What's Needed For Recording With An iPad?

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:50 am

I have a few concerts recorded on my DVR and I want to transfer some of the audio only so I can play along with the tracks. The DVR and my recording gear aren't near each other, and if I move the DVR I won't have a TV to see what I'm doing. I thought I might be able to use my iPad 3 and record the audio with an app like GarageBand, but I'm confused about what I need to connect either the DVR or the stereo receiver's rca outs to the iPad.

I saw a youtube video where someone used a cable with two rca plugs on one end, and what looked like a mini plug on the other, to record line level into an iPhone using GarageBand. I downloaded a free version of GB and connected the DVR to the iPad, but it couldn't see the signal. I think the problem is that I wasn't using the correct mini plug, unless that type of connection simply won't work.

Can the headphone jack on the iPad 3 be used as an input, and does it require a special TRRS plug, like the one on the earbuds for an iPhone 5? Or, is there a better way do this with some type of dock or third party interface?

Thanks in advance.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:11 pm

Hey Ron! How's it going?

There's a "Camera Connection Kit" you can get at the Apple store. It has a USB port on one end and an iPad plug on the other. From here you can go into wherever you'd normally go with a USB plug. I used it for USB microphones and was able to plug in a stereo mic (Blue Yeti Pro) via a powered USB hub (to provide the voltage for the mic), and after a little experimentation was able to get it working just fine.

Next, you might want to consider some of the many iPad DAWs on the market. I have Auria, MultiTrack, MusicStudio, StudioMiniXL, and GarageBand. Maybe more, but it's been a while since I was toying with that stuff. Of those, I think Auria is probably the best, but Garageband is always a sure thing since it's by Apple. Auria has the least "fiddle-factor" of any of them. That is, the controls are more up-front and visible rather than having to go through pop-ups, drawers, or whatever to get to the things you need. It's very straightforward and works as advertised. I had a little trouble at first with some of the others.

You'll find that the iPad with Auria (or others) records audio as well as any DAW on the Mac. It's a heckuva thing, this tiny little pad with so much power.

Other music software that I've enjoyed a lot:
Pro Keys
Addictive Synth
SoundPrism
Animoog

And there's actually a notation app called Notion.

I haven't done any of this in the past year, so I'm sure there are many more things on the market. I'd just go to the Apple Store and ask what they have for connecting to microphones and such. There may be a full-blown mixer by now with pre-amps and everything. Just guessing, though; you'll have to find out about that.

But the Camera Connection Kit will at least connect your iPad with any USB device. It knows what to do with musical devices.

Shooshie

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:15 pm

It occurs to me that it MAY be possible to plug in a large, 8 channel USB interface like the 896mk3 by MOTU, but you'd probably have to find iPad drivers for it. That said, you KNOW someone has cornered the market on that kind of thing. Just search for iPad audio interfaces.

Shoosh

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:41 pm

Shooshie:

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not clear on how I would use the camera connection kit. There's no USB connection on the DVR, or my ancient stereo receiver, and the only option would be some type of a connection using RCA plugs, at least on one end. Would I need some type of interface that has an RCA input to USB output to use the camera kit? I was hoping for something simple, and cheap, because I don't think I'll have a need to use this that often.

By the way, I bookmarked a post of yours from a few months ago where you recommended various music related apps for the iPad. Very handy to have for reference.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:36 pm

For taking analog audio and getting it into the iPad, you'd have to have some kind of USB audio interface. It could be a simple one with only two or four inputs, but it would need to be true-USB standard, which says that the device must not require drivers to operate. USB is supposed to be self-adjusting so that it works with any device that uses USB. I don't even know if iOS allows for 3rd party drivers that aren't contained within the app itself.

To be clear: the iPad will not accept analog, no matter how you connect it. Analog connections will have to run through an A/D converter that delivers the digital signal through USB into the Camera Connection Kit. The iPad knows what to do with DIGITAL audio, is what I should have said in my previous post.

Just do a google search for A/D converters for the iPad, or more likely: "audio interface for iPad."

Shooshie

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:50 pm

I don't have much to add but to say there may be some sort of way to get audio into an iPad through the headphone jack, because I have an IK Multimedia iRig that lets you plug a guitar into the iPad that way. I actually just use it as a tuner using the TC Polytune app. But that's meant for a instrument level signal... not line level. You'll have to Google and see what's out there. IK has a pretty extensive line of iPad peripherals.

The best way, like Shooshie alluded to is find yourself some sort of cheap USB audio interface. The key here is that it's "class compliant." For a while I connected a Presonus 44VSL interface I picked up on Craiglist for about $150 to my iPad 2 with the Apple Camera Connection kit and it was recognized just fine. I was using Meteor to play back backing tracks during live rehearsals. FWIW, after using this for a while, I just felt that an iPad wasn't an adequately robust device to rely on for something like that, and found a nice used MacBook for about $400 and have been much happier with that.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:04 pm

Duh! I completely forgot that the iPad has a microphone. I think you CAN use the headphone jack to access the microphone if you have software in the pad that will grab it. Seems like I heard of that somewhere.

