Launched in late 2022, Ableton Note has always been an app with a lot of potential. Based around a similar workflow to Ableton Live’s clip-launching Session View, Note is designed as a simple platform for sketching musical ideas.

Its minimalist interface and limited selection of instruments and effects are a far cry from being a full DAW for your phone, but with staple Live devices under the hood and a simple app-to-Live workflow, Note arrived looking like it could be the perfect tool for Live users to capture ideas away from the studio.

I got hands-on with an early version of Note before launch, and there was a lot I immediately liked about it. The combination of synths and sampled instruments offers a broad sound selection, which can be expanded by importing your own sounds or sampling directly using your phone or iPad.

Crucially, Ableton offers several simple ways to quickly import ideas into Live, where they can be opened in fully editable form, meaning that those rough melodies or drum patterns you sketched out on the bus can really form the basis of a fully fledged tune.

However, while Note has stayed installed on both my phone and iPad for the past few years, I have to admit to rarely opening the app. For all that Note gets right, it lacked one crucial feature that severely limited its usefulness – MIDI editing – which just happens to be the headline addition of the latest update.

Sequence and edit

Previously, Note was designed entirely around Live’s Capture MIDI workflow, whereby users can play patterns or melodies using the touchscreen or a MIDI controller, and then hit ‘Capture’ in order to retroactively generate a MIDI clip.

By itself, this is a fairly intuitive way to work and Note’s editing toolset makes it easy to quantise and adjust MIDI after capture. The big problem, however, comes when using Bluetooth headphones, which create a fairly hefty amount of latency, effectively making it near impossible to play in time with the click or existing parts.

Given that Apple has removed headphone ports from most of its devices, being unable to work with wireless headphones is a pretty significant hindrance for a tool designed to be used on-the-go.

Moreover, while playing parts in real time is all well and good, it’s not a workflow that suits Live users more used to inputting patterns via a step sequencer or ‘offline’ MIDI editing – ie using a mouse and keyboard.

With the release of version 1.3 earlier this month, Ableton has rectified this. The update, which is free for existing users, introduces offline MIDI input and editing, allowing users to create empty MIDI clips and then tap to input notes, drum patterns or chords.

To Ableton’s credit, although it might have been a long time coming, the editing functionality is really nicely implemented.

Holding a note input brings up a menu allowing it to be moved, transposed, quantised or to alter the velocity. Users can pinch to zoom in on the MIDI grid, or turn their device into portrait orientation in order to use the MIDI editor in full screen mode, which is particularly handy on iPhone.

The update also adds the 16 Pitches feature that Ableton introduced with its Note-adjacent hardware device, Move. This lets Drum Sampler instruments be sequenced melodically, allowing 16-pad drum instruments to sequence multiple melodic parts at once.

If, like me, you tried Note when it first arrived and drifted away from it, or decided it didn’t fit into your workflow, this might be the time to take another look.

In actual fact, MIDI editing is just one of several ways Note has improved significantly since launch. Version 1, for instance, lacked MIDI controller compatibility, whereas the app can now be used with poly aftertouch devices in order to play expressive patches based around Live’s excellent Drift synth.

The Drum Sampler device, launched at the same time as Move and Live 12.1, comes into its own in the context of Note, where the filter cutoff and playback effects can be manipulated by dragging across the touchscreen. Ableton has significantly improved the range of effects in the app too.

There are still things I’d love to see added to Note. It bugs me that the delays are always synced to project tempo, and the workflow lacks the option to set up modulation routing – an extra LFO or two would go a long way.

What's more, now that Follow Actions – which automate clip launcher behaviour – have been added to Push, it would be great to see a basic version of the functionality come to Note too.

In all though, two and a half years after it first launched, Note is looking much more like the must-have companion to Live that Ableton users always wished for.

Note 1.3 is out now on the Apple App Store priced at £8.99/$8.99. Head to the Ableton site for full details.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a JEN SX1000 Synthetone then you can officially stop trawling the small ads and boot sales because, thanks to Audiothing, you can now own a perfect recreation of this lost gem within your DAW or iOS device.

For all its diminutive size and simplicity the JEN SX1000 Synthetone was something of a synth landmark. While not exactly a classic, and of limited functionality when compared to the far costlier hardware both available at the time of its production and produced subsequently, it does, however, have its own unique sound.

And, as one of the first truly affordable synths, has a place both in history and the heart of any synth fan.

The Italian-made SX1000 was first released in 1978 and quickly found favour with musicians on a budget, bringing the possibility of owning a synthesiser within reach for many for the first time. Nailing that all important sub-one-hundred £99 price tag it successfully spent years upon the pages of the famous (for its time) Kays Catalogue being its affordable in-house synth of choice. Thus, for synth fans of a certain age, seeing this new, virtual take on Jen’s classic will doubtless evoke memories of hours spent calculating how many paper rounds would be required to make its monthly payments…

It is, of course, monophonic. There’s a single oscillator on board, sporting sawtooth, square, and pulse waveforms, and a noise generator offering both white and pink sources. Audiothing have worked hard to emulate the JEN’s MM5837 digital noise source which, despite its tiny price tag, was also found in the Sequential Prophet 5, Korg MonoPoly, and Oberheim OB-X.

And, fittingly for a synth that was easy for enthusiasts to dismantle and mod, Audiothing have done just that, expanding their virtual SX1000 to be fully polyphonic, adding a sub oscillator with a -3 octave range and adding additional controls for legato modes, velocity, and more – all essentials for getting the most out of this budget synth.

The filter section features a 24dB/octave resonant low-pass filter capable of classic self-oscillation, with two ADSR envelopes for volume and the filter.

There’s also an LFO for vibrato, tremolo, or filter modulation, which has been expanded with additional waveforms, and sync mode and there’s even an arpeggiator this time around too, being ‘borrowed’ from the iconic arp on board the Roland Juno 60.

It features up, up & down, down and random mode, a four octave range, adjustable rate and sync, hold/latch mode, note order mode (both pitch and key pressed) and a chord mode.

Finally the SX1000 magic has been further expanded via four on board effects. There’s a tape echo (based on their own Space Echo emulation Outer Space), a spring reverb, a wave folder and a flanger. And you can even change the order of the effects in the chain with a simple drag and drop.

And given the original synths diminutive stature it's entirely appropriate that the SX1000 is available on iOS via the App Store in addition to being an Audio Unit, VST2 & 3, CLAP and AAX plugin and a standalone desktop app.

And you can even download a save disabled demo (with timed, three-second silences) to give it a spin before you buy.

It’s yours in a limited time offer for just €49. Find out more from Audiothing here.

Nintendo has launched a new music streaming app, Nintendo Music, which features tracks from across its classic video game history. Available for both iOS and Android, this can be used by anyone with an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription

While this might seem like it’s come out of leftfield (a lot of Nintendo’s ‘side quests’ do, to be fair), it actually makes a fair bit of sense. The company has a vast back catalogue of much-loved themes, and a lot of fans will be thrilled that they can now access at least some of them in one user-friendly place.

At launch, Nintendo has definitely taken a ‘quality over quantity’ approach in terms of the content, but you do get music from Switch favourites The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and more.

The archive content list is less comprehensive - just a few playlists apiece from the NES, Game Boy, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS and Wii - but there’s plenty of scope to add all kinds of 8-bit goodness in the future.

There are various curated playlists, too, including a variety of ‘mood’ options and collections that correspond to particular game scenes. So, if you want to march into work listening to a Boss Battles playlist, you can.

Certain tracks also feature an extend option, which could be handy during focus and study time. You can probably get a lot done while listening to an hour-long version of the Pikmin 4 title screen music.

Other playlists are based on specific characters, and if you’re worried about spoilers from games you haven’t played, you can hide these in the settings menu. There’s no smart speaker integration, sadly - you’ll have to make do with Bluetooth for any wireless playback shenanigans - but you can download music for offline playback.

With a clean and simple interface that actually puts some ‘proper’ music streaming apps to shame, we like both the look and sound of Nintendo Music. Here’s hoping that it will be supported with more content, including some from third-party themes, in the future.

Find out more on the Nintendo website.

Things are getting very meta in the music technology world this week. Only a few days ago, 4ms unveiled the Meta module, a Eurorack module that runs digital versions of other Eurorack modules via VCV Rack, putting a software emulation of a modular synth inside your actual modular synth. 

As if that wasn't enough mind-boggling for one week, today we stumbled upon NoInputMixer, a feedback-based instrument and app for Mac and iOS that recreates a no-input-mixing set-up in software. Essentially, this app is a no-input-mixer with no input... and no mixer.

No-input-mixing is a technique pioneered by Japanese musician Toshimaru Nakamura that turns the mixing desk into a standalone instrument by connecting its output to its input and manipulating the feedback that it generates in order to produce experimental soundscapes.

The work of developer Igor Vasiliev, NoInputMixer is an app for iOS and Mac that recreates the no-input-mixing setup in software, modelling an analogue mixing console that uses digitally emulated feedback loops create "amazing, otherworldly electronic sounds". 

The app emulates a seven-channel mixer with an eight-slot effects rack. Each effect slot can be configured as an insert effect for a mixer channel or used with two buses, and each mixer channel is equipped with an algorithmic noise generator.

The input selector can flip between multiple points in the signal path to experiment with different routing configurations and feedback loops, and the app offers a number of presets to help you get started on your journey into the freaky world of digital no-input-mixing. 

