Anyone using a newer iPad for effects and synths?

The Lounge Other Gear
1

Hello,

So my old iPad Pro 2017 has died. I used it in 2 ways really:

  1. Using the lightning connector I plugged it straight into my hardware sequencer (Hapax) and used AUM and synths and effects.

  2. Plugged it into my Digitone or Digitakt hardware gears USB ports (one at a time) and used my iPad IOS effects from Bleass or Eventide.

The old iPad had an audio output which I simply plugged into my external mixer (Bluebox). The newer iPad I want is the iPad Air 2022 version with the M1 chip.

How can I use that if it has no audio output please?

I’m happy to buy a dedicated audio interface and extra adapters I just need help listing all that if you don’t mind?

Sure the Digi’s have audio interfaces but my Novation Peak doesn’t so a dedicated one might be best and they are not too expensive, I just don’t know much about them. I probably only need one with 2 inputs (L and R).

Thanks all

2

with external class compliant audio interface connected via Apple Camera Connection Kit or some 3rd party adapter.

i use Zoom U-22 – not the most compact box out there, but runs off two AA batteris, so iPad’s battery won’t dry too fast.

class compliant interfaces are supported by iOS out of the box.

3

For the iPad Pro, you don’t even need the Camera Connection Kit anymore. You can easily connect the interface via usb-c.

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4

ah, right. my iPad is a bit older (2021), it was the last one with Lightning socket.

5

So straight into an audio interface? I’m looking at a Focusrite one.

On the old iPad it had an audio out jack to my external Bluebox 1010 mixer. I assume the newer usb c iPads would just go into the audio interface then from there to the Bluebox mixer?

6

If you don’t need it to be fancy you can use a usb c to headphone adapter which is small and super cheap.

7

Yes but it has no audio input this way so you can’t use it to process external audio through effects.

8

Agreed but but he didn’t mention using an audio input previously.

You could still use other audio devices over usb assuming you had a usb hub.

9

So just buy an audio interface which I need to anyway like the Focusrite?

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I think there are these 3 setups:

USB-C to headphone adapter: stereo out

digi as usb interface-> the 2 input channels from digis + digi mix go into iPad, in AUM you have a stereo channel with this mix. you can use as many fx on this mix and mix it with as many separate channels in AUM as you like, the stereo mix of all these channels goes back to digis outputs.

iPad + interface: As many input channels as the interface has go into AUM. Each input has its own channel in AUM. You can use as many outputs in AUM as your interface has.

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11

The focusrite 2i2 doesn’t have a midi input. I think ideally you would need an audio interface with midi din/usb input / output (if you want ro sequence from the ipad).

I personally would like to create a box to which I put the iPad and it becomes an elektron like machine with midi in out thru, audio input and output.

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Yeah I don’t need to use the iPad to sequence, currently I sequence (well I did until it broke) the iPad from my Hapax external sequencer which is great.

13

Im sorry, what part of the last two topics was not clear enough?

https://www.elektronauts.com/t/using-the-ipad-within-my-setup/216830/13

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14

First of all, you can use your Bluebox over USB. Won’t route incoming channels (so not useful for applying iPad effects to external gear), but should work great otherwise.

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Second, you can get any class compliant interface indeed, I’d recommend using a powered USB hub so that it wouldn’t draw power from your iPad.

15

With this setup, is there any way to send processed sound back to audio interface? In my case want iPad to be an audio processor rather than a synth.

Edit. Annoyingly te’s mixer checks all my boxes (also want a battery powered device) but I don’t wanna overpay for a teeny tiny mixer.

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If you use a app like AUM your iPad acts like a mixer. All inputs can have a own channel with insert or send effects. You can send individual mixes or channels to the output of your audio interface. I often use my iPad like a effect box like that.

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Oh I see. I assumed when transferring audio data from interface to iPad would mean there wasn’t any way back - like a one way road. So apparently it’s not one way. Even though it’s been more than a decade, I still get amazed by the capabilities of usb-c haha

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One catch with iOS & audio interfaces is to check whether any supporting software is available in the app store.

If you’re iOS only (as I was a few years back), you won’t be able to set up functions like loop back, midi thru etc. Got a Focusrite 4i4.

Of course that’s easily solved, but still annoying seeing its class compliant with no app support.

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