Does The World Need An iPad + iPhone Ukulele?

Does the world really need an iPad + iPhone ukulele?

That’s the first thing that this demo of Amidio’s Fututele brought to mind. Combine an iPad, and iPhone, a special case and a couple of apps and you’ve got a franken-ukulele that takes the place of real ukuleles that you can get for $40 at Guitar Center.

Amidio’s developed some interesting apps previously, especially the Seline Ultimate virtual instrument.  But this is the sort of thing that Boing Boing and Engadget are going to freak out about.

With virtual instruments, there’s an opportunity to make them smarter, more flexible or more connected than traditional instruments. Realistically, though, a virtual ukulele is probably going to sell a lot better than a completely original virtual instrument.

Check it out and let us know what you think of Futulele!

24 thoughts on “Does The World Need An iPad + iPhone Ukulele?

  1. We’re going to find out if the world wants an iOS ukulele. (Can an iOS jaw-harp be too far away?)

    If anyone ever attempts to find out if the world needs a website just like Synthtopia but with a policy of NEVER mentioning iPads or iPhones let me know, because I’ll check in there every day.

    1. Yeah, I’m not Apple hater since I use Macs and iOS devices ever day but there’s a certain point where I get sick of hearing about iPads, especially for music. It reminds me of when Linux first started getting taken seriously. Some of the geek news sites would post a story every time some company somewhere switched their servers to Linux. At first it was like “awesome, Linux is breaking into the mainstream!” but after the like 1000th company switch to Linux it’s like is this even news anymore.

      1. Like it or not, capacitive touch screens have changed the way music can be made. And at this moment, apple devices have the best apps. I mean, wow, lemur even…. I have never met an unhappy apple device owner, only unhappy people who think they hate ipads or ipods…

      2. I have been thinking about making my countrys national instrument into iPad(even if I don’t yet have an iPad), because what come to playing it, it naturally fits into touch screen interface more than your typical romplers. You have these intruments in Yamaha Motifs and all that crap, and no one complains even if they fit there far less naturally because of playing interface.

    2. maybe synthtopia is moving with the times and investigating the iOS revolution unbiased, i suggest you do the same or perhaps look for a site without iOS references, which by the way, is becoming a rare commodity quickly, and likely with good reason

      1. That’s the problem–when it comes to iOS, Synthtopia is not unbiased at all. Clearly Synthtopia is *passionate* about iOS, way out of proportion to its actual value for making music. In the future, iOS may warrant all this attention from a music-making journalist. But not yet. At this point, raving about iOS as a music platform makes you sound like an Apple shill.

        1. rakester, you are having a laugh arent you? have you tried nanostudio, tc11, grainscience, sunrizer? these are professional tools, if u disagree then either you havent used them or are unprofessional yourself, and for your information, some very credible people are using apps for released productions, they just dont talk about it because of people like you whining.
          get with the program- if it makes a sound, it can be used, doesnt matter how or on what, a true pro can use anything that is available, and some like the fun aspect of a portable touchscreen device, so let them have fun!

      2. replying to my own comment//based on rakesters reply…id say synthtopia is very open minded, and getting passionate about SOME apps but cautiously but definatly not biased. i appreciate the “something to think about” quotes he posts as they are very broad minded and come from various sources hinting at a wide range of personal taste and knowledge which i resonate with. most kids dont even know who brian eno is, or zappa, steve roach etc..these people really laid a foundation for electronic music. so with apps, id say what is happening is a genuine, open minded investigation going on here and the discussions benefit app fans and synth fans, surely some devs read these pages and get feedback on how to improve apps and some synth fans may see an app that can compliment their home studio with tons of hardware and pcs, synths etc..and why not? so what is the problem here, let both worlds co exist in harmony please. its all about knowledge and skill, if someone has both, they may use apps , or hardware and sometimes both, and that is the real focus here- is it good? ok, lets see how it works..ive not seen many crap apps featured here to be honest, i think discretion is used as to what is featured here

  2. First, I’m sure for the price of the guitar shaped dock you could buy a real uke (a cheap one). Second, amidio makes interesting apps but never updates them or fixes any bugs. I was in love with their virtual dj app. But they never did anything to make it so you could actually upload your own files like it said it would. Then it just disappeared off the app store.

  3. Yes! Desperately! 😉
    Just imagine the Happiness at Spontaneous Subway Jams! The whiff of Hawaiian air floating through crowded lobbys! The gentle, palmlike swaying of people dancing Hula during lunchbreaks!
    I’d like to see a Hawaiian traditional Karaoke-app as well to go along with it, please!
    Oh, beautiful Hawai’i, my heart longs for your shores carressed by the gentle lapping of the waves…

  4. Fourth bucks at Guitar Center you say? That’s if you aren’t bothered by GC being owned by Bain Capitol and the fact that they plan to put every other MI retailer in the nation out of business.

  5. I totally get putting synth based instruments on an iPad, but emulating stringed instruments is ridiculous. They always sound tinny and ragged, There is no real feedback or capability to play the virtual strings other than a hand wave in place of a button press, and all the coolness of vibrating strings is gone.

  6. this is just gimmicky and unecesary, like most of amidios apps to be honest. people who want to burn some itunes credit for the sake of it, buy this kind of app, and if it doesnt work or crashes, dont bother trying to email amidio as they never bother to reply to ANYONE, indeed they are on most peoples blacklist for eons.

  7. It wouldn’t be so bad if the Futulele didn’t sound terrible. However, it does highlight the fact that the iPad is every bit as good as a hollow box with a hole in it.

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