iOS, iPhone, iPad and music 101

[viking power]

Originally Posted by chumbo73

So you can record using the JamUp amp directly to Garageband? That would be the bomb.

I can't try it right now.

I'm hoping so but I am really not sure. The problem is, if you start in Jamup, leave it running and go into GarageBand, there is no way to know for certain if you're sound is still that of the Jamup modeler or if you are now using GB's guitar amps. I know a way to check (I think). I'm going to start in GB and set up a gnarly, distorted amp. That way when I go to Jamup and then back to GB there will be no question as to which one is providing tone. Make sense? If I sound a bit clueless it's only because I am. Definitely a newb to this.

[ric426]

Guitar Center just opened a new store not too far away and they have a good stock of USB interfaces. I'd like to buy my initial one locally so if it just won't work for me I can return it easily. I've narrowed my choices down to an Alesis iO2 Express ($82), a Presonus AudioBox USB 2x2 ($119 on sale) and a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 ($150). They also has a couple of ART USB interfaces but I don't recall which. I'm trying to keep it around $100 but will stretch my budget to $150 is there's a particular unit that would be the best choice. I'm open to other suggestions too if none of these are a good choice to start out with.

Here's my question. Do any of these stand out as a particularly good or bad choice in terms of ease of configuring, what software they'll work with and what software comes with it? I'm new to this game and don't really know the software yet, so I'm trying to avoid buying an interface that will give me compatibility problems later. You guys know the issues that certain combinations may bring out, so I'd appreciate your guidance (It will have the added benefit of reducing the number of dumb questions I ask in this forum).

I'll be using it with a Windows XP Pro system, and an iPad1 once I get a CCK and USB hub, so I know I'll have some limitations in running multiple apps. If I could, I'd just get an iTrack Solo but the specs say it requires Windows 7 and I don't have the funds to upgrade the OS right now.

I really appreciate the time you guys take with this thread to help us noobs out when we get into trouble and to try an keep us from getting into trouble in the first place. It probably helps you too, to have this thread as a sandbox to keep us in until we're up and running on our own.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by ric426

Guitar Center just opened a new store not too far away and they have a good stock of USB interfaces. I'd like to buy my initial one locally so if it just won't work for me I can return it easily. I've narrowed my choices down to an Alesis iO2 Express ($82), a Presonus AudioBox USB 2x2 ($119 on sale) and a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 ($150). They also has a couple of ART USB interfaces but I don't recall which. I'm trying to keep it around $100 but will stretch my budget to $150 is there's a particular unit that would be the best choice. I'm open to other suggestions too if none of these are a good choice to start out with.

Here's my question. Do any of these stand out as a particularly good or bad choice in terms of ease of configuring, what software they'll work with and what software comes with it? I'm new to this game and don't really know the software yet, so I'm trying to avoid buying an interface that will give me compatibility problems later. You guys know the issues that certain combinations may bring out, so I'd appreciate your guidance (It will have the added benefit of reducing the number of dumb questions I ask in this forum).

I'll be using it with a Windows XP Pro system, and an iPad1 once I get a CCK and USB hub, so I know I'll have some limitations in running multiple apps. If I could, I'd just get an iTrack Solo but the specs say it requires Windows 7 and I don't have the funds to upgrade the OS right now.

I really appreciate the time you guys take with this thread to help us noobs out when we get into trouble and to try an keep us from getting into trouble in the first place. It probably helps you too, to have this thread as a sandbox to keep us in until we're up and running on our own.

As Steve mentioned earlier, the device must be a true class 2 USB compliant in order to work with an iPad and CCK. I've no idea if any of them are. The iTrack as we all knows work with an iPad. Not sure about the windows thing.

[viking power]

CCK?

[Duke21]

Camera connecting kit

[viking power]

Thanks! Kept seeing it. Couldn't figure it out!

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by ric426

...I've narrowed my choices down to an Alesis iO2 Express ($82), a Presonus AudioBox USB 2x2 ($119 on sale) and a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 ($150). They also has a couple of ART USB interfaces but I don't recall which. I'm trying to keep it around $100 but will stretch my budget to $150 is there's a particular unit that would be the best choice. I'm open to other suggestions too if none of these are a good choice to start out with.

If possible, you want to avoid USB buss-powered interfaces, so you don't have to add a powered USB hub. That keeps things simpler, cheaper and neater (less cable clutter).

The Alesis is a poor choice. The Scarlet 2i2 and Presonus need a hub. There are reports that the Scarlet is a bit picky about the USB hub you choose.

If you're looking at ART, the USB Dual Pre is the one to get. It's designed for portable power off a 9V battery, which is nice for IOS use. Also, we know from adambomb's experience that it's a simple, plug and play deal with IOS...

[ric426]

Yeah, I was a little suspicious of the Alesis because there were a lot of bells and whistles at a low price. That usually means other things were compromised.

