iPad and Music Recording Apps (Audio and MIDI)

So I have been checking out apps that I can record audio and MIDI with on my iPad – here are some of my observations…

First of all there are several major features that are involved in looking at these DAW’s – 1)Recording of Audio – both from the obvious external source like a mic, guitar, wind instrument, etc… but also through the integration of AudioBus that allows recording of audio from other apps. 2)Recording of MIDI – both virtual MIDI as well as being able to access external MIDI equipment 3)Built-in synths, drum machines and sounds or loops.

With AudioBus integration the need for “everything” being built into one app starts to go away. NanoStudio, for instance, has a huge user base because it has allowed people to create some amazing recordings all in one app – go search SoundCloud. You don’t have to go purchase additional hardware synths, audio interfaces, MIDI interfaces or mics and you don’t need the additional purchase of synth apps or FX apps!

With AudioBus enabled apps though I can now use any app to record into another app. This allows the developers of Auria, for instance, to focus on creating an awesome app for recording audio while other developers focus their attention on creating really cool synth apps or drum machines for instance. I’m not so sure that the all in one is the HUGE benefit it was just a short few months ago (like November of 2012 – 3 months ago)

  GarageBand was the first obvious purchase -

• PROS
• So many very cool instruments built in
• Capable of recording audio
• Capable of using external MIDI keyboard to control internal sounds
• Smart Instruments – go read their description and watch the video – very very cool, especially for elementary kids, middle school kids and those without the musical training needed to play the parts themselves!
• Jam Sessions! Jam three friends (4 total people) over wi-fi or blue-tooth. How much fun would THIS be in a classroom setting! This is THE REAL GARAGEBAND FEELING!
• Now has AudioBus integration! (This is huge for AudioBus for Apple to throw their support behind AudioBus!)
• Has iPhone version and Desktop Versions
• CONS
• Will not play external MIDI keyboards!

   MultiTrack DAW – my second purchase because of recommendations of friends on the internet! I LOVE people who share!

• PROS
• Great abilities when recording audio – 8 tracks of stereo upgradable to 24
• per track compressor and EQ – also has delay and reverb built-in
• Very simple to understand
• AudioBus integration (one of the first DAW to do so!)
• Will record up to 8 tracks of audio at once
• CONS
• No MIDI at all

   MusicStudio – my third purchase – again because of friends on Twitter. There is a massive sea of apps out there – ask around to see what others are using and what is working well for them!

• PROS
• Records audio and MIDI both! (Yea!)
• Records up to 24 tracks of audio at once!
• AudioBus integration (just updated in March 2013?)
• 127 track sequencer!
• Instruments built-in
• Has Effects built in – a bit limited though (read below)
• Has iPhone version plus an LE version for free
• CONS
• Very disappointed to find out that there is no way to control the input level when recording audio! (At least I can’t find it yet!) As I am a Band Director this is a pretty vital feature!
• Built-in Effects are somewhat limited. These are more of a global effects unit – you can have basically two effects groups – one for all the tracks or one that is on a separate bus or of course you can have tracks without effects at all. It is not a track by track basis by any means!

    Meteor Multitrack Recorder – make sure you have at least 1 GB of free space available when using this app. The app itself takes only about 200mb but it requires more while running! You should also close all other apps to free up space. In fact, while using these audio related apps I have found this to be essential in having a successful session – no audio stuttering or apps quitting.

• PROS
• Records audio
• Records MIDI
• AudioBus integration (just updated in March 2013?)
• 16 tracks of audio – upgradable to 24
• CONS
• Only records a stereo input?
• Charges extra for the MIDI editor – Really? Come on people, if I am going to buy your app it is probably in part because of the ability to record MIDI! If I am recording MIDI then editing it is a basic function!

    Auria – This app is by far the one that seems the most professional – the one that seems the most like a professional recording studio full of effects, EQ’s and capabilities. This app has astounded people time and time again!

