Logic, Sampletank, and/or GarageBand for Ipad?

[studiolyricist]

I'm not familiar with most music software and was wondering what should I get if I want to use the most realistic sounding software instruments?

I have GarageBand for iMac but I wonder if the touch screen version for iPad has more capability sound wise that I'm missing on my iMac?

Then the pros say it's really between programs like Logic and Pro Tools and GarageBand is just a toy, not a real program for recording or mixing.

However, I've heard the online demo of SampleTank and am really impressed with the sound quality. Sampletank has an iPad version so I'm wondering, if I want realistic sounding software instruments, if I should just cut out the middleman and go that route? The reason people recommend Logic or Pro Tools is usually because you can play more and alter the sound. But if I'm already getting a great sound from SampleTank on iPad, do I need Logic? Can I get away with GarageBand to record a decent CD? Or as my ear learns more am I going to want the tweaking power of a Logic Pro later?

I'm basically dealing in the rock genre sound so I'm going for a heavy rock sound from software instrument. I hope helps gives people enough of an idea that they can recommend one or the other from my choices.

Thank you.

[mickbrit55]

Hi Marazetti

Garage Band isn't a toy but it isn't as fully featured as one of the top of the line DAW's (digital audio workstations) like Cubase, Logic or Pro Tools. With these DAW's you can record, mix, edit and even master your tracks. It generally comes down to what you need and how much you want to pay. On the whole, Pro Tools will end up costing the most because it is viewed as the "industry standard" but all of the other DAW's will do pretty much the same thing.

Mick.

[CosmicDolphin]

Depends what you want to do.....

Garageband is a very capable DAW for recording and mixing on, and if you're new to it all I'd definitely get into that first before I spent money elsewhere as it'll do an awful lot and it's free with the iMac. There's some virtual instruments and Apple loops too, I've had a play with it on my kids iMac and people have certainly made albums with it. It's not a toy for sure..the Ipad version will be cut down and simplified from the iMac version not the other way around.  Under the hood the latest version of Garageband is based on Logic, but it would probably take quite a lot of learning for you to outgrow it.

Sampletank is a Workstation Synth virtual instrument which runs within either Garageband or Logic and many other DAW's....so it's irrelevant which one you using as the sounds will be identical.

Bear in mind any iPad versions are usually cut down in some way from their big brother Mac versions to make them run on it so you'll probably find there's less features/instruments etc. and also it is usually more difficult to integrate the Ipad instuments into a home studio set up...far easier to run it as a plugin inside Garageband etc with a full feature set and all the facilities of the host program.

Of course you could skip Sampletank all together and use the real musicians here, even the best software won't sound as good as a decent guitarist , bass player & drummer recorded well....that's the whole reason for having this place. Though if you're a decent keys player you'd get alot of use out of it I'm sure.

Hope that helps.

CD
 

[studiolyricist]

Thanks, mickbrit55 and CosmicDolphin. I knew I could count on MC for some great answers. 

As far as Logic goes, based on what you've both said, I will probably go for that program. I've never used it but I'm not afraid to jump right in. I do want to record an album eventually so I obviously want the finished product to be a decent quality.

The only reason I've hesitated was because I wasn't sure if the iPad version of Garageband afforded it some advantage over Logic because of it's touch screen as I plan to utilize a lot of the software instruments. Anyone know if the touch screen makes it easier to play various note combinations or riffs that just can't be preformed via a midi or musical keyboard? 

Thanks again!

[studiolyricist]

CosmicDolphin,

I agree about real musicians, especially here at MC. It has it's rewards, no doubt, and truth be told, I would prefer to work with real musicians. But articulating what you're going for and getting a collaborator on board and within any sort of rational schedule can be a huge challenge, as I'm sure you know. It's different when you are an established musician, as I sure many of you here know, but I'm have a way to go before that happens.

[CosmicDolphin]

Anyone know if the touch screen makes it easier to play various note combinations or riffs that just can't be preformed via a midi or musical keyboard? 

No , it's quite the opposite. even a budget midi keyboard will be way more playable than a touchscreen device, apple or otherwise.

