Review: iTrack Solo is a fun musical gadget

• Easy way to connect instrument to the iPad
• Works great with GarageBand, on tablet and computer
• Cost is $149

LOS ANGELES — Here's a fun musical toy to play with over the holidays: the iTrack Solo by Focusrite.

It's a little, $149 amplifier/connector that lets you plug your musical instrument directly into an iPad — a guitar, bass or keyboard, for instance — and record multi-track music on apps like GarageBand.

You can also plug a microphone directly into the unit and sing over your music tracks.

The iTrack Solo works with both tablets and computers — Windows or Mac — and it's about as versatile as any home music-making device I've seen.

Now on sale at Apple stores, Guitar Center and the Focusrite website, here's how it works:

— Plug the device into your iPad or computer, via the USB cable. (For computer use, you'll need to go to the Focusrite website and download a driver).

— Give the unit some electrical power by plugging it into the wall.

— Connect your instrument to the iTrack. You'll know the unit is working when you see the green button go on.

If you're on the iPad, open up Apple's GarageBand ($4.99) or a similar music making app, and start recording. In GarageBand, you'll want to use the Audio Recorder section.

With GarageBand, you can record your track, add more layers on top of it, and use Apple's virtual instruments — guitars, bass, drums and keyboard, as your backing tracks.

Even without an amplifier, the iTrack electrifies your guitar after you plug in — so you might want to use it along with a pair of headphones, to keep the noise to a minimum.