Have not purchased this one – I mean geesh – it’s $50! (There is a $25 version as well though if you want to get your feet wet here and try this out) Ouch! Don’t get me wrong… I am sure it is worth it but I am looking for something that I can use with my students on multiple iPads in the band room. $50 starts adding up really fast! Of course software for the desktop that does what this app is capable of would cost 3 to 5 times as much! Plus many of the plug-ins for Auria are 3 to 4 times cheaper for the iPad then they are for desktop versions!

• PROS
• From everything I can see this app is amazing in it’s ability to record audio
• Records up to 24 tracks of audio at once! Plays back up to 48 tracks of audio at once!
• Lots of plug-ins available as in-app-purchases (watch your kids! We don’t want any $2,500 bills here now people!)
• CONS
• Only does audio – no MIDI
• I’ve read that this app is operated very much like a desktop app in that there are a lot of menus, clicking and such. Not enough use is made of the touch screen interface (just what I’ve read – not from personal use)

    Cubasis – This is from Steinberg. Have not purchased this one either for the same reason – it’s $50! Again… I’m sure it is worth it and the longer I look around for a cheaper option I think I might just have to go this route and pay the money! I am very intrigued by this company as this is now where many of the developers of Sibelius work now, after Avid went through their restructuring. I am holding high hopes for some amazing new technologies to come together in the form of Cubasis and a new notation program from the same company.

• PROS
• Records audio and MIDI
• AudioBus integration
• Unlimited audio and MIDI tracks!
• Will record up to 24 tracks of audio at once!
• Has a desktop version!
• CONS
• Price
• No iPhone app

    FL Studio Mobile HD -

• PROS
• Record up to 8 tracks of audio at once
• MIDI recording
• Compatible with the PC Desktop version (In fact, if you use the desktop version you should buy the iPad version as well!)
• Has a Desktop Version and iPhone version
• CONS
• User interface issues looks much like they just doubled an iPod screen
• Effects only on the Main bus (working on a fix – 3-15-2013)

    Nano-Studio – This app has been around for a long time (in iPad years anyways) and has a huge user base built up!

• PROS
• Some great internal synths/sounds
• Desktop versions
• Great built-in effects
• Has iPhone version
• CONS
• No audio recording (does have a sampler though)
• No MIDI
• No AudioBus integration
• Only 6 Simultaneous instruments unless you pay more $ for and in app purchase to get to 16

    Studio.HD - Not very familiar with this as it seems to be focused on using loops. For those that are into that though this could be a great choice. I would suggest the video they have on their web-site – it is very well done and highlights some exciting thing this app can do with ease! This developer has quite a few apps out there which tells me that he is not going away any time soon.

• PROS
• 24 Tracks of audio
• Lots of effects built in – 14 total – 4 per track? plus master effects as well
• You can record automation of items like volume, pan, effects settings
• Can record multiple takes per track
• 900 loops plus more as in-app-purchases
• Has an iPhone app based off the same concept Studio.M (4 tracks of audio up to 8 tracks with iap)- not sure how compatible they are though
• CONS
• Lots of in-app-purchases (Although these feel more like things that are actually add-ons vs some apps where these in-app-purchases should have been included in the first place!)
• No AudioBus integration
• No MIDI

 

   BeatMaker2 - (Read comment from Greg below)

In looking at all these other apps I have also ran across these Multi-Track audio recording apps -

n-Track Studio MultiTrack Recorder

CONCLUSION
If you have thoughts please let me know! Which is your favorite and why? Which of these do you own? What have you found to be huge benefits and drawbacks of these apps! Are there features you would like me to add to the list so you can compare the apps to each other?

I will keep updating this and will tweet at anytime I do post an update to the list.

