iOS virtual pianos + Oberheim MC-3000?

[Dnsmo]

I have an Oberheim MC-3000 master controller (in storage -- that soon will be remedied!) and I'm thinking about using it with iPads -- a Pro and a first-gen Mini -- in a setup that would give me some of the functionality of a workstation in my home studio. I'm looking for bread and butter sounds and a sequencer. I prefer limiting this to iOS platform at present.

 

Here are the contenders I'm already aware of for sounds: GarageBand, Korg Module/Ivory Grand, SampleTank 2 for iOS, NeoSoul Keys. What else should be on my radar? I already have Hammond sounds covered.

 

For a sequencer: GarageBand, Korg Gadget, and Cubasis. Right now, ease of operation/scratchpad use is more important than editing depth.

 

My primary use of this combination is for AP silent practice (to supplement the Steinway in my studio), as well as EP and other sounds for composing/arranging.

 

What would be your choice of apps for a master controller/iPad(s) setup like this?

 

Dennis

 

 

 

 

[Giancarlo Robles]

I have zero experience with sequencing since I use my ipad exclusively as a sound module alternative. However I can provide insight on the apps and their sounds.

 

If you are looking for really great quality acoustic pianos, Korg Module has the most variety. The included sounds are great. You can get an arguably better sound by purchasing the Ivory iAP. When doing piano solo work live I am using CMP Grand Piano though. I find it has a better decay and overall warmer tone than the standard Module pianos (using the Steinway grand). If you don't need a dedicated piano sound then you can skip over it. As for electric pianos, you can also try the ones in Module, but IMO Neo Soul Keys has the most detailed ones. Plus they are very tweakable. Sampletank is good if you need a lot of variety but quality may be hit or miss depending on what kind of music you're considering on making.

 

I have heard great things about Korg Gadget for arranging. I did download the app at one point and started playing around with the gadgets. Some of them have really interesting and high quality sounds.

[Dnsmo]

Thanks, Giancarlo.

 

Have you run into any latency issues using these?

[Giancarlo Robles]

I have not had any latency problems when using one sound at a time. I have a relatively current ipad though (mini 2). I occasionally do piano + pad combination mixing up CMP with Korg Module's Warm Pad sound and putting them both on the same midi channel. When I press the sustain pedal and leave pressed, after maybe 30 seconds I do get skipping from using too much CPU power. This does not happen if I have only, for example, only Module playing. However apart from that latency is good. Most of these apps do have options to change the latency to less or more. If you have an older ipad I would play around with latency settings until you get a good balance between touch and sound. If your ipad/iphone is new (current or last year's generation) I wouldn't worry too much. Crank it up to the lowest latency settings and polyphony possible.

[Dnsmo]

That's good to know about the latency settings.

 

I have a current-generation pro 12.9 and a mini 1.

 

How many sounds should I be able to run simultaneously on the newer unit? It has the most RAM currently available on any iPad: 4GB. I'd like to find out what that limit is on that machine without problems.

 

Is the mini (512MB of memory) best used for sequencing tasks?

 

Dennis

 

 

[vanderSchoot]

When doing piano solo work live I am using CMP Grand Piano though. I find it has a better decay and overall warmer tone than the standard Module pianos (using the Steinway grand).

I like the add on Bechstein in the CMP package (another 15,- ?) more than the default piano's.

And what is kind of bizare......it nails the sound of any Queen song piano part.....well, because it is a Bechstein and Freddie Mercury had one he cherished.

Everytime i fiddle with CMP Bechstein it has THIS Queen sound a Yamaha or Steinway fails to deliver.

It is in the ambient, slightly ''detuned'' sounding overtones and warm , but not so fat character.

Makes you wonder why so little Bechsteins are sampled, because they possess this unique character......

 

[Dnsmo]

Thanks, vanderSchoot.

 

The idea is to get something up and running with my MC-3000 that will at least suffice as a practice instrument, and will sound good enough to be used in conjunction with other sounds as an inspirational tool for writing. (We'll see about that one!)

 

Is there any way with these apps to calibrate damper pedal? I've heard that pedal operation is generally not as good with iOS apps as it is on a DP.

 

Also, should I take advantage of many velocity curves that are available on the MC-3000?

 

 

 

[Giancarlo Robles]

Is there any way with these apps to calibrate damper pedal? I've heard that pedal operation is generally not as good with iOS apps as it is on a DP.

 

Also, should I take advantage of many velocity curves that are available on the MC-3000?

 

 

 

In my experience you should have no trouble with the damper pedal. None of the current iOS pianos have half-pedalling capabilities so all of them will work fine with just an on/off pedal switch. As long as the Oberheim controller has a damper pedal connection it should be fine. It would be a good idea to test the Oberheim's velocity curves and see what works best for you. I think most of the current apps do have some way of modifying curves from within the apps themselves (I know Module and CMP do at least) but having the possibility in the hardware is a plus. You will have more flexibility in that regard.

[t9cstudio]

I'll throw my 2cents in for trying IKM's iLectric Piano for EP's. To my ears and the vast number of keyboards for the buck was great. I found NeoSoul's EP's too tweakable, but you may enjoy that sort of thing. I'm more inclined to choose a preset and eq/fx it and be done with it.

 

+1 for the CMP Grand Giancarlo mentioned. Better than IKM's iGrand set and as soon as Module goes on sale again, I'll get Ivory too.

 

The SoundTestRoom has a comparison of CMP, Ivory and iGrand if you haven't seen it yet.

 

[Dnsmo]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

So far, I'm underwhelmed with what I'm hearing from YT clips sampling the pianos on most of these apps -- in general, very brightly voiced instruments and not to my taste.

 

I was hoping that I could get by with something other than a CP4 or RD-800 for my home setup. Before I go that route, I'll try the Oberheim 88-note with some of these apps.

 

Dennis

[Giancarlo Robles]

I'm not sure if it will be of any help, but if you're looking for something a bit more muted, the Ivory iAP in Module does include some atmospheric ambience pianos. They are quite nice and moody if you're looking for something of the sort. Also I don't use it much since I don't play classical, but the Bechstein iAP in CMP Vanderscoot mentioned is quite dark IMO.