Video: iRig / iPad / Sampletank / Digital Performer

[keybdwizrd]

I finally bought one of those little iRig MIDI interfaces for the iPad, and bought the full version of Sampletank for iOS from the App Store. I connected it to my iMac and got everything humming along just nicely.

 

Sampletank on the iPad (or iPhone) is a four-part multitimbral software instrument. It can run independently on the iPad, in a very basic sequencer (enough for goofing around on plane rides but not to do anything really serious).

 

The only initial glitch I had was figuring out how to assign different MIDI channels to the four different parts in Sampletank, and how to be able to hear them all at the same time. There's nothing about how to do this in the very basic manual, but I eventually figured it out (the answer was literally staring me in the face).

 

iRig can allow any MIDI keyboard (with MIDI jacks, not USB MIDI) to play core MIDI compatible music apps on iOS devices, including Garage Band. I haven't played with Garage Band on the iPad much, but it doesn't seem to have a very large instrument library, which is why I plunked down $39 (?) for Sampletank. There is a "Sampletank Free" app available that contains a smattering of sounds to get you initially up and running.

 

Sampletank is an average-sounding software rompler - tweaking some of the presets, I think, will yield some very nice instruments, although I don't expect it to ever sound like a Motif or Kronos.

 

Lastly, this little video was shot just with my iPhone and the built-in mic.

 

 

 

[video=youtube;2PyQDeuYVMs]

[bad andy]

Cool. Nice to see an iPad hooked up to a DAW (DP, no less - my preferred DAW as well). Sampletank sounds like what one might expect from... Sampletank.

[RetroVintageOld]

I know this is a year old, but are you still using sampletank with an iPad?   Would you trust it live?

thanks

[keybdwizrd]

Yes, I still have Sampletank on my iPad, but haven't used it for anything "serious."

If I were to join a band again, I would definitely try out using Sampletank and other iPad synths and pianos in lieu of hardware instruments.  I have not had any crashes on my iPad, but I'd still need to build up my confidence by trying the iPad in rehearsals.