Using iPad/GarageBand as recording device and what limits might it have?

[Rosie C]

I'm busy setting up a home studio, cobbled together with equipment we already have. I have Logic Pro on a Mac for mixing, but it's not practical to have that computer in the 'studio' room. In the studio vocals are recorded through a little Behringer mixer with 2 channel USB interface into a first generation iPad 12.9 pro running Garageband. The instruments are recorded with a Tascam 4-track DR-40X portable recorder, and we have an elderly Sony camcorder recording video and a clapperboard to sync everything.

 

Looking forwards, it would be good to simplify things a bit, and I'm thinking something like a Behringer ADA8200 8 channel interface would be simpler. But I'm thinking there must be a limit to how many channels an iPad can record? The Behringer interface is within our budget, but having to buy a new laptop isn't!

 

Any advice/opinions welcome   

 

[Owen]

If the iPad and the Mac are on the same wifi network then you can turn the iPad into a Logic remote control and put everything straight into Logic. All you will need is a cable long enough to go from the interface in the 'studio room' to wherever the Mac is. Recording things in two different places and then transferring them to the mixing computer is just creating work which does not need to happen.

[Rosie C]

1 minute ago, Owen said:

If the iPad and the Mac are on the same wifi network then you can turn the iPad into a Logic remote control and put everything straight into Logic. All you will need is a cable long enough to go from the interface in the 'studio room' to wherever the Mac is. Recording things in two different places and then transferring them to the mixing computer is just creating work which does not need to happen.

 

They are on the same network, though the Mac is on wi-fi, and the iPad on ethernet-over-power but I can check that it works. The 'studio' is in a converted garage, probably a 30m run, through the house, outside across the yard. That said, buying a cheap second hand monitor and moving the Mac might be easier than running a cable. Or just bite the bullet and get a cheap laptop. I like the idea though, it vibes the old BBC TV Centre with a video tape department in a dark basement all remotely controlled from the studios.

 

[Owen]

30m! OK that changes things on the 'just run a cable' front

 

A second-hand monitor on FB marketplace which will be fine and dandy for this purpose will be £40.

[Wolfram]

If you're talking about the USB cable from the interface to the Max then USB2 max length is 5 metres and USB3 is 3 metres (unless you get into using special active cables) so that won't work.

 

The Behringer ADA8200 is not an interface, it is an ADAT 8-channel expander and will not work with a computer or iPad on its own. To use it you would need to make sure your existing two-channel interface has an ADAT digital input, and connect it through that - beware, it would be a rare 2-channel interface that does have ADAT and not a single one comes to mind. I have no experience using an iPad for recording so don't know anything about compatibility or how many channels it can manage, so can't advise there unfortunately.

 

It all sounds very complicated! I would definitely either move the Mac, or I would acquire a single digital multitracker with enough channels to track everything in one place (e.g. Tascam DP-24, Zoom R12/R20 etc.) then move to Logic Pro for mixing. You may even want to keep it all in the multitracker - many of my best songs were recorded on an old Korg D1600, which I still have and still works some 20 years later.

 

Good luck!

[Rosie C]

Ah, thanks for that. Particularly about the Behringer. Yes, complicated but it's just what we already lying around. Once we've done a bit of recording we'll have a better idea what to actually buy. 

 

I do like the look of the Tascam DP-24, so thank you for that suggestion. The 12-track one would probably do at half the price - and that's in the same price bracket as the Scarlett 18i20 interface. Once I include a second hand laptop, the Tascam starts to look like a very interesting option! My Tascam DR-40X has been very good, so a larger Tascam does make a lot of sense.

 

 

 

[dave_bass5]

Not quite the same situation but I use my iPad to record our gigs straight off the mixer (XR18) in to Logic. it has no issues with 16 tracks at once for 2 /12 hours (most of the time). The cool thing is Logic on iPad will then automatically upload the recording to the cloud, where I can then download it directly in to Logic on my Mac. 

[Rosie C]

Thanks @dave_bass5 , that's good to know as I'll likely be getting something like the Tascam Model 16 at the end of the year - and while it can do stand alone recording, it has the option to output all tracks on USB.

 

Meanwhile, I've subscribed to a £5/month Logic licence, rather than use GarageBand - but still recording 2 tracks on the iPad, and 2 tracks on the Tascam recorder. I've also managed to strain my voice (again) so have a couple of months where I can work on guitar skills and recording technique.

 

[dave_bass5]

On 02/08/2024 at 15:31, Rosie C said:

Thanks @dave_bass5 , that's good to know as I'll likely be getting something like the Tascam Model 16 at the end of the year - and while it can do stand alone recording, it has the option to output all tracks on USB.

 

Meanwhile, I've subscribed to a £5/month Logic licence, rather than use GarageBand - but still recording 2 tracks on the iPad, and 2 tracks on the Tascam recorder. I've also managed to strain my voice (again) so have a couple of months where I can work on guitar skills and recording technique.

 

I must admit I could never get the hang of Garage Band. I did a few things in it, but as with Logic on iPad I just found it a bit cluttered with two many things hidden behind icons etc. 

I like the idea of the subscription for Logic on iPad. I only pay/use it during the months I have a gig as I much prefer editing on my Mac, but as a handy multitrack it works really well. 

 

Good luck with the new set up, and hopefully your voice will get better soon. 

Edited August 5 by dave_bass5

[BigRedX]

For me the problem with trying to record using mobile devices is that the screen is just too small to use it for anything other than a capture device where I will be moving the what has been captured onto something with bigger displays for editing and mixing. I run Logic on a computer with three 24" screens and even then I sometimes run out of screen space!

[Rosie C]

59 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

For me the problem with trying to record using mobile devices is that the screen is just too small to use it for anything other than a capture device where I will be moving the what has been captured onto something with bigger displays for editing and mixing. I run Logic on a computer with three 24" screens and even then I sometimes run out of screen space!

 

Yes, I'm only using the iPad as a capture device. It has a 12.9" screen, but even just for recording it's not great. But, I'm finding that having two microphones through the little Behringer mixer into the iPad gives better control over individual microphones than my 4-track Tascam recorder, so I'm persevering. But roll on Christmas and a stand-alone recorder!

 

For editing I have Logic running on my Mac with a single 27" monitor - it does get very cluttered, but is usable.