If you're new to recording , I suspect you'll find GarageBand more than capable... Plenty of great albums were recorded on far less capable systems than what we enjoy now , even at the so called 'entry level' which is thousands of times more powerful than anything we had 10-15 years ago.

some reading for you...

http://www.apple.com/logicpro/garageband-to-logic/     ( tells you what Logic does over GarageBand )

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct09/articles/logic9.htm  ( review of Logic 9 )

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan11/articles/apple-notes-0111.htm  ( small article about GarageBand '11 update )

CD


Ps - Part of the collabing process is that people don't play exactly what you think , they often come up with something more exciting/inventive/inspiring ! That's half the fun ! 

PPs - What sort of album are you making , what are your own strengths / weaknesses musically ?   You can post this info on the 'Welcome you are Here' thread....for all to see, make a few friends.

I for instance play acoustic guitar ( kinda okay-ish ) , write songs ( not too bad I hope  ) , program beats & do simple keys ( half decent ) , sing ( badly, but they're MY songs ) , produce & mix ( probably my best talent , the one thing I do for other people too)

There were 30 folk from here who played or sang on my album, which is on iTunes etc.

[studiolyricist]

Very encouraging to hear about the touch screen! I'm actually glad (in a way). It pretty much settles the argument for getting Logic on my iMac.

Thanks for the links. I have been researching everything I could on Logic so those links may just be rehashing what I've already seen but I will check them out.

What you said about GarageBand is also encouraging should Logic prove too much of a learning curve too fast. Again, not afraid of Logic but it's good to know I can fall back on my copy of GarageBand if I get too frustrated. It does make sense that Garageband would be "thousands of times more powerful" than anything 10-15 years before and is nothing to sneeze at. I'm really getting much more comfortable with GarageBand than I was two , three years ago. I hope I can use that experience as a springboard into Logic, though.

I really can't quantify my musical strengths and weaknesses really. I studied bass for a year and played drums (on my own mostly) for 15 but I feel I'm kinda of past the point of collaborating person to person since discovering the power of software instruments. (I know, kinda sad to share that with musicians). I really love the control over the entire process. I'm not new to MC (or Artist Collaborations before that). I've had three very rewarding collaborations with some great people from both here and at the now defunct AC forums. However, I only contributed lyrics on all three. It was a great experience and I learned a lot but the comparison between what I can get done person to person versus program to person is just no contest. I'm not into live performance at all so that is another huge reason I'm all on board with software music production. Just basically want to get an album on itunes and I'll be happy. I think one of the members here calculated that only 1 out of every 20 ideas he submitted got picked up for a collaboration and that's a little tough to me. There's nothing like peer review and approval to filter out one's bad ideas and even, like you said, add something better, but it's not the same when you're dealing with concept albums, which is basically how I like to write. For what I'm trying to do, I've discovered it's impossible to get human players on board with a whole project and, personally, I don't have the musical resume to be asking that much of pro and semi-pro musicians. People are just too busy or don't want to invest too much of themselves in one place or on a project that isn't even their own and I don't blame them. I had many lyrics posted at here at MC and elsewhere before and pitched my lyrics and project concepts all around. It comes down to none to mixed results with people vs. full results with software minus a little realism (and, as you know, software instruments sound more real year after year). That's why the software route is such a great solution for me (and I think a lot of people) and one I'm happy to explore.

Haven't really checked in here in awhile but would love to hear you tunes sometime.

Thanks!

[CosmicDolphin]

Software instruments are great at some things but suck at others, and as you said you're doing rock they suck hardest at guitar sounds , which is pretty much a mainstay of the genre. You just can't replace them with stuff played on a keyboard. 

I don't think the idea is to get the same people do the entire project because nobody can commit , you're right about that - but like I said there were over 30 on my album so it was spread around...I did end up with a few 'regulars' for sure but the common thread was me writing , singing , mixing and project managing..took about 2 years on and off. Which is quicker and better than if I did it all alone 

Anyway , good luck with it...I look forward to hearing what you come up with.  My CD is here http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cosmicdolphins and on iTunes. All the tracks are in the finished thread in some shape or for if you wanna search.

CD