iPhone Music Software: Akai has announced that it’s opening up the Synthstation iPhone MIDI keyboard to development by third-party developers, at no cost.
This is a really interesting development – it means that we could soon have an explosion of Synthstation-compatible synths. This makes the $99 Synthstation a lot more interesting; download a $10 iPhone app and you’ve got a new hardware synth!
Here’s what Akai has to say about their AkaiConnect SDK.
The AkaiConnect SDK is a tool for music app developers that allows a direct connection to Akai Pro’s SynthStation25 performance keyboard controller.
Using AkaiConnect in your iPhone or iPod Touch app not only makes your app expandable, it enables your users to fully express themselves and capture every nuance of performance. The AkaiConnect SDK is available to approved Akai developers free of charge.
The AkaiConnect SDK::
- Adds support for the SynthStation25 keyboard to your music app
- Provides app users with hardware control over pitch bend, modulation,note entry and more
- Extends the capabilities of your music apps at no cost to you
This, along with Line 6 opening up its iPhone MIDI adapter to developers, will open up a lot of possibilities for electronic musicians.
All nice and well, but correct me if I'm wrong: you're still facing the limitations as applied by Apple themselves, no ?
Which limitations?
This is great. I'm not that interested in iPhone music apps to be honest but this is great as it gives it a better interface. Good stuff…
dioxide – my thoughts, too.
The iPhone is a great platform for music application development, because it's a tiny, mass-produced computer with a huge audience. That means lots of good, inexpensive music apps.
But lots of musicians want interfaces that let them use their keyboard skills. The development of the Synthstation and Line 6's MIDI interface should open things up to a lot of musicians.
To my understanding you can't simply put your own applications on the iphone but need support from Apple to do so. I read numerous of stories how people circumvented those limitations; yet ended up with a bricked iphone after the next ios update.
If you are a developer and have paid the (I think) $99 developer fee you can put your development projects on your own iPhone without having to jailbreak. You just won't be able to distribute the app until it has been tested by Apple and put on the App Store.
There’s no need to pay to be a developer unless you plan on selling your app. It’s free to download the SDK, just register as a developer and click the 3.5gb download.
http://developer.apple.com
Who would use this? I see no use for it unless you live in a tiny space scarce flat! I have everything from 70s analogue synths to the latest soft synths, all controlled via Logic, on a 24″ screen. Why would I buy another controller keyboard to get access to sounds & facilities that my home set up does far far FAR better!? Sure you can take this thing on the train, if you have some making music emergency or something, but come on, realistically, when would you use this? I have an iphone, its a good phone, but use it for making music in my studio? never!
I would use it for one. I have the nanostudio app at the moment and being able to get ideas down anytime I am away from home is amazing. It's pretty obvious you haven't seen how far iPhone music making apps have come!
SynthFan – Apple's official channel is for iPhone apps to be distributed through their app store.
This doesn't keep people from distributing free apps, though – there are tons of free electronic music apps available. It does keep out malware, though.
These will probably be selling for $60 in a few months.
I like the idea of having a portable brain you can pop in your keyboard and have a workstation, but also be able to take with you.
Not sure what you're supposed to do when you get a phone call though!
i think this is awesome, but I want an iPad version!!!!
I *have* seen how far the iPhone apps have come. sure its impressive that we can have the ability to make music to a high level of quality on a device this small…but that's the only thing this would offer me, making music on the move, and I really don't see many people actually doing this. Are you going to make music on a busy train? I for one would be far too conscious to be able to relax and compose etc. To me its a toy, a very cool toy! 🙂
The only problem is that Akai still has NOT released the Synthstation25. They keep delaying and delaying, and pushing the release date back.
i would use it.
i regularly use my laptop to capture or work on ideas when i'm somewhere where i cant bring monitors, interfaces, guitars, hardware synths, or anything else in a home studio setup.
sometimes, inspiration strikes when you can't get to your studio.
having played with several surprising/inspiring iphone music apps,
i could only imagine the opportunities that will open up with this,
even if this is only a baby step in the right direction.
but hey,
everybody works differently.
YMMV
:]