Apple certainly likes to make a big song and dance about its iPhone launches, but its new MacBooks and iPads are often announced almost apologetically, via website updates and press releases.

And so it is with the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, both of which contain the also-new M5 chip.

It’s a sign of the times that, first and foremost, Apple is talking up the AI capabilities of the M5. It offers a 10-core GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core - the end result, we’re assured, being that GPU-based AI workloads run “dramatically faster”, with four times the peak GPU compute performance of the M4.

The CPU, meanwhile, also has up to 10 cores (six efficiency cores and four performance cores), resulting in up to 15% faster multithreaded performance in comparison to the M4.

How much musicans will actually notice all of this is open to question. While heavyweight graphics users and AI aficionados may be drooling at these speed bumps, it remains to be seen how much of an impact they’ll have when you’re simply trying to make a tune in Logic Pro.

Apple certainly isn’t hanging about in fitting the M5 to its computing hardware, though - you’ll find it in both the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pros, with prices starting at $/£999 and $/£1,299 respectively.

In terms of cost, this makes it very much a laptop replacement device, but if you’d rather have the real deal, the entry-level M5 MacBook Pro 14-inch costs from $/£1,599. It’s worth noting that, despite having a lower processor number, the M4 Pro and M4 Max versions remain the flagships, offering more CPU and GPU cores.

The M5 chip has also been added to the upgraded Apple Vision Pro headset which, thanks to the new Dual Knit Band, promises to be more comfortable to wear. With prices starting at $3,499/£3,199, though, it’s still far from comfortable on your bank balance.

All the new products are available for pre-order now, with shipping starting on the 22 October. Find out more on the Apple website.

Apple did one of its ‘launch a few products without a keynote’ things yesterday, giving us refreshes of the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, iPad Air and standard iPad.

The physical appearances of all four products, it should be said, remain as they were, but inside it’s a different set of stories. In the case of the MacBook Air, this means an M4 chip and the option to include up to 32GB of RAM, up from the 24GB maximum of the previous M3 model.

Otherwise, it’s very much as you were, but the good news is that the 13-inch model now starts at $/£999 - $/£100 less than its predecessor - which is a nice surprise. The 15-inch model starts at $/£1,199, and both are available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver finishes.

The new Mac Studio, meanwhile, is billed as “the most powerful Mac ever made,” this power coming from either the M4 Max or new M3 Ultra chip. Confusingly, it’s actually this new M3 processor that delivers the best performance: up to a 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU and 512GB RAM. You can also have up to 16TB of storage.

We’re not really going out on a limb when we say that a Mac Studio is overkill for the majority of bedroom musicians - for a more affordable desktop machine, check out the Mac mini - but if you do feel the need for a serious amount of speed, $1,999/£2,099 is the starting price.

Finally, those new iPads, starting with the new iPad Air, which comes equipped with an M3 processor as opposed to an M2. That’s not quite on a par with the M4 iPad Pro, but it does mean that the iPad Air (starting at $/£599 for the 11-inch model or $/£799 for the 13-inch model) sits in a nice middle ground between the new entry-level iPad, which has the somewhat dated A16 chip, and the top-end model.

One thing that storage-hungry musicians should note, though, is that at the iPad A16’s storage capacity now starts at 128GB rather than 64GB, which is possibly just as important as the processor upgrade if you want a current-gen iPad that you won’t fill up in a hurry but want to pay as little as possible for it ($349/£329, in this case).

All the new products can be pre-ordered now and will arrive in Apple Stores on 12 March.

• Our pick of the best Macs for music production
• And the best iPads for musicians and producers

Choosing the best iPad for music making is actually a bit tricky these days. Yes, the top-of-the-range iPad Pro is great, but it’s also pricey. And although the iPad Air is slightly more affordable, it still feels like it’s designed more as a laptop replacement than a secondary device.

And, let’s face it, for most musicians, the iPad is going to be a secondary device. You’ll likely have a PC or Mac as your main machine; a tablet is something you’re probably going to use when you’re travelling or noodling in bed or on the sofa in front of the TV.

This being the case, paying top dollar doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and the good news is that one of the best iPad deals this Cyber Monday is on the very affordable 10th generation model, which was released in 2022. This is down to just $279 in the US (Best Buy) and £289 in the UK (Amazon), which is a pretty eye-catching price.

There’s no M series chip in here - instead you’ll find an A14 processor. This might be getting on a bit, but it’s certainly no slouch. In fact, it’s said that the M1 processor was actually based on the design of the A14.

The 10.9-inch iPad 10th generation also has 4GB of RAM inside it and, owning one myself, I can confirm that it’s still up to snuff. Having looked at the current range, I decided that, for my requirements, this is the model that offers the best balance between price and performance. Priced at $499/£499 for the cheapest model, I don’t feel like the new iPad mini is the answer for most people - yes, it has an A17 chip but the screen is smaller and it costs a lot more than the 10th-gen iPad, and as I mentioned, both the Air and Pro cost even more.

The slight downside is that the most affordable 10th-gen iPad only has 64GB storage, which can quickly start to fill up. But if you don’t go crazy with the number of apps you have installed - think about how many of them you actually use - and make canny use of cloud storage, it’s great value and will perform admirably.

Debuting in 2012, the iPad mini used to hit a nice sweet spot in Apple’s tablet range, being slightly more portable and affordable than the standard model.

As both phone and iPad screens have got bigger, though, its purpose seems less obvious. As a musician, do you really need a device that’s slightly larger than the one you take everywhere with you but not big enough to be viewed as a laptop replacement?

Apple clearly thinks that some people do, as it’s just launched a new version of the iPad mini that it says is “built for Apple Intelligence”.

The big internal upgrade is the A17 Pro chip, which replaces the previous model’s A15 processor and promises a 30% boost in CPU performance. There’s support for the Apple Pencil Pro, too.

In other areas, though, the new iPad mini is very similar to its predecessor. The Liquid Retina screen still measures 8.3 inches; it still uses Touch rather than Face ID; there are still stereo speakers and two microphones; and the battery life still tops out at 10 hours.

As such, the main draw here is the Apple Intelligence compatibility. Debuting in the upcoming iPadOS 18.1, this is a set of new AI features (including writing tools, enhanced Siri and image editing/creation features).

If these aren’t important to you but you like the iPad mini’s form factor, it might be worth looking out for a discount on the outgoing model, which looks similar and offers a lot of the same functionality.

That said, if you’re happy with a slightly larger display - and why wouldn’t you be? - our advice would be to try and find another £100 and get yourself an 11-inch iPad Air. This is also Apple Intelligence-compatible and contains the considerably newer M2 chip, so should be relevant for plenty of years to come.

The new iPad mini is available in four colour options, and the entry-level 128GB model has a starting price of $499/£499. It’s available for pre-order now, with deliveries commencing from 23 October.

Find out more on the Apple website.

Apple’s new iPhone announcements typically fall into the ‘meh’ category for a lot of musicians, but tucked away in last night’s keynote we got a glimpse of a forthcoming new feature in the company’s Voice Memos recording app that looks genuinely useful.

Seemingly exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max - Apple’s new flagship handsets - this enables you to layer one track on top of another, and then isolate the overdubbed part for use elsewhere.

Say, for example, you’ve recorded a guitar part and then later think of a vocal to go over the top of it. The new Voice Memos feature means that you can record this while listening to the guitar through your iPhone’s speaker, then remove the guitar using “advanced processing”.

Although Apple hasn’t said as much, we’re guessing that this feature is based on similar tech to that used in Stem Splitter, which is found in the latest versions of Logic Pro for Mac and iPad.

The new iPhone 16 Pro Maxes are also said to contain four “studio-quality” mics with a low noise floor, and you can select Spatial Audio recording when you’re capturing video. The new Audio Mix feature, meanwhile, enables you to instantly balance your soundtrack. You can choose to focus on the voices within the video frame, generate a reverb-free ‘studio’ sound, or select the cinematic option, which pushes the environmental sounds into the background and the voices up front.

Prices for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max start at $999/£999 and $1,199/£1,199 respectively. Apple has also launched the standard iPhone 16 and Plus, which start at $799/£799 and $899/£899.

AirPods 4 are incoming, too - now with the option of active noise cancellation, if you’re willing to pay extra for it - and the AirPods Max can now be had in five colour options. 

Find out more about all of these new products - plus new Apple Watches and the company’s new AI features - on the Apple website.

Apple has just announced a slew of new accessibility features for several of its products, and one of them could change the way that deaf and hard of hearing people experience music on the iPhone.

Known as Music Haptics, this uses the iPhone’s Taptic Engine in the iPhone to play “taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of the music,” giving people an opportunity to enjoy their favourite songs in a different way.

Naturally, this will work in Apple Music, but Apple is also releasing an API for developers so that can be implemented in their own apps. Presumably, this means that those who create music-making software to add it to their products, too.

Elsewhere, perhaps the most eye-catching - quite literally - of the new accessibility features is Eye Tracking for iPad and iPhone, which will enable those with physical disabilities to operate their device using their eyes. Powered by AI and on-device machine learning, this uses the camera to track eye movements across the screen and Dwell Control to activate each element. Eye control of physical buttons, swipes and other gestures is also in the offing.

Other accessibility additions include Vocal Shortcuts, Vehicle Motion cues to help reduce motion sickness and voice control for CarPlay. There are also specific features for Apple Vision Pro.

“We believe deeply in the transformative power of innovation to enrich lives,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “That’s why for nearly 40 years, Apple has championed inclusive design by embedding accessibility at the core of our hardware and software. We’re continuously pushing the boundaries of technology, and these new features reflect our long-standing commitment to delivering the best possible experience to all of our users.”

Find out more about the new accessibility features in the Apple Newsroom. They’ll be rolling out later this year.

Apple has issued a statement apologising for a controversial iPad Pro ad that caused a social media firestorm this week after being described as "tone-deaf" and "horrendous". 

The ad, titled Crush!, shows an array of objects used by artists, musicians and creatives, including a piano, drum kit and mixing desk, being crushed by a colossal hydraulic press and replaced by an iPad Pro. 

Critics of the commercial described it as "deeply offensive" and suggested that it showed disrespect for the creative tools that Apple's audience values highly. "This ad is tone-deaf and insulting to artists of every kind," said cartoonist James Kochalka. "We think of our tools with reverence and respect, and enjoy a healthy dialogue with them. Our tools are like trusted companions on the journey of art."

Apple's vice president of marketing Tor Myhren apologised for the ad in a statement shared with Ad Age. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” Myhren told the publication. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”

Apple has cancelled plans to air the ad on television, but it remains visible on YouTube and on CEO Tim Cook's Twitter/X account.

Earlier this week, Apple unveiled the M4-powered iPad Pro, which it describes as the thinnest product its ever released. The tech giant also announced the latest version of its DAW Logic Pro, which features AI-powered stem separation.

A new Apple ad for the recently announced iPad Pro has provoked widespread criticism on social media, being variously described as "dark", "dystopian" and "deeply offensive". 

The ad (embedded above) which Apple has titled Crush!, depicts a collection of objects associated with creativity - including a number of musical instruments and a mixing desk - being crushed by a gigantic slab of metal. After the objects are slowly pulverized, the press lifts up to reveal the new iPad Pro in their place.  

The message of the ad isn't hard to discern: you no longer need any of your beloved creative tools because the iPad Pro can do it all. Musical instruments, analogue recording equipment, studio monitors - the device makes all of these redundant. "Everything beautiful, charming and analogue will be destroyed by a flat black screen," as one commenter put it.

Many have accused the ad of showing flagrant disrespect for tools that creatives value dearly. "I cannot get my head around how you or anyone thought this was wise - and not incredibly disrespectful and dismissive to every artist, designer, musician and creative person of any kind," responded Joe Natoli on Twitter/X.

"This is the most ghoulish, tone-deaf ad I've ever seen in my life. Fire all of your marketers. This is utterly catastrophic for your brand," added Geoffrey Miller. Others have pointed out that the ad features a number of scenes involving the destruction of objects with "human-like qualities".

Such is the backlash to the commercial that Hollywood actor Hugh Grant has even weighed in, accusing the advert of promoting "the destruction of the human experience".

"I’m definitely the target audience for the new iPad Pro but this ad is tone-deaf and insulting to artists of every kind," commented cartoonist James Kochalka. "We think of our tools with reverence and respect, and enjoy a healthy dialogue with them. Our tools are like trusted companions on the journey of art."

Arriving at a moment when many creatives are concerned about the looming threat of artificial intelligence, Apple's ad has clearly touched a nerve. Adam Singer described it as "the perfect metaphor for today's creative dark age: compress organic instruments, joyful/imperfect machines, tangible art, our entire physical reality into a soulless, postmodern, read-only device a multi-trillion-dollar corporation controls what you do with". 

Announced earlier this week, the new iPad Pro is described by Apple as the thinnest product it's ever manufactured and features an all-new M4 chip and OLED display. The company has also unveiled new versions of the music production software Logic Pro for both Mac and iPad. 

At the start of its presentation today, Apple billed this as the biggest moment for the iPad since it was first launched. And, in terms of the sheer number of announcements, it might have a point.

On the hardware side, we’re getting new versions of iPad Pro and iPad Air, plus spruce-ups for the Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio. Oh, and the 10th-gen version of the ‘standard’ iPad has been given a price cut.

As you might expect, the top of the range is where the most exciting action is; Apple seems to have gone all out to ensure that the new iPad Pro takes as big a jump up as possible. As before, it’s available in two sizes - 11-inch and 13-inch - and both models are strikingly thin, measuring 5.3mm and 5.1mm respectively. In fact, Apple claims that this is the thinnest product it’s ever made.

