iKlip for iPad
Published January 25, 2012 | 
iKlip is a microphone stand adapter for your iPad. It gives you the ability to attach your iPad to your mic stand for optimal viewing. This is ideal for someone looking to use their iPad in live performance situations. With iKlip you can maximize your ability to do things like play an instrument and work with your iPad simultaneously. It is lightweight but well constructed and the ergonomic, multi-angle design allows you to get your iPad in the perfect position.
In terms of music production and performance, the iPad can be used in many different ways; as a beat maker, virtual instrument, mixer, effects processor, virtual controller and so on. The multitude of uses for the iPad make attaching it to a mic stand (regardless of whether you’re using a microphone or not) extremely handy.
iKlip is compatible with iPad and iPad2 and cost $40.
StudioTrack for iPad
Published January 22, 2012 |
StudioTrack is a multi-track recorder and mixer for your iPad. It allows you to record and import audio files that can then be mixed using its on board effects processors. You’ll get a Compressor, Parametric EQ, Tempo-synced Delay, and Reverb available for each track. StudioTrack allows for a maximum of 8 tracks with a flexible ‘bounce’ feature to consolidate certain tracks and create more track space within the app. An audio pasteboard feature is cool as it makes this app compatible with over 70 other apps. Also, WIFI sync allows you to import any mix or individual track to a computer, which is always nice.
Potentially you could record into StudioTrack using your iPad microphone, which would be okay if you were just laying down a quick idea like a simple guitar riff, but I wouldn’t expect to get great recording results. Your best bet would be to get an iMic or Guitar Jack depending on what you’re recording. Supposedly, a future StudioTrack update is going to contain some modeled guitar amps and effects, which would give the app a big boost in terms of functionality.
There are several things this app is missing like an arrangement view for laying out and looping arrangements. It also needs a ‘bounce to MP3′ feature for easier file sharing online, amongst other things.
Where StudioTrack shines is in the area of effects processors. I really like that you get a Compressor/ Limiter and Parametric EQ to fatten up your mixes. However, with no arrangement view, no virtual instruments, and a hefty price tag ($20) this app is a questionable purchase. Hopefully the soon-to-come guitar effects and amps are really good making Studio Track well worth the money.
Rebirth on iPad
Published January 19, 2012 |
Propellerhead’s Rebirth has been a popular desktop production tool for many years, so I knew it was just a matter of time before it made its way to the iPad. Rebirth is a beat making app built around the popular TB-303 and TR 808 and 809 drum machines. The groove engine behind all three of these modules is a programmable step sequencer with various effects. You’ll get a Compressor, Tempo-synced Delay, Distortion, a Pattern Controlled filter, and Mixing section for polishing your creations.
The stock sounds are good, and the app affords the user a lot of tweakable flexibility. Rebirth is compatible with other popular apps like the Korg Electribe and the IMS-20. Easy file sharing is supported and using WIFI sync you can link your iPad with another iPad to make use of both or rock out with another friend. The app also allows you to record different fader movements to give your songs that extra attention to detail.
All in all, Rebirth is a solid beat making application for the iPad, but I have received a lot of bad feedback about the app’s instability issues. My hope is that Propellerhead can correct the problem because Rebirth is a great program and now it only cost $7. If you’re into producing electronic music this is an app you’ll want to have on deck.
OscilloScoop for iPad
Published January 17, 2012 |
OscilloScoop is a unique beat making app for the iPad. It comes with 6 beat sets and the ability to save presets from your creations. The thing that makes OscilloScoop unique is its visual interface and sound engine. Three spinning crowns allow for the manipulation of tone/pitch, filter, and volume. As the crowns spin you can morph these effects by sliding your fingers vertically across them.
If you need to fine tune your song then shift your iPad into landscape orientation and the app turns into a traditional step sequencer allowing for more detailed editing.
I wouldn’t regard OscilloScoop as a serious music making app for professionals, there is just not enough to it. If you plan on getting any longevity out of OscilloScoop you’ll need to purchase additional beat sets from the app store. However, for $.99, this is a cool app even the kids will enjoy. Its simple to use and visually stimulating.
Electrify for iPad
Published January 13, 2012 |
Electrify is a virtual Groovebox for your iPad. It makes use of sampling and step sequencing to create music. The on board sample library contains more than six hundred samples and gives you the ability to import your own as well. Export your songs in high quality .WAV format. Electrify also comes with 8 effects processors and 7 editable parameters for each step in your sequence allowing for detailed editing and tweaking. Audio copy and paste functions make it compatible with other music making apps as well.
If you’re a serious producer looking to make good use of your iPad, then Electrify is an app I highly recommend you check out. The Korg iElectribe (its competitive counterpart) gets all of the attention because of Korg’s reputation, and rightfully so, the iElectribe is a great app, but I would probably rate Electrify higher, because the sounds and samples are a bit more Hip Hop friendly.
Electriy will set you back $14.99, but it’s easily worth money. You’ll get a huge sample library and an intuitive step sequencer – enough said.
