iPad Will Change How We Make Music

Tim Cox ()

iPad Will Change How We Make Music

Thanks for the Flickr Photo, Joshua Schnable

We have seen an electronic instrument renaissance with the introduction of the iPhone. Apps like DopplerPad, RjDj, Beatmaker and the new synth Argon have shown the potential of a multi-touch device in a live performance setting. The only thing keeping professional musicians from diving all over these devices for music performance and production has been their size. The iPad changes everything.

The monome, pictured above, goes for a lot of money on ebay. If you buy one of these babies new it will set you back $500-$600. What’s worse is the device is very limited release so they sell out, you have to go on ebay and the price gets jacked up. The iPad would replace this midi controller instantly.

While everyone got wild and crazy with the Leaf Trombone and Ocarina on the iPhone, the iPad is large enough to be a legitimate synthesizer/virtual instrument. Also Korg has a line of Kaoss effect pads that the tablet could easily replace.

Not only live music but recording and production: ProTools, Reason, Abelton Live. All could have versions of the software for the iPad or use it as a control surface to make the best use of multitouch.

DJ tool too. Create live techno joints. Hip Hop. Flava Flav. Boyeee

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21 comments »

About the author

Tim CoxTim Cox is big time into coffee, craft beer, Super Street Fighter IV, and Apple products. He lives in Brooklyn with his loving wife and 5 beautiful kitties. He keeps track of the stuff he googles, gives advice on web marketing, and is pretty big on Twitter. He never updates his personal blog.

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Posted in iPad, Opinions |

  • http://urbanmainframe.com/ Jonathan Hollin

    But how will it interface? It doesn’t have USB, Firewire or MIDI…

  • theVash

    While I think the iPad might work out to supplement a Monome, I highly doubt it will ever be cool enough to replace it. Much less instantly.

    The Monome is more than a box with some buttons and lights, its the community behind it that creates and shares programs that makes the Monome a great device.

    Sure it will probably be easier and sometimes cheaper to get a iPad over a Monome, and apps for it might be similar I see it as a supplemental piece of hardware better suited to coexist rather than rule with an iron fist.

  • Julian

    I’m sorry but I really don’t think the iPad is changing anything for DJs and musicians, you’re drinking the kool aid.

    No USB, Firewire or Midi like Jonathan said and it doesn’t even has a line-in or anything.

  • http://www.andreas-sorensen.com Andreas Sørensen

    I don’t think it can replace the Monome, I find that the tactile buttons on my Monome makes the big difference. Though I have used my iPhone alot when it comes to the apps such as OSCtouch, which is amazing, and that is an app where I see great potential when used in combination with the iPad. It’s the increased screen real estate.

    I look forward to seeing the apps that come out for both audio and visual performance, but as mentioned above, why no input for external devices?
    I really missed a USB for importing photos straight to the device, or an audio input jack, incase of recording music. I would love to be able to hook my guitar up to the iPad and run garageband on it! Too bad.

    Don’t get me wrong, I still want one ;-)

    well maybe a second gen.

  • http://www.atrishq.com a’tris

    That’s the first thing I thought when I read about the iPad. An app like Noise.io‘s Pro Synth would seriously rock on that!

    -Mason

  • http://retronyms.com John-Paul

    The possibilities of a powerful multi-touch device like the iPad for music are huge. I suspect there will continue to be a debate about the merits of hardware vs software, but I suspect we will see some amazing things in the music creation space on this device.

    For one, I’m excited to see our DopplerPad running on this thing. The iPhone version alone should be lots of fun.

    As for I/O limitations, the dock connector is up to the task. MIDI, audio in and out are all more than possible. Expect to see iPhone/Pad accessories that allow you to connect a host of equipment from guitars to mics to mixers very soon. Plus there’s Wifi and bluetooth which can handle MIDI/OSC.

  • Aaron

    I’m personally looking forward to a supersize iBone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGqFk2cEoYc

  • http://kpsnyder.com kpsnyder

    I think the music device best compared to the iPad is actually the Jazz Mutant Lemur.

    http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemur_overview.php

    It’s multitouch, and I must say I’ve seen some very cool performances that used the Lemur. Having a wireless tablet version (iPad) could indeed be very powerful for several forms of music creation, especially for musicians who are willing to create their own App’s and go forward with Ad-hoc installs.

  • T-Nut

    The biggest limitation for me is the lack of a hardware MIDI adapter for the iPad.

  • BRian

    Ok,

    One question-

    WHY DO PEOPLE keep saying SAY THERE IS NO USB?

    Of course the 30pin connector will be used to have a USB input/output!! Just like the iphony and ipod.
    (Of course someone- ie Apple will have to produce that!)

  • http:kevinjryan.co.uk kevin j ryan

    I think Apple will be unable to resist the opportunity (Logic/Garageband) to develop and increase their following on the music front…..in the next gen music biz…..all things are possible! I’ve been in music over 30 years and boy has it changed, technology has changed everything…If such tools lead to more creativity, great new music and the chance for new artists and music makers to make money I’m all for it! Let me know when I can get one to try out!!!
    kevin
    http//:kevinjryan.co.uk

  • http://www.ramin.tv Ramin Streets

    The question is whether the combination of cloud computing and wireless (in whatever form) improves and coalesces to the point where we receive/send our data (sound in this case) over the air vs. by wire and interface with applications where the data storage is happening somewhere else vs. being locally stored on the hardware. Yes this is a big iTouch, but what we’re initially getting at least is a usable multi-touchscreen interface that’s pretty elegant. From a music perspective that means a lot. But, I personally would never buy a product in its first year in market. Let the design be tested with the websurfers, facebookers, etc. and become more fully developed. Give the software designers time to react and create the inventives that would make me adopt the hardware platform for music. For me, I’m crossing my fingers to receive an email from Propellerheads announcing some version of Reason for this gadget that would be usable on the road for sketching out ideas. Somehow I picture myself hanging at a bar or coffeehouse, in front of the fireplace with the headphones on. I build something up and when I’m ready to head home to lay down guitar/vocal tracks I just wifi the file to my main PC. At least that’s the dream!

  • http://-- NevillePark

    We are racing to enter into a full touch screen society. How much you wanna bet that Akai, Tacam, and Mackie aren’t running to the drawing board as we speak.
    Connectivity is one step outta phase as fellow ahead of me pointed out.

    I went and bought a boxing week deal. Hah! The Sony home system looked fine even when you take it home but how do you – in all cause for sensibility, design a box with the only audio in being an ipod craddle???!!! No 1/8th in??!!! I asked the man if I could get a converter connection. “There is no such thing sez he.”

    Ipad’s bound to change that.

  • John

    Re: “I don’t think it can replace the Monome, I find that the tactile buttons on my Monome makes the big difference….”

    Stop. Just stop. You don’t even try to explain how it makes “the big difference”, besides the fact that you have nothing to actually compare it to. It makes the big difference in your imagination.

    Meanwhile, the Monome does not have multitouch gestures. It’s limited to a fixed layout and a limited number of colors. And you need an separate device (a personal computer) to update its software, no?

    Tho Monome folks should develop an iPad version ASAP before someone else relegates it to the “also ran” category. The Monome community will quickly be dwarfed by the iPad community, and there is power in numbers. A limited edition product can not compete with that.

  • Automatic

    The tactile feel does make a difference. For instance you can put your fingers on the buttons in a “getting ready” type fashion and THEN push. Can’t do that on a screen, you touch it, it’s touched.

    Aside from that, yeah this iPad shit will change things, but it aint really shit just yet. I’ll wait for gen2 iPad firmware and see how things go.

  • Thoughts

    The iPad will replace the piano instantly :)

  • http://www.darktrunk.com deqlane blaque

    chopping wood for a living died out, as did john henry.

    now millions of chinese kiddies persecuted by over zealous
    parents will now have to learn to play the ipad!…i’m sorry
    we maybe have gone too far…but mac and it’s generic pins
    and reluctance to go usb (or a compliant standard) is not much
    short of corporate obstinance.

    pardon me i’ve got to go rap my kid on the knuckles to get him
    app conversant.

    dsb

  • jacqueslacouth

    I better let ur wood delivery man know that his means of earning a living no longer exists….therefore the $120 a ton he currently gets paid needs to stop and we now get it for free since it is no longer a profession.

  • http://www.piano-lessons-dvd.org/ Dan

    I see the iPad cutting into midi keyboard sales BIG TIME. With apps like pianist and other midi controllers I’d rather have all the other flexible features of the iPad rather then simply just a midi controller keyboard. It’s been proven already in the first few months that the iPad is a virtual instrument if not band pending the apps you have.

  • http://www.learningtheblues.com/ James

    I think the iPad has the potential to help song writers hammer stuff out with a portable device, how ever I don’t believe it will replace devices DJ’s and other artists/musicians use for live performances. Just doesn’t have the power behind it.

  • Ronnie

    I’m a big fan of high technologies but I would still prefer live musicians on stage then just computerized stuff. But I’m looking forward to see Garage band on ipads included on the package like the Macbooks etc.