iPad? multitracking

[Bill C]

Hi all

I’d be grateful for some advice on recording tech … I had a well equipped home studio some years ago but have been solely focussed on playing guitar more recently.

I like to record at home acoustically - rhythm guitar first, then overdub head and solo. Just capturing my playing, not making records. Two tracks (maybe both stereo) is enough!

I’m looking for a solution that is really compact and easy to set up and use, maybe offering reverb, chorus, delay on each track, but I don’t want to get bogged down in technology and/or studio production. I want to play, not produce!

I’ve had the Korg SR1 and Tascam DP-006 but have found both clunky/awkward to use. Wondering if an iPad plus interface plus mic(s) solution might be more intuitive/immediate(?)

I’d prefer a recording application that’s biased towards capturing audio rather than loop-based production - I’ve done a lot of home and studio recording over the years but find things like GarageBand really counter-intuitive tbh …

thanks for any advice! - Bill

[grahambop]

It’s pretty simple to do basic multitracks on the ipad with garageband (which comes already installed), I’ve done it a bit. You don’t have to do loops. On mine if I start a new ‘song’ and just keep recording, it assumes an ‘automatic’ number of bars and just continues until I stop it. Then I can record another track alongside it, and so on.

It has a good range of effects etc., you can mix the tracks, and so on, and export the recording as an audio file.

I use a Line 6 pod interface gadget to connect the guitar to the ipad, it has some amp models in it.

There are other multitrack apps available for ipad but I haven’t looked at those.

The only reason I don’t use it more is simply that I prefer using a computer and something like Reaper.

I do find the touchscreen icons etc. a bit fiddly on the ipad, but I guess that is going to be the case with any ipad app, that’s basically how it works.

[grahambop]

Here’s how the garageband multitrack recording looks on my ipad, it’s a pretty simple interface really. This was just 2 tracks, i.e. a backing (can’t remember why it says ‘lead vocals’, that was a default label or something) and my guitar solo recorded via the Pod interface.

You can also open up controls for EQ, FX, etc. from the top menu bar.

[carvingcode]

Cubasis is a popular iPad DAW.

[Bill C]

Thanks both - will give GarageBand another try!

[grahambop]

Here’s that track I recorded in garageband, it works well.

[TedBPhx]

I have Cubasis but prefer the much simpler AUM. I connect my iPad to a Focusrite. The iPad Pro powers the interface so fewer cables. AUM is a virtual mixer.

[carvingcode]

I have Cubasis but prefer the much simpler AUM. I connect my iPad to a Focusrite. The iPad Pro powers the interface so fewer cables. AUM is a virtual mixer.

Yes, AUM is great. Still without any add-ons it only records and plays back audio. Not editing capabilities. You can set up a simple recorder in it.

Cubasis can be used as a simple recorder, but allows editing and includes FX like reverb and EQ which can be helpful.

[TedBPhx]

The AUM add ons are any AUv3 apps. I like the FabFilter and EvenTide plugins. For editing audio I use Twisted Wave if I use MIDI I go Cubasis.