(rant version)
What we may end up with is iMaschine on NI's site. Figure on Propellerheards site. Etc. But wouldn't Soundcloud be an more neutral solution to publish? Likewise will iMaschine samples be compatible with Soundation or Sound Studio 2?
Seems the market has driven Facebook to support the iPAD MIDI app. It's an interesting concept to expand upon. What will become of it is anybody's guess.
Neither is it surprising to me that musicians are a bit uncomfortable of poking around on a keyboard that is transmitting to a semi-public site. Yet that doesn't seem to be the case either with this Soundation, Figure, Garageband, iMaschine or Sound Studio 2.
A partial list
http://www.ipadmusicapps.ca/category/ip ... maker-apps
So far only Garageband, Sound Studio 2 and Soundation support CoreMIDI in/out.
Anyone recal Mick Fleetwood's demo at the Atari Booth, Winter NAMM 88-89?
The upshot is a layperson who is not a competent keyboardist or guitarist can still write a decent song with a minimum of programming.
What Atari developed was a constrain to key or mode chording and riffing instrument, realtime recorder as well as a harmonizer and velocity sensitive step sequencer. They was a very intuitive GUI with an assignable footswitch, expression pedal, even MIDI fx.
He was able to create some nice fluid grooves with two mallets and a few footpedals.
Sadly at $4.95 per app there are not many realistic options for velocity sensitive triggers the masses can afford? Yet it is possible to overdub cc data later (or pencil in cc data) with any type of device capable of transmitting cc data.
Ironically as a result of the difficulty in implementing an adhoc MIDI network and lack of Bluetooth MIDI the next best thing is to either publish online or record online. Either way would open the door to world-wide collaboration.
What is needed is a neutral protocol for servers to load or upload soundbanks with either Type 1 or 0 MIDI files so friends can monitor a work in progress or contribute their own parts over the web. Beatnik was able to playback MIDI and samples preloaded to your web browser. Don't know exactly how this could work except perhaps to build in a networking client to these iPad sequencers.
This hasn't been done to my knowledge but heck, up until a few weeks ago I thought these apps were toys. That is until I checked out iMaschine.
Hopefully all coreMIDI events recorded on Facebook's iPad app are reordered by timestamp. If not then all is lost. I know there are competing timestamp formats but does this really make sense in 2012 with HTML-5?
I think Bucky Fuller would be pleased to see the World Wide Web used in this progressive manner. Not quite the great game he invisioned. You know Soundcloud is actually a great addition to the global community. I don't think competing with Soundcloud is neccessary or wise. It would take a lot of money to implement a collaborative online music site and Facebook may be just the ticket.
I may even join (as if they care).
Beatnik brought out of retirement! Yippi.
(sorry. end of rant)