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:23 pm

I was able to record audio using GB and the built in mic, which I discovered by accident. I thought that I was getting a signal via the cables I had connected because I saw the meters moving, and then figured out it was the mic picking up the sound from the speakers I was using to monitor. Obviously the sound quality was not that good.

I'll do some more research and see if I can find an inexpensive way to get this working. As I said, I'm not going to have an ongoing need to do this so I'll have to decide if the investment is worth it.

Hey, Shooosie. Could you pack up all of your recording gear and drive it up to North Dallas? It would be like your very own mobile studio! That would be so much easier and more convenient for me than moving my gear all the way down a flight of stairs, and then I wouldn't have to buy anything new. I'll even throw in a lunch.

cuttime · Post by **cuttime** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:42 pm

My suggestion would be to use a cheap flash handheld with a line in jack. I've had very good results with Sony or Olympus models by bypassing their built in mics. Can be had for about $30 or less.

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:00 pm

cuttime wrote:My suggestion would be to use a cheap flash handheld with a line in jack. I've had very good results with Sony or Olympus models by bypassing their built in mics. Can be had for about $30 or less.

This is a handheld digital recorder? I'm not at all a familiar with these but I would want something that can record in stereo and produce a file that has a decent sound.

cuttime · Post by **cuttime** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:30 pm

rentadrummer wrote:
cuttime wrote:My suggestion would be to use a cheap flash handheld with a line in jack. I've had very good results with Sony or Olympus models by bypassing their built in mics. Can be had for about $30 or less.
This is a handheld digital recorder? I'm not at all a familiar with these but I would want something that can record in stereo and produce a file that has a decent sound.

Yes, sort of like this.
I use an older Sony model that has been discontinued, but make sure that the unit has a separate line jack. You won't get spectacular sound, but I think much better than using the iPad internal mic.

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:42 pm

cuttime wrote:
rentadrummer wrote:
cuttime wrote:My suggestion would be to use a cheap flash handheld with a line in jack. I've had very good results with Sony or Olympus models by bypassing their built in mics. Can be had for about $30 or less.
This is a handheld digital recorder? I'm not at all a familiar with these but I would want something that can record in stereo and produce a file that has a decent sound.
Yes, sort of like this.
I use an older Sony model that has been discontinued, but make sure that the unit has a separate line jack. You won't get spectacular sound, but I think much better than using the iPad internal mic.

Thanks. I had just looked at that model before seeing your post with the link.

My initial idea was to try and find a way to record using line in and get good stereo sound quality. At this point I'm not sure how, but the hunt continues.

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:30 pm

The line in/headphone jack records mono only. It took me awhile to figure that out. There are many single channel devices and interfaces that plug right in.

For stereo or multitack recording you need to go in through the 30 pin or Lightening power connector depending on the version of iPad or iPhone you have.

The Apple Camera Kit lets you hook up a Class Compliant (means no drivers needed) USB interface or camera through the 30 pin power connector. At the beginning, this was the only solution out there.

Nowadays, TASCAM, Arturia, Zoom, Line6 and other companies make interfaces and microphones that plug directly into the power connector. Most of the small ones are bus powered by the iMac. Some have mics, there are mic preamps (external power recommended for phantom power), others are 2 or 4 channel line in, some have hiZ guitar inputs. A few are multichannel interfaces with combo inputs. here are 2 pages of them.
http://www.sweetwater.com/c1058--iPad_iPhone_Interfaces

You can even get bus powered MIDI keyboards that use the GarageBand sounds from the iPad. Mine is the Line6. It reduces the iPad battery by only 10% - 9 hours if plugged in as opposed to 10 if not.

Not all devices and interfaces that use the 30 pin work with the Apple Lightening adapter. My Line6 is one that does - in fact, it works better. Through the 30 pin into my 1st gen iPad, I have to unplug and reconnect the cable at the keyboard if the iPad goes to sleep -- not an issue plugged into my iPad Air through the adapter.

rentadrummer · Post by **rentadrummer** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:08 am

Mike:

Thanks for the explanation and the link. Now I have a better of idea of what's needed, and it looks like a minimum investment of $99 would be necessary if I decide to do this.

Thanks to everyone else for their suggestions and info as well.

mikehalloran · Post by **mikehalloran** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:12 am

Most of these work with iPhones or the iPod Touch, also. The screen gets crowded, of course, but if the idea is to record and transfer to your computer later, that's not an issue. You offload the audio files through your charging cable via iTunes for Mac or PC.

You'll notice that all the new devices are Lightening only or can use either connector. Many also have USB out for use with a Mac or PC also (like my Line6) increasing the versatility. That you can carry an excellent recording studio in a small shoulder bag or large pockets is something I could never have imagined in the 1970s.

There are older 30 pin only interfaces such as the TASCAM iU2 are being closed out by some resellers or on ebay and may be available used if you do some research.

MOTUnation.com