Smartphone uses in music production

Discussion in 'Mobile' started by Dzar, Feb 26, 2026 at 3:47 AM.

  1. Dzar

    Dzar Ultrasonic

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    A couple of years ago i started using Sonosaurus's "SonoBus", basically a plugin that lets you bridge your phone's audio with your DAW so you can hear it externally from your computer without connecting the device or doing anything extraordinary.

    I used this to mix, pairing it with an app called Wavelet i was able to flatten my headphones and get a very transparent sound, so i was basically using my phone as a second audio interface. This was way simpler than using Sonarworks for example.

    Does anyone else have smartphone/tablet uses for their workflow or in general music production that you wanna share?
     
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  3. Zenarcist

    Zenarcist Audiosexual

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    I think my iPhone Pro Max can do audio stuff but I haven't tried it yet, although it's on my things to do list.
     
  4. Pisŧöff

    Pisŧöff Ultrasonic

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    Just got a Omnichord emulator app. Using it to send MIDI to synths & VSTs
     
  5. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    for me, the most useful thing a smartphone does in music production is act as a sound level meter at your desk. It’s a simple way to “calibrate” your monitors so you’re starting mixes from a consistent reference. That is pretty much the extent I use it for audio purposes, and even that is a little ballpark anyway.
     
  6. shinyzen

    shinyzen Audiosexual

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    Ive been heavy in the iOS music production world for years now. Some incredible apps available there. Many unique apps, as well as others that are just fun to play.

    I have two setups really. One is all iPad, in which I use a host like AUM (one of the greatest apps of all time and its just a mixer lol) to host all of midi tools, sound generators and fx. I'll create something, and then dump the stems out directly to wav, air dropping to my computer. The second setup is using my Ipad as a sound source, hosting various synths and fx in AUM, or standalone triggered by MIDI sent from Ableton, with the audio recording into Ableton.

    I have too many apps to list but ill do some

    • Moodscaper and Touchscaper - beautiful, interactive ambient / drone machines
    • Anything from Igor Vasiliev - Fieldscaper (insane), Glitchscaper, No input mixer, Synthscaper, Beatcutter etc
    • Wotja - absurdly deep generative ambient / new age stuff. I mean its deeeeep. You need a degree to use it lol
    • Anything from Apesoft - really experimental stuff, and an official version of EMS VCS3
    • the Moog plugins. Especially the Animoog. They were free at some point, not sure if they still are
    • AUM - audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub, all sorts of routing available. A different way to make music
    • IOptigan - quirky little thing that recreates the Optigan - 70's disc recorder organ thingy. just look it up
    • Anything from Yonac inc. His steel guitar is the most passable vst version of a steel guitar ive found. His synths, awesome
    • Piano Motif - simply amazing, affordable generative app.
    • Drambo - Very deep modular synths / groovebox with every module and routing you could dream up. A+++
    • Sector - crazy loop slicer
    • Patterning 3 - One of the most advanced drum sequencers out there. Can be simple but full of options. Really fun to program
    • Anything from Bram Bos - Especially Gauss, holy shit is that thing amazing. download it on your phone right now lol
    • The different drum engines from Lumbeat - awesome, easy to use, great sounding realistic drums

    I could go on for ever. Some of these are universal meaning they are available on macOS as well. Some are old and may not work on newer ipads, but most should be fine. A lot are available on the iphone as well. Harder to work because os screen size, but for something like Gauss its perfect.
     
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  7. shinyzen

    shinyzen Audiosexual

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    whats the app called? sounds fun!
     
  8. ManMythMaschine

    ManMythMaschine Member

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    I connect my ni m32 to play as an instrument on Cubasis 3 on Android and write ideas
    I done this with with a type c to USB2 jack/converter but I have not tried any audio interfaces yet or both of them at the same time It would be very useful I guess...
     
  9. TENTACLES

    TENTACLES Newbie

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    I use my microphone as a field recorder and then sound design and export stuff from Grainstorm app.

    Also I make beats and process them a bit in koala sampler app and then export for use in Ableton, also I will take mudpies I made in Ableton, put them on my phone and use those to make new sounds in grainstorm or koala.
     
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