Anyone MIDIing a sound module in the background while running iRealb?

[DaleMac]

3. If Massimo ever decides to develop a keyboard module app for us real working musicians, I'll be the first one in line to buy it

[DaleMac]

Update: I went ahead and bought iRig Midi (Amazon knocked it down to $49.99, no tax & free shipping) and have had a chance to play around with the apps using a keyboard.

GarageBand wins the prestigious "Kiss My Ass" Award. When you switch between voices, it bumps all the internal effects (reverb and echo) back to the default settings. So, if I want to play acoustic piano on some songs and electric piano or organ on others, I have to go back in and reset everything - EVERY TIME. Even if this weren't the case, the acoustic pianos only have 8-note polyphony and the electric pianos only have 6. There is no way in hell any pianist could use it for live performances. Maybe... MAYBE... there's some way to assign more polyphony to a "Track" but I'm not going to waste my damn time finding out. (I wish I had my five bucks back.)

SampleTank and iGrand, both from IK Multimedia, have a problem: If you set "Latency" to Low, there's a slight delay between playing the keys and hearing the notes; setting it to Ultra Low helps eliminate the delay, but if you play anything more complicated than Chopsticks the data stream becomes a train wreck. The keyboards appear to have 16-note polyphony, which is twice GarageBand but still not really enough for serious playing. If I had to choose, the iGrand app loads fastest, is easiest to switch between voices, and has the longest sustain time which doesn't sound looped. But I doubt I'll be using it as a module on any jobs. On top of that, iRig drains the battery pretty fast and I'd either need to recharge between sets, or run yet another cable to some external power source. So, obviously, I won't be purchasing the "Full" versions of either app.

[pdxdjazz]

...and the (prestigious) KMA Award goes to: (may I have the envelope please...)

Cant wait for the next installment!
)BOB

[DaleMac]

...Cant wait for the next installment!...

Hmm, you might be waiting a while. Since my original quest hit a dead end, I'm done researching and I've deleted most of this junk from my iPod. Maybe some future app or device will evolve into something I can actually use, but I'm not holding my breath.

Or maybe I'll get out of the music business entirely and become a rapper. If I ever want to just press one virtual piano key to get groovy loops and sick beats, freestyle some rhymes, record it, and share it on FaceBook... life would be a breeze!

Sh-boom, sh-boom

[dflat]

Thanks for posting your thoughts and results
I seem to remember IK Multimedia saying their apps are optimised for the specific device it is installed on. This means if you had a newer device you would probably get more polyphony and better latency.

Personally I would still use an independent module if I could although this could be because I have not tried sampler or synth apps on a gig, and if I did, would not be sure I would want to have that same device multitasking my charts.

I was also thinking about (non) balanced cables and hum. I would probably use a short cable from my iOS device to my DI if my amp was not near me to eliminate any interference that might occur, although I am not sure how common it is with guitarists using iRig (etc.) in gigging. I have not had any problems with Ampkit Link and guitar cabling to an amp (not that I have tested this extensively.)

[DaleMac]

Personally I would still use an independent module if I could although this could be because I have not tried sampler or synth apps on a gig, and if I did, would not be sure I would want to have that same device multitasking my charts.

I came to the same conclusion. I'll be using my keyboards and modules for the foreseeable future. And I won't be changing my nick to "MC DaleMac" any time soon

I seem to remember IK Multimedia saying their apps are optimised for the specific device it is installed on. This means if you had a newer device you would probably get more polyphony and better latency.

Yeah, that's another sticking point. Some of the gear I have is 15 or 20 years old and they still do a better job than any of these fancy 21st Century thingamabobs ...with the exception of iRealb, of course

[Norman]

bs-16i is my favorite (I also have the other apps mentioned), small footprint, works with Soundfonts.
It responds to volume and program changes and can also be used as a MIDI player.

[DaleMac]

Thanks for your input. I just looked at your post from 2011
http://www.irealb.com/forums/showthr...nk-iOS-iReal-b
so I guess you've compared several different setups over the past couple of years.

[michaelyoung]

While iRig/SampleTank combo works with iRealb on iPad 2, iPod Touch 4th gen might struggle with polyphony limitations. Consider GarageBand pianos or iGrand app for piano-focused needs, both work alongside iRealb. Alternatively, explore dedicated sound module apps like iLectric (iPad only) for electric piano sounds without the bloat of extra features. Remember to check app sizes and ensure compatibility with your device before committing.