iPad synths and daws

[empathy1]

I've been doing a bit of reading on options for utilizing my iPad for something useful; ie an external sound device. Apparently a lot of companies have developed iPad specific platforms for synthesis and on-the-road production; e.g. korg gadget.

I've dabbled only briefly with the Garageband app as well as NI's iMaschine on the ipad.

Anyone have experience with using an iPad for musical applications? Do you feel the sound is of high enough quality to include in production? What are some good apps you've toyed with?

[Fossiel]

Korg Gadget has a lot of versatality to offer. The built in synths sound pretty alright. The effects are mostly built inside the synths, and sound not too great. Also not very enthusiastic about the standard drumkits it offers.

You can boost this app with a sampler (use your own stuff), and the piano upgrade looks promising.. never used it tho.

[c33]

Garageband has some nice sounding instruments. I've used NI's iMaschine on a few tracks and enjoy working with the app. You can export .wav files, but I do find the sound quality for this app is often lacking.

I like Samplr, Figure, LoopyHD, Alchemy, Thor, SoundPrism and LaunchPad, to name a few. Singaling and Harmony Voice are nice for certain vocal applications, and they'll record external mics via your Audio Interface.

There are a lot of apps I've not dove into extensively (including some I've listed). But to answer your question, yes, the iPad has a number of great tools and virtual instruments available that can yield high quality results and enhance your existing setup.

Auria is the best DAW for the iPad, and a new version with MIDI support is expected this spring. Auria has all the FabFilter plugins available for purchase in their store for a fraction of what they cost on your desktop.

[Tarekith]

Sound quality is no issue at all on the iPad, just as good as any of the desktop tools IMO. Been using mine a lot over the last few years for writing music, pretty much everything I did in 2014 was done on the iPad in fact.

As mentioned, Auria is great for an all around audio DAW, probably my favorite app when you factor in the insane deal on all the Fabfilter plug ins. Cubase is a good runner up, though personally I find Auria easier to use if you don't need MIDI (yet).

As for apps, I'd recommend:

- Traktor DJ
- Loopy HD
- Gadget, iKaossilator, Figure, triqtraq, Beatmaker2
- Thor, Alchemy Mobile, Photophore, Nave, Sunrizer, DM1, iElectribe, iSEM, Impaktor, Thumbjam, and Animoog.

Audiobus is a big favorite of a lot of people, though honestly I find it a bit clunky and hit or miss in terms of stability. I generally try and stick with apps that are IAA (inter app audio) compatible instead, they show up just like normal plug ins in Auria then. The Audiobus forums are a great place to find out about anything related to iPAd music making though.

[paradiddle]

korg gadget also has an option to export your song has a live project.

[yur2die4]

If I were to only buy three ipad apps, they would be:

Sunrizer
Korg Gadget
Touchable 3

If you want something fun and free, there is Auxy (which does have an in app purchase to upgrade it as a midi player, but I am waiting to see if they make a more rugged transposition feature first ) Launchpad is also free and offers IAPs, if you have a newer launchpad or launch control, it's pretty fun to fuck with!

Most effective peripheral: USB to ipad adapter.

[Hervé]

adding this into the deal for people having a mac : http://midimux.com

[scheffkoch]

...yes, these "mux"-guys are awesome...besides midimux they also have audiomux (which lets you "stream" audio from your ipad via the usb cable) and they're also planning oscmux...one of the greatest synth for ipad is tc-11: http://www.bitshapesoftware.com/instruments/tc-11/

[oddstep]

Samplr is great for playing and capturing samples - particularly the ebow mode, Loopy HD is a really strong live multitrack looper, Korg Gadget is a bit like a really simple version of Live with a simple fm synth, trance hoover, chiptune emulator, drum machines and a couple of subtractive synths. Its worth getting the Bilbao sample playback drum machine as a powerup. Abu dhabi is great but not really essential.

[Tarekith]

Borderlands 2

[yur2die4]

Borderlands intimidates me haha. I know it is meant to make very out there sounds, but I'd be more tempted to control it as a standard looper/delay/mixing(like tapes or vinyl), and I'm not sure how well it handles simple tracking of a clip instead of granularly tracking.

All the possibilities for live input and resampling do look very fun to experiment with, along with positioning everything everywhere on a 2D plane

[Tarekith]

I wish the parameters had some sort of bpm sync personally, at least then it would be easier to use the results in a more rhythmical context. Neat app though.

[empathy1]

...yes, these "mux"-guys are awesome...besides midimux they also have audiomux (which lets you "stream" audio from your ipad via the usb cable) and they're also planning oscmux...one of the greatest synth for ipad is tc-11: http://www.bitshapesoftware.com/instruments/tc-11/

damn that is one cool looking synth...
looks like its stacked with hella programmability

[scheffkoch]

...yep...and the main difference is that it's not controlled by "regular" knob controllers or whatever but with the ipad's touch surface...AND: they also offer the "control surface" as an extra app for controlling whatever you want to control...: http://www.bitshapesoftware.com/instruments/tc-data/

[empathy1]

adding this into the deal for people having a mac : http://midimux.com

Damn, offering both as a bundle! Will have to cop.