Workflow suggestions for a backpacking trip in Asia!

Jez_Wright

Hi guys,

Going travelling soon and going to be taking my iPad mini (1st gen) with me to do some on-the-go production. Am also going to be using my iPhone 5S to try and capture some interesting field recordings that I could use for samples. I want to use a professional recording app that will allow me to bypass Apple's audio processing, record at 48kHz and export as WAV etc. I need a way of transferring the samples from the iPhone, over to the iPad, and then messing about with them in an app with an MPC-style workflow. I'm also a mad synth and drum machine-head, and love working with classic Korg and Moog synths and the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 etc. Would also like to be able to work on the projects further on Live on my laptop too once I'm back.

Can anyone recommend an app or a combination of apps that will enable this sort of workflow?

I've looked at loads of field recorder apps such as:

Rode Rec
FieldScaper
BossJock Studio

And synth/DAW apps such as:

Korg Gadget
Korg iMS20
Korg Electribe
Rebirth
Akai iMPC Pro
iMaschine 1 & 2
Boom 909
Boom 808
Animoog

It's also worth noting that I have NanoStudio, although I never really got on with it.

Cheers!

Telefunky

Audio Share does a great job on field recording (bypasses Apple auto-gain, too)
I also use it frequently for collecting stuff that other apps have recorded as their output
('send to...' or 'open in AudioShare')
in AudioShare there's an extremely convenient trimm&fade function to properly cut it
say theres a 3 minutes take of which 3 section of 20 seconds each are relevant
smart auto-zoom lets you quickly select and cut sample-accurate (live looping if required)
it's easy to organize and move stuff to folders (custom hierarchy possible)
great WebDAV Server to exchange with external gear/DAW

for multitrack purpose MultiTrack-DAW by Harmonic Dog serves me since the iPad one
just function, no bells or whistles, but well thought out
I prefer it over any DAW for tracking
like AudioShare it comes with an excellent WebDAV Server to communicate projects
various options from fully zipped to single track raw

for MPC stuff you might consider SamplR, even if it doesn't look remotely like one
if you import a properly cut loop, you can just play it on the waveform dynamically
(bottom hit: low velocity, top hit: highvelocity)
to be precise: you can play the single hits without mapping them to pads, way cool

ton's of processing options, 6 independent slots for samples simultaneously
special: allows to record touch interaction as a sequence, no midi required

another groove essential: Patterning
comes with a nice set but also allows custom kits, groove variations are nothing less but ingenious

cheers, Tom

pierre

I'd go with Samplr (with loops from gadget and fieldscaper recordings transfered via audioshare) for very simple, light cpu and efficient workflow on a mini first gen

brambos

If you're getting Gadget, be sure to also get iM1... it integrates nicely with Gadget and contains lots of sounds that will nicely match the atmosphere of Asian locales.

Hansson

Imashine 2, aum, the iceworks synths, patterning, and something to compile it with mts or auria, cubasis.. All light weight except the daw prob mts or sugessted above multitrack daw, i use these on my mini 1st gen runs smooth also the au synths are quite lightweight also, and you can use them in aum.

yaknepper

If you come by Ho Chi Minh City give a shoutout, always happy to meet a fellow iOS musician!

[email protected]

jbvdb

AUM is a must for sure, also the AUFX series of apps and caramel for distortion
I like impc pro but others have reported issues with it so YMMV
I would say skip I electribe and gadget.
Get Thor, animoog, iSEM and nave, sequence them from modstep, add effects in AUM and sample into impc pro for resequencing and adding beats.
The drum samples aren't always the best in impc pro but if you are familiar with a real mpc it's not a big learning curve.

Jez_Wright

Ok so Audioshare is looking like an absolute must.

My long-term goal is to start getting some real analogue hardware (Korg MS20 + Minilogue + Korg Electribe or MPC2000 etc) so getting iPad ports of these, working with the sounds, and learning the workflow is something that appeals to me. However I do realise that I'm somewhat limited in terms of CPU with a 1st gen iPad mini...

Samplr and Patterning look great, really innovative, I'm guessing they would bring something different to the table in terms of an Ableton Live workflow too? I had only envisaged using the iPad when I don't have access to my laptop, but being able to integrate the iPad into my workflow at home would be a bonus.

Re synths: If you had to suggest one synth app, which would you pick? I'm really after that analogue sound of the Korgs and the Moogs

Still undecided on the DAW and wary of spending too much money(!), will NanoStudio suffice? On the flipside i'm sorely tempted by Gadget for its Ableton Live export feature but worried my iPad won't be able to keep up...

TGiG

Don't forget audiobus!

...thumbjam is a must too

pierre

Gadget works fine on 1st ipad mini up to 4 or 5 tracks ( Beat, bass, keys, lead )
Although, my personnal workflow is to export each track to audioshare (few bar loops) and remix them live in Aum (using Sector and AUFXs) or samplr, I don't use a DAW anymore

Sector and Egoist are to consider on the ipad mini 1, and I "+1" the icegear synths (specialy lorentz and mersenne)

for more traditionnal synth ims20 and ipolysix are favorites too

Hansson

Loopy and drumjam are given too, damn there is so many favorites

Telefunky

is that 1st generation Mini without retina ?
then beware that some apps might reduce their audio quality for efficiency sake
that means they work, but switch to a lower resolution, probably removing internal oversampling and such tricks
less than Mini-Retina or Mini-2 is not really fun... you will likely experience clicks

cheers, Tom

db909

Grainscience? Make sure you have animoog though. Seems like just the synth for backpacking in asia.