And then there’s the processor. The previous iPad Pro rocked an M2 chip, but rather than go to the M3 chip that’s already been used in the Mac, Apple has effectively skipped a generation and put the new M4 in the latest model. This sports four performance cores, six efficiency cores, “nex-gen” machine learning accelerators and more efficiency.

Apple says that part of the reason for the jump to M4 is the iPad Pro’s Ultra Retina XDR display. This combines two OLED panels in what the company calls its “tandem OLED” technology, and promises extreme full-screen brightness and dynamic range and better responsiveness.

Prices for the new iPad Pro start at $/£999 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi model and $/£1,299 for the 13-inch Wi-Fi model (both available in silver and black), with storage options running from 256GB all the way up to 2TB. You can also spec a nano-texture glass option, if you wish, though this will cost you significantly more. 

The new Apple Pencil Pro ($/£129), meanwhile, adds a sensor in the barrel that can detect a user’s squeeze, and doing so brings up a tool palette. There’s also a custom haptic engine that confirms when users squeeze, double-tap or tap to a Smart Shape, and a gyroscope that responds to rolls of the pencil. A hover feature enables you to visualise tool orientation before you actually make contact with the display.

Improvements have been made to the Magic Keyboard (starting at £299), too, which gets a function row, an aluminium palm rest and a larger, more responsive trackpad with haptic feedback. In the case of the Smart Folio, there are now multiple viewing angles.

While it doesn’t have the whizz-bang pop of the new iPad Pro, the updated iPad Air looks like it could be an excellent option for tablet musicians. This inherits a number of features from the previous-gen Pro, including availability in two sizes (11- and 13-inch) and an M2 chip. In fact, with starting prices of $/£599 and £749/$799, it looks like it could be a great option for the music maker who wants a powerful iPad but doesn’t want to break the bank. There are four colour options (blue, purple, starlight, and space grey) and storage can be spec'd from 128GB to 1TB.

The even more budget-conscious, meanwhile, can now get their hands on the 10th-gen iPad for as little as $/£349. It looks like the 9th-gen model - the last one not to have a home button and not benefit from an all-screen design - has now been dropped from the official Apple line-up.

You can find out more about the new iPad range on the Apple website. The new models can be ordered there from today and will be available in stores from next week.

In terms of new hardware, it’s been a pretty quiet year for the Apple iPad. In fact, not a single model has been updated. For musicians, though, 2023 has seen the iPad take a significant step forward, thanks to Apple’s decision to finally release a tablet version of Logic Pro.

As we said in our review: “This might not be a replacement for the Mac version, but Logic Pro for iPad is a killer application in its own right, and one that has the potential to re-energise both your creativity and the iOS music-making space in general.”

Or, to put it another way, if you want to make the iPad your primary music-making device, it now has a DAW that, for a lot of users, will do everything they need it to.

What’s more, the number of high-quality AUv3 instruments and effects available for iPad continues to increase, so if you’re looking to expand your roster of creative options - whether you’re using Logic Pro or another iPad DAW - you’re spoilt for choice.

Whether you’re looking to level-up your iPad game or buy an Apple tablet for the first time, Cyber Monday has delivered some decent savings. We’ve scoured the online stores to find the tastiest iPad deals on the web, and it turns out that the best discounts are on the most affordable models, so if you're looking to get into iPad music-making on a budget, your luck is very much in. 

Best Cyber Monday US iPad deals

Best Cyber Monday UK iPad deals

Whether you're considering buying or already enjoying this great iPad DAW, we have some top tips to improve your workflow and get the most from the best touch music-making experience out there.

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

1. Taking your first steps?

If you’re totally new to Logic Pro on the iPad, we’ll get started with a few quick tips in one go to help get you going. 

The first advice would be to make sure you take advantage of the supplied Lessons; they’re really good, so use them! If you’re a Logic desktop user, in particular, you’ll find several of these invaluable, as LPiP does these things ever so slightly differently to the way it’s done on your desktop DAW. 

If you’re making the leap over from GarageBand, the good news is that there’s a dedicated Lesson for that, plus you can download a set of sounds dedicated to GB and load in its projects directly. For this, press the + icon, go to the GarageBand for iOS folder – which may be on your iCloud or iPad – and then tap a project. It should subsequently load up with all of the available third party AUv3s plugins.

2. Play Surfaces are great

The Play Surfaces are an innovative inclusion, especially if you’re not using an external MIDI controller. Click the keyboard button on the right and then the left keyboard button for a drop-down menu to access the five Play Surfaces (Keyboard, Drum Pads, Fretboard, Chord Strips and Guitar Strips). 

The Keyboard is great as you can use a scale option to lock it to your song scale so only the ‘correct’ notes are shown. The Chord Strips surface lets you perform complex chord progressions with one finger, and set the key of all the chords you play. You get higher inversions the higher up you play and when recorded, all of the MIDI notes played in that one finger chord will be there to edit. 

3. Speedy display tips

One of the best features in LPiP is the ability to simply touch and drag each window to resize it, for a high degree of customisation. You can also have multiple windows open – plugins, browser, and so on – but here’s an easy tip for when you want to get back to focussing on your song arrangement. 

You could manually close all other windows, but double-clicking the top bar of the Play Surface window closes everything bar the arrangement window. To get everything back, double-click the bottom bar and they will reappear! 

4. Customise!

One of the best features to get into when starting a project is display customisation. Starting with editing track header info, click the three dot icons next to Panel Show box to reveal options to show/hide solo, mute, input monitoring, record enable, track freezing, track colours and volume. 

In Settings (top right), you can also customise transport options (show/hide fast forward, rewind, cycle and capture recording); display options (show/hide song position, time signature, CPU and MIDI); and finally modes (for tuner, count in click and more).

5. Just browsin'

The browser in LPiP is one of its best features. For instruments, the All Filters option shows every filter so you can home in on a sound by specific instrument, synth type, genre, effects, sound pack and more, although it’s almost easier just to type what you’re after using the search function. 

Similarly with effects, Audio Patches are great for setting up instant effect group setups: an amp combo for guitars or an effects chain for vocals, for example. Select the audio track you want effects on, hit the browser icon and select Audio Patch presets by instrument or effect type.

• Read more: The beginner's guide to Logic Pro for iPad

6. Importing plugins

As you might expect, all AUv3 plugins should work with Logic – we say ‘should’, as there are issues with some which are expected to be resolved with point updates for LPiP. Third party plugins are selected in the plugin panel in the lower UI (press the ‘+’ on the right). 

As with the desktop version of Logic, all available plugins are listed by those you have recently used first, then those native to LPiP, and then third-party ones listed by developer name. As with the browser, we find using the Search option to find a plugin is often quicker than going through the various menus ordered by developer. 

7. Importing samples

Importing samples from the LPiP’s own downloaded content is easy, obviously, but getting your own samples in is not. You’ll need to go to the Files app and use the Slide Over option so the files stored on your iPad are shown over to the right of the UI at the same time as Logic. Then it’s a matter of dragging your audio files over from the Files app into Logic. 

If you drag them into the main arrangement window, a suitable track will be automatically created, or drag them into Live Loops for an instant Live-style grid playback.

8. Use Markers

One of the most useful aspects of Logic Pro for the iPad is the Marker section which lets you create song parts (intro, chorus, etc) to home in and work on. It’s accessed by tapping the Global Track Panel Show button (box with down arrow above the tracks). 

Then press down the + button and your first Marker will appear wherever the playhead is. Adjust the length by grabbing the handle (right) and dragging to your desired length. Then change the name by tapping on the Inspector button (bottom left ‘i’) and edit the text in the Marker Name box. Drag your playhead to a new position and repeat the process for more song markers. 

9. You can't beat Beat Breaker

Beat Breaker is also a highlight of LPiP. It allows you to slice up audio, add effects, reorder them and more. It’s particularly happy supplying glitchy and scratchy effects – the cartoon characters of the effects world – and is surprisingly ‘out there’ for what could be seen as quite a straight DAW from a big corporation. 

Our tip would be that it’s tempting to go all out and go wild with Beat Breaker, but reining it in and going down the more subtle stutter route might reap overall better rhythmic rewards. 

10. Sample Alchemy magic

Sample Alchemy is brand new for LPiP and allows you to effectively create instruments from samples and then go into some pretty deep editing with each. It permits you to control four playheads with a variety of playback options within the sample waveform – the Bow vibrato effect is particularly great, and well worth digging deep with. Add on top of that granular, filter and spatial engines for each source and it’s one of the most creative plugins in the DAW. 

Our top tip here is to experiment with the Spectral engine for instant ambience, whatever your sample might be. 

• Read more: Apple Logic Pro for iPad review

Logic Pro for iPad: What is it?

In the case of Logic Pro for iPad, perhaps a bigger question than ‘what is it?’ is ‘who is it actually for?’ Is this this a genuine touch-enabled alternative to the desktop version of Logic Pro - and one that could convince huge swathes of musicians to shift wholesale from the Mac to the iPad - or simply a souped-up version of GarageBand for iPad; fine for beginners, singer-songwriters and as a scratchpad for recording ideas, but not a ‘serious’ DAW for professional producers?

Without giving too much away before we’ve even got started, we can say that it’s none of these things. Logic Pro for iPad is better thought of as a completely new music production playground - albeit one that will be very familiar to both GarageBand for iPad and Logic Pro Mac users - but could easily serve as an upgrade for users of the former and a very interesting sister app for users of the latter.

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

We’re getting ahead of ourselves, though, so let's dial it back. In terms of specs, the good news is that, unlike Final Cut Pro for iPad, which requires an M1 processor, the tablet version of Logic Pro can run on any iPad that has an A12 Bionic chip or later and is running iPadOS 16.4 or later.

To give you some context, that means that it can be installed on not only every current-generation iPad, but also every iPad back to the 5th generation Mini, 3rd generation Air and 8th generation ‘standard’ model.

Given that many had suspected that any version of Logic Pro for iPad would be exclusive to the Pro range - a tangible point of difference between these models and all the others in Apple’s tablet line-up - this is a very pleasant surprise.

What of storage requirements, though? Entry-level iPads over the past few years have typically come with either 32GB or 64GB of space, so is that enough? That really depends on how much of that space you have left and how much of the Logic Pro content you want to install. The basic install is a relatively svelte 660MB, but download all the available sounds, loops, patches, etc, and you’re looking at more like 15GB.

We’ve seen and heard plenty of this content on the iPad before in GarageBand (the genre and artist packs, for example), but where Logic for iPad really starts to carve out its own niche is in its selection of plugins. There are more than 100 in total, many of which have come straight out of Logic for Mac (hello Retro Synth, ES2, Space Designer, etc) but some of which are completely new. There’s Sample Alchemy, which offers a touchy-feely way to manipulate samples, and the intuitive, hands-on fun factory that is Beat Breaker, a time- and pitch-morphing tool. As with all the other instruments, these can be played with a choice of touch interfaces.

Other things we haven’t seen before in an Apple-made iPad DAW include a proper mixer and comprehensive automation features. Track Stacks and Track Groups are here, too, and there’s an all-new tag-based browser, which puts all of your content in one place where it can be searched and auditioned.

The Ableton Live-esque Plug-in Tiles, meanwhile, give you fast access to all the effect and instrument controls in a track’s chain at the bottom of the display. Just double-tap one to open the full interface.

As you’d expect, there are plenty more Logic/GarageBand staples here, too: guitar amps and stompboxes; the automatic, configurable virtual Drummer; Drum Machine Designer; Live Loops; the Step Sequencer; and multi-take recording. Inevitably, there’s AUv3 support, and Ableton Link is on the guest list, too.

Apple Logic Pro for iPad: Performance and verdict

When designing Logic Pro for iPad, Apple has clearly decided that, rather than give (some) people what they think they want - a straight port of the desktop version - it’s going to give them what it thinks they actually need.

It all comes down to the interface and workflow, which have been beautifully optimised for the touchscreen experience. Logic veterans might wonder where all the menus have gone, but for a lot of people - particularly those who’ve been scared off the Mac version because they fear it will be ‘too complicated’ for them - it will feel like a breath of fresh air. 

Obviously, a lot of the plugins are familiar, but the additions of Beat Breaker and Sample Alchemy alone mean that everyone who can should check out the one-month Logic Pro for iPad trial. Both are superb, accessible sound design tools, the former enabling you to reorder, slice and manipulate incoming audio - quite literally by grabbing and twisting it with your hands - and the latter letting you apply its granular, additive and spectral synthesis engines to any sample you like.

It’s surely a case of when not if we’ll see these in Logic Pro for Mac as well, but whether they’ll feel as intuitive once you take the multitouch experience out of the equation remains to be seen.

GarageBand for iOS users, meanwhile, will likely be thrilled to finally be able to get their fingers on a proper mixer and full automation features, which become particularly enjoyable once you get the Apple Pencil involved. In fact, we found ourselves using the Pencil more and more during the course of our testing (in the piano roll and step sequencer, for example) and having a keyboard gives you immediate access to a lot of common Logic Pro shortcuts.

But this also makes things a little complicated. In the interests of full disclosure, we should say we reviewed Logic Pro for iPad on a 12.9-inch, M2-powered iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil and a Magic Keyboard. This makes for a very nice combination indeed, but it’s hard to escape the feeling that what you’ve essentially created here is an expensive touchscreen laptop.

The truth is that you could pick up a MacBook Air and a copy of Logic Pro for Mac for considerably less. You might lose the touchscreen, but you’ll gain the all important third-party AU plugin support, the lack of which is currently Logic Pro for iPad’s achilles heel.

That said, we suspect that the launch of Logic Pro for iPad will kickstart a real resurgence in the cross-platform AUv3 market, which is already showing strong signs of life. As things stand, if you load up a Logic project that contains Mac-only third-party plugins you’ll get a message saying that they’re not available, but Apple would surely love there to come a time when industry-wide adoption of AUv3 means that this becomes a non-issue.

