iPad Music Production Blog – Music app reviews, news and tutorials | iPad

2011

03/24

Tags: app, Fairlight, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Peter Vogel CMI, Peter Vogel CMI Fairlight For iPad

Travel back in time to the dawn of electronic music with this strange retro app – a MIDI player preloaded with 500+ legendary Fairlight Computer Musical Instrument sounds.

The first byte-perfect re-issue of the classic CMI sounds of the 80s, immortalized by artists including Alan Parsons, Jean Michel Jarre, Trevor Horn, Thomas Dolby, Brian Eno, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder and so many more.

 This app includes a play-only demo of the famous ‘Page R’, which was the world’s first screen-based rhythm sequencer. Today every sampler, digital synthesiser, sequencer and audio workstation can trace its lineage back to this legendary machine.

Now you can have, in your pocket or on your iPad, a piece of history developed by Fairlight staff who worked on the CMI in the ’80s.  

BUILT-IN FEATURES

 - browse and play the entire original Fairlight CMI IIX Sounds floppy disk library

– 564 voices imported digitally.

– play the CMI voices from an external MIDI input (supports Core Midi, Line6 MidiMobilizer or Akai SynthStation), or use the on-screen keyboard

– display voices graphically using the iconic Page D, and change your viewpoint by tilting your iPhone/iPad.

– play built-in CMI Page R compositions or import and play compositions sent to you by others.  

– authentic CMI user interface experience, including floppy disk quirks.    

UPGRADE to PRO VERSION

 Use the in-App upgrade process to add “pro” features for an additional $39.99. Vogel CMI Pro App includes CMI III voices, the ability to compose 8 track songs using the Page R pattern sequencer, sampling your own voices from the microphone or line in and much more. See the “Vogel CMI Pro” app description for details.

REVIEWS  

I would have never dreamt in a million years to own a Fairlight. It is the stuff of legends! Beyond any ordinary man’s budget! And for this day to come a reality for a mere $10!! I am in awe and shock! I cannot emphasize how thankful I am to you for releasing this Iconic and Legendary instrument as an iPhone application!! (Imad Hamadieh, Dubai, UAE)

When I saw it yesterday and found out about it, I just about fainted!!
Very nice app! A complete revival / reissue of the best computer musical instrument ever in a tiny but very useful format. It is a joy to see an epic piece of synthesizer/sampling history as an app for the millions. Finally you can take your Fairlight wherever you are! A Fairlight to go-go-go! (Freek Roffel, Netherlands)

  Again I would like to take a moment and extend a huge THANK YOU to the entire Fairlight team. … You have taken the time and patience to create an affordable solution for the masses. … You have given us a gift. I am truly excited to see what users will do with this App to change the future of music once again. Sincerely, thank you. (Zacharia Malakai, USA)  

All I can say is WOW!! I have put this thru my BIG speakers in my studio and put a little reverb on and the sound is stunning – SO what am I going to do with my Fairlight CMI-IIx now?? (Howard J Smith, USA)

DEVICE REQUIREMENTS

This App will work on any device running iOS 5 or later. However, if you want to use Audiobus or do heavy performance and composing work with the Pro upgrade, we recommend a minimum of iPod Touch 4G, iPhone 4 or iPad 2.

Peter Vogel CMI is available for $9.99

2011

03/24

AmpKit LiNK Guitar Interface For iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch

Tags: AmpKit LiNK, effects, Guitar Interface, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Peavey

Peavey AmpKit LiNK

If you want to plug in your guitar, AmpKit LiNK is the perfect solution!

* High fidelity guitar adapter for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
* “The Low Crosstalk Interface” – critical for high-gain playing
* Perfect companion for GarageBand, AmpKit, and other apps
* 14″ cable designed specifically for use with iPad and iPad 2
* Works with all iPad / iPhone / iPod touch models*
* Only US$29.99 – in stock today at music retailers worldwide

*Except first-generation iPod touch

BUY Peavey 03017460 AmpKit LiNK II Guitar Interface

AmpKit for iOS

2011

03/18

iConnectMIDI Midi Interface For iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch

Tags: iConnectMIDI, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, midi interface

iConnectMIDI allows you to connect a midi controller to your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. You can then play all those cool synth apps on a real keyboard. =)

Specifications:
2 x mini-USB Device Ports

* supports iPad, iPhone or iPod touch
* supports computers with Mac OS X or Windows XP or greater

