iOS Recording apps

[stevenew]

Hi,

I'm looking for a good audio recording app to use on my ageing iPhone 3GS. I want something easy to use with the built in mic for recording ideas when messing around on the guitar or rehearsing with my singer.

It must be able to export wav or similar to import in to DP.

Does not need to be multi track, just a quality 2 track.

I am happy to pay a reasonable amount if it is good and actively developed, unlike Firestudio, which I bought sometime ago. They have now stopped developing it, it was OK but buggy, which meant lots of messing around, not exactly spontaneous recording!

I just downloaded the free iRig Recorder but it keeps nagging you to buy the 'add ons', you would have to buy them all to stop it. Not that keen on it so far.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Steve

[NazRat]

I use Voice Memos to capture the inspired moments and you should already have it. It syncs with iTunes (though that is somewhat sketchy) or you can email/message it to you or whoever from the app. It's a .m4a file and is only single track, but you can drag-drop those into DP.

[amergin]

PCMRecorder by Tascam is great - used it for years.

[stevenew]

I did start using Voice Memos ages ago before I bought Firestudio, but something always bugged me about it, I can't remember what. I will take a look at it again.

PCMRecorder by Tascam, sounds good, will take a look at that.

Thanks, appreciate your help.

Steve

[FMiguelez]

I use Voice Memos to capture the inspired moments and you should already have it. It syncs with iTunes (though that is somewhat sketchy) or you can email/message it to you or whoever from the app. It's a .m4a file and is only single track, but you can drag-drop those into DP.

+100000

That little app is so damned useful!

Like you said, great for quickly capturing inspired musical ideas, or basically any worthy thought that comes to mind, ideas, plans, etc.
By default, the files are named by date, and the fact that one can sync them with iTunes makes it a breeze to catalog, sort out and find them.

This is one of my favorite apps by far.

[mikehalloran]

I want something easy to use with the built in mic for recording ideas when messing around on the guitar or rehearsing with my singer.
...

Does not need to be multi track, just a quality 2 track.

Huh?

The only way to get 2 te=rack is to use a stereo mic. Granted, they are inexpensive for the 3S but you need one if you don't want a mono recording.

Otherwise, use Voice Memos. I am using it to get interviews for my book. When I plug my iPhone into my Mac, it transfers the file into an iTunes folder called ... oh yea, Voice Memos.

PCMRecorder by Tascam is great - used it for years.

True. If you buy one of these, you get it included. $13.59 through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/iM2-Channel-Porta ... microphone

[bayswater]

True. If you buy one of these, you get it included. $13.59 through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/iM2-Channel-Porta ... microphone

The Tascam site says they're discontinued, and the app is no longer in the App Store. A new version is supposedly coming.

[stevenew]

Thanks again for the replies.

Huh?

The only way to get 2 te=rack is to use a stereo mic. Granted, they are inexpensive for the 3S but you need one if you don't want a mono recording.

My bad explanation:-) Just meant I didn't need a multi track app.

Re: Voice Memos. Yep, this seems to do it, I can't see what I didn't like about it a few years back. Maybe it's changed? Thanks for making me look at this again.

Downloaded PCMRecorder MKII last night for free. Works great, you can adjust the input level, rename files but seems to only share files via Soundcloud. Still trying to figure out how to transfer files to the Mac.

The Tascam iM2 mic seems to be still available over here in the UK but costs about 37GBP which is about 60US!

Good thing with Firestudio was being able to send files various ways to the Mac & choose the file format, of course all very well but if you are having to re-launch the app all the time because it has frozen...

Steve

[bayswater]

The Tascam iM2 mic seems to be still available over here in the UK but costs about 37GBP which is about 60US!

It will be in stock and for sale, but check the Tascam site. If they have discontinued it, then support may be an issue, which I think was your complaint with your original setup.

[mikehalloran]

The Tascam site says they're discontinued

It makes sense seeing as how Apple has dropped the 30pin connector nearly two years ago. Probably why there are so many available for cheap. At NAMM, they told me a mic for the Lightning Connector would be announced this year.

I wonder if anyone is making a 30pin mic anymore. I doubt it as the market seems to be saturated with them right now from a number of manufacturers.

The only one I have found for the Lightning Connector is the Zoom iQ5 - so I bought it. Works pretty well.

[stevenew]

It will be in stock and for sale, but check the Tascam site. If they have discontinued it, then support may be an issue, which I think was your complaint with your original setup.

Yes you are right, I see on the Tascam site they list the mic but when you click in it's discontinued.

Looking around I have discovered that Firestudio has been bought by Rode and re-issued under a new name, unfortunately reading the reviews on the app store it sounds like it is still full of bugs, the Rode stereo iPhone mic looks good though, but would not work on my 3GS.

Looks like Voice Memo is my best bet for now. Looks like a gap in the market for a good iOS audio app.

Steve

[stevenew]

The only one I have found for the Lightning Connector is the Zoom iQ5 - so I bought it. Works pretty well.

That looks nice, I see my problem now - I need a new iPhone!

I'll check out the Zoom app as its free.

Steve

[mikehalloran]

I use mine with Voice Memos. The mic has a volume control and limiter that I can engage - this raises the gain much higher in Voice Memos than I can get from the built-in mic.