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Recording hardware synths into iPad.
Hey guys, I have a couple questions regarding recording my hardware synths into my iPad. Ideally, I'd like to record into AUM and the upload those files to Auria Pro for the final mix. Can anyone recommend a good interface or hardware mixer that's class compliant for the IPad Pro 9.7?
I'd like to record 2-3 synths at a time if possible, and midi thru would be nice as well. I'm looking to use an app to sequence a few synths as well (unless I buy a Keystep.)
Thanks in advance!
Comments
is there any possibility that you will make acoustic (microphone) recordings, too ?
The quality of the mic-preamp stages is a main factor driving the price.
After this the monitor stage and convenience of it's operation is another parameter.
2-3 synths at a time.....mono or stereo signals ?
FocusRite Scarlett is what I have and it's great.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlet18i8G2
A little usb mixer would be cool for hands on, simple monitoring with the keyboards, but they are rare to find with the Midi. Another thing to watch out for is many of the compact usb mixers only do 2 in, 2 out with the usb audio interface, it sounds like you'd want 4 input channels to the usb at least.
If you go for an audio interface, be sure to check how easy the monitoring is, as far as hearing the inputs, there are plenty of situations where you want to hear the keyboards, directly, like recording, and others, where you don't want to hear the dry inputs, like if you are using the ipad as an fx processor, you'd want to just hear the software's output from the ipad, and not the dry sound from the instrument on its way in.
I use an iconnectaudio4 interface, it's great, but, one complaint is that it is not simple to turn the input monitoring on and off.
I use Keith Mcmillen K-mix with ipad pro 10.5 and I am currently recording 4 stereo tracks (8 inputs) no problem into BM3. Haven't put hours and hours into it but seems to work so far very nicely.
Behringer UMC 404HD or 1820 depending on how many inputs you need. I went from an Apogee One to a 204HD and have never regretted it for a second.
Akai EIE, 4 inputs XLR/TRS, MIDI, channel inserts. Preamps better than many, but not high end.
@Sebastian what happened to the hardware sticky?
Has anyone tried the Roland Go Mixer?
Good call. I will be, yes.
I haven't recorded with them yet so I'm not sure, I'll check and se as soon as I get off work. It's an Arp Odyssey, a Yama Reface, and a Volca FM, in case you know off hand. Otherwise, I'll be back on in just a few hours with a more detailed reply.
That looks great! No headphone jack, which is fine. I can use one on my iPad. I'm guessing you use the camera connection kit to hook it up?
Thanks a whole lot for mentioning that. I haven't even thought about that aspect, but I definitely plan on using multiple fx and sequencer apps on my hardware. Any recommendations for a good audio interface with decent monitoring?
I'll definitely look into that. How is BM3 for recording hardware?
The answer will dictate whether you need 2-4 inputs (if mono) or 4-6 if stereo....and then there's always the thought that you may add additional synths in the future and need further inputs.
The general rule of thumb is get the best Pre-amps and most number of inputs you can for your budget. Focusrite would be my recommended brand for a good balance of quality vs price
Only one midi input/output , could be problematic?
it's a crucial aspect of digital recording, in particular if external signals are tracked in raw and effected versions. Misalignement may cause anything from loss of definition to change in sound spectrum, depending of signal strength and amount of displacement.
IOS is very inconvenient to do the classic desktop DAW trick of shifting tracks by visual alignment of peaks in waveform display.
Half a millisecond equates to 20 samples in 44.1 khz and 5 samples do matter in many drum sounds, 10 samples perferm a clear comb filtering of the mids.
Different interfaces may have different 'delays' for sending signals around, say output 1/2 is sent to an external processor which is connected to input 3/4. For obvious reasons the returned signal is received later than the source.
If you monitor both, a phasing sound would be the typical result.
You probably won't do that, but a similiar effect shows up when a midi signal on IOS drives a synth on the iPad and an external one in unison.
Depending on Midi implementation there can be significant lags in the transmission, some unavoidable due to protocol, some by implementation (the clock signal slightly drifts).
This may read worse than it really is, but such are typical caveats in digital processing.
There's a lot more going on under the hood than visible at first glance - on any digital system.
But keep in mind this ONLY applies to signals that have 1 (!) source which is processed in 2 or more paths and midi driven unison.
No need to align independent sources - any displacement in that domain is either ignored by ears or may even make the sound a bit more open.
Whatever interface you choose, pick one with a dedicated IOS control panel.
