If you have a mac you can plug ur ipad in via usb, enable it in audio midi setup (or make it part of an aggregate device with ur interface), and then use ios apps as vsts in ur daw.
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I’ve found IDAM to be flaky at best. And it’s stereo. Can’t really get 20 channels of effects busses with it.
There’s apps like studiomux and midimux which work better, and they’re about to get major updates.
If you already have an audio interface with adat inputs, I have 2 of these. 8 channel usb to ADAT from the iPad port. Class compliant.
Exact same enclosure as the elektron TM-1
https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/usbstreamer-box
Work like a champ for 100$ They also work like a dream for older audio interfaces that no longer support updated drivers (particularly FireWire stuff on windows). Set interface to slave, use all the analog inouts…send em out over ADAT to usb to your computer.
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I wanna try Auria Pro but can’t even get through activation on their website so that doesn’t look promising.
I want to use a controller with motorized faders and have all the buttons work but that application has been out for 8 years and even though Auria claims it will work, some user claim it will work, I haven’t seen anyone actually using it making it hard to believe that it actually does.
I don’t get some of these developers. Most of their marketing is terrible and they’re lazy in not updating their apps.
Edit: I found out MCU in Auria Pro is pretty much still useless.
What is MCU?
A protocol that’s used to control and automate things within a DAW.
To quote wiki:
‘Logic Control (and now MCU) allows control of almost all Logic parameters with hardware faders, buttons and “V-Pots” (rotary knobs). Its touch-sensitive, motorized faders react to track automation. All transport functions and wheel scrubbing are also available. The unit also controls plug-in parameters. Visual feedback including current parameters being edited, parameter values, project location (SMPTE time code or bars/beats/divisions/ticks) are conveyed by a two-line LCD and red 7-segment LED displays.’
I could have googled it but si ce US people tend to use a lot of acronyms for everyday’s expressions i was not sure.
So basically it is for people using Logic which is also a DAW if i’m correct. Not sure to see the point of this MCU either.
It was created by Emagic who also made Logic. Later on Apple bought Logic. (think it was at Logic version 5.5 when the switch was made) The MCU protocol is now a universal protocol that works within pretty much every DAW on Windows/Mac (and should also work on IOS if developers decide to implement it). Some DAWs have better implementation than others though. There are a few other protocols like EUCON which is now owned by AVID and much more advanced than MCU but I think only works best in Protools.
Okay i was a bit misled by the name Logic.
So the goal would be to reflect things from Auria into a DAW?
Like for switching seamlessly from desktop to tablet and opposite?
…i gave it a big first try whe the ipad3 came out…
bought pretty much all synth drum and whatnot sound apps back then…
and learned the hard way what’s total crap…and what’s really good…
and some of them remain outstanding uptodate and sometimes i still record some free willy takes from it’s output into my main desktop system…with those that really use the touchsurface for proper musical expression advantage…
the geo stuff and soundprism still pretty alone, when it comes to make really smart use of the touch concept…
and this lockdown witer i setted up a perfect workflow sourrounding sonic production setup for my son on his ipad pro…
skipping garageband, even if it’s this candycloured for free nobrainer “daw” on the ipad and bought cubasis3 instead as a hosting daw…and with this new au3 format and folder data structuring it all really starts making sense these days…
still asking myself why there is still soundprism that takes most advantage of the touchfactor when it comes to perform musical manual input…
but hey…now he’s able to play any kind of soundsource via soundprism…i’d love to have that, too… 
and what cubasis3 offers within it’s masterbus fx is serious stuff…!
same with their coop with waves…my son now finally do all his beloved teenage autotune gimmicks on the fly…
i curated a setup for him that really works and leads to serious somic results…
cubasis3 as the mainframe…
ruismaker and base08 for his trap (of course) low ends…
some nice midi operators from rez…the baseline maker is stunning!
drumcomputer from sugabytes…
koala for sampling
quite some au3 synth ad fx stuff…
for further details i must check back, if somebody is really intrested what worx…
a small steinberg interface and an akg dynamic mic
beyerdynamic headphones…
and ready is a small but proper first studio set up for home AND on the go…
and i can only hope this triggers him now for real…
cause the m:s i gave him for last x mas did not do the first trick for him at all… 
he even managed to break the only thing u can break on it…the powersocket…
I bought iPad for music production and after buying adapters, USB hubs, audio interface, more adapters, trying different kind of software just to find out that my hardware is not supported - or if it is, it wont be after next update - all i can say is that i am done with this sh*t.
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…yup…it can also end up pretty depressing…
if u don’t really know upfront what worx and what not, u can burn a lot of time and money…
still many many traps and craps out there…
but on the other hand also really good sonic and handling weapons no where else to find…
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Got my iPad a few years back wanting a mobile production option. It’s one of the best choices I’ve ever made for my studio. It’s been invaluable in so many ways.
