Korg iMS-20 and iElectribe - thumbs up or down?

[~Pd~]

Little do you realize the nickel and dime prices add up and you could have bought a full DAW software suite or synth/rompler.

True but I've already got plenty of those things. Working with a different set of strengths and limitations is a shaker-upper.

edit: actually for what I've paid so far for iPad apps I could get... a downpayment on Reaper. That buy button in the app store is a real fscker though, going to have to be careful.

[IncarnateX]

Or you can do all that within one program on your PC/MAC of choice... f**king iPad/iPod bullshit

Yeah, the touch screen control of my laptop is amazing and wipes the floor with the iPad.

[IncarnateX]

However they all turned out to be quite annoying with all the limitations.

To the unskilled, every tool is a toy. To the skilled, every toy is a tool.

It is also annoying seeing a lot of developers jumping on the i-wagon when they could be improving their PC/MAC based versions which has very huge potential.

That was what they said about the development of VSTs back in 1998. They should have stucked to the developement of hardware, right?

Nothing to see here but the usual reactionary crap that happens whenever someone takes a development into novel directions.

[kuniklo]

It is also annoying seeing a lot of developers jumping on the i-wagon when they could be improving their PC/MAC based versions which has very huge potential.

I actually started out writing a VST plugin but the more I thought about it the more it seemed to me that there are already so many mature, polished, featureful plugins in that world already that it would be a lot more interesting to try to break some new ground on a touch screen.

I mean, just Reaktor alone is too much to explore in a lifetime.

[penguinfromdeep]

It is also annoying seeing a lot of developers jumping on the i-wagon when they could be improving their PC/MAC based versions which has very huge potential.

IOS is the bomba! Of course it doesn't replace your desktop / laptop daw but it's great for sketching etc! It's awesome there's no way around it

Try running 5 instances of Tone2 Gladiator 2 or Alchemy on your iPad. for a decent laptop, no problem... just a little bigger/heavier, not a big sheet of glass and comes with a DVD drive.

That's not really the point .. I don't want to run 5 instances of Tone2 plugs on Ipad! Actually I don't even like Tone2 plug-ins so

[IncarnateX]

IOS is the bomba! Of course it doesn't replace your desktop / laptop daw but it's great for sketching etc

It does not offer the same amount of functions as your laptop DAW but whether it can replace it depends entirely on your particular needs. I have no problem making full tracks on Nanostudio that satifies my needs by use of pasteboard transfer, resampling etc. Of course it is a trade off, you loose something and gain something (Touch screen control in my case).

[nexusdawn]

Thumbs up to MS-20 and Electribe all the way. Next to the built-in sequencer, kaoss type pads, I also much prefer the sound of the iPad MS-20 version over the plugin.

To those skeptical of tablet computing:

Of corse feel free to choose whatever solutions you prefer. IMO Laptops are great, but I, and I'm guessing quite a few other people, are X times more likely to carry a 1-1.5 pound tablet around with them, than a 2-7 pound laptop on a regular basis. And yes, it really does make a lot of difference.

The Netbooks I've seen, are way too slow, too low-res for many applications intended or even practical screen size, usually cheaply built, and still heavier than a Tablet.

I've been schlepping laptops since the days of the first powerbooks, and IBM thinkpad's. And they serve their purpose well when the need for a portable in depth windows/osx solution prevails.

But consider, just because you can carry them, doesn't mean these platforms and most of their software titles where ever intended or designed to be portable, quick or efficient solutions, let alone the cpu or hardware peripherals they may require to operate smoothly, or at all. Perhaps, next to speed and price, a reason PC tablets haven't really caught on.

Whether walking out the door, i.e. to visit some friends to share some photos with and play some games, meeting a client to demo a project, or sitting in a cafe or on bench by a lake to surf the internet, email, engage in social networking with dedicated applications, perform touch-screen photo editing or painting, or work on some musical ideas at a sonically professional level. Its a Tablet computer I'll be bringing along. Because they where designed to do these types of things on-the-go and on-the-fly.

I've also yet to see a Laptop with a 10-12 hour battery life, that boots up, or recovers from sleep mode in a split second, and above all, that offers such a quick, clean, ergonomic way to access and work with all these things, and then some, as with a tablet.

In terms of practical everyday usage, the difference between a few pounds, or even 1/2, and accessing programs and files 2-30 seconds faster, can make all the difference.

Namely the difference between actually using theses devices, and integrating them in a productive, creative and beneficial manner or ending up with an over-priced, high-tech headache that usually ends up acting more like an under powered desktop solution than a portable computer. Or worse, doesn't get used much at all and ends up back in the box.

For more serious audio based production, I use and would suggest using a studio type i.e. multicore daw, large screen, monitors, multi GB sample library, high-end instrument and effect plugins, keyboards and synth setup.

These are the reasons I prefer a Tablet-Desktop as my main computing solution, and rely on a laptop only when absolutely needed. And even then, I can always VPN/Remote to my desktop underway on a Tablet, so that's covered as well.

