MicVault Studio: A Look at the iOS App for Recording Advice

If you don’t have access to world-class engineers to answer your questions about recording your bass in the studio, you definitely want to check out MicVault Studio.

The app is a collection of the preferences of Michael Wagener, Shane Wilson and Russ Long – three prominent and successful recording engineers when it comes to microphone choices for a number of scenarios. These engineers have worked with a monster list of musicians, including Switchfoot, Wilco, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Mötley Crüe, Extreme, Hannah Montana, Relient K, Janet Jackson, Queen, Dokken, Mercy Me, Alice Cooper, Poison, Dolly Parton, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Guy Clark, Megadeth, Sixpence None the Richer and Chris Tomlin.

Each of the engineers give their choice of microphones for those on a budget (or not), which is fantastic for the majority of us. I like knowing what the best choice might be but I certainly would need a cheaper alternative many times and it’s nice to get the run-down for various price points.

The app also includes photos of the mics and links to the manufacturer websites.

While this app is free, it is limited until you do an in-app purchase ($0.99). The free app only includes on of the engineer’s preferences. The paid app offers the complete information. This is a nice pricing model however, as it doesn’t take long to discover whether or not this app would be useful for you.

All in all, if you’re building a home studio or looking to pick up the right mic for the right price, or even if you’re just curious as to what you might ask for in a session, this app is very handy.

This app is available from the App Store (free, with $0.99 in-app purchase option for full features.)

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.