IOS Apps - who uses them for live performance?

rad3d

Interested in who out there uses and relies on specific IOS apps, or combinations of apps, for live performance. If you do use, I'm also interested in how reliable your app setup has been, as well as what kinds of issues you've had to deal with in live situations or preparing your rig for them.

I'm currently in the process of moving my laptop/Ableton rig to ios/apps, and the process is generally going well - current setup has been fairly solid during rehearsals, but haven't played live with the rig yet. My current setup includes Loopy, Bismark, AUFX, Nanostudio, Nave, Genome and Audiobus - all running on an iPad mini Retina, as well as JamUp Pro XT running on a second iPad mini. While things are fairly stable, there's been a lot of trial and error getting things to this point. Plenty of apps tried and discarded in the process.

While I'm personally interested in hearing about multi-app configurations, I'll open this up to anyone who uses their ipad live. Just trying to get a feel for who's having success and who's given up.

Hmtx

Thumbjam has been discreetly added to the band when a bass player is unavailable. The "p-bass" is surprisingly convincing, played thru a little bass amp into the PA, controlled via MIDI keyboard.

Sorry... no offense to real bass players, there's no comparison to a real bass but sometimes you have to compromise just to fill in the low end.

I've gone with a one-app setup just because I haven't taken the time to make sure it is stable routing thru Audiobus. If I have time I'll experiment with putting the signal thru Bias first.

Musikman4Christ

I use Z3TA live at church. It wow'd everyone when they first saw me hook it up to the motif. Bypasses motif and used only iPad. Blew everyone away with the sound

Lacm1993

I use galileo, igrand, sampletank, bismark, Nlog, M3000, thumbjam, ielectric, a little bit of garageband and not use audiobus or loopy in live perfomance so my setups are pretty simple, never had any major trouble, the ipad and my controller replace my roland juno gi a year ago

mrufino1

I use iPad for synth bass and percussion, controlled by an irig keys. I also use a novation xio for various synths, including bass, and I use my bass for bass.
Mainly I use iSEM, but occasionally will try another app. I come back to iSEM though.

rad3d

@Lacm1993 said:

I use galileo, igrand, sampletank, bismark, Nlog, M3000, thumbjam, ielectric, a little bit of garageband and not use audiobus or loopy in live perfomance so my setups are pretty simple, never had any major trouble, the ipad and my controller replace my roland juno gi a year ago

Very cool. What type of Ipad are you running, and how many of those do you keep open simultaneously? Also - how is Galileo with system resources?

In my rig, I need everything open throughout the show, though not much is playing simultaneously. Currently using Loopy for midi clock and tap tempo, as nothing else seems to handle that. Would be nice if Genome (or some other sequencer) could be a master clock source, but in appworld you have to use duct tape and bailing wire to make it all work.

rad3d

@mrufino1 said:

I use iPad for synth bass and percussion, controlled by an irig keys. I also use a novation xio for various synths, including bass, and I use my bass for bass.
Mainly I use iSEM, but occasionally will try another app. I come back to iSEM though.

I wanted to use iSEM, but without Midi Program Changes I can't use it at all. My iPads sit back of stage and everything is accessed via midi from front of stage. I have run iSEM through the PA, though, and it sounds pretty awesome loud!

Lacm1993

@rad3d said:

Very cool. What type of Ipad are you running, and how many of those do you keep open simultaneously? Also - how is Galileo with system resources?

I have an ipad air 2 but before i had a first generation ipad mini, i dont keep to much apps open simultaneously tried to keep it one at the time two at most, if i need several instruments throught the song i use sampletank, bismark, soundfont pro or two apps on two different midi channels if i want very specific sounds, before i tried to keep all apps running all the time and assigned them different midi channels but i felt it was to risky on my ipad mini, sometimes the ipad felt slow. Now i open and close the apps as i need them, i discard all the apps that take an unusual long time to open or the apps with poor midi implementation, as the ipad is at my side on a stand its no problem open and close apps

I have always use galileo alone without other apps running, performs excellent this way, no idea in other contexts

mrufino1

@rad3d said:

@mrufino1 said:

I use iPad for synth bass and percussion, controlled by an irig keys. I also use a novation xio for various synths, including bass, and I use my bass for bass.
Mainly I use iSEM, but occasionally will try another app. I come back to iSEM though.

I wanted to use iSEM, but without Midi Program Changes I can't use it at all. My iPads sit back of stage and everything is accessed via midi from front of stage. I have run iSEM through the PA, though, and it sounds pretty awesome loud!

Right, remember that you needed that. And it does sound awesome through a good PA. So does imini, but the hanging E on a song in Eb was getting old fast. Once I discovered iSEM it took over. I've used Thor and animoog as well, but for me iSEM is still the best.