Which brings us back to that original question: who is Logic Pro for iPad actually for? If you’re a GarageBand for iPad user who’s become frustrated with that software’s limitations then it’s a no-brainer. Your existing projects will load right in and you'll have loads more functionality - this is the touch DAW you’ve been waiting for, basically.

Singer-songwriters, too, will love it, particularly if they want to go beyond simple demo recording and have the tools they need to create material that’s approaching release quality.

Bizarrely, it’s perhaps existing Logic users for whom the question is the most difficult to answer. Yes, Logic Pro for iPad offers a pretty good facsimile of Apple’s desktop DAW in a touch-friendly mobile format, and has some excellent additions, but if you’re a power user or value third-party plugin support, it definitely won’t be a replacement for it. Which isn’t to say that it’s not worth having - simply that it will be something that you use alongside your existing DAW rather than at the expense of it.

Which is probably a roundabout way of saying that Logic Pro for iPad is actually very much its own thing, and one that every existing or aspiring musician who owns an iPad that can run it should try (it's free for your first month so there's really no reason not to). And if you do try it, make sure you check out the built-in interactive lessons, which are excellent. Spend an hour or two following these through and you’ll get a pretty good idea of how the software works and what it’s capable of, and you’ll probably be itching to get on and find out what kind of music you can make with it.

Eyebrows will be raised and complaints made about the subscription-only pricing model - as things stand, the desktop version of Logic Pro remains a one-time-only purchase, in case you were wondering - but at $5 a month or $49 a year, it’s by no means outrageous. Still, it would be nice to have the option to purchase the software outright.

Ultimately, though, Logic Pro for iPad is great not only for tablet-based musicians, but the iOS music-making scene in general. In some ways, the software feels like the culmination of everything Apple has been trying to achieve in the creative part of its multitouch universe, and offers fresh impetus to both musicians and third-party developers who are willing to explore it.

MusicRadar verdict: It might not be a replacement for the Mac version, but Logic Pro for iPad is a killer application in its own right, and one that has the potential to re-energise both your creativity and the iOS music-making space in general.

Logic Pro for iPad: Hands-on demos

Mary Spender

The GarageBand Guide

Logic Pro for iPad: Specifications

• Requires an iPad with Apple A12 Bionic chip or later and iPadOS 16.4 or later
• Requires 663MB available storage space for minimum install or up to 15GB storage space for full Sound Library installation
• AUv3 support
• Supported sample rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, and 96 kHz
• Audio export options: AIFF, WAV, AAC, Apple Lossless
• Class-compliant MIDI controller support
• Ableton Link support
• Apple Pencil and Bluetooth keyboard support
• GarageBand for iOS project import and Logic Pro for Mac roundtrip project support
• Contact: Apple

At last, Apple has released the long-rumoured Logic Pro for iPad, bringing its flagship DAW to a multitouch device for the first time.

First impressions are that, as you’d expect, this takes some design cues from the iOS version of GarageBand, but goes further by offering a range of ‘pro’ features.

Diving into the detail, an all-new sound browser puts all available instrument patches, audio patches, plugin presets, samples and loops in a single location, and you can tap any sound to audition it before you add it to a project.

And there’s certainly plenty of content to play with: Logic Pro for iPad ships with more than 100 instruments and effects, with the multitouch-capable interfaces enabling you to bring them to life. 

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

One of the instruments - Sample Alchemy (below) - is brand new; an evolution of the existing Alchemy synth, we suspect, this enables you to “transform any audio sample with the tap of a finger”.

Plugin Tiles, meanwhile, put the most useful controls for any instrument or effect at your fingertips.

Other potential highlights include Beat Breaker, a new time and pitch-morphing plugin, and iPad-friendly variants of Logic Pro’s Quick Sampler, Step Sequencer and Drum Machine Designer. The Live Loops feature is here too, for those who want an alternative to the standard, timeline-based arrangement view.

Unlike GarageBand for iOS, Logic for iPad includes what Apple describes as a Pro Mixer. This offers channel strips, volume faders, pan controls, plugins, sends and automation features, and enables you to move multiple faders at once.

Crucially, Apple says that the Logic Pro for iPad is compatible with the Mac version via its “roundtrip capabilities” - we’re keen to dig in and find out how these work. A number of audio export options are available, too, including compressed, lossless and individual track stem. GarageBand for iOS projects can be opened in Logic Pro for iPad, too.

Logic Pro for iPad will be available from 23 May priced at £5 a month or £49 and run on any iPad with an A12 Bionic chip or later and iPadOS 16.4 or later, so it’s not just iPad Pro owners who will be able to get involved. 

The pricing won’t please those who are opposed to subscription models, obviously, but for people who want to make this their primary music production software, at least it’s not a huge amount to pay. 

And that, of course, brings us to the big questions: is there a demand among Apple fans for a pro-grade, end-to-end iPad DAW, and if there is, does Logic Pro fit the bill?

Time will tell, but for now, you can find out more on the Apple website.

Back in 2017, AudioKit Pro’s Matthew Fecher released FM Player, an iOS app packed with samples of a Yamaha DX7 from a famous studio. This ended up in the hands of some pretty serious players, including Herbie Hancock and producers for the likes of Drake, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.

Now we have a new and improved sequel - King Of FM - and the very pleasing news is that it’s being given away for free. It now runs on the iPhone and Silicon Macs, too, so it’s not just iPad owners who can have all the ‘80s-inspired fun.

King Of FM lives up to its name by including presets from not only the DX7, but also the DX7II, TX81z, and SY77. More than 300 presets, in fact, which are derived from more than 10,000 samples. That equates to in excess of 2GB of sounds, but AudioKit Pro has managed to compress them down to less than 400MB.

There are effects, too - Phaser, Chorus, Reverb, Ping-pong delay, Crush and Stereo Fatten to name just some of them - while an audio recorder enables you to capture your performances and export them as WAV files.

As we mentioned, King Of FM is completely free - there are no in-app purchases and you get a lifetime licence for iPad, iPhone and Mac. You can grab it now from the Apple App Store.

Daniel Wallis has form for inspired custom electric guitar builds that make us smile – his Star Wars Millennium Falcon-shaped Rebel Bass and Aliens designs spring to mind. But his latest design it incorporates a full-size iPad into the guitar. 

"I designed it originally with the idea for being able to change visualisations onstage," says Daniel of his entry into the Great Guitar Build Off 2022 competition. "It was an excuse for me to try and build this as a prototype."

But the potential afforded by the iPad goes beyond visuals.

As Daniel notes, you can play along with video lessons and backing tracks via wi-fi. He's also open to building in an interface like an iRig into future custom builds for customers after this prototype, further widening the scope. 

 That's all great, but where are the pickups?

"There's actually three and they're piezo pickups," says Daniel. "One is underneath the bridge, one is underneath the iPad, so built into the guitar body, and one is just under the neck.

"I like the idea of using this build as an excuse to try new things out," he adds. "One of which was this guitar has a big D-shaped neck and I enjoy it – it's different to what you'd normally expect."

The Brighton-based luthier also debuted a new headstock design that could become Devil & Sons' standard design going forwards.

The iPad can be removed from the body with a removable magnetic section of the body.  

For more information check out Devil & Sons Customised Guitars. 

With surprisingly little fanfare, Apple has unveiled the biggest update to its standard iPad - by which we mean the one without the word mini, Air or Pro in its name - in years.

This new 10th-generation model ditches the bezels in favour of all-screen design and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, and gets a speed boost courtesy of the A14 Bionic chip. This is the same as the one used in the fourth-generation iPad Air and the iPhone 12 range.

The new chip promises a 20 percent increase in CPU power and a 10 percent graphics boost in comparison to the previous ninth-gen model, which has a 10.2-inch display and contains the A13 Bionic chip.

There are new cameras, too, with the front-facing lens being the first on any iPad model to sit along the landscape edge. This supports centre stage, the Apple technology that’s designed to automatically keep you in shot.

New dual microphones reinforce the impression that Apple wants to make this iPad a better option for video calling, as do the new landscape stereo speakers.

In terms of connectivity, this iPad gets a USB-C rather than a Lightning port, and supports Wi-FI 6 for faster connectivity. The cellular models are 5G, and the new iPad is compatible with a fresh Magic Keyboard Folio.

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

All of which sounds great, but there is a catch. If you were expecting the price of this new iPad to be in line with its predecessor, which costs $329/£369, you’re going to be disappointed. The entry-level 64GB WiFI model will sell for $449/£499 which, we’re sure we don’t need to point out, is considerably more.

Add to this the fact that the ninth-gen iPad will remain on sale and this doesn’t really feel like a new entry-level Apple tablet at all. In fact, it appears to have more in common with the iPad Air, which starts at $599/£669, the biggest difference being that it doesn’t have that machine’s M1 processor.

As such, for music producers, there’s a risk that this new iPad falls between two stools - neither cheap enough to feel like an affordable way of accessing the many excellent DAW, synth and other apps that are on offer, or powerful enough to give you the very best Apple tablet experience currently available.

So, the ninth-gen model still looks a decent bet if you want to keep costs down, and if you want raw power - perhaps even a tablet that will be your primary music-making device - the AIr and Pro models are more attractive.

Speaking of the iPad Pro, Apple has also given this a refresh, replacing its M1 chip with an M2 processor. Prices start at $799/£899 for the 11-inch WiFi model and $1,099/£1,249 for the 12.9-inch WiFi model.

The new iPad (10th-generation) is available in a choice of four colours (blue, pink, silver and yellow) and, like the new iPad Pro, will be available from 26 October. Pre-orders are open now.

Find out more on the Apple website. 

The latest, ninth-generation version of the ‘standard’ iPad has plenty to offer musicians - a reasonably powerful A13 Bionic chip and a minimum of 64GB of storage, for example - but there’s no denying that its design looks somewhat dated.

It looks like the 2022 model, though - predicted to be announced at some point in September - could change all that by taking some design cues from the Pro, Air and Mini iPads. 

Supposedly leaked CAD renders published by mysmartprice indicate that the new iPad will inherit the flat-edged design of its more expensive siblings, though the presence of some chunky bezels round the display indicate that it won’t be an ‘all-screen’ affair up top. The Home button is predicted to remain, too.

The same report suggests that Apple could be set to ditch the Lightning port on the iPad 2022 and replace it with a USB-C socket, and the tablet is tipped to get an A14 chipset. 

Given that the 2021 iPad Mini (sixth generation) has an A15 chip inside it, this would be a bit of a disappointment, but probably not a dealbreaker on an entry-level tablet.

More notably, it seems that this iPad could mark the end of the 3.5mm headphone jack, so you may need an adapter or an audio interface if you want to go down the ‘wired’ route with your cans when you’re making music (as you almost certainly will).

Of course, Apple hasn’t commented on any of the above, so you can take all these rumours with the usual pinch of salt. We’re guessing that all will become clear in just over a month from now.

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

Apple has announced that its revolutionary iPod is to be discontinued. The final model, the seventh-generation iPod touch, will remain on sale, but only while supplies last.

Launched in 2001, Apple’s iPod was a genuine gamechanger for the music industry. It quickly led to mass adoption of MP3 players and, at a time when file-sharing was dominant, helped to demonstrate that digital music could be monetised.

It was heavily marketed using a series of now iconic ‘silhouette ads’, which were soundtracked by the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Caesars, Daft Punk and The Ting Tings.

There were numerous different models along the way - Mini, Nano, Shuffle etc - with each enabling you to carry a chunk (or possibly all) of your music collection in your pocket.

The writing has been on the wall for the iPod ever since Apple launched the iPhone in 2007; why buy a dedicated music player when you already have one built into your mobile? However, some models - the high-capacity Classic in particular - retained a loyal following among people who still wanted a device that didn’t really on internet connectivity and just did one thing really well.

With streaming now the dominant force in music consumption, however, the iPod’s days were always numbered. Its legacy will live on, though, not least in the term ‘podcast’, which was coined when spoken-word ‘audioblogs’ started to be created for people to listen to on their Apple devices.

The iPod Classic was discontinued in 2014, while the nano and Shuffle models were retired in 2017. The iPod touch - the last remaining model - runs iOS, and is effectively an iPhone without cellular connectivity.

Commenting on the end of the iPod, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said: “Music has always been part of our core at Apple, and bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod did impacted more than just the music industry - it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared”.

The iPod touch is available to buy via the Apple website. Prices start at $199/£199 for the 32GB version, rising to $399/£399 for the 256GB model.

Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash might once have had an appetite for destruction, but an appetite for gamechanging portable music players? Not so much.

Speaking to the Metro, the oft-behatted riff maven confessed: “there was a period where I had an iPod, which I would take on the road with me for convenience, but the quality of the sound drove me crazy because it was so fucking digital.”

When asked to name his favourite portable music device, Slash said: “Those little flat Sony cassette players that had a tape on one end and the speakers on the other. I used to walk around with that when I was first starting to play guitar.”

In fact, it seems that Slash isn’t really a digital man all; while he’s happy to admit that Pro Tools is “a genius piece of technology,” he also explains that “I’m not a huge fan because it tends to be overused”.

Explaining in more detail, he says: “It allows you to edit every single note, which means that people actually put records together not knowing how to play a single note.”

Of course, this is true of every DAW, not just Pro Tools, but it’s fair to say that Guns N’ Roses have always been dubious about the merits of digital technology.

The original Appetite For Destruction CD liner notes, for example, said: “Compact digital disc was originally recorded on analogue equipment. We have attempted to preserve, as closely as possible, the sound of the original recording. Because of its rich resolution, however, the compact disc can reveal limitations of the source tape.”

Slash’s new album, 4, featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, was released last week.

