Why did mobile music production never take off?

[vitocorleone123]

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...

I’d like to see someone holding their tower pc make music on the crowded bus, train, or a cafe for hours.

Also, pro tip: there’s such a thing as a stand for your phone or iPad so you don’t have to hold it if that’s such a concern to someone.

I do notice a lot of ignorant people simply dismissing mobile devices as being useful, not knowing just how useful they can be - even as extensions and enhancements to the desk-bound studio, if replacement or substitution isn’t a thing for someone.

[audiojunkie]

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.

This was my experience. I was an early mobile music adopter, and remember the early days before audiobus or plugins. I used an iPad 2, and later an iPhone. I got tired of the built-in planned obsolescence the constant bug problems, and the necessity of having to switch back and forth between app screens to do my work. It felt too much like "keyhole surgery" and just wasn't fun. To this day, I have hundreds of music apps on my phone, but I just don't use them--it's not fun for me.

[WackyZoundz]

I’d like to see someone holding their tower pc make music on the crowded bus, train, or a cafe for hours.

Laptops exist. I do work with my laptops in cafés sometimes. And nobody composes or mixes or masters in public transport. Not with a laptop, not with a smartphone.

Also, pro tip: there’s such a thing as a stand for your phone or iPad so you don’t have to hold it if that’s such a concern to someone.

Nobody works with a stand either because it's very inconvenient, thanks to not being able to rest your hand on the table like you can with a mouse and computer keyboard. You get sore arms quickly. And your eyes won't be happy either from staring at a tiny screen for a long time. Both is bad for your health.

The only thing I can imagine using a smartphone or tablet for when it comes to audio production is as simple remote controller for transport. Play, pause, stop with big buttons. Anything else is just too inconvenient, inaccurate and slow. But then I would have to connect my workstations to the smartphone or tablet via WLAN which brings security issues and that's another can of worms I don't want to open. I rather buy an additional numblock with an extension cable and program it to send the transport commands. Much cheaper than buying a smartphone/tablet AND a new audio interface AND a stand.

[Scotty]

You don’t have to buy a new interface. Most interfaces made in the past 4 years or so support core audio. Core audio is the Mac OS and IOS standard.if it works on a Mac it works on an IPad or IPhone. Your snark is weird. Are you Ok?

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.

[justin3am]

While I don't see many people using mobile devices as their whole production environment, I do still see a lot of folks using phones and tablets as production tools.

I frequently use my iPad as a production tool. It's not setup as a phone and all notifications are turned off, the one I use in the studio is just a studio tool. I mostly use it for MIDI, so Bluetooth comms is mostly fine but when I'm using it for audio, I connect an Audinate USB>Dante adapter, so that it just appears as more I/O in my Dante network.

I find it very useful for sketching ideas and controlling some outboard synths/effects but I've never even tried to complete a full production on an iPad.

With that said, I know a tracking engineer who use an iPad with a multi-I/O interface and Cubasis for their mobile recording rig. I'm not sure if I'd do that but it seems that works for some folks. I also know a bunch of people who use iPads for PA/FOH work. One is an A1 who works big stadium events. It gives them the ability to control very complex audio routing, while still having freedom to move around a venue in ways that would be more difficult with even a laptop.

[WackyZoundz]

You don’t have to buy a new interface. Most interfaces made in the past 4 years or so support core audio. Core audio is the Mac OS and IOS standard.if it works on a Mac it works on an IPad or IPhone. Your snark is weird. Are you Ok?

My interfaces are older than 4 years and I have an Android phone. Are you a troll or just stupid?

[Scotty]

The third option is I actually use the iPads and iPhones in my studio and know what I am talking about. You are oddly aggressive for such a benign topic. There is an app for that.

