Your Studio Just Got Smaller – iOS 7 Lets You Use Audio & MIDI Interfaces With An iPhone

While the new UI of iOS 7 got most of the fanfare, Apple slipped a few goodies into the new OS that help meet the needs of mobile musicians.

This video, via Gaz Williams, demos a little trumpeted feature of iOS 7 on the iPhone – the ability to use a camera connection kit to connect audio and midi interfaces.

Here’s another demo, via OpenPipe Labs, that demos a compact performance combo, based around an iPhone running ThumbJam and the OpenPipe MIDI Shield:

Note: When Apple’s new OS was introduced, we reported that some audio developers were encouraging users to wait to upgrade to iOS 7. Many Synthtopia readers are now using iOS 7 without problem. Have you updated? Let us know what your experience is!

17 thoughts on “Your Studio Just Got Smaller – iOS 7 Lets You Use Audio & MIDI Interfaces With An iPhone”

    1. Because Apple had removed CCK support for the iphone and ipod in IOS5 even thought it was working perfectly in IOS4. For some reasons Apple did not wanted people to use the CCK that way and claimed the CCK was strickly an ipad accessory.

  3. whenever I tried my iphone, i’d get a “this device is not supported’ message. tried plugging into my girlfriends midi keyboard. would be nice, since my new phone has more juice than my old ipad.

  4. This is a megaton!!! I found out, that Apple took the CCK support away from iPhone only after I bought the 4S, which I bought solely for synthesizers. And while the CCK removal was a dick move, now combined with inter app audio its even more powerful, than what I even thought would be possible.

    Now I would encourage most developers into making their apps universal. I am going to get an iPad as soon as the next one arrives, but even then the iPhone is one damn fine sound module, and expands iPads timbrality nicely!!! If I see two interesting synth apps, I’m surely getting the one that is universal.

    A couple examples, that now climbed up in my shopping list because of universality:
    -Stria – Universal FM Synth(and the others made by the same developer)
    -Beatmaker2
    -Grainscience
    -Sample- and other Wizes
    -Xenon

    Thanks a bunch!!! I am in acute need of a sound module, and I was feverishly looking into my areas second hand offerings, and I was going to buy an old and vastly over priced used synth, but now I don’t have to.

    1. Try a real computer or better a piece of hardware, you won’t find it unusable in a couple of months because of a sudden (and compulsory) software update.

      1. I think you are misinformed. On IOS, software updates are not mandatory but often the positive outweighs the negative. For example IOS 7, brings Inter-App-Audio which will become even better as more developers update their apps to use IAA. The argument that computer production applications are better just because of faster processing or is a “real computer” is no longer valid. I never used a computer for recording and started directly with an iPad. The feedback I get on my tracks from dedicated PC & Mac producers is that they cannot believe the rich sounds and quality of the recordings I get from my iPad.
        In fact, most often they are jealous that I can achieve the same quality of sound as their PC set-ups with apps that cost a fraction of their VSTs and desktop synths. Its not what you produce your music on, its the process of creation and are whether or not you are happy with the results. I think most folks create music as a hobby for fun and are not concerned with making a living from it. So, if they are happy creating on an iPad, great. If their preferred production environment is a desktop or other hardware, that’s fine as well. There is no need to denigrate other people’s choices to justify your personal preference.

      2. I have had soft synths and every Windows since Windows has had soft synths. I still have them, and most of them don’t work anymore. The mandatory Windows software updates cost more, than iOS apps, and I have very little problems saving my old iOS devices; I plan to keep them as handy sequencers and “sound modules” even when buy new ones.

        I don’t like making music with Windows, and at this rate, fortunately, it seems, that I don’t have to like it either, as iPad is going to be rather full music platform very soon. There are very little need to have Windows for music making anymore, and in near future that little difference there still is, is going to be narrowed down at accelerating pace.

        The processing power gap is huge, but the iPad is going to be able to do enough tracks, and synth instances for most peoples needs in couple of years. Meanwhile I’m enjoying the musical hands on interface and work with audio tracks.

        I enjoy the iOS music making more even as it is now, but the gap is closing rapidly. And I make music live; I improvise music, and there you cannot have an office interface. You have to have musical interface. Mouse is good for many things, but I have noticed, that I have not missed it a bit, when I make music.

        And I am never going to buy another Windows anymore. I am writing this with my last Windows computer. Each Windows has supposed to be the finally stable and etc etc, but no. I have been gullible enough to buy half a dozen Windowses into nightmare world, and the stability issues my every Windows has had, has given me sleeping disorder, blood pressure, dysrhythmia and bad mood; I fear, that I cannot afford to continue using Windows, I value my life too much!!! I have kids, and I love them, I don’t want to leave this world yet.

  6. I’m confused…. First they allow midi and usb audio recording devices via camera connection kit, then they get shitty that the devices draw too much power so in the next ios they say”device not supported” and make you go hook up to a usb hub.

    Now you’re saying they allow usb midi devices again. F someone could clarify how this is different and if other usb devices will be allowed again such as microphones… That’d be great. My yeti blue is a thorn in my side.

  7. Guys, they did remove camera connection kit support from IPHONE not an IPAD. You could have used jailbrake to enable the IPHONE to work with camera connection kit. It was an annoying experience So I used I-Conectivity devices. The big problem for me was always that I was not able to powerup my IOS gear while using the port to connect….

  8. The error message when connecting USB devices to iOS devices can be misleading. I’d suggest if folks want to try connecting a USB device via the CCK, and are getting an error message, they can try using an externally powered USB hub. I was able to connect a Zoom H2n and a MicroKey 37 to my iPad with this method for audio & MIDI at the same time.

  9. Hi. Ipad is still way behind osx at virtual stidio music making but for live is much more usable. Sometimes I wish apple would release a 13″ ipad to make it even more accessible on stage. My rig is ipad 4 running loopy hd, magellan, animoog and beatmaker mostly via Akai mpk mini 25. I do get accessory not supported message occasionally but it does not affect anything, just click ok and ignore it. I guess it may not be the case with other periferals. And those who say to get a powered hub don’t get the idea of portability. I know many of us ipad musicians love our set ups also for their portability, it is amazing how much lighter one feels to be able to put the studio/synth/sampler/drum machine in a bag and feel free to make those grooves anywhere one pleases. As far as windows is concerned I totally agree, that stuff is made for people who like installing and reinstalling drivers. Don’t know, I haven’t used a windows machine to make music for ages, maybe things have changed, I seriously doubt it though.
    P.s. a big WARNING to my fellow ipadians: do not buy the arturia minilabs keyboard. It looks great, keys feel sweet, and knobs and pads are solid. It also runs with ipad 4 without the need for a freaking USB hub however, the knob sweeps are ridiculously steppy, akai mpk is butter in comparison. I’m sending my arturia back. I wanted to like it but it even arrived with one of its fake wood sides fallen off. Do yourselves a favour do not buy it! Read forums, there’s so many pissed off customers it’s unreal. Anyhow, after this lovely rant, happy touching freaks!

  11. Ok I need help I have a ipad min and a akai mpk mini it use to work than shut off it seem like when I update my ipad it stop working I got a power HUD and a ipad connector from Amazon n it still don’t work I think be cus it is cheap I need help cus I don’t know what I should buy for it or if is nothing I can do n I don’t have a laptop yet so let me know what do to

  12. I have a ipad mini and a akai mpk mini when I got it use to work it seem like when I up date my pad to ios7 it stop working I don’t know if is becus Is to much power I went to buy usb HUD for it on Amazon it stil don’t work I think becus it was cheap I don’t want keep buying thing that why I need help

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