iPAD, PC, Mac intercompatibility

[KenHardy]

Just got wind of your new multirackStudio program and it looks fantastic. I collaborate writing music with a distant musician who has a Mac Mini-based multitrack system (Digital Performer, GarageBand for Mac). I have both an XP-based laptop (running Cakewalk Sonar with an M-Audio interface), and a new ipad air (currently only running Garage Band with a Studio Connect Interface). My colleague and I want to unify our multitrack recording systems to facilitate internet transfer of our draft multi-tracks during project development. We are considering purchasing three pro versions of multitrackStudio, one each for our PC, ipad and Mac. My ipad is my main "idea" sketch pad, my PC is my own main editor, and my colleague is a studio production engineer to does most of the final mixdowns of our projects on his Mac's digital performer software. We are currently struggling in trying to transfer track information back and forth to each other, primarily using iTunes syncs and dropbox up/dowloads. If all three of our devices are running MTX, how well will they exchange track information to minimize reformatting of our multitrack projects as they are in progress? One note on your websites states that the ipad MTS program cannot import track information from the other two projects, so I am confused.

Thanks,

[Support]

iPad songs can be imported in the MultitrackStudio Pro Plus (Mac or PC) without problems. They can also be imported in MultitrackStudio Professional provided you've used 16 bit audio tracks (that's the default setting).

The next release of MultitrackStudio for iPad can import both iPad and PC/Mac songs. It should be out in a couple of days.

The iPad versions doesn't support all features of the Mac/PC versions. I plan on posting about 'how to export from PC/Mac to iPad' once the new release is available.


Giel Bremmers

[KenHardy]

Thanks for the lightening prompt reply. Looks like I'll be buying all three pro plus versions from you guys. And I'm dust elighted to be able to have such a forum for discussing software issues directly with its developer.....a key reason why my co-writer and I will be going MultitrackStudio rather than Auria or Cubasis.

One final question: With Cakewalk/Sonar in my very quick laptop, I have to go to great lenghts optimizing that PC for music recording, including use of CD supplied WDM drivers which came with my M-Audio digital interface....mostly to reduce latency in my recordings (when down to about 15msec...imperceptable). With my iPAD air running GB 2.0, I seem to have no perceptable latency at all, same with the Mac GB program in the MAC mini. Does the MTS software supply its own audio drivers or other mechanisms to reduce latency, and will this be a problem in the ipad, the PC or the MAC??

Thanks again,
Ken Hardy, M.D., Ph.D.

[Support]

Drivers come with the sound device. Either because the operating system doesn't support the device at all, or to add some features. Latency with MultitrackStudio will be comparable to the other programs you've mentioned.

On Mac there's just one kind of driver. On iPad installing drivers is impossible, so you can only use devices which are 'class compliant', which means is works with the generic USB driver.

On Windows there are several kinds of drivers. I think your M-Audio simply doesn't work without the drivers, so you'll need them.
If it actually does work without the drivers (ie. you can hear youtube videos etc.) MultitrackStudio's VistaSound driverset should provide decent latency. It uses 'WASAPI' drivers.


Giel Bremmers

[KenHardy]

My XP based laptop easily plays U-tube,.wav, .mp3, etc. but it's resident MME drivers (16bit) won't work at all with the m-audio's 24 bit sound card. Is there any particular audio/Midi interface for the ipad air and PC that might work well for both with MTS? The griffin studio connect is rudimentary but does work well with the ipad air (via an Apple 30 pin-to-lightening adaptor) and the M-Audio USB interface works well with my PC/sonar setup (once XP is extensively reconfigured). Should I just leave well enough alone and go with what I've already got?

Thanks again,
Ken

[Support]

XP

On your "very quick laptop"?
You missing out on the low latency WASAPI drivers which were introduced in Vista. You'll want to use ASIO with MultitrackStudio.

Should I just leave well enough alone

If it works, why not?

Giel Bremmers