KVR Audio

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:15 am

I know very little about Apple stuff. I've had PCs, Android phones & Android tablets.

My Android tablet is slowing down after 2-3 years, and now even it's main use of reading magazines as become difficult as various reader apps have become unstable or buggy. I find the Android OS opaque.

Now I see things like the Moog Model 15 and some of the ios only sequencers and wonder if I should make the switch. I doubt it would ever be much more than 5-10% of my music set up though.

So my question is..if I did want to do a bit of sound making on an ipad/mini what would be the minimum specs.

Would I be able to use an ipad to sequence stuff in Bitwig or Cubase? If so, again what would be the minimum specs?

Halma · Post by **Halma** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:25 pm

Can´t comment on the minimm specs but yes, you can use your ipad to sequence stuff inside your desktop daws. Works like a charm for me. As long as you only want to send midi messages a simple lightening usb cable and some software like rtpMidi.

If you wanna send audio via usb then I am not quite sure if it works without an audiointerface.

But midi definitely

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:41 pm

thanks Halma

sprnva · Post by **sprnva** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:55 pm

If you're on PC you could look at studiomux (or musicIO, but this one has deprecated Windows support). These allow you to send audio and midi from your iPad into your DAW via plugins.

As for minimum specs, I think even the entry level iPad is a pretty powerful starting point. The Air would be a sweet spot but at a higher cost. Might be worth saving the money and getting a regular iPad with more storage.

It's worth having a look at Benn Jordan's recent video on iPads for music making. My old iPad 4 is loaded with music apps covered in digital dust. The promise was great but I just never found a way to work it into my setup. I also hadn't realised the move to USB-C was causing such trouble with iOS.

There are people making music solely on iPads (like Jakob Haq) but there's probably a lot more in the same boat as I am.

telecharge · Post by **telecharge** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 11:22 pm

Apps like Moog Model 15 are resource intensive, so if you really want to run those kind of apps then get an iPad with the fastest CPU and most memory your budget can afford.

Sequencers are not very resource intensive, so you can use an older iPad for those, if that is your main concern.

The Audiobus forum is a great resource for iOS music making - http://forum.audiob.us

zacha · Post by **zacha** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:57 am

The iPad Mini is great, but there’s rumours it will be updated to a more current processor this year if you are able to wait. This site https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/ is a good guide to when it’s worth waiting for each model, based on their likely upgrade cycle

Tj Shredder · Post by **Tj Shredder** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:34 am

I just upgraded my iPad mini 3 to version 5. Already the version 3 was plenty of fun. Its my excuse to not get any hardware synth as its like 200 of them. There are more MPE capable options than you find in VSTs. Also most synths are way cheaper than their desktop versions. Its perfect for mobile playing in the park.
Regarding a new mini coming up, be careful as the new iPhones lost their ability to be used as the analog headphone output is crucial. Bluetooth has an unusable latency for music creation, it would force you to get an audio interface in addition... But I don’t know maybe they keep the plug...

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:32 am

Tj Shredder wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:34 am
Regarding a new mini coming up, be careful as the new iPhones lost their ability to be used as the analog headphone output is crucial. Bluetooth has an unusable latency for music creation, it would force you to get an audio interface in addition... But I don’t know maybe they keep the plug...

And they can't do audio of the USB?

Tj Shredder · Post by **Tj Shredder** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:07 pm

Yes they can, but then you need extra interface, extra cable. Thats no issue in the studio if you want to connect it to a real computer. The integration with a Mac is quite good, no extra software necessary, and PCs can use Studiomux...
But just imagine you sit in the train and want to play some of these gorgeous synths and any sound you hit arrives a second too late on your headphones...

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:50 pm

Tj Shredder wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:07 pm But just imagine you sit in the train and want to play some of these gorgeous synths and any sound you hit arrives a second too late on your headphones...

All you need is a tiny little cable to have a headphones jack...

Tj Shredder · Post by **Tj Shredder** » Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:44 pm

Which occupies the connection to attach your Midi controller?

zacha · Post by **zacha** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:04 am

Tj Shredder wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:34 am Regarding a new mini coming up, be careful as the new iPhones lost their ability to be used as the analog headphone output is crucial. Bluetooth has an unusable latency for music creation, it would force you to get an audio interface in addition... But I don’t know maybe they keep the plug...

This is a strong point to be aware of. If other models are a guide, the next mini will swap its headphone jack for a USB-C interface. The USB-c interface is great - and will, indeed, send audio via adapters - but it’s also no help at all if you forget your adapter. (Or if the adapter gets wonky over time, which they tend to.)

For me, I think it’d be a fair trade to get the new USB-c port. But I think it’d also be an equally reasonable approach looking at the current model as the last available version with a headphone jack, and snapping it up for that reason. Just be sure to get it at a good discount - it’s internals are the same as the current 10.2 inch iPad.

zacha · Post by **zacha** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:06 am

Tj Shredder wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:44 pm Which occupies the connection to attach your Midi controller?

For the current USB-c models you just use a multi port adapter. It’s bulkier, but there’s also a wider range of options to choose from. And the bus power from the USB-c port is a lot less fiddly.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:46 am

Tj Shredder wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:44 pm Which occupies the connection to attach your Midi controller?

There are simple small connectors that can do both if that is what you need... I was imagining just the iPad and headphones on the train.

bungle · Post by **bungle** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:03 am

Get either Air 3 or Mini 5, both are pretty much the last iPads that will have headphone out, the headphone out on the iPad is actually unbelievable quality....
https://kenrockwell.com/apple/ipad-pro- ... uality.htm
Note that is for the pro, but it is the same hardware in each iPad that has the headphone socket since the iPad 2, which is actually sort after by some because it has a faulty design that adds some unintended overdrive and saturation.
The Air 3 and Mini 5 both have CPU that will run so many plugins it boggles the mind.

Maybe thinking about getting an ipad/mini ipad