iOS Bass Players Thread #5, V, or cinco, take yer pick.

[ikmultimedia]

Oh we definitely won't stop here so thanks for any ideas and suggestions.

I just thought I'd share that we'll be making the next floor-dwelling accessory out of...... LEGOS! Step on THAT, why don't ya? iRig PainBoard (working title - already edited it once)

 

[Duke21]

I agree partly. For iPad users, there are better interfaces out there. But for iPhone users, this could end up being REALLY cool.

The iTrack solo works with iPhone

 

[Duke21]

My other main concern, and this hasn't been touched on, is that every stinking one of these interfaces (my Jam included) are made out of PLASTIC.

Seriously? How many gigs is the Blueboard gonna last?

I know I haven't been exactly IK-friendly around here, but at this stage of the game it all comes down to results for me.

If the generic (Behringer and the like) midi foot pedals will work, I think that would end up being a more road-worthy setup than the Blueboard. Plus some have the expression pedals built into the board.

I baby my gear as much as possible, but at a gig stuff happens. Drinks get knocked over, people step where they shouldn't. I'm constantly worrying I'm going to take out the Jam accidentally at a show.

These devices aren't built to withstand much of anything, including.. Hmm.. STEPPING ON THEM.

Can we get a sturdier enclosure?

Rip, "plastic" is the future. I've designed parts from plastic for roller skies, wheel hubs,suspension forks, etc. plastic is often reinforced with glass fiber or carbon fiber without you knowing it. Hei a formula 1 car is made out of "plastic". If the design is right the part will last.

 

[FretNoMore]

"Plastic" is great, but it's not all about whether it lasts ... a too lightweight pedal may slide all over the floor, other objects don't feel right, don't inspire confidence. Silly I know, but I definitely enjoy the feeling of something small, compact, heavy. It just feels right somehow. Bic lighter vs old lump of brass kind of thing, both do the job but feel very different.

 

[bezbass]

Cubasis is on sale or about to be !

 

[Rip Topaz]

"Plastic" is great, but it's not all about whether it lasts ... a too lightweight pedal may slide all over the floor, other objects don't feel right, don't inspire confidence. Silly I know, but I definitely enjoy the feeling of something small, compact, heavy. It just feels right somehow. Bic lighter vs old lump of brass kind of thing, both do the job but feel very different.

This too.

I have nothing against plastic, but something that's gonna sit on the floor of the stage, and get stepped on repeatedly, should have a metal enclosure.

I'd probably go as far as swapping the Blueboard into a sturdier enclosure, just for my own peace of mind. I tend to get a little crazy at gigs, and don't need the headache of looking down and seeing my switching system in pieces.

This is all speculation, of course. I haven't actually had my hands on a Blueboard yet.

Yet.

This isn't a slam on IK at all. In fact, even though I have up on their app long ago, I'm still always checking out every company's hardware. It's all about what does the job I need it to, the best.

If Fisher Price made an interface that rocked, I would buy it. Of course, it would also be plastic. Lol.

 

[PrietoBass]

My hearing aids are plastic....

 

[TaySte_2000]

I don't think the controllers that have USB connections use the MIDI protocol. They are computer input devices. I can't think of a pedal board for live use that would only use a USB connection.

Mcmillen Softstep the best midi controller ever created works on USB

 

[FEF]

The weight is a very good point. I do hate pedals that move around. They could put a lead equivalent in the plastic housing. I've seen that quite a bit on file cabinets, and light things that should not move.

The soft step is pretty cool. Maybe the IK crew could whip up a BlueTooth/MIDI unit. I'd be more then happy to help with the design. In fact, I'm guessing there may be a few reading this thread that do design for their day job. There's something inside me that thinks this the idea is pretty cool, if we could get the majority to agree on any one design.

The Big question is... Do we get any of this stuff now, or do we wait until Q1 of '14 (as an example) for the way cool widget of Mega-Happyness.

 

[ikmultimedia]

The iTrack solo works with iPhone

Of course this is a different type of interface (and quite a cool one, much respect for this and their products - I talked with one of their folks at NAMM for a good bit) with a slightly different audience possibly - mains power required while still not charging the iOS device, adapter required for Lightning connection, no MIDI connection for your controller (but hey get BlueBoard anyway to go with it, I kid I kid), larger form factor, etc. But there's the great plusses of the multiple inputs, LEDs are definitely well-designed, metal casing IIRC, and more making it a bit of a different beast than the all-in-one super-portable unit we've put out there.

To me, they do seem like two pretty different devices but I obviously also have bias and some of the differences will be either dealbreakers or "meh" on either side of the equation, as always.

 

[Rip Topaz]

I think the iOS music world kinda got ahead of itself a little. What I mean is that these interfaces and controllers were designed without really taking actual stage use by us musicians into account.

It's pretty simple what we need if you really get down to it.

We need a pedalboard/interface with 30-pin (or whatever iOS standard you use) connections, that will not only charge the device, but also carry audio and midi signals.

Look at the Boss multi effects. They have a million ins and outs on the back panel. What's to say something like that, with the proper connections, wouldn't be more useful?

Imagine my fantasy world for a moment. You step on stage, plug your instrument into your pedalboard, and are able to switch effects in the iOS world. Having a dozen or so foot switches, and a couple expression pedals for control. Oh, in a metal enclosure.

If Boss can do it with all the effects housed in the board, why can't we have an iOS solution that's similar for input/control?

End rant. It just seems so elemental to me, and all we get are tiny breakable gadgets that only do about half of what we actually need.

