Finally trying out an OP-1 these days, so I may have questions for you guys…
Lots of good suggestions here, Samplr, Borderlands Granular, Loopy really make the most of a touch screen device… The KORG apps are excellent as well, even though still too attached to more traditional GUIs…
Among drum machines DM1, Funkbox and Electric Drums are great…
Oh well, lots of cool stuff actually, it’s just that the workflow on iOS is not really problem-free when you want to do something more serious…
P.s: we’re actually running a giveaway right now for VirSyn Arpeggist, it’s a quite cool app, have a look…
I saw a lot of great apps listed, so I’ll just post the apps currently on my iPad mini, as I can genuinely say I really enjoy them:
Korg Gadget - super powerful song/beat platform.
Korg M1 (works in gadget!) - an M1 without the nasty user interface!
iVCS3 - It’s a VCS3! Still want a real one even though this app is killer.
Sunvox - recently acquired this amazing modular tracker. Only $6!
ReBirth - cause everyone needs a 303 (or 2).
I’ve also bought the Vogel CMI app, but was REALLY disappointed to find its just a sound module until you
pay an extra $45 for a frankly underpowered app compared to the other trackers I’ve listed.
On the wish list:
More Korg apps (ms20, ipolysix)
Waldorf Nave/Attack
Klevgränd suite of effects
Flux Fx
I’ve been messing with Auxy for a while. Lots of sequencing possibilities. You can set up an arrangement of multiple sequences to play out in linear fashion, or trigger them in a performance style. Pretty flexible.
I just recently got my first iPad (LOVING it), so I’ll put in my 2¢ from a new user perspective:
- Animoog is one of the most unique synths I’ve ever played. The interface is magical and makes for expressive playing. Best pad sounds ever.
- iMS-20 sounds fantastic and has cool sequencers, fun Kaoss pad controllers.
- Borderlands Granular is a real mindfuck (in a good way)
- Elastic Drums is a great drum machine. You can automate everything.
- Sector is a trip. A beat-slicer’s fever dream.
- AUFX are great. Space is a superb verb.
- Saffron Saturator is a cool little analog-ish sounding distortion. Put this and space after a polysynth and we’re talking HUGE.
- Audiobus, Audioshare, Audiomux and Midimux are all great utilities, and 100% obligatory in some cases. Connecting to my Macbook with the 'muxes is beautiful. The iPad basically becomes an external plugin for your DAW.
I just recently got my first iPad (LOVING it), so I'll put in my 2¢ from a new user perspective:
- Animoog is one of the most unique synths I've ever played. The interface is magical and makes for expressive playing. Best pad sounds ever.
- iMS-20 sounds fantastic and has cool sequencers, fun Kaoss pad controllers.
- Borderlands Granular is a real mindfuck (in a good way)
- Elastic Drums is a great drum machine. You can automate everything.
- Sector is a trip. A beat-slicer's fever dream.
- AUFX are great. Space is a superb verb.
- Saffron Saturator is a cool little analog-ish sounding distortion. Put this and space after a polysynth and we're talking HUGE.
- Audiobus, Audioshare, Audiomux and Midimux are all great utilities, and 100% obligatory in some cases. Connecting to my Macbook with the 'muxes is beautiful. The iPad basically becomes an external plugin for your DAW.
If you don’t have Samplr yet, you’re missing the one app that best justifies the purchase of an iPad for music creation.
As far as “processing” apps, I recently got the Klëvgrand suite, along with their compressor and I must say: Great products/interfaces. Very unique effects w/ great sound.
I don’t see any comments in here about TC-11. It is an old app (2011), but it got a recent major update (v.2). It seems to mix modular engines with advanced multi-touch controls in a very unconventional way. I watched some videos and got very curious about it, but the price tag is a little on the high side and it seems focused mostly on ambient sounds. Anybody can vouch for it?
I don't see any comments in here about TC-11. It is an old app (2011), but it got a recent major update (v.2). It seems to mix modular engines with advanced multi-touch controls in a very unconventional way. I watched some videos and got very curious about it, but the price tag is a little on the high side and it seems focused mostly on ambient sounds. Anybody can vouch for it?
I bought it, used it for a while, deleted it, reinstalled after the major update, deleted it again. The multi-touch approach is cool and so are the very complex patch-sculpting options, most glitches were fixed with the latest update so the dev does take care of his product. So while TC-11 is definitely a cool music app, I just don’t find the sounds too inspiring and the app is way too CPU-heavy (at least it appeared to be on my iPad Mini 2).That is just me though, probably a lot of folks love TC-11 and with a good a reason. I prefer weirder stuff when it comes to iOS synths. iVCS3 is my favourite, it’s the only synth on my iPad that I regularly use.
Mobmuplat is an IOS host for PureData language. It can be used for some sound generation and processing, but i interested with it’s MIDI implementation. I used Pure Data a bit to remap some midi stuff for my midi keyboard, and i believe it’s a quite easy way to implement MIDI versions of LFO, maybe additional envelope, some MIDI note effects and sequencing stuff. Also mobmuplat has lemur-like live onscreen controllers (buttons, knobs, X-Y pad, etc). I think this thing + LFO MIDI mode on OP-1 can be great addition to OP-1 that let to do some crazy sequencing and synth parameters tweaks to extend the sound palette. Need more research on that though.
Thinking of taking the plunge and getting an ipad but they’re so expensive here in Scotland. I’m looking at the 9.7 inch ipad 2, is this powerful enough to run, for example, a few apps at once using audiobus?
If you mean the old iPad 2 and not the iPad Air 2, the latest OS made it quite slow. However, a couple of music apps at once is possible – depending on the apps of course. I’d definitely get a newer model. You could get one used if your budget is tight?
Get yourself a mini rather than the full sized ipad - unless you have massive fingers.
You’ll find yourself using the mini more as it’s much more of a portable size.
And when it comes to music apps, unless you have massive clumsy fingers, the screen doesnt feel too small.
Older iPads may struggle with the newer OS. Just save your pennies and get the latest one. Maybe Santa can help you out? I’d rather hold out and get a new one rather than jump at an older one that may be a bit of a frustration.
To be able to run a few apps at a time with audiobus you’ll need a fairly decent spec ipad.
I just took the plunge and ordered an Ipad mini 2 this morning, only for music related stuff. I plan on using it for synth and guitar, can’t wait to pair it with my OP1! Thank you all for all the recommended apps, choices will be hard to make
Fieldscaper is a new app by Igor Vasiliev (his dev alias is iMusicAlbum) and it’s simply awesome. If you’re into sampling on the fly and extreme sound morphology, you just can’t go wrong with this one. Highyly recommeded to the likes of me.