We're told that NoInputMixer also offers a number of features not found in conventional mixers, including the ability to choose between different preamps and op-amps and to adjust the overload protection circuit. 

If it's all sounding a little bit too abstract, just watch the demo video embedded above for a taste of the weird and wonderful sounds NoInputMixer is capable of creating. If you're looking to soundtrack an arthouse horror or impress your friends at the experimental noise show, this may be the app for you. 

NoInputMixer is priced at $15.99 and is available now on the App Store.

Watch YouTuber Sarah Belle Reid's tutorial on IRL no-input-mixing below.

We’d been speculating that Apple could release Logic Pro for iPad for rather a long time before the company’s big reveal a few months ago. They had, after all, been quickly upping the specs of the iPad for a couple of generations, making great strides towards turning the device into a true tablet powerhouse. 

The inclusion of the Apple Silicon chips in the latest iPad Pro range was the final signal that a full-fat version of Logic Pro could make the jump from desktop to iPad iOS, and sure enough, shortly after their arrival, Logic Pro was revealed running on the iPad in all its glory. 

But the best news is you don’t actually require a full-blown iPad Pro with those Silicon chips to run it. Even iPads with the A12 Bionic chip (and running iPad iOS 16.4) are capable of  running the app, which means devices going all the way back to the 8th generation iPad, 5th gen Mini and 3rd gen Air.

For many older iPad users, though – including us, it has to be said – running Logic Pro on iPad might mean an upgrade to the latest iPads currently on sale. Those are 9th and 10th generation iPads, the iPad Air and iPad Pros which have A13, A14, M1 and M2 processors respectively, and should run the software without any issues. 

So the question is, is this long-awaited release enough to make you upgrade your iPad? And if you already have, how can you make the best of Logic Pro for iPad? Read on!

• Find a bargain with our pick of the best Black Friday iPad deals

It's Logic... and then some

The first thing to report is that Logic Pro for iPad is very much its own beast. While it will be familiar to both GarageBand and Logic Pro users, on whatever platform they are used to making music on, the new iPad version of Logic very much does its own thing, in its way. And really the app has to forge its own path. It’s bringing in an all-touch ethos into Logic music making so will require a slight (and sometimes big) shift in thinking. So this isn’t a port of the desktop version, more a practical vision of Logic Pro that makes use of the new touch environment in which it now sits. And that means it will require some getting used to.

That said, it is also very familiar. You’ll recognise many of the 100 plugins that come with the software like ES2, Space Designer and Retro Synth. However, all-new plugins including Sample Alchemy and Beat Breaker deliver some magical audio and beat features, albeit in a very Logic(al) way. These alone really are worth trying the app out for. 

And like the desktop version, you can download as much content as you like, although the maximum is rather less than the 72GB the Mac version requires. For the iPad, you are looking at a very reasonable 15GB, so we say go for the lot.

Once you are up and running, you can enjoy full automation and a great mixing experience. The mixer itself is very familiar, you get stacks of effects in blue and the main instrument per channel in green. Some features have obviously been redesigned to make the whole touch workflow that bit easier, so simplified instruments and effects are lined up per channel in Tile View – a chain of devices -  You simply double-click on each to open the full interface with all the controls. 

Other parts are direct lifts from Logic in terms of the design. The Ableton-style Live Loops feature, where you can launch audio and MIDI clips, always in time, looked pretty much like it was designed for an iPad when it came out, so that stays very close to the desktop version, as does the Step Sequencer. Many of the plugins look very similar to the originals, too, particularly the effect devices. 

New arrivals include a tag browser for easy auditioning of sounds, but it’s that touch workflow that is the biggest difference. You’ll soon realise that you don’t need the menu system that a mouse and pointer always leads you to, and that touching, twisting and pinching gets you where you need to be, in many cases probably quicker than you might be used to with the desktop version.  

Something old, something new

It’s perhaps likely that some of those long-term Logic desktop users might be more confused by some of the new ways of doing things with this all-new Logic Pro – experienced and existing iPad users will probably find it all very intuitive and comfortable. 

So, if that long-term desktop Logic user is you, you’ve come to the right place. Over the next few pages we’ll detail some of the new workflows – some of the different ways of getting where you are used to going with desktop Logic – and also some of the great new features you can enjoy with Logic Pro for iPad.

Indeed it’s those new Logic features that make it worth trying out the new DAW. In fact we’d urge you to do just this, because you can enjoy the app totally for free for 90 days, so if you have an iPad with the power, give it a go, and use the following tutorials to immerse yourself in this new Logic touch environment, and then decide if it’s worth a long‑term purchase. 

Logic Pro for the iPad could very well be what your music-making has been waiting for. All that power, all those plugins and all those professional features on an iPad so you can make music anywhere. At last, a proper DAW in the iOS environment – yes, please! So try it for free and see if you are as excited by this new touch DAW as we clearly are.

Multi-touch functionality

The familiar approach of song tracks going from top to bottom and song arrangement from left to right still applies, but the big difference here is obviously touch operation. Using a stylus is good – not absolutely essential – but for some of the more precise moves in Logic Pro for iPad, it is recommended. 

Moving around your main project is as simple as touching the screen and swiping up, down, left or right – a single gesture will take your from one side of a project to the other. You can also highlight tracks and regions simply by touching/clicking them. 

The touch operation comes more into its own when muting and soloing. Click per track or click and drag/swipe to mute and solo several adjacent tracks simultaneously. Many tasks like this are now undoubtedly faster with touch. 

One such task which we think will revolutionise our particular workflow is the pinching of the UI for zooming in and out both vertically and horizontally. Yes, there are different ways of doing it on the desktop version, but pinching has been made to feel so natural by touch devices like the iPad that zooming is now second nature.

In the main screen, it’s just as intuitive to move parts around. Simply click and drag with either your finger or pen/stylus, just as you would that mouse and pointer. Click on the edge of the event and drag it to extend.

The plugins Tile View is a cool new feature. It’s an easier way of seeing devices on a channel and operating their most important parameters, with large enough controls to be able do this by touch. Devices on a channel are listed left to right, in an Ableton Live style.

Navigation, devices and the mixer

You get MIDI effects, instruments and audio effects, and the main controls are on show and very easy to see. Retro Synth has its Filter and Resonance controls, for example, often the most commonly used synth options.

Clicking on a device tile opens it up so you can quickly access more of its controls. You might have to make the window bigger to see them, but once again, it’s a case of swiping up and down to navigate around the plugin’s UI. Here’s Retro Synth bigger.

The Play Surfaces icon (bottom-right corner of the UI) opens a menu of performance/recording options – Keyboard, Drum Pads, Fretboard, Chord Strips and Guitar Strips – to play an instrument. Again, these are multitouch so you can play the keyboard with both hands, if they are small enough or your iPad is large enough!

By now you’ll have opened up plenty of instruments and effects but one of the neat – and necessary – workflow features of Logic Pro for iPad is that all the windows are resizable by clicking and dragging on the right-hand side so you can customise everything that is open. Here we’ve reduced the size of Retro Synth.

One such window is one of the most important: the mixer. Access this with the bottom-right-hand icon. This can be impressively resized to cover most of the UI and again you can use a single swipe to go right or left across your entire range of inputs and outputs. 

You can also select different sections of the mixer – blocks of 12 tracks at a time, say – by clicking the top panel. And, of course, as it’s multitouch, you can adjust multiple channel volumes with multiple fingers simultaneously. Try doing that with a mouse…

Creating a song part and exploring the new workflow

Start a new project (‘+’ symbol top of screen). You can load example projects, sounds or lessons or start from scratch (hit Tracks or Live Loops). As with desktop Logic this means choosing a track type. There are MIDI (software instrument) and audio options plus Drummer for beats and Pattern. Hit any to open the new browser.

The browser for loading in such sounds and instruments has been redesigned, making choosing what you want much easier. There’s an all-new filter system to choose by instrument or description. A button on the right-hand side of the browser (highlighted above) opens up a huge set of filters so you really can focus in on a sound.

As you filter, you’ll be presented with a list of suitable sounds, and you can audition by clicking the notes on each one, which is a great way of quickly identifying what you want – even if you didn’t set out with a specific goal in mind! Click and drag your chosen patch into the song and Logic automatically creates a track. Superb!

Now it’s a case of playing and recording your sound. For that we return to the Play Surfaces (bottom-right icon). Open the options by hitting the keyboard icon (bottom-left). Depending on your sound, you can choose a suitable way of triggering it here, the keyboard and drum pads being the most recognisable for melodic riffs and beats.

But one of the easiest ways to get going with a song is to create a chord sequence. That might be harder in a standard DAW but here it is easy, just use the Chord Strips option which lets you play chords with one finger to create a cycling chord progression in seconds. 

If you need to edit the notes (length or position), return to the Edit screen (the pencil icon on the left above the Play Surface). Here you can also quantise notes by opening the inspector (bottom-left centre ‘i’ icon) and choose a quantise value from the drop-down menu.   

4. Arranging your song

For the last part of this tutorial, we’ll look at arranging a song with the several parts that you could create by repeating steps 1 to 6 on the opposite page. To arrange these parts into a song, we’ll start by focusing in on the icons above the main arrangement window. The left-hand one is Trim and allows you to resize regions. 

Then the Loop icon – second from left – lets you loop parts. Simply click on the greyed our area above the whole arrangement to loop (click and drag to adjust the size), or set loop points by clicking and dragging the loop handles on each region. Easy!