Otherwise it's a pita to use for anything beyond straight tracking.
According to the gear on your wishlist you can track those in mono, which saves some channels.
Mono is often the better choice anyway as it provides better spatial control during mix stage.
If you want to use any onboard stereo FX on the synths (reface in particular), reverb, ping pong delay, rotary speaker etc..you will need stereo input.
yes, possibly - if the external fx engine is worth the effort (never had my ears on a Reface).
But this will be a final decision for mixing at a very early production stage.
(IOS fx are very capable imho)
Agreed, but when something has fx integral to the sound, you sometimes cannot get the same feeling back when you apply fx in production stage.
.I have this most notably when using a delay and wah combination on guitar, if I try and play the same thing without the fx in order to apply them later i play differently.....and if I use something like ToneStack as an IAA and change the fx/mix after recording I have to go back and replay/rerecord with the new fx settings.
Might just be me though.
It has 2 headphone jacks and connects to iPad via the CCK.
indeed, splitting into fx/raw sound and postprocess the latter rarely works on guitar - there's too much influence on the performance itself.
I get the same thing with particular types of patches on synths...delays and rotary speakers....it is even worse if any of the control of those is on mod wheel.
I guess if we ever got to 0 latency monitoring of the effected signal we would be fine using sw effects in these situations
valid points - actually I don't play keyboards, the tablet has to serve for that functionality
but I get the idea
What would you recommend? I was looking at the Tascam US 2x2 or the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Both have 2 inputs each as well as direct monitoring of the dry output and output from the iPad after fx and such. Would either of those work?
Also, I'd be recording 2 synths at a time usually (I went with the Karp Odyssey and Minilogue) and I may use an iRig to control a synth app. If I added effects to one or both of the synths would I need to worry about that issue? I'm guessing not. But I am worried about not being able to record the Minilogue in stereo. It does have an onboard delay.
Would I be better getting something like a Zoom r8, recording into that, then uploading it to the iPad (if possible)? then adding patches from iOS synths after it's unloaded into Auria?
Or even a USB mixer?
Can it record in stereo? I ended up going with the Minilogue and it has onboard fx so I'd need a stereo input.
I bought a zoom u-24 and couldn't be happier. First unit had a bad headphone output that took me a while to troubleshoot, going through different cables and connectors. Store took it back and zoom mailed me a replacement directly. Sounds great.
2 inputs, you can usually match mono inputs and treat them like a stereo input but i hardly ever record synths in stereo. Too much stereo muddies up things and it's harder to eq and cut out space for sounds. Normally i will only have a stereo thin high pad, everything else mono and then you can send to stereo fx like delay and get movement, but have a more defined sound source.
Also i prefer recording 2 passes of mono, which will each be off a bit and hard pan them left and right.
Yep it can record Stereo. Minologue is mono output as far as I know. I have one as well.
accoding to the small side-topic discussion with Andy above you might consider if onboard stereo fx on one of your devices influence your way of playing.
If they do, stereo is the way to go - otherwise reverb/delay/modulation fx may come in from IOS (of course they can be applied 100% 'live'), but in that case you can record raw and fx signal on separate tracks.
USB mixers usually record only the mixer sum and most of the budget ones are inferior quality.
If they are quality devices (and support multi-channel recording) they are quite expensive.
Zoom isn't my cup of tea at all, their gear sounds tinny and brittle to my ears.
I'd like to suggest an iConnectAudio4+, but with more than one grain of salt.
The concept is really great, as it can send audio and midi between 2 systems simultanously. These 2 hosts can be any mixture of IOS, Windows and MacOSX.
But the control software isn't very intuitive and makes a lot of folks throwing the towel.
Being familiar with routing matrixes from synth programming would help a lot.
It can handle 2 stereo devices, using the center plugs of the mic inputs for one line pair and the TRS plugs for another.
Level setting is a bit demanding (instead of knobs there are OLED touch strips) which don't provide pre/post gain settings at a glance, so you may find yourself switching to the mixer control tab more often than on other interfaces.
If all is setup and this setting isn't changed frequently, it's no big deal, though.
No doubt it's a good interface (with a very unique functionality), but the points above are not immediately obvious and should at least be considered.
Pure audio performance (in particular acoustic takes with low sensitive dynamic microphones) is not as good as my Audient ID22.
The latter is 2 channels only and almost twice as expensive - only mentioned to provide a wider context.
You're right, it is. I dunno why I thought otherwise st first. Thanks!