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Tag: "reviews/4Pockets"

4Pockets MeTeoR

[ 0 ] 2011/06/03

MeTeoR is a multitrack recorder for iPad offering up to 12 audio tracks and featuring a built-in mixer. It can use either the built-in audio capabilities of your iPad, an adapter such as iRig/Ampkit, or an iOS 4.2-supported USB audio interface.

All the basic trimmings you'd expect are included such as a sample editor, simple (though slightly fiddly) automation and effects. The effects are very good, including reverb, stereo delay, chorus/flange, tone boost, compression, distortion and EQ.

Our only objection is that the last three are paid add-ons, which isn't made clear on the purchase screen, so budget for at least another £1.79 each for compression and EQ, as both are pretty much essential, we'd say.

Other nice touches include sidechain compression, track freeze, three send buses, fast loading/saving and a great no-nonsense manual that tells you how much you can realistically expect from the app and how to maximise its potential.

Even for such a compact app, we still think there are a few omissions, including track-labelling and track delay. But it's easy to forget about these in use, as the sound, look, layout and ergonomics are truly fantastic, including the mixer.

And with the ability to import audio via iTunes and export as cCAF or WAV, simple but professional-sounding results can be had. This is definitely a tool, not a toy.

Should you get it? Since it's got no virtual instruments, bundled loops, etc, it is primarily for those who just need to record and/or mix audio on the move, so it could be useful for anyone recording live gigs or demos out and about. It's also good for laying out and combining voice recordings or soundtracks (you can import video using a paid-add on).

As great as MeTeoR is, if you don't fall into one of the above categories, you might not get much out of it. If mobile recording and mixing are your thing, though, it's highly recommended.



4Pockets Aurora Sound Studio HD

[ 0 ] 2010/07/29

The preview video for Aurora Sound Studio HD had certain team members compulsively checking the App Store for its release, for it promised a full production studio for the iPad. Not a DAW, mind you - no audio recording would be provided, for one thing - but an electronic studio with everything you need to compose and perform electronic music: drums, subtractive and waveshaping synthesisers, a sampler, mixer and effects, all tied to a multitouch grid interface resembling the iconic Yamaha Tenori-On.

Aurora HD delivers on its promise in spades, albeit with a couple of caveats. The interface is divided into tabbed pages, some of which are geared towards arranging your sequences, while others are aimed at live performance with instruments and effects. Sequences are arranged in 14 layers, each with a fully editable instrument assigned.

Each layer has three send knobs, for routing the signal to a trio of aux send channels, with a choice of nine effects for each. Additionally, you can apply the Atomizer and M-Gun functions in real time, the former being a sort of sample-and-hold function (think Ableton Live's Beat Repeat), while the latter is a per-sound 'drum roll' function.

Songs can be exported as WAV and AAC files, or even as MIDI. The latter ensures that compositions sketched out on Aurora can be reworked using your DAW's instruments and effects.

So what are those caveats we mentioned earlier? Well, the big one is that there's no way to write any sort of velocity data to the individual layers. You can, however, fake it using the synthesiser's built-in MSEQ function, but this is only available to the analogue synth.

Also, a mere three effects slots seems miserly, and there's no compressor. In addition, while you can upload and share songs via an online Song Library, this can't be done with songs that include your own samples.

Nevertheless, 4Pockets has brought in a winner, albeit one that carries a price tag considerably higher than those to which App Store customers are currently accustomed. The problems are few and do nothing to get in the way of what is a truly inspiring production environment. If you're an iPad owner in the market for a portable production tool, you definitely won't want to pass this one up.



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