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iPad in a live/stage environment
Hello all.
I've been visiting this community for some time and trawling the threads for info on anyone using an iPad in a live/stage set, but yet to see anything that addresses my specific concerns (although I've learnt hell of a lot so thanks!)
As a band with limited funds the iOS synths and audiobus are integral to getting the sounds we want. We have yet to play live, but my question is: who here uses iOS synths (etc.) on stage? I heard of them sounding 'weedy' mainly due to the audio output being the headphone out.
So beyond this initial question I am thinking of:
a) getting a Behringer dock with its TRS 1/4 inch outputs to mixer/PA (will this make it sound less weedy?). Also considering other docks like the Griffin StudioHD (but not the Alesis due to the USB midi issue)
b) getting the iConnecMidi 2 and running audio-passthrough to a dedicated channel on my DAW (Ableton) then out through my audio interface to mixer/PA etc.
c) waiting for the iConnectAUDIO4 to do something similar to b) but without the need for the DAW.
Massive apologies if this has been covered elsewhere here and being a bit of a newbie, but any advice and/or opinions on these options (or further options) would be very gratefully received. Thanks in advance!
Comments
I use my iPad on every gig for synth bass. Headphone out into my matrix mixer out to pa through DI (with my bass guitar and novation xio), also out to my in ears. It sounds absolutely fine through the PA, no one has ever said "weedy" at all. ISEM is massive through subs. So is imini, including it's guaranteed to me out of key stuck sustained note "feature" ;-)
I use both the internal headphone out as well as interfaces. Both sound good with the proper gain stage, as mentioned by mrufino1. Of course I prefer to use an interface.
I've played the iPad live many times and use the headphone out. It need never sound weedy or thin especially if it goes through a DI or similar.
Getting your own DI will be a good investment, however, and you can get something rock solid for dirt cheap. Don't get one of those docks unless it has other features you really want; if it's just for sound quality it's not necessary.
@mrufino1: Yes, the iSEM is crazy good through a nice big PA; and I for one can never get enough of the 76 synth. Was featured prominently in the show I played last Friday and it's just so wonderfully rich...
This is all brilliant advice. Really appreciate it.
@angrybonbon The iConnectivity iConnectAudio4+ may well be the solution to your needs when it arrives. That I think would be my "iPad only" approach assuming one can indeed route the audio out directly from the iPad digital in to the audio out on the box. Meantime - the iCM2+ via a PC/Mac will give you best fidelity from the iPad - and if you've already got the audio interface out from the PC/Mac is an extremely workable solution
I haven't used them live but I'd expect animoog and sunrizer will sound good too. Somehow all of these synths (inc isem and imini) seem to be above the rest. Probably just because they use rich killer waveforms. You can hear it even through a decent pair of headphones.
I actually did use sunrizer live (nearly forgot!) with good results for bass. I remember putting my mpk mini on top of the ipad with knobs midi assigned so it looked like I was using this cute little baby synth.
I've never checked out 76, it's cool for bass? I'll have to take a look. ISEM is working well, but always nice to have other tools too.
@supadom said:
do midi controllers controlling ipad synths work with the smartcover closed, i.e. when the ipad is in sleep mode? i always use the onscreen keyboards so i haven't tested this.
I don't know. But I have used it with the screen off when I do it manually.
@mrufino1...Yeah, the 76 does nice bass, though I do tend more toward the iSEM and the iMini for bass. I especially like the 76 in the mid range; it's thick but more supple than the iThrowbacks. The effects and filters are few, but super musical and the third oscillator that switches to an LFO is especially sweet. What can I say... I'm a big fan; they did a really nice less-is-more synth.
Can you use it with a keyboard? Any review or video I found was old and stated that you couldn't. Hopefully that's changed!
@mrufino1... I've only controlled it from other apps, not an external keyboard. That works seamlessly, though it only receives MIDI on channel 1 and does not do MIDI out (at least as far as I can tell; there are no explicit MIDI configuration controls).
Sorry, hope that helps at least a little.
@nvrhxd said:
I just dimmed the screen brightness and set auto lock to never. I've never used smart covers.
Really useful thread!
So the better solutions for a computerless setup are:
1) headphones out into mixer out to PA
2) headphones out into audio interface out to PA
3) headphones out into DI put to PA
4) iConnectAudio 4 from iPad digital to audio out of the box into PA
@MusicInclusive said:
so iConnectAudio seems the best alternative because of digital conversion and audio-passthrough quality. Isnt'it? There is no other audio interface who use digital conversion thanks of iPad dock connector?