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Topic: GarageBand for iPad |
John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 9 Mar 2015 8:50 am |
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Is anyone using the iPad for multi-track recording? I just bought an iPad Air with 64 GB of ram. I understand I need a different audio interface that doesn't use Firewire. The Apple store is recommending the Apogee One. It's web description says it has "external mic and instrument" inputs. It doesn't say how you plug in an XLR cable and seems to only have USB slots. I'll also need a DVD drive if I want to make CDs.
So I'm wondering if I'm a little naive thinking it will work for home studio multi-track projects as I'll have to buy some expensive outboard devices. My 7-year old MacBook Pro has a DVD drive, 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of ram (a fraction of the ram the new iPad has).
However, the new version of GarageBand has some pretty cool features that I'd love to utilize. Any suggestions or advice? |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 9 Mar 2015 8:55 am Correction
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To clarify, I'm referring to the iPad version of GB.
It was shown to me in a workshop and has some very nifty features including the Drummer utility and some amp selection features. 64 GB of ram might do in lieu of a hard drive or SSD drive. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 12:28 am
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I have the garage band app for my ipad 2. It takes up quite a bit of space so I leave it in the cloud. From talking and working with other guys I get the impression that there are much more elegant and useful recording apps and interfaces for ipads out there. A couple guys I know are way into Audacity.
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Bob |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 12:10 pm Focusrite
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I found some useful information on this site:
http://us.focusrite.com/ios-audio-interfaces/itrack-dock#
Alexis makes an I/O dock but Focusrite looks more promising.
Looks like the world is taking the iPad seriously for recording. More to come, no doubt. Scroll down and you'll see links to other apps they like including Auria and Cubasis. Still doing my homework ;~) |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 12:11 pm Correction
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| Alesis, not Alexis. Oops. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 10 Mar 2015 5:16 pm
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RME makes super stuff you can use with an ipad. Ipads are taking over for remote recording pretty fast.
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Bob |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2015 12:17 pm Re: GarageBand for iPad
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| John Russell wrote: |
Is anyone using the iPad for multi-track recording? I just bought an iPad Air with 64 GB of ram. I understand I need a different audio interface that doesn't use Firewire. The Apple store is recommending the Apogee One. It's web description says it has "external mic and instrument" inputs. It doesn't say how you plug in an XLR cable and seems to only have USB slots. I'll also need a DVD drive if I want to make CDs.
So I'm wondering if I'm a little naive thinking it will work for home studio multi-track projects as I'll have to buy some expensive outboard devices. My 7-year old MacBook Pro has a DVD drive, 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of ram (a fraction of the ram the new iPad has).
However, the new version of GarageBand has some pretty cool features that I'd love to utilize. Any suggestions or advice? |
The Apogee has a pigtail of wires with XLR connections, etc... that you plug the mic, etc... into. It's a great interface.
RC |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 11 Mar 2015 4:03 pm Focusrite Dock
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Here are some images of the Focusrite Dock for iPad. It's got all the connections you might need in a handy device that holds the iPad. The reviews are pretty good online.
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Kyd Brenner
From:
Washington, DC/Harman WV
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Posted 14 Mar 2015 2:41 pm
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John - some thoughts on i-pad/garage band:
The focusrite dock is quite nice, I've been using one w/i-pad mini for about 4 months. It's compact, good pre-amps and even if you are not recording you can use it as a small headphone monitoring device for practicing (for those of us who live in houses with other people who get tired of hearing us play scales!)
You can get input devices for analog instruments for the iPad for much less $ than the I-Dock, but I like the form factor of the I-Dock, and it also charges your iPad while turned on and has a midi input in addition to the two instrument/mic inputs. I've been using a regular focusrite A/D input device w/Macbook for several years and been happy with it.
As a stand-alone DAW GB for iOS is perfectly adequate, although if you are used to working w/GB on a Macbook it is a totally different program and requires some learning.
A big drawback for me (maybe not for you) is that you cannot export Midi tracks from the iOS version of GB. I like to use midi instruments for bass lines, strings, drums, - either from those built into the program or triggering from an external keyboard. Because I want to take the files from the i-pad and get them into my Macbook (w/GB v6.0) for further editing either in GB or Logic this is a problem. My only workaround has been to use another DAW on the i-pad that doesn't have this limitation. Right now I'm using a $10 program called Music Studio (there is a free version but it won't export midi). It takes some time to learn and has it's own quirks but does the job. There are lots of DAWs for iOS now, there's a link below to some reviews. Depending on how you want to use your iPad it may be worth investing in one of these.
I also find that editing on the iPad is fairly limited in relation to the regular Mac version. - and you need good eyesight! I haven't played around with the GB "smart drum" feature much, but if you want to use it and also use another DAW you can always export a drum track made with it as an audio file - but better get it right the first time since it will be tough to edit except for tone/volume.
http://www.musicradar.com/us/news/tech/13-of-the-best-ipad-iphone-ios-daws-and-workspaces-574065/3 |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 15 Mar 2015 8:21 am
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Thanks for that info, Kyd. I bought the Focusrite iTrack Dock the other day and haven't tried it yet but it looks promising. I have a little experience with GB on my MacBook Pro and I understand the iOS version is different.
Did you check out their free app called Tape? I haven't used any midi functions as yet and hope to use my Alesis SR 16 drum machine although it may be outdated with the new drum feature in GB.
Also, I'm wondering if I can use the iTrack and iPad to record audio and video live using my condenser mike. |
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Kyd Brenner
From:
Washington, DC/Harman WV
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Posted 15 Mar 2015 9:19 am
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John - I think you'll like that docking station!
I have Tape, so far only thing I've used if for is to take a stereo output off board during band practice, works well for that because you can just start it rolling and let it go, output the file and use something like GB to trim it down to just the parts you want to save and then share it via dropbox, sound cloud, e-mail etc. It's very simple, and for those of us who grew up with reel-to-reel tape recorders kind of nostalgic. Limited to 2 channels and very limited effects/editing functions, but good for getting something done quickly and not letting the software get in the way - and it's free of course. Haven't tried running a midi input into tape but I imagine it would work.
Can't help on the video side, I'm more an "ears" person than "eyes" person. |
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