear the sound.

True low-latency performance depends heavily on the external hardware. Ensure you are using a dedicated USB-C DAC/ADC audio interface or adapter, and NOT a standard Bluetooth headset, which always introduces latency. See the Hardware Setup Guide for tested connections.

3. I purchased a Premium Effect but it is locked.

Ensure you are signed into the same email you used to register the app. Remember, per our Terms of Service, individual effects require an active Subscription or valid one-time purchase to remain unlocked.

4. The sound suddenly stopped working after I unplugged my USB interface!

If you are using a USB-C Hub and you unplug your guitar interface from the USB-A port on the hub, your sound will drop out. This is a hardware glitch in most USB-C Hubs: the hub fails to tell the Android phone that the audio device was removed.
Fix: Physically unplug the entire USB-C Hub from your phone's port and plug it back in. The GAAP app will automatically detect the reset and instantly restart your audio stream!

Contact Technical Support

If you've searched the documentation and still need help, encountered a bug, or have a billing issue, please reach out directly.

Email: victorhantelmann@gmail.com

Refund & Billing Policy

All subscription management and payments are handled securely via the Google Play Store. The developer does not process or see your credit card information directly.

• Automatic Refunds (Within 48 Hours): If you purchase a premium effect or start a subscription and decide it isn't for you, Google Play allows you to request a refund directly through their platform within 48 hours. Click here for Google Play refund instructions.
• Developer Refunds (After 48 Hours): We understand technical issues can sometimes arise. If you pass the 48-hour window, you can request a manual refund by emailing support. You MUST include your Google Play Order ID (e.g., GPA.1234-5678-9012-34567) so we can locate the transaction and process the return.
• Canceling Subscriptions: Uninstalling the app does NOT cancel your subscription. You must manage your subscriptions in the Google Play app > "Payments & subscriptions".