iOS for the gigging Bassist

[MarshallBTB]

Managed to grab a sonic port for 45 quid on ebay, but it only came with the 30 pin cable... I should have checked it out first but the cheap 30 pin to lightning adapter I have doesn't work. I've had a look around but it doesn't look like you can order replacement cables? Anyone happen to know if this is possible?

Edited May 21, 2014 by MarshallBTB

[cliffyspliff]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1400144475' post='2451087']
I was doing some googling to see if there was a solution to the issue of charging the ipad whilst using it, and I found a pass through adapter that has a micro usb port to allow charging, it appears to be primarily designed to solve the issues that aftermarket iphone/ipad cases can cause with accessories and docking stations, but maybe worthy of further research.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/CableJive-dockStubz-Converter-Through-Adapter/dp/B003TJR2HS"]http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B003TJR2HS[/url]

Just to be clear, I am not recommending this and haven't bought or tested it, just thought it might be relevant to the thread.
[/quote]
A solution would be the Alesis io dock ..... less cabling than the Toneport too .... as you dont have to use a DI box

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Alesis don't mention in their blurb whether the dock will charge the ipad whilst in use, but it does look like a nice bit of kit - on tayste's blog he was talking about using multiple outs for recording, and the iodock spec doesn't indicate whether the headphone outs can be assigned different signals to the main line outs, but there are plenty of class compliant devices around the same price point that support 2in with preamps and 4 independant line outs, plus midi.

[cliffyspliff]

I can confirm the Alesis does charge your ipad while in use and does have two lines out .... You can also operate it with a foot switch ... Which is great .... Saves waiting for the, it seems never to be released Bluetooth foot switch by positive grid .... And most importantly it does give more protection to your ipad when playing live .... Which is something I always worry about when I go out with the Sonic port

[timmyo]

I just wanted to say thanks for the info in this thread, and for the Blog posts - damn good stuff :-)

[Prime_BASS]

I have a sonic port coming in this week, and for now my idea is to use it for when I seriously CBA to cart my gear around, and another is to record and rough mix songs to hopefully get the whole song writing process quicker.

So I can record bass, and guitar, and possibly Vox with just jam up (maybe something better for just vocals). Obviously recording one track at a time.

My issue is getting drums recorded, using some sort of drum machine, and then mixing it all on my ipad.

I really don't want to spend £30 quid on Auria.

What else is out there? I'd also end up using it to hopefully record multitracks for bass, similar to how Tayste does in the studio blog.

[LukeFRC]

this is really intriguing me.

[Muzz]

Ok, sooooo, following a catastrophic gig last weekend when two wireless units went bang (one receiver, one transmitter), resulting in me not using my in-ears and ending up deaf, I decided to get a backup wired system sorted out. I got OBBM of this parish to make me up a combination instrument/headphones lead, and bought an ART MyMonitor headphone amp/mixer.

The gig was the worst possible situation to try it out for the first time: we played a holiday park, so no sound check or even noise to be made during setup, but it worked really well. Bass into Sonic Port/iPad, Sonic Port into FX Return of the Streamliner, DI out from Streamliner into the Art mixer, out to PA. Feed from PA into Art mixer, headphones into Art mixer. I got the whole band on one volume control, and me on another. Result.

The only downsides were a middy tone to the bass, and a mono feed from the PA meant it could have sounded better and more balanced, but we can work on it when we get more than ten minutes. I'm sure I can get it right, but at least I could hear everything everyone was doing, especially me. About £85, too, so until I can afford a really good wireless IEM, I'm gonna work with this.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Muzz

[Monckyman]

Have been building my patches on jamup,not disappointed at all,sounds great. Just needs proper foot pedal control and charging.
Twin amping using a daw to route left and right is a nice idea.

[Prime_BASS]

Got my Sonic Port, installed Jamup, Bias, Audiobus and a few other things (ampkit etc) using an iPad mini (not sure on model but has the newer connector but no retina display)

Sounds great so far. I typically use a parrallel setup, similar to billy Sheehan. Low gain drive with the option for more on one side and a clean and compressed signal on the other.

The amp sims sound good but none are for me, and I am very underwhelmed by the range of overdrives.
To get what I want I've modded a GK sim in Bias and use that in Bias( while using everything with Audiobus), set very clean and a little compression. Nails it so hard in regards to the clean sound I want, very happy.

To get the drive I want, I modded the blue line sim in Bias. Basically turned every up to get the most distortion out of it, left the transformer open, so very little compression, very very touch sensitive though, not a bad thing but even with the gain turned to max I still have to ram hard the strings.
I import this amp model into Jamup and use the boss type overdrive to give me the extra kick in some songs.

The only things I've been struggling with is getting the right sound for the overdrive, and EQing everything at the end, seems very hard to get a specific boost on some frequencies.