Creating Music with iOS – Meeting National Music Standards

iPads in music education can open the minds of our students to wonders that they have never imagined could be theirs! I get reminded of these moments of amazement when a students walks in while I am using technology. So many times they are wide eyed and captivated by the possibilities. Everything from playing my keyboard and having the notation instantly show up on the computer to a student asking what the name of the song is that I am playing for them to listen to and hearing their reaction when I tell them that the song was one I created on my iPad the night before. I can see the wheels spinning in their heads – “What if I could do that?”, they are asking it…. All they need are the tools! Now don’t get me wrong, I know our kids have been creating music for years with the traditional band instruments, singers, drums and electric guitars but I am not talking about the traditional here. I am talking about being able to have one iPad, a set of headphones, and a desire to create!

What if you were able to put a recording studio in the hands of your students, show them a few apps, and then give them the freedom to create? How would your students change?

iPads can open up a whole new world to our students – a world that once was cornered by only those with lots and lots of money! Now an iPad opens up the possibility of an entire recording studio filled with amazing synths, guitar amps, and recorders. Those come in the form of apps, apps that cost any where from being free to $5, $10, $15 and up to $20 and $50! Of course if you take into account the ability to record themselves with the built in mic or if they want even better quality they can hook up and external mic through the camera connection kit.

Tonight was an exploration of several apps for me…. I used MusicStudio as the multitrack recorder. For sounds I used AddictiveSynth, Sunrizer and ThumbJam. I of course used Audiobus to get them hooked together. This recording has 9 tracks.

I would be crazy excited if my students were creating music at home like this! (Not that I think this is anything spectacular – but instead just because they would be exploring and composing and enjoying themselves!)

 +  +  +  +  = one evening of great fun!

Creating Music on an iPad – New Musical Interfaces

How can I inspire students to create music? By giving them exciting tools that will enable them to create something that sounds good, is fun to use and engages them!

Chordion kept me busy for a long time tonight – of course that’s not saying TOO much! It was great fun exploring the user interface…. Here’s a screen shot….

 

You can see the chord buttons on the left and the keyboardish looking section on the right – as it says in the blue screen shot you play with two hands in this app.

I kept thinking about what my elementary kids are going to be thinking when I let them try the app out. I know that it would be an easy experience for them! The way the app is set up you are not going to hear wrong notes. The bad news side of that is I found it a bit limiting and kept wanting to be able to play other notes! Well, after diggin down into the settings I discovered that my wishes could be granted! You can set the right hand side of the screen to play any scale you want! There are quite a few built in as pre-sets scale patterns.

Then I discovered the play button that starts the drum patterns – that along with the arpeggiator makes things more interesting to play along with!

Of course I got bored pretty quick with that one sound so I started fiddling around with trying out all the different sliders and waveforms along with the effects settings. Then I decided to tap on the disk icon and discovered the online sharing world of settings there! (good and bad can be found!)

Tapping on the Record icon gives you immediate access to sharing your newly created masterpiece to iTunes, DropBox or SoundCloud. I found the SoundCloud integration refreshing – not enough apps utilize SoundCloud – it is a fast, fun way to share you music! Here is my “masterpiece“

Go check it out and play with this app – you should be able to imagine a place to put it to use if you work with kids that are creating music on iPads!

PS – I almost forgot to mention that Chordion has builtin in MIDI capabilities as well! That means you can use Chordion to play other apps – For instance play SunRizer with the chords and ThumbJam with the keyboard!

WISHES – I do wish that Chordion would get a bit more creative with the capabilities on the keyboard – give us some variety depending on where you finger hits (far right – middle – far left). This sort of interactivity is pretty standard in iPad keyboard apps. Even if I could control the volume by where my finger was hitting it would be a step in the right direction.

Creating Music with iPad apps and Logic

FaceBook Music Page

One of the areas I have not taken the time to fully explore is creating music with my iPad. I use the iPad daily for reading PDF music, organizational details, reading news and pictures to name a few things. What I have not done nearly enough of is create music with it! I have downloaded a ton of instrument apps and played with them! There are some awesome new ways to create and interact with music!