The next Split tool is well implemented. You click and drag it to the place where you want to split a region and then drag it down to effectively cut that region and Logic zooms in so you can see it in close-up detail. Very neat. 

Timestretching – the next icon – is much easier than on desktop Logic. Once again handles appear on your chosen region and you simply click and drag these to stretch it to whatever you choose. This is amazing and so much quicker than you might be used to. 

The final two icons let you select and deselect multiple regions and – the important bit for arranging (!) – copy and past parts. Select this icon and simply click and hold a region and it will copy itself so you can drag it and paste it where you like. No more Option button.

That gives a quick overview on track and song creation in Logic Pro for the iPad. We think you’ll agree that the streamlined approach is superb and well implemented. It’s the same Logic… but different! 

IK Multimedia has unveiled what looks like a very useful little bit of kit, iRig HD X, a one-knob wonder positioned as the new flagship of the Italian company's well-regarded range of guitar audio interfaces. It's another compact, basically pocket-sized unit and should be very handy for recording and streaming from pretty much anywhere.

Central to the physical design is that 'one knob to do it all', which will adjust headphone level, loopback functions, direct monitoring and a handy built-in tuner. The loopback set-up is perhaps the most interesting thing on offer here, with Loopback+ letting you route your signal through any app you like initially, before hitting the streaming or recording app of your choice. Nifty.

Bundled in are Amplitube 5 SE, modelling software that includes 80 "must-have" amp models, AmpliTube CS for iOS, and TONEX SE, which includes a further 200 tone models.

iRig HD X is available now at $129.99/€129.99. To find out more head to IK multimedia.

Key features

• 24-bit/96 kHz audio interface for guitar or bass
• Connects directly to iPhone or iPad and Mac/PC
• 1/8" stereo out 
• 1/4" Amp out 
• Low-noise input with a dynamic range of 115 dB accepts all guitar pickup types
• USB-C Bus-powered by host device
• Onboard tuner
• Loopback+ virtual FX loop 
• Includes AmpliTube 5 SE and TONEX SE for iPhone/iPad and Mac/PC

It’s our birthday! Future Music has been in print for 400(!) issues. That’s over 30 years of exciting new music, boundary pushing artists and cutting-edge technology.

We’re not spending the issue looking back though; to celebrate the milestone we’re bringing you a bumper anniversary mag stuffed with ideas, quick inspiration and handy tools to help you make better music. 

We’ve got advice on gear, studio workflows, DAW tips, creative ideas and much more. There’s more than we could fit in the mag itself too, so be sure to check out this issue’s download page for loads of bonus sample packs, handy MIDI files and much more.

All print and digital readers can grab all of this issue’s exclusive download content from our download page!

Buy this issue now via:

Apple Newsstand (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch)

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In Print: Find FM on your local news stand or order your copy direct from us!

All print and digital copies include access to 18GB+ of exclusive samples and more! 

Subscribe now and save up to 51%

Interviews

Jack Antonoff – The New York super producer on his gear buying habit and the synths used on Taylor Swift's Midnights

Laurence Guy – The UK house favourite on how working with vocalists allowed him to create the album he'd always wanted to make

Simo Cell – The French underground hero on rethinking his workflow for his bold new album

Classic Album – Berlin icons and Ableton founders Monolake on creating dub techno touchstone Hong Kong

Produce Like: Model Man – The UK producer reveals the tools and techniques behind his rave influenced sound

Technique

Artist tips – Insight from the pros, including Chris Lake, Claptone, Chloé, UMEK and more

Studio tips – From productivity boosting plugins to studio sound hacks

DAW tips – Quick power tips for Ableton, Logic for iPad, Bitwig Studio and more

Creative tips – Produce better drums, create slicker transitions, harness the power of AI, and more

Masterclass: Realistic drums – Quick and easy tips to help you create flawlessly realistic drum parts in your DAW

Freeware – Essential free instruments and effect to add to your library

Downloads – Bonus construction kits, drum packs, inspirational ideas and MIDI files

Reviews

Korg Opsix SE and Wavestate SE

Roland S-1 Tweak Synthesizer

ADDAC Cracklebox

Minimal Audio Fuse Compressor

Neural DSP Archetype: Rabea

& more

Samples

Neon Synth Pop – Channel your inner Barbie Girl and give your tracks a high-gloss pop edge in the vein of the likes of Dua Lipa and PC Music.

Ring Mod Madness – We explore the raspy, metallic tones of ring modulation for a pack of inspirational loops, FX and oddball one-shots.

Access the FM sample archive: Download the ‘Archive’ packs and get over 18GB of loops, hits and instruments from our back catalogue of high-quality and royalty-free samples. From vintage synths and drum machines to esoteric instruments and FX – think of it as our best of. All the samples you need to create great music! 

Even though you may be able to treat your smartphone as an all-in-one creative suite, you’re still hamstrung by the limits of an ultra-small-diaphragm built-in condenser mic and a lack of monitoring flexibility. Investing in one of the best iPhone microphones, then, can help you unlock the true power of your iPhone while upgrading your audio captures in the process.

There are different types of iPhone mics for different applications, from lavalier-style mics for capturing clean vocals in the field to fully-fledged studio-quality condenser mics and beyond. In this guide, we’ll show you some of the best microphones for iPhone across the board, as well as highlight some of the features and functionality you should be looking for when making your decision.

If you want to do some more research before you purchase, then make sure to have a look at our FAQs at the bottom of this article. To see the best external iPhone microphone available right now, just keep scrolling.

Best iPhone microphones: The quick list

Best overall

Austrian Audio has played something of a blinder with this new iPhone mic system. The MiCreator Studio, despite coming in under £200, offers a suite of utilities that gamely turn your iPhone into a fully-fledged recording suite of its own. This is a combined microphone and two-channel audio interface, which gives you additional ins and outs for peerless versatility.

The MiCreator Studio’s integrated microphone is a condenser, the diaphragm for which is suspended in a tiltable ring shock mount – a neat touch for both aesthetic design and practical purpose. The unit to which the microphone is attached boasts a monitor/balance knob, a toggle slider for mic gain, and two 3.5mm jack sockets, which provide a TRS ‘out’ and a TRRS ‘in/out’ respectively.

The Austrian Audio MiCreator family extends beyond this unit, with a lav mic and a twinsies standalone version of the condenser (the purchase of which gives you a great stereo pair for studio recording). The MiCreator Studio is a one-stop shop for recording, and lends itself well to practically any on-the-go recording requirement.

Read our full Austrian Audio MiCreator Studio review

Best wireless option

Rode is one of the best-respected names in microphone technology, so it figures that its premium broadcast mics will be a bit special. The Rode Wireless GO II combines a couple of discreet clip-on ‘pucks’ which transmit to a central receiver unit, which can be connected to your iPhone.

We’ve seen these used on location by the BBC, among others, and features like the safety-channel recording, which records a secondary version of your audio at a lower volume in case of noise spikes on your main clip, can prove a godsend when you’ve got only one chance to get it right.

For the standard bedroom vlogger, this set might prove a little over the top. Rode has a wider range which is well worth checking out, if that’s the case. But if your iPhone doubles up as a tiny pro-grade studio, then the Wireless GO II set should be high up your list for consideration.

Best for vlogging

Shure’s expertise in the wireless microphone field is inarguable at this point – and we’re lucky enough to see it bring that expertise to the consumer level with this new (and excellent) wireless lav microphone. The MoveMic One is a single-channel, and singularly small, wireless lavalier mic unit; unlike most of its ilk, it doesn’t require a receiver to work, instead being capable of delivering audio wirelessly to your iOS device via Shure’s proprietary MOTIV apps.

The small size is a huge win for in-the-field vlogging types, as the MoveMic One can be easily concealed in clothing without having to worry about hiding a receiver or any loose wiring. Another huge win comes in the eight-hour battery life, which gives a good deal of headroom for getting the right take.

There is a separate receiver you can buy from Shure, which enables you a bit more flexibility in what you use your MoveMic One with – but if you’re only ever shooting on your phone, you won’t need more than this for capturing your voice clearly.

Best for video

What feels like a lifetime ago – back when the DSLR video boom first kicked off – Sennheiser's MKE 400 became the go-to budget shotgun mic for many videographers. Finally, after many, many years, Sennheiser has updated its ageing device with a shiny new model (actually, it’s matte black) – and guess what? It's now compatible with mobile devices, too.

The MKE 400 MKII is a rather nifty bit of kit. Admittedly, its chunky-yet-handsome form factor, complete with hot shoe plate, looks better perched on top of a DSLR than an iPhone, but don't let that put you off.

This mini shotgun mic is now equipped with a 3.5mm TRRS-compatible jack, which means it's simply a matter of running a short cable between it and the headphone socket on your iOS device. Of course, very few iPhones and iPads now have a headphone socket, so you'll probably have to source an inexpensive adapter – see more below.

Its super-cardioid shotgun pattern enables the MKE 400 MKII to home in on your subject, rejecting noise from everywhere but the centre front. This is a very useful quality to have when faced with capturing barely audible dialogue.

Two things we really love about the MKE 400 MKII are its slickly designed integrated shock mount and its windshield. Its low-cut filter is another welcome feature, one that's so characteristically Sennheiser.

This isn't a particularly expensive microphone, but you get the sense that Sennheiser's engineers have fought hard to ensure that it performs better than a mic at this price point really should. The only criticism we have is that the three-step gain sensitivity switch is a bit limited in use.

