Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.
What is Loopy Pro? — Loopy Pro is a powerful, flexible, and intuitive live looper, sampler, clip launcher and DAW for iPhone and iPad. At its core, it allows you to record and layer sounds in real-time to create complex musical arrangements. But it doesn’t stop there—Loopy Pro offers advanced tools to customize your workflow, build dynamic performance setups, and create a seamless connection between instruments, effects, and external gear.
Use it for live looping, sequencing, arranging, mixing, and much more. Whether you're a live performer, a producer, or just experimenting with sound, Loopy Pro helps you take control of your creative process.
Download on the App StoreLoopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.
Helping my friend get set up
My best friend just got an iPad and wants to get into iOS recording. He is a world class guitarplayer, and if you have an interest in Americana/alt-country/whatever you want to call that genre, it is more than likely you are familiar with his work.
So far he is set up with:
ToneStack (basic w/ the addition of the 8 track recorder for quick and dirty recording)
Harmonicdawg's Multitrack DAW
AB2
Rock Drum Machine ("'Fuckin' incredible...it never gets tired...it never speeds up!")
IGrand Free (wanted a good decent acoustic piano for fills and accents)
Neo Soul Keys (very fond of the the Wurly)
At this point, I think that's the extent of it.
He's really not into electronic, sequenced, etc...
Is there something obvious that I have overlooked recommending? Being an appaholic, I think EVERYTHING is an essential, and I may have erred on the side of the overly cautious due to self-awareness of my malady 
I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Comments
He seems pretty well covered to me. Depending on his budget and preferences, I would probably encourage him to buy other amp sims like BIAS, Amplitube, and other FX apps when they go on sale.
Howzabout Steel Guitar? And possibly some fiddle sim app?
Thanks. I would definitely recommend Flying Haggis, but it my understanding that it is temporarily unavailable due to some maintenance issues. I have also put in a word for AltiSpace for best natural sounding reverb.
+1 with The Whole Enchilada IAP if he wants to experiment with virtual instruments. Then there's ThumbJam and Guitarism...
Oh dear, we're already on that slippery slope, aren't we?
Thanks, but he has real lap steels. But the fiddle sim is a good idea.
That's why you and I should be sitting in a circle somewhere!
Aw man, now I’m super jealous! Real lap steels!
Thumbjam.
Altiverb on iOS? Is it a fabfilter only thing? Haven’t seen it mentioned before and had no idea it was ported
Re OP, maybe some looper apps?
Oops! I meant AltiSpace.
Here are my recommendations.
-Auria Pro. It may be weak at EDM sequencing and such, but its strength is in the multitrack recording, mixing and mastering stages of production. Regarding Auria IAPs, getting all of the FabFilter plugs would be ideal, but not feasible for a start-up. SO for now, I’d recommend Pro-C 2 for general compression and sidechaining (no, not EDM pumping, but subtle sidechaining to help elements stick out in a mix more, such as making the lead vocals pop), Pro-Q 2 for EQing (because while zMors EQ and Fuxeq are great, there is no better alternative for EQing than Pro-Q 2, especially during the mastering stage), and DCam EnvShaper (because there is no alternative, and it really is a crackin transient shaper).
Then, there are these more affordable (in terms of appstore pricing) FabFilter alternatives (AUs) I would recommend...
-EOS 2 instead of Pro-R. Insanely great plate reverb courtesy of Audio Damage.
-Maxima instead of Pro-L. While Pro-L is far, FAR more flexible, it is also more expensive (in terms of appstore pricing).
Also, have him nab FAC Chorus while he’s at it. It’s the warmest one out there. As others have said, load up on other amp sims too.
Also, encourage him to come on by here more often, even to share some of his work in the “Creations” section. Cheers.
+1, great for guitar practice and song writing.
Get yourself one! Lap Steels are actually cheap and plentiful. They are virtually indestructible unless you take a power saw to them! I have a beautiful 2 pickup one from the 60s that my wife paid less than a hundred for. My buddy has one of the great Supro airplane design lap steels from the 50s that only cost him a couple of hundred.
Bloke in a band I was in had a Dobro. I had a go once, it was like playing a cheese-grater.
I know what you mean.
It's the only thing that I play with a pick.
For Americana I would have thought Soft Drummer would be as useful, if not more so, than RDM. I think DrumPerfect has a brushes kit too. Also a decent bass? Ifretless for example, unless he already plays a real one.
This may be a misconception on my part, but I think of MTD as the preferred DAW for guitarists who want a minimum of fuss and/or aren't that interested in computer based music production.
That said, it would be a shame to deprive yourself the benefits of AUv3, so I would suggest some GarageBand experimentation w/ AUv3 instruments and effects, as well.
Soft Drummer is a good suggestion. A very good one.
He's got bass covered. He had to become well-versed in all the stringed/plucked ones for gig work. Even the freakin' gango (weird guitar/banjo hybrid) and mandolin.
He was looking with interest at GarageBand, and I told him that I hear nothing but good things about it, but I would be no help. I am as adept in GarageBand as I am in Tuvian Throatsinging.
Sounds like he's pretty set to me. +1 for getting going with Garageband. Lots of built in instruments. AU hosting. Good (inbound) AB integration. Move to Logic...
+1. Great sounds, great fun to play. Can also be used as a MIDI controller for other apps like NeoSoul Keys, etc. Also a basic monophonic mic-to-MIDI mode that he might be into for controlling sounds from his guitar. Doesn't track like a fishman or roland midi guitar but it's fun and useful.
+1 for the same reason. If he's already an accomplished guitarist though, he'll probably already know if he wants a Looper. Actually, I forgot: Thumbjam has a capable multi-track looper built right in. So, Thumbjam +2.
Also, yep @ soft drummer. It's my favorite of the bunch. DrumJam shoudn't be ignored though!
No need to buy until he needs it but hard to imagine a world in which he won't eventually make good use of Audioshare. Besides all of the main features, it's the fastest way to capture quick ideas from the mic for me (like a guitar or piano in the room sort of thing).
When he eventually wants a synth: iMini. If he's into traditional music, stands to reckon he's gonna be into 'traditional' synthesizers.
That said, Garageband comes with lots of built-in 'traditional' synth sounds. Prolly plenty.
He’s honestly good to go. Not sure what comes with basic ToneStack effects-wise, but there’s obviously plenty to add on in-app or others out there according to taste.
Based on his Americana/alt-country bent, he sounds like a guy who might really enjoy Johnny, the tremolo by Holderness Media. That would be my one specific suggestion based on your description of him and what he’s going for.
Johnny - Multiwave Tremolo Effects Processor by Holderness Media
(I’m sorry, I dunno why my ‘copy link’ function isn’t working).
Loopy HD running in Audiobus (with the IAP for different effects on the individual tracks), controlled by a Behringer FCB 1010 (highly recommend using iOS editor FCBFF to program this) combined with a Yamaha Bluetooth Midi adapter is a very powerful and cheap hands free setup.
I have been using this combination for a few days and after configuring Turnado, Effectrix, ElasticFX and Loopy to work with the FCB it is a joy to use.
Suggest he tries out MIDI Guitar. Map it into a synth for him, maybe start with some strings or other pads/swells. Great way to get some auto-accompaniment going.
Loopy HD with midi foot controller
Tin Pan Rhythm for noodling along to a few chords that you throw together.
Oh and SnuOvx for when he relents and realises that bizarre electronic noises are his future.
Group The Loop, Dropbox, Brusfri and AUM?