We're going to show you how to assemble a mobile studio with an iPad at its heart, with choice hardware options for audio recording and playback, and a range of other devices for playing and MIDI control. 

In 2020, we might have told you that mobile music making can't yet offer the flexibility of a decent studio based around a powerful computer. However, a lot can change in a year. Fast forward to 2021, and Apple’s latest Pro iPads have the same M1 chips found in the company’s desktop and laptop machines, so the devices are very much on par power-wise with your standard computer. 

Plus most of the latest iPads have USB and even Thunderbolt compatibility meaning you can plug in and play a range of audio interfaces, MIDI keyboards and more. And as we shall see, there are many such devices, and even more apps to run on iPads to make the mobile studio experience just that more, well, pro!

The hardware you need (or not)

There are some great hardware iPad options, including devices that allow you to route audio into and out of your iPad or allow you to ‘play’ your apps. Interfaces enable you to add vocals or guitars to your iPad compositions, for example, and play back the results through decent studio monitors. Keyboards let you play that synth via a Bluetooth keyboard, or controllers let you tweak a DAW. 

However, as good as these hardware add-ons are, they are not essential, particularly if you don’t require any dealings with audio from the outside world. The beauty of the iPad is that it can be used to make music as a self-contained unit, with everything done within an iOS DAW and played back through the internal speaker or connected headphones. However, if you want to record proper audio, hear your music on decent speakers, or control your DAW, instruments and apps with a hardware device, read on!

Audio interfaces

Need to record audio from the real world into your iPad? Sing, play guitar, record an entire band? It’s all possible. You could, of course, do this with the iPad’s built-in microphone but the results will be far better if you choose to use a dedicated audio interface. 

As with desktop recording, your iPad interface will need mic, line or combi XLR/line inputs for connecting both microphones and instruments up for recording, plus outputs to connect to speakers. You can get any number of ins and outs with audio interfaces, so whichever combination you require, there is an interface available. Every recording situation can now be handled by an iPad, from recording a songwriter playing guitar and singing to recording several band members playing a live gig. 

However, deciding which interface to buy can be confusing thanks to Apple using the Lightning, USB-C and Thunderbolt interfacing standards in the current range of iPads, not to mention older USB audio interfaces not using the USB-C standard! But we’re here to clear it up and make (some) sense of it all.

First, the good news. The same type of USB audio interface that you use with your desktop setup can often be used with the more expensive USB-C compatible iPads, and even higher spec’d Thunderbolt interfaces can be used with the Pro models.

Firewire audio interfaces will not work with the current range of iPads though. And older USB audio interfaces will require a USB to USB-C adaptor to work with a USB-C iPad, and might require extra power, usually by way of an AC adapter for the interface or powered USB hub to the iPad. 

The best and clearest news is that a USB-C compatible audio interface will connect directly to a USB-C iPad, and in most cases a USB-C iPad should be able to power a USB-C audio interface. We say ‘most’ as this might not always be the case as specs (and indeed iPads) change so regularly.

Here, then, we recommend checking with interface manufactures. Many, like Focusrite, post regular news or blog stories to say which of their interfaces require or don’t require external power and with which iPads. 

In our roundup below, we have only included interfaces that we know will work directly with the newer USB-C iPads. These are probably your target interface if you own or are considering a new, more expensive iPad. Just plug and play with (hopefully) power to boot. Using an iPad with older ‘non USB-C’ audio interfaces might require additional power to work via a powered USB hub. To be honest, it’s a faff so we’d say go USB-C all the way. 

Confusing Lightning

To confuse an already murky situation, the cheapest standard iPad uses Lightning connectivity so if you want to use it with a USB interface, you will need a separate Lightning to USB adapter. Also, it’ll almost certainly not supply enough juice to power a USB interface of any type, so extra power will be needed. 

That might sound like we have a downer on this iPad – we do, but only because it’s made us write a lot more words(!) – but actually it represents a cost-effective way of getting into iPad music making. And you can also solve all of the above issues by way of a dedicated Lightning audio interface of which there are a few on the market designed for specific use with Lightning devices like this. A Lightning cable will be supplied; just use it to connect the interface up to your iPad’s Lightning port. 

Power is usually supplied, portability is great as Lightning compatible interfaces are small, and this really is the most cost effective way to record audio into an iPad. However, the number of inputs at your disposal may be limited. 

We do understand that there are some ‘ifs’, ‘shoulds’ and ‘mights’ with iPad interfacing, but with all the iPad interfacing standards and a huge number of audio interfaces out there (USB, Thunderbolt and Lightning), it can be very, very frightening (see what we did there). It’s therefore not easy to give definitive advice, but we hope we’ve cleared some of it up!

Mic power

The big advantage of using any audio interface – as well as plugging instruments in direct to record them – is using a microphone for much better quality recordings. Lots of journalists use small-form interfaces and iPhone microphones plugged directly into their I-devices, for example. And musicians are served with some great interface and mic options, but just as with the interfaces above, you need to watch that power. 

Dynamic microphones should be able to plug into most interfaces and give you decent recordings. Higher quality condenser microphones, though, require external power and you need to check with your interface whether it offers this ‘phantom power’, otherwise you might be limited to dynamic mics only or need to power your condenser via a battery. Most USB audio interfaces have phantom power options; that’s not always the case with Lightning devices though. 

As with everything else we have mentioned with audio interfaces, you need to balance how many inputs you need, what mic you are using and your mobility needs – power or no power – and then choose. 

MIDI control

Just as with your main computer software, having extra hardware control over it – playing notes, turning synth controls and so on – is possible with iPads. Very often, MIDI keyboards and controllers will be Bluetooth devices, so wireless, but not always the most precise playing devices in terms of timings, but great for mobile setups. 

Most keyboards and controllers are USB compatible so will be fine connecting up to the more expensive iPads (probably by way of a USB to USB-C cable) or with the entry-level iPad (via that Lightning to USB adapter). And like the audio interfaces mentioned above, some MIDI keyboard devices will often need extra power although many will be powered by USB via the iPad. 

Others offer the aforementioned Bluetooth connectivity. These may not need external power when connected, but will need to be powered (usually by batteries) when not. Again, the bottom line is to check the specs of whatever model you are buying to connect up with your iPad. 

10 of the best interfaces, mics and MIDI controllers for iPad

Akai MPK Mini Mk3

PRICE £89 | WHAT IS IT? 25 Key velocity-sensitive mini keyboard | SPECS USB-C connectivity, USB-powered

A very well spec’d keyboard for the money. It’s also great for adding melodies, basslines and simple chords to projects, and eight encoder knobs can be mapped to practically any parameter, plus those eight full-sized MPC style drum pads really make a difference. 

It’s small enough to be thrown in a backpack, yet contains enough useful features to make it a highly useful addition to any studio. You’ll need a USB-C or Lightning adapter though.

IK Multimedia iRig Keys I/O 49

PRICE £270 | WHAT IS IT? 49 full-size key, velocity-sensitive keyboard | SPECS USB connectivity, powered by USB or batteries

IK have great controllers for iPad use, like iRig Keys 2 and iRig Keys 2 Mini, but we’ve opted for the larger keyed iRig Keys I/O 49. Not only is it a full-sized iPad keyboard option but it doubles as an audio interface and is a recommended third-party Apple device. 

The keyboard action is decent and the onboard audio interface excels, with 24-bit/96kHz operation. The unit fits even the most hectic desktops and handles basic recording duties and MIDI control easily. It’s good value too, with a knockout software bundle. 

Audient iD4 MKII

PRICE £129 | WHAT IS IT? USB audio interface | SPECS Combi XLR/line input, 2 line outs, direct monitor, phantom power, headphone

Audient have a great rep in audio interfacing and this unit works directly – and is powered by – the latest USB-C iPads (it’s a USB-C interface so that’s thankfully a no brainer). The iD4 is solidly made with all-metal casework, and with chunky controls and decent connectors, it definitely has a quality feel. 

Compared to its predecessor it has a better dynamic range, improved signal to noise ratio and a beefed up headphone output and this all comes across in the sound which is transparent and with very low noise. The feature set is pretty basic, but there’s quality where it counts and the price makes it a bit of a steal for this kind of quality.

Roland Go: Mixer Pro X

PRICE £129 | WHAT IS IT? Multi-channel mixer and audio interface | SPECS 11 inputs (mics, instruments, and more), 3 outs, headphone, powered by device or 4 x AAA batteries

A unique mixer/interface that crams a lot of inputs in a small device which can then be mixed and uploaded for streaming, podcasting or recording. There are inputs for line-level gear like keyboards, a combo jack for connecting up a mic, plus a specific input for guitar/bass. 

In fact, Go: Mixer Pro can mix up to seven inputs at once so you could, in theory, have an entire band play and upload music to your iPad. It’s a little lightweight but certainly does the job well, and it’s portable enough to take anywhere and record and stream anything. And there’s connectivity for both Lightning and USB-C.

IK Multimedia iRig Pro I/O

PRICE £149 | WHAT IS IT? A portable audio/MIDI interface | SPECS Mic in, instrument in, phones out, MIDI In/Out, phantom power

The iRig Pro I/O is a very capable iPad interface, with a combi XLR/line input for guitars, instruments and mics plus 48 phantom power so you can plug in higher quality condenser mics. You get 24-bit/96kHz audio quality as well as MIDI In and Out for sending and receiving control messages. 

A headphones port lets you monitor your input and a DC input lets you charge your iOS device via an optional adaptor. All cables are included though which is a bonus, as is the (claimed) $550 software bundle that includes IK apps like SampleTank SE and AmpliTube. An excellent compact, cost-effective audio/MIDI interface.

PreSonus Revelator io24

PRICE £169 | WHAT IS IT? USB audio interface | SPECS 2 Combo XLR/line inputs, 2 outputs, phantom power, loopback feature

One of the new interface kids on the block, Revelator io24 is intended for a huge variety of applications but with USB-C compatibility will hook up directly to such an iPad – although only a C to regular USB cable is supplied. 

Once you do you’ll get a flexible two channels of input, two loopback channels for mixing audio from multiple sources, high quality 24-bit/96kHz recording and you can even turn the iOS tables on the device to use your iPad to control it via the UC Surface controller app. Very cool!

IK Multimedia iRig Mic Studio

PRICE £140 | WHAT IS IT? Condenser microphone | SPECS Lightning / USB

Like you don’t know it by now, IK Multimedia have been one of the longest serving producers of iOS goods, ever since the Amplitube apps and original iRig devices started appearing in 2010. iRig Mic Studio is a large diaphragm condenser offering great quality recording capabilities for a variety of situations. 

It is equally at home recording acoustic instruments, vocals and speech, with the recorded audio matching up to more expensive options from the likes of Røde and Blue. Happily it also comes with just about every cable you need for just about every iPad.

Focusrite Scarlett range

PRICE Scarlett Solo £99, 2i2 £129 | WHAT IS IT? USB audio interface | SPECS Solo: XLR input, line input, 2 line outs, direct monitor, phantom power, headphone SPECS 2i2: 2 combi XLR/line ins, 2 line outs,  direct monitor, phantom power, headphone

Focusrite have tested their units with the current range of USB-C iPads and are ‘officially supported’ so not only do they work well but the Scarlett Solo and 2i2 will work via bus power; no surprise really, as they are USB-C devices. We certainly recommend the Scarlett range; these two are great mobile options. And for your Lightning iPad, Focusrite even have a dedicated iTrack Solo Lightning at around £111 with direct Lightning connectivity.

Korg microKEY2 Air-25

PRICE £86 | WHAT IS IT? 25 mini key, velocity-sensitive keyboard | SPECS USB and Bluetooth connectivity, powered by USB or batteries

The microKey 2 Air range includes 25-, 37-, 49- and 61-note models, all of which have the advantage of working wirelessly over Bluetooth. You’ll have to install a couple of AA batteries, but these last for around 20 hours and USB bus-powering will be an option with most iPads. 

The Air 25 isn’t the most controller-packed keyboard, but it gives you the basics and plays far better than many of its rivals. It’s also easy to set up and operate, so if you want to free yourself from the tyranny of cables, you’ve found the MIDI controller keyboard you need.

AKG Lyra

PRICE £140 | WHAT IT IS Condenser microphone | SPECS USB-C connectivity

Like other products here, the Lyra automatically becomes an iPad friend because of its USB-C connectivity – although you’ll need to buy a cable to connect direct. That said, it also wins out through its striking build quality, flexible multi-pattern design and hi-res recording that is suited to a range of podcasting and music recording tasks. Plus it looks pretty cool too. 

There are cheaper mic options out there, for sure, but the AKG Lyra is sonically in another league compared to many USB mics we have tested, and will stretch to many more musical duties, as well as giving your podcasts a professional sound.

The Apple iPad is a defining piece of modern consumer hardware. Over years upon years of iteration and improvement, it has slid its way into creative, professional and professional-creative workflows across the board. Despite this, proper uptake in musician and producer circles has been slow, for a variety of reasons - at least, that is, until Apple announced their in-house M-range and Bionic chipsets, which are powerful enough that the best iPads for musicians and producers now rival Apple's laptop and desktop machines in terms of power and potential.

With better connectivity than ever and computing power that matches some of Apple’s more powerful laptops, the iPad is inarguably an asset in any music creator’s toolkit. Companies like Steinberg, Arturia, Korg and Moog continue to produce top drawer iOS apps, and Apple’s recent adoption of USB-C ports for its devices means more musicians will have better luck mating their iPad with audio interfaces and other peripherals. Apple’s new approach to AI could also remove some key barriers to creativity, made possible by the improved power of their latest proprietary CPUs.

From high-quality digital synths to odd sampler-sequencers, and from fun creative toolkits to fully-fledged digital audio workstations, the iPad opens up a new tactile universe for you to explore - whether you're a recording artist, engineer or electronic producer. You could use your iPad as a standalone music-making sandbox, or put it at the centre of an unconventional home recording set-up that beats most other amateur rigs.

