iRig Keys is a portable MIDI controller for the iPad.  It’s also compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and standard Mac/PC operating systems.  The keyboard spans 3 octaves and has your standard pitch bending and modulation wheels.  It has an input option for sustain and expression pedals as well.

You can create up to four of your own customizable sets, adjust key sensitivity, and more.  Ultra-low power consumption is a big plus for iOS users.

If you’ve ever used an iPad or iPhone to make music, you know that trying to play a small touch screen keyboard can be difficult.  Having a MIDI keyboard takes care of that problem.  The fact that iRig Keys is also compliant with Mac and PC, means you’ll get one MIDI controller that you can use any situation.

Amplitube Fender is at the forefront of guitar amp software for iOS.  Its ultra clean tone has made it an immensely popular program despite its moderately hefty price tag ($14.99 not including add-ons).  We’ve covered Amplitube Fender and it’s features in a previous article, but the recent update brings about some welcomed additions worth mentioning.

For starters, it now comes with complete MIDI support; giving you another way to manage and navigate through the app.  This is particularly useful for live performance situations when your hands might not always be available.  The new recording and mixing section has been redesigned; offering more flexibility and options than its somewhat clunky predecessor.  It’s a lot easier to compose and arrange complete productions.  Audio Copy/Paste is another vital addition.  Its exporting options now include Soundcloud and FTP.

The one thing about Amplitube Fender 1.2 is that it still only comes with a single track recorder.  In order to get the most out of this app, you’ll have to upgrade to the 8-track recorder, which will cost you another $14.99.  With that being said, if you’re looking to get professional use out of your iPad, this guitar amp software is as good as they come for iOS standards.

Many musicians are familiar with Amplitube.  It has earned a reputation for being one of the best guitar amp and effects emulators available on the market today.  With that being said, IK Multimedia is back at it again.  They’ve teamed up with legendary guitarist Slash (Guns ‘n’ Roses) to bring you an excellent addition to the Amplitube family.

Available for $9.99, Amplitube Slash comes with 6 stomp boxes, 2 amplifiers, and 30 presets that are modeled after Slash’s signature sound.  Preset management is easy to navigate through, and the sound quality is excellent for iOS standards.

It only comes stocked with a single track recorder, but if you’re familiar with IK’s approach to iOS, you know they always get you with a few add-ons.  A four track recorder with mastering effects is available via app store purchase.

With flexible import/export options and audio copy/paste features, this is an excellent app for guitarists on the go.  Be sure to check it out!

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.

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.

Released late last year by IK Multimedia this iPad music app has been gaining steam ever since.  Now bolstering even more features than its highly respected predecessor – Amplitube 2 – is more powerful than ever.

My first experience with Amplitube was several years ago when I purchased it as an audio processing plug-in for my DAW.  It was a good multi-effects processor for guitar then and is an even better one now. The simple the fact that I can have access to it on an iPad, which I can easily take anywhere, is super cool.

What’s new in Amplitube 2?

-       5 new stomp boxes

-       A single track recorder with 8 track recording expandability

-       Improved importing and exporting options with iTunes

-       Improved sound/preset organization

-       Learning and practicing tools

One of the cooler, newer features in Amplitube 2 is the ability record directly within the application.  It comes stocked with a single-track recorder, but I highly recommend you spend a few extra bucks and expand to the multi-track recorder with the master effects section.  Expanding to the Multi Track Production Studio will allow you to work with up to 8 tracks.  You can import or record audio into these tracks, add effects and bounce down several tracks into a single track to free up space when necessary – which is very convenient.

Speed Trainer

Now you can play along with your favorite songs in Amplitube 2 and even slow them down or speed them up to your liking with Speed Trainer. Use the NO VOICE feature to remove a vocal or lead to really dial into the song and learn it.

The down side…

The only down side to Amplitube 2 is all of the add-ons that you need to get the most out of the application.  It would be nice to get the whole shebang in one pop, however it’s hard to complain, considering that you can still get the total package for well under a hundred dollars.

Summary

The app comes with 11 stomp boxes, 5 amps, 5 cabinets, and 2 mics, but you can purchase the 5 additional stomp boxes and amps via in app purchase.  Amplitube 2 for iPad costs $20.  You will need an iRig to run your instrument’s audio signal into iPad, which will cost you another $40.  The additional amps and stomp box effects start out at a mere $3 dollars.

All in all, this is a great buy for the money and I would it recommend it to any music producing iPad owner.  It sounds great is very affordable and its new features make it an extremely functional application.