I've always embraced technology, so when I discovered the growing number of apps available for music creation on my iPhone, I jumped in with both feet.
My first experience came with the Irig from IK Multimedia, and their Amplitube iOS app. This was early 2012, and I was less than impressed. But I was hooked. As new apps became available, I tried them all. It took me quite some time (and more money than I'll ever admit), bu I've finally settled on a pretty cool group of apps that cover just about any job I'd need a specialized machine to do if I did things outside of my iPhone. I get a lot of questions about what apps I use for what, so I'll try not to miss anything. Amp Sims and Effects:
Jamup XT (Positive Grid) with the Bass Expansion Pack. This is my main rig, and the only amp sim I use live. I use several other apps for amps and effects, depending on my mood, but Jamup is always my live rig. Here's my other amp sim and effect apps: AmpKit (ok, just not for me. More guitar oriented than bass) Pocket GK (just ok. The GK in Jamup is miles ahead of this one) Amplitube iOS (this app is the bane of my existence, the cause of hours of frustration until I found Jamup. It's ok sounding but not much for bass players, and IK liked to keep everything in their court, so Amplitube doesn't play well with others. I rarely open this app these days.) Tuner:
Polytune - great tuner app, but doesn't work with my current interface (Apogee Jam) Drums and Loops:
Loopy - great looping app for live use, up to 12 loops at once!! DM1 - Every classic drum machine you can possibly think of, all in one app. Audiobus support seals the deal. Synths and Keyboards:
Sunrizer XS - AMAZING synth. Quality reminds me of my old guitarist's Korg keyboard. Yeah, it's that good. I use it for textures and such when recording. Recording:
Multitrack DAW - awesome iOS recorder, capable of up to 24 tracks(!!!). Very easy to navigate, just a great app. Amplitube iOS- AT has its own built in recorder (not really built in, you gotta pay for it in-app), 8 tracks with simple mastering effects. It's ok, but don't use it anymore since getting MTDAW. Other:
Audiobus- can't live without this one. It's like a patchbay for iOS, allowing different apps to work together in ways not possible before. Nodebeat- fun little Audiobus compatible synth/beat creation app Soundcloud- where I keep all my recordings. Guitarism- just got this one a few days ago. Really cool guitar simulator. Great for inspiring new ideas. Talkbass- not really a music creation app, but a great forum full of awesome info and some great people. All of these apps are cool on their own, but what really ties it all together is Audiobus. The apps that support Audiobus are the ones that get the most use on my iPhone (4S, by the way. Anything earlier just isn't fast enough for Audiobus).
Imagined running one app for synth, another for effects, and a third for recording. Audiobus allows the three apps to work together, so my signal can go from a keyboard synth app into Jamup for effects, into Multitrack DAW for recording. Amazing. Thanks to these iOS apps (and whatever I've forgotten), I rarely even use my "real" bass amp these days. Why bother, when the tone I get from Jamup XT is better than ANY amp I've ever used. And my back is happier, now that I don't have to carry my 70 pound amp to shows!! I show up with my iPhone, cables and a direct box. That's it. I have a small mixer for shows where I run IEM, but for my acoustic rock band, my bass running direct through the PA is more than enough, and with all these great apps, I sound better than I ever have!! Feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss iOS music apps, or if you have any questions about the apps listed.
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Sitting up late after the latest back surgery. There's snow coming down, and my van isn't home yet. Needless to say, I can't sleep.
So I figured I'd share a few pics. This is my latest incarnation of my stage "bubble". The surgery has forced me to sit down since I can't wear a strap across my back yet. Note the iPhone running Jamup XT.
Here's a closer view of the iPhone screen. I started using iOS amp sims a few months (over a year ago actually) back, and I've now settled on a really cool setup that allows me to leave the amp at home.
I use an Apogee Jam interface to get my bass signal into my iPhone 4S. The Jam uses the 30-pin digital input, so the sound quality is second to none. The amp sim is Jamup XT, with their Bass Expansion Pack added as an in-app purchase. After trying every iOS amp sim I could get my hands on, I've decided that Jamup XT is the rig for me. I can go from an old school tone to a super clean modern tone with the touch of a finger (soon to be a foot switch), and any effect I need is there as well. Here's my basses (and my six string, and my son's bass). Left to right is my Dillion 5204, my MIA 60th Anniversary P, my acoustic, and Aiden's SX P.
Here's my boy, Aiden. He's rocking Iron Man when this was taken. That's my boy!!
We'll end this pointless post with a puppy pic, cuz I've got the iPhone so we're doing what I want to do!!
Have a great evening, and keep practicing. |