Ask A Sound Guy

Will this iPad-thing be useful for musicians and engineers?

Do we really need to talk about the iPad? There’s so much tablet fodder out there that I doubt anyone will ever come across this, but just in case someone is interested, I’d like to offer my sound-guy perspective on the device.

First Thoughts:

My first impression of the device as images and tweets were pouring out of the closed-door press conference, was that this gadget looks a lot more square than I expected.  But my first music-related thought was that this device could be AWESOME at wireless, multi-touch-enabled MIDI controlling.  It’s not hard to imagine the iPad running a touchscreen version of Ableton’s Launchpad hardware unit.  There’s really enough space there to see mixing control surfaces like the Jazzmutant Lemur and Dexter app.  So, yeah, first thoughts were “this is kind of square” and “big multi-touch screen with wifi and bluetooth = totally rad control surface apps!”

Nitty Gritty:

Sadly, in tune with the general disappointment of the day, the features (or lack thereof) started to get in the way of the potential of this device to make an exceptional addition to a music-nerd’s arsenal.

As terrible as Apple’s 35mm line input jacks are on laptops and desktops, I wish there was one on the iPad.  An internal mic means you can interface with most apps that need audio input.  Except that you can’t plug any other mics or input into this device for use with the various stereo or multitrack recording apps already out for the iPhone.  I’m not thinking I’d use this to track important vocals, but the ability to record from a line input would have been incredibly useful given the supposed portability of the device.

Some might point out that there are peripherals that plug into the docking port of an iPhone or iPod and enable stereo recording with better line and mic inputs.  But this just brings up a new sore point – no USB connectivity.  I’m sorry, but just out of principal, a device this big which in some ways was designed to replace carrying around a laptop NEEDS USB ports.  Even one of those ridiculous mini USB ports would have been an improvement.  Sure I can add peripherals like card readers and improved sound cards at the docking port – but only ONE AT A TIME.  And even then, that’s contingent on what hardware features Apple has decided to prevent us from using through software (e.g. why can’t I transfer files over bluetooth with my iPhone?)

Next, and not really as vital is the lack of expandable memory.  The ability to add more flash cards to this device would have been useful if I could see the iPad being used as a regular portable audio recorder.  However, because of all the dang port-limitations mentioned above, you can either add a better sound card to the device or a card reader – but not both at the same time.  There goes my idea of using the iPad as fancy microtrack.

Final Thoughts:

If I had more money, I would buy this thing.  Yes, I just complained about it all over this post (and for about an hour at dinner last night – sorry to my girlfriend).  But it’s a giant touch screen that will run Automap, and touch-based synths and drum machines, etc. Like I said above, it won’t be an exceptional tool for audio-nerds, but it will definitely work for some people, and its undeniably cool to control your DAW with a little touchscreen.

I know Apple treats their pro-sumer customers (i.e. Logic Pro or Final Cut users) like children – locking us out from obviously useful features and forcing us to upgrade every year or so.  Maybe the next round of iPads will fare better with the blogosphere elites, but despite being slap a hundred time by it, Apple is the hand that feeds me gadget-treats.

Unless google comes out with an awesome tablet and figures out how to run pro-tools in Android.  Then I’m google all-the-way.

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