iPad Worth Buying for a Music Production Tool?

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

Are there any producers out here that enjoy using an iPad for their productions?

Very skeptical about using iPad & iPad hardware for my music, but I’m starting to become more interested in it over the years after seeing it develop more and more. I got the korg gadget for the iphone, and i was impressed with that app.

What I’m looking for with an iPad is something portable I can use to lay down ideas and export stems and recordings to my main laptop. Also, I’m interested in controllers that are good for ipads. The touch screen is a little tough for me to lay down beats or keys.

So are iPads a great thing to have for music production, or is it still kinda gimmicky?

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#2

Not at all gimmicky. Can sort of sound or feel that way if your not using external speakers though. You can also pretty quickly become sort of app saturated if you buy too many, which is very easily done because they’re mostly all relatively cheap.

Check out the grooverider app if your in to electron gear!

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#3

No they can totally be used for serious production.
Still prefer a laptop

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#5

You can do a lot of cool things with an iPad and there are an excellent array of apps to choose from. Excellent sources of sound on it!

That being said- I think that what it benefits from in it’s portability and accessibility it compromises in it’s controllability. From navigation to making a complete track.

(I believe I’m working with an iPad Air 3(maybe 4), so the new ones might be more capable than what I’m working with).

That being said- with things like the iConnect Midi/Audio + and AUM you have the capability of integrating your iPad with your DAW.

I have mixed feelings about working with the iPad- but it’s definitely not gimmicky and there are a lot of cool things you can do with it.

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#6

This is a very common use case among iPad users who make music. You will have plenty of people to ask for help if you want to go down this path.

I think this is actually the most common use case. The number of people who use the iPad - and only the iPad - is comparatively few.

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#7

I’ve been utilizing my iPad2 as a musical device since I got it when it came out. It started off rocky but over the years it has become an incredibly solid device even though it’s spec are well below current models.
The only problem I have is that different apps have different touch screen knob behavior and it can be annoying in a live situation.
I’ve also used the iPad to create live visuals and it outputs quality stuff as well.

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#8

What year model or above would you recommend getting?

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#9

According to this, now isn’t the time if you want a brand new iPad. But if you’re looking for soon to be last-year’s models on clearance sale, it actually might be a great time:

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#10

If you have the cash I would grab the newest model or the current previous generation and make sure you get one with a higher storage space. If cared for properly the iPad will last a very long time, I’ve had my iPad2 for about 8 years and it is still running strong. I’ve only recently updated cause I wanted to, not cause I needed to.

I personally prefer the regular model to the pro or mini. Mini is to small for me pro is too large.

Honestly I would go look at the Apple refurb store to see what’s available there

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#11

Oh, and bare minimum is 64-bit iPad. iPad mini 2 or later should be good.

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#12

I’ve found that the iPad is like a swiss army knife for filling in gaps in my hardware set-up

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#14

If you already like Gadget, and your laptop DAW is Ableton Live, you might like using Gadget on iPad, as it has export to Live functionality already.

Any USB controller that is USB class compliant will work with your iPad or iPhone. Be sure to get an Apple Lightning to USB adapter - either the $30 one or the $40 that includes a USB-C female jack. People in the past have tried to cheap out with knockoffs - always with disappointing results.

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#15

Get the most recent/best you can afford, like any computer. I’d buy a used iPad pro 10.5 if I could. Reason being it’s the latest, but a new ones around the corner at the same price.

#16

i love the iPad for music making. can do so much, do it so well, and more portable than anything. just having it (or my phone which i also use a lot) permits me to spend a lot of time on little details (say drum programming, synth sounds). which you can then upload to dropbox and bring into ableton or whatever.

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#17

I use an iPad Pro 12inch (whatever the big one is) mk1 ,
I mostly either …
Generate samples , scales , melodies that I export as sample chains / streams for octatrack
Use as fx box for incoming audio , aufx/audiodamage range sound great
Use it as an external synth via midi / usb / Bluetooth .

Aum can fall over if it gets a bit crazy , apps crash and need reloading , so I’d never do an entire tune on it. It not capable if external sync in , but Audiobus is I think .
But many synths , fx , editors are good and cheap (both making your own or using collider etc) , and there are many experimental audio apps that you might only use a few times , but if they’re £1 or a bit more , who cares.

And it can quite easily be cross modulated , Lfo ‘ envelope followers , vocoders , side chaining , mastering / eq / filters …
And finally it can also be directly linked via usb to Mac/pc as an audio source , keeping it all digital , though I’ve not bothered myself

Get an iPad with lots of storage or use Dropbox etc.
I try and avoid using iTunes to xfer files , it’s rubbish .

Get a pencil too.
And camera connection kit , you can then connect digitakt straight into usb/iPad for midi stuff.

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#18

I tried BeatMaker 3 for a few days, awhile back…came up with some cool stuff, but found the interface extremely frustrating. The sound quality was shockingly good though. After that, I just started using different apps to tweak samples and then load em into a hardware sampler. Occasionally I’ll sequence stuff on my iPad from the DT.
Love-
Patterning
Tardigrain
SAMPLR
SoundScaper
FugueMachine
Among others

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#19

yes they are good pitty rebirth has gone

#20

no

#21

Its definitely worth it if you have a RYTM simply because Collider is so amazing. It’s also good as a midi sequencer. The Moog plug-ins sound great through hardware effects (I put the through my small modular rack). BUT its my least favorite bit of music making equipment. I’ve tested a lot of synths and apart from the Moogs there’s been no love. The good thing is the Apple return policy - I get a refund (two week time period) if I don’t like the app. I guess I just love hardware that has a single purpose. I wouldn’t get rid of my iPad though. Just too useful.

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#23

Edit: I am drunk and I have nothing but love for your post.

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