The MKE 400 MKII is also available in a mobile kit form with a bundled tripod and phone clamp.

Best for singing

Teenage Engineering is at once one of the more forward-thinking companies in the audio space, and one of the more controversial. For every incredible idea it has comes a different kind of incredible: be it a strange design choice, ire-invoking product or an insurmountable price point. Regardless, the work it does is auspicious – an auspiciousness reflected in this stunner of a condenser microphone.

The CM-15 is a portable large-diaphragm condenser mic with endless connectivity possibilities. A mini-XLR out enables you to use it as a conventional, phantom-powered XLR in the studio; a TRS out enables you to hook it up to cameras and other external devices; a USB-C output enables you to connect it to (what else but) your iPhone – and all three outputs can be used simultaneously. iPhones with Lightning connectivity aren’t as friendly to connect with, though, so bear this in mind before you drop a significant sum on this.

The audio quality is simply without match, but that should not come as a surprise with any four-figure microphone, let alone a portable one. Bonuses like different mic voicings, a 10-hour battery for standalone usage, and a supremely clean internal AD converter sweeten the deal, particularly for committed or professional mobile recording enthusiasts looking to get the best from their vocalists.

Read our full Teenage Engineering CM-15 review

Best lightning

Rode is a well-regarded purveyor of all things microphone, and particularly well-regarded for its work in the peripherals space; if you’ve ever seen someone shooting video with an attachable shotgun mic, it’s probably a Rode. It’s only right, then, that Rode’s work in the phone-peripheral space is similarly sharp.

Rode's VideoMic Me-L is a small-diameter, 7cm-long shotgun mic that clips directly to your phone's Lightning port. There's a headphone socket around the back for monitoring, which is welcome, but no other controls. The Lightning port is a little limiting, and has even come to be a little outmoded, with Apple’s switch to USB-C – but Rode already has USB-C toting alternatives to this very same microphone.

As such, the Rode Me-L is the ideal budget shotgun mic for someone with an older iPhone, and no intention of upgrading in the near future. It’s well-priced, well-made and brilliant-sounding to boot; what more could you need?

More options...

This is by far the most interesting microphone in this guide. Most of the others we've featured do much the same thing, but the iRig Mic HD2 has some unique features that may just make it the perfect iPhone mic for you.

IK Multimedia claims that it’s the only handheld digital condenser mic on the market that's compatible across iOS, Mac and Windows. It certainly looks more like a handheld mic than the assortment of oddly shaped appliances we often see clamped to vloggers' phones. Its silhouette is reassuringly familiar, and straightaway the robust metal housing feels right at home in the hand.

While we can't imagine many scenarios in which you'd want to perform live with a handheld microphone tethered by a USB cable to your phone, we do recognise the huge potential this mic has for broadcasters conducting live interviews. Having the option to pass a mic from host interviewer to guest interviewee and back again is a godsend for anyone striving for audio excellence.

Of course, if you're a studio-based musician, performer or podcaster, there's nothing to stop you placing it on a stand and using it just like any other microphone. IK Multimedia even includes a tripod with it.

Another feature that caught our attention is the bundled Mic Room modelling software that transforms the iRig Mic HD2 into one of a number of iconic microphones. But that's not all – in typically generous IK Multimedia fashion, this mic also ships with Ableton Live 11 Lite plus a host of audio processing plugins.

Freebies aside, the iRig Mic HD2 performs brilliantly straight out of the box – the sound quality is just superb for a mic at this very competitive price. It’s definitely worth considering if you need to get hands-on with a mic.

Read the full IK Multimedia iRig Mic HD2 review

The iQ7 has been around for some years now, but that's testament to how good this mic is. Ideal for a multitude of uses whether as a podcast microphone, for vlogging, or to seek out atmospheric ambient field recordings – this inexpensive little mic excels at capturing wider, more authentic stereo images.

Setup is easy, provided you're happy setting recording levels and stereo width. Just click the Lightning connector home – there's a removable shim for those who rock a case – set the mic orientation to either video or audio, and you're almost there.

Gain level is set using the big forward-facing dial, aided by a triple LED meter on the front panel. You can connect headphones to the iQ7's mini jack socket for monitoring, or use it as a line output jack.

The stereo-width switch is where things get interesting. Setting it to 90 degrees will ensure that the mic focuses predominantly on sounds coming from the centre of your scene, while selecting 120 degrees will see it picking up more ambience and stereo width. On the M-S setting, it’ll record a file that allows the stereo width to be tinkered with manually in Zoom's free Handy Recorder app.

Recording with the iQ7 requires slightly more forethought than if you were recording with its X-Y-equipped sibling the iQ6, but you’ll be rewarded with more control and a much-improved stereo image. For less than $/£/€100, it’s hard to fault this little gem.

Sometimes, we get carried away in the belief that we need a big, impressive microphone that costs the price of a kidney, when, in fact, all we really need is a cheap, humble lavalier.

Pin the discreet LavMicro U1A to your lapel and your voice will sound distinct and clear. Move and it’ll move with you, so your voice will still sound distinct and clear. Buy an extension cable and you'll be able to walk a fair distance away from your iPhone or iPad and still be heard as if you were standing right next to it – distinct and clear.

What's special about the Saramonic LavMicro? Er, nothing really. Interesting features? Hmm, none. It just does what it's supposed to do, without fuss or ceremony (although Saramonic does include an alligator clip and a pouch).

We concede that the quality probably wouldn’t be good enough for Adele's next album but, trust us, it's plenty good enough for broadcast and vlogging.

With iPhones being used more and more as complete videography solutions, it makes sense that we’d see more wireless lavalier mics reach the market. The Movo Wireless Mini set is a great example, offering up two clip-on mics with a decent battery life and fairly broad range, which connect wirelessly thanks to a Lightning-equipped receiver device that connects to your phone.

Pairing is instantaneous, meaning you can be up and running within seconds of making a connection. Bass is, as you’d expect from such a small mic, pretty non-existent, so you can forget capturing deep velvety baritone speeches, but as an inexpensive entry point, we think this is a neat little set.

FAQs

How we choose the best iPhone microphones

At MusicRadar, our writers are dedicated to the pursuit of pristine audio quality, so we understand that using an iPhone microphone is now a totally valid way to capture audio in the modern age. When it comes to pinpointing the best iPhone microphones, our team leverages their experience from recording studios, live performances, and a genuine love for the details of sound reproduction.

Selecting an iPhone microphone involves a meticulous examination of factors such as clarity, sensitivity, ease of use, and adaptability to different recording situations. We've rigorously tested various microphones, putting them through their paces in real-world scenarios to ensure they meet the diverse needs of musicians, content creators, and audio enthusiasts.

Whether you're capturing impromptu musical ideas or recording professional-grade content on your iPhone, our guides cover a range of microphones, from budget-friendly options to premium choices. Each recommendation in our guide has earned its place through thorough testing, ensuring that whether you're in the studio, on stage, or out in the field, you can achieve exceptional audio quality.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Related buyer's guides

• Best phones for musicians: top smartphones for music production
• Level up your audio with the best camera microphones

What is it?

We recently looked at Steinberg’s Cubasis 3.0 update and, one or two niggles aside with pinching and editing, concluded that it is still one of the best iOS DAWs around. 

It’s also one that now runs with some ease on an iPhone, delivering one of the most pro DAW experiences out there, on a device that fits in your pocket. 

However, while reviewing the update we became very aware of a multitude of optional extras that Steinberg are punting in various parts of the software, so it’s time to look at all of the various Cubasis options now available.

There are several updates and options available, and not all of them produced by Steinberg. A Waves Plugin Bundle ($7.99 each or $19.99 for all three), that originally arrived with Cubasis 2.3, comprises the Waves L1 Ultramaximizer, AudioTrack and the Q10 Equalizer.

Performance and verdict

L1 Ultramaximizer is a slick plugin for mastering and features simple controls and options for Input, and can be very transparent in use. Q10 is a lovely multiband EQ that delivers a lot more precision than the Cubasis’ own EQ, featuring, as it does, up to 10 bands of equalisation so you can get in there and really tweak on a surgical level.

AudioTrack, meanwhile, is a full-on channel strip that offers a neat 21st century take on Cubasis’ own Channel Strip. Where that features traditional ‘knobs’ for Gate, Compressor, Filter and Saturator.

AudioTrack has a handy graphic 4-band EQ and simple gate and compressor with more up-to-date controls that each incorporate levels. 

You could probably get away with Cubasis’ included outboard rather than purchase this one, but overall, the Waves Bundle still represents great value, especially for that prestigious Waves name, with the EQ and L1 delivering particularly pro results for an iOS device.

FX Pack 1 ($6.99) is Steinberg’s bundle of six delays and reverbs, and features everything from the vintage-style Tape Delay to a couple of simple reverbs. The latter are surprisingly effective given their basic operation, while Tape Delay is the most fully-featured delay unit, with very useful Head controls and a Vintage dial for controlling flutter and colour. Again, this is a useful bundle, especially for the price. 

FX Pack 2 ($6.99) is full of more creative, vintage effects including more obvious rotary and wah efects and less obvious, but no-less useful, TalkBox and Bit Reduction boxes, all of which are great for more dramatic effect layering. Many of these really can take your sound into some more unexpected arenas than FX Pack 1, if that’s what you wish.

