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iOS 7 "Runs and plays" test - results: Part 1

iOS 7 "Runs and plays" test - results: Part 1


Here are the results so far on the "Runs and plays" test on iOS 7 on an iPad mini wifi-only device with 16GB memory.

Nothing complicated was attempted in each case - simply running the app, choosing a preset and playing a short melody (for synths at least). In some cases I messed with a little modulation too but nothing extensive yet.

I have NOT yet tested:

 

  • - Background audio
  • - WIST
  • - Anything extensive with Audiobus (one test - see below)
  • - Jack
  • - Hardware input / output (E.g. iRig MIDI, iRig, iConnectMIDI2+, etc.)
  • - External MIDI input by any means (even over wifi)
  • - Recording in any recording app. (E.g. Auria, Cubasis, etc.) Simply fired up demos.

 

All sounds at this point were played through the iPad mini's own speakers - no external jack or speaker connections of any kind.

In any apps where I had made IAPs I restored those also without any problems. Also where an app requested access to the mic I allowed it.


Disclaimer: do not take anything here as a guarantee that these synths will load, run or play on your iPad hardware. However they do load and run on a freshly loaded iPad mini with iOS 7 freshly installed:

 

Synth apps:

 

  • - iMS-20
  • - iPolysix
  • - Animoog
  • - iMini
  • - Nave
  • - Magellan
  • - Galileo
  • - Modular
  • - Alchemy
  • - Addictive Synth
  • - Arctic Keys
  • - NLog PRO
  • - Audulus - HOWEVER the in-app keyboard did end up with a note stuck on
  • - Cassini
  • - iTuttle
  • - CrystalSynthXT
  • - SampleTank
  • - Sunrizer
  • - Nodebeat HD
  • - LaunchKey
  • - Rebirth
  • - SunVox
  • - Grand Piano
  • - DXi
  • - Argon
  • - Xenon
  • - SynthX

 

iPhone synth apps:

 

  • - Animoog for iPhone
  • - Cassini for iPhone
  • - Magellan Jr.
  • - miniSynth
  • - miniSynth 2
  • - miniSynth Pro
  • - iGrand Piano for iPhone
  • - Sunrizer XS

 

Drum / beat synths:

 

  • - DM1
  • - Beatforge
  • - Molten
  • - RhythmPad
  • - Impaktor (which was of course using the mic - and worked just fine)
  • - Tabletop
  • - Rhythm Studio
  • - SynthDrum
  • - Synth Drum - starts up with a warning about an Audiobus initialization problem and says Audiobus will be disabled. Need to look at that. However - it does work and play.
  • - Studio 1111

 

Guitar-related apps (I did not connect a guitar to test them - simply fired them up):

 

  • - Amplitube
  • - Ampkit+
  • - GuitarTone
  • - JamUp Pro
  • - Shredder
  • - iFretless bass (this one of course I could hear immediately - works OK.)
  • - Sonus G2M
  • - MIDIMorphosis

 

FX apps:

(Again I only fired these up - did not yet run anything thru' them with one exception below):

 

  • - Turnado
  • - Echo Pad
  • - Filtatron
  • - (I tend to use some of the other synths as FX, hence the small list here)

 

Recording suites / sequencers / file sharing etc.

 

  • - Cubasis - On and On demo ran OK
  • - Auria - took a while to load the 1st time - but played "The approach" demo OK.
  • - FL Studio HD - Electroconductor - Walker demo ran OK
  • - GarageBand - Loaded up OK
  • - NanoStudio - Eden 1 demo ran OK
  • - Music Studio - Blue Danube demo ran OK
  • - AudioShare - loaded up OK
  • - Meteor Multi Track Recorder - Initial demo ran OK
  • - Genome MIDI Sequencer loaded OK

 

Non-synth audio apps:

 

  • - Sound Wand Midi (Did not move around yet because I had the iPad mini on a stand)
  • - DJ Player
  • - db Meter Pro
  • - SPL Meter

 

Other music apps:

 

  • - Notion (played a Mozart score OK)
  • - Symphony Pro (Played Pachelbel's Canon in D OK)
  • - Avid Scorch (Played Tom Clarke's Nacirema People OK)
  • - Songwriter's Pad
  • - OnSong

 

One Audiobus test:

 

  • - Animoog -> Echo Pad -> NLogSynthPro - Worked fine!

 

Other things:

 

  • - iConfig started OK
  • - MIDI Bridge started OK

 

 

So - where are we?

So far - nothing crashed and burned - and a simple Audiobus test worked.

Using under load and in combinations is obviously going to be the next step - and also to see if there are any interface issues - knobs that don't turn etc. I'll also want to explore IAA to see what works with what as things develop.

I'll keep you posted!

Keep making music - maybe on iOS 7 too ;-)

Derek.

BTW: If your favorite app is not on this list I would still be willing to try it. Here's the plan. Drop me a line in the comments with an indication of how much you would be willing to gift via iTunes or PayPal and which apps you would like to see tested in some sort of order with the most important to you at the top.

If enough people vote for a given app, and then in mutual agreement when I've totted up the vote counts, follow through with an iTunes / Paypal gift, I'll download, install and test each voted for app - covered by the sum of any donations - on iOS 7 as extensively as I am able!

 

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