December 8, 2010
Hey, Look What I Made...
by Chris Randall
That project I kept mentioning that I couldn't talk about? It's now available. Since you're reading this blog, you're most likely a musician, and since you're a musician, you most likely had a TASCAM Porta One, or one of the many rip-offs from the likes of Fostex. Portastudio is a more-or-less complete clone of the Porta One for the iPad.
It works pretty much like you'd think it works. It can utilize a USB audio interface via the Camera Connection Kit, or use the built-in mic or a headset mic. (Normal iPhone earbuds, e.g.) Render to WAV, which shows up in iTunes in the App Sharing section. Since it's going to be the first question, and will most likely be asked by Beauty Pill, I'll go ahead and answer now: yes, we'll be adding Soundcloud uploading.
Anyhow, there 'tis. US$9.99. Let me know here or via email if you have any issues; if you write TASCAM support, the email will eventually make its way to me anyhow, so you might as well go ahead and jump to the front of the line.
38 comments:
Is it only a functional emulation, or does it add tons of hiss, roll off all of the highs, and bleed all of the tracks together just like a real Tascam portastudio? 'Cause that would be awesome.
We discussed that, and the problem seems to be that people like the _idea_ of the sound of a cassette, but when they actually _hear_ one, they're like "well, I think this is broken." This is especially problematic to the younger set, who don't actually have any experience worth noting with this venerable media.
So, we decided to make it cassette-ish, but leave out all the foibles that are really not very much fun when you get right down to it.
-CR
So, we decided to make it cassette-ish, but leave out all the foibles that are really not very much fun when you get right down to it.
-CR
Hey Chris
Kind of related, but not...With the iOS 4.2 update, I have been reading that the Camera Connection kit now doesn't receive enough power to support a number of bus-powered devices. Have you noticed this? Does Portastudio have any issues here?
Sam
Kind of related, but not...With the iOS 4.2 update, I have been reading that the Camera Connection kit now doesn't receive enough power to support a number of bus-powered devices. Have you noticed this? Does Portastudio have any issues here?
Sam
It was the same with 3.2. If your device draws more than about 150ma you're fucked, basically. I'd not bother with an interface that wasn't externally powered in this context, frankly.
-CR
-CR
That is soooo cool....A frequent topic on this forum has been the benefit of having self-imposed limitations; four tracks in a digital environment would be enough for most of what I do.
Unfortunately I don't have an iPad, as I cannot bring myself to pay money to The Evil Whiteness. Any prospect of a PC version? Or is that, for reasons I am too techtwat to anticipate, a silly question?
I have an original down in my cellar, I recently dug it out to transfer some old recordings. Really quite horrible.
Unfortunately I don't have an iPad, as I cannot bring myself to pay money to The Evil Whiteness. Any prospect of a PC version? Or is that, for reasons I am too techtwat to anticipate, a silly question?
I have an original down in my cellar, I recently dug it out to transfer some old recordings. Really quite horrible.
I had a Yammy ripoff...loved it..complete with broken off cassette door. You know you had eargasms when you did your first recording on this.
This is pretty hilarious, but kudos. It would be awesome if it actually encouraged some people to try the tape enforced workflow -- get a take right or do it over, no hours of fiddly editing, commit to the right sound at record time.
I do the digital work for a friend of mine who does all initial tracking to 4 track, and I honestly can't argue with his results -- he writes great songs and then makes compelling, punchy recordings of them. I barely have to process them at all on the computer and they're great.
What portastudios needed was no broken tape and instant rewinds, everything else is just tits on a boar.
I do the digital work for a friend of mine who does all initial tracking to 4 track, and I honestly can't argue with his results -- he writes great songs and then makes compelling, punchy recordings of them. I barely have to process them at all on the computer and they're great.
What portastudios needed was no broken tape and instant rewinds, everything else is just tits on a boar.
It would do one well to be reminded of the first Latin Playboys album, which is about equal parts 24-track Mitchell Froom/Tchad Blake production and 4-track cassette home recordings. It is sometimes difficult to tell which is which on that record, which speaks volumes for both the artists and the producer.
In any event, this app is meant more to be a sketchpad with a familiar interface rather than some grand artistic statement. It is simple, easy to use, and does what it is told. Buss an input, press record. Rewind. Play. That's that.
I should also mention at this juncture that Dave Gamble of DMG Audio (he of the fantastic EQuality plug) did the DSP for this, and he did an excellent job.
-CR
In any event, this app is meant more to be a sketchpad with a familiar interface rather than some grand artistic statement. It is simple, easy to use, and does what it is told. Buss an input, press record. Rewind. Play. That's that.
I should also mention at this juncture that Dave Gamble of DMG Audio (he of the fantastic EQuality plug) did the DSP for this, and he did an excellent job.
-CR
This is fantastic--I remember this appeared to drop about a month ago, then disappeared--why the delay?
I'm sure there will be many, many more people begging for deluxe features that are outside the purview of the app. But it might be really cool to have a "vintage" mode that allows tape saturation emulation and a bit of noise, for the purist or sentimentalist. Or maybe a virtual Fostex MN-50 for the mix bus ;-)
I'm sure there will be many, many more people begging for deluxe features that are outside the purview of the app. But it might be really cool to have a "vintage" mode that allows tape saturation emulation and a bit of noise, for the purist or sentimentalist. Or maybe a virtual Fostex MN-50 for the mix bus ;-)
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