I know the feeling, I once started a topic on the Audiobus form how Drambo ruined GAS for me. I still love my gear, but Drambo motivates me to stay on the couch and noodle on an iPhone/ipad.
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iPad touch screen with those named apps are fully customizable. I guess thatās more intuitive than any one size fit all hardware design.
The portability of iPad is unbeatable. The iPad touch screen is the universal controller of all apps installed. With M2 and 8gb ram on Air, itās powerful enough for majority to get rid of everything else apart form acoustic instruments.
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Itās subjective. I was computer guy for 30 years and had no issues with using mouse+keyboard for making music. Not great for jamming though and I also dislike mapping generic midi controllers, so I got iPad 12 years ago for portability and handās on interface, but found touch screen annoying and imprecise with 0 feel. I much prefer hardware, even though I hate wires and often find limitations frustrating.
Koala, Drambo, AUM, Borderlands, Pure Acid, Gadget etc. are great though and Iād love to integrate iPad as a part of the setup, I just havenāt yet found the use for it that wouldnāt annoy me. My latest idea is to use it with DTII ability to send just selected tracks via USB, so I could use iPad as external FX for them, controlled by DTII new named CC parameters and midi presets. Weāll see how it works out when I get DTIIā¦
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Donāt forget SideRack.
The price is a bit high compared to the regular apps. But this lets you use the synth and effects plugins from your iOS device in your desktop daw. I have no plans to buy another hardware synth again. I can use the same plugins on the go and on the desktop.
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The problem for me is that with a touch screen, thereās no chance for muscle memory to ever kick in. For me that is.
EDIT: Ok I see Iām not alone in this 
If I had to choose between Drambo and OP-Z, it would be a very tough choice. I donāt know which one would I pick. Both are absolutely fantastic and super inspiring.
I believe that with a slightly reworked interface and a heavy focus on keyboard shortcuts Drambo wouldāve been a blast on full size computers as well.
AUM āSave Stateā with 12 Stereo Strips to host:
Korg Module Pro
Koala
Eventide FX
Animoog Z
Koala
Eventide FX
Gadget
Koala
Eventide FX
all other strips
FX/Compression etc etc
all midi routing within AUM, software channel strip extension for the TX6ā¦.set and forget with a lot of power.
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Key point is there is much less compromise using iPad than hardwares.
Touch screen not okay? Just use hardware controllers. Features not okay? Update and new apps are popping out much faster than hardware firmware update.
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Less compromise is both an advantage and something people avoids actively. Hardware limitations are good for focus and productivity in comparison with platforms that are very customizable/open ended. I say it again, itās a per user thing to measure what works better for them, and what it looks like an obvious advantage to you itās definitely not for others.
For example, Iām a performer, I need hardware controls. To me MIDI mapping is never enjoyable. Itās too much work or I just end up with a bunch of unlabeled controls that mean nothing after one week of not playing. Want to change something? go make a new label strip instead of playing.
Notice how I start the above statement with āto meā. Good thing we all have options.
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More choices less compromise. It is a general statement that applies to every decision in our life.
It is also generally correct we make the most suitable decision from available choices.
I donāt see less choices/limitation offer any advantage. It is the people making wrong decisions, not the choices.
I play guitars and it is definitely a plus I can choose my ideal guitar within my budget. It is not about me but for all people.
Depending on your goals. More choices can have you browsing instead of playing if thatās what you seek. Limitations also bloom
creativity. As a guitar player you can admit a guitar is no other than a preset instrument. Its limits itās what makes people think outside the box and push their capabilities. From my perspective, If you can just easily change every instrument instead of exploring one enough to master it and integrate it on your workflow, youāll be missing something very valuable.
I donāt know if thereās a stigma attached to the iPad, but I think that many people who have not used an iPad for music think of it as an inferior laptop, which it is not; it is something different, with strengths and weaknesses. They also may not be aware of what a ridiculous bargain many iPad music apps are.
Having an iPad has not stopped me from buying hardware devices (though not a performer, I love physical controls also) but it is a good reality check when fighting the pull of a new announcement. I have the iPad, I have the controls (Faderfox), I have the keyboard, I probably have the app or combination of apps that can get close, or can get it/them for lunch money. It means I need to be really impressed. Which should always be the case, but is notā¦
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U are messing up your own believe your own need with universal logics.
The more size of choices the better fit my shoes/clothes is, Regardless I prefer suitable size or oversize.
It is the choices there so I can choose depends on my preference. The more choices the better.
People fail to make decisions, choices are not the problem. The more choices the better. Free market work this way.
Great iPad apps allow customized interfaces/selection of features. Every user has a difference layout. This is freedom and expression with 10 fingers, especially for live performances
They donāt get it. They canāt accept the fact that their expensive hardwares just donāt have the same level of customizations
I also love hardware controllers but these controllers only meaningful when the apps are customizable
To be honest, there are only a few apps that really shine at this, and a lot more that are unimaginative ports of desktop apps/plugins. But, to flip that around, when I ask of a device, āIs it just an iPad app with a couple of knobs and buttons?ā, the answer often is yes.
I think that, no matter how much one is invested in a particular ecosystem, it makes sense to take a critical approach, and be open to influences from elsewhere that might take a little work to incorporate but will result in an overall improved experience.
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It makes sense that a few winners take all in software world. And seems Loopy Pro and Drambo is leading the way as Goodnotes for hand writing. The more resource these leading apps are, the faster the update they get.
If new comers are good enough to challenge these leaders, I will pay to support the new comers to enhance the competitions
most of the time and basically with all music related apps or especially Korg Module Pro and Animoog Z, theyāre super chill to work withā¦most of the time itās just a frame with so much CPU power that it can host some really special, cheap and lovingly crafted apps where itās enough to plug in a QuNexus for instance to play that high definition Piano emulator thru the Eventide Hardware pendants, same algorithms!
the IPad ever since got that little place, a digital sheet of paper, all of a sudden a special place for music related stuff, great Interface
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Iāve seen people dismiss it as a platform altogether. Whatās even more ridiculous, when Logic Pro for iPad was announced, the ānow there will be a real DAW on the iPadā comments were everywhere.
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Dipping my toes back in here, as I just purchased an M2 iPad Air to replace my OG iPad Pro from 2018.
Iāve read many comments about the coldness/sterility of the touchscreen interface, but I must say this - when youāre hanging out casually with friends/collaborators and have a random idea/sound in your head, the iPad (with its more substantial screen size) is really tough to beat IMO. Especially for generating sample fodder. Itās a bit more āshareableā than a phone screen.
Iām literally about to head out the door with a bag containing the iPad, an SP404MK2 (skipback!), and a Digitakt II, to go jam with a friend. Reckon those three gadgets will keep us entertained for the eveningā¦.
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