This weekend I started digging in and seeing what happened. In no way will I ever claim that the results of this experimentation is amazing as I am not a composer! In fact you may listen to just the first few seconds and decide you’ve had enough! That’s all right! I just had fun trying out all sorts of sounds, noises and messing with what is at my finger tips!

NEW CAPABILITIES
One of the very interesting things happening right now in the world of music apps is the way in which you interact with the music being created. Traditionally for instance when I play piano I don’t have many options… push the key and the note sounds. When playing my euphonium…. blow through the horn and I get a sound. These sounds all are pretty much the same every time. If I want to control the sound coming out of my euphonium I can change the embouchure and airflow along with maybe singing/humming while playing. On that piano I can get louder and softer and that’s about it (unless I get all John Cage on the piano!)

Now that world of what is possible is blown wide open and only limited by the developers imagination. Of course those developers get tons of ideas from the community that is using their app too. (One of the amazing side effects of the iOS musician community is that developers are willing to listen to their users and try new ideas in the apps!)

For instance – in the Animoog app I was playing with…. I tap the key and a note sounds but that sound can instantly be changed by moving my finger up and down on that one key. Plus I’ve got all sorts of knobs and X/Y pads right there to mess with too! The sound I’m creating is in no way static – I become a huge part of the creative process and decisions of what comes out of the speakers! It is so much fun too! In GeoSynth I am no longer stuck in the tuning of the traditional piano – chromatic. I can adjust to all sorts of quarter tones and microtones! In MorphWiz, as well as almost any of the other apps, I can select one specific scale to play with.  The abilities to slide between pitches is easily done and programed. Effects galore, sounds you’ve never dreamed of and the capability to record, loop and create!

Music Creation Apps

EQUIPMENT AND APPS
I am using my MacBookPro with LogicPro to record everything into. The iPad is simply using an 1/8″ cable from the headphone jack into the built-in input on the side of the MacBook. I have an Akai SynthStaion 25 that I picked up for $25 on Black Friday! In the 2 songs posted from this weekend all you hear is from Logic or an app. The Apps I used were MorphWiz, GeoSynth and SampleWiz all from Jordan Rudess the keyboard player from Dream Theater. Animoog and LaunchKey were the only other two apps I used this weekend. I should have used Impaktor or DrumJam but I forgot they were sitting on the next screen!

I also have had a Roland Fantom X8 for a long time now. You will not hear the x8 in the two newest songs though at all. If you are so kind as to listen to some of the music I’ve uploaded before this weekend you will hear lots of the X8 as that was the tech I used for years! I still do.

Now if you want to go old school and hear some of the tech that really got me excited about using electronic equipment to create music then take a listen to the four tracks I uploaded from Common Bond – this was a group I was in while in college in ’86-91. We were using Ensoniq keyboards and Roland drum Machines that “blew us away” back then!  I remember wishing for control of my keyboard sounds back then like we have today! It was a pain to even get the volume to be recorded into the Ensoniq sequencer! So much fun was had recording in the “OutHouse” (it was really a garage). A few of us would spend too many hours in there as well as the recording studio at the school – That allowed us to record 8 tracks of audio! That’s how come I even have recordings of Common Bond – well I take that back…. My Mom did use her old Panasonic tape recorder in the front pew of a few of our concerts! She was excited about being able to do THAT! Do you remember those? A little rectangle black tape deck with one speaker – it recorded in mono! She had great fun using THAT new tech back in her day!

IT’S ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN!
As I write this the theme of “HAVING FUN” keeps coming up! My Mom with her little, mono, tape recorder –  my buddies and I in college using the first keyboard that could record and playback 8 notes at a time – now creating music with an iPad and computer!

That brings me to my wrap up… please realize that ALL of the tracks on my ReverbNation/FaceBook page are there just because I was messing around enjoying myself! I know there are mistakes…. so what! I enjoyed myself and I hope you will enjoy listening a bit to them!

