![]() (Image credit: Future) Confusing Lightning To be honest, it’s a faff so we’d say go USB-C all the way. Using an iPad with older ‘non USB-C’ audio interfaces might require additional power to work via a powered USB hub. Just plug and play with (hopefully) power to boot. These are probably your target interface if you own or are considering a new, more expensive iPad. In our roundup below, we have only included interfaces that we know will work directly with the newer USB-C iPads. Many, like Focusrite, post regular news or blog stories to say which of their interfaces require or don’t require external power and with which iPads. Here, then, we recommend checking with interface manufactures. We say ‘most’ as this might not always be the case as specs (and indeed iPads) change so regularly. The best and clearest news is that a USB-C compatible audio interface will connect directly to a USB-C iPad, and in most cases a USB-C iPad should be able to power a USB-C audio interface. ![]() And older USB audio interfaces will require a USB to USB-C adaptor to work with a USB-C iPad, and might require extra power, usually by way of an AC adapter for the interface or powered USB hub to the iPad. The same type of USB audio interface that you use with your desktop setup can often be used with the more expensive USB-C compatible iPads, and even higher spec’d Thunderbolt interfaces can be used with the Pro models.įirewire audio interfaces will not work with the current range of iPads though. Running a software iPad studio is every bit as fun and creative as your desktop/laptop studioįirst, the good news. However, deciding which interface to buy can be confusing thanks to Apple using the Lightning, USB-C and Thunderbolt interfacing standards in the current range of iPads, not to mention older USB audio interfaces not using the USB-C standard! But we’re here to clear it up and make (some) sense of it all. Every recording situation can now be handled by an iPad, from recording a songwriter playing guitar and singing to recording several band members playing a live gig. ![]() You can get any number of ins and outs with audio interfaces, so whichever combination you require, there is an interface available. You could, of course, do this with the iPad’s built-in microphone but the results will be far better if you choose to use a dedicated audio interface.Īs with desktop recording, your iPad interface will need mic, line or combi XLR/line inputs for connecting both microphones and instruments up for recording, plus outputs to connect to speakers. Need to record audio from the real world into your iPad? Sing, play guitar, record an entire band? It’s all possible. ![]() Keyboards let you play that synth via a Bluetooth keyboard, or controllers let you tweak a DAW. Interfaces enable you to add vocals or guitars to your iPad compositions, for example, and play back the results through decent studio monitors. There are some great hardware iPad options, including devices that allow you to route audio into and out of your iPad or allow you to ‘play’ your apps. And as we shall see, there are many such devices, and even more apps to run on iPads to make the mobile studio experience just that more, well, pro! The hardware you need (or not) Plus most of the latest iPads have USB and even Thunderbolt compatibility meaning you can plug in and play a range of audio interfaces, MIDI keyboards and more. Fast forward to 2021, and Apple’s latest Pro iPads have the same M1 chips found in the company’s desktop and laptop machines, so the devices are very much on par power-wise with your standard computer. But considering some MIDI devices don’t have a way to connect to an iOS device without any special cable, this can fill that need, wirelessly, and can connect to your desktop machine, as well.In 2020, we might have told you that mobile music making can't yet offer the flexibility of a decent studio based around a powerful computer. It retails at about $99, and it might seem hard to justify at first. Just power the unit up and connect it to a MIDI device, like a keyboard or drum machine, and it can connect to your Mac or iOS Device wirelessly via the included free app. The name pretty much describes it, a black puck-like unit, with an on/off button, a MIDI connection, and a USB port (to use instead of powering it by 2 AA batteries) A Wi-Fi display lights up to indicate if it’s working. Getting this digital signal into the world of wireless and mobile devices has been tricky, but the PUC solves this problem. MIDI is the language that was established to allow digital music instruments talk to each other.
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