The iPad range is a wide one, though, and one further complicated by the various customisability options between you and unboxing your new tablet. To make things a tad simpler, I’ve hand-picked the stand-out models and their stand-out attributes, so you can make your own decisions as to which best suits your music-making needs.

The quick list

The best overall

The Apple iPad Pro M4 is an incomparably powerful juiced-up tablet-by-name, having more in common with top-shelf music production laptops than it does with other devices that share its form. This is peak iPad, and exceeds the capabilities of a fair few iMacs in the process.

The M4 brain of this iPad Pro is truly cutting-edge, boasting some significant improvements over its predecessor chips with respect to unified memory (read: RAM) speed and neural engine performance. For the musician, this means faster and smoother experiences with memory-intensive Logic Pro sessions or audio processing.

This lightning-quick device could well be powerful enough to run a studio from, though it is somewhat hamstrung by its lack of I/O and its relatively limiting iPadOS. If you’re spending up to £/$2,000 on something to record with, you might be better off buying a complete MacBook Pro - but for sketching, songwriting and producing, with touchscreen tactility, a host of powerful iOS apps at your disposal and without any functional hardware limitations, you’re looking at a holy-grail of portable music-making.

Best lightweight option

The iPad Air M2 is a near-impossibly thin and light tablet, geared towards immense portability and yet somehow more powerful than the standard iPad. This is the smaller 11” model, and a hugely capable little machine - still with enough screen real estate for your needs, and with a lot of powerful circuitry hidden in its 6.1mm-thick chassis.

The M2 chip is a powerful brain for the iPad Air, and one which puts its potential on a relative par with the Mac Mini (OS differences notwithstanding). Its usefulness in pro scenarios endures in spite of the M2 already having been superseded at least twice, by the M3 and the iPad Pro’s M4 chip.

This pace of continued development with respect to Apple silicon is bound to see the M2 chip eventually left in the dust, but for the time being the iPad Air M2 is the second-most powerful iPad on the shelves. If you can make peace with the M2’s power as it exists here (which is ample enough for all but the most resource-intensive creative tasks), you won’t be disappointed by this pre-eminently portable workhorse.

Best on the go

The smallest item on our best-of list is this, the Apple iPad Mini (with the A17 Pro chip) - a pint-sized ideas-machine that combines the surprising power of Apple’s smartphone processors with a larger screen and a swanky new iPadOS.

This iPad Mini iterates little on its predecessor, but boasts a pretty sweet CPU upgrade in the form of its A17 Pro processor. The A17 Pro isn’t the newest amongst Apple’s own-brand iPhone CPUs, but it’s still a strong piece of kit; it goes all in on its native machine-learning smarts by doubling the juice of the A-series’ Neural Engine, and also offers some modest improvements to CPU and GPU performance besides.

The processing power of the A17 Pro promises to juice up your on-the-go creative potential, though if you’re wanting to delve into some resource-intensive sessions you might be better off getting an iPad with a beefier M-series chip. Still, as a pocket-friendly box of tricks, the iPad Mini could be a perfect budget device.

Best for beginners

The latest 10th-gen Apple iPad loses the old Touch ID button below the screen and, with its thinner frame design, looks more in line with the latest mini and Pro. Other than that the size and weight between the 9th gen iPad (still on sale) and newer 10th gen are pretty similar.

The new A14 chip in the 10th gen model makes it more powerful than the older 9th gen though, but you can't help being disappointed that Apple didn't notch it up to the A15 (as in the mini) or even and M1 to really make this the best iPad to buy.

Whichever way you look at it though, the 10th generation 'standard' iPad is an attractive route into the iPad universe. It's smaller and more portable than the larger Pro, but does now boast a larger screen over the older iPad.

And if you were choosing between the older 9th gen and newer 10th, then you also have to weigh up quite a high price hike between the two models. But you are also getting better cameras, speakers (placed wider with better stereo) and power with the 10th gen so we think it's just about worth it, making this our entry-level iPad of choice.

Best budget iPad

To say that the older ninth generation iPad is languishing in last place for music producers is somewhat unfair as it still represents a decent buy - it's just the others have had their power souped up or other specs tweaked the right way. Here, cost is undeniably a key target for Apple to keep down, so it's the cheapest iPad but also the least powerful.

Nevertheless there are good points. It comes with 64GB capacity as a base level – the 32GB on the previous generation had been looking too weedy for too long – which should be enough for most musicians to own a decent suite of apps. The 10.2-inch screen is neither the biggest or smallest either. And the price? Well next to the Pro this is obviously a steal but in the world of Apple and music making, you want the biggest and best and even though this is a third of the price of the Pro, we know which we're saving for.

FAQs

How we choose the best iPads for music production

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best iPads for music production available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category. We've been testing and using iPads for music-making purposes for over a decade now, so we also draw on our experience of using most generations of iPad and understanding how they have developed and become more powerful over the years.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability.

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

Why trust us?

MusicRadar first launched in 2007 and has been an authority on iPads ever since it was clear they were a great tool for music-makers, rigorously testing the majority of key launches since the early days.

The site is run by a diverse team of passionate musicians who live to gig, record and jam, alongside a core group of trusted specialist freelance writers. We understand what music-makers need, because we’re immersed in it ourselves, and we test from this perspective.

Our team have been testing music gear for 18+ years, constantly refining our methodology, delving deeper into products and drawing on our experience of what has come before to understand today’s products better than anyone.

Read more:

• Best phones for musicians: top smartphones for music production
• Prefer a desktop? These are the best PCs for music production
• Our pick of the best iPhone microphones
• Best tablets for production: because there's more than just Apple

While the headline act at Apple’s launch event today was always going to be the iPhone 13, the company also sprung a slight surprise by unveiling a couple of new iPads.

The most interesting of these might just be the new iPad mini, which has a swish all-screen design - think mini iPad Pro - and contains the same 6-core A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13. There’s now a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, along with USB-C connectivity and support for the second-generation Apple Pencil.

If you can stomach the smaller display, at first glance it looks like the new iPad mini could be a great choice as a music-making tablet. In fact, it’ll be interesting to see how its performance compares to that of the latest iPad Pro, which contains the M1 chip that made its debut on the Mac.

Prices for the new iPad mini start at $499/£479 for a WiFi model with 64GB of storage (the Cellular models support 5G, incidentally), and there’s also a 256GB option for $649/£619. It’s available in Pink, Starlight, Purple and Space Grey finishes, and will be on sale from 24 September.

The new entry-level iPad (9th generation) is less eye-catching, but it does now come with an A13 Bionic chip inside (an upgrade from the previous model’s A12). Perhaps more importantly, the entry-level model now offers 64GB of storage rather than 32GB, which is great news for musicians who need more space to install big apps and store large projects.

The cheapest iPad (9th generation, WiFi) will set you back $329/£319, and there’s also a 256GB model that costs $479/£459.

Find out more on the Apple website. 

• Start recording with the best iPhone microphones

Apple has announced new versions of its standard full-size iPad and the iPad Air, with both models offering significantly more power than their predecessors.

Let’s deal with the Air first as, by our reckoning, this has immediately become the best music-making iPad you can buy.

Borrowing its design from the iPad Pro, this is powered by the all-new A14 Bionic processor - the chip we’d now expect to see in the delayed iPhone 12 and Apple’s most advanced to date - and comes with a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display.

In the chip stakes, this puts the new Air above the iPad Pro, which ‘only’ has the A12Z inside it - slightly strange when you consider that it’s not the flagship and costs less. It’s compatible with the Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard folio, and has a USB-C socket. There’s no home button, but Touch ID is built into the top button.

On the downside, the extra power and functionality means a price increase - the new iPad Air starts at $599/£579 for the 64GB model, which is $100/£100 more than its predecessor. But, pound for pound, it looks like the music-making iPad to beat right now.

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals

If you don’t have that much to spend, the good news is that the new entry-level iPad (eighth-generation) also looks like a decent music-making option. It’s getting a significant speed boost thanks to the inclusion of the A12 Bionic chip - a big step up from the previous model’s A10 Fusion processor - which brings Apple’s Neural Engine to this model of iPad for the first time.

The buzzkill here is that the entry-level model contains just 32GB of storage, which might be fine for casual users but will quickly be eaten up if you start installing a lot of music-making apps.

If you think you can live with that, though, the $329/£329 starting price looks pretty attractive. It’s also worth pointing out that this is now the only full-size iPad with a headphone socket, while a Lightning connector is used rather than USB-C.

The new iPad goes on sale from today, while the new iPad Air will be available next month. iPadOS 14, the new version of Apple’s tablet OS, will be available from 16 September.

You can find out more and place orders on the Apple website.

Never mind the iPhone 11, Apple Watch 5 and Apple TV+ subscription service: if you’re a music maker, the most interesting of Apple’s new product launches is the rebooted entry-level iPad.

The most obvious improvement in comparison to its predecessor is a larger screen - 10.2 inches as opposed to 9.7 inches on the model it replaces. It also offers support for the Apple Pencil and full-size Smart Keyboard.

On the connectivity front, you get a Lightning port, meaning easy hook-up to loads of iOS music-making peripherals.

So far, so good; the only fly in the ointment is that Apple hasn’t upgraded the processor, so we’re stuck with the A10 Fusion chip from last year’s model. This isn’t a total deal breaker, but this is technology that’s been around since 2016, and we’d have hoped for a speed bump.

This being the case, if you can afford to spend a little more on an iPad for music-making, we’d go for the iPad Air.

The new entry-level iPad costs $329/£349, as opposed to $499/£479 for the baseline iPad Air, but that extra spend gets you a bigger and better 10.5-inch screen, a faster A12 Bionic processor and 64GB of storage as opposed to 32GB. All of this being the case, we’d argue that it’s worth the extra investment.

You can find out more about the new iPad on the Apple website. It’ll be available from the end of this month running iPadOS, Apple’s new tablet-specific version of its mobile operating system.

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals

Koala Sampler from Elf Audio is an iOS sampler inspired by the late, great J Dilla and his skills with the Boss SP-303.

Wanting to encapsulate the feel of creating beats with ease and no micro-editing, Elf Audio’s Marek Bereza created Koala with a workflow that “forces you to just get on with it and make some music.” Check out the full story behind the app’s development.

The app utilises your device’s on-board microphone to capture samples and create beats with the sequencer with a slew of effects. Full details below.

Koala Sampler is iOS compatible and available for both iPhone and iPad, costing $2.99/£2.99 from the App Store. See the Elf Audio website for more info.

Koala Sampler features

• Record up to 64 different samples with your mic
• Transform your voice or any other sound with 8 superb built-in fx
• Adjust trim, pan, pitch and volume of your samples
• Export loops or entire tracks as professional quality WAV files
• Copy/paste or merge sequences just by dragging them
• Import samples using AudioShare or just open them in Koala
• Create beats with the high-resolution sequencer
• Keyboard mode lets you play chromatically or one of 9 scales
• Quantize, add swing to get the right feel
• Add any (or all) of the 8 effects to the entire mix
• AudioBus 3.0 compatible
• MIDI controllable
• Jam with others over WiFi with Ableton Link

Built-in Microphone FX

• More Bass
• More Treble
• Fuzz
• Robot
• Reverb
• Octave up
• Octave down
• Synthesizer

Built-in DJ Mix FX

• Bit-crusher
• Pitch-shift
• Comb filter
• Ring modulator
• Reverb
• Stutter
• Gate
• Resonant High/Low Pass Filters

• Our pick of the best iPhone microphones

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

The worst kept secret in technology is out: Apple has revealed the iPhone X, its new flagship mobile handset. It is, by all accounts, a stunner, with an all-glass design and front panel that’s pretty much all screen. The company has also unveiled the iPhone 8, and incremental update of the iPhone 7, but the X is the iOS device that’s grabbing all the headlines.

Despite having a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, the iPhone X’s edge-to-edge design means that this is actually a smaller phone than one of Apple’s Plus-size models, making it easier to hold. It features a ‘Super Retina Display’ with 2436 x 1125 resolution, and you’ll be able to charge it wirelessly via the new optional AirPower pad.

Spec-wise, you’re looking at an A11 Bionic chipset with a six-core processor, and the speculation is that there’ll be 3GB of RAM inside. There’s no longer a home button - its functions have been replaced with a series of gestures - and Face ID is used instead of Touch ID. There’s a redesigned 12MP dual-lens camera, and a 7MP front-facing camera for Portrait Mode selfies.

As far as battery life goes, Apple says that the iPhone X will last two hours longer than the iPhone 7, and there’s a fast charging option if you buy a special adapter.

The downside to all of this is that the iPhone X starts at £999/$999 for a 64GB model, rising to an eye-watering £1,149/$1,149 for 256GB of storage. We don’t doubt that using the phone will be a great experience, but there will be those who baulk at the idea of paying more for their mobile than they did their laptop.

As a side note, if you want a more affordable iPhone that can run music making apps, you might like to consider the iPhone 6s, which now starts at £449/$449 for the 32GB model. It might only have a 4.7-inch display and an older processor, but it’s still perfectly capable, and has the added advantage of a headphones socket.

Find out more on the Apple website. Pre-orders for the iPhone X start on 27 October and it'll be available on 3 November.

• Our pick of the best iPhone microphones

The launch of the iPhone X has all but been confirmed for 12 September, with Apple inviting tech journalists to assemble at its Cupertino base in California on that date. This is being billed as the 10th anniversary iPhone - although the original was actually unveiled in January of 2007 - and pundits are hoping for something special.

iOS, of course, has matured into a great platform for music making, and so mobile tunesmiths will be watching the launch with interest. What, though, can they expect?