[Scotty]

Check out this regularly updated website for Android and typically core audio compatible audio interfaces. Some as inexpensive as $29.00 USD.
https://www.adorama.com/lists/audio-int ... or-android

[WackyZoundz]

You are oddly aggressive

The only one who's aggressive is you. I gave plenty of good arguments against working with a smartphone or tablet and you keep coming with bullshit like "Are you okay". What the heck. No, I'm not going to buy a new smartphone AND audio interface just to be hip. I want to work precise and fast and that is only possible on a big machine with a big screen and a mouse and a computer keyboard. And I don't want to throw away all my audio software either. Or deal with additional security issues.

[WackyZoundz]

Check out this regularly updated website for Android and typically core audio compatible audio interfaces.

If you buy it.

[WackyZoundz]

Again, why the heck should I buy something I don't need, something that limits me, something that's even bad for my health? It's not that hard to understand that I don't want to stress my eyes nor arms for hours just to work very slowly and limited.

[Scotty]

I am not trying to persuade but you are putting up arguments that just show lack of experience with the technology. I get it. It isn’t for you. No problem. When I chime in here I won’t quote you but I’ll counter the facts if they are wrong. Pretend I’m not here and I’ll do likewise. Life is short.

Again, why the heck should I buy something I don't need, something that limits me, something that's even bad for my health? It's not that hard to understand that I don't want to stress my eyes nor arms for hours just to work very slowly and limited.

[Michael L]

I'm not going to buy a new smartphone AND audio interface just to be hip.

There are many more benefits than just becoming hip.
But being hip comes first.

[vitocorleone123]

I’d like to see someone holding their tower pc make music on the crowded bus, train, or a cafe for hours.

Laptops exist. I do work with my laptops in cafés sometimes. And nobody composes or mixes or masters in public transport. Not with a laptop, not with a smartphone.

Also, pro tip: there’s such a thing as a stand for your phone or iPad so you don’t have to hold it if that’s such a concern to someone.

Nobody works with a stand either because it's very inconvenient, thanks to not being able to rest your hand on the table like you can with a mouse and computer keyboard. You get sore arms quickly. And your eyes won't be happy either from staring at a tiny screen for a long time. Both is bad for your health.

The only thing I can imagine using a smartphone or tablet for when it comes to audio production is as simple remote controller for transport. Play, pause, stop with big buttons. Anything else is just too inconvenient, inaccurate and slow. But then I would have to connect my workstations to the smartphone or tablet via WLAN which brings security issues and that's another can of worms I don't want to open. I rather buy an additional numblock with an extension cable and program it to send the transport commands. Much cheaper than buying a smartphone/tablet AND a new audio interface AND a stand.

Correction. Your use of mobile may be "too inconvenient, inaccurate, and slow." Doesn't mean that's true for everyone.

People use synths and hardware gear all the time where their arms and hands are active and not resting anything. So, again, perhaps your arms and hands cannot, which is OK as everyone is built differently.

Just admit it: you don't like to use mobile devices and don't understand how they can be effectively used for music. But just because something is true for you doesn't make it true for everyone (just as I completely understand how many people wouldn't want to use iOS for anything music related, but that doesn't change the fact it can do so very well).

Also, yes, I have composed music when not stationary at rest. Again, this is a you thing.

[vitocorleone123]

Again, why the heck should I buy something I don't need, something that limits me, something that's even bad for my health? It's not that hard to understand that I don't want to stress my eyes nor arms for hours just to work very slowly and limited.

Nobody has said you need anything, though I'd suggest getting some more education around what mobile can and can't do musically before making broad proclamations about it.

Using a mouse is unhealthy. Using a computer monitor is unhealthy. Sitting at a computer is more unhealthy than walking around (possibly making music on an iPhone - or at least sitting for a bit, walking somewhere else, sitting for a bit, etc. because you can be mobile). Life is unhealthy.

I use iOS as just another music tool. Sometimes as outboard. Sometimes as a MIDI controller. Sometimes as a MIDI generator. Sometimes as a workstation.

I started using an iPhone for music somewhere around 2016. I've been using mobile devices since 1998 (even spent 10 years exclusively doing UX design and research on them before even learning how to design for the Web). No health issues attributable to mobile devices - my eyes were bad before I ever used one, and have no repetitive stress injuries or neck issues or back issues or, etc.