Why did mobile music production never take off?

[jules99]

When iOS production became a thing a decade ago, it seemed such a promising direction, with a vibrant producer scene, loads of new apps, mobile DAWs and effects.

But to me, it seems like, it never really got out its niche. And I' wondering why?

Is it because Android never really caught up?

Are iOS/iPadOs devices not powerful enough to produce full tracks?

Anything else?

[Synthman2000]

Maybe it is because mobile phones are terrible things for human beings overall, making your life measurably worse. Social media, available on apps, phone and SMS every hour sent including rest time, endless distracting streams of total rubbish to plough through as "entertainment"

And creating a single point of extreme stress if you lose it. This and a single pointed security risk for every individual, (banking/payment forms/I.D./ Health admin / exact GPS and phone tower mast access to precisely where you have been 24 hours a day, filled to the brim with private personal identifiable data etc.) Coupled with a risk of a fragile society where little of actual importance (banking) can be done should networks go down.

Trying to use them to make music on the go is also not worth bothering with.

Who wants to run a complex music session on a tiny phone with beeps and rings interrupting ? Who chooses a tiny screen to work on in 2024 for music. No one.

[funky lime]

I used to do mobile stuff all the time, especially when using public transit. I did enjoy the spontaneity of it, being able to properly sample real life sounds on the fly and whatnot. But I think mobile devices have more value now as a supplemental piece of kit, rather than a centerpiece—sheet music, lyrics, fake books, ear training, roughly recording basic ideas and thoughts, OSC control, and device-specific gimmicks (alternative note layouts/grids, XY pads, using sensors in clever ways, the "use your apple pencil as a violin bow" type of thing).

Also I recall mobile devices over the years getting lost, damaged, stolen, bricked, system-upgraded into obsolescence, or simply too battery-drained to be used for music (since it also had to do phone calls, calendar, weather, messenging, banking, camera, flashlight, navigation, etc.)

Also for the price of a new iphone or whatever, you can actually buy/build a pretty nice mid-tier DAW computer or laptop with a lot more capability. So a "mobile device as a centerpiece" concept feels more gimmicky and toy-like in comparison.

[WackyZoundz]

Lack of convenience (Small screen, touch display, being forced to hold the device in your hand, battery-powered) combined with lack of processing power and software.

[vitocorleone123]

Maybe it is because mobile phones are terrible things for human beings overall, making your life measurably worse. Social media, available on apps, phone and SMS every hour sent including rest time, endless distracting streams of total rubbish to plough through as "entertainment"

And creating a single point of extreme stress if you lose it. This and a single pointed security risk for every individual, (banking/payment forms/I.D./ Health admin / exact GPS and phone tower mast access to precisely where you have been 24 hours a day, filled to the brim with private personal identifiable data etc.) Coupled with a risk of a fragile society where little of actual importance (banking) can be done should networks go down.

Trying to use them to make music on the go is also not worth bothering with.

Who wants to run a complex music session on a tiny phone with beeps and rings interrupting ? Who chooses a tiny screen to work on in 2024 for music. No one.

Wrong on a lot of counts.
Also, making music on a phone can be fun.
Sorry that technology has taken such a direct toll on your life.

Yes, you can easily make full tracks on a phone. Yes, you can even master and release a whole album from your phone. You can use it for MIDI generation. Or as a multi-track recorder. An external synth or effects rack. Or as a full DAW workstation.

Part of the reason for the lower popularity is displayed in this thread: bias against.

[WackyZoundz]

You can connect very few audio interfaces to smartphones. This alone already makes it very impractical. It's simply not suited for professional audio production. It's like playing Doom on a printer.

[Scotty]

Any audio interface that supports core audio will work on an IOS iPad or Iphone. I have 4 here.

You can connect very few audio interfaces to smartphones. This alone already makes it very impractical. It's simply not suited for professional audio production. It's like playing Doom on a printer.

