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Easiest setup to loop both guitar and mic separately (to old iPad 2)?

Hey guys

I'm currently busking on the streets of Newzealand with an acoustic guitar (Yamaha APXT2 travel guitar, https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/ac_guitars/apx-t/index.html) and a mic, both connected to a small portable amp (Roland Street Cube, https://www.roland.com/global/products/cube_street/). I'm pretty new to looping, but I want to use it for future busking. I played around with Group The Loop (which luckily is working on my ooold iPad 2) for live looping, and it looks very promising to me.

My only problem is, that I can only use either my guitar or my mic for looping, as I can hook up only one of them to the mic input of the iPad (using an iRig 2, https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irig2/). I hoped that the iPad's input would be stereo so I could route the guitar to the left channel, and the mic to the right channel; but apparently iDevices generally only offer mono input through.

This is a bummer, as I'd really love to record and loop both mic and guitar in the same song, so I can build up complex loops, like strumming and a separate bassline using my guitar, and singing in harmony or doing beatboxing through the mic. At the time being, I have to decide for each song whether I want to loop guitar parts, or mic parts.

I asked at the Group The Loop forums how to solve this, and I was told to ask here, as it is unclear whether there is any external portable mixer which supports my iPad 2? I've taken a look at the Roland Go Mixer (https://www.roland.com/global/products/gomixer/) but it seems to be working only with lightning, not with a 30 pin dock connector.

So: do you know of any easy way to get a stereo signal into an iPad 2? Otherwise I will have to think about replacing it with a slightly newer iOS device...

Thank you for any hint. All the best.
Joshua

Comments

  • Ps: some more external mixers which look promising, but I have no idea whether they are usabl with an iPad 2.

    • Behringer UCA202/222
    • Zoom U-22/24
    • iRig Pro Duo
    • Line 6 Sonic Port
  • The issue is your audio interface and not a limitation of iOS devices. If you want stereo input, you need to use a device that takes stereo input. The iRig 2 is a great interface, but it is a mono input interface. iOS devices don't let you take input from two different audio drivers, which is why you can't use the iRig's input plus the built-in mic. FWIW, while you can use multiple input devices on a Mac by creating what is called an aggregate device, the performance really suffers.

    So, if you want to use a high-quality audio interface and have two input sources, you will need to use a different interface.There are a number of audio input devices that have multiple inputs.

    @josh83 said:
    Hey guys

    I'm currently busking on the streets of Newzealand with an acoustic guitar (Yamaha APXT2 travel guitar, https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/ac_guitars/apx-t/index.html) and a mic, both connected to a small portable amp (Roland Street Cube, https://www.roland.com/global/products/cube_street/). I'm pretty new to looping, but I want to use it for future busking. I played around with Group The Loop (which luckily is working on my ooold iPad 2) for live looping, and it looks very promising to me.

    My only problem is, that I can only use either my guitar or my mic for looping, as I can hook up only one of them to the mic input of the iPad (using an iRig 2, https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irig2/). I hoped that the iPad's input would be stereo so I could route the guitar to the left channel, and the mic to the right channel; but apparently iDevices generally only offer mono input through.

    This is a bummer, as I'd really love to record and loop both mic and guitar in the same song, so I can build up complex loops, like strumming and a separate bassline using my guitar, and singing in harmony or doing beatboxing through the mic. At the time being, I have to decide for each song whether I want to loop guitar parts, or mic parts.

    I asked at the Group The Loop forums how to solve this, and I was told to ask here, as it is unclear whether there is any external portable mixer which supports my iPad 2? I've taken a look at the Roland Go Mixer (https://www.roland.com/global/products/gomixer/) but it seems to be working only with lightning, not with a 30 pin dock connector.

    So: do you know of any easy way to get a stereo signal into an iPad 2? Otherwise I will have to think about replacing it with a slightly newer iOS device...

    Thank you for any hint. All the best.
    Joshua

  • How about a Yamaha AG-03 with a camera connection kit?

  • I’m not a battery powered guy, but for you that’s something to keep in mind. Some interfaces can be powered by the iPad but that’s going to eat up the battery pretty quick.
    I did glance at the zoom boxes (the u22 is only single input btw) and the u24 does have a sub power input so you could use a portable battery with it. The other thing you need is an Apple 30pin CCK.....

  • Tascam iu2 is pretty good for 30 pin devices and pretty cheap on eBay

    https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/tascam-iu2-reactable-mobile

  • edited January 2019

    Some thoughts for planning:
    an iPad-2 may suffer from battery age (natural), which may become even more obvious if you power a mobile interface from the tablet.
    You'll probably need a mobile power pack.

    There are adapters from 30 pin to Lightning and a 3 foot 30pin extension cable to connect to interfaces with native IOS ports, which can charge the iPad in use.
    But this is more expensive than a CCK plus USB cable to a standard interface (class compliant), which on the other hand will NOT charge the iPad.

