connect an ipad to a PA system

pampam

Are there any entertainers / singers out there who use an ipad on stage through a PA system?

Tips on how this works and how to put my backing tracks onto the ipad would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
Simon,
Pams son, just starting out as an entertainer.

Bowling_4_Gold

Are backing tracks on CDs? If so, rip them into your iTunes library and sync them with your iPad.

Our PA system (24 channel mixer) sometimes has a laptop plugged into it. In this case we just provide a 3.5mm cable and that is plugged directly into the headphone socket on the laptop and the channel is mixed in normally, as a microphone would be.

One of these (not specifically endorsing this- the more you spend the better quality you get generally) (male or female depending on your mixer) and you should be good to go. If you set the level quite high on the mixer I guess it would be simple enough to change the volume on the iPad

googler

Why do you particularly want to put them on an IPad?

What format are they in at the moment?

pampam

googler wrote: »

Why do you particularly want to put them on an IPad?

What format are they in at the moment?

hi, just to put you in the picture what i know about this you could write on the back of a postage stamp.
Most of my backing tracks are on CDs which i have recorded on to minidisc which i use for gigs, works well but its kind of like the dark ages.It does not have to be an Ipad as i am open to suggestions.My mixing desk is a mackie pro fx12 and active speakers
thanks
Simon.

neilwoods

Does the pro fx 12 have a usb port. Would have thought the mixing desk would support USB interface with windows or mac software.

googler

pampam wrote: »

hi, just to put you in the picture what i know about this you could write on the back of a postage stamp.
Most of my backing tracks are on CDs which i have recorded on to minidisc which i use for gigs, works well but its kind of like the dark ages.It does not have to be an Ipad as i am open to suggestions.My mixing desk is a mackie pro fx12 and active speakers
thanks
Simon.

I think you should visit some Pro Audio websites and retailers and look for a Stereo Hard Disk Recorder/Player, one that's aimed at the professional market, or possibly a Solid-state machine like this one;

http://tascam.com/product/hs-2/

Something like this will preserve the quality of your CDs, rather than compressing them into mp3 or onto Minidisc; meaning that you sound better at your gigs!

neilwoods

Bit OTT for someone starting out, £2000 for SSD recorder.

iPad or Laptop will do the job. Save the music as lossless FLAC. One the best things to learn would to know the difference between the formats and the quality.

As for sounding better, doubt anyone would notice. If it was a set up within a studio, then yes, but for portable gigging where the room size, wall fitting, items within room, plus the people the sound will change from venue to venue.

googler

If you doubt anyone would notice, why do you suggest saving the tracks as FLACs...?

OP has stated tracks to be on CD and Minidisc, with no indication that they have either the iPad nor laptop already.... I get the impression they're played back from a minidisc player....

And there's also been no mention of budget thus far; it doesn't HAVE to be the solid-state recorder, although for schlepping in and out of gigs, and taking some road punishment, it would be the best, for anything with moving parts - CD player, Minidisc, Cassette, Hard-Disk - will undoubtedly fare worse in reliability terms.

neilwoods

To point out that there was no need for a £2000 piece of equipment, for portable dj.

As for minidisc, may be old tech but the format used Atrac3plus which is a lossless format, has been used by musician's for years and still being used because of the quality of the tracks.

Yes the OP is looking for info on how to this via an iPad or Lappy. Did look at the manufactures site for mackie pro fx12 and it does support usb either with windows or mac os. The site also shows the type of software required.

http://www.mackie.com/products/profx12/

googler

Where did the OP say they were a DJ?

Backing tracks.....

Stooby2

If you want to plug an iPod into a PA, you'll need a 3.5mm to phono connector - something like this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5m-3-5mm-Jack-to-2-x-RCA-Phono-Audio-Cable-Gold-Lead-/160600769096?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item25648d4248

That will get you started until you achieve fame and fortune and can afford the gubbins everyone else has suggested.