My issues-
I don't quiet know how to improve the latency and noise issues, some times it's fine other times there is just some digital fizz going on and others, especially when it gets really dynamic, it nearly gives up all together, nothing has crashed yet though.
Lack of overdrives, even in the in app stores there isn't a great deal and I beleive it assumes all bassists love wool and fuzz.
Running Audiobus, with Jamup in one chain and bias in another there is volume differences in apps depending on what app I'm looking at.
It's not a total issue as it sounds fine when Jamup is open, which what I need to look at. I believe this will be fixed with some kind of mixer like Auria.

Pros.
I'm actually impressed with how it sounds, only heard it through my headphones but it's unbeleivably good, even better on guitar.
Took me 10 seconds to dial in the guitar tone we want for the band.

Going yo take this, and my pedal board just in case, to rehearsal and see how it goes sound wise and performance.

[tayste_2000]

You're on the original Ipad Mini, basically has the Spec of the Ipad 2 so you're really on the lower cusp of hardware for what's possible with the software.

As a tip make sure you close everything down, restart the ipad and then load the audio stuff up before you use it in a band setting this will give you the best performance.

[intime-nick]

i have just received my Sonic Port and I'm using the Jamup GK amp with a sansamp driver before it - sounds bloody ace (on headphones). will try it through my power amp and cab next but very impressed so far. I also have a Fractal Axe FX Ultra on loan and although i haven't delved deeply in the settings yet, it took me 5 mins to get a really good sound from the IOS setup that compares very favourably with the Ultra. Obviously the Ultra can do a lot of stuff that the IOS may not be able to handle and it may (will) be overkill - not that such frivolities have stopped me buying gear before !!. I am very close to ordering an Axe FX2 XL but the small test with the IOS / Jamup setup has made me think....

top job - cheers for sharing your setup tayste

Edited May 30, 2014 by intime-nick

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='tayste_2000' timestamp='1401445726' post='2463650']
You're on the original Ipad Mini, basically has the Spec of the Ipad 2 so you're really on the lower cusp of hardware for what's possible with the software.

As a tip make sure you close everything down, restart the ipad and then load the audio stuff up before you use it in a band setting this will give you the best performance.
[/quote]

Cheers Ste, been doing just that.
Latency doesn't seem to be a total issue when everything isbrunbing with audiobus and having jamup open.

Will clearing the cached data help too?

[IanA]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1401463546' post='2463912']
i have just received my Sonic Port and I'm using the Jamup GK amp with a sansamp driver before it - sounds bloody ace (on headphones). will try it through my power amp and cab next but very impressed so far. I also have a Fractal Axe FX Ultra on loan and although i haven't delved deeply in the settings yet, it took me 5 mins to get a really good sound from the IOS setup that compares very favourably with the Ultra. Obviously the Ultra can do a lot of stuff that the IOS may not be able to handle and it may (will) be overkill - not that such frivolities have stopped me buying gear before !!. I am very close to ordering an Axe FX2 XL but the small test with the IOS / Jamup setup has made me think....

top job - cheers for sharing your setup tayste
[/quote]
The svt amp sim on the fractal takes some beating, I have played that through an atomic powered cab and a studio and it just rock IMO. I really must get a sonic port this weekend, am dying to rock up live with just an iPad and my bass!

[Prime_BASS]

Had rehearsal yesterday so took the iPad and my regular pedal board, and did some A/B in a loud band context with my rig.

Setting up the iPad is a doddle. Just load up a saved patch in Audiobus and open Jamup and bias, job done.

Sounds hefty as f***, it just further reinforces my idea that the heft of an amp is down to preamp and EQ, but without getting into too much, it sounds like a big valve amp and not much else too it, but very surprisingly so there is definitely a lot of harmonic distortion and it's by far the best valve amp emulator I've ever tried at least.
Sounds a lot better through an amp than what I can get through my over head cans, so much so I decided to use it for the rest of practice.

Latency wasn't really an issue after I cleared all cached data and deleted some unwanted crap. Other issue I have is getting a decent level and changing them easier enough on the fly. Also after a few songs it crashed, sound stopped and the screen froze. Not good good but atleast I had my board there.

[intime-nick]

two rehearsals down this week (one more to go) and the sonic port / jam-up setup is working amazingly well. current favourite presets are based around the acoustic 360 amp & sansamp pedal with the EBS octaver on occasionally. looking at getting one of the iRig blue board pedals next to ease preset / pedal changes mid-song

has anyone used an expression pedal with the blue board to act as a wah ?

next logical step is to download Bias but the amp models in jam-up are doing a great job so far

i'm thinking about how to permanently mount the iPad/sonic port into my rack (maybe in a 1U drawer ?) with my guitar wireless/IEM setup - mainly to protect the iPad and connections from wear and tear

has anyone found a supply of replacement cables for the sonic port yet ? - i always like to carry spares for everything at gigs. my old iPhone will act as a backup for the iPad but i haven't found any replacement cables yet....

