iPad to interface/PC

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ekki Mukk
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Ekki Mukk

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First of all, hello. I've been reading this forum off and on for a few months to figure out what I'm doing, and now my first question...

How does one connect an iPad to a PC, with decent sound quality (ideally through the interface, but anything is fine)? To be clear: I am only looking to record from iPad apps/instruments directly into my computer - playing them in real time, recorded as tracks in Reaper.

Google seems to think I want to want to synch my iPad and computer, trigger my iPad from my computer, use an iPad as a midi keyboard in my DAW, or connect an interface to my iPad to record *on* my iPad, etc... But I do not want to do any of those things. I just want to connect an iPad to a computer/interface, as one would if recording a guitar or bass DI, and use it as an instrument... ie: when I press something on the iPad and it makes a bleeping noise, I would like that exact bleeping noise to show up as a track in my DAW (just as if I were to strum a chord on my guitar, I would like that - exactly as strummed - to show up as a track in my DAW) - no sounds need to go into the iPad, only out of it. Ideally with better quality than through the headphone jack.

This has proven more difficult than it should be, and Google has made it clear that most people are looking for something far more complex. Still, I've seen pretty simple options like this: Line Out Audio Cable for iPhone, iPod and iPad But it seems more targeted toward playing the iPad through speakers, not recording into a DAW. Would that work? Better options? How do people generally record from an iPad (in real time, just playing the apps/instruments) into a computer?

Thanks... and apologies if this is a really dumb question with a really simple answer.
 
I'm not sure there is any way to actually do this. What is that you want to do? The iPad is not really designed as an audio source to go out to a PC, or anything else. It's more a place to record, then hand off a wav file to a PC if that's where you want to continue.
 
Use the line out cable you originally linked. I think this would be better than the headphone out which would be not optimal for a line in jack. (It would work with some level adjusting though...) Then you can take the line out (may need a jack adapter 1/8 to 1/4) and go to any line in jack you have (you mention speakers but it is the same thing- they use line in also for powered speakers) You can then go into an audio interface attached to your computer or the built in soundcard- they will show up in your DAW.

Dont forget the ipod cable is stereo... If your plugging into stereo thats ok- if you are plugging into a mono channel audio interface you need a stereo splitter cable also.
 
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