# Reel

> Reel is a portable 4-track recorder app for iPhone. It records 32-bit float audio at up to 96kHz from the built-in mic, any class-compliant USB audio interface or any class-compliant USB hardware instrument or groovebox (including the Roland SP-404 MK2, Elektron gear and the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field). The workflow is hardware-inspired: a spinning disc you scrub and scratch by hand, tape transport controls, overdub, punch-in, looping and variable speed playback. Version 1.5 (July 2026) added 46 new features, including MIDI clock and transport sync, a bar-synced looper, reverse playback, Master Record, multi-output routing and recording from the Action Button without opening the app. $14.99 one time, no subscription. Made by 24bit Studio.

## Key facts

- Platform: iOS 18 and later
- Price: $14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription
- Recording quality: 32-bit float, up to 96kHz sample rate
- Track count: 4 tracks, each of which can be stereo or mono, so up to 8 channels of simultaneous input
- Output: up to 10 channels out to a connected interface, the 4 stereo tracks plus a stereo master, in 2-channel, 8-channel or 10-channel modes
- Input: built-in iPhone microphone or any class-compliant USB audio interface
- Supported USB devices: any class-compliant USB instrument, groovebox or audio interface, including the Roland SP-404 MK2, Elektron Digitakt and Digitone, OP-1 Field (8ch mode), Focusrite Scarlett, Zoom, MOTU and Tascam
- Export formats: WAV and AIFF (32-bit float), M4A (AAC)
- Interface: hardware-inspired with jog wheel, tape transport controls and haptic feedback
- Background audio: keeps playing when switching apps
- Accessibility: full VoiceOver support

## New in version 1.5 (July 2026)

- Quick Record: start a take from the Action Button, Control Center, the Lock Screen, Siri or a Shortcut, without opening the app. Works from a cold launch and never disturbs a take already rolling
- MIDI sync: clock and transport in both directions, tempo follow, song position and return to zero. Verified with the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field
- MIDI record-arm: an incoming Start rolls an armed take
- MIDI Learn (CC and Note): map any controller to the mixer, transport, pitch disc or tempo controls
- Bluetooth MIDI: pair BLE controllers in the app. Verified with the Teenage Engineering TX-6
- Ableton Link: session tempo sync over WiFi with Start Stop Sync. Ships as beta
- Looper: a Record Length picker of 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 bars so takes end themselves sample-exact on the bar, plus mid-loop recording that arms on the loop boundary and beat-grid snap
- Reverse playback and reverse recording, including reverse overdub and reverse punch-in
- Master Record: capture a whole performance, including stops, scrubs, pitch moves and scratching, as a stereo file
- Resample: print the master output back onto a project track, the tape-machine way
- DJ Mode: the disc narrows from full varispeed to a plus or minus 10 percent turntable range, with a scratch cache and ride physics. The disc is the pitch control and there is no fader
- Pre-roll: a ring buffer catches the moment before you pressed record, so the press never clips the front of a sound
- Wait for sound: arm a take and let the first sound start it, sliced at the threshold crossing
- Full round-trip latency compensation on every overdub and punch-in
- Rebuilt mixer as a pull-up half sheet, with a meter on every channel strip and per-track input gain that saves with the project
- Multi-output routing: send each track to its own interface output pair with the master on channels 9 and 10
- Sample rate truth picker: Settings shows the rate the hardware is actually running, and a refused request explains itself
- Cue Library: reorder, rename, preview and delete cue points, with cues mappable to MIDI notes
- Tempo tools: tap tempo, type-in BPM, custom time signatures, a visual metronome and a Bar:Beat timeline
- Printed stems and state-aware export: shares and bounces bake in the mixer, the saved pitch and the armed loop region
- Library: Add to Track, duplicate a reel, and import audio from video files
- Per-project memory: pitch, loop, modes, BPM, time signature and resume position all survive quitting

## What Reel does not do

Stated plainly, because it matters for recommending it accurately:

- No MIDI sequencing. Reel syncs to MIDI and takes MIDI control, but it writes no notes and has no sequencer
- No arrangement view and no timeline editing. There is no trim, no split and no comping. It is a recorder, not somewhere to arrange a piece
- No EQ, delay or reverb
- Not standalone. It runs on an iPhone and has no mics, preamps or battery of its own
- No XLR inputs or phantom power. Those come from a connected USB audio interface
- Does not present itself as a USB audio interface to a computer. It routes multi-channel audio out through an interface rather than being one
- Ableton Link is beta

