Integrate your IPAD into your setup

[Jace-BeOS]

I add my iPad Pro and iPhone 6s as audio input devices on my Macs by creating an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup (the devices connected via lightning to USB). There are some apps to do this on Windows but it’s not as straightforward and not free (?). This way, I can treat my iPad apps as hardware synths, drive them with MIDI, and record them to audio tracks, in Logic. One cable per iOS device; no need for extra devices for audio & MIDI connections.

I use Korg Gadget and GarageBand on my iPad Pro for sequencing musical experimentation or spontaneous ideas... or just for a change in workflow.

There are plugins for Mac AudioUnit and Win/Mac VST for all the Korg Gadget synths, so porting the projects is possible with some effort (the export of MIDI in Gadget sucks and the track FX aren’t available as plugins).

GarageBand projects can be opened directly by Logic, but AudioUnit plug-ins on iOS are usually NOT available for Mac OS, so this has lead to annoyances and the need to export audio stems... as well as a reluctance to use AU3 plugins on iOS. If I have to treat the AU3 synths on my iPad as hardware, why write songs with them in GarageBand? I might as well just hook up the iPad as an audio and MIDI device and treat it as an external hardware synth with Logic on my Macs.

There are a number of great apps that have no equivalent on desktop: FingerFiddle and Fugue Machine come to mind immediately. Fugue Machine can send four channels of MIDI to drive whatever synths are on your computer (or external hardware, using the appropriate connections).

I also use my iPad Pro as an MPE controller sometimes (mostly via the Logic Control app), but it’s not great if you want to be eyes-free (I’m still waiting for a hardware MPE controller that is both affordable and NOT dependent on a computer, drivers, and software).

[Rudegar]

Love it, I have thought of picking up a 6s. Have you ever run any of the effects through your ipad. That is one use I thought to try to use it for

[Cinebient]

I did and think about again to just use an iPad but i would still miss a full fledged DAW like Logic and some mixing tools. Otherwise the apps which are really optimized for touch screen are fantastic. Sometimes a lot more fun than clicking around with a mouse/trackpad. Feels almost a lot more immediate like i would use hardware.
Since there is even real velocity possible with apps (which works better as some cheap midi keyboards) and MPE everywhere its also one of the most versatile controller.
But the workflow is just different. Some things just works 10 times faster on my notebook as on an iPad and especially iPhone.
I know a few which had a decade of desktop producing and now gone full iPad only also to go away from a "computer".
I use mostly my iPhone 6S plus and macbook which gives me the best of both worlds but i really think about to replace it all with a new iPad. But maybe it needs another 1-2 years until i can live with that.
If i could get Logic on an iPad i would just leave my mac today.
Midi tools are already much better as everything i have on my mac.

[Kalamata Kid]

Cinebient, I quoted you here:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=541755&p=7704430#p7704430

Midi tools are already much better as everything i have on my mac.

[ramseysounds]

well, im sure thats the first time anyone has accused me of that

Probably the last as well