Well, we admit that we hoped the Micrologue Arp ($4.99) add-on might be Steinberg’s take on an ARP synth, but the ‘Arp’ here stands for ‘arpeggiator’, and very decent this one is too. Essentially it’s a mini 16-part arpeggiator which you can apply to any preset sound to create instant electronic melodies and patterns for that Stranger Things vibe.

While the device itself is very hands-on and easy to get to grips with – you can adjust pitches of the 16 parts with your fingers, choose from nine patters, select triggers, keys, tempos and scales, along with useful dials for Swing and Gate Scale – it might be the Arp Factory Presets folder that you visit first.

This is jam-packed with arpeggiations that cover different sounds, different timings and feels and really does give a great taster of what this new device adds to Cubasis. The bottom line is that it turns Cubasis into an electronic marvel, so is well worth the small outlay, especially if EDM is your thing.

That just leaves Classic Machines ($6.99), which is 10 drum machines, based on classic beat boxes, each essentially a ROMpler playing back classic beats, with additional MIDI files and beat repeat note options. As with Arp, these really do add a great electronic edge to Cubasis, rounding it up nicely into a do-it-all DAW.

These are all worthy upgrades to Cubasis, especially if you want to take the DAW into more electronic directions, although the Waves Bundle is also an especially good pro buy. Get the lot, and you’ll expand the iOS DAW’s capabilities immensely, for an outlay of just over 40 bucks.

MusicRadar verdict: Some great bundled options take Cubasis into very diferent sonic directions – making it one lexible iOS DAW.

Hands-on demos

Mobile Apps – Micrologue Arp

Steinberg 

Steinberg – Classic Machines

Hop Pole Studios – Waves Q10, L1 and AudioTrack

Specifications

• Type: iOS Plugins bundles for Cubasis 3
• Key Features: Waves Plugin Bundle ft Waves L1 Ultramaximizer, AudioTrack and the Q10 Equalizer ($7.99 each or $19.99 for all three), Steinberg FX Pack 1 ft 6 delays and reverbs ($6.99), Steinberg FX Pack 2 ft vintage effects inc. rotary wah, TalkBox ($6.99), Steinberg Micrologue Arp arpeggiator ($4.99), Steinberg Classic Machines ft 10 old-school drum machines ($6.99).
• Contact: Steinberg, Waves, 

Previously only available in the Auria iPad DAW, FabFilter’s Pro range of plugins can now be used by all iPad musicians thanks to its release in AUv3 format. This includes acclaimed EQ, compressor, reverb, limiter, de-esser and gate processors.

Thanks to increased processing power in the hardware and the development of the aforementioned AUv3 format, FabFilter says that the iPad has become a more serious production platform in recent years. The plugins have been refined and optimised for the touch interface, with each one supporting various interface sizes and able to run full screen.

Of the plugins, Pro-Q 3, Pro-C 2, Pro-DS and Pro-G are available individually for $29.99/£28.99 each, while Pro-L 2, Pro-R and Pro-MB are available for $39.99/£38.99 each. You can also purchase the complete set in a bundle for $129.99/£129.99. If you buy one plugin now and decide to upgrade to the bundle at a later date, you’ll just pay the outstanding balance.

You can buy the full range of FabFilter plugins on the Apple App Store.

Korg’s Gadget is now well-established as one of the best iOS DAWs, and version 2 sees improvements being made not only to this mobile version, but to the Mac one, too. And, for the first time, Windows users can get a taste of the Gadget goodness, although they don't have access to the full product. Confused? Read on and we'll explain.

First the straightforward bit: there are six new Gadgets in version 2, four of which are available now, with details of the remaining two still to come. Memphis is a semi-modular analogue synth; Pompei is a 6-voice analogue synth; Taipei is a MIDI Out Control device, suggesting that Korg is looking to open Gadget up as as hub to control your other gear; and Durban is a bass effect processor.

On iOS, the Gadgets are available as paid in-app purchases - the version 2 update itself is free - but on the Mac, you have to pay for the version 2 update ($100) but the new Gadgets come included. Got that? 

The full version of Gadget 2 for Mac retails for $299, but is currently on sale at $199. If you're new to Gadget on iOS, you can currently grab it for the release sale price of $19.99/£19.99 on the Apple App Store.

Gadget 2 also sports a redesigned user interface, with the main screen view now enabling you to see the status of each track at a glance. Smooth tempo change and fade-in/out functions have been added, too.

Now for the slightly complicated bit: as well as this update to the full-on Gadget, Korg has also confirmed the release of the Korg Gadget 2 Plugins bundle, which is available for both Mac and PC. This enables those who just want the Gadgets to buy them on their own so that they can be used in any DAW. The regular price is $199, but you can currently purchase the bundle for $149.

Hopefully that's cleared everything up, but you can find out more on the Korg website.

Oliver Greschke says that the Elastic FX 1.2 update, which is available now, came as the result of him starting to play guitar again. With its new features, the idea is that it this iOS multi-effects app now be used to replace a collection of stompboxes, thanks to several new features that are aimed at six-stringers in particular.

First up, there’s a new preamp section that features a tuner, an additional compressor with built-in noise gate, and a new overdrive/distortion effect. The FX On/Off buttons, meanwhile, now react to MIDI CC as well as MIDI note messages, which is useful if you’re using a MIDI foot controller.

As before, Elastic FX gives you four main FX slots to work with (these can be reordered as you wish, and there’s also an XY pad for tweaking), and there’s now another reverb effect, known as New Big, that you can use. There are various other new features, too, including Audioshare Export/import for audio files, and the option to record ideas as audio in the Audiofiles overlay.

Elastic FX is available now on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad. It costs $9.99.

If you’re looking for an online piano tutor, you could do worse than Grammy-winner Harry Connick Jr. He’s teamed up with Playground Sessions, which was co-created by none other than music legend Quincy Jones, to create a range of lessons for beginners and more advanced players.

“Music can be played by anyone, from anywhere, said Connick. So many of you have thought about learning to play. With Playground Sessions, you can expect success and have fun learning.”


Playground Sessions runs on Windows, Mac and iOS, and uses a combination of video tutorials, gamification and real-time feedback. There are various subscription options: you can pay $17.99 a month, $119.88 a year, or $289.99 for a one-off ‘lifetime’ option.

Find out more on the Playground Sessions website.

It’s that time of the year when everybody suddenly becomes a DJ and wants to show off their skills at office parties, family gatherings and other festive shindigs. 

However, rather than having to suffer awkward breaks between tracks while Uncle Brian ponders his next song choice, everyone can now download Algoriddim’s auto-mixing, Spotify-compatible djay app for free on iOS.

Fire this up and you can mix in the traditional way using Classic Mode’s two turntables, or let the Automix AI engine do the work. This is based on machine learning and finds optimal transfer points between tracks. Providing you’ve got a Premium account, the Spotify integration is seamless, with the Match feature recommending songs that will go well together.

If you want more features in djay, you can go Pro by paying a monthly subscription fee, which unlocks many more features:

• Unlimited access to an extensive library of samples, loops, FX, and visuals (content provided by Loopmasters, Future Loops, DocOptic, Sugar Bytes, and others)
• Looper & Sequencer
• Support for over 50 MIDI controllers from Pioneer DJ, Reloop, Numark, Denon DJ, and others out-of-the-box
• Advanced MIDI learn system to map each control on users’ hardware individually
• Support for Bluetooth MIDI
• Video mixing with support for external displays
• Single Deck preparation mode
• Support for multi-channel audio interfaces
• Advanced Automix
• Advanced media library: playlist editing and management, smart filters, drag and drop integration via Files app and Dropbox
• Subscribe once, access unlimited djay Pro content and features across all of your iOS devices
• 7-day free trial: free access to all djay Pro content and features for one week, cancel anytime 

“Our mission has always been to make DJing accessible to everyone, anywhere, at any time,” said Karim Morsy, CEO of Algoriddim. “Continuing this mission, we are now making live music production tools available by bridging the gap between music mixing and music creation. We can’t wait to get this into the hands of everyone who loves music.”  

Algoriddim’s djay is now available as a free download on the Apple App Store. Users can upgrade to djay Pro via in-app-purchase for $4.99 per month. A 7-day free trial of the Pro subscription is available for all users, including full access to all content and features of djay Pro.

Existing customers who have previously purchased any djay version on iOS are eligible for a special upgrade price of $9.99 for the first year.

2018 is turning out to be the year in which Propellerhead spreads its wings. Having released its Europa synth as a VST/AU plugin a few weeks ago, it now transpires that it’s been collaborating with Korg on a new device for Gadget, the latter company’s mobile and desktop DAW.

Stockholm takes the meat of the Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player from Propellerhead’s Reason and puts it into a Gadget. This enables you to load up to eight REX files and switch between them in real-time. You can use it to come up with new arrangements on the fly, and also to create new beats by triggering slices however you like.

Stockholm is part of the Gadget 3.6 update for iOS and the 1.6 update for Mac. Both versions are currently available for half price; Gadget for Mac can be purchased from the Korg website for $149, and Gadget for iOS is available for $19.99/£19.99 from the Apple App Store. Stockholm comes included in the Mac version as standard, but for iOS users it’s an optional in-app purchase. Its regular price is $14.99 but it’s currently available for $9.99.

What this means for Propellerhead’s involvement in the mobile music making market going forward remains to be seen. The company has made no secret of the fact that mobile platforms are in its thinking, but there’s still no sign of a full-fat iOS version of Reason. Could collaborations with other developers be the company’s way forward? We’ll have to wait and see.