2 x 2 MIDI DIN Ports

* Standard MIDI DIN at 31250 bits per second
* 2 In ports
* 2 Out ports

1 x USB Host Port

* Standard Full Speed USB Type A Host port
* Hub capable – supports up to 8 devices
* Supports USB MIDI Class compliant devices

Power Connector

* 5 V DC, 1A

Performance / Features

* iConnectMIDI Made for iPad, iPhone, iPod compliantcompliant to iOS 4.2 CoreMIDI framework – compatible with most CoreMIDI applications
* handles tens of thousands MIDI events each second
* capable of extremely low latency MIDI data routing and management
* fully configurable MIDI routing engine
* standalone operation, capable of bridging between MIDI devices including DIN and USB
* configurable MIDI data filtering on either In or Out ports
* non-volatile configuration storage

Supported iOS Devices

* iPad WiFi, iPad 3G
* iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4
* iPod touch 3G, iPod Touch 4G

Dimensions

* Width: 11.0 cm (4.3 inches)
* Depth: 7.0 cm (2.75 inches)
* Height: 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
* Weight: 320 grams (0.7 lbs)

Durable Construction

* Rugged steel body
* Black powder coat finish

BUY iConnectMIDI2+ Lightning Version, 2-in 2-out Hyper Connective USB MIDI Interface for Mac, PC and iOS with Audio passThru Technology

2011

03/07

Garageband For iPad

Tags: Apple, Garageband, garageband for ipad, iPad, iPad2

Garageband For iPad

Rebuilt to take advantage of the iPad’s large multi-touch screen, GarageBand for iPad turns the Apple device into a host for a collection of musical instruments and a full-featured recording studio, making it easy to create music on the go.

Using multi-touch gestures, you can play a collection of Touch Instruments and Smart Instruments, or create an original song using the app’s powerful eight-track recording studio.

GarageBand for iPad features a number of Touch Instruments, Smart Instruments, a recording studio, and easy sharing functions. With the Touch Instruments — drums, drum machines, keyboards, and synthesizers — you can play expressive musical instruments designed for multi-touch technology, which sound and play just like their real counterparts but let you do things you could never do on a real instrument.

Three acoustic drum kits are included, with snare, kick, toms, hi-hat, and cymbals that produce different tones depending on where and how hard you tap them. You can also perform on electronic drum kits by tapping “drum pads” inspired by a classic drum machine interface. The keyboard section includes a grand piano, an organ, and a synthesizer, each with a unique sound, distinctive look, and customizable performance characteristics; hard taps are louder and soft taps are quieter. The synthesizers section offers over 70 modern and vintage synthesizer sounds, including synth strings, leads, basses, and more. You can use the Arpeggiator to create rich melodies and soundscapes with a single finger.

When it comes to Smart Instruments, GarageBand for iPad has you covered. The app includes Smart guitars, keyboards, basses, and drums. With these instruments on hand, you can strum chords on acoustic and electric guitars, trigger fingerpicking and strumming patterns, or tap out your own riffs and melodies. Also play a range of keyboard instruments by tapping on pre-selected chords designed sound great together, no matter what you play. With the Smart bass, you can perform bass lines and grooves simply by tapping on strings, or switch to Notes view to play individual notes on a virtual bass neck. Drag and drop snares, kicks, and hi-hats to create your own beats, and move them around to try out different patterns.

In the app’s eight-track recording studio, arrange and mix your songs with different tracks, guitar amps, stompbox effects, and recordings. Create a song by trimming and arranging musical regions exactly where you want them to play; and swipe to reveal the mixer to fine-tune each track for the perfect mix.

To use the built-in guitar amps, just plug a guitar into your iPad to access nine classic and modern amps. In addition to amps, you can choose from ten stompbox effects to create your favorite sounds, and add or reorder stompboxes on your own pedalboard. Lastly, the onboard audio recorder lets you record your voice or any acoustic sound using the built-in microphone on the iPad. After capturing your audio, you can then apply any one of eight sound effects.

With GarageBand for iPad, you can email your song directly from your iPad, or export and add your song to your iTunes library. You can even send a project to your Mac and open it in GarageBand to keep refining your song.

2011

02/02

Apps Used By Gorillaz On The Fall

Tags: Apps Used By Gorillaz On The Fall, Gorillaz, iPad, iPhone, The Fall

FunkBox was used by Gorillaz when recording their new album “The Fall”, hear it at thefall.gorillaz.com! Also featured in Electronic Musician magazine’s “Attack of the Killer Apps” best music tools for the iPad, and Computer Music Magazine’s “Amazing Music Apps” special issue!