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Topic: How to record a digital piano with iPad  (Read 6396 times)

Offline kawai_cs

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How to record a digital piano with iPad
on: February 16, 2016, 10:33:46 PM
I tried recording with my iphone, mac and finally came to conclusion that the video quality is best if recorded with iPad. Now I would like to connect my digital piano to the iPad so that I can record a video with the sound of my digital transmitted directly to my iPad.
What is the easiest way to do that? If I just buy a Midi/USB cable and install e.g. Garageband app on my iPad - will it work or do I still need something else? I want to make sure it works before ordering the cable.
Chopin, 10-8 | Chopin, 25-12 | Haydn, HOB XVI:20

Offline adodd81802

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"England is a country of pianos, they are everywhere."

Offline quantum

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #2 on: February 17, 2016, 11:17:10 PM
Do a search for iPad audio interface.  There are a number to choose from.  

Here are a few with varying cost ranges:

https://www.amazon.com/AudioBox-iTwo-iPad-Recording-System/dp/B00KBMAJZS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1455750742&sr=1-1&keywords=audiobox+itwo

https://www.amazon.com/Roland-UA-22-Duo-Capture-EX/dp/B00AGBYWM0

https://www.amazon.com/Apogee-Interface-Silver-Plugin-Bundle/dp/B00BB2QBLI

An interface will give you options to expand in the future.  For example, if you want to record acoustic piano you can hook up condenser mics.  There is also the possibility for better monitoring through the device as opposed to directly from the iPad.

If your digital piano has good sound, it would probably be beneficial to record audio as opposed to MIDI.  Realize if you record MIDI, you still need some sort of sound generation for playback. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline kawai_cs

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #3 on: February 17, 2016, 11:19:35 PM
Thank you for the link! At least it has the charts and pictures making it a little more understandable though it still sounds like Chinese to me :(
If my digital piano (kawai) has all the ports available:
1)usb to host
2) usb to device
3) midi
does it mean I have more possibilities to connect to iPad so that I can choose the type of connection I want to set?
In the link, when it says - "only MIDI data no audio signal" does it mean I can only transfer files but not record my performance?  ::)
Chopin, 10-8 | Chopin, 25-12 | Haydn, HOB XVI:20

Offline kawai_cs

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #4 on: February 17, 2016, 11:22:31 PM
Do a search for iPad audio interface.  There are a number to choose from. 

Here are a few with varying cost ranges:

https://www.amazon.com/AudioBox-iTwo-iPad-Recording-System/dp/B00KBMAJZS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1455750742&sr=1-1&keywords=audiobox+itwo

https://www.amazon.com/Roland-UA-22-Duo-Capture-EX/dp/B00AGBYWM0

https://www.amazon.com/Apogee-Interface-Silver-Plugin-Bundle/dp/B00BB2QBLI



Thanks Quantum! I was just wondering if there where any cheaper possibilities?
I only wanted to record a mazurka for our mazurka project. For the price of those connectors I had better pay some professional pianist to play this mazurka and post it as mine haha::)
Chopin, 10-8 | Chopin, 25-12 | Haydn, HOB XVI:20

Offline quantum

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #5 on: February 17, 2016, 11:38:25 PM
In the link, when it says - "only MIDI data no audio signal" does it mean I can only transfer files but not record my performance?  ::)

There are generally two ways to record a digital piano performance: audio or MIDI.  It is important to understand the difference between the two.

Audio is a capture of the actual sounds produced by your digital piano.  You can record audio by hooking up to the line out signal of your digital piano.  Audio can also be captured with microphones, and in such case the room sound will also play a part.  Audio files are typically .wav, .mp3, .flac, etc.

MIDI is a set of digital instructions that can reproduce a performance.  MIDI can also be used to manipulate compatible MIDI instruments in real time.  MIDI is not audio and contains no sound data - MIDI has no sound, rather it tells equipment what sounds to make.  If you record MIDI, you need some sort of sound generator to play back the MIDI performance, as the .mid file itself contains no sound.  MIDI could be an advantage if you have piano sample software and wish to use that.
 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline kawai_cs

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #6 on: February 18, 2016, 01:03:22 AM
Thanks for that explanation. That sheds some light on the matter indeed :) MIDI is not for me then.
Chopin, 10-8 | Chopin, 25-12 | Haydn, HOB XVI:20

Offline adodd81802

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Re: How to record a digital piano with iPad
Reply #7 on: February 18, 2016, 09:21:52 AM
The way I have recorded in the past is record the video on a good device such as a phone or video camera, then the sound I plug a cable from the headphone port of my piano to the mic port or in-line port on a pc / laptop.

Use a piece of free recording software to record the sound and then use a free video creator software to stick them together, the only pain is lining up the audio track with the video, but it gets excellent quality in sound.

I use Audacity from what I remember to record the sound and Windows movie maker to add the audio track to the video recording.
"England is a country of pianos, they are everywhere."
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