Recording acoustic guitar on my iPad

CharlieShaw · November 2022

What would anyone recommend to record acoustic guitar onto my iPad pro? I’m wanting to start producing my own music and will start from here. Also, I have GarageBand, is that enough as regards software initially? Eventually I’ll probably want to add electric guitar and I have a decent Yamaha keyboard that was my daughters but she doesn’t use and more.

Bob_Gnarly · November 2022

I'm looking at the Lewitt Connect 6 which has an in/out to phone/ipad, on board DSP and some pretty decent preamps for not a lot of money. A mic of your choice and you're away.

Stratavarious · November 2022

A USB class compliant audio interface and a mic.. I’d avoid an interface designed for physically fitting a particular design of ipad.

That will let you get sounds into and out of your ipad and into some decent speakers. If just yourself, something with two XLR/1/4” combo inputs be fine, some have midi which will likely let you use the onboard keyboard sounds in garageband too.

Getting power to the interface or charging the ipad at same time can get tricky depending on model.

What age/model of ipad?

TheBigDipper · November 2022

Garageband into the onboard mic is surprisingly decent. So get started! Garageband on an iPad is a decent, if somewhat idiosyncratic, DAW and can deliver good results without much knowledge. Otherwise, I'd agree with Stratavarious.

His MIDI comment is particularly important if you stay on an iPad - which only has one external port to connect to. An audio interface with a MIDI In will allow you to connect a MIDI keyboard to the audio interface. Then your audio interface will be able to send audio signals from a mic and MIDI signals from the keyboard into the iPad at the same time. That's not an issue if you use a computer with two USB ports and if your keyboard will send MIDI over USB, but the iPad is limited in that regard.

CharlieShaw · November 2022

Thanks for your replies. I have the 3rd generation iPad Pro, 12.9 inch.

CharlieShaw · November 2022

Would a Focusrite Scarlet solo be okay? Could put it on my Christmas wish list

Stratavarious · November 2022

CharlieShaw said:

Would a Focusrite Scarlet solo be okay? Could put it on my Christmas wish list

It’s compatible but check any extra power requirements/peripherals for your model as it gets power from USB. The solo does not have midi if you planned to use that. But you can add keys tracks with some cable swapping between takes.

https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360012532199-How-to-connect-your-USB-C-iPad-with-your-3rd-Generation-Scarlett-Audio-Interface

CharlieShaw · November 2022

Stratavarious said:

CharlieShaw said:

Would a Focusrite Scarlet solo be okay? Could put it on my Christmas wish list

It’s compatible but check any extra power requirements/peripherals for your model as it gets power from USB. The solo does not have midi if you planned to use that. But you can add keys tracks with some cable swapping between takes.

https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360012532199-How-to-connect-your-USB-C-iPad-with-your-3rd-Generation-Scarlett-Audio-Interface

Thanks! Sounds like it might not be the ideal solution then. Does the focusrite itrack solo fall into the ‘avoid an interface designed for specific iPad’ category or is it more flexible?

Thanks again for your help!

CharlieShaw · December 2022

Is this bundle any good at this price?

https://reverb.com/uk/item/26575347-focusrite-scarlett-solo-studio-3rd-gen?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiIzOTc4ZmRhNS04ZTExLTRjNDMtODhiYS02YzViZDhmYmFkNjciLCJpYXQiOjE2NzE5Njc2ODEsInVzZXJfaWQiOiI5NzgwOTI3Iiwic2Vzc2lvbl9pZCI6ImQ3NzRlMjgyLWFlYzAtNGIzMC05ODI5LThiM2Y5YzBmOWM5ZCIsImNvb2tpZV9pZCI6ImEzOWZiNGY2LTNmYTUtNDQ0NC1hOGM2LWJiNTJmMWNhNjhiYyIsInByb2R1Y3RfaWQiOiIyNjU3NTM0NyIsInNvdXJjZSI6Ik5PTkUifQ.1zaMbuhP3oAgTwHQ-7QUSnaQa0D-K6cW3J9eOGy7e9w

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Recording acoustic guitar on my iPad

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