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.
IK Multimedia vs KORG
Okay, so I've used iGrand, iLectric, Vocalive, and Sampletank for years on IOS and like the quality. But I got mad at IKM because iGrand and iLectric STILL aren't up to date with Audiobus after several months and hundreds of other apps getting compatible, including Sampletank. So I deleted them all and picked up KORG Module. I figure I gain AB useable Pianos, Electric Pianos, Organs, Strings, Synths, etc. I actually gain back a little space on my IPad from the deletions, and and don't have to wade through various moronic pop-ups that remind how dopey IK's marketing schemes are. But I need your opinions on the sound quality of the KORG instruments versus the IGrand, iLectric and Sampletank sounds we've all gotten so familiar with the last few years. KORG Natural Grand vs iGrand? I'm not sure yet...
Comments
I would have to say you've got a good trade-off, at the moment, from a technical point of view. As regards the sounds, the feel, that's a very personal thing. Not waffling, just how it strikes me.
I think Module is very good. Are the NeoSoul Keys (for example and picking a damn good app) better at what they do? I think so, but do they work as well (along with a big footprint) with your workflow? And that's just one example.
For me, as regards iGrand etc I think, especially at my level of expressiveness (violently poor) the Module sounds and the feel seem to make me happier, and more likely to be productive (no small thing). At this point, I'm keeping Sample Tank on board and moving on with the Module and will be happy if IK up their (AB) game in the future and make me re-assess.
@JGoodYr: I don't think I'll ever delete NeoSoul Keys. For the other Sampletank stuff I've got Bismark bsi-16. I think I just need to play the heck out of Module for a few weeks until I own it in my ears. Like back when iGrand was on the bus.
I've always been a huge fan of Korg's stuff (So I may be a bit biased). Not only their hardware, but also their apps are always quality. IK Multimedia has also delivered some great products, not only on iOS, but I agree with the annoying popups trying to market me into their other products. A comparison, as mentioned, depends on your preference and how you use the sounds, because both, Module and iGrand sound great and I'm sure you can fit either one into any mix without any problems.
As far as AB compatibility updates go, Korg definately has the advantage. Also, Gadget is kinda like the "Reason" for iOS, whereas Sampletank is more a traditional ROMpler.
Personally, I think they both complement each other, although I do think IK should update iGrand if they want to stay competative with Module.
Korg module lacks midi learn, that makes igrand and ielectric more useful to me the way i work and for live performance despite the temporary lack of audiobus, on the other hand module sounds better to me
The Ivory piano expansion pack for Module sounds better than iGrand.
How about Galileo vs Module for organ?
Back when I first got back into music and started getting both iPad and Mac music apps I got a lite version of Abletron with my first guitar app. Installing it was a nightmare. As soon as I got it going, this first thing that happened was three demons wanted holes in my firewall to talk back home. I looked at what I had installed and I had five new programs, three that ran constantly in the background, for a freaking app I got free with a $90 amp? The uninstall did not work properly, I spent a couple of hours cleaning the crap off my Mac Pro.
This started me researching IKM a little before I bought anything from them. There were a lot of complaints in the iOS world that IKM made you pay to transfer apps to a new lap top or iOS device. Is this still true or was it ever true? I can understand why they charge to move app on a desktop, the overhead for the support they need for their installs must be really high. I'd really love to try sample tank, but I do this for fun and don't like apps that piss me off, ruins the fun.
In any case I have every Korg app and not one by IKM.
@busker said:
Good question. I put the headphones on and demoed the two. Galileo has 5 times as many presets as Module which is a plus. Galileo has a grittier, more powerful sound. Module sounds clean like it was sampled in a high end studio. I guess it's what kind of sound do you want for a particular piece of music.
IK didn't charge you to transfer apps to a new device, or if they did that's news to me (and I don't see how that could work anyway). However, they did charge you twice if you wanted an app on both your iPad and your iPhone—these were not universal apps.
Now, they're beginning to introduce iCloud integration such that purchases made on one of these devices would be available on the other device as well. This is coming along slowly, as is the new and less obtrusive bulletin service that replaces the annoying pop-ups. However, their products by and large are great, both on iOS and OS X.
IK Multimedia do have one thing going for them. They make products (hard and software) that fit perfectly into a certain niche, designed to do one thing only, and the product is as straightforward as can be. Usually it's that niche that hasn't been filled by other companies (Minus Amplitube maybe) or it has been filled, but in very obscure ways. Take for example SampleTank. I don't know of many other ROM players out there that offer the same straight forward functionality.
Now, that being said, I'm not the greatest fan of IK Multimedia products, but what they do, they do well (including force-fed advertising unfortunately). IMO, Jamup and BIAS are much better guitar sims than Amplitube, but once again, it's apples and oranges.
Korg on the other hand have always seemed to have a more innovative approach with their products and that is why I think products from both companies complement each other.
I still like Korg better though lol.
Maybe We will see an IK sample range in module
What the hell is "Abletron" and what does it have to do with Korg or IK?
Does anyone use the iPad 2 with Module? I've got a 16 GB one with iOS 7 and I'm thinking about updating to iOS 8 just to get Module.
How important is polyphony and/or low latency to you?
I need to be able to play several keys at once, I'm planning to play around with it with my MIDI-keyboard. I'm kind of used to low latency, but I want to be able to play without lots of stuttering and stuff.
I'm just asking because I've heard people with more powerful iPads than the 2 complain about limited polyphony.
But I have no personal experience with the app...
I get a fair bit of latency with Gadget on my iPad 2 so personally wouldn't buy module until I upgrade.
Maybe I'll wait then, and maybe grab iGrand and/or iLectric while they're on sale.
@monzo said:
Same boat. I'm generally a Korg fan (Gadget is one my favorite apps), but Module on a 16GB iPad2...nah. It's not worth about 1/14 of my available memory and an upgrade to a poor-fit operating system just to have a great piano app.
The other reason I preferred Korg to IK is that the latter was focused on giant sample-based libraries, which I just don't think is a good fit for most iPads. So Module is a step for Korg more in that direction. But I have no doubt about the quality of any of these apps, so if it appeals to you, a 10 or 20 dollar purchase that may or may not get used is like the equivalent of, what, a sweatshirt from Target?
@monzo are you talking about latency using the touchscreen? I find that using a hardware MIDI controller helps input response time quite a bit in Gadget (Unless you are speaking of Audio latency, which of course you can lower via the Settings app).
Here are some interesting remarks:
http://discchord.com/blog/2015/4/6/ios-piano-comparison.html