Interface to use with an iPad.

[ambient]

I usually record on a MacBook through an Apogee Duet interface. We have a new kitten though, she’s devised various strategies to divert my attention from my playing and recording, to her. She’s really happy sitting and sleeping on my lap, which she can’t do if I’ve got my bass on, if I’m doing my other work music work it’s not a problem. Her latest trick is to get behind my MacBook and push the lid shut using her paws, she has also on occasion stood on the keypad. She also gets up behind my bass and howls at me until I put it down.

I want to use my iPad Pro to record into, as a sort of sonic sketch pad, I figure that’ll be easier and less likely to get damaged. It’s also easier to just flip it open, rather than booting up my MacBook, I can then just export the recordings into Reaper. I need a decent interface that will work with an iPad. I already have an Apogee Jam, it doesn’t have a headphone out though, and neither does the iPad, it has one of those type C USB combined things.

[Cuzzie]

Pretty sure there are dongles out there which will plug in to your port and allow another connection and a headphone jack

 

would that not work?

[Cuzzie]

Failing that I use a Focusrite Scarlett which is good and has a headphone out - all you need is a USB dongle into the iPad and that will work

[Reggaebass]

I’ve got the pro but I haven’t plugged anything into it yet, Would a hyperdrive C hub adapter work 

[dudewheresmybass]

I use a focus rite Scarlett 2i2 to record into my iPad. 
it requires bus power, but I use the iPad camera adaptor to power/ connect to the iPad. 
Very happy with it. the resulting recordings will be released later this year

[Skylar12]

I’ve got the audient id4 (has headphone out) with a usb c hub.. haven’t really tried recording,just jamming with either garage band or bias amp

Edited January 3, 2021 by Skylar12

[pineweasel]

I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 with my iPad Pro. It’s bus powered but doesn’t seem to drain the iPad battery too much. 

[dave_bass5]

Ive recently got a Scarlett Solo and it plugs straight in to my iPad Pro 2020 12.9 model. No need for any power cables and works perfectly with GarageBand and Cubasis. My old 2i4 needed to go in to a powered hub but the solo doesnt need to. 

[dave_bass5]

Ive also got one of these hubs. If you can plug your existing interface in to it you can use this for headphone out as well. Might be the cheapest option. I used this, with a Headphone to USB-C adapter (Apple one, £7), and then plug that in to a USB-C to USB-A adapter. This gives you a proper headphone out. 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07ZK8V5J2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Reggaebass]

On 09/01/2021 at 21:28, dave_bass5 said:

Ive recently got a Scarlett Solo and it plugs straight in to my iPad Pro 2020

I’ve only just started playing around with GarageBand on my iPad Pro with an irig2, which is fine but I’m thinking of something a bit better, is the Scarlett solo a good upgrade and is it easy to use dave , for a novice like me 🙂

[dave_bass5]

6 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve only just started playing around with GarageBand on my iPad Pro with an irig2, which is fine but I’m thinking of something a bit better, is the Scarlett solo a good upgrade and is it easy to use dave , for a novice like me 🙂

Ive never used that version of the iRig, but I’d say yes anyway, as i hate the HD version i have. 

I will add that both do the job, so it really depends on what you think is lacking. There is no set up or drivers to do, it plugs in using one cable (if you have a USB-C ipad) and just works. The ipad is more powerful  than my PC (which runs Cubase pro fine) so latency is very low. I do find that sometimes the ipad doesnt recognise it, so i take the cable out and rotate it. That shouldn’t be necessary but it seems to work. Not too often, and once its connected its 100% stable. 

I used this set up, in to Cubasis 3, to record the vocals and bass on the soundcloud tracks i posted.  

[Reggaebass]

4 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Ive never used that version of the iRig, but I’d say yes anyway, as i hate the HD version i have. 

I will add that both do the job, so it really depends on what you think is lacking. There is no set up or drivers to do, it plugs in using one cable (if you have a USB-C ipad) and just works. The ipad is more powerful  than my PC (which runs Cubase pro fine) so latency is very low. I do find that sometimes the ipad doesnt recognise it, so i take the cable out and rotate it. That shouldn’t be necessary but it seems to work. Not too often, and once its connected its 100% stable. 

I used this set up, in to Cubasis 3, to record the vocals and bass on the soundcloud tracks i posted.  

Yeah I’ve got the usb -c, Nothing is lacking really except I get a little bit of interference very occasionally, I’m just thinking it might be a good upgrade 

[Cuzzie]

That or the iTrack One Pre - I was lucky and they did a flash sale a while ago and I got it for £20

[Reggaebass]

5 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

That or the iTrack One Pre - I was lucky and they did a flash sale a while ago and I got it for £20

Thanks, i just watched the video, it looks good and simple to use 

[Cuzzie]

Massively - if you only need 1 input it’s the easiest thing ever and is tiny

[Cuzzie]

I use it for silent practice as you can run GB in the background and play along to any music etc

[dave_bass5]

21 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

That or the iTrack One Pre - I was lucky and they did a flash sale a while ago and I got it for £20

That looks cool and i had considered that at the time i got the solo, but the lack of headphone out and  control put me off. In fact it states its not compatible with devices that don’t have headphone out, so not ideal. It seems its one way only (in), so you would need a small Hub to hear anything. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by dave_bass5

[Cuzzie]

So for me it goes into the lightning port of the iPad and I use the 3.5mm Jack out to hear everything - worked in my circumstance

Edited February 22, 2021 by Cuzzie

[Cuzzie]

Plus I already had a Scarlett 18i8 so was covered on a bigger scale 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

So for me it goes into the lightning port of the iPad and I use the 3.5mm Jack out to hear everything - worked in my circumstance

Yeah, thats how it used to work but since Apple stopped putting headphone jacks on things (iPhone 7 onwards) it gets a bit more complicated. Thats why the Solo is a better option as it has the headphone amp/jack. 

[Cuzzie]

Agreed - it’s why I am desperately holding onto my iPhone 6 and older ipad

[dave_bass5]

Well with the Focusrite having a nice headphone amp I’m not really bothered about the missing headphone Jack. 
I didn’t think there would be much in it when I got the Solo and compared it to my old 2i4, but I could hear a slightly nicer’ sound out of my iPad through it. I put the solo up for sale just before that, but withdrew it quickly. 
Slightly better latency as well with the Solo. Just check in Cubasis as it’s 2.34ms. That’s a bit better than on my PC. 

[Cuzzie]

Yeah - mine is just really as a travel option/noodle in the bedroom type thing

[dave_bass5]

19 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

travel option/noodle in the bedroom type thing

Sounds like a good sex life 😂

[Cuzzie]

2 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Sounds like a good sex life 😂

Move out of London - it’s naughty in the sticks