[Synthman2000]

Maybe it is because mobile phones are terrible things for human beings overall, making your life measurably worse. Social media, available on apps, phone and SMS every hour sent including rest time, endless distracting streams of total rubbish to plough through as "entertainment"

And creating a single point of extreme stress if you lose it. This and a single pointed security risk for every individual, (banking/payment forms/I.D./ Health admin / exact GPS and phone tower mast access to precisely where you have been 24 hours a day, filled to the brim with private personal identifiable data etc.) Coupled with a risk of a fragile society where little of actual importance (banking) can be done should networks go down.

Trying to use them to make music on the go is also not worth bothering with.

Who wants to run a complex music session on a tiny phone with beeps and rings interrupting ? Who chooses a tiny screen to work on in 2024 for music. No one.

Wrong on a lot of counts.
Also, making music on a phone can be fun.
Sorry that technology has taken such a direct toll on your life.

Yes, you can easily make full tracks on a phone. Yes, you can even master and release a whole album from your phone. You can use it for MIDI generation. Or as a multi-track recorder. An external synth or effects rack. Or as a full DAW workstation.

Part of the reason for the lower popularity is displayed in this thread: bias against.

It did not take a toll on my life as I saw clearly the damage it could do to being alive, enjoying peace, manipulating the contents of people's minds, being present and undisturbed. If you want to evaporate your existence on a total waste of time do so.

Imbeciles can mix and master their tracks on a phone, so yes it is true, I'll give you that.

[WackyZoundz]

Any audio interface that supports core audio will work on an IOS iPad or Iphone. I have 4 here.

Great for you but the majority of musicians/audio engineers won't buy a new smartphone AND a new audio interface just to be able to connect both. Most gamers won't buy a printer just to play Doom on it either.

[WackyZoundz]

Imbeciles can mix and master their tracks on a phone, so yes it is true, I'll give you that.

I would like to see anyone holding their phone at the same angle as their loudspeakers for hours. And trying to make fine adjustments on the tiny inaccurate touch display...

[gtimmons]

Because Cubasis 3 didn't want to implement PDC!

[Michael L]

Who sez?
I know lots of people who mix & master entire albums while walking down the street, grabbing a burger & beer, and taking a piss.
I’m not at that level myself but maybe I need to drink more coffee?

[WackyZoundz]

Yeah, people also "compose" and "mix" and "master" entire albums with AI...

[ChanceB]

I did my music thing on various iOS devices,mostly iPads for 10 years. Some really cool apps are available and it can be a lot of fun but since getting a new computer in 2021 I have barely used my iPads for music aside from sampling things with my phone sometimes . It’s much easier on a computer and my music has improved significantly because of it,but if I had to become more mobile in the future I would go back to it.

[vitocorleone123]

Maybe it is because mobile phones are terrible things for human beings overall, making your life measurably worse. Social media, available on apps, phone and SMS every hour sent including rest time, endless distracting streams of total rubbish to plough through as "entertainment"

And creating a single point of extreme stress if you lose it. This and a single pointed security risk for every individual, (banking/payment forms/I.D./ Health admin / exact GPS and phone tower mast access to precisely where you have been 24 hours a day, filled to the brim with private personal identifiable data etc.) Coupled with a risk of a fragile society where little of actual importance (banking) can be done should networks go down.

Trying to use them to make music on the go is also not worth bothering with.

Who wants to run a complex music session on a tiny phone with beeps and rings interrupting ? Who chooses a tiny screen to work on in 2024 for music. No one.

Wrong on a lot of counts.
Also, making music on a phone can be fun.
Sorry that technology has taken such a direct toll on your life.

Yes, you can easily make full tracks on a phone. Yes, you can even master and release a whole album from your phone. You can use it for MIDI generation. Or as a multi-track recorder. An external synth or effects rack. Or as a full DAW workstation.

Part of the reason for the lower popularity is displayed in this thread: bias against.

It did not take a toll on my life as I saw clearly the damage it could do to being alive, enjoying peace, manipulating the contents of people's minds, being present and undisturbed. If you want to evaporate your existence on a total waste of time do so.

Imbeciles can mix and master their tracks on a phone, so yes it is true, I'll give you that.

Consider therapy to talk through your issues with a professional.

As far as your ignorance goes about making music on devices other than a computer or laptop, well, that’s on you to either live with or solve.

Trying to appear witty about something you seem to know little or nothing about is just coming across as being funny.