And tablets are only going to get better, with their ever increasing multicore cpu and gpu's, 2k screen resolutions, that will offer speeds more and more comparable to desktops with the release of 3rd and 4th generation models.

If the engineers can pull it off, it's been widely rumored the specs of the iPad 3 will include those comparable to midrange laptops, 2k screen resolution, and near 360/Playstation gpu gaming speeds this fall.

While I feel the rumors may be a bit too optimistic, from what I've seen so far, this certainly seems possible as early as next year.

In the end, the way we enslave ourselves to technology, and pick apart these things is a bad joke, a sign of excess affluence, and a story in itself.

And while this post is more like an essay on the advantages of tablet vs. laptops for daily portable and practical computing needs. If we're already going to enslave ourselves with these things, we might as well do it in the most practical and ergonomic ways.

It's all up to a persons personal and professional needs, but tablets certainly do not suck as some suggest. They fill a rather broad spectrum of needs and possibilities, not merely a niche, and do so very well.

With the advent of tablets, in my eyes it's actually laptops that are fulfilling a niche need, as most people, most of the time, not only don't need the level of intricacy and detail offered by some operating systems , but that these can actually get in the way of a productive mobile computing experience.

[~Pd~]

Nexusdawn, you ought to sell that post to engadget or something! Thanks.

I agree that the kaoss pads and sequencer in the iMS-20 rock. I wonder if the iElectribe will ever get updated with kaoss pads and a song mode.

Speaking of which - can you tell me, in a single pattern on the iElectribe, is it possible to have different parts of different lengths? Like 18 steps for the snare and 12 for the bass? Or can you only set lengths for the overall pattern? I really like the variable length parts on the iMS-20.

[CinningBao]

Speaking of which - can you tell me, in a single pattern on the iElectribe, is it possible to have different parts of different lengths? Like 18 steps for the snare and 12 for the bass? Or can you only set lengths for the overall pattern? I really like the variable length parts on the iMS-20.

Yeah, agreed, great post. Covers all the bases..
I have an ER1, which is the closest hardware product, as I understand, to the iElectribe; it is not possible in either to set part lengths - only pattern lengths.. Need to check out iMS20..

[IncarnateX]

And tablets are only going to get better, with their ever increasing multicore cpu and gpu's, 2k screen resolutions, that will offer speeds more and more comparable to desktops with the release of 3rd and 4th generation models.

Maybe, but actually I like the idea of the DEVs being challenged to make more cpu efficient programs instead of continually boost the computers. This is what has happened in the PC world. The devs are making still more CPU demanding programs to take advantage of bigger and bigger CPUs and the PC manufacturers are making still bigger CPUs to run the program. Result is clusterfuck programs, which is often more or less unstable, and big, heavy and clumsy computers. It is like peeing in your pants in to keep warm in the winter. Getting high quality softsynth studios and sequencers such as NanoStudio and iSequence at ridiculously low CPU costs really suits me.

Also, when I actually make music on computer, it is a Medion E1312 laptop with a lousy 1,5 sempron single core processor. I just choose my software with care but first and foremost I switch off 2/3 of the windows background services and make every known tweak for turning your PC into a music studio and suddenly it runs very smooth and faster than the dual core 1,8 Ghz CPU of the laptop at my working office.

While it is OK to work on bigger processors in general, I sure hope that the iDEVs will still focus on the CPU efficiency of their programs and not fall into the trap above.

[UltraJv]

I challenge anyone to knock up an idea quicker that this way, whistle a tune into any phone that can record. Job done, yes you can make it sound a bit better by using smartphones and apps but its not easier and actually gets in the way of the creative process. Thats why I see them as toys, despite all the lengthy protestation posts

[IncarnateX]

That why I see them as toys.

As already said:

To the unskilled, every tool is a toy. To the skilled, every toy is a tool.


And that is the way I see it

[UltraJv]

That why I see them as toys.

As already said:

To the unskilled every tool is a toy. To the skilled, every toy is a tool.


And that is the way I see it

Sure so how many Stylaphones have you got? Chart songs have been written with them, this is all about pose factor lol - We can all make up silly sentences - how bout this one - To the skilled, he dosnt need tools - he can use whats at hand.

[IncarnateX]

That why I see them as toys.

As already said:

To the unskilled every tool is a toy. To the skilled, every toy is a tool.


And that is the way I see it

Sure so how many Stylaphones have you got? lol

A-ha-ha-ha! How many apps do you know? Only the stylaphone? Look at my sig. If you can not get anything musical from these, the problem is you, not the apps nor the platform.

[UltraJv]

That why I see them as toys.

As already said:

To the unskilled every tool is a toy. To the skilled, every toy is a tool.


And that is the way I see it

Sure so how many Stylaphones have you got? lol

A-ha-ha-ha! How many apps do you know? Only the stylaphone? Look at my sig. If you can not get anything musical from these, the problem is you, not the apps nor the platform.

Im talking about a real instrument, youre obviosly too young to know the difference lol - Ive heard plenty of people with lots of toys and mediocre tunes.