iPhone Music Usage

Audiojunkie

Since getting my iPhone 6 Plus, I have been using my iPhone exclusively. I'm curious about iPhone/iPad usage in others.

Audiojunkie

I'm curious if the market is there for developers to put as much focus on apps for iPhones (like the plus models which are basically iPad Micros). I would like to see both platforms get equal development so that great apps like iSEM, Nave, Patterning, Cubasis, etc., etc., are available for iPhones as well. If the market is there, I'd like developers to be aware of it. :-)

blanksmaiden

i don't think it's worth it to port some apps to iphones from ipad. e.g., samplr, maybe the dev would find a way to cram it all on that tiny screen but i don't think it would work nearly as well. maybe it's different for a bigger screen like the 6+ though, i have a 5c.

[Deleted User]

I also find it a shame that a lot apps are not exist or are abandoned (like Sunrizer XS, Addictive Micro etc.) for iPhone. But great that i have most of my favourite iOS apps also on my iPhone 5 like Mitosynth, Animoog, ThumbJam, Sample Tank, BM2; AUFX apps etc..... and they work there excellent! Especially ThumbJam f.e. works for me on an iPhone a lot better. Also capturing field recordings and use them straight away in an app like Mitosynth makes the magic mobile moment

Sadly even the mighty NanoStudio developers says that NS2 will be iPad only first follow by an iPhone version some time later (iOS 10 or so).....

Especially mastering apps are rare there

Lacm1993

I prefer the ipad and the big screen, on an iPhone i only like the apps originally designed for it.

Igneous1

Not really any of the above, but I use the iPad but not the iphone (6) for current music making. However, I can see me using ToneStack on the phone, when I start a guitar project.

JeffChasteen

I have been dangerously tempted to go with the iPad, but I find the idea of a studio in my pocket just too irresistible. So far...

midiSequencer

having just spent a few months developing an ipad app onto an iphone, I still prefer the ipad, but the quality of retina on iphone - especially the iph6+ makes it an excellent micro ipad.

Audiojunkie

Agreed @midiSequencer! I love mine!

supadom

I'm using iPad Air 2 (loopy, sunrizer, tornado, tonestack, sample) and iPhone 5s (impaktor). To be honest I'm with some others who find iPhone's screen too small to port many apps from iPad i.e. samplr.

I've got to say that I think at times I think of swapping iPhone for iPad mini. It is also more likely to be able to power your external interfaces without powered hubs etc.

Audiojunkie

Have you checked out the iPhone 6(s) Plus series @supadom? Basically an iPad Micro. :-) Really, really nice!

supadom

@Audiojunkie said:
Have you checked out the iPhone 6(s) Plus series @supadom? Basically an iPad Micro. :-) Really, really nice!

Yep, I know but with minis going so cheap these days I'd find it difficult choosing plus. Also because they can't run some of the apps and have less info on the screen. I guess the only real advantage of a phone is that it is pocketable.

High5denied

My ipods have gone to my kids. I strictly use ipad now.

Audiojunkie

@supadom Part of the reason for my post is exactly what you are talking about. "...they can't run some of the apps..." I'd love to see developers create more iPhone versions of great apps that currently are iPad exclusive, and I'm hoping the polls show that the market is there and there are enough of us that would buy them to encourage more developers to do just that. :-)

supadom

The only reason I'd buy an iPhone version of an app I already own would be to be able to run two instances of the same app on the iPad. So, I guess, count me in!

Audiojunkie

:-)

audiblevideo

To trace my route to this music biz, it all started with my phone. I was looking for apps to buy on my shiny new iPhone 4s 3ish years ago.

Trolling through the App Store for photo apps I saw a synthesizer for a mere pittance and bought Sunriser XS.

Now I have almost every worth-while music app available for my phone in an attempt to make music more fun, exploratory, expressive, and well sometimes just plain possible.

I have no real beef for or against developers making what they can for any particular device, given the markets for such apps, but I do feel this jealousy when all of the audiobus forums are talking about an app that I can't use because it's iPad only. Especially when I can see how to re-gigger at least graphically the interface for the phone.

I think designing for the limited realestate on the phone is challenging and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY applaud every single developer who has taken that challenge on. Some do it VERY well, I'm looking at you XYNTHESIZER, AUFX, HOLDERNESS, LOOPY, and THUMBJAM (thumb anything).

What does cheese me off is the parity gap some devs introduce to the smaller iPhone apps. An example would be Novations Launchpad app not having audio import or SunriserXs not being able to use the same presets.

Rambled enough, peace.

Audiojunkie

@audiblevideo said:
To trace my route to this music biz, it all started with my phone. I was looking for apps to buy on my shiny new iPhone 4s 3ish years ago.

Trolling through the App Store for photo apps I saw a synthesizer for a mere pittance and bought Sunriser XS.

Now I have almost every worth-while music app available for my phone in an attempt to make music more fun, exploratory, expressive, and well sometimes just plain possible.