STUDENTS AND OUR CLASSES
We should be trying our hardest to inspire our students to just sit and create as well! Like when they were kids with a crayon and blank piece of paper! We should be inspiring our administration to support this idea as well! Even in these days of budget cuts – If our kids were doing more with being musically creative instead of merely recreating what someone else has already done I think our nation would be in better shape and our test scores would go through the roof!

THE MUSIC
Now for what you have been looking for all along… the music. You can find it on ReverbNation or my FaceBook page (both of which I am not paying for by the way… hmmm…. what implications does THAT have for our students?)

Safterry – created with Logic and iPad apps

Messed up E – created with Logic and iPad apps

 

iPad’s and Notation in the Classroom

The realm of possibilities of musical notation on an iPad has drastically been interrupted this past week or so. Let me explain.

As of this moment there have been several notation apps that have appeared on the scene for iPad’s. Symphony Pro app was one of those apps. That app was demoed by the TechinMusicEd Blog here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTFn-0QqQGo. As of now though Symphony Pro is not to be found on the app store and I also can not get their web site to load either! Notion is the other important music notation app for the iPad. If you have been following Notion Music as a company you will know that one of the reasons that Notion for iPad is so important (besides the fact that it worked) is that Notion has a desktop version of their app available as well. Notion for desktop was recently priced at a mere $99 as well! This is a huge development as the “two big” players in the world of music notation apps, Finale and Sibelius, cost considerably more.

Now, as a music educator who uses music notation apps constantly, you must understand that I have not been very “into” using any of the iPad apps to take care of any of my notating needs. The reason? Simple… 1)I don’t want to start work on my iPad and then have it only be only accessible on the iPad. 2)I have become very fluent in using Sibelius. 3)If I am going to use an app to do my work it HAS to make my life easier not harder!

or (this is the most exciting!)

4)The app has to do something my laptop can’t do!

ThinkMusicTechnology has all of a sudden shown up with a world upsetting promo video about a new music notation app. This promo video has really created a lot of buzz! Not all of it good either! If you have not seen this video – or even if you have – TechinMusicEd Blog has a great break down of the video and the amazing concepts it has thrown out there as new and innovative ideas that they are trying to develop into an actual app.

Tonight ThinkMusicTechnology has posted a new video about what they are doing with their new app. This video I believe is a clear response to some of the criticism/skepticism about the app they are clearly developing. Go take a look… I know I would LOVE to get this app along with an iPad into the hands of every single one of my students!

Creating music with iPads

There have been some outstanding new developments in the world of music for iOS users this past few months!

First has been the actual release of AudioBus for iOS. As they say on the iTunes Store… This is a revolutionary new inter-app audio routing system allowing you to connect your AudioBus compatible apps together with virtual cables. In other words…. I can be playing a synth on my iPad, like Magellan, and record it into my MultiTrack DAW on the same iPad! This opens up very different possibilities of being able to record from a long list of currently compatable apps into other apps on one iPad instead of having to have two devices or using audio copy/paste. Check out their website for currently compatible apps as the list is changing almost daily!

In the late 80‘s I remember spending many hours programming keyboards for the ministry team at college that I was involved in. It was great fun to get inside of a synth patch and make all sorts of tweaks to it to come up with a new patch that was my own. Little did I imagine then, that I would be able to do this on an iPad with a color, touch screen! Check out the list of apps othe AudioBus page. I think there are some outstanding apps there that will make some outstanding music! Imagine if we could get these apps into the hands of our students in a non-traditional music class!

