So I’m really loving the iPad Pro as an instrument, I absolutely love Drambo and have found several excellent synths (Fabfilter twin2, SynthMaster 1 and 2 (terrible name, excellent synth), Audulus, MiRack, Sunrizer, Arturia SEM and more) and drum machines/samplers (Koala, Elastic drums, FAC Drumkit, SeekBeats) and effects (Fabfilter bundle(s), Eventide bundle(s), Dubstation2, RoughRider2, tape cassette 2 (why so many sequels? What a dumb naming process) and ElasticFX) There’s more iOS instruments and effects that I like but can’t think of at the moment but point being all this stuff together makes for quite a powerful and functional music and sound design environment (that makes me feel less bad about not being able to grab a push 3 or maschine plus)
But the major issue I have is that Apple in all their omnipotent genious for reasons that is mere mortals may not understand have one(one!!) port that functions as charging, audio out, midi in, audio in and midi out.
So out of the box I couldn’t do something as radical and impractical as say charging the iPad while using headphones or sending midi in while hearing audio out from any source besides the built in speaker.
But I’ve quite fallen for the software and concept of a small portable device with so much sonic potential so I’m trying to navigate what I’d need to get thia all working.
What do you guys recommend for an audio interface that is literally as inexpensive as possible? I’m not looking to buy a Motu or even something like a focuarite literally just want something to get audio out and in…unless there’s an audio interface for iOS that also has midi in and out then I’m guessing I’d need a midi interface too preferably and presumably I’d imagine that an interface made for iOS would also have a port for sending power to the iPad while in use.
If it’s not apparent I’m not familiar with anything in the iOS music production hardware sphere it just hadn’t been on my radar until now so any recommendations/education would be greatly appreciated.
In addition to an audio/midi/power interface I’m looking into controllers and I’ve checked out a ton of them, I understand that any class compliant midi controller can work? I tested some stuff out and my Maschine MK2 did not work (though it powered up it wouldn’t let me put it in controller mode) but my Novation remote SL 37 did work which is fun but way too big to lug around with me. Ideally it would be something that’s around the same size or smaller than the iPad itself. I’m looking for something with both drum pads and keys and several assignable knobs/sliders/buttons would be welcome.
Also controllers that are geared to or lend themselves to Drambo itself would be nice too. What do you guys use/recommend?
(I’m also researching myself but it’s a lot to wade through when ultimately I’m not trying to drop any kind of real money on iOS stuff since I spend so much on my traditional studio stuff I figured it would be better and more informative to get real feedback and opinions)
Given that you’ve got an iPad Pro with (I assume) a USB3 port, the first thing is to buy a cheap PC USB3 hub for around $30 AUD that has a few USB 2 ports as well as USB3 Power In. From there the options are basically limitless, so long as you’re using class compliant devices. A couple of cheap options:
Audio
Apple USB3 to Headphone adapter for audio out (around $15 AUD) OR a Behringer UCA222 for audio in and out (and TOSLINK out) for around $50AUD
MIDI
Yamaha MD-BT01 (around $70AUD) which basically converts any midi device like your SL37 into a bluetooth midi device (which you can then connect wirelessly to your iPad) OR el-cheapo USB to MIDI cable you can find on eBay for around $10 AUD.
Personally, I’m using a Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 I found secondhand for around $120 which has audio and midi built in. For a controller I’m using an AKAI MPK Mini Plus which IMO is the best compact controller out there and also happens to be really cheap (around $250 AUD).
I use one of these, lets you charge iPad with one USB port while using the other to connect a USB audio midi interface or a USB MIDI controller. You also get a headphone port you can use for input/outport. It’s magnetic too so you’re not just relying on the USB-C plug to keep it connected, the whole thing sticks to your iPad.
If you want to record your external gear into the iPad then I use a Presonus Revelator io44. It’s powered via USB-C so you can plug it straight into the iPad (or the USB hub linked above) and it just works. You get a mic in plus a stereo line in.
For a hardware controller the Oxi One MIDI sequencer worked really well with the iPad. You can connect it direct to the iPad via USB-C or Bluetooth. It has 8 hours of battery or you can power it from the iPad (and charge both at same time using the above linked USB hub). You can even connect a USB midi controller to it and send send midi thru the Oxi to the iPad. It’s really versatile, can send MIDI to USB, Bluetooth, DIN MIDI and CV Gates all at the same time. It’s so easy to fire up AUM, Drambo, Logic Pro and open up a drum machine and a few synths and within minutes you making music.
Two interfaces I use are the Korg Plugkey to turn an old iPad into a sound module (midi in, stereo 1/4 jacks out, lightning) and the MOTU M2 as it is powered by USB c so it’s just the one cable for power and communication, has midi full size and great converters. Can be had for around £120 used.
If you just need an audio output for headphones, Apple’s own 3.5mm to USB-C adapter is great, and just a tenner. Works fine when plugged into a USB-C port on a hub.
For Drambo hardware control, my favorite is the OP-1 F, which obviously isn’t worth buying just for the BT midi. But if you have one it’s great.
Also using iPad Pro. A usb c adapter with usb and audio out works a treat. I’ll use either a keystep 37 or OG OP1 for control. For interface I’ve tried a behringer umc202 and that works fine.
*The Apple Magic Keyboard is also really good and adds a second (power supply only) usbc port meaning all the ports on your adapter can just be used for io.
