MIDI for your iOS device? Oh yeah. News from Summer NAMM 2011 tells of yet another awesome product from IK Multimedia, the folks who brought you the iRig microphone and Amplitube iRig guitar interface products for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. This time it’s iRig MIDI which, you guessed it, allows you to connect any MIDI device, like a keyboard, to your iOS device.
Why is this awesome? Well besides letting you connect anything from a super-compact portable keyboard to a full 88-key digital piano to your iPhone or iPad, iRig MIDI also includes IK’s SampleTank free virtual instrument app, which IK describes as the first professional iOS multi-part sound module tailored for live usage. That means you could be on stage with nothing but your iPhone and a compact MIDI keyboard in your hand, and play high-quality sampled instruments live. Your roadies will love you if nothing else (I’ve always wanted roadies but that job usually falls to us and a few friends:)).
Keep an eye on this space. We will let you know the very day when the iRig MIDI becomes commercially available.
Cheers!
Ken
iOS recording
IK Multimedia introduces iKlip™ MINI
From IK Multimedia, the makers of such cool home recording products (we reviewed the iRig Mic recently here: https://www.homebrewaudio.com/pqo) as the iRig Mic and the iKlip (mic and iPad stand for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) have just announced the iKlip MINI. See below for details.
IK Multimedia introduces iKlip™ MINI
The universal microphone stand adapter for iPhone® and iPod touch®
iKlip MINI is made of sturdy, durable thermoplastic and is compatible with every existing iPhone and iPod touch, from the original models to the latest generation devices. iKlip MINI firmly holds the device in place in both horizontal and vertical positions, and its multi-angle adjustable design allows for optimal viewing and accessibility to all controls, buttons, connection ports and camera free from obstruction. It can also be easily rotated from portrait to landscape position by simply loosening or tightening a knob with no need for additional tools. It can be mounted on the vertical pole of a mic stand as well as on its horizontal boom.
Users of another popular IK Multimedia mobile device accessory, iRig, can use their guitar interface adapter with the iKlip MINI with the included detachable bracket support. This makes iKlip MINI the perfect accessory for the AmpliTube range of apps or any other guitar effects app.
Other apps for iPhone/iPod touch can also benefit from the iKlip MINI’s support for floor or tabletop mic stands including karaoke, score and tablature, DJ, recording, mixing, video, photography, teleprompting and many more.
For more info: iKlip MINI
Pix and Stix for iPad Garage Band App
In the latest in really cool new toys, tools, and gadgets for the recording enthusiast (especially the musicians), I give you Pix and Stix for the iPad Garage Band app.
Apple’s Garage Band is an audio recording program for Mac users which now comes bundled with iPhoto and iMovie in Apple’s iLife ’11 . It’s pretty all-encompassing and also inexpensive for recording and producing in a home studio. Not surprisingly, there is a Garage Band iPad app that lets you record music into your tablet wherever you happen to be.
So what is Pix and Stix? They are rubber-tipped drum sticks and guitar picks that you use to trigger virtual instruments in Garage Band on your iPad. I’ll let that sink in for a sec.
I have written about virtual instruments here and here if you’re wondering what they are. For the Garage Band iPad app, you get pictures of instruments on your screen that you can play using the touch screen. You’ve probably seen that iPad commercial showing somebody actually plucking guitar strings with their fingers on an iPad? That’s what we’re talking about with Pix and Stix. You use the rubber-tipped picks to strum virtual guitars and the drum sticks to, well, hit the drums. How freakin’ cool is that?
Check out Pix and Stix and/or order yours HERE.
No word yet, that I can find, on incidence of broken iPad screens at the hands of these tips:).
Here is a video of someone playing drums with Pix and Stix:
Cheers!
Ken Theriot
Microphone For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
Hey home recording ninjas! Need to do any recording whilst out and about? How’s this for the ultimate portable recording rig? The IK Multimedia iRig Mic that plugs straight into an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
The iRig gives you excellent audio quality and comes with a vocal effects app and the recording app to use with your device. I am reviewing one of these babies as we speak and will publish that in a few days, but early results are: “wow.” I can’t say much more than that.
You can have your own portable recording studio for $54.99! I’m actually…just…almost speechless. This is such an incredible bit of tech. I’ll summarize. Maybe it will sink in better.
This is a good quality microphone for $56 that plugs directly into your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. And the software (actually an “app”) is free! An entire multi track studio for $56, without your even having to have a computer! What?!
Check back on Tuesday, June 21st for my complete review of this little baby. I did the review, complete with audio examples, here: https://www.homebrewaudio.com/review-of-ik-multimedias-irig-microphone-for-iphone-ipad-and-ipod-touch/
Find out more and get your own iRig here: The IK Multimedia iRig Mic.
Enjoy!
Ken