SampleTank 2 Offers Greater Flexibility

As a musician that’s always trying to expand my horizons (read: find more ways to get paid to play), I’m open to trying new things, such as keyboard bass (you can read my review of the iRig Keys PRO here). So it is with great anticipation when I learned that IK Multimedia unveiled the latest update to their iOS and mobile software version of SampleTank 2 today.

Based on the industry standard SampleTank 3 software for Mac and PC, it’s sounds provide an unmatched level of realism and sonic variety that can be easily accessed, layered and used for playing live or recording in the studio. And thanks to its built-in 8-track MIDI recorder, you can record high-quality melodies, riffs, grooves and even complete songs while on the go. Coupled with one of IK’s iOS keyboards, MIDI interfaces or other MIDI-compatible devices, SampleTank for iOS becomes a killer ultra-portable mobile setup that lets you make professional-quality music anytime and everywhere.

The biggest thing about SampleTank for iOS is options. Hundreds of new sounds are now available for in-app purchase in SampleTank with six new “Pro-Instrument” packs comprising over 500 new instruments that let you customize your sound set for any kind of compositional style or musical genre. For me, that means that I can create backing tracks of ANYTHING I want, and use those for practice, for lessons with students, for even music creation and licensing. The applications are wide reaching.

Speaking of backing tracks, the redesigned Pad interface with 4×4 launch pads lets you create create grooves and beats with east. For someone that does a lot of solo bass playing (such as myself), this is the biggest benefit for me. Not only can I tailor the grooves and beats to what I’m playing and what I want to work on, but also it forces me to think in a different manner than a bassist (which ultimately HELPS me as a bassist).

There’s clearly a lot more under the hood of SampleTank for iOS, and I’ve just touched on the ones that I feel work for me. I encourage you to give the FREE version a spin and then download the full version when you’re ready to expand your playing and horizons.