Any USB-C adaptor that has PD passthrough (for the iPad power supply) and also has a USB-C data port plus at least one USB-A port to connect a MIDI controller over USB, plus…
a class-compliant audio interface with a USB-C connection, conventional audio jack inputs and outputs, MIDI DIN in and out ports and a headphone jack socket with headphone level control. Tascam HR 2x2 is good for this and not expensive… US-2x2 | OVERVIEW | TASCAM - United States
The USB-C adaptor keeps the iPad on charge so battery doesn’t run flat. It also makes it easy to connect any USB peripheral like for example an Akai MPK Mini Mk3.
The audio interface (Tascam in my case but there are other equally good alternatives) essentially turns the iPad into a multitimbral hardware synth and sampler with standard quarter inch jacks in and out, full size MIDI DIN ports and a headphone socket. It also has mic preamps so you can connect any mic to it, ditto bass/guitar.
It is a ridiculously powerful combo in a small space.
Also FYI if you have one of the Elektron digi boxes (DT/DN/ST) you can skip the audio interface part and just connect the iPad via the USB-C adaptor straight into the Elektron box.
I appreciate the responses guys I’m going through and researching all of your suggestions now.
(Also MODs are we editing out swear words now? why was my subject line changed, could you not edit anything I write unless it explicitly violates the terms of this forum. I really don’t appreciate the censorship we are all adults here and we can handle it)
Oooh I didn’t know tha! Okay so I’ll try using my Digitone as an audio interface for the iPad…it doesn’t happen to also transmit and receive midi to and fro the iPad does it? If so then I would be set!
Oh yes, certainly does! The Digitone, Digitakt and Syntakt are class compliant audio and MIDI devices. So if you connect your iPad to the Digitone, the DN will see it as an audio and MIDI input and output and the iPad will see the DN as an audio and MIDI input and output. Works brilliantly. You can send audio and MIDI data in either direction between either device.
Connect iPad to DN via USB-C adaptor, load up the AUM app on the iPad and then load plugin synths in AUM each with their own MIDI channel and you then have a full-on multitimbral synth that you play from the Digitone keyboard and that responds to the Digitone sequencer just like the internal Digitone sound engine (although there’s no arp function for MIDI tracks).
Bonus is that all 8 of the Digitone rotary controllers can send CC messages to the iPad which you map to onscreen synth controls in AUM. So the DN is also basically a hardware controller for soft synths on the iPad.
Apparently the iPad also works as an external effects box… you send audio out from the DN into a plugin audio effect on the iPad. I haven’t tried this myself though as I use the iPad as a kind of endlessly versatile multitimbral synth with a completely different type of synth plugin on each MIDI channel.
It is a seriously good set up and one of the best things about Elektron gear IMO.
I keep trying to persuade myself I really do need more synths, then hook up the iPad, buy another new plugin synth for the cost of a couple of coffees and think… er, no, really I don’t need to drop $$ on a new hardware synth when I can get SO many of the sounds I want from the iPad.
Mind you… I probably will end up buying more hardware synths anyway because, GAS
Dude that fucking rules I can’t wait to try it out!
The analog rytm and four wouldn’t happen to be capable of the same functionality would they? I could imagine the analog rytm as an excellent companion to the iPad for drums and sequencing and then running everything through the analog compressor if not it’s all good I’m happy to use my Digitone with the iPad too.
The only downside is bringing around a (semi) pricey synth as opposed to an inexpensive midi controller but the functionality more than makes up for it and it’s always good news when I find out that I don’t have to actually buy anything to make this work. Thanks for the advice I’m going to try it out tonight when I get home
I don’t think the other Elektron boxes work in the same way as the DN/DT/ST, they may be class compliant for audio but IIRC they make more limited use of iPad connectivity than the smaller Digi boxes. Perhaps someone who owns one of the other boxes can chip in.
FWIW I think the Digitone is the best of the lot (including Digitakt and Syntakt) for controlling iPad synths because…
the dedicated note key makes it super easy to lay out the notes you want to play on each trig (not that it’s hard to do this on DT/ST to be clear, I just find it even simpler on the DN).
8-note polyphony on DN versus 4-note polyphony on DT/ST is a big difference for me. I mostly use iPad synths for big fat pad/strings chords that kind of drift in and out of the mix. Can’t do extended chords within a 4-note polyphony limit.
Thank you for the recommendation of using the Digitone! I’ve had the DN for a while now and love it but had no idea it could be used like this in iOS.
I set it up with the iPad today in both AUM and Drombo and it worked brilliantly, I have it set up so the transport controls are mapped and it’s receiving clock, I was sequencing a few tracks of the DN while sending them through the iPad so I could use my Eventine effects on it while at the same time I had 1 midi track handling the drums via koala beats and another midi track controlling the Arturia SEM and another one controlling SynthMaster 2 and sending CC messages from the knobs and lfo for more control and all of the audio was going seamlessly in/through/out and into my headphones it was a lot of fun and basically covered all the bases I was looking for. This may be the only time I’ve ever looked for gear advice only to find out I didn’t need to buy anything to make whatever I’m trying ti figure out work.
I’m going to spend some more time refining the routing and everything and this will be my go to portable set up for when I’m away from the studio. Thanks again for making me aware of this.
And thanks all for the recommendations, I may end up adding more to this portable set up in the future, I can imagine adding a pad specific controller for finger drumming, it’s not bad using the DN for this and is 1000 times better than the iPad screen itself but I could see upgrading to pads on the future
You can assign the inputs/outputs however you like - whether that’s stereo or left/right mono channels.
You only have access to the main stereo mix from the DN though - no Overbridge for individual tracks/channels.