[Wooks79]

It'd be nice to get a more solid seeming lead, it seems really thin and flimsy

[Bigwan]

Anyone done much research into the Focusrite iTrack Dock? Looks pretty nice, but definitely more recording biased...

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1402043902' post='2469415']
Anyone done much research into the Focusrite iTrack Dock? Looks pretty nice, but definitely more recording biased...
[/quote]
http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/05/focusrite-announces-the-itrack-dock-recording-interface/

Seeme decent and might solve Tayste's issue of multiple outs?

[intime-nick]

having used the IOS / sonic port / jam-up arrangement for 3 rehearsals this week with 3 different bands I have to say i'm really, really impressed. so much so that i am now almost certain it'll be used live. i just need to get a second sonic port & cable (i.e. buy another one as I always like to carry spares) and I have my old iPhone as a backup for the iPad.

that Focusrite dock looks cool especially used with an iPad mini (so it doesn't hang out over the edge like a full size one looking at the pics)

all i need now is a really good (and portable) powered monitor and i'll be sorted for 2 of the 3 bands instead of my usual Berg/6U rack/pedalboard setup. if Alex would make a class D powered big baby 2 i'd have my order in quicker than you can say chequebook....

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1402061805' post='2469673']
having used the IOS / sonic port / jam-up arrangement for 3 rehearsals this week with 3 different bands I have to say i'm really, really impressed. so much so that i am now almost certain it'll be used live. i just need to get a second sonic port & cable (i.e. buy another one as I always like to carry spares) and I have my old iPhone as a backup for the iPad.

that Focusrite dock looks cool especially used with an iPad mini (so it doesn't hang out over the edge like a full size one looking at the pics)

all i need now is a really good (and portable) powered monitor and i'll be sorted for 2 of the 3 bands instead of my usual Berg/6U rack/pedalboard setup. if Alex would make a class D powered big baby 2 i'd have my order in quicker than you can say chequebook....
[/quote]

You econ it could seriously replace all your gear?
I'm struggling myself to get a decent drive out of it but really like the Amp I made on Bias for the clean tones.
Bit again it falls for me due to latency issues and crashing. I'd hate for it to crash mid set at a gig.

[intime-nick]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1402062008' post='2469675']
You econ it could seriously replace all your gear?
I'm struggling myself to get a decent drive out of it but really like the Amp I made on Bias for the clean tones.
Bit again it falls for me due to latency issues and crashing. I'd hate for it to crash mid set at a gig.
[/quote]

it's all i've taken to the rehearsals this week and it's been used through a variety of amps and cabs. i seriously reckon it could replace my mountain of gear for a lot of the gigs i do especially those where i'm using IEMs.

I've had no latency issues that i can detect and i'm using an old iPad 2 that's full to the gunnels with apps and other stuff and no crashes (yet) - i have been taking my old iPhone 4S as a backup which i factory reset and just have jam-up running (with replicated amp settings etc). i am only using jam-up on its own - i am going to try Bias soon though.

as far as sound goes - i am using the 360 acoustic amp with the sansamp & HPF pedal for 99% of 'my' sound plus a bit of octave now and again. I will stick a compressor in the chain at some point but i'm not entirely sure i need it.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1402061805' post='2469673']
if Alex would make a class D powered big baby 2 i'd have my order in quicker than you can say chequebook....
[/quote] yes.


I'ld need to save up mind but agree.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1402062448' post='2469682']


it's all i've taken to the rehearsals this week and it's been used through a variety of amps and cabs. i seriously reckon it could replace my mountain of gear for a lot of the gigs i do especially those where i'm using IEMs.

I've had no latency issues that i can detect and i'm using an old iPad 2 that's full to the gunnels with apps and other stuff and no crashes (yet) - i have been taking my old iPhone 4S as a backup which i factory reset and just have jam-up running (with replicated amp settings etc). i am only using jam-up on its own - i am going to try Bias soon though.

as far as sound goes - i am using the 360 acoustic amp with the sansamp & HPF pedal for 99% of 'my' sound plus a bit of octave now and again. I will stick a compressor in the chain at some point but i'm not entirely sure i need it.
[/quote]

I find that the while having Jamup on screen it doesn't have any lag where as anything else it does so I can get round that problem.

In regards to compression, a lot of amp sims have them in anyway and are adequate enough for a lot of light compression. In bias you can set individual controls for the compression too.

[LukeFRC]

is there an equivalent programme to Bias for OSX anyone could recommend? i've a macbook but no iPad and would like to experiment.