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Hardware Manufacturers and iOS Musicking Apps
This may sound a bit arbitrary, but it can be an interesting exercise…
Was thinking about hardware synth manufacturers and their iOS efforts. Standouts include Moog (with just-updated apps to the latest AB3 SDK), Blocs x Novation (with a tease of a new product), Korg (whose Gadget has generated a lot of discussion here), and ROLI (current owners of JUCE).
Part of it was about “which corporations are taking iOS music apps seriously?” But it’s also about the hardware/software mix and “business models”. Some blogs talk about industry-wide shifts between hardware, software, and soundware. What part does iOS play in this?
Started expanding the list a bit.
Don’t know nearly enough about the industry to make this list complete, so help would be appreciated.
You might disagree with the inclusion of some of those, especially since some corporations aren’t necessarily known for hardware but do have some kind of hardware division (say, soundcards and such). Some companies have merged or are doing business under another name. And it’s not necessarily easy to find apps by the name of a manufacturer (there’s already an iOS developer named David Smith).
Here’s my current list, with links to their app offerings on AppShopper:
(Edit: added Cycling '74, Liine, and Propellerhead.)
- Akai
- Alesis
- Arturia
- Avid
- Behringer/Music Group Research
- Casio
- Cycling '74 (Edit: thanks @Dubbylabby!)
- Gibson/Cakewalk
- IK Multimedia
- Keith McMillen Instruments (Edit: thanks @InfoCheck!)
- Korg
- Kurzweil/SoundTower
- Liine/Lemur (Edit: thanks @Telefunky!)
- Line 6 (Edit: thanks, @BiancaNeve!)
- Moog Music Inc.
- Native Instruments
- Nord/Clavia
- Novation/Blocs x Novation/Focusrite
- Oval Sound
- Peter Vogel Instruments (Edit: added)
- Pioneer DJ Corporation (Edit: thanks @InfoCheck!)
- Positive Grid (Edit: thanks @InfoCheck!)
- Presonus
- Propellerhead (Edit: thanks @BiancaNeve!)
- Roland
- Retronyms (Edit: thanks @InfoCheck)
- ROLI
- Steinberg
- Symbolic Sound (Edit: thanks, @Max23)
- Teenage Engineering
- Waldorf
- Yamaha
Haven’t found iOS apps for the following:
- Ableton (outside of Cycling '74)
- Bastl
- Dave Smith Instruments
- Eigenlabs (Edit: added, upon further thought)
- E-mu/Ensoniq/Creative Technology
- Haken (Edit: added, upon further thought)
- M-Audio
- MOTU
- Roger Linn (Edit: added, upon further thought)
- Tom Oberheim
- Tracktion
Again, this is just a matter of curiosity. There’s something interesting to think about in terms of the overall industry. Some manufacturers have released a ton of apps while others have only released one. But it’s still a significant number of corporations which have put their names on products in the App Store.
For some of these, iOS is a mere afterthought or even a distraction from their core business. For others, it sounds like an opportunity to hedge their bets or to try something completely new. Some apps are clearly meant to sell the hardware while others may be willing to “cannibalize their sales”. There might even be some software developers who are just getting into the hardware business. In a way, that’s the case with Tracktion, which is dipping its toes into hardware manufacturing, partly through a connection with the Raspberry Pi (but apparently doesn’t offer software on the App Store).
It might even be interesting to expand the list to include developers of desktop software. Obviously, most of those organizations on the list already do release software for macOS and Windows (with a small but growing number selling software on Linux distros). What’s funny, though, is that several of the obvious names also produce a bit of hardware (e.g. Ableton Push). Still, there’s something to be said about Propellerhead releasing a couple of iPad apps (Edit: didn’t realize they did hardware, thanks @BiancaNeve!), or the fact that it sounds like Bitwig is absent from the App Store.
At any rate… Just thought it made sense to start searching for apps by hardware vendors.
So, which ones are missing?
Comments
Ableton gave us Link. Looperverse app is a collaboration of Retronyms and Cycling '74
Good points! Was focusing on those development shops which are officially branded as part of a manufacturer’s portfolio, but such a collaboration makes sense (and sounds a bit like @blocsxnovation).
