Recording with garageband on ipad 2/3?

[starling1]

Has anybody tried doing this? I'm considering buying an ipad 3 on the condition that I can use it as a recording device. What sort of interface would I need to be using to connect my pedalboard to it?

[baytamusic]

Why not just get a used white Macbook? An older one with firewire would be ideal.

[iblastoff]

i use a tascam im2 condensor mic for live recordings with my iphone/ipad. for direct in recording i have a peavey ampkit link adapter. it depends on what sort of recording you're doing though. the ipad doesn't have THAT much hard drive space.

while i love the ipad and it does have some strong audio apps (check auria out which is coming soon http://auriaapp.com/Products/auria" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), i don't think its the best solution if you're buying one to specifically record with. an actual computer would be about 10000x easier to do things.

[ScottyDanger]

When my macbook pro crapped the bed earlier this year and was off with Apple for repairs, I was tracking demos with my Apogee Jam and the ipad. Sounded pretty awesome, it was nice to just tap out drums and set my bass/guitar loops while sitting on my bed. There are no bass amps, though, which is bullcrap. I was able to finagle an old fender 15" sim into a good bass sound, though.

The nice thing is, you can run the line out to a PA system, I've used the ipad's synths for band practices and stuff with my midi-over-usb keyboard plugged into the ipad via the camera connection kit. You can also jam with a coupld of networked ipads in a room together with a master clock. It's seamless, simple, and awesome.

I say don't buy the new iPad, but pick up a refurbished iPad 2. They're priced fairly and they're basically brand new.

[billyp77]

What about the ipad1? I got one for my birthday and have played around a little bit but I'm not sure what to get to mess around. I do have a good computer and soundboard for my serious recordings but looking to do some jams upstairs and a little quieter.

[bclaire]

I think it could be a valuable tool for recording ideas on the fly, but I wouldn't think you could really expect to get much more out of it in terms of a more serious recording surface. Garageband is very cool, but it has serious limitations. Use it for what it's designed for, which is basically coming up with ideas on the fly or recording demos with drums loops but don't expect much more out of it.

Alesis sells a slide-in interface for it, the I/O Dock. If I had an iPad, I'd consider it for song ideas:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... n-for-ipad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bavaro]

that alesis dock is actually pretty good, i had an alesis rep in my store a few weeks back demoing it. i think you'll get a lot of different opinions (especially on this forum), but unless you're looking to drop a grand or more on the whole setup, i'd forego getting a used computer and cheaper interface, it'll just be more money to get pretty much the same sound quality as you would with the iPad. professional quality? no, but neither will a used macbook unless you're willing to drop the money.

[baytamusic]

What does a computer have to do with sound quality? I'd place even converters about last on the list after preamps, mics, mic placement, amps, guitar, engineer, and even player. I just personally think screwing around with the limitations of an iPad and Garageband kind of a waste of money. You can buy something like an Echo 2, a 57, Logic 9 Express, and a used Macbook for under $1000 if you know how to shop wisely. At least it's expandable. Just my opinion I guess.

[bclaire]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that.

If you want only to quickly get song ideas on the fly or things like that, an iPad would be really useful for that. And you could get an input pretty cheap to get guitar into it...

But if you want to really record, go with baytamusic's suggestion...

I just finished a demo for my wedding that I started with Garageband and using my Alesis MultiMix16 mixer that connects to the laptop with firewire as an interface preamp. It was good for getting multiple tracks in, but in the end I trashed everything except the drums and re-recorded everything using ProTools/ mbox into my desktop Mac by way of an Avalon 737sp preamp and a Neumann U87 for vocals and micing the acoustics. The difference in quality was night and day...

[iblastoff]

What about the ipad1? I got one for my birthday and have played around a little bit but I'm not sure what to get to mess around. I do have a good computer and soundboard for my serious recordings but looking to do some jams upstairs and a little quieter.

that thing is slow and low on ram. i doubt many of the newer recording apps still support it.

[bavaro]

What does a computer have to do with sound quality? I'd place even converters about last on the list after preamps, mics, mic placement, amps, guitar, engineer, and even player. I just personally think screwing around with the limitations of an iPad and Garageband kind of a waste of money. You can buy something like an Echo 2, a 57, Logic 9 Express, and a used Macbook for under $1000 if you know how to shop wisely. At least it's expandable. Just my opinion I guess.

i didn't say the computer had to do with sound quality... anyways, that alesis dock probably has converters/preamps that won't be discernible from what you can get out of an echo 2, so going off the idea that computer doesn't have to do with sound quality, it seems like the iPad would be cheaper. like i said, if you're not looking to sink a lot of money, you can do an iPad for a lot cheaper and get a similar result. obviously neither will sound professional. my point is, if you're not looking to produce anything professionally and just for fun, it's a lot of money to spend on a hobby that you can do just as well on an iPad running StudioTrack, GarageBand, AmpliTube, or Multitrack DAW. and if hobby is the way you're going, then the iPad opens up a lot of portability for recording, and even live use. i use it for that same reason, so i don't see any reason to bash it..

[baytamusic]

Ok, not gonna argue. The OP can do what he wants but I think it's a bonehead move to buy the iPad and dock and use Garageband if that's the only recording platform he'll own.

[bclaire]

Ok, not gonna argue. The OP can do what he wants but I think it's a bonehead move to buy the iPad and dock and use Garageband if that's the only recording platform he'll own.

agreed...

[ScottyDanger]

Yup, gotta agree with the two above. Don't buy an iPad 3 just for recording. Buy a refurbished iPad 2 for tinkering with recording and doing other things that the iPad is great for like Facebook and browsing the internet on the couch without burning your legs from a laptop. You can spend $320 on a refurb 16gb with wifi and that's a fair price for something to play around with. Get an Apogee Jam for plugging your guitar in, it's $100 and isn't a hissy POS like the amplitube thing.

I can upload a demo track from Garageband to soundcloud later, if you'd like to hear the quality.

[bavaro]

not arguing either.. just trying to answer the OPs question with an opinion based off experience, like he asked for, instead of writing it off. I use a Mac and and iPad, and for what it is, the iPad is great, but I'd imagine most people don't buy an iPad thinking its going to replace even a $1000 studio.