The ability to run off a battery does make the ART Dual attractive, but I can't find any info about what software, if any, that may come packaged with it. Is there any? The ART Tube Dual has more features. but are they really useful features? Even though it requires a power supply, would it be a better choice for the extra money?

Since I seen to be drifting up to the $150 range (why does that always happen?), the Presonus and ART interfaces have more features than the Scarlet 2i2, but does it make up for it in other ways? I don't know that the 96k sampling will be much of a benefit for me.

[Evangelos]

Anyone ever tried Beatmaker 2? Its got great reviews for being the best DAW and it has audiobus support

[Duke21]

The Beatmaker 2 looks very interesting. How is it compares to Auria?
While I'm very happy with MT DAW, I'm looking for a bit more option regarding the wave editor, so more then just fade in and fade out.
The Beatmaker 2 cost half of the Auria, so I'm very interested to see how is it against Auria.

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by ric426

The ability to run off a battery does make the ART Dual attractive, but I can't find any info about what software, if any, that may come packaged with it. Is there any? The ART Tube Dual has more features. but are they really useful features? Even though it requires a power supply, would it be a better choice for the extra money?

The art USB dual pre comes with two disks one has all the windows drivers on it / Mac does not need any drivers installed it work right out of the box and plug that puppy up . The second disk has the recording sofware "Audacity". This is software that I think can be downloaded straight off the Internet for free...but it's nice to have a hard copy. Audacity is good but I never use it because I already have much better recording software (LOGIC studio 9 /and protools hd 9) when I was researching an interface to get I picked the dual pre over the TUBE dual pre only because of the cost. At the time I could get the dual pre for 69.00 and the tube dual pre was 179.00. Now since the price has come down I might actually go for the tube dual pre. I found this one jut now for 85.00.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ARTTMPUSB

The extra features are great and you will find use for them. Also the tube dual...doubles as your DI so no extra DI and cables are needed .
As for power supplies I found a 9volt lying around the house. Most people will have one of these. I just ripped of an unused baby monitor. It is a standard 120volt to 9volt wall wart. Most guitar pedals use the same 9volt ac adapter. It just doesn't come supplied in the box. Which to me is kinda weird that they wouldn't supply one but if you are using it only for a computer interface it is powered by the USB cable.

[adambomb]

Hey I know the stigma that comes with the name Behringer but I just came across this.
Coming soon.....

http://www.behringer.com/EN/products/iX16.aspx

What do you guys think?

[Rip Topaz]

That looks pretty cool, actually.

Man, I gotta get an iPad!!

[BluesMan845]

Behringer isn't a bad a product ( they probably have the same rep as Peavey ).. they just aren't as good as some of the other products but they offer the same features at a budget price for someone that can't afford the better product... like this ->

http://www.mackie.com/products/dlseries/

I can't afford either

[Evangelos]

Originally Posted by Duke21

The Beatmaker 2 looks very interesting. How is it compares to Auria?
While I'm very happy with MT DAW, I'm looking for a bit more option regarding the wave editor, so more then just fade in and fade out.
The Beatmaker 2 cost half of the Auria, so I'm very interested to see how is it against Auria.

Apparently it is somehow difficult ,there are many tutorials though.They ve submitted the update to Apple.I wont buy Auria ,50 euros is lots of money.And the plugins are more expensive,buying the good ones will cost you another 70 euros..

[BluesMan845]

I bought Beatmaker 1 when it came out. At the time it was probably the most powerful music app available for the iOS system. It was fairly easy to use for it's simplest use of building a beat. Getting under the hood required a bit of a learning curve, at least for me and I never actually spent lot's of time with it. There was an issue with support from Intua but I can't say anything about whether or not that has improved with BM2. If you are willing to invest time to learn how to use it you may end up bring very happy.

[Evil Undead]

I've been reading and following this thread with interest, and been chatting to my buddy Rip, but I'm still a bit stuck on something that I was hoping you guys could help with.

I love my ipad for music stuff, and I've been using amplitube with iRig and headphones. Love amplitube, not 100% sold on iRig and am planning to get the apogee jam. But the thing I don't like is using headphones to practice bass. I know it's a first world problem, but meh.

Tried to connect my ipad to my amp through the aux in from the headphone jack, but no sound comes out.

Will apogee jam solve this? Or is there a way to connect it to the normal input jack on my amp without causing problems to either my amp or ipad?

[Rip Topaz]

What kind if cable do you use to connect to your amp?

Is it a Y cable, 1/8" to dual 1/4"?

I connect to the front end of my amp without issue. Not sure why you're having this problem, unless its something in the cable you are using.

[Evil Undead]

Nah it's a 1/8" to 1/8" into the aux in.

I only tried connecting it to the main imput (where I plug in my bass) once but it just squealed so much I unplugged it almost instantly. Was that due to irig or because it was connected to the bass input?

[Rip Topaz]

It's due to using the wrong cable for the job.

Try to find a Y cable, with 1/8" to dual 1/4". You may need to go dual RCA and get adapters. Then plug the LEFT one into your amp.