Did think about Ableton Link. It’s a fascinating thing which does demonstrate that Ableton takes iOS seriously. Of course, it’s not exclusive to iOS, but it does mean that there are coders at Ableton who have created an iOS SDK (unless it’s another collaboration). In terms of branding, it’s rather telling that Link is put on an equal footing with Push and Live. It doesn’t sound like there’s money involved in the Link license, so it’s an intriguing part of their business strategy.
Of course, the context for much of this thinking is the recent purchase of Cycling '74 by Ableton, and the comments about going beyond the laptop. Reading between the lines, one might guess that iOS is on their radar.
Propellerheads make a hardware Audio interface ( Balance) and iOS apps.
the most significant example is missing:
Liine ceased their Lemur hardware business in the very early days of IOS and released their controller software as a $30 (iirc) app.
(they made a multitouch midi control device in the $2k range, much praised, but rarely bought)
Bottomline: Apple makes a mass-product with an extremely sophisticated basic software package (developement kit).
Even at their premium prices a manufacturer can't beat the full package, if it's about control units for whatever instrument.
What is "Musicking"?
Pss pss don't tell anyone...
Mira Controller por Cycling '74
https://appsto.re/es/WC-TM.i
Cool! Thanks for this.
Any participation in music, as per Christopher Small and Gilbert Rouget. Use it extensively to insist on the diversity of ways to engage with music. Particularly fitting with iOS apps. Some of us are musicians but you don’t need to identify as a musician to be a musicker.
Didn’t realize they made hardware. Thanks for the hint!
Vaguely remembered something about this but didn’t check on the details. Thanks for the addition!
Despite the lack of tactile feedback, as @Sebastian would point out.
Makes me wonder what will happen with the manufacturers of MPE hardware. Does Roger Linn have apps on the App Store?
The recent release of Seaboard Block is rather interesting, in this respect. Sure, it may just be a scaled down version of the Rise and the missing link between Blocks. But it has something to do with a broader strategy. They only have two apps on the App Store, at this point (both free with IAPs). But they do own JUCE and could leverage that, somehow.
It’d be really neat to get some info as to the software/hardware mix for some of these. My guess is Yamaha doesn’t make much money on software but the proportion might be somewhat higher for Korg. With IK, it’s possible that the software side is getting a steadier stream of income than the hardware one (thought that’s just a guess).
It’s also an interesting thought experiment to imagine what would happen if Apple released hardware focused on music creation. (Can’t recall if they ever did, despite having a somewhat better grasp on Apple history than on music tech.) Their purchase of Emagic (which did produce hardware) has had an interesting impact. And though the Camel Audio purchase has killed a number of things, the inclusion of Alchemy across the line is quite neat and it’s possible that we will eventually see a broader set of tools based on work done by Camel Audio.
While it sounds like the music part of Apple’s “Pro” market is much less of a focus than most anything else, we often realize how important Apple is in the overall industry, including as the developers of Logic Pro X, MainStage, and GarageBand.
If Apple were to buy ROLI, it might be bad news for a number of people, but it could make for a very complete package.
Ah - I see. Thx.
Retronyms has created hardware for iOS.
Didn’t realize that. Thanks for the note! Interestingly, their Wej is the only hardware device supporting Ableton Link.
Also didn’t realize they were behind iMPC. As @yug said, they also collaborated with Cycle '74, so the circle is complete.
Again, thanks everyone for the edification. Learning a lot through those additions.
Rabbit hole is actually a rat hole.
Business discussions end up bad usually on this forum from my experiences.
Like most industries from tires to nutritional supplements the list is ever pulsing with partnerships, sponsorship, buy outs, and influences along with competition and copying.
Some times things contradict and sometimes things mislead. But many people like to play the " I know everything in the biz" attitude. When in reality, even people in the biz don't know that much at times.
Retronyms is pop company for people to hate on here. Aggravates me very much since they have brought so many great things to the table with ios music. More than most companies in my opinion.
I feel that the percentage of the budget for each company is also relevant.
It is matter of perspective. Companies with huge bottom lines have more resources in many cases. Alot of synth hardware companies are small businesses. So, comparing them to international companies is a little misleading in a way.
Just my thought.