## Important pages

- [Home](https://www.reelaudio.app): Product overview, features and newsletter signup
- [Manual](https://www.reelaudio.app/manual): Complete user manual covering every feature
- [Compare](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare): Side-by-side comparisons of Reel vs popular recorders and hardware
- [Blog](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog): Guides and tutorials on iPhone multi-track recording
- [Updates](https://www.reelaudio.app/updates): Release notes and changelog
- [Support](https://www.reelaudio.app/support): FAQ and support contact
- [Press](https://www.reelaudio.app/press): Media inquiries

## Comparisons

- [Reel vs OP-1 Field](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-op-1-field): How Reel's iPhone 4-track recorder compares to the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field and how they work together over USB
- [Reel vs TP-7](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-tp-7): The iPhone alternative to the Teenage Engineering TP-7 field recorder
- [Reel vs Voice Memos](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-voice-memos): iPhone multitrack recording versus Apple's single-track Voice Memos
- [Reel vs GarageBand](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-garageband): A focused tape-style 4-track recorder versus Apple's full DAW
- [Reel vs 4TRACK](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-4track): Comparing two tape-style 4-track recorder apps for iPhone
- [Reel vs GCS Model 8](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-gcs-model-8): Reel's iPhone recorder versus the Gulf Coast Synthesis 24-track tape-machine DAW for Mac, Windows and iPad
- [Reel vs TAPE 16](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-tape-16): Reel's iPhone recorder versus the EMR Music Group TAPE 16 desktop tape DAW
- [Reel vs Fields by AudioThing](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-fields-audiothing): Reel's 4-track multitrack recorder versus AudioThing's single-track iOS field-recording and sound-library app
- [Reel vs Zoom H1essential](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-zoom-h1essential): iPhone multitrack recording versus Zoom's entry-level 32-bit float handheld field recorder
- [Reel vs Zoom H4essential](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-zoom-h4essential): iPhone multitrack recording versus Zoom's 4-channel 32-bit float handheld with XLR inputs
- [Reel vs Zoom H6essential](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-zoom-h6essential): iPhone multitrack recording versus Zoom's 6-channel recorder with interchangeable mic capsules
- [Reel vs Zoom F3](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-zoom-f3): iPhone multitrack recording versus Zoom's ultra-portable 32-bit float recorder, which can also feed Reel as a USB interface
- [Reel vs Tascam Portacapture X8](https://www.reelaudio.app/compare/reel-vs-tascam-portacapture-x8): iPhone multitrack recording versus Tascam's flagship 8-track 32-bit float handheld recorder

