How do I get started

[buggs1a]

I've got an iPad and would like an easy way to make some music and save to my iMac.

I been looking at some of the apps in the app store and found the Korg.

Ive no experience and the only thing I have used so far is isequence light on my iPod touch and iPad. I also have able ton live 8 on my iMac and have looked at it for a few minutes here and there. I have logic pro 9 also and have looked in it for a few minutes.

My question is what would be a good way for me to start and does the korg have lots of sounds and instruments? I don't see how considering it's not even 20mb.

Thanks.
Joe

[X-Trade]

does the korg have lots of sounds and instruments? I don't see how considering it's not even 20mb.

The Korg software doesn't have to be a massive size - there are no samples involved. It is an emulation of an analog synthesizer with some additional bits like drum synthesis and effects. You turn knobs and patch modules together to design the sounds from scratch.
You won't find any recorded samples of a piano or string section in here


I haven't used it but I gather a good method would be to use the iMS20 and other software to create loops and bits which you could then put together in Logic, or jam out into an arrangement in Ableton Live.

[Krog]

If you are looking for an app that let's you generate your own music but also comes with preset sounds, I would suggest giving Nanostudio a go.

It's an iPhone app but it works perfectly on an iPad.

If you are new to making music then the iMS20 may be a little too complex.
It's not that it's a difficult piece of software to use, it's just that it takes a bit of time and patience to get anything out of.

However, as X-Trade as said, the iMS20 app is perfect for creating loops that will import directly into your DAW software and in that respect I would look no further than GarageBand for this purpose.
You just simply save your loops on the iMS20 app and then sync your iPad to iTunes to get access to them and then simply drag them into GarageBand as loops. Simplez !!

Depending on your level of disposable income, it may be worth you getting both Nanostudio and the iMS20 apps
If you are feeling really flush, I would also recommend the ReBirth app for some classic Roland beat box rhythms

Whatever you do, have fun !

Cheers,

Krog.

[buggs1a]

Thanks.
Sorry it took me so long to reply.

What about isequence? That, nanostudio and rebirth all look cool. But I have read of limitations and that makes me nervous. Rebirth looks daunting and awesome too. Sequence looks cool but not sure of the sound and amount of sounds and instruments. Korg looks cool too.

I just don't know what to do. I'm not liking the idea much about getting a non iPad app also.

On my iMac I have ableton live 8 and logic pro 9' the demos for native instruments komplete 7 players and demos for both absynth 5 and massive. I was playing with massive and love the sounds it has. But of course they're only demos. Imdont know how to use anything yet either.

[Krog]

The only person who can make the ultimate decision is you !

Everyone is different and has their own opinion on what is good and maybe not so good.

Whatever you choose will allow you to make music.
The option with the most potential for expansion as your experience grows is the PC software option (Ableton etc.), however that may also prove to be difficult to initially get to grips with.

The iPad apps are really simple and you will get some good results quite quickly however, they are somewhat limited in the long term.

It really is best to try everything that you can i.e. hardware, software, apps or whatever you can get your hands on

I'm afraid you are going to have to take a bit of a gamble !

Why not buy something like the iMS20 app. You can have fun with it and at the same time use it as a loop generator for your PC software. That way you have covered two options

Good luck

Krog.

[buggs1a]

Hehe. You just daid I maybe shouldn't try first the korg. Hehe.

I am nervous because there's no refund if I don't like it. I would like tons of instruments and an easy way to put the sounds where ever and have it sound good. Like with how you click in a square or something to put an instrument. I don't really know if that's how you do it or if there's other ways to do it.

I also don't know much about loops. Like if loops are worth much or easy to use.

I think I'm nervous not knowing what the apps can do and what I should start with.

[buggs1a]

I bought isequence for my iPad a few days ago. I have only briefly played with it. I wish it had way more sounds. What it does have is ok and to me seems basic. I wish it had way more beats and drums etc like techno or something.

So far I made an 8 second 2 pattern test. Both patterns the same. So 3.7 seconds or so. Just a drum beat and some other sound. It's ok I guess n

Korg and rebirth both seem cool though. Just not sure. Hmm m

[LordDread]

You should give the IMS-20 a try, its on sale till the end of the month, after that it doubles in price.