The fact that AudioKit has released a new iPad app, Synth One, is interesting in itself, but perhaps even more noteworthy is the story of how it came to be created.

This is being billed as “the first ever professional open-source iOS synth”. It was built over two years by 100 volunteers, including sound designers for the likes of M83, Tycho, and Rihanna. The instrument is completely free, with no ads and no sponsors, and no one involved in the project has gained financially.

This is even more impressive when you consider Synth One’s specs: it’s a hybrid analogue/FM poly with five oscillators (including an FM oscillator) and two assignable LFOs. You also get a 16-step sequencer, an arpeggiator, filters, ADSR envelopes for amp and filter and a multitap delay. There’s MIDI Learn for all knobs, too.

As things stand, Synth One is compatible with Audiobus 3 and Inter-App Audio, with Ableton Link and AUv3 support to come in due course. MPE MIDI support is also on the development roadmap.

This looks like a no-brainer download for iPad musicians: you can do the necessary on the Apple App Store.

Steinberg’s Cubasis 2.5 update feels like ‘one for the fans’, adding a selection of features to Cubasis 2 that are likely to appeal to existing users of this popular iPad DAW.

To begin with, there’s now native resolution support for the iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9, which should mean sharper graphics and text and more tracks visible at any one time if you own one of these tablets. The effect slots are now freely assignable, and the new version enables you to import multiple files from the MediaBay.

What’s more, a series of user-requested improvements have been made, which are designed to improve both the performance and stability of the app.

Cubasis 2.5 is available now from the Apple App Store. It currently costs $24.99/£23.99.

Rode is aiming to improve the lives of iOS audio/video content creators with the VideoMic Me-L, a directional camera mic that plugs straight into your device via the Lightning connector.

There are no batteries required here - power is drawn from the phone or tablet - and you also get a 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear of the device. The aluminium case and ceramic finish suggest a piece of gear that’s built to last, and a furry windshield is supplied for outdoor shooting.

You can take a closer look at the VideoMic Me-L on the Rode website. It’s set to ship soon priced at $79.

KV331 Audio hit on a winning formula with the SynthMaster One plugin synth, giving those who found the company’s flagship SynthMaster instrument too intimidating a more accessible option with a simpler interface that keeps everything within relatively easy reach. Now it’s made the jump to the iPad, with all features pretty much intact.

The only real differences are that the mobile version has 16 voices of polyphony rather than 32, and that it comes with 500 presets rather than 800. Otherwise, it’s the same semi-modular wavetable powerhouse, coming complete with a 16-step arpeggiator/sequencer, stereo oscillators, zero-delay feedback filters, effects and more. There’s also the bonus of AUv3 compatibility, so you can use SynthMaster One for iOS within a suitable host application.

You can buy SynthMaster One now from the Apple App Store. It costs $14.99/£14.99.

BeepStreet has released DerVoco, a vintage vocoder emulation for iOS. This features analogue-modelled filters, envelope followers and companders and is designed to give you a warm, vintage sound.

Load up the app as an AU effect (it doesn’t run standalone) and you can use the internal polyphonic VCO as a carrier that can be controlled by MIDI. There’s also a special input mode in which the carrier and modulator signals are mixed in the left and right channels so that any synth plugin can be used as a carrier signal.

Other features include controllable filter resonance and a built-in compressor and noise gate.

DerVoco is available now for iPhone and iPad from the Apple App Store. It costs $4.99/£4.99.

There are plenty of iOS synths out there, but iceWorks says that its new Kronecker instrument is a clockwork synthesizer.

This is because it comes with a ‘mechanism’ that makes repeating sounds like a rhythm machine when you press a key. These are synced to tempo, and you can also increase the speed or slow them down after they’ve been triggered. So, you can produce bouncing ball and clockwork toy-type effects if you wish.

The sounds themselves are created using four ‘emitters’ that send out sound particles made from FM tones and noise. You can specify at what timing the sound particles will be triggered and add effects such as the pitch and tone of particles gradually changing. Particles can be processed with two resonators.

Kronecker is a universal app that offers Inter-App Audio, Audiobus and Ableton Link support, and also works as an AUv3. The arpeggiator is programmable so you can create your own patterns.

You can buy it now from the Apple App Store for $7.99.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a virtuoso table drummer, Applied Acoustic Systems has an app that will enable you to do something useful with your very particular set of skills.

Objeq takes your finger-formed beats and make them sound as if they were played using real percussion instruments. Your taps are picked up by your iOS device’s built-in mic, and you can use them as the basis for tones that are reminiscent of congas, bongos, djembes or other resonant soundmakers.

The app uses beam, drumhead and plate resonator types and you can customise them using the pitch, material, decay and tone controls. Just experiment with them until you come up with something that you like.

Objeq works as an AUv3 plugin and is also compatible with AudioBus 3, so using it with your other iOS apps shouldn’t be a problem. It’s available now on the Apple App Store priced at £3.99/$3.99.

It’s not Apple’s flagship tablet, but the updated 9.7-inch iPad looks like a great option for anyone who doesn’t already own an iOS device but wants to start making music on the platform, or those who own an older tablet but are looking for an affordable way to upgrade.

This features an A10 Fusion chip and promises a 40 percent faster CPU and 50 percent faster graphics performance in comparison to its predecessor. There’s a Retina display, and a higher-resolution touch sensor enables support for the Apple Pencil, too (this was previously an iPad Pro exclusive).  

Best of all, the new iPad is cheaper than the model it replaces, with the entry-level 32GB model coming in at £319/$329. The 128GB model is yours for £409/$429, and cellular options are available, too.

Find out more on the Apple website.

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals

With the hardware reissue now discontinued, all is not lost, as perhaps the most iconic monosynth in synthesizer history has now been immortalised again as an iOS app.

Moog Music has announced the release of the Minimoog Model D App, created exclusively for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, supporting any 64-bit iOS device.

As a faithful recreation, the app gives you access to all the functionality of the original and, for those who wish to dive right in, the app includes 60 presets (with hundreds more presets available in the Minimoog Model D App Store).

There are, however, more options and tools than were present on the original hardware, including the ability to play chords of up to four notes at once and an easy-to-use arpeggiator module for rhythmic pattern creation.

You are also treated to a real-time looping recorder with unlimited overdubs, a tempo-synchronisable stereo ping-pong delay module, and the Bender, which is a brand-new wide-range time modulation effect module. 

As is to be expected, the app also integrates with mobile DAWs. Utilising AUv3 Audio Unit extension support, multiple instances of the instrument can be used simultaneously within multi-tracking iOS apps like Apple’s GarageBand.

Minimoog Model D for iOS is available now for an introductory price of $4.99/£4.99 and, as part of the launch, Moog is also dropping the prices of its other iOS offerings for a short time. The Model 15 app will be $14.99/£14.99, the Animoog iPad and iPhone apps are $4.99/£4.99 and $1.99/£1.99 respectively, while the Filtatron also drops to $1.99/£1.99.

For more information head on over to the Moog website and the Apple App Store.

Promising ‘plenty of space’, Bram Bos’s Kosmonaut is a multitap delay Audio Unit for iOS that comes with a few extra tricks up its digital sleeve.

Features include a tape looper with variable sound-on-sound decay level, a 4-tap delay, low-pass/high-pass filters with LFO, an auto-panner and an ambience generator. There’s also a Haas Effect processor.

All of these features are demonstrated in the factory presets, and you can save your own (these will be available whichever AU host you’re currently using). Tempo is automatically synced to host, and you can use the Random feature for instant inspiration.

Kosmonaut is available now from the Apple App Store priced at $3.99.

What do you get when you cross a 24-bit/96kHz audio interface with a MIDI controller and keyboard (with full-size keys, pads, faders and rotaries) that's designed to work with iOS, Windows and Mac OS? 

The answer is IK Multimedia's iRig Keys I/O, which was announced in 2017 and is now available to buy.

Coming in 25- and 49-key variations, the iRig Keys I/O is kitted out with velocity-sensitive full-size keys, eight velocity-sensitive pads and programmable touch-sensitive sliders, buttons and knobs.

Around the back of the unit you have balanced stereo and headphone outputs, plus a combo jack for line, instrument or mic input with 48V phantom power. There’s also gain control for the combo port and a sustain pedal input jack.

The more mobile producers among you will be pleased to know that Keys I/O can be powered by USB, four AA batteries or an external power supply that can also charge your iOS device. As with previous IK products, you get a lightning cable included, with the added bonus of a mobile device support stand.

There are plenty of apps and software products bundled with the iRig Keys I/O, including versions of the Miroslav Philharmonik orchestral instrument, T-RackS and the Pro V from Syntronik.

Prices start at €199.99 excl. VAT (€243.99 incl. VAT) for the 25 and €299.99 excl. VAT (€365.99 incl. VAT) for the 49.

