TUAW on SampleTank: "Really Does Sound Amazing!"

"It doesn't sound bad at all. In fact, it sounds great! You could easily get away with using that piano sample in a rehearsal or a live performance. The combination of these two [iRig MIDI+SampleTank] makes for the perfect, light-weight solution for musicians who play using samples, particularly in live performance settings."

TUAW, also known as The Unofficial Apple Weblog, has taken a close-up look at iRig MIDI and SampleTank for iOS, courtesy of specialist reviewer, Matt Tinsley.

Matt was impressed by both products and here are some of the comments from his review:

He had this to say about iRig MIDI:

"I had no problems getting things up and running. It worked the first time, which was great!"

"Two MIDI cables and a micro USB cable are bundled with the iRig MIDI. The MIDI cables are a good metre and a half in length, which means you should find ample length to position your setup the way you want it."

"The cool thing about using a MIDI interface like the iRig MIDI is that you're now able to take advantage of over a hundred other apps which are Core MIDI compatible (like GarageBand for iPad). IK has conveniently put together a list of all those apps here."

and Matt then goes on to look at SampleTank for iOS:

"The combination of these two [iRig MIDI+SampleTank] makes for the perfect, light-weight solution for musicians who play using samples, particularly in live performance settings."

"[Grand Piano] doesn't sound bad at all. In fact, it sounds great! You could easily get away with using that piano sample in a rehearsal or a live performance. And most of the other instruments offered stand up well."

"You'll be pleased with what's available, especially considering you're using your iPhone and not your computer!"

"The interface is simple enough to use when choosing instruments and preset grooves and loops. It's also pretty straight forward to edit and tweak the sounds and samples, which is what we've come to expect from apps like these."

"Clearly, where SampleTank shines is with its samples being used in a performance setting, and the ease of use with which it can be implemented."

And Matt's conclusion is:

"If you're after some particular, high-quality sampled instruments, one of the nice things about SampleTank is that you can start with SampleTank Free and expand it the way you want by purchasing the samples you need. And some of those samples really do sound amazing."

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