Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Midi Controller shortlist - any comments?
Hi all, new to this forum (and to iPad music creation) but learning so much already from the wonderful people on here!
I have an iPad Air 2 and have the following Apps: Korg Gadget, Launchpad, Blocs Wave, Groovebox (and Audiobus of course). I'm wanting to experiment with some beats and grooves with some 'found sound' and samples, nothing fancy or particularly innovative.
I'm in the market for a midi controller - budget is $200 or less. As I'm new to this, something that maps easily to the above software without too much knowledge of midi would be ideal. Something nice and portable and USB powered from the iPad (or bluetooth although I have Bluetooth Headphones so not sure whether this would cause a conflict). And if it works with Logic Pro X on the Mac that would be a big bonus.
Thus far I have narrowed my choice down to 4:
(a) Arturia MiniLab Mk II
(b) Novation Launchkey 25 Mini
(c) Nektar Impact LX25+
(d) iRig Keys I/O 25 (bit more expensive than the rest above)
I'd add the Korg Nanostudio to my list but I don't know how I'd get on with those keys - they seem to be love or hate from reading user comments. The portability, bluetooth and integration with Korg Gadget is obviously a big plus. Just comes under budget for me (I'm in Canada).
Any wise words greatly appreciated!
Jools
Comments
Novation makes quality products imo
Korg Nanokey studio hasn’t got same keys if it’s predecessor Nanokey 2 usb. Much better velocity response, much more homogeneous playing. I love these little keys, you have to play 4 notes chords with two hands however, but not a such big deal IMO. And they are perfect for basslines, leads or samples playing (Bilbao/Abu-Dhabi). Pads are very nice too, as encoders. This device is very nice to use with Gadget of course, everything is auto assigned with each gadget, you have scales with keys leds, arp... Bluetooth LE is stable and I was surprised that latency is not perceptible at all. It works perfectly with Windows 10 too. Pretty compact and flat too. Add to that that price has droped a lot, and that it uses standard batteries that last pretty long with no replacement issues like with lithium based keyboards, all of this makes this controller a very good deal.
Love this unit.
I can vouch for the Arturia MiniLab Mk II. That was my personal preference wanting more rotary knobs than push buttons/drum pads on something that feels robust with the perfect size keys.
Plus you get the pitch bend and mod wheel.
Oh, and the free MiniLab lite software.
I recently purchased the new IK Multimedia IRIG I/O 49 key controller. So far it has worked flawless with IOS and it comes with all the IPAD connectors. It is more expensive, however you do get an audio interface built into it, including balanced stereo output etc.
SO far it has a great response and feel and the key's are nice sized yet still a compact design. I actually purchased it for my son for Christmas, however have played with it:) If you are looking at getting started and you don't have an audio interface at all, then its a great all in one solution for connecting to IOS device. Also comes with some samples and Syntronik for IOS. If you already own synths on IOS and have an audio interface, then I would look at Novation as well.
+1
Thanks - do you happen to know whether the 25 keys version also comes with Syntronik for iOS?
Every review I have read of the Arturia MiniLab Mk II is very positive. Love the fact that it has pitch and mod touch-strips (the Novation doesn't). And the keys look to be the best out of all the mini USB-powered keyboards.
It's a very tempting unit, especially with Gadget auto-assigning. I just wish it was $50 cheaper, at least here in Canada. I haven't ruled it out yet!
I love my Yamaha P60 ., had it for going on 17 years now but it's finally starting to show its age., starting to wear out a bit,.. They can be had used for 100-200 ., full sized weighted 88-keys - It was somewhere between 600-700 when I got it, can't remember exactly..
I'm in market for new KB myself...Thinking about the Komplete Kontrol line. ., Haven't been in the market for ages, so going to have to do some more research.
I think most of your choices are in the 90th percentile (and up). I really like the Arturia I have, the build seems better than other 'things in its class', but since getting the Nanokey Studio, if I'm not using something full-size (a nice cheap Novation) then I'm probably using the Nanokey. It's ridiculously throw-it-in-your-bag easy and light, has withstood the rigors of clumsy travel several times from Austin to Europe and back, as well as just down to the coffee shop. And there's something Secret Agenty about it I can't quite put my finger on
I have the Nektar Impact LX25+. I think it's a very solid MIDI controller. The keys are full sized and feel nice. The build quality overall seems solid. My only complaint that the pads can be a little stubborn sometimes. I wouldn't rely on it for a live performance but for laying down some beats in a DAW it works well enough. Considering it has full sized keys, it's a decent size, not too big but on the cusp of being considered portable. I did find a backpack (more like a duffelbag/backpack hybrid) that it fits in so I have taken it around with me to Starbucks and other coffee shops when I want to make music on the go. Not sure about everything on your list but definitely consider whether or not you want full sized keys. That was the biggest factor for me. I was almost going to pull the trigger on a different MIDI controller that had mini keys but thankfully I went to a Guitar Center to see it in person before purchasing and was disappointed with the size of the keys. Might not be a big deal for you and obviously full sized keys is a trade off for size and portability but it's something to consider. Also, I think I paid $80 for it with a coupon at SamAsh so the price was a factor for me. Overall, it's solid, I like it, it gets the job done, and wasn't too expensive. Anyway, just wanted to give my 2 cents. Good luck!
Thanks everyone for all your valuable comments - I'm not sure I'm any closer to making a firm decision but I really appreciate your time and input. I think I'll take a leaf out of @illaddin 's book and go and try some of them out at my local Tom Lee Music/Long and McQuade.
Cheers!
All of them are great products for Logic.
Novation is the best ATM for iOS if you are into their apps but lately @AmpifyxNovation seems a bit lost in their roadmap for our segment target (over 30 years old) so I usually advice buying them but now I’m starting to regret due their strategy and poor technic support (the iTrack dock doesn’t workin properly seems a big issue into my eyes)
So research if any of the others gives you some Logic adventatge or try a launchkey mini before jump into something more expensive and see how @AmpifyxNovation (and focusrite) care about us meanwhile.
iRig Keys I/O 25 unlocks the sounds from the 19.99 SampleTank iOS app in SampleTank CS and Pro-V in Syntronik for iOS. Plus on the Mac/PC side you get SampleTank 3, Syntronik Pro-V, T-RackS Deluxe (as well as Ableton Live Lite and Studio One Prime).
Details of what's included can be found on the iRig Keys I/O Apps page