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.
Finally Off Desktop!
I've been feeling like I'm stuck to the desktop for about a year. I didn't realize it was effecting my productivity until I realized I spent way more time looking for plugins, testing DAWs, and troubleshooting issues than making music.
It really hit me when I noticed I could sit for hours and compose on iPad like when I started producing and I realized the issue was my desktop workflow and having, essentially, infinite options.
I've deleted all my desktop software and decided to try all iPad production for at least a year just to see how that goes and what I'm able to put out.
Anyone else ditched the desktop? I'm trying to go full, or as close as I can get, iPad as my only computer (minus the macbook I'm studying dev with).
Comments
I’ve been iPad Pro for everything for over a year and I love it.
Mostly on ipad now, but still some “utility” stuff that keeps me going back to my desktop. Like software for de-clicking audio. Totally happy with the production tools available on iOS. No complaints in that respect. Plenty cool synths, samplers, sequencers, etc. Drambo and AUM have both filled in a lot of gaps.
Not totally satisfied with the DAW choices. All the features are essentially there, just not in one DAW.
Been nearly 100% iOS since about 2011. No regrets
depending on what you’re writing it’s not so hard!
I go back and forth, was back on desktop fairly heavy recently with the new Ableton live update and bought a launchpad pro.
Also Now I have so many apps on my iPad, I sometimes struggle with the same “paralysis” that I got on desktop.
Me, I divorced myself from the Desktop/Laptop completely in around 2017. I got so sick of all the problems I had with Windows despite FL Studio being my favourite DAW.
I’ve gone full circle, started in the box with Amiga then Rebirth, Cubase SX, Ableton etc, Behringer BCF2000 & Remote SL 25mk1for about 20 years then moved onto iOS about 2012 for about 4 years, bought every app going, got on with Nanostudio (now dead) and Gadget (Now abandoned) and went full hardware for about 4 years buying loads of outboard gear, synths fx etc, then went back to Ableton with Push 2, Komplete Kontrol & Faderfox about 2 years ago and never looked back.
I still have Gadget for noodling but it feels abandoned and just a preset cash cow now.
Interesting ride nonetheless
I never got into desktop, I had a long break from making music so when I got back into it in 2013 I went straight to iOS on an iPad 2.
I work all day on the computer, the big appeal of doing music on the iPad in my spare time is to get away from the damn computer. I'm more than happy to put up with the compromises of iOS if it means I'm not sat at the computer
And despite the shortcomings of all the main iOS DAWs you can still get things done, I've recorded over one hundred songs and about to release my 4th album.
I remember you mention Gadget as your main app, no excessive battery usage when you use it for hours?
Been iPad only for years now. Also Gadget as main app, but the cpu/battery use is my only gripe.
Exactly what I do on the iPad, except you can do it while laying on the sofa. Big improvement.
Probably, but I don’t really notice it that often and I’m on the base iPad 7th gen. I’ve heard that issue but I haven’t taken the time to check the usage.
Lol I can def see that. There’s less free stuff and space on my iPad so I’m careful about installing things that I already have, like more synths and romplers.
Totally agree. Congrats on the 4th album!
so tell us, what is your workflow. what apps do you use for mixing. recording and mastering? i’m very curious
I tried Logic for a little bit but couldn’t really get into it. I quickly ditched it for iOS and haven’t turned back. Granted, my goal is to some day be big enough in the production game that I’ll want to go back to desktop. But that’s a ways off.
My workflow is pretty unremarkable lol.
When structure is important, I mainly compose in everything in Korg Gadget with Module addons and IAPs. iM1/Darwin is my current go-to. I use Zenbeats or Garageband for vocal recording/processing. Auto-Tune Mobile for pitch correction.
When I'm making ambient/generative or samples, I use AUM and the AudioKit apps and KoalaFX mainly.
Koala Sampler when sampling, which is not a lot.
Just recently, TB Morphit for mixing/referencing and Grand Finale for simple mastering.
Also, having fun with AUVideoPlayer for playing with scoring to vids in Zenbeats.
I was pretty much mainly iOS for several years (2013-2020) and did enjoy it a ton. Was awesome for the commute. Settled into BM3 and NS2, happy as a clam for a couple years but got frustrated by the available sounds on iOS. Always loved NI Massive and company and since I don’t have to commute now getting Maschine was an obvious decision. Now it is the best workflow I ever used with the best sounds, win win. For the past five months things flow way more with more focus than I ever had, Maschine is amazing.
I love your enthusiasm. I was a lot like you when I first started out on IOS. That being said as much as I love IOS Ableton was something I just started missing terribly. Once apps started giving ableton export it pretty much sealed the deal for me to use both iOS and desktop.
I use Logic for mastering, but otherwise 100% iPad.
My computer has just been a Juul charger for a minute now pretty much. The iPad has mostly been a hub though for audio recording and managing midi cos I use a lot of hardware these days
I tried desktop for a couple of days years ago and just couldn't jell. I just went iPad only last year but I'm missing hardware. I can see myself with a nice synth or two and using the iPad primarily for effects, sequencing, and recording rather than sounds.
It's interesting to see so many are all/mainly iOS producers/musicians.
I can definitely see the limitations of the device, especially as I'm on a 32GB ipad, but I think those limits can help me focusing on writing/arranging as opposed to using my producer "tricks" to supplement lol
@KirbyMumbo any regrets?
Around and around and around I’ve went. What I learned is fuck the box, stay out of them all.
Don’t subscribe to any which way, but only what works for you, Most importantly, have fun.
I haven’t ditched the desktop but i do find myself using the ipad far more then my desktop and rarely miss anything
Well, many of us had or still have the same problem on ipads, myself including. So it's not only desktop-related. Took me some time, but now I'm more focused on what's more important - making music and learning new things in the process. I've almost stopped buying new shiny apps and deleted 3/4 of the apps I had. Feeling better now
I go back and forth between my ipad and my macbook.
What I like about working on the desktop - yes, it gives you too many options, but I'm not as tempted as on iOS because, after you choose your DAW, it most likely will have >=90% of everything you need and it just works. And higher prices definitely help with app/vst-holism
On the iPad, I like that the tools are usually simpler and more affordable, so the entry barrier is lower. And of course it's more portable. Though I must admit I hate all those dongles, usb hubs, power banks and cables that I sometimes need to carry with me
I would love to do more on iOS, but for what I do, there are barriers. One thing that holds me back is the lack of a great acoustic drum program like EZ Drummer. I would miss Melodyne. I record a lot of audio and therefore there’s a limit to how much I can do slouched in a chair. Still have to mess around with plugging in mics and guitars so the convenience advantage of an iPad is diminished. I’m not sure I’ll ever completely wean myself off Windows 10 and Studio One Pro.
Have you tried using the ‘manual’ drums options in GarageBand? I’ve managed to get some very natural sounding drums by using a combination of quantized and non-quantized drumming. The “swing” options on iOS GarageBand are not as flexible as desktop, but it can be worked around.
Not really. Gaming is harder but I’ve been wanting to chill on that anyway. The switch wasn’t that hard as I still have an old MacBook, but moving my production away from a powerful desktop 100%, and all the options that come with it have been much more chill. I’ve even been able to arrange my room as I don’t have to build it around carving out a recording space with interface, mic, guitar, keyboard, etc.
Yep. The physical space savings and portability benefits are a huge advantage.
Can't do without the desktop for editing and batch processing files. iOS editors get better and better but they don't replace my desktop tools (yet). Also there's no straightforward replacement for Ableton Live.
But iOS has everything to write great songs already, many great examples were posted here.