Using an iPad in a DAWless Workflow

​Welcome to the 21st century. So, you finally decided to join the rest of humanity. Well, it is about time.
 
I would hear these standard replies while explaining to my friends that I finally gave in to the Apple ecosystem. You see, I have never owned an Apple device. I did have one of those little iPod shuffle clips given to me as a promotion gift many moons ago, but I never used it. Honestly, I have always survived in the Windows and Google ecosystems. These brands work for me, and I never needed to go with Apple until now.

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While researching the sounds of the mighty Roland D50, you know that synth made famous by new age artists like Enya, I came across an article about an app. Since I am not a big fan of full-size synthesizers and the smaller tabletop reissue that Roland released a few years ago was hard to obtain for a fair price, an app seemed like the way to go. Unfortunately, the developers only made the software available for iOS systems, which I found strange.
 
Do musicians only use Apple tablets?
 
We can debate why music software developers usually only release useful music apps for iOS another time. All I know is I had to get my hands on that Digital D1 app, and after researching other available apps, it was clear that I needed an iPad. When I asked for one as a gift from my wife, knowing that I was from the anti-Apple camp, she demanded to know what happened to her husband. I explained the benefits of owning such a device, like how it was cheaper buying a five-dollar app than a five-hundred-dollar synth. She was suspicious but cautiously agreed. I still get the sense that she wonders if something happened to her husband.
 
Now don’t get me wrong, the iPad is an excellent tablet, but it has the same functionality as a Google tablet. The only difference is the number of available killer apps, and wow, there are a lot of great apps. There are hundreds of synths, sequencers, drum machines, and things I do not even know how to categorize. I immediately found the benefits of using an iPad for my dawless jamming endeavors, including the small footprint it offers. Some of the killer apps that I use include.

• Digital D1 by AudioKit – a virtual analog and PCM synth inspired by the D50
• FM Player 2 by AudioKit – a DX7 and electric piano synth
• Synth One by AudioKit – another Audiokit pro level synth
• SynthMaster One by KV331 – mobile version of the SynthMaster software
• Nave by Waldorf – wavetable synth
• TC-11 by Bit Shape – programmable multi-touch synth
• MiRack – eurorack-style modular synth
• Patterning 2 by Olympia Noise Co. – drum machine
• Fugue Machine by Alexandernaut – MIDI sequencer
• AUM by Kymatica – audio mixer

 
I am genuinely blown away by the sound quality and the ease of use on most of these apps. The software developers and sound designers have done a magnificent job of providing many great sounds for a musician to use in their creative process. Connecting a MIDI keyboard device has opened so many possibilities. Many of these synth apps have assigned MIDI controller nobs, sliders, and pads to add even more versatility.
 
Utilizing a tablet for dawless jamming adds additional voices without compromising space and sound quality. Though using an iPad isn’t essential to create music, it is necessary when choosing useful quality applications. It would seem I finally found a good use for an Apple product.