$15 Product that is KILLER!

[docjeffrey]

For those of you who record into Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, etc., and if you own an iPad, here's something that will make your recording sessions much easier. It's a DAW Remote for iPad, and what it allows you to do is to control your computer based DAW from your iPad over your home network (there are other options if you don't have your own LAN--check the website). The product is called DAW Remote, and like I mentioned, it's only $15. You have to be able to read and follow instructions in order to get it set up, but once you do, you will find that it works flawlessly. You can control all kinds of parameters (see screen caps) in your recording session including transport, faders, punch ins, etc. 

The response over my nework is instantaneous (Apple Airport Extreme wifi). So what I can do is to leave my computer hooked into my Focusrite interface and then go into another room to record guitar parts, vocals, etc. without having to disconnect and relocate my system. I just control everything remotely from my iPad. The only thing that I need are longer cables for my guitar and mic that will reach into my upstairs bathroom, bedroom, etc. and use those rooms for ambience. 

Also, I can sit in my big recliner and lay back with my iPad while my computer is hooked into all of its peripheral gadgets. Very cool. I'll keep you posted about any bugs or issues, but so far, all of the basic operations work great.

 

Here's my computer and iPad set up and ready to go. You can control any of the channels, although you have to scroll to see more than 8 at a time.

Here are shots of the DAW and the corresponding DAW Remote on my iPad.

A few of the options:

[kit_strong]

There are actually tons of DAW/Midi controllers for the iPad ranging from $5-$50.

And even more impressive there is GBRemote which allows you to control GarageBand with the iPad.  This is impressive because GarageBand doesn't support hardware MIDI controllers so you can actually do things with the iPad that can't be done with oter devices.

 

The ability to use the iPad as a general midi controller (and a damn good one at that) definitely ups the value factor.  You could easily spend $500+ on hardware controllers and still not have the flexibility that the iPad allows.

Of course there isn't something satisfying about twiddling a knob, sliding a fader, etc. that the iPad can't replicate.

 

-Kit

[genesis3]

I've heard about that....I'm wondering if I would like that more than a full fledged 'mirrored' view of the actual DAW recording software itself via something like Splashtop. Possible too that having tactile control might be better for me in which case there's the Frontier Designs hardware stuff...

[docjeffrey]

You are correct, Kit. I think that the GB controller is only $9. I've been using Auria ($50) as the main DAW on my iPad. It will allow import/export of Pro Tools sessions and it has a very nice software channel strip plugin along with two reverbs, delays, etc. The downside, no midi support yet. It supports 48 tracks and 24/96 IO, and it works with just about any current USB interface with the Apple camera USB connector.