Best iPad music apps 2012
/2012 was fantastic year for iOS music production. First we've seen first professional DAW with mobile VST support, a lot of new apps, desktop DAWs developers made their apps - Propellerheads (Figure), Steinberg (Cubasis), new synths, completely new innovative applications like GlitchBreaks, Mint.IO and Samplr and of course Audiobus and a lot of updates of older apps.
In our 2012 TOP-10 iPad music apps we choose best apps that were developed this year and bring something new to the music production in iOS.
TOP 10 music apps for iPad 2012
1. Audiobus
This app is changing how we make music in iOS.
It doesn't produce any sound, you can't make music in this app. But you also can't make music without this app anymore. It helps you connect apps with each other.
Combine it with Virtual midi and you get the killing mix for creative music production in iOS.
2. Auria
This is the first professional DAW just for the iPad. With this app you don't need desktop DAW's anymore. They bring support for mobile VST to the iPad (it is not like VST's on the desktop where ) and they help developers of professional plugins like FabFilter and PSP to convert their VST's for the iPad. Auria DAW doesn't support yet MIDI but they are on their way to Virtual Instruments, Audiobus and other good things. Auria already proved that you can make professional sounding music "in-the-box" just on your iPad.
3. Cubasis
It seems that Steinberg not just ported light version of Cubase to the iPad but also made good investigation on how people making music in iOS applications.
It is not the first DAW for the iPad but it combines great sound and great user experience. Though the app lacks several features like automation, side chain compression, custom instruments and Audiobus support, after couple of updates we expect to see Cubasis for iPad as full featured music production suite.
Hey Logic, Ableton, where are your iPad apps?
4. Lemur 4
This is the list of 2012 apps but I include this app which had first release in 2011 because new version of Lemur is something new. You don't need desktop anymore to create Lemur templates. With in-app editor you can create full functional Lemur templates without need to run desktop application.
Figure for iPad
5. Figure
If you just have a minute - open Figure and you're already creating great sounding music. This app is great by itself but It also doing great job in popularizing music making on iPad, a lot of people without knowledges of music, rhythms, harmony start with this app.
6. Magellan
Best synth that came out in 2012. Fantastic sound. Good flexibility. A lot of features that your need. One of the first synths that supported Audiobus.
7. GlitchBreaks
This app is very useful not only for creating glitch sound but also for making complex beats for dubstep, drum and bass music or other genres. Glitch breaks gives you creative tool to compose fantastic sounding drum loops.
8. KORG iPolysix
Reincarnation of analog KORG synth. OK, there several similar apps. But with this one KORG brings iPad synths on new level: Great implementation of automation, drums sequencer, two instances of synth, audiobus support etc.
9. Drum Jam
Great app for making beats for different styles. Takes all advantages of iPad. Developers (app was designed by great percussionist - Pete Locket) didn't try to repeat old-fashioned drum machines. They were thinking how iPad rhythm factory should look like. It combines standard for drum machines instruments (Kicks, snares, hats etc.) with ethnic percussion (Tabla, Djembe. Bongos etc.) that you can play on the nice touch pads and get great grooves even for absolute beginners in drumming.
Samplr for ipad
10. Samplr
The most innovative and nice looking sampler which takes advantages of multitouch interface. It's much more creative tool than classic samplers were. With 7 different play modes your touch the waveform and get completely new sound, sometimes unpredictable and very different from the original sample that you started with. "Unlike other apps that try to recreate real like instruments or interaction concepts from traditional computers Samplr was designed for Multi-Touch devices from the very beginning."