The most nailed-on rumour appears to be that the iPhone X (if, indeed, that’s what it will be called) will come with a larger 5.8-inch screen that stretches from edge to edge, making using creative apps a potentially more pleasurable experience. Both the bezel and home button are set to go, and it’ll be an all-glass design. There are whispers about wireless charging, too, which could be useful to those who use the Lightning port to plug in creative peripherals such as keyboards and interfaces.

Don’t expect the headphones port that was dropped from the iPhone 7 to be revived, though; once Apple has ditched what it sees as redundant technology, it rarely returns to it.

Performance wise, we’re expecting a faster A11 Fusion chipset, 3GB of RAM and storage options of 64GB and 256GB. There’s speculation that battery life might have been improved, too, though we’re slightly sceptical about that one, and could be a dealbreaker for some.

The biggest issue for many potential customers, though, may turn out to be price, with rumours circulating that the iPhone X could retail for around $1,000 (which, given Apple's usual interpretation of the exchange rate, may translate to around £1,000). However powerful or attractive it is, that’s still an awful lot of money to pay for a phone, and musicians may decide to get their creative kicks on an iPad instead, which offers an even larger display to work on and can be had for less.

Of course, there’s a chance we could be way off the mark with some or all of the above; for the very latest news, up to and beyond launch day, head to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X  page on our sister site TechRadar, which will tell you everything you need to know.

• Our pick of the best iPhone microphones

If you’ve been wanting to buy a full-sized iPad but haven’t been willing to stump up for a Pro model, Apple’s latest new tablet could be for you.

The iPad, as it’s known, replaces the iPad Air 2, which was released almost two and a half years ago, bringing more power at a lower price. Featuring the classic 9.7-inch display, this has an A9 chip inside it, which should mean improved performance in comparison to its predecessor.

Although this isn’t Apple’s flagship tablet, it should certainly be powerful enough for the majority of music makers, and with prices starting at £339/$329 for the 32GB model, it’s certainly a lot more affordable than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which will cost you £549/$599 for the same amount of storage (but with better specs, obviously).

The not so good news is that, should you want more storage on the new iPad, you’ll have to go for a 128GB model (there’s no 64GB option), which will set you back £429/$429. Your other option with this amount of storage would be the iPad mini 4, which now costs £419/$399, but that comes with the less powerful A8 processor.

So, we’d say that, for all but the most power-hungry users, the new iPad could now be the model to go for, giving you a good-sized display and offering the best balance between power and price.

Find out more on the Apple website. You’ll be able to pre-order the new iPad from Friday 24 April. 

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals

Stephan Marx’s Quantiloop 2 is designed to look and behave like a 4-track hardware looper pedal. An update to the original Quantiloop, it’s available now for iPad. 

There are four play modes, including the new Serial-Master mode, and you also get three assignable  input effects and  three assignable track effects. The likes of tape-stop, fade, reverse and transpose are on offer within the app, and you can also use Inter-App Audio effects. The MIDI slave option means that you can sync to external gear. 

A full feature list is below. Quantiloop 2 is available now from the Apple App Store priced at £9.99/$9.99/€9.99.   

 Stephan Marx Quantiloop 2 features

• 4 Tracks
• Free, Synced, Serial and Serial-Master Playing Styles
• Multiple Quantize Modes
• Multiple Stop Modes
• Unique Arm Mode
• Adjustable Fade Out and Fade In
• Unlimited Overdubs
• Overdub Decay
• Undo/Redo
• Auto Record
• Rhythm guide with auto-start, auto-stop and count-in
• Audible & Visual metronome
• Input FX (including transpose, reverb and IAA)
• Send start, stop and host sync to rhythm apps
• Real-time tempo control
• Extensive MIDI control
• Assign Tap, Hold and Double Tap actions
• Audiobus & Inter-App Audio
• Individual outputs
• Ableton Link
• MIDI clock master
• MIDI slave
• MIDI program changes
• Cloud Import/Export
• Unlimited banks of 32 presets
• Track FX (tape-stop, fade, reverse, transpose etc. and IAA)

While some continue to consider the iPad to be something of a sideshow as far as music making goes, others are realising that it has the potential to sit at the centre of your creative world. Evidence of this is provided by Zerodebug's Modstep, a "modulation monster" and full-blown MIDI sequencer.

Capable of operating as the hub around which your music making can rotate, Modstep offers you a step sequencer and piano roll and lets you work with an unlimited number of MIDI tracks. You can stream audio and MIDI to your PC or Mac using Zerodebug's Studiomux technology, and sequence your external MIDI hardware, Inter-App Audio apps and the built-in drum sampler and synth in the same project. What's more, you can modulate up to 128 MIDI CCs per track.

Check out the video above to see how Modstep hangs together. You can buy it now from the Apple App Store for £14.99/$19.99, and the good news is that it's compatible with all versions of the iPad right back to the first generation model.

With the release of Apple's iPad Pro, we can now buy into by far the biggest ever iOS device ever made, but is there actually any creative musical advantage to that massive screen and beefed up architecture? Apple would certainly have us believe so, but what about the developers making apps for it? We ask five of them for their take…

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals

Sinevibes

"iPad Pro is certainly a very promising device, as it has now made the final leap towards matching our laptops' power and screen size. But it is now up to app developers to make good use of all this. More tracks, more effects, longer timeline, etc - that's all a given. But will we be able to use two synth apps side by side with Split View in iOS 9? And will we have more precise editing abilities thanks to iPad Pro's greater multitouch tracking resolution and Apple Pencil? I certainly hope so."

Artemiy Pavlov

Auxy

"You could build a fantastic music-making experience for iPad Pro, and if a lot of people use the device, it makes sense for companies to invest in new apps for it.

"We believe the next big thing will happen on smaller screens, though. Phones are the primary computer for the next generation of creators. It's always in your pocket and will be the go-to device when creativity strikes. A lot of people will be making serious music on their iPhones only, and our mission at Auxy is to provide fantastic tools for this shift to happen."

Henrik Lenberg

Imaginando

"I think the main advantage of the new iPad Pro for musicians (besides the significant increase in the screen size and the computing power) is the ability to smoothly run two applications side by side. With the huge amount of powerful music apps on the market, having more than one on screen can make
all the difference.

"I was expecting that the screen would be able to detect pressure, but it seems to be limited to Pencil usage. That could finally give us the possibility of a true MPC-style experience on iPad."

Nuno Santos

Audulus

"The iPad Pro is great news for musicians. Music software workflows lend themselves to touch more than to a mouse. Existing iPads have been great for mobile music, but finally we're seeing an iPad large enough to replace the UI of a control surface, recording console, hardware synth, etc. Personally, I can't wait to see Audulus running on iPad Pro!"

Taylor Holliday

Olympia Noise Co

"We're seeing the iPad continue to grow in its utility for musicians, both as an instrument and as a studio device. One of the most obvious (but also under-appreciated) things about the large screen size [of the iPad Pro] is the potential for new workflows. Imagine MIDI or controller apps open side by side with a synth or sampler. It becomes a more modular system. But I think this is really a part of the bigger picture for iOS musicians - new abilities like inter-device audio and the new Audio Units format are also going to have a huge impact on the way we use the iPad to make music."

Ben Kamen

If you're looking for a reason to upgrade to a next-generation iPhone, you might just have found it in the shape of 3D Touch.

When Apple announced its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models earlier this month, this new technology, which measures how much pressure you apply to your display, was one of the most vaunted hardware developments, and it looks like music-making app developers will be able to take advantage of it.

The short video above demonstrates aftertouch being used on the onscreen keyboard of Bismark's BS-16i app, something that's only made possible by 3D Touch. And if one developer can make this work, it stands to reason that others will be able to as well.

There are already several aftertouch-friendly iOS synths on the market, but up until now, a suitable MIDI controller keyboard has been required to take advantage of this feature. In future, though, it seems that this may no longer be the case.

(Via Synthtopia)

When it comes to buying an iPad for music making, the best advice has always been to get the most powerful, largest screened model you can afford. Up until today, that's meant the latest version of Apple's regular (as opposed to mini) tablet, but things have changed with the announcement of the iPad Pro.

With its 12.9-inch Retina display (2732x2048 resolution at 264 pixels per inch) necessitating an increase in size, it's obvious that the iPad Pro won't be for everyone, but if you're a serious user of music making apps and can sacrifice a bit of portability, that extra screen real estate will come in very handy. This is particularly true given the new Split View in iOS 9 (available from 16 September), which will enable you to use two apps at a time, side by side.

And then there's the power: Apple claims that the iPad Pro's 64-bit A9X chip gives it as much grunt as most portable PCs. Battery life on the Wi-Fi model is said to run to ten hours.

Make no mistake, then: the iPad Pro is a serious piece of computing hardware. Naturally, that means it comes at a cost - $799 for the 32GB Wi-FI model and $949 for the 128GB machine - which almost takes it into MacBook territory in terms of price. Of course, a laptop running OS X is still a far more flexible option than an iOS device when it comes to music making, but if you're looking for a tablet as well, the iPad Pro sure looks tempting. It'll be released in November.

Find out more on the Apple website. Accessories for the iPad Pro include the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

• Check out the best cheap iPad deals
• Best tablets for music production: make music on the move

Amp manufacturer Marshall has unveiled its first mobile phone, the London.

As you might expect, Marshall has designed the phone for music fans, utilising a Wolfson soundcard for high-res audio, plus two stereo jacks and a pair of front-facing speakers, which, it claims, might just make it the loudest phone on earth.

It also boasts dual microphones for laying down song ideas, with built-in noise reduction, as well as a low-latency audio input for use with Android music-making apps.

The London runs on Android Lollipop, and features a 4.7-inch 720p IPS panel and a Snapdragon 410 SoC processor, and comes coated with Marshall's trademark leatherette around the sides and rear.

With the likes of Gibson dipping its toes into the headphone waters and lifestyle amps from Yamaha and Blackstar finding themselves in countless guitarists' living rooms, perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised to see the launch of a phone - after all, Marshall has been in the headphone game some time, and lest we forget, the company once released a fridge.

The question remains, however: what does this mean for guitar companies? Are you more likely to buy a Marshall phone as a guitarist than a non-musician consumer, and if so, can we expect other manufacturers to diversify into lifestyle tech?

Let us know what you think below - perhaps in a few years time, we could be filling this site's reviews section with hands-on assessments of Fender microwaves, Orange fitness trackers and ESP TVs…

The Marshall London will be available later this summer for $499 (£399). Head over to Marshall Amps for more.

Audanika has released SoundPrism Electro Mini, an iPhone/iPod touch version of the SoundPrism Electro instrument that was launched for the iPad late in 2014.

This offers the same sound engine, input modes and ribbon controller as its big brother, but is playable using just your thumbs.

Find out how it works in the video above. SoundPrism Electro Mini is available now from the Apple App Store at the introductory price of £2.29/$2.99.

Retronyms' Wej - the company's first piece of hardware - is designed to meet several requirements that iPad music makers might have. First, it's an interface for all your MIDI controllers, but it's also a slip-free surface for your tablet to sit on and a portable light show.

The MIDI element of Wej operates over Bluetooth LE, taking advantages of a feature that was introduced in iOS 8. Plug your controllers into the device and then MIDI data is transmitted wirelessly (at low latency, we're assured) to your apps. Because Wej is powered, you can use any kind of MIDI controller while simultaneously charging up your iPad.

Wej is angled and made of silicone, so Retronyms claims that it can serve as the perfect non-slip stand for your iPad when you're 'playing' its screen. The lights on one side are designed to pulse in time to the music you're making, and the device's Arduino heritage means that it can easily be hacked.

Wej is available for pre-order now priced at $99. You'll be charged once Retronyms has reached its funding target, at which point production will begin. The device should be shipping in the first half of 2015.

As well as reinventing the very concept of time (possibly), Apple launched a couple of new iPhones yesterday: the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

These sport 4.7- and 5.5-inch Retina HD displays respectively, with both models being powered by Apple's A8 64-bit chip.

The 1334 x 750 resolution of the standard iPhone 6 is said to offer 38 percent more viewing area than the iPhone 5s (which, alongside the iPhone 5C, has now been reduced in price), while the 1920 x 1080 resolution of the iPhone 6 Plus promises 88 percent more viewing area than the previous flagship.

Apple says that the new A8 chip delivers faster performance and better battery life than its predecessor, while the M8 motion coprocessor continuously measures your motion data. Another notable feature is Apple Pay, a new payment system that's designed to let you use your phone to pay for goods and services.

Big love

With the iPhone 6 Plus being firmly in 'phablet' territory, one thing that musicians may wonder is if this could be the only iOS device they need, effectively serving as both phone and tablet. It's certainly tempting to think that it could do the jobs of two devices, but it is worth considering that, if you buy it outright, even the 16GB model costs £619 (you'll quickly eat up this space if you have lots of apps) while the 64GB and new 128GB models are £699 and £789 respectively.

These are serious prices, so the musician's best option may still be a more affordable phone and either an iPad or iPad mini. With their larger displays, these still offer the best options if you're serious about your iOS music making.

What's more, it should be remembered that the iPhone 6 Plus won't be able to run music-making apps that are exclusive to iPad (of which there are quite a few) - only those that are Universal or designed for iPhone will run on it.

Prices for the standard iPhone 6 are £539 for the 16GB model, £619 for the 64GB model and £699 for the 128GB device. The 16GB and 32GB versions of the iPhone 5s are available for £459 and £499, while the single 8GB iPhone 5c offering will set you back £319.

Both of the iPhone 6 models will be available for pre-order from 12 September and ship from 19 September. They'll ship with iOS 8, which will be available to other iOS device owners from 17 September. Find out more on the Apple website.