 

[TaySte_2000]

Of course this is a different type of interface (and quite a cool one, much respect for this and their products - I talked with one of their folks at NAMM for a good bit) with a slightly different audience possibly - mains power required while still not charging the iOS device, adapter required for Lightning connection, no MIDI connection for your controller (but hey get BlueBoard anyway to go with it, I kid I kid), larger form factor, etc. But there's the great plusses of the multiple inputs, LEDs are definitely well-designed, metal casing IIRC, and more making it a bit of a different beast than the all-in-one super-portable unit we've put out there.

To me, they do seem like two pretty different devices but I obviously also have bias and some of the differences will be either dealbreakers or "meh" on either side of the equation, as always.

Yeah the only downside I see on the iRig Pro is the output is the iPad I recently got the Line 6 sonic port as all the IO is on the device but then of course I've got no midi but as it stand I'm looking to pickup a blueboard, the iRig Pro with a FCB1010 or similar would be a lot better though.

However is you had a midi range select switch on the blueboard that would be a game changer, currently all these apps accept multiple midi commands generally by mapping and iOS devices can connect to multiple bluetooth devices at anyone time but my understanding is you wouldn't be able to run more than one blueboard at a time.

Maybe I'm wrong maybe I can, maybe I can map so one did my fx and the other did the looping etc will just have to see when it comes out what I can do with it.

 

[BluesMan845]

I think the iOS music world kinda got ahead of itself a little. What I mean is that these interfaces and controllers were designed without really taking actual stage use by us musicians into account.

It's pretty simple what we need if you really get down to it.

We need a pedalboard/interface with 30-pin (or whatever iOS standard you use) connections, that will not only charge the device, but also carry audio and midi signals.

Look at the Boss multi effects. They have a million ins and outs on the back panel. What's to say something like that, with the proper connections, wouldn't be more useful?

Imagine my fantasy world for a moment. You step on stage, plug your instrument into your pedalboard, and are able to switch effects in the iOS world. Having a dozen or so foot switches, and a couple expression pedals for control. Oh, in a metal enclosure.

If Boss can do it with all the effects housed in the board, why can't we have an iOS solution that's similar for input/control?

End rant. It just seems so elemental to me, and all we get are tiny breakable gadgets that only do about half of what we actually need.

An Apogee GIO style product that works with iOS is exactly what would fit this bill.. nobody has created such a beast yet for some reason.

 

[TaySte_2000]

This always struck me as the best idea

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[rolandm]

My other main concern, and this hasn't been touched on, is that every stinking one of these interfaces (my Jam included) are made out of PLASTIC.

Can we get a sturdier enclosure?

Mine's aluminum, but it's also housed within a rack mount unit. That being said, if you were referring to the footpedals, my AirTurn is also on a high-density impact plastic board. It'd take some serious mashing to break it, but it's indeed possible.

Then again, even when I was using my Zoom B9.1ut for gigs, I was still very protective of anyone who came onstage that wasn't a band member. Heck, I once had a roadcrew member step on the edge of one of my cases and crack it. Saw it happen from 50' away, he looked down, looked around and walked away. Never got it replaced, but I got some epoxy on it and that fixed it good as new.

In this world, you indeed have to guard against stupid, thoughtless and careless at every turn.

 

[Rip Topaz]

This always struck me as the best idea

Invalid Link Removed

Something like that, only for iOS. How hard could it be?

 

[FEF]

You're absolutely right. Ketron makes 2 pedals I can think of, one with 6 pedals and one with 13. Imagine one of those that had MIDI out, Instrument in, Lightning and 30-pin connection, a display...

What would be even better is if it sent the audio from the instrument in, and patch change information via BlueTooth, MIDI, or through the Lightning/30-pin. But then they'd have to make an extension like I'm nearly done with so the iOS device could be 20 feet away from the pedals.

It's all about money. It's amazing what you can do with the cash to make things happen.

I love dreaming about this kind of stuff.

 

[rolandm]

Touching on what IK mentioned earlier, I may be one of those few out there that utilizes the iTrack as part of a live signal chain, but it's ability to do that as well as be used as an interface when recording has been a tremendous boon to me, as I split my time recording and writing, as well as performing live. I think that trend will increase very quickly. And for the ones I've tried, I can detect an audible quality difference in the Focusrite iTrack Solo's inputs. Maybe I'm just pickier, and at that, perhaps I'm just way too picky for my own good.

The charging issue has never really been an issue for me. I've gone through 5 hours of gig (soundcheck and then actual performance) and used, at most, half the battery.

My rig, as I've detailed it elsewhere, is very portable. And what's more, it sounds VERY good coming out of the mains. We had a guy recently that ran us and when he asked what sort of amp modeling I was using, because it sounded like an old school Acoustic 361 coming out of the mains, only more controllable because there wasn't an actual 361 on the backline. Indeed he was correct, because the Acoustic 361 is the basic model that I use in my Jazz Bass live patches - my 5 string goes to the GK stuff, though.

Not knocking IK's stuff, I think the Blueboard will definitely be much sturdier than the AirTurn pedals, and I still used my "old school" iRig for jamming and learning tunes when I don't feel like breaking open my rack. Personally, I love having all of the options available to me, as they make for some very open-ended platforms, creatively speaking, and that means that the sky is the limit.

 

[BluesMan845]

Something like that, only for iOS. How hard could it be?

There must be some stumbling block... If I had to guess it would be powering the floor board would require a power source.. but the same is true of those Line6 podXT pedal boards so it can't be a major deterrent. Something like the Guitar Rig controller or the Apogee GIO would be perfect if they worked with iOS. Everything all in one - DONE!

 

[bezbass]

Just incase you missed it! All steinberg ios apps are half price today! Including cubasis! I already have it but if you don't then firstly I don't work for steinberg and secondly cubasis is value for money at full price!