KeyStage

I can't say enough about this brilliant app and its tireless developer. Even when I was just auditioning the demo version, Ali was responsive by email to my every question about accomplishing particular tasks. I am now beta-testing v2.3 which has added capabilities based on feedback from users, including another dimension of "layers" and the ability to save files for every "favorite" component of a song—available for use in other songs. It took me more than a minute to adjust to the paradigm shift in the app's organization of synths, effects, and control over their parameters, but the reward is unparalleled flexibility and expression. He offers scripts called "custom translators". I especially like the ones that send the highest and lowest midi note to different synths, offering my guitar (via the MidiGuitar app) a floating split point. Every "section" can be independently programmed regarding external controllers, allowing me to get the most out of just a a couple foot-switches and expression pedal. Ali is a virtuosic musician who is sharing with the community of ios performers the fruits of his ever-inquisitive mind ("Wouldn't it be cool if I could...?")

This app is everything you could want and need to perform keyboard/synth live from an iPad. I can load my various AU apps like Korg Module, Primer, Model D, etc, with patches and settings in the apps retained. I can control which synths use which part of the keyboard, ignore footpedal, play an octave higher or lower, and more. It has a mixer or it all, with the ability to insert FX, pan, adjust levels. Save song setups. Save section setups within songs. It’s way more powerful than I’ll ever need! You do have to pay all cart for some features but are very reasonably priced if you want/need them. This app has no competition. Please keep supporting it!

I’ve gone back and forth between hardware and vSynths over the years. I’ve used Mainstage, Cantible and even Ableton. Currently I lug my Kronos 88 around and it weighs a metric ton. So I decided to revisit going virtual with an iPad Pro. I came across Key Stage a couple of weeks ago and am blown away with the functionality. This is a very robust app and easily flexible and powerful enough for live gigging. I’m still working through setting up my patches and yet to perform live with it, but I’ve run it for hours on end in my studio as I’ve put together my patches and haven’t had so much as a hiccup with it. I’m running the 2021 iPad Pro with an M1 by the way so I expect your mileage may vary. In my workflow I’ve noticed a couple of item that I think would make this app even better than it currently is. So these are feature requests but by no means does it prevent this app from being extremely useable for live gigging. Global Tap Tempo - I want to sync all my auv3 efx and sequences with the global tempo as the drummer counts off a song so being able to tap in a tempo at count off would be amazingly helpful. In-Line EFX Bypass - There’s a workaround for this currently by using full states and creating parts for each scene, but having a midi mappable bypass would just make the process easier. Bus Mix Assignment - If there was a way to create a Bus and assign various sources to it, that would be very helpful in dynamically routing audio output from vSynths and other sources in a more dynamic fashion. Regardless of my wish list this is a great app and I expect I’ll get a lot of use out of it. Thanks to developer for creating this app.