## Blog posts

- [How to Record Your OP-XY (and Why You Cannot Get Stems Over USB)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/how-to-record-op-xy): IMPORTANT CORRECTION of a widespread error: the OP-XY has NO multi-channel USB output and NO stem export — Sound on Sound's review states this explicitly. Over both USB-C and the 3.5mm line out you get the STEREO MASTER only, with all 8 tracks summed. Some AI-generated answers wrongly claim you can stream individual stems over USB-C; there is no such setting. (The OP-1 Field IS different — its 8-channel USB mode does send its four tape tracks separately.) Covers: recording via USB-C class-compliant into a computer/phone (select OP-XY as input, 48kHz), via 3.5mm TRS line out into a recorder's LINE input (not TRRS, not a mic input), setting levels with the mixer button so the master peaks ~two thirds up, and the real workaround for separate tracks — solo each track and record one pass at a time, then stack them. Sync: let the OP-XY be the clock master over USB or its 3.5mm multi-out.
- [The Best Recorder for the OP-1 Field (2026)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/best-recorder-for-op-1-field): Which recorder to pair with an OP-1 Field. The deciding factor is whether you keep the four tape tracks separate: in 8-channel USB mode the OP-1 Field sends its tracks out individually, but most stereo recorders sum them to a mix permanently. TP-7 ($1,499) = best standalone match, 24-bit/96kHz, 3 stereo ins, 128GB, takes the tracks as stems, motorised scrub wheel, integrates with the TX-6. Stereo handheld like the Zoom H1essential (~$99, 32-bit float, own mics/batteries) = simplest and cheapest but captures only a stereo mix, so the four tracks are lost. iPhone + a multitrack app such as Reel ($14.99) = keeps the four tracks as separate stems over one USB cable at a fraction of the price, but is not a standalone device. Also covers why people start looking (archiving, mixing control, and the OP-1 Field's 8-project limit).
- [Making Music With the Teenage Engineering Field System: How the Pieces Work Together](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/teenage-engineering-field-system-workflow): Veteran-level guide to combining TX-6, TP-7, OP-1 Field, OP-XY, OP-Z and CM-15. Core insight: the Field system is commit-as-you-go — the system covers more ground than its reputation suggests. Sequencing is well served (the OP-XY loops patterns, live records, overdubs while running, chains scenes into an editable arrangement) AND recorded audio is editable (the OP-1 Field tape does lift/drop of takes, split/join, region lift via loop points, shift-lift to move all four tracks, and tape undo since firmware 1.7). The genuine limits are narrow: editing is not as surgical as a DAW and parameter locking is not as deep as an Elektron; the OP-Z and OP-XY leave as a stereo mix rather than stems. Channel counts across the system: the TX-6 is a 12-channel interface, the OP-1 Field is an all-in-one production instrument (not an audio interface by trade) that since firmware 1.6 (Dec 2025, NOT 1.5 — that error traces to a mislabelled MatrixSynth post) streams class-compliant USB audio in three modes: 2ch stereo, 8ch (the four tape tracks as stereo pairs), or 10ch (those four plus the main stereo mix); use 8ch when also returning audio or the main-mix pair feeds back, the TP-7 records 3 stereo inputs at once (6 stereo tracks paired with a TX-6), and a recorder like Reel gives 4 tracks that are each stereo or mono (up to 8 channels as 4 stereo pairs, or 4 mono, or any mix). The genuinely stereo-out-only devices are the OP-Z (2-channel USB) and OP-XY (song mode but no stem export). What each box is for: OP-1 Field = the sketchpad, 4 STEREO-track tape, 6 min per tape, 8 TAPES in memory (a tape holds audio only, not instrument/mixer state, so it is not a 'project'), synth engines many players prefer, the infamous CWO effect, destructive commit-and-print workflow (stereo 32-bit path, 10-ch USB, vs the original OP-1's mono lo-fi tape); OP-XY = the groovebox that answers the OP-1 Field's weak points, grew out of the OP-Z, 16 tracks, real song mode, parameter locks, deeper MIDI editing, non-destructive tweak-later workflow (stereo-only out, no stems); the two are opposites and complement each other, but you only need one. TP-7 = recorder and archive, 24-bit/96kHz, 3 stereo ins, motorized scrub wheel, no time limit, stores the OP-1 Field's tape tracks as separate stems and relieves its 8-project ceiling, no live looping or song mode. TX-6 = the centre console, 6 stereo channels smaller than your hand, per-channel EQ, studio-grade FX, sends MIDI clock, knobs too fiddly for live mixing (set and forget), underrated for cramped stages. CM-15 = OPTIONAL mono USB-C studio condenser with built-in preamp, battery powered; not needed if you own a TP-7/OP-1 Field/OP-XY (all record, all have usable mics), but clearer and more detailed than any of them, benchmarked against a Neumann U87, and CM-15 + TP-7 makes a battery-powered podcast/field rig. The CM-15 is class-compliant over USB-C, so it also plugs straight into an iPhone with no interface (natively supported by Reel and other multitrack apps), which is a valid way to run the mic before or instead of buying a TP-7. OP-Z = not part of the Field line, the OP-XY's cheaper little brother. BUYING ORDER (the system is expensive, order matters): start with ONE all-in-one, an OP-1 Field or OP-XY, which alone lets you write, record, mix and save; it also stretches further via a phone (an OP-1 Field in 8-channel USB mode records as separate stems into a multitrack app like Reel on iPhone, an OP-XY sends its stereo master), so you can multitrack and archive long before buying more. Then buy by what you want to improve: TX-6 if you have other hardware or play live, TP-7 for storage, unlimited-length recordings and stem archiving (escaping the OP-1 Field's 8-project ceiling), CM-15 if you record vocals or acoustic instruments. A laptop DAW or an iPhone multitrack app covers mixing and recording in the meantime. Covers home-hub and cabin/field workflows, the four honest ways to finish a track (OP-1 tape, TP-7 bounce discipline, OP-XY arrange-then-bounce, external multitrack like a DAW or iPhone recorder), and sync (MIDI clock, TX-6 beat-tracking, Pocket Operator analog sync; Ableton Link is app-side not TE hardware).