Notion for iPad
Published January 8, 2012 |
Notion is a musical scoring and creation app for your iPad. It gives you the ability to produce, manipulate, and playback scores. Its sampled instruments were recorded by The London Symphony Orchestra and you can expand this library via app-store purchase. The stock sounds are decent giving you access to several instruments to work with including guitar, electric bass, piano, and various orchestral pieces.
The notation editor in Notion is fairly easy to use and navigate, but lacks some important features like engraving and stem direction. Notion won’t replace your go-to desktop software for this sort of thing, but it does provide a mobile solution for those who need it.
One of the things I like most about Notion are the host of articulations you get for each instrument and how it easy it is to change the articulation of a note on your score. If you’re working with a guitar score, adding bends, whammies, vibrato etc. is a breeze. Another added benefit of using Notion if you are a novice composer or producer is the fact that you’ll undoubtedly start learning how to work with sheet music.
Notion comes with a built-in mixer, reverb and distortion effects, and you can share your work with other Notion users for collaborative efforts. At $14.99 it’s a little on the expensive side, but it’s still a quality app with a lot to offer. Library expansion packs range from $.99 to $4.99.
VirSyn Addictive Synth for iPad
Published January 4, 2012 |
VirSyn Addictive Synth is a wavetable synthesizer with extensive sound shaping capabilities. Its six oscillator engine can be tweaked and morphed through LFO’s, envelopes, and filters to create some impressive sounds – anything from squelching leads to atmospherics.
To get the most out of this app you will need to hook up a MIDI keyboard via the iPad Camera Connection Kit. The on-screen keyboard responds to touch well, but is small, so a MIDI keyboard makes a big difference. If the sound design aspect of Addictive Synth seems a bit intimidating it also comes with 128 sound presets and 32 arpeggio presets to get you going. All of these presets sounds are tweak-able as well.
The arpeggiator works great and is easy to manipulate. Achieving good results is easy with the 32 step sequencer and its stock presets. It’s also nice that you can save and share your presets with other people.
This is a solid app for the iPad. It makes use of vital functions like audio pasteboard for exchange with other apps, allows you to export loops as audio or MIDI files, and preset sharing is done thru iTunes. If you’re an electronic producer looking for a music app that delivers a nice sound then you can’t go wrong with Addictive Synth. At $9.99 it’s well worth considering.
miniSynth Pro for iPad
Published January 2, 2012 |
miniSynth Pro is a virtual analog synthesizer with some great features and cool sounds. It has FM and Subtractive synthesis as well as monophonic and polyphonic capabilities. The newest update is version 1.6 and has some great additions like virtual MIDI support, which allows you to use the app’s interface as a MIDI keyboard in conjunction with other programs. It has re-sizable keyboards, audio copy and paste, and the ability to create and save presets.
The synth engine behind the app are two oscillators with adjustable waveforms for tonal shaping. Changing the waveform drastically changes the sound. You can experiment with different combinations of waveforms to easily create your own sounds.
MiniSynth Pro comes housed with 82 stock presets and the ability to import and export thru iTunes. If you’re looking for a nice analog synth application capable of producing quality results then you have a winner in miniSynth Pro. At $4.99 it’s worth the investment.
SampleTank Comes To iPad
Published December 31, 2011 |
I first bought SampleTank (the desktop version) about 3 years ago. It was a solid workstation back then, so I was excited to hear it was making its way into iOS. After getting some experience with the app, what stood out the most are the quality of the sounds and the amount of sounds it comes with. You’ll get 136 instruments with the opportunity to expand with additional purchases. These expansions are reasonably priced at $4.99 and compliment the program nicely.
You can choose from over sixteen instrument categories, which is a rarity for an iOS workstation, and you also get hundreds of melodic and rhythmic templates to get help you get a groove started in any situation. Export your work via iTunes or email.
The only considerable flaw in SampleTank is the 4 track recorder. Four tracks doesn’t give you much to work with and the app alone cost $19.99. Hopefully an update will bring us more tracks, but nonetheless, this is still a cool app worth checking out. The quality of the sounds alone are worth the money.
OMGuitar for iPad
Published December 27, 2011 |
OMGuitar is a cool guitar synthesizer for your iPad. It comes with 3 electric guitars, 3 acoustic guitars, and 10 on-board effects. Some of the effects include Distortion, Compression, Reverb, Delay, Wah Wah, Vowel Filter and EQ. You also get access to hundreds of chords with a ‘quick chord’ section on the UI that allows you to load up several chords for instant access.
The interface is fairly easy to navigate through and I’m big fan of the ‘picking’ section. Strumming through chords is a little weird at first and I would like a better performance response from the app in this area, but it still works well enough.
OMGuitar shines brightest in the quality of its guitar sounds. The synth engine behind this software is designed with ‘artificial intelligence’, which attempts to recognize your playing style (on the fly) and appropriate the sound accordingly to give it character and depth.
The biggest issue with this app lies in the developers’ a lack of updates which is where OMGuitar doesn’t match its competitors. We need updates with new guitar sounds, new effects, upgrades and more bells and whistles. Hopefully Amidio, Inc. will recognize this and kick it in gear.
With that being said, this is still a solid app worth the money ($6.99). It’s nice that Amidio Inc. put so much attention in the quality of the sound. Being able to record and export your grooves make this a mobile tool for any musician.