I have no real beef for or against developers making what they can for any particular device, given the markets for such apps, but I do feel this jealousy when all of the audiobus forums are talking about an app that I can't use because it's iPad only. Especially when I can see how to re-gigger at least graphically the interface for the phone.

I think designing for the limited realestate on the phone is challenging and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY applaud every single developer who has taken that challenge on. Some do it VERY well, I'm looking at you XYNTHESIZER, AUFX, HOLDERNESS, LOOPY, and THUMBJAM (thumb anything).

What does cheese me off is the parity gap some devs introduce to the smaller iPhone apps. An example would be Novations Launchpad app not having audio import or SunriserXs not being able to use the same presets.

Rambled enough, peace.

I agree completely! :-)

supadom

I think the fact that sunrizer sx won't load the same presets is because it doesn't have a reverb effect as its older sibling.

Crizzy

I use the iPad as the (almost) only Apple device for music making, but I do have an iPhone, so I can't pick the 2nd answer. I suppose there's lots of people in this situation, and you've left them out of your market research.

Audiojunkie

Well, the poll has been up most o the day. I figure I can comment on the stats. It's not a large sample, but it appears that only a small fraction of people use iPads exclusively (aprox. 16.67% at the time of writing), and 66.67% of voters (at the time of writing) would like to see the same apps on both devices. I suspect that an increased sample-size would yield similar results. I think this is useful in showing that there IS a market for iPhone music apps. While I know that many developers already do support the iPhone, it is my hope that those developers who are currently undecided and only providing for iPads will see that a market is there and available, and will support iPhones in the future. :-)

Lacm1993

Voted for the 3rd option, because i have an iPhone, but i barely use it for music honestly. Its still nice to have music apps on it.

DenW

I have chosen the 3d option as both iPads and iPhones are used mostly.

Audiojunkie

Oh wow! We're up to 25 votes! That's great! I figured my sample size would be stuck at 17 votes! :-) Stats now show that even more people use iPhones! Cool!

Phil999

my iPhone5 has been used in various situations. First as a tiny Lemur device to control input plugins in a Cubase/Apollo environment:

http://i.imgur.com/Ls16FVW.png?1

There are a couple of other Lemur controllers I created for iPhone, for Harrison Mixbus for example.

Then there's the MIDI output stuff. Xynthesizer mainly, and other apps, also custom Lemur templates to control modular systems through the Endorphin.es Shuttle Control module. It's very practical to use an iPhone, lighter than an iPad and with less power requirement. Especially useful if you are off the grid, with solar panels and accumulators.

And of course the FX apps that run as a plugin using the MusicIO app.

Will

I use my iPhone a lot for music.

By itself, I'm generally either using Nanostudio alone or BM2->MIDI Out->Synths (Sunrizer, Animoog or Cassini, usually).

If I'm in my studio I use my iPhone in lots of ways, depending on the agenda:

1. Nanostudio as simple 15 part multitimbral sound module. Sometimes TJ as the same.
2. LoopyHD capture (to free up my slow ass iPad)
3. Effects processor for external gear. Usually jam up->aufx dub[or echopad or crsytaline]->aufx space.
4. Xynthesizer or Necklace MIDI out to hardware.
5. MIDI Flow as either a clock master and/or to mess with hardware MIDI send and receive.
6. Quick drum machine to play along with, usually Funkbox

Lacm1993

The results are showing this:
most people use both iPad an iPhone for music, and maybe have more than two devices.

Fewer people use iPhone only or iPad only.

Most people would like to see iPhone versions of their iPad apps.

I mostly agree but i would prefer to see profesional apps designed for iPhone instead of less practical versions of iPad apps.

Will

@Lacm1993 said:
I mostly agree but i would prefer to see profesional apps designed for iPhone instead of less practical versions of iPad apps.

Very this.

JohnnyGoodyear

@Lacm1993 said:
Voted for the 3rd option, because i have an iPhone, but i barely use it for music honestly. Its still nice to have music apps on it.

Sitting in the car, waiting for school pick-up in the afternoons, I've been banging away at the same DM1 track for a few months now and not getting anywhere. However I have howled any number of half ideas in half-tune into AS on my phone, two or three or which have ended up as songs or poems and that's meant it's more than earned its ticket...

Audiojunkie

Wow! I really like the numbers I'm seeing. The more people that vote the better the representation will be. We are now up to 32 votes!!!

Audiojunkie

@Phil999 said:
my iPhone5 has been used in various situations. First as a tiny Lemur device to control input plugins in a Cubase/Apollo environment:

http://i.imgur.com/Ls16FVW.png?1

There are a couple of other Lemur controllers I created for iPhone, for Harrison Mixbus for example.

Then there's the MIDI output stuff. Xynthesizer mainly, and other apps, also custom Lemur templates to control modular systems through the Endorphin.es Shuttle Control module. It's very practical to use an iPhone, lighter than an iPad and with less power requirement. Especially useful if you are off the grid, with solar panels and accumulators.

And of course the FX apps that run as a plugin using the MusicIO app.

Really cool!! How good is Lemur with virtual synth apps running on the same device?