    How will you handle the iPad when performing ?
    Is your current mic stand capable to hold an attachment for a tablet and/or interface ?
    (these things can have more effective weight than felt due to lever distance from the stand's pole)

  • Hi ... mate,

    Maybe you can use these devices ... to achieve their purposes ... I would be glad to know that you can continue to brighten the corners of our world ;-),

    All the best!!


    https://www.alesis.com/products/legacy/io-dock-ii


    http://www.musictribe.com/Categories/Behringer/Computer-Audio/Interfaces/iS202/p/P0AJQ

  • I pointed this possibility just few seconds ago at GTL forums but even so I'm not so confident due my experience (and some updates made the iS202 noisy and useless in the latest days of my 3gen era).

    I will recommend here too the same than there: Digitech Trio+ alongside (or not) GTL since you will expend more or less in the end and you will get the best features from GTL in hardware shape... and those which not, you can get them from GTL and your actual setup.

    Look into my profile to see my started treads and found the Trio+ one I done.
    Cheers!
    DbLb

  • dear guys

    thanks for your thoughts and recommendations. after thinking about it, i think i will try to get a used irig pro duo with a 30 pin adapter, as it is the only one...

    • which i found official statement that it works on both older and current iOS versions (i don’t want to keep my iPad 2 forever, i just don’t want to replace it right now)
    • accepts batteries, so it doesn’t drain the iPad‘s or needs an external source
    • provides phantom power to the mic
    • is ultra portable

    The only competition that I see for this is the Zoom U-24, but I don’t see anywhere how well this works with iOS in general, and especially with my old iPad 2.

    Do I miss something important here? :)

  • I just got a Zoom U-44, the 24 would do for your setup. I’m very happy with the quality and features, It works great with an Anker pack.

  • edited January 2019

    Get the u-24.

    Any usb audio interface that is “class compliant” can be set up to work great with iOS, both for older 30-pin, newer lightning, an even the newest usb-c. (same way you never hear about audio interfaces working with a 2012 Mac Mini. they "just work" because Apple builds all Macs with class compliant USB for audio interfaces)

  • edited January 2019

    Also the Zoom u-24 uses standard usb cables for data instead of the bizarre proprietary plug on the irig. Much easier to replace if you lose it or it goes bad.

  • Thanks guys.

    @Hmtx said:
    Get the u-24.

    Any usb audio interface that is “class compliant” can be set up to work great with iOS, both for older 30-pin, newer lightning, an even the newest usb-c.

    What adapter will I need so I can connect the U-24 to my 30 pin iPad 2? The camera connection kit CCK?

  • You always need the CCK, unless the interface comes with a 30pin or lightning cable and/or is declared to be specifically made for IOS.

  • @josh83 said:
    Thanks guys.

    @Hmtx said:
    Get the u-24.

    Any usb audio interface that is “class compliant” can be set up to work great with iOS, both for older 30-pin, newer lightning, an even the newest usb-c.

    What adapter will I need so I can connect the U-24 to my 30 pin iPad 2? The camera connection kit CCK?

    Yes, a 30pin CCK, which may take some looking. Just be sure to get an actual Apple version, as Apple has a history of disabling third party CCKs.

  • yeah, I didn't think about that part, it may be hard to track down the 30-pin CCK.

    You definitely want the official adapter from Apple, not a 3rd party replacement.

  • You can still get genuine older CCKs on eBay ...

    https://ebay.com.au/itm/Genuine-Apple-iPad-Camera-Connection-Kit-NEW-Warranty/172118463244?epid=17019944097&hash=item28130f530c:g:ahQAAOSwWTRW1Pio

    And yes, please get a genuine one, I have a few 3rd party bricks lying around.

  • Thanks to all you guys for supporting me!

    I finally ordered a U-44 on Amazon - it's nearly as small as the U-24, but offers some more features, like the possibility of adding 2 more inputs using a "Zoom EXH-6 Dual XLR/TRS Combo Input Capsule"... just in case more buddies wanna join a jam...

    I also ordered a used genuine Apple 30 pin CCK, and the Audiobus app.

    I still have more similar questions left, but I don't wanna bloat the Audiobus forum with them. Can you recommend another good forum for questions like:

    Thank you.

  • edited February 2019

    The clip on mic is a body sound transducer - you need an instrument input channel for it.
    (it's a very high impedance device)
    Sound depends on position - may work well or suck...

    The headmount mic is for a Shure Bodypack transmitter with a special 4pin mini-XLR.
    Can't be connected to other gear without modifications.

  • I just got this in the mail...pretty cool!

  • @BiancaNeve said:
    Tascam iu2 is pretty good for 30 pin devices and pretty cheap on eBay

    https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/tascam-iu2-reactable-mobile

    I actually had one before getting iOS because it was some ridiculous close out deal. I was using it with my laptop for a brief while. IOS 7 I think made these unusable. My brother was using it with his old iPhone 4 as a quick guitar tuner sometimes.

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