For more information check out the IK Multimedia website.

iRig Keys I/O features

• All-in-one, fully portable, ultra-compact MIDI controller with 24-bit / 96kHz capable input/output audio interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC
• Available in 49 or 25 keys versions with full size keys and smooth, velocity-sensitive, synth-action keyboard
• Smart, ultra-compact, elegant design
• Easily transportable, fits anywhere
• MFi certified by Apple (“Made for iPhone and iPad”) includes Lightning Cable
• Includes mobile device support stand
• Comprehensive controls: 2 slider strips for pitch and modulation (user programmable,) octave, program change and transport controls, 5 programmable touch sensitive knobs, 8 velocity-sensitive multi-colored assignable pads
• Neutrik® combo input jack for line, instrument or microphones
• 48V phantom power button
• Balanced stereo and headphone outputs
• Powered by USB, 4 AA batteries or optional external power supply (charges your iOS device)
• Comes with the most comprehensive collection of software instruments and pro studio processors on the market: a value of over $/€ 550 (25-keys model) and $/€ 750 (49-keys model) for software and apps

NAMM 2018: It’s got to be the iOS music-making deal of the decade: Intua’s BeatMaker 3, the acclaimed iPad DAW, is free for the duration of the NAMM Show. It usually retails for £23.99/$24.99.

To be clear, this is the full version of BeatMaker 3 rather than a cutdown edition. There are no limitations at all, though you’ll still have to pay for the additional sound packs.

Intua is saying that it’s seeking to create a buzz around BeatMaker during NAMM, and we’re pretty confident that it’ll have plenty more users to look after by the time the show finishes on Sunday.  

Of course, the only people who won’t be so pleased about all this are those who’ve already bought BeatMaker 3, but everyone else can go and grab it now from the Apple App Store.

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Check out our constantly updated NAMM hub for more news and on-the-spot video from Anaheim

Rather than basing in on an FM synth engine, AudioKit Pro has chosen to use samples to create its emulation of Yamaha’s DX7, one of the classic ‘80s keyboards. What’s more, it’s giving it away for free.

FM Player: Classic DX Synths features more than 50 presets, as well as reverb, auto-pan, bit crush, stereo fatten and other effects. There’s also a low-pass filter and an analogue tape-style ping-pong delay. All controls support MIDI Learn, and there’s support for Audiobus 3 and Inter-App Audio.

The app is being released to draw attention to AudioKit Pro’s set of free development tools that enable anyone to create their own iOS apps. Find out more on the AudioKit Pro website.

FM Player: Classic DX Synths is available to download now from the Apple App Store.

Unless you happen to be Liam Gallagher, the chances are that, if you’re a singer, your performance shtick will involve hand movements of some sort. The OWOW Wiggle Kit is a new product that enables you to use these movements to control your vocal effects, and combines an iOS app with a handheld Bluetooth controller.

Once you’re brandishing the controller, you can control up to three effects at the same time by moving the ‘Wiggle’ from left to right, up and down, or in a circular motion. The app contains more than 20 editable vocal effects, and you can pick one for each direction of movement.

The Wiggle Kit can be used with your own mic or the one that’s built into your phone, and its MIDI compatibility means that it’ll also work with your favourite music software.

Find out more on the Wiggle Kit Kickstarter page, where a pledge of €79 will secure you an Early Bird package that, if the project is funded, should see you having one in your hands by Christmas.

The number of instruments and effects available to you in Korg’s Gadget continues to grow. Versions 1.5 for Mac and 3.5 for iOS are now available, with both adding three optional ‘gadgets’ that are available as in-app purchases.

Up first we have Lisbon, a polyphonic synth that promises a thick, glossy, futuristic sound. It’s based around Korg’s electronic circuit modelling technology and comes with five effects. There’s also Vancouver, a simple sampler that comes with 90 sounds and also enables you to import your own samples.

Finally, there’s DeeMax, a Gadgetised version of Dotec-Audio’s loudness maximizer plugin. Built around a single chunky slider, this also features a Turbo switch to increase the level of punch, and a Safe switch to prevent excessive saturation. It’s designed to be used as a master effect once you’ve finished your song.

Additionally, Gadget now enables you to share projects to Allihoopa, the social music-making platform, and the Gadget Plug-in Collection on the Mac offers support for Native Instruments’ NKS format. This provides integration with NI’s Komplete Kontrol and Maschine hardware.

As a further bonus, Gadget is currently being offered at 50% off the standard price. So, that means you’ll pay $149 for the Mac version and $19.99 for the iOS edition.  

The Lisbon, Vancouver and DeeMax gadgets, meanwhile, are currently available for $9.99 each; their regular price is $14.99. These offers apply until the end of the month.

Find out more on the Korg website.

Roli has announced Pharrell Williams as its new chief creative officer and the producer is also supplying a brand new studiopack for Noise.

As you’d expect, the company is rather excited by the new partnership with Pharrell, as well as announcing the first studiopack for the Noise app.

The hope is that Pharrell will be very much part of the design process for the next generation of music creation devices from the London-based firm. 

According to Roli: “The Seaboard and Blocks are just the beginning of our long-term mission to create digitally connected, beautifully designed instruments that open up music creation to everyone. Pharrell will be by our side as we enter the next stage.”

Visiting Roli’s offices in London, Pharrell said: “Music touches all of us, and for a long time I've been passionate about finding ways to share the power of music with more people. 

"When I met Roland Lamb and Roli, I immediately felt we were working towards exactly the same goals, and so I'm super excited that we're kicking off this partnership.”

If you want to get involved with Noise, you can download it for free from the Apple App Store now.

IK Multimedia has launched a brand-new small preamp for iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC, going by the name of the iRig Pre HD.

The interface can perform at a sample rate of 96kHz and 24-bit resolution, with a full frequency response from 20Hz to 20kHz (+/- 1.5dB).

Inside the unit lies a Class A mic preamp with an adjustable gain range of 48dB. As with other interfaces form IK, the unit comes with a multicolour LED level indicator and switchable +48V phantom power (via 2 AA batteries included), allowing the use of any dynamic, ribbon or condenser microphone.

Connection-wise, you are treated to an XLR port and a 3.5mm headphone output with dedicated volume control, which can also be used as an aux-out to send recorded sound to external devices like an amplifier, PA, or a mixer. And finally, a micro USB port, with both USB and Lightning cables included.

A direct-monitoring switch adorns the side of the box and just like other IK interfaces, allows you to monitor the source in realtime, with no latency.

The iRig Pre HD is available now for £99.99/$99.99/€99.99, plus VAT and comes bundled with Mic Room for Mac/PC and iOS, plus versions of the Mic Pack for VocaLive and the Pro Bundle for iRig Recorder. Check out the IK Multimedia website for more information.

iRig Pre HD features

• MFi microphone interface certified by Apple “Made for iPhone and iPad”
• Compatible with Mac and PC
• Direct monitor switch for real-time monitoring or for playback
• +48V Phantom Power (with 2 x AA batteries)
• Class A mic preamp with onboard gain control
• Onboard headphone output (works with the latest iPhone)
• High definition 24-bit converters with up to 96kHz sampling frequency
• Multicolour LED for easy gain settings
• Includes IK’s renowned, professional software and apps
• Ultra-light and compact
• Sleek and elegant design
• Comes with USB and Lightning cables, 2 x AA batteries and a velcro mounting strip

iZotope is seeking to remove the technological barriers between having a having a song idea and capturing it with Spire Studio, a new wireless hardware product that integrates with its Spire multitrack recording app.

Designed as an alternative to traditional recording setups, this portable device has a built-in microphone and runs on a rechargable battery that’s said to last for over four hours (a power supply also comes in the box). It offers six hours of recording memory and operates at 24-bit/48kHz. Two XLR/combo jacks enable you to plug in external mics and other instruments, and there are also two stereo mini-jack headphone outputs.

The hardware features iZotope’s “intelligent audio processing” and offers mic preamps from Grace Design. There’s a touch-sensitive LED display for adjusting the headphone volume and selecting/muting tracks.

When you want to go deeper, you can integrate Spire Studio with the Spire app using the built-in Wi-Fi. As well as being able to record, mix and share your songs, you can also collaborate with friends and export stems for importing into your main DAW.

“The product journey started on a personal note - playing music with my wife. We decided we wanted to make a recording but all of the technology got in the way,” explains iZotope co-founder and CEO, Mark Ethier. “What should have been a fun, creative moment turned into a headache, and in the end, we left for dinner without capturing a single note. Spire Studio was designed from the ground up to solve this problem. At iZotope, we’re using the latest technology to make high quality recording easy and inspirational with the goal to help musicians focus on their creative vision and not the technical aspects behind it.”

The key to a product like this is workflow: if iZotope really has simplified the recording process, it could be onto a winner. It’s compatible with the iPhone 6 and later and iOS 10 and later. Spire Studio will retail for $349 and be available exclusively in the US inititally, but will be rolled out to other territories in due course.

Find out more on the Spire website.

iZotope Spire Studio specs

• Internal studio-quality microphone for a professional sound
• Automatically set recording levels with a single button to eliminate set-up time and distorted sounds
• Record with a wealth of creative effects such as reverbs, delays, and amp models with zero-latency monitoring
• iZotope's award-winning intelligent sound processing technology gives recordings professional polish
• Add depth to your song by layering up to eight tracks per project
• Ditch the cables with a built-in Wi-Fi connection from Spire Studio to the Spire app
• Battery operated so you can record for hours on the go
• Grace Design preamps for pristine clarity Two combo jacks for plugging in your instruments or mics with +48 V phantom power
• Automatically sync tracks between hardware and software for seamless version control
• LED touchscreen to adjust volume, mute, and delete tracks without slowing your creative flow
• Intuitive mixing and editing helps create a polished song ready to share
• Collaborate on projects with bandmates anywhere in the world - straight from your iPhone
• Easily export your music to a computer or favourite audio editing software like Pro Tools, iMovie, and Logic, or upload to storage platforms like iCloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

Korg has dropped possibly one of the most popular synths from its back catalogue on the App Store.