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I use it pretty much every single day during work at lunch. I sit on the couch or in bed and get ideas out. I am pretty much never without a musical sketchpad. In fact, 2/3 of our upcoming release started out on my iPad.
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With the CCK and a class compliant interface, it integrates right into my studio. I can send audio to it for processing or send audio from it to record into my DAW. I can sequence all my synths with it, or sequence stuff on it with all my Elektron boxes (an Octatrack and DrumComputer is basically an 8 track sampler and 8 track Machinedrum). On top of that, with the class compliancy of the Digitone and Digitakt, you can plug them in directly to the iPad for MIDI and audio (and they’ll act as an interface, to boot).
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Apps like Samplr, Borderlands, and more would not be as cool on a desktop. There are just some things that lend itself well to a touch screen.
Since I didn’t know if I would like it, I bought the 2018 9.7in 128gb base model. I figured if I didn’t like iOS production, it would still make a fine tablet. Now I want to upgrade to the newest Air as I keep running out of processing power.
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I only use AUM these days, interfacing with a Focusrite 18i20 for recording jams when I don’t want to switch on a Mac.
Samplr and Koala a bit for time killing on public transport but I prefer tactile hardware in general.
I am old though
It’s one of the best purchases I’ve made in the last ten years for music production
Mainly because of its portability and what I have in regards to synths, fx, sequencers etc
Drambo is excellent and I also use zenbeats which is similar to ableton with a clip and linear view
It does so much and pretty endless for sound creation
I have the launchpad pro mk3 and faderfox uc4 which work as midi controllers though rarely use them as usually making music on the sofa or at work
I use an a&h zedi mixer as an audio interface and the audient evo which connects direct the pro with a usb c cable
Amazing bit of kit
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If you mean that with an MCU controller you can fully operate the DAW without using the touchscreen most of the time than yes. 
I use an iPad Pro exclusively for tracking hardware. It’s a mixed bag, the good stuff is great, the bad stuff is infuriating. I’m not really into the modular app environment, but the connectivity/utility apps are great
Pros:
Freedom from chair + peripherals hell, can write music upside down on a couch
Cubasis
Patch Base
Thafknar
Pro-L & Wider
AUM, AudioBus etc (route your digitakt to sequence a vintage synth, while playing the same synth on a keyboard, while also programming it via patch base? Done!)
Audio & MIDI I/O is snappy and reliable
iCloud storage is immediate for offloading all your crap
Cons:
The inter-app environment throwing you across various full-screen apps due to misclicks gets old very fast
Little reason paying for clunky apps that don’t sound that good, plus every stupid little utility has a price
Flimsy dongles & cables that break when you least expect it (yes, I’ve tried the anker stuff, it’s the same)
Battery might not be a concern now, but four years from now you might reconsider plunking $1k into an iPad Pro that needs a high-watt charger to stay alive
Yes you can.
It your motorized faders won’t move.
And there’s nothing to give feedback to the controller 99.9% of the time.
For example, if you you have fader 1 on track 1, and put it all the way up to 100%, switch banks, use danger one on track 9, and pull down to 20%, then go back to track 1 and start moving it up, it will snap from 100% to 20% and start moving up from there, unless your controller memorizes the values. Apps won’t give feedback to controllers, but this is not the limitation of iOS. It is a limitation due to developers not implementing it.
Sugar Bytes apps / effects do not have this issue.
This is why I’ve said above I make my own controllers now that save the values. I have encoder 1 on track one…turn it to 100, same encoder on track 9 (in a different bank of encoders), turn it to 20, when I go back to track one, my controller tells the encoder “you are now 100, not 20”
You’ll also find you don’t need these massive controllers. I have 32 rgb encoders over 8 banks (using 127 cc and 127 midi notes on a midi channel), midi translator, and a launchpad. All memorization of values is outside of the iPad.
I’ve been using this live with no issues for quite a while as you said before “ touching it with my fat sweaty sausage fingers” does suck.
But I also thought the same if anyone touching their trackpad and keyboard of their laptop live.
…oh jes i forgot…since it got mentioned here…the very very best music app of all times…
SAMPLR…no other hardware or software sampler ever was that sexy…
even given the fact, that it has seen no updates since ages…
simple background story is, that smart cookie developer got cherry picked out right away and is working directly and exclusively for apple development ever since…
and AUM is THE host for on the fly…
and no worries…most inter app inbetween apps will soon also work in au3 format to become “traditional” plugins…
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it got updated last year. 
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I appreciate everyone sharing their app suggestions and ask that it continue. What’s your favorite ipad sequencer, utility, synth, drum machine, sampler, etc etc.
I ordered my usb-c hub and it will be here in a few days. I own literally 0 music apps so I’m interested in all suggestions as I don’t even know where to start with finding the best music apps.