Audulus

Another major development is the development of apps that allow your creativity to fly to new heights! One of those apps that blew me away today is Audiolus. Audulud is a modular synthesis app that is available for the iPad as well as the Mac. This app allows you to create synth sounds from scratch, one step at a time! I can not begin to imagine the possibilities of this app in a music class combined with science concepts being integrated all in one mega fun unit! Your science teacher and you, the music teacher, could have a hay day with this app! You have got to watch the tutorials on their tutorial page! This tutorial in particular floored me when I started to get a grasp on what this app is capable of…. I love how it starts with a demonstration of the outcome and then it takes you back step by step to build the patch starting from absolutely nothing! (Wait…. isn't that the model for a great lesson plan?)

Lastly, I would like to leave you with a couple of great examples of amazing performances from people who are truly creating amazing music using iOS and iPads/iPhones. Both of these groups have active YouTube channels that I would suggest you subscribing to

The first person is Rheyne – Rheyne uses live looping with analog keyboards, USB controllers and iOS devices. The videos on his channel are all performed live! The integration he has between all the apps and devices is stunning! His music is digital and does not attempt to re-create an acoustic instrument performance!

The second group is the DigiEnsemble Berlin – This is a group of professional musicians trying to turn mobile devices into instruments. This group has music of both the electronic nature as well as classical and everything in between. You can see them recreating a classical string ensmeble using iphones and ipads for instance or performing Starlight (from the alternative rock band Muse) and then performing a magical, musical interpretation of Silent Night.

This sort of musical creativity needs to be taught in our schools alongside the traditional Band, Choir and General Music classes. Of course that means new classes need to be created and staffed! The biggest reason we need these sort of classes is that our students would be forced to become the innovators, the ones creating and designing the final product. There are not many programs like these in place yet so the development of this type of course is going to muddy water and the learning process will be messy. Let's wade in and get dirty!

 

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Music Creation on an iPad Mini – Music Creation in our Schools

Back in the day, you know…. When the iPad first came out…. People would complain that the iPad was not good for creation. They were convinced that the iPad was for consuming content and showing content.

My how the world changes in just a few years! I think that Apple had no idea what was going to happen when they released the iPad. I do fully believe that they also were anxiously waiting to see what people would do with it! In fact I think Apple still has a lack in what people are doing with their iPad creation! Case in point…. Look at Apples iPad mini commercial they just released… LINK… A few short days later a slightly different version of that ad came out. LINK. This is the version Apple should have done! How perfect of an example is that of what the iPad mini is capable of!

Apple knows sometimes that the tool they have created is simply amazing. They have no clue of the extent that people will go to find new and great ways to utilize that tool though. In fact, I'm not convinced that they even have figured out how it's being used currently. That add is one example. The iPad in education is another example. There are many people using this in their classrooms who have great ideas that should be implemented NOW. There are also valid concerns and complaints about how iPad's get deployed and used in an education environment that Apple should be finding solutions to.

I've got to wonder about other people are thinking too. This entire uproar about Apple's Maps app is a good example. I think part of Tim Cooks response to the public was perfect…. He gave a nice concise list of other options for maps that people should try out! The other options really were not better choices, at least the ones I tried! I'm not even sure that GoogleMaps are a better option. It was a perfect response that Tim Cook said, “Here are your other options, I encourage you to try them out!” This was a clear statement of, if you don't like what we offer you are free to stop whining and go try someone else's product!

Make a difference… Use the tech to do things that were not possible before. Use the tech to find new possibilities. Use the tech to make your life better, more smile and more fulfilling. The beauty of putting something out there into people's hand is that they think of things you do not. In fact, isn't this what we should be doing with our students? Giving them tools and telling to to go explore! Why do we have to tell them to recreate what has already been done? Shouldn't we be providing them opportunities to discover new possibilities, chances to create music that has never been created and giving them a desire to be active in this process OUTSIDE of the classroom? Look what has happened with the iPad. Apple still misses the point frequently, like that add. Teachers are like Apple, we miss the point frequently as well. I want students that take what I give them and then they come up with outstanding innovations that I would never have thought of!

Just a few thoughts.

 

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