Positive Grid has also created hardware as well as iOS apps. Their are some hardware manufacturers such as Keith McMillen which have an app to support configuration or use of their hardware on iOS. Pioneer has apps and hardware.
not to forget that Positive Grid's reputation on IOS was the reason they could enter the hardware market at all
Great thread! And I just bought a behringerUMD404 audio interface! Woohoo!
I bought the Novation AudioHub this week.
Bought iConnect device month or 2 ago.
LOVE THE NOVATION DEVICE
Great point
Fair enough. But there’s quite a bit of insight coming from these difficult exchanges.
Been wondering about this, actually. And they just released several updates.
Thing is, reactions on this forum tend to be pretty strong when it comes to a few things like slow updates and perceived price discrepancies.
What makes the Retronyms story interesting is that they have been partnering with others. Sounds to me like they’re now making more of their brand with these other apps, including iMPC.
Besides, the Wej sounds pretty interesting a solution to a common iOS musicking problem.
Absolutely!
Fair. Did think about company size, but as an added dimension. And one which can get a bit more subtle.
Roger Linn is a one-person company, but his “brand” is well-established and he has more influence than some bigger ones. Some of the bigger brands may be struggling or may have serious constraints as subsidiaries of other organizations. In other words, there are several aspects to size: number of employees, current revenues, funding, historical significance, independence, etc.
Particularly useful, to me, as those hardware devices tend to be out of my radar. Do know those names and even thought about getting a Keith McMillen pedalboard. But any info about them helps me get deeper insight into what’s going on.
Really? That’s really interesting! Do you happen to know what was their first hardware product? Will try to learn more about the company.
Did notice their Bluetooth MIDI pedals. Sounds like iOS devices may play a key role in adoption of Bluetooth MIDI.
I had an early version of JamUp (their guitar amp modeller) that was nice to play with headphones, but nothing to rave about. The typical slightly harsh digital tone.
For some reason I didn't update my iPad 2 for quite some time and hence JamUp either.
Then people started to praise JamUp as outperforming the Line 6 top pedal with ease and I called them nuts. Cannot be... because that pedal uses a high class dedicated DSP (Analog Devices Sharc), the same chip on which UAD and Creamware/Sonic Core systems are based.
So I risked the update(s) and sat slack-jaw under the headphones - THAT almost sounded like a real amp with a microphone in front of it. Totally convincing. For reference I frequently switched during session between S-Gear on PC and Jamup on the iPad and always found the latter slightly ahead. And it was ahead in definition of my Sharc based plugins, too - so eventually I stood corrected.
That's how it started and they released BIAS in which you could tweak the models in great detail with an easy GUI. After about a year or so Positive Grid had built up a serious reputation, but no hardware in sight yet.
But then something must have happened in their developement team, probably around the time they announced to release BIAS for PC/Mac.
There were even comments in the app store that their 'tone' went down to average.
(I'm mostly into clean/crunch sounds mostly, not much high-gain)
Positive Grid seemed to strongly focus on the Metal market and after establishing their desktop stuff announced a hardware modelling amp that's tries to resemble the Kemper Profiling Amp (an expensive modelling amp with high reputation).
The other highly regarded dedicated hardware modeller is Fractal Audio System's AxeFX.
Imho the developement took quite some strange directions, but as far as marketing is concerned they somewhat succeeded.
Small made several attempts in print & interviews to give a succinct definition, but as a lot of us creatives do, he could veer off course with a multi-level explanation.
As @Enkerli said musicking is ANY participation in music. Some who use the term keep it to just the act of performing music & the interpersonal relationships around it. But it's also the relationship between guitarist and his guitar, iOS musician with his synth app and songwriting itself.
Hell, all the way to a taper at a Grateful Dead show, musicking is fundamental to the human experience through music.
Just thought of another one you missed.
Line 6
not really, because it belongs to Yamaha
Thanks for the explanation! To someone like me, outside that core market, it’s pretty useful to know about these things.
The notion that a software amp could sound as good as a hardware one may still be hard to swallow, for some people. What tends to be more interesting to me is the idea that you can do, in software, stuff that wasn’t available in hardware. For sound effects, there’s a lot of potential. But there’s also a lot about softsynths that brings us to new sonic dimensions.