Ludovico Einaudi is one of my favourite artists of all time and I recently discovered that he has recorded an album at his home with an iPhone whilst in lockdown.

Check it out on Apple Music here.

I’ve enjoyed The Witcher Netflix series and today the soundtrack got added to Apple Music. Here’s the link.

It’s been quiet on the blog but I have been thinking about what I can do for creative projects to have a bit of a change. I think I’m going to start to look at getting back into my guitar and making music but this time it’ll be with an iPad focus. Recording an EP has been on my mind for a while so I’m going to plan out some projects that allow me to do this and take iOS along with me, all produced on the iPad. I need to work out how I am going to record and the MIC etc, but digging out my setup has been fun - watch this space.

Link

Along with one of my favourite documentaries I’ve seen in a while the soundtrack is great, especially to work to.

Yes, I’m revisiting some old tech and first up is my original iPad from 2010. It’s full of family photos so when presented with iOS 5 and no iCloud photo sync I needed to have a think about how this was going to work.

Here’s how I did it but you need a Mac to plug it into. You’ll need to plug in your iPad and fire up Photos. If you then open Photos on your iPad you should see the iPad show up in the left hand pane on your Mac.

I created a new Album on the Mac photo library called “old iPad”. I then selected the iPad and selected all of the photos it showed me was on it. I then simply imported and picked the “old iPad” album to import into.

These are family pictures so I created an iCloud photo share and moved the images up to the cloud to share with others. Not idea but the best I could do with the older iOS.

It goes without saying, don’t listen to this unless you’ve seen the movie.

Listen on Apple Music

Feeling inspired by playing my favourite guitar today I realised that I could record my ideas onto my iPhone using Ferrite over the voice memos app. It’s great to be able to record ideas quickly and organise them, something this app does better than anything I’ve tried.

Nothing fancy just into my Boss Katana Mini then into the on board MIC on my iPhone.

Don’t think of Ferrite just for podcasting give it a go if you play an instrument.

As you most probably know I enjoyed Captain Marvel and been listening to the soundtrack pretty much on repeat this week so far. It’s got a nice mix of classical, synth and guitars, here’s the Apple Music link.

Sadly when I read the following I dreaded thinking about what might happen for us in the UK.

Notice launch in the US.

For a Star Wars fan looking forward to The Mandalorian it’s got me worried.

I’m thinking that Disney will instead push TV onto their SKY channels as they did for Rebels, alienating an entire audience who doesn’t want to pay for subscription TV.

I’m really hoping I’m wrong.

I thought I’d start to do something fun and share what I’m listening to each month, this isn’t new music but what has gotten me going. Here’s the first 3 that I’ve been listening to most this month.

(I’m using Apple Music so the links will be pointing towards there).

• Maneli Jamal: Ambient Sketchbook - I've been listening to this mainly YouTuber for years, it's great atmospheric guitar to work to.
• Meg Myers: Take me to the disco - Discovered Meg Myers via an Apple Music playlist, if your'e into alternative then check our her new album.
• Howard Shore: Fellowship Extended - The LOTR trilogy is one of my favourite of all time and the soundtracks are epic, another track I work to

If you enjoy these and want me to do it each month please let me know.

Press release:

IK Multimedia proudly announces that the iRig Keys I/O 25 keyboard controller/audio interface is available in Apple Retail Stores around the globe. In addition to offering laptop and desktop compatibility, the iRig Keys I/O 25 is ideal for iPhone and iPad, thanks to the included Lighting cable connections and certified MFi compatibility. It now also features full support for Apple’s MainStage 3 performance app.

The only controller with a pro audio interface

The iRig Keys I/O 25 all-in-one music production station evolves the concept of traditional controllers with a unique design that integrates 25 full-sized keys with a full-fledged professional audio interface featuring 24-bit audio up to 96kHz sampling rate, balanced stereo and headphone outputs, plus a combo input jack for line, instrument or mic input (with phantom power). Over $/€550 worth of IK’s professional software and creative apps is included, delivering an unmatched selection of everything needed to make complete music productions out of the box.

Create and perform with GarageBand, Logic and MainStage

For instant and easy control, iRig Keys I/O 25 offers dedicated scenes that integrate with Apple’s Logic Pro and GarageBand music creation DAWs. It now also offers a scene for Apple’s MainStage 3 app that enables the controller’s drum pads to be used to conveniently recall the first eight scenes in MainStage during a live performance.

Expert-level integration with tutorials

To demonstrate how well iRig Keys I/O integrates with Apple’s music creation software, IK worked with Eli Krantzberg and Doug Zanger of Logic Pro Expert to create a series of videos showing how to set up and use these solutions together. Eli Krantzberg is the editor of Logic Pro Expert and author at Groove3, and Doug is a contributor to Logic Pro Expert and an Apple Certified Pro.

In addition to iRig Keys I/O 25, other IK Multimedia products like iRig HD 2 (guitar interface), iRig Pro I/O (universal mobile interface), can be found in Apple Stores worldwide. IK Multimedia is the leader of the mobile music creation revolution as one of the first companies to utilize the power of the iPhone and iPad to let musicians create anywhere, any time.  From the original iRig interface, IK has developed the industry’s widest range of mobile accessories, from interfaces to microphones, keyboard controllers to stands and accessories, and continues to innovate in this fast-growing new market.

Workstation to Go

From August 1 until September 30, 2018, anyone who purchases iRig Keys I/O 25 will receive a complimentary iRig Keys I/O Travel Bag featuring adjustable straps, a zippered pouch for cables and other small items, and a stylish logo.