Ampkit with GarageBand patching issues

Maxim

New member
Hey guys, I’m planning to create a small homestudio based on my iPad Pro. I got two questions,how do you think focusrite Itrack dock studio as a package is? Do you reckon it’s a good deal?

Also I’ve been using ampkit and like the sound of few of the amps but syncing that with GarageBand seems to be an issue at times. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it gives me a lot of s*it. Have you guys faced this issue? Any way of getting over this or any good alternative of ampkit?

Thanks in advance guys :)
 
I am not an "iPerson" but personally I would K.I.S.Sir and just get a conventional interface (they all do 'i' now don't they?) with TWO mic inputs and go from there.

Most come with guitar mangling software (Cubase e.g. has Amplitube) but if not there is Reaper.

Dave.
 
I’ve been using my iPad as a studio temporarily while I save up for new gear. I must say, this set up sucks, and I can’t wait to go back to the computer. That said, it’s doable. I track should be fine. I don’t see how it’s any different than the Scarlett other than having the core audio support.

Only possible problem, though: you say you have an iPad PRO. Which one is it? The newest one? Unless it’s the older one with the screen size of the iPad the same as it’s always been, then your iPad will be too big to fit on the doc.

There are other options, though. There is the Apogee Mic or the Blue Lightning mic that will work with any iOS device with lightning. There’s also the iTrack solo if you want a dedicated interface.
 
Hey well price wise, the itrack dock doesn’t make sense, way too expensive.

Yeah mine is the new one and won’t fit in the dock. Now I’m considering buying a MacBook and use an audio interface? What’s your take on this?
 
Hey well price wise, the itrack dock doesn’t make sense, way too expensive.

Yeah mine is the new one and won’t fit in the dock. Now I’m considering buying a MacBook and use an audio interface? What’s your take on this?

Well, what’s your budget? The dock is actually a very inexpensive interface. The solo is a little cheaper, though. However there’s only one mic input, but there’s also an instrument input.

That leads me to another question. What are you trying to record and, as a result, what’s the most number of mic inputs you’ll need?
 
Well I play two different genres, classical and heavy metal. So I’d need something that can capture good accoustic sound as well as heavy. Also would love to experiment with vocal. At one time I don’t think I’ll need more than two mic inputs
 
Regarding my budget, I can spend 2-3 k if needed but if possible would like to make a good use of my iPad first and get some value of what I paid for it
 
Regarding my budget, I can spend 2-3 k if needed but if possible would like to make a good use of my iPad first and get some value of what I paid for it

Well, if you get the right AI and the right software you can use the iPad as a remote control, probably a MIDI controller as well. There are a few AIs about now with 2 mic ins but also an ADAT input port so you are future proof. Presonus do one I believe?

I am mistooked, Audient ID22 |

Dave.
 
Regarding my budget, I can spend 2-3 k if needed but if possible would like to make a good use of my iPad first and get some value of what I paid for it

The good news is that, with only needing 2 mic inputs, the interfaces available to you for the iPad will likely have that many inputs.

The best one is the Apogee duet: $600 Apogee is a popular name in the audio world for having such good converters. While there is a mic located inside the duet that’s actually pretty decent, if you want the best sound, you’ll need to buy your own separate mic with it. I think it only uses a 30 pin connection, but I’m pretty sure you can buy one of the cables they sell that will allow it to work. This can also be used with PC or Mac should you choose to switch to PC.

Another decent option is the iRigPro Duo: $200 same functionality as Apogee; just no mic inside the device, and the converters are not as high quality, though if you have no decent studio monitors and haven’t trained your ear to these differences, may honestly not even tell the difference between the two converters to shell out the cash for it. This can also work with PC or Mac shoudld you choose to switch.

There’s certainly some others I’m forgetting about.

Honestly, if you want to forgo the MacBook, the best option would be the Apgogee and a good mic to go with it. But you should listen to some recordings using these interfaces on YouTube and judge if it’s worth the money. One thing you should know, though. The peopl with Apogee interfaces will probably have much better sounding recordings because people who have invested in those interfaces are dedicated to getting good audio and having good mixing skills. Just know that, if the difference between the recordings of the two devices seem huge, they might not be as big as they might lead you to believe because of the whole mixing process going on.
 
Well, if you get the right AI and the right software you can use the iPad as a remote control, probably a MIDI controller as well. There are a few AIs about now with 2 mic ins but also an ADAT input port so you are future proof. Presonus do one I believe?

I am mistooked, Audient ID22 |

Dave.

This is what I do. I use my iPad as a control surface for Reason and I freaking love it. I’m thinking of getting another one. For $600, I’ll have a better control surface than these $1000 ones that are more limited, AND after the recording is all done, they are still iPads I can use for doing iPad stuff! :)
 
Hey thanks, I didn’t understand what you meant by using it as a remote control though. Still an ameture :)
 
Hey thanks, I didn’t understand what you meant by using it as a remote control though. Still an ameture :)

Essentially, people don’t like using a mouse to control the daw. So people buy control surfaces where faders and knobs are assigned to the faders and knobs in the software so the whole mixing process is a lot faster and more fluid. With the right app, the iPad can control the DAW in your app, making mixing a lot more fun.
 
I think I’ve found an alternative for ampkit. BIAS has few amps that got exactly the sound I want! So getting rid of the stupid buggy ampkit.

What app in iPad would you suggest to make it a good remote control?
 
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