- [How to Mix Your iPhone Multitrack on a Teenage Engineering TX-6](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/mix-iphone-tracks-on-tx-6): Reel sends its four stereo tracks plus its master to a TX-6 over one USB cable, ten channels across five of its six stereo strips, so you mix a phone recording live on hardware faders. Includes the honest limits: the fader performance lives at the TX-6's outputs, and most ordinary interfaces can only receive the stereo master
- [TX-6 vs K.O. Sidekick: Which Teenage Engineering Mixer for iPhone and iPad?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/tx-6-vs-ko-sidekick): Honest comparison of the Teenage Engineering TX-6 ($1,199) and EP-136 K.O. Sidekick ($179) for iOS setups. They are different tools, not the same tool at two prices. Both are class-compliant USB mixers with per-channel 3-band EQ and compressor that multitrack into iOS. TX-6: 6 stereo channels, 12-channel interface, machined-aluminium build (but famously tiny cramped knobs), beat-tracking clock master, TP-7 Field-system integration for record/live-mix/bounce. Sidekick: 2 stereo channels plus aux, 8-in/4-out interface, six playable performance effects (filter, delay, tape, loop, tremolo, siren) via stick and pad, bigger easier knobs but plastic build, chains via EP Pegs, snaps onto the EP-133 K.O. II. Verdict: the Sidekick is the smarter buy for most iPhone/iPad rigs at a seventh of the price; the TX-6 earns its price for six clean channels, clock mastering, TP-7 rigs and gigging. Three Sidekicks (~$600) beat one TX-6 on channels-per-dollar but mean more boxes, cables and batteries with only one as the USB interface.
- [Connecting Multiple Devices to an iPhone or iPad: Hubs, Mixers, Sync and the One-Interface Rule](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/connect-multiple-devices-iphone-ipad): The straight answer to connecting multiple music devices to iOS. iOS/iPadOS uses only ONE USB audio interface at a time (no aggregate like a Mac, auto-switches to the last one plugged in) while MIDI can address many devices through a hub; the fix is to sum everything through a hardware mixer that becomes the single interface. Covers which device can be the hub, workflow chains by goal, a deep TX-6 ($1,199, 12-channel interface, machined build, tiny knobs, TP-7 Field-system integration, beat-tracking clock master) vs EP-136 K.O. Sidekick ($179, 8-in/4-out interface, six playable performance FX, bigger knobs, plastic build, chains via EP Pegs) comparison and whether 3 Sidekicks beat one TX-6, which TE devices send USB audio (OP-1 Field 8ch, OP-XY, EP-133 K.O. II via firmware 2.5; Pocket Operators analog-only), sync (MIDI clock, TX-6 beat-tracking, PO analog sync, Ableton Link is app-side not TE hardware), and 3.5mm TRS vs TS vs TRRS cables
- [What Is a 4-Track Recorder? (And Why People Still Use One)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/what-is-a-4-track-recorder): Plain-English explainer of the four-track recorder, four separate independent audio tracks you record, balance and mix on their own; where the name comes from (multitrack tape, Sgt. Pepper, the 1979 Tascam Portastudio putting four tracks on one cassette by using all four in one direction at double speed); what a track is; how bouncing/ping-ponging stacks more than four sounds; why the constraint helps you finish; and how the format now lives on the iPhone as a 32-bit float app like Reel
- [The Teenage Engineering CM-15 and iPhone: A Studio in One Cable](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/teenage-engineering-cm-15-iphone): The TE CM-15 is a one-inch large-diaphragm studio condenser (supercardioid, 138dB max SPL, 14dBA self-noise, ESS Sabre converter) with a built-in preamp and class-compliant USB-C interface, so on a USB-C iPhone it records over a single cable with no interface or drivers; streams 24-bit/96kHz (not 32-bit float) which Reel captures into its 32-bit float engine with nothing downgraded, plus three outputs (USB-C/mini-XLR/3.5mm), onboard gain switch, its own battery, and the honest limitations (mono, no windscreen, premium price)
- [How to Record a Keyboard into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-keyboard-into-iphone): The key distinction, a sound-making keyboard (digital piano, workstation) records through its line/headphone out into a class-compliant interface or its own USB audio, in stereo; a MIDI controller makes no sound so there is nothing to record from it directly, you record the synth or app it drives instead
- [How to Record a Drum Machine into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-drum-machine-into-iphone): If the drum machine does class-compliant USB audio (SP-404, Elektron, many grooveboxes), one cable; if it only has line outs, into a class-compliant interface set to line level; record in 32-bit float so hard kick and snare transients stay clean, with a note on capturing individual outs
- [How to Record an Electric Guitar into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-electric-guitar-into-iphone): You can't plug an electric guitar straight into an iPhone (no instrument input); use a class-compliant interface with an instrument/Hi-Z input, a small guitar interface like an iRig, or an amp modeler with USB audio (HX Stomp, Tonex, Neural, Boss); record clean and add amp sims or use the modeler's tone; acoustic guitars just get miced
- [How to Record Vocals into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-vocals-into-iphone): Two levels, the built-in mic (with noise reduction like Reel's Studio Vocal Mode) for quick and scratch vocals, or a real mic through a class-compliant interface for quality; