iPhone for live performance

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I'm coming up on a new phone in my cellular contract, and have been eyeing the iPhone 6 as a potential alternative for my Galaxy. I'm aware that Android music apps are light years behind what's available for iOS, but I'm not sure exactly how useful iOS apps are for live performance in a band context. In case it helps to know this, I'm in a trio (bass, drums, keys), all originals, mostly in a sort of Herbie Hancock & Headhunters vein with some Krautrock stuff as well.

My current setup for live performance currently is as follows:
--Prophet 08 keyboard + DLS chorus
--Boomstar 4075
--Kurzweil MicroEnsemble sound module + Sonuus Wahoo filter pedal
The latter two are both played via MIDI, using a Novation SK MKII 61-key controller; I have a delay unit as well.

As you might guess, my analog synth needs are met; nothing on a phone is going to add to what I already have. I'm wondering, however, about the capabilities of the iOS apps in terms of generating good sounding Rhodes EP, Wurlitzer EP, clavinet, tonewheel organs, and mellotrons, played by a MIDI controller. Is SampleTank iOS or its competitors at a point where they could compete with a 12 year-old hardware ROMpler? Are there other digital synths (e.g., DXi or Nave) that are worth having?

Also, are the sequencer apps able to send MIDI to hardware in a sufficiently reliable way that you'd trust them on stage?

Finally, are the audio processing and effects options worth considering?

In short, I'm wondering if people in the know have any feedback about whether there's enough there to justify the switch based purely on what an iPhone could add to a live setup.

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Many music apps are available for the iPad exclusively and not the iPhone.
Of course there are also many that exist for the iPhone as well or in smaller versions.

What kind of sounds does the Kurzweil have ? I guess the usual ROMPLER stuff like Piano, Organ, Mellotron, E-Piano ?

I mean, what kind of sounds are you missing for your performance ?

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I have only use my iPhone live with an app called "BackTrax" for triggering one shot prepared samples. Very reliable app for simple play stop que. I find a lot of stuff on my iPhone 4s too fiddly with small screen.

Little midi is a good step sequencer. I have only used it to sequence synths on phone so can't comment on whats it like sending midi to hardware. Sound Prism pro is worth checking out for an intuitive chord player. It has a few built in sounds and can send midi. I use this for playing animoog or love the inbuilt Rhodes sound going through Moog Filtatron for overdrive & delay.

In terms of fx apps Like "Echo pad" or multi band distortion http://klevgrand.se/squashit/index.php could be very useful for live tweeking.

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Thanks for answering.

The Kurzweil has adequate piano and electric piano. The organ tones are okay, but not nearly as good as Kontakt. There's not a mellotron that's useable either. So, I'd say organ and mellotron are problems. Ultimately, I would consider replacing the Kurzweil with iOS alternatives if these are good enough.

On the other hand, I'd like some wavetable or FM synthesis options, for those glassy-spacy pads that are uniquely excellent with digital synths. This is more of an "above and beyond" thing, something that I'd use even if I kept the Kurzweil in my setup.

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On the iPhone, there is an FM Synth calleed DXi) and a PPG App as well for Wavetables. Both are really nice.

DXi:
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/dxi-fm- ... 38065?mt=8

PPG Mini Mapper :
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/minimap ... 67665?mt=8

While I use my iPad all the time for music, my iPhone is only there in situations where I run out of other devices. The screen is a little small. Also there are many many more Apps available for musicians for the iPad. The selection of Apps for Musicians for the iPhone is rather limited in comparison.

Have you considered purchasing a second hand iPad 2 or soething like that ?
There is a great YT channel dedicated to iOS Musician's Apps for the iPad :
https://www.youtube.com/user/thesoundtestroom

There are Organs in Sampletank and Garage Band, but I think they also are not in the same ballpark as Konatkt. However, I use a Ferrofish B4000+ for organs, so I haven't really looked into that matter on iOS.

There is a great Mellotron App for the iPad (M3000), unfortunately not available for the iPhone.
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/50th-an ... 00093?mt=8
I use this all the times as my Mellotron Sound Source and bought all in-App Soundpacks by now. But, unfortunately, it is only available for the iPad.

BTW, this is a list of the Musik Apps I have on my iPhone :
Maybe you find something that interests you.

- Animoog
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/animoog ... 38724?mt=8

- IK Multimedia Sampletank
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/samplet ... 83893?mt=8

- Alchemy Mobile
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/alchemy ... 05977?mt=8

- IK Multimedia iGrand Piano
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/igrand- ... 17936?mt=8

- PPG Minimapper
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/minimap ... 67665?mt=8

- DXi
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/dxi-fm- ... 38065?mt=8

- ThumbJam
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/thumbja ... 77566?mt=8

- Rhythm Studio
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/rhythm- ... 61459?mt=8

- Little MIDI Machine
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/little- ... 18004?mt=8

- MorphWiz (no MIDI)
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/morphwi ... 45348?mt=8

- Tachyon (no MIDI)
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/tachyon ... 85980?mt=8

- SampleWiz
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/samplew ... 31166?mt=8

- VoiceSynth
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/voice-s ... 11069?mt=8

- Magellan Jr.
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/magella ... 28336?mt=8

- Garage Band
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/garageb ... 09785?mt=8

- Sunrizer XS
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/sunrize ... 60240?mt=8

- nLog MIDI Synth
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/nlog-mi ... 68291?mt=8

- SSSSynth
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/ssssynt ... 27544?mt=8
Last edited by darsho on Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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I'm wondering, however, about the capabilities of the iOS apps in terms of generating good sounding Rhodes EP, Wurlitzer EP, clavinet, tonewheel organs, and mellotrons, played by a MIDI controller. Is SampleTank iOS or its competitors at a point where they could compete with a 12 year-old hardware ROMpler? Are there other digital synths (e.g., DXi or Nave) that are worth having?
I don't quite know your 12 year-old hardware rompler, but concerning Rhodes, Wurlitzer and the like I'm really spoiled by Kontakt's Scarbee library, that is really really good. SampleTank can't compete, but there's an app called neosoul keys which has decent Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds. They are worth the money, though not as good as Kontakt.
my music:
soundcloud.com/septimon-band
blend.io/septimon

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Mitosynth is much better than PPG minimapper for lush and glassy pads. Much more tweekable http://www.wooji-juice.com/products/mitosynth/

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Awesome apps, guys.
I will get Mitosynth and Neosoul Keys as soon as I am near some WI-FI :)

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darsho wrote:...comments on synths + extensive list of iphone apps...
BAM! That's exactly the type of summary I was looking for. Thank you very much!

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Septimon wrote:I don't quite know your 12 year-old hardware rompler, but concerning Rhodes, Wurlitzer and the like I'm really spoiled by Kontakt's Scarbee library, that is really really good. SampleTank can't compete, but there's an app called neosoul keys which has decent Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds. They are worth the money, though not as good as Kontakt.
I'll check that out; I do have the Kontakt version of Neosoul, which is very good, so an approximation of that would be a step up from the rompler.

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Cintronic wrote:Mitosynth is much better than PPG minimapper for lush and glassy pads. Much more tweekable http://www.wooji-juice.com/products/mitosynth/
Another cool recommendation from what I can hear so far; thanks!

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For an iphone mellotron sound you could look at

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/super-m ... 86193?mt=8

and here's a demo.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-kTaBhI0Lg
Instant human just add coffee

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Oh that's nice, another Mellotron. Thanks for the heads up.
I just bought the Super Manetron.
another nice video about it :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXZmLcw-61E

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