When Apple launched the iPad Air in October 2013, one slight surprise was that, rather than retaining the previous iPad with Retina Display model in the range and selling it at a lower price, it chose to make the ageing iPad 2 its entry-level tablet option.

However, the company announced yesterday that the 2012, fourth-generation Retina model is making a comeback, replacing the iPad 2 and offering not only a better display, but also the more powerful A6X chip, 1GB RAM (as opposed to 512MB), higher-resolution cameras, and a Lightning connector.

With prices starting at £329/$399 for the Wi-Fi only model, this certainly represents a better buy than the iPad 2 if you want to make music. It'll give you better performance - particularly if you're using multiple apps together via Audiobus or Inter App Audio - and should be a bit more future-proof, too.

However, there is a sticking point: the only iPad with Retina Display you can buy has 16GB of storage, which isn't an awful lot once you start installing music making apps, importing samples and recording audio. As such, if you want a sub-£400/$500 iPad, we'd recommend going for the 32GB iPad mini with Retina Display, which may have a smaller screen but also has the benefit of being powered by the latest A7 chip.

The launch of a new iPhone now makes it onto the mainstream news agenda, so you probably know by now that Apple previewed its fifth generation model last night.

Faster, thinner and lighter, it almost goes without saying that Apple is pitching the iPhone 5 as a massive step forward, but how will its launch affect the ever-expanding iOS music making market?

First up, developers will have to optimise their apps for the new 4-inch display. Until then, software will be letterboxed, meaning that the extra screen real estate won't be used.

It remains to be seen how long it will take for all the major music making apps to become iPhone 5 friendly, but we anticipate that most developers will decide to do what it takes to make it happen.

More grunt

Of course, the iPhone 5 is more powerful than its predecessor, so you can expect better performance from your apps in the future. Whether we'll see more CPU-intensive music software that's designed to run exclusively on the new device remains to be seen.

One of the big changes on the iPhone 5 is the switch to the smaller 'Lightning' dock connector. This could cause a headache for manufacturers of the many iOS-friendly audio interfaces, keyboards and other music making peripherals that are currently on the market, as they won't connect directly to the iPhone 5.

A solution could be available in the form of the Lightning to 30-pin Adapter (sold separately, naturally), though we don't yet know whether this will support the use of add-ons such as those mentioned above.

Finally, we should mention that the iPhone 5 and new editions of the iPod touch and iPod nano will ship with Apple's EarPod headphones, which may or may not sound better than their decidedly lacklustre predecessors.

iPhone 5 will be available for pre-order from 14 September and will ship on 21 September. Prices for the unlocked models start at £529.

When it comes to mobile music making, MusicRadar has occasionally been criticised for a perceived bias towards iOS and against Android . However, the fact is that, while there are new apps being released every week for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, Android phones and tablets hardly get any.

The reasons for this are many and varied, but one of the fundamental problems has been that Android hasn't been able to deliver latency levels low enough to encourage music making on the devices that run it.

Things could be about to change, though, with the launch of version 4.1 of the operating system, known as Jelly Bean. This, apparently, targets latency levels below 10ms, and there's also talk of USB audio device support, multichannel audio and recording features.

You can read a detailed investigation into what Android 4.1 could mean for music making over at Create Digital Music, though it's worth noting that, at the moment, the talk is of these improvements only being evident if you're using the Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone.

It remains to be seen whether other devices will benefit - Google's new Nexus 7 tablet, for example, runs Jelly Bean - but if they do, then the battle with iOS in the mobile music making space could begin anew.

Say what you like about the iPad - and, in our experience, most people are all too happy to - but one thing you can be sure of is that it divides opinion.

For every 'post-PC' evangelist who believes that the tablet format and multi-touch interface represent the future of computing, you'll find a non-believer who thinks that the iPad is a triumph of style over substance that would benefit hugely from the addition of a keyboard and mouse (not to mention Flash support and an open approach to file management and third-party software).

But these are well-worn arguments and not ones that we're going to revisit here. Our aim is to decide if the new model offers any real benefits for music makers, or whether an iPad 2 (or possibly some other device) can serve just as well as a mobile production platform.

What's new?

First up, what does the new iPad do that its predecessors don't? The most obvious benefit is the higher-resolution Retina display, but while this may well herald the arrival of sharper, better-looking music-making apps, we have no reason to suspect that it'll dramatically improve their functionality.

Similarly, while the new A5X chip delivers quad-core graphics, we expect that this extra power will be of most use to games developers. Our suspicion is that music app developers won't be inclined to create software that relies on the new iPad's capabilities in order to run; if they want to maximise their potential revenue, it makes sense for them to support as wide a range of iOS devices as possible, not just focus on the latest and most powerful.

Other new features - such as the 5-megapixel iSight camera and 4G data connectivity - are certainly welcome but, in tune-crafting terms, superfluous.

This being the case, you can make a strong case for saying that the iPad 2 will do everything that the music maker demands, and for less money. If you're feeling flush, of course, then go ahead and buy the new model, but we've already seen the Wi-Fi only version of the iPad 2 for less than £300 (it retails for £329), which makes it pretty tempting if you're looking for a mobile device that isn't a laptop.

And because the iPad 2 runs the same operating system and software as the new iPad, it'll support the same new technologies, some of which could turn out to be rather interesting.

Take Audiobus, an in-development project that's billed as a "virtual mixing board and FX processor" for iOS devices. How this will be made manifest remains to be seen, but we're told that it will "record and mix the output of several apps all at once, and then publish the result".

In other words, Audiobus might make it easier to use multiple apps in a single project - something that many iOS musicians are desperate to be able to do.

It follows the seemingly successful rollout of Virtual MIDI, which enables you to control one iOS app from the interface of another, and the announcement of Wave Machine Labs' Auria, a 48-track DAW that will support certain third-party effects plug-ins.

Advances such as this illustrate that, while it's new iOS devices that grab the headlines, it's currently software developers who are taking things forward in the music-making sphere, and it's not strictly necessary to have the very latest hardware.

In fact, you might argue that, in music-making terms, the GarageBand 1.2 update is more significant than the new iPad, as it adds not only MIDI editing but also the impressive Jam Session feature.

Robot wars

But what of Android, iOS's supposed great rival? You surely can't have failed to notice that Android-powered tablets are now rife, but sadly, music-making apps that run on them aren't. We've been speculating for months that Android's time might be about to come, but as yet, it hasn't.

There have been a couple of notable developments - Hobnox has released Audiotool Sketch, a version of its online music-making platform that gives you two drum machines and a bassline synth; and Image-Line has teased us with a seemingly operational version of FL Studio Mobile - but when it comes to music software, Android's problems remain the same as ever.

Chief among these is latency - it's always been high, and it doesn't seem to be getting a great deal lower. Writing on The Audio Programming Blog, developer Victor Lazzarini recently said: "There were some indications that the figure of 45ms would somehow be achievable (ie, a buffer of 2048 frames at 44.1kHz); however, I am not sure it is achievable anywhere. On my Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is brand new, I am getting around 200ms, which is about four times that figure."

Obviously, a 200ms latency figure is no good at all, so Lazzarini has urged app developers to keep asking the Android team to work on bringing it down. "The way I see this, there is enough in Android to make it a very good platform for what we do [audio] - we only need the latency issue addressed. Hopefully, they are hearing this loud and clear," he concludes.

Broken up

The other major sticking point with Android appears to be fragmentation. In the case of iOS, developers know exactly which devices they're creating for and can be confident that the majority of users are keeping their operating system up to date (recent research published by iOS developer David Smith indicates that the majority of those who are eligible for the over-the-air iOS 5.1 update have upgraded to it).

In the case of Android, however, there's a huge range of devices running several different versions of the operating system (as you may know, many devices are locked to a particular version of the OS), which is a developer's nightmare.

All that said, there is intriguing evidence that Android might have a part to play in the mobile music-making future. At this year's SXSW festival in Texas, Silicon Valley startup Miselu launched the neiro, an Android-powered, laptop-styled device that replaces the QWERTY keyboard with a musical one.

We don't know a great deal about it yet, but it has been confirmed that Yamaha is supplying the chip (the NSX-1, to be precise) that will power the neiro's synth engine and effects, and that iOS developer Retronyms, which has released Tabletop and worked on the iPad and iPhone versions of ReBirth, has signed up to create apps for it.

Where neiro will end up remains to be seen, but it is part of a growing wave of portable devices that, rather than being jacks-of-all-trades that happen to be able to run music software (like the iPad), are designed exclusively for that purpose.

A case in point is Cyberstep's new KDJ-One - a handheld, Game Boy-styled device that features a sequencer and audio support - and, of course, Teenage Engineering's much-talked-about OP-1.

While these devices certainly aren't cheap, they do represent a genuine alternative to the iPad if you're not willing to join team tablet just yet. However, there's little doubt that Apple's biggest iDevice is becoming a major player in the mobile music-making marketplace and may well come to define it.

This article originally appeared in issue 178 of Computer Music magazine.

If you're lucky enough to have just been given an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for Christmas, we'll start by saying that you have a spouse/parent/other relative/friend who is far more generous than anyone we know, so even if you've thanked them already, go ahead and do it again.

Festive courtesies out of the way, you now need to think about what you're going to do with that shiny new slab of multitouch delights. On this score, we have but one suggestion: make some music on it.

To help you on your way, here's a list of some of MusicRadar's greatest iOS music making content. With our help, your first track will be finished before the leftover turkey.

The best iPad music making apps in the world today
MusicRadar's top 10 list of recommendations

The best iPhone music making apps in the world today
MusicRadar's top 10 list of recommendations

Round-up: 8 iPad/iPhone DJing apps
We check out the latest iOS mixing software

Weekly iOS music making round-ups
The best new apps from the past year and a half

iOS app reviews
The big releases reviewed and rated

The ultimate guide to iPad/iPhone music making accessories
Interfaces, keyboards, mics, controllers, stand mounts and more

6 easy ways to connect your guitar to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
iOS audio interface review round-up

Many of us have iPhones, some of us have iPads, and it can’t have escaped your attention that there are many apps available for iOS devices aimed at guitarists.

From the simplest tuner, to tab and tutorial apps, through amp simulations and multitrack recording suites, there’s plenty for players at all levels – and often at real pocket money prices. To take advantage of some of these, though, you need to plug in a guitar, and there are several devices on the market that let you do just that. Of course, you could always grab a Squier USB Strat from the Apple Store and do without an interface, but that's not the only option.

What’s often needed is a piece of hardware that will take the signal from a standard guitar jack lead and get that signal into the iOS device. It can do this in one of two ways – either through the mini jack headphone socket or through the dock (a 30-pin connector).

Obviously if you’re using the headphone socket you can’t use it for headphones, so any input devices that take this route provide their own inbuilt headphone socket to compensate. A device that’s plugged into the dock has no such restriction, so you can still use the headphone socket for monitoring.

Some input devices are essentially adaptors that route the analogue signal in and let the iOS device’s own A/D converters do the rest while others can send a digital signal in. We give you the lowdown on six different input devices to help you decide which is best for you, although the imminent arrival of Line 6's Mobile In is likely to increase the competition even further.

Bear in mind that while most apps should be compatible with any input device, there are some exceptions – for example, at present IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube will only accept an input through the iPad’s headphone socket.

Simply plugging into your iOS device’s headphone socket via its attached lead, the iRig is IK Multimedia’s companion to its iOS versions of the wildly successful AmpliTube modelling software.

It couldn’t be easier to use – just plug your guitar into one end of the cylindrical device, your headphones into the other, and off you go.

In Use

While the iRig inputs a decent enough signal, be aware that the unit’s passive circuitry combined with the input and output being in close proximity is a recipe for crosstalk that can result in feedback. This becomes most apparent when using high-gain models in your amp sims, necessitating setting the controls for lower output levels to stop any squealing.

Verdict

Altogether the device with the most plug-in-and-play simplicity in our round-up. The iRig does the job if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful way to connect a guitar to an iOS device. Also, it’s either this or the Peavey if you want to use it with AmpliTube.

The Bottom Line

We like: Compact; inexpensive; simple to use

We dislike: The proximity of the input and output means it’s prone to feedback

3 out of 5

Click here to listen to a full song recorded using the iRig and AmpliTube's multitrack recorder
Click here to listen to an audio demo of AmpliTube Fender for iOS

The only device of the six on test to require batteries (a pair of AAAs), the Ampkit Link is made by Peavey in conjunction with Agile Partners – a developer that produces the Ampkit app.

It connects via the headphone socket through its attached cable – guitar and headphones both plug into the same end of the unit’s plastic body.

In Use

The Ampkit Link is very similar to the iRig, but Peavey says that the fact that it is powered virtually eliminates any feedback when using headphones. In practice we found this to not be the case, although it offers some advantage in that the onset of feedback comes later than with the iRig as the gain is turned up.

One thing to be aware of though is that it doesn’t work with non-standard or ribbed 1/4-inch jacks so you may need to change your leads to use it.

Verdict

Like the iRig, it’s an inexpensive choice (if you disregard the ongoing cost of battery replacement) and it works with AmpliTube too.

The Bottom Line

We like: Compact; affordable

We dislike: Needs batteries; doesn’t work with with non-standard or ribbed standard jacks; prone to feedback

3 out of 5

Click here to hear Ampkit Link put through its paces by Total Guitar
Click here to read the Future Music review of Ampkit and Ampkit Link

Apogee is a heavyweight in professional analogue/ digital audio conversion and the JAM is the only input device in this group that has its own onboard conversion – converting your guitar signal to digital before it reaches your iOS device’s dock.

It can also work when plugged directly into a Apple Mac computer using the supplied USB cable.

In Use

The JAM has an input gain control allied to a multi-colour LED, letting you dial in just the right amount of gain for your guitar.