The four-VCO Mono/Poly was originally released in 1981 with a dedicated envelope generator for the VCF, and also sync and cross-modulation. This particularly laid the foundations for synth’s reputation as quite the monster.

Fast forward 36 years and Korg has reimagined the Mono/Poly in iOS form utilising its own Component Modeling Technology.

Although many would argue that a new hardware version would be preferable, this new softsynth is definitely a worthy addition to Japanese firm’s growing iOS synth range, not least for it’s inclusion in Korg Gadget - under the moniker of ‘Montpelier’ (a Gadget for Mac version will be available before the year is out).

Just like the original, the new iOS version retains the synth’s unique monophonic and polyphonic playing modes.

Screen real estate is managed by flipping between various modes including the main synth & key assign screens and the virtual patch & effect screens. There’s also the added bonus of the Kaoss Pad making its way into the proceedings too.

As for the sound design potential of this iOS synth, you’re furnished with eight virtual patches, with 159 modulation sources such as MG, EG, velocity, and keyboard tracking that can be used to modulate 35 destinations such as oscillator pitch, level, filter, MG, and EG. 

Two multi-effect units are also provided and you get 128 preset sounds, with a further 128 sounds also available as an in-app purchase. 

Mono/Poly is priced at $19.99/£19.99 on the Apple App store. Check out the Korg website for more information.

Many 808 emulations are designed to look and feel like Roland’s original hardware - the TR-08 that was announced last week is a prime example - but MVStudio’s MV08, an iOS app, is slightly different. This promises the sound of the classic drum machine, but with an interface that’s been redesigned to suit a touchscreen workflow.

MV08 is sample-based, and adds per-voice pan and pitch controls to the original control set. You also get two editable send effects per voice, as well as master 3-band EQ and distortion.

The sequencer has also been improved in comparison to the original, with the voice controls being sequencable on a per-step basis. Patterns can be up to 64 steps long and at either 16- or 32-step resolution, and you can store eight banks of 16 patterns.

Compatible with Audiobus, Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link, MV08 can be purchased now from the Apple App Store. It costs £3.99/$3.99

Things move pretty quickly in Audio Damage’s world. Just a few days after it launched Rough Rider, its first iOS effect, the company has released Grind, its second. This is a direct port of the desktop plugin of the same name, which was itself released just a few weeks ago.

Designed for all kinds of saturation and distortion processing, as before, there are three main ‘blocks’ to work with. Wavetable lookup feeds into algorithmic saturation/distortion and, finally, a multimode filter.

The wavetable module uses the amplitude of the incoming signal to replace the sample with one from 15 different linearly-interpolated wavetables, chosen for their mangling potential. Next, you choose from one of eleven different distortion and saturation algorithms, and there are the same number of filter models. There’s also a tempo-synced LFO to add motion to the filter frequency, and you can even load presets from the desktop version.

Grind can be used standalone, as an AU v3 plugin in a compatible host, or via Inter-App Audio. It runs on iPhone and iPad and costs £4.99/$4.99; get it now on the Apple App Store.

As one iOS groovebox dies, another is born. Called, quite simply, Groovebox, this free app from  Ampify, the company formerly known as Blocs and part of the Novation stable, features two synths and a drum machine and can be expanded with ‘pro features’ and soundpacks.

Each device comes with a range of patterns and sounds, and you can create your own by playing or programming using the touch interface. The synths, known as Retrobass and Poly-8, were developed in collaboration with Novation to deliver “deep retro basslines and analogue harmonic melodies,” while the Drumbox drum machine promises a “modern” edge.

You can expose more controls for these devices with an in-app purchase, while the optional soundpacks add more presets and patterns.

The iPad version features an 8-track mixer, while there’s an ‘instrument focus’ mixer on iPhone. There’s support for Audiobus, Inter-App Audio, Ableton Link and Ableton Export.

Groovebox can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store. The ‘expanded instruments’ in-app purchase costs £4.99/$4.99/€5.49, while the sound packs start at £0.99/$0.99/€1.29.

It’s been a long goodbye for Propellerhead’s ReBirth. Having been launched for desktop computers in 1997, this Roland TR-808, TR-909 and TB-303-emulating software groovebox was discontinued for PC and Mac in 2005, only to be relaunched for iPhone in 2010. This version bit the dust in 2013, but the iPad edition has remained on the App Store. However, it won’t be there for much longer - in fact, it’ll be removed on 15 June.

“We have decided to discontinue ReBirth for iPad,” says a statement on the Propellerhead website. “The decision comes after a statement from Roland that the product infringes on the company’s intellectual property rights. Rather than refuting this claim, we have decided to honor our long-standing relationship with Roland Corporation and has, therefore, come to the conclusion that the best path forward is to discontinue the product.”

It seems slightly strange that the intellectual property issue has come up now - 20 years after ReBirth’s release and at a time when it was all but dead anyway - but it does come at a time when Roland is creating its own software emulations of its classic hardware for its Roland Cloud platform. Could 909, 808 and 303 emulations be heading up there, too?

As for Propellerhead, it looks like it’ll be moving on and releasing more mobile music-making apps in the future. The company has just invited people to join its mobile app test pilot group, and has pretty much confirmed that there’s something new in the pipeline. In fact, the URL for its survey on the subject contains the words 'reasonmobile' - make of that what you will.

If you want ReBirth on your iPad, though, you have just a couple of days left in which to get it.  

Oliver Greschke, maker of Elastic Drums, has announced version 2.0 of the iOS groovebox, which now features Ableton Export functionality.

The update also brings a raft full of improvements including improved design for the audio record section and preset tables that take advantage of greater sharing options and improved user experience respectively.

The new version of the drum machine, which recently got a sampler function in version 1.9, is also compatible with the yet to be released Audiobus 3.

Elastic Drums 2.0 is compatible with iOS 8.0 or later on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The drum machine/sampler is available now on the App Store for £11.99/$11.99.

Elastic Drums 2.0 new features at a glance

• New Ableton Live Set Export option
• Reworked audio record section with more share possibilities
• Audiobus 3 ready
• Improved design of all preset tables (User, Factory, ...)
• Top navigation on iPad shows preset name now
• Debugged sending of Midi notes
• Debugged note/pitch behavior in velocity modeImproved velocity note/pitch screen on iPad -> checkout “_demo - chromatic-pitch“
• You can now also send zip files to ED - via Email, etc.
• New IAP sample kit by DJ Elephant Power

Musikmesse 2011: We first mentioned new company Dark Matter Audio and its debut product the DMA1 last week, well now full details of the intriguing looking gadget have arrived. Check out the company's full press release below to get the lowdown on this new touchscreen, musician-focused smart device.

It's certainly caught our attention - and we'll be tracking down Dark Matter to see if we can get hands-on with the DMA1 when the show opens tomorrow.

PRESS RELEASE: Formidable power, inspired connectivity and studio-quality sound in a Colour Touchscreen, App-enabled Smart Audio Hub.

The landscape for the creative artist in any audio environment is about to leap into a new future with the arrival of new UK company Dark Matter Audio and its revolutionary debut product: DMA1.

This incredible audio device is anything you want it to be - guitar effects processor, high quality studio tool or performance instrument - thanks to its open architecture and Online Store that lets you wirelessly update DMA1 with a growing range of pro audio apps.

DMA1's capabilities are extensive: a compact multi-FX processor that can also act as a digital multitrack recorder, MP3/4 player, MIDI interface, (up to) 5.1 digital mixing desk.

Much like a Smart Phone, musicians and producers will be able to wirelessly download applications to make DMA1 into a drum machine, sampler, loop recorder, digital patchbay, video tutorial device, chord and scale matcher, database of transcribed music, lyric organizer, composition sketch tool.

But unlike today's explosion in Smart Devices, DMA1 is built from the ground up for music making and is entirely focused towards musicians and producers, while rugged construction means it can be used anywhere - on stage, on the road, in the studio and even in outside broadcast situations.

It's been designed without compromise, featuring both high quality audio processing power - by way of a SHARC and an ARM processor for the user interface - and professional connectivity, while the 7-inch Touchscreen makes for quick, intuitive hands-on control, making DMA1 inspirational to use with professional results every time.

"Paradigm shift"

With its innovative design, DMA1 really exploits the future of music making, performing and recording. DMA1 is the ultimate studio and performance tool, right there at your fingertips.

Dark Matter Audio CEO Jon Stuart said: "with DMA1 we've endeavoured to create a paradigm shift in the world of audio production and performance. DMA1 is the future of audio and music production precisely because it can be any future that a musician or producer could want.

"This is a very exciting time for us, and for music production generally, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the team for their ceaseless toil (bar the occasional spot of skiing) to make DMA1 the revolutionary product that it is."

Alan Greensall, Dark Matter Audio CBDO, said: "in my 35 years in this industry I have only ever come across revolutionary products like this two or three times. This industry is in need of the next big shake up, and we are dead set on making sure its Dark Matter Audio leading the way."

Main features:

• 7-inch Touchscreen
• Studio Quality Processing
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet
• 3 x USB, 2 x Analogue and 2 x SPDIF connections
• HDMI support
• 5.1 Surround Sound Mixer
• 4 Channel Architecture
• Battery and Mains powered
• Open Developer Community

Information taken from official press release, for more visit Dark Matter Audio.

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