This is the place to catch up on all the biggest product announcements, hardware, apps, synths, Logic/GarageBand instruments and so much more in the world of iOS/Mac music production. This week, we have Audio Damage’s Axon 2 drum synth for iPad, a sub-$100 iOS/Mac interface, PreSonus gear, some free sounds for Logic Pro X and much more…..

Audio Damage releases Axon 2 Neural Network Drum Synth for iPad

Already available on the desktop for your Mac system, the folks over at Audio Damage have now released Axon 2 for iPad. This is described as a “drum synth driven by artificial intelligence. (Well, “intelligence” might be a strong word. Artificial something-or-other.)”

It is essentially a drum machine for iPad that uses FM-based synthesis to generate the sounds along with something known as a neural network sequencer:

We loved it on the desktop, so it is a more than welcomed addition to our mobile setups.

The sequencer features seven “neurons” that trigger a voice and send a pulse when they have received a predetermined number of pulses. You can wire the output of any neuron to the input of any other (with built-in loop detection to prevent runaway feedback), and in this manner pre-program the artificial neural network without having to go through a “learning” phase.

A pair of Axon 2 instances. The one on the left is doing the rhythm, and the one on the right is doing the melody. A bit of Eos 2 on the melody instance’s outputs.

Axon 2 for iPad: $5.99

Axon 2 for Mac: $59

IK Multimedia the iRig Pre HD for iOS and Mac

IK is back at it again with a dedicated microphone pre-amp/interface hybrid for iOS and Mac users. This time around, the company has focused solely on vocalists or those who only require a single mic input in a sub-$100 package. The Made in Italy iRig Pre HD is perfect for those looking for a high quality mic conversion at an affordable price and works great for singer/songwriters as much as it would for podcasters. You can get a complete breakdown right here in our launch coverage.

iRig Pre HD available now for $99.99

Tim Exile release SLOR (Sheds Loads of Resonators)

Tim Exile has now released SLOR (Sheds Loads of Resonators) for the Native Instruments Reaktor Player 6.2 on your Mac. It it designed as a hybrid FX processing unit meets synthesizer and looks to run on a very similar UI as the SLOO synth we reviewed a few months back. We love what we are hearing in the demo video above and we loved SLOO, so this is pretty much a must-buy for us!

SLOR available now for about $65

The Best iPhone & iPad Lightning Interfaces for home or on-the-go recording

We recently took at look at the current mobile interface options out there for iOS (and Mac) users ahead of the 2017 holiday season. So if you’re in the market for an affordable recording solution that will accomodate your iPad and desktop setup, here are a number of great options for guitar, microphone and keyboard-centric setups.

Best Lightning Interfaces for iPhone & iPad

Best MIDI keyboards for Mac and Logic Pro 2017 Edition

Best wireless Bluetooth MIDI keyboards for iOS & Mac

More:

  • PreSonus: new Eris E3.5 two-way active reference speakers from $99.94
  • Roland iOS/Mac Rubix22/24/44 interfaces now available from $149
  • FREE KORG PS-3300 Polyphonic Synth emulation for Mac from Full Bucket
  • DENPA releases dedicated TR-808/909 circuit DP-Clap instrument for Mac: $15
  • Take a look at 120years.net’s complete history of the Electronic Musical Instrument
  • Best desktop speakers for Mac users: Logitech, Mackie, KRK and more from $14
  • Review: The iLoud Monitor Speakers w/ Bluetooth and a micro footprint
  • IK debuts the new iRig Keys I/O MIDI keyboard with built-in interface for iOS/Mac
  • Review: iRig Pro I/O is the ultimate portable audio interface for iOS and Mac
  • IK Multimedia debuts new beast Mac synth w/ Moog, Prophet, sampler-instruments

See anything cool in the world of music production we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

The Logic Pros are: Justin Kahn and Jordan Kahn, who also front Toronto-based electronic/hip-hop group Makamachine.

Want more Logic Pros? Check out the archives here and stay tuned for a new installment each week in 2017.