Santa brought me an ipad this year, i bought the IMS-20 and a bounch of other apps, but after some playing around iam only using the Korg app.
Its a beast!

So much value for money. You may have to take a deeper look into it than in other apps, but the learning curve isn´t that high and after some tweaking you will only use this one. IMHO

Tip: there are many vids on youtube.

Your choice.

[buggs1a]

LordDread, thank you for the input.
What do you like about the Korg? WhTs the difference between the ims and the other Korg app?

I'm nervous about the Korg being hard since I don't think I'm that creative at all. Like I don't know music like bars or what notes on paper means. Or little things like that. Sontag how I have done anything in isequence or live is just pick a sound, tap where I want it and play it back and hope it sounds ok.

The Korg does seem cool. I just nervous is all.
Rebirth seems cool too but I feel
The same on it as with the Korg. Not sure how many sounds or instruments are there and if it's easy like point and click per say.

I'll buy the Korg probably. Just nervous. If possible would someone please be willing to help me with the Korg if I ask anything? I'll try to read the manual and find a video tutorial but the unknown is hard for me.

[X-Trade]

If possible would someone please be willing to help me with the Korg if I ask anything? I'll try to read the manual and find a video tutorial but the unknown is hard for me.

That's what the forum is for!


By the way, I don't read music very well and never originally considered myself a creative.

The Korg is a based around a real instrument. Just one instrument. But a synthesizer. The whole point of a synthesizer is that it can do many different sounds and you create your own. Mainly electronic 'unrealistic' sounds. Like you turn different knobs to control different characteristics of the sound it makes. It is a very technical process but can be quite easy to master - just a simple matter of figuring out or learning which knobs do what!

Electronic music particularly is known for being approached by people who have no former knowledge of music production or performance. And you don't need to understand 'classical' music systems such as sheet music in order to get started in it.

[buggs1a]

X-trade, thank you so much.

I just bought the ims20.

The first time you open it, it has a sound selected by default. I touched on the keys and what I heard sounded pretty awesome. I really like that square window area where you move your finger anywhere in the square and the sound changes. That was way cool.

For me I think of sounds as instruments or instruments as sounds. Like how you described the korg being one instrument, that doesn't compute lol. It plays a drum and other sounds. Wouldn't they each be considered a different instrument? This is one area I get or am confused.

Umm, now I'm not sure what to say. I know I need to read the manual and I will. Where is it? I'd like to be able to save the manual on my iPad like in iBooks or something so icon read it offline or whatever. Like PDF I guess.

[X-Trade]

For me I think of sounds as instruments or instruments as sounds. Like how you described the korg being one instrument, that doesn't compute lol. It plays a drum and other sounds. Wouldn't they each be considered a different instrument? This is one area I get or am confused.

Well I suppose technically each drum is a seperate 'instrument', and then the synthesizer itself is another instrument.

The thing about synthesizers being a single instrument is that unique synthesizer has a specific set of modules in a specific configuration - that's what makes it an MS20 and not a MiniMoog or anything else. But those modules can be tasked to different parameters to make different sounds.

Its like having a guitar, that is one instrument, but you can add distortion, chorus, echo, flanger, and it becomes a different sound. But its still the same instrument, right? anyway, its really all just semantics. The only true thing that matters is the sound.

[jdoo]

buggs1a -

krog has a post which I found really useful when getting started (I picked up rthe ims-20 a few days ago). Here is the link:
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... 387e093302

Thanks for the kickstart krog! That post should be pinned to the top of the forum . . "getting started" or something along those lines.

[Krog]

@jdoo

Thanks for the vote of confidence for my post

I guess you must be having fun using the iMS20 app

Glad to have helped

Cheers,

Krog.

[buggs1a]

Sadly ims-20 doesn't have many sounds. Only 6 drum sounds? Wow.

Is there anyway I can give this app to someone? I'm not planning to use it anymore since it doesn't have a lot of stuff and I'm just not sure what to do with it. Or am I missing something?