The sound quality is excellent as the converters do their work and the JAM outputs a pristine signal with no apparent noise for quality recording and for using your amp sims to full advantage without the need for any significant tweaking.

Verdict

The JAM is more expensive than the other pocket-sized converters (though it is much cheaper for any US readers…) but if you’re looking for easy portability alongside excellent signal quality with no feedback issues, it’s the way to go.

The Bottom Line

We like: Compact size; quality A/D conversion; can be used with a Mac

We dislike: It only costs $99 in the USA!

4.5 out of 5

Click here for more on the Apogee JAM

The iO Dock sits on your desk like a portastudiostyle device and houses your iPad or iPad 2 at a practical working angle.

It has socketry on its back and sides, offering all the connectivity you’d need to utilise recording apps and software synths, as well as guitar-related apps.

In Use

With input gain controls, volume knobs for main outputs and headphones, Hi-Z guitar input, footswitch jack and a direct monitoring facility, the iO Dock gives you everything that you need to interface a guitar or microphone with the iPad with a minimum of fuss. It simultaneously charges your tablet too – bonus.

Verdict

The iO Dock offers practicality of the first order, not just for your guitar apps but also with MIDI sockets, a connection for a larger monitor and the possibility of adding, say, punch-in recording via footswitch to apps that support it.

If you don’t intend to stray too far from mains power this is a brilliant idea, well executed. Sensibly priced, too.

The Bottom Line

We like: Comprehensive connectivity; direct input monitoring; hardware knobs

We dislike: Mains power means it’s not very portable

4.5 out of 5

Click here to read Future Music's review of the iO Dock

Apple’s Camera Connection Kit offers two items that connect to the dock. One of them reads SD cards, but the other one allows you plug in a USB cable, letting you send a signal from an audio interface into the iPad.

In Use

Apple does not officially support using the Camera Connection Kit in this way, but you should get results as long as you have a USB audio interface that is class-compliant (ie works without its own drivers in OS X) and either requires less than 200mA of power, or has its own supply.

Verdict

At its asking price, the Camera Connection Kit is the least expensive in the round up, although it does have to be paired with another device. Still, it could be the practical budget choice – if you don’t need pocket-sized portability and already have a compatible audio interface, why buy another? Just connect it with one of these, and you can stick your photos on your iPad too!

The Bottom Line

We like: Compact; lets you use an existing USB audio interface; inexpensive

We dislike: Won’t work with all audio interfaces

3 out of 5

Sonoma Wire Works has a new version of GuitarJack that will work with iPads and newer iPhones in the pipeline, but this version only works with the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and the second and third generation iPod touch.

However, in anticipation of the new product, the asking price has been reduced to a bargain $49 from the original $99.

In Use

Solidly built and connecting via the dock, the GuitarJack has two inputs (1/4-inch mono and 1/8-inch stereo) that can be used simultaneously to record both an instrument and mic.

Various input options are available via a software control panel that offers, among other things, high or low impedance for the 1/4-inch input and adjustment of the analog input level before it is digitised.

Verdict

GuitarJack works well and will reward you with good quality sounds, provided you have a compatible device. If you don’t you’ll have to look elsewhere, or wait for the new model.

The Bottom Line

We like: Compact size; solidly engineered

We dislike: This version is only compatible with older iPhone and iPod models

3 out of 5

Click here to read much more about mobile music making with iOS on MusicRadar

Antares has announced that Auto-Tune Phone for iOS is now available. Produced in collaboration with NewHula, this enables you to make calls in an Auto-Tuned voiced over VoIP (meaning that it's compatible with not just the iPhone but also the iPad and iPod touch) and can also be used to process the voice of the other caller.

Of course, we've seen an Auto-Tuning app before in the shape of Smule's I Am T-Pain, but it appears that this new app is now the official Antares-endorsed solution.

Auto-Tune Phone is available now for the introductory price of £1.49. That includes 30 minutes of call time - you can buy more time as an in-app purchase.

Auto-Tune Phone press release

Antares Audio Technologies has announced the availability of Auto-Tune Phone, the first (and only) iPhone app that lets users use the genuine Auto-Tune Vocal Effect live on real-time phone calls. Developed by NewHula Inc. and incorporating Antares' world-standard pitch detection and correction technology, Auto-Tune Phone uses VoIP rather than the cellular network, allowing it to work on iPad and iPod Touch as well as the iPhone.

With Auto-Tune Phone, users can apply the Auto-Tune Vocal Effect just to their voice or to both theirs and the person's they're calling. Users can also record their calls and share them with their friends and the world via Facebook, Twitter & SMS.

Auto-Tune Phone key features:

• Genuine Antares Auto-Tune technology
• The ability to call any number in North America
• The ability to apply Auto-Tune to the caller's voice or to the call recipient's as well
• A free practice area where users can hone their Auto-Tune skills
• The ability to record calls and share them on Facebook, Twitter, and via SMS
• Includes 30 minutes of free outbound calling time
• More calling time available via in-app purchase for only pennies a minute

"It's been great working with the talented folks at NewHula to bring Auto-Tune Phone to the iOS community," said Marco Alpert, Antares VP of Marketing, "Based on the fun we've been having with it here, we're confident that it will inspire whole new categories of telephonic amusement. Frankly, the mind boggles at the possibilities."

More Auto-Tune Phone information is available at the NewHula web site:

http://www.autotunephone.com.

Auto-Tune Phone is available now on the iTunes App Store at an introductory price of $1.99. It includes 30 minutes of free outbound calling time, with more available via in-app purchase for only pennies a minute.

• Level up your vocals with the best autotune plugins

Apple has announced that the iPad 2 will be released in the UK (and 24 other countries) on Friday, with prices starting at £399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model. There had been rumours that the launch would be delayed, but these have proven to be unfounded.

Read on for all the official details, and if you do buy an iPad 2 on Friday, be sure to check out our list of the best iPad music making apps in the world today so that you know exactly where your App Store money should be going.

Apple iPad 2 UK launch press release

Apple today announced that iPad 2, the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorised Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and online through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/uk/) beginning at 1 a.m. GMT Apple today also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.

"While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we've changed the game again with iPad 2," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We're experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can't wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone's patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."

iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple's new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers up to 10 hours of battery life* that users have come to expect.

Pricing & Availability

iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland,Portugal, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25 for a suggested retail price of £399.00 inc VAT (£332.50 ex VAT) for the 16GB model, £479.00 inc VAT (£399.17 ex VAT) for the 32GB model,£559.00 inc VAT (£465.83 ex VAT)forthe 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of £499.00 inc VAT (£415.83 ex VAT) for the 16GB model, £579.00 inc VAT (£482.50 ex VAT) for the 32GB model and £659.00 inc VAT (£549.17 ex VAT) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.

iMovie and GarageBand for iPad apps are available for £2.99 each from the App Store on iPad or www.itunes.com/appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colours in vibrant polyurethane for £35.00 inc VAT or rich leather for £59.00 inc VAT.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

The iPad 2 looks set to be unveiled at a launch event next week. Apple has sent out invites showing a calendar page being peeled back to reveal what can only be an iPad, with the words "Come see what 2011 will be the year of" below.

The second-generation iPad's specs remain a closely-guarded secret, though there has been speculation that it will contain a front-facing camera so that users can make FaceTime calls, a thinner case, an improved display and possibly even a USB port (which would be great for musicians, obviously).

Before you get too excited, we should remind you that despite being announced in January 2010, the original iPad wasn't actually released in the UK until the end of May, so you might still have to wait a while before you can get your hands on one.

Given the impact that Apple's tablet has already had on the music software market, though, we'll be very interested to see what 2 March brings.

Unless you've been deliberately avoiding it, you can't have missed the hype surrounding the launch of Apple's iPad. And on May 28th, the UK finally got its collective hands on this long-awaited tablet computer.

We've got hold a 16GB Wi-Fi model to put through its paces. We know its media and gaming skills, but what does it offer us musicians and producers?

In detail

The first thing you notice about the iPad is its outstanding build quality. The case feels tough while remaining light and easily portable. We wouldn't want to throw it straight into a bag without a case to protect the glass screen, but it certainly feels very solid.

We found the LED-backlit screen to be exceptionally clear and the multi-touch easily tracks ten separate finger gestures at once (in fact, the iPad actually responds to eleven simultaneous gestures). The accelerometer ensures that the screen remains upright, but the orientation can also be locked using a sliding switch.

Firing up some music apps, the iPad's sound quality is impressive, with plenty of power for a unit of this size and bass response that's easily on a par with a MacBook. The one flaw is that Apple has made the strange decision to position the iPad's two speakers adjacent to each other by the dock connector, meaning that the sound output is effectively mixed to mono. This is most likely a space-saving measure, but true stereo speakers would have been much better.

As such, you'll need to plug in a pair of headphones or speakers to get the best results and, thankfully, the 3.5mm audio output has a low noise floor and clean digital-to-analogue conversion.

"No multi-touch controller comes close to the iPad in terms of value for money, versatility and power."

The wide variety of music apps already available for the iPad make it useable straight out of the box. As a multi-touch controller running TouchOSC the iPad is fantastic, offering most of the functionality of a dedicated device like JazzMutant's Lemur or Dexter for just a fraction of the cost.

TouchOSC alone could be the killer app necessary to win over electronic musicians. At less than a third of the price of the Dexter, no multi-touch controller comes close to the iPad in terms of value for money, versatility and power.

As far as it being a 'Lemur-killer', if you'll excuse the hyperbole, it's yet to be seen how the iPad survives in the beer-soaked, reckless arena of live performance, so no conclusions can be drawn as yet.

Apps like TouchOSC rely on Wi-Fi connections and having heard reports from the US of cripplingly unreliable reception we feared the worst, but over the course of a couple of weeks testing in a number of locations, we didn't experience any problems.

Whether it's as a result of the wireless card or (as we suspect) the iPad's version of Safari, web browsing is also lightning fast, with pages loading quicker than they do on our MacBook Pro.

And even with Wi-Fi on, battery life was even better than the claimed 10 hours. After leaving videos playing for 10 hours, we were amazed to see that the iPad still displayed 12% battery life remaining.

The downsides

Apple sceptics have already picked fault with the device's specifications, citing its 1GHz processor, 256MB RAM and relatively small storage space as major weaknesses. The iPad is less powerful than a MacBook and more expensive than a Windows netbook, but these downsides are offset by the stunning multi-touch screen and the unit's ease of use. Even the iPad's major bugbear - the lack of multi-tasking allowing you to run a groovebox app while checking your mail - is being fixed in the iOS 4 update.

As to whether you'll be able to run a synth app on top of your production app, that's up to Apple and whether they'll allow multiple audio apps to share the system APIs via their draconian App Store rules. If it's a stretch too far for the A4 processor the company may force developers to remove the option so as to 'protect you' from embarrassing slow down.

Summary

The success of the iPad for musicians depends almost entirely on what developers can bring to the table. And for us, the most exciting question isn't what it can do on its own, but how it can improve our existing technology.

The iPad can be anything from a fun handheld synth to a capable multitrack DAW, but it really comes alive when you're given the chance to use it with the rest of your studio gear. The iPad could turn out to be one of the best multi-functional studio tools on the market.

It's just a shame that simple, user-friendly basics such as a USB port are missing, making any kind of 'easy' integration that little bit more hassle. That said, we predict all kinds of add-ons via that 30-pin connector and enough MIDI interfaces, old school synth editors, clones of retro gear and drum machines and innovative new music apps to keep anyone knee-deep in inspiration.

For most of us, the iPad might not be cheap enough to justify its purchase, but as more and more music-making apps become available we expect the device to gather a significant following and become more essential among forward-thinking music makers.

The real value of the iPad ultimately comes from the apps. For now the jury's out, but if you do buy one, you'll just have to hope that the software developers repay your faith in the hardware. We can't wait to see where the technology goes from here.

Apple's WWDC10 keynote presentation saw Steve Jobs unveil iPhone 4 with a release date of 24 June in the UK, US, Japan, Germany and France. So what can the iPhone 4 do for music-making?

In hardware terms, perhaps the most obviously beneficial new feature of the iPhone 4 is the HD video recording, which means you'll be able to capture your band's rehearsals/performances and upload them to the internet without ever having to go near a computer. Thanks to the new iPhone version of iMovie, even on-the-go editing is possible.

Behind the scenes, iPhone 4 sports an Apple A4 processor, which means more power and (potentially) more capable music-making apps. These should look sharper, too, thanks to the new high-resolution Retina display.

Another hardware addition is the 3-axis gyro that, when combined with the accelerometer, makes the iPhone 4 fully motion-sensitive. It seems highly likely that developers of music-making apps will utilise this technology for control purposes in the future.

It's also worth noting that the forthcoming iOS 4 update (the new name for iPhone OS) will add multitasking, though this still won't enable music apps to talk to each other. You will be able to organise your apps into folders, though, giving you easier and faster access to them.

iPhone or iPad?

We can certainly see many iPhone-owning musicians wanting to upgrade to the new model, but possibly not specifically because they think it will help them to make more and better music.

If you don't yet own a portable Apple device but are thinking of buying one, the iPad remains a better choice if your primary concern is music making, as the reality is that none of the iPhone 4's new features can trump its big brother's larger screen.

For more detail and analysis, take a browse through our sister site TechRadar's extensive iPhone 4 coverage.

(Last updated 8 June 2010, 11:00 GMT)

Apple has announced that its iPad will finally be available in the UK - and eight other countries - from 28 May. The pricing structure for the various models has also been nailed down.

The Wi-Fi iPads will be available for £429 (16GB), £499 (32GB) and £599 (64GB). The Wi-Fi/3G versions, meanwhile, will retail for £529 (16GB), £599 (32GB) and £699 (64GB). Pre-ordering starts on Monday (10 May).

The other countries to be getting the iPad on the same day are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.