Cool iPad and iPhone Apps for Music Makers

Anyone with a smartphone or tablet, especially of the “i” kind, know that there is an app for just about anything you want to do.  There are the mundane (e.g. a flashlight, as well as some very sophisticated medical assessment tools that monitor your heart.)   To say that these devices have become the 21^st Century Swiss Army Knife is an understatement.

Below we will be discussing a very cool app and related hardware that should be of interest to any musician no matter their level of proficiency.  Essentially it allows your iPhone or iPad to serve as a very high end sound recording device.

Most people already know that the iPhone and iPad have recording capability.  Otherwise, what explains the number of cat videos on YouTube?   Most often the audio-only recording features of these devices are overlooked. We are indeed a video generation.

Recently I was given a wonderful add-on that allows me to connect very high quality microphones to my iPad or iPhone.  While the built in mics on the iPhone and iPad are satisfactory for simple audio recording tasks, if you want to capture music with good fidelity you must have a good microphone and be able to position in it in a proper location.   Holding your phone above your head just doesn’t cut it.

The I RIG Pre is a small battery powered device that combines a professional XLR microphone plug, a pre-amplifier and a small output plug that fits the jack on your phone or iPad.  Most high quality microphones use these professional XLR plugs so most any high quality mic can now be used along with a cable allowing the mic to be properly placed in the room to pick up the best audio.

There are several apps, many of them free, that capture these recordings and allow you to edit, enhance and save these sessions.  Most also allow you to convert the audio files to MP3, MP4 or WAV formats so they can be shared and played on most any digital music player. I currently use Voice Record Pro.  You can find it at the App Store.  You can find the I RIG Pre at many music stores and online.

If you are a musician and enjoy recording your work but don’t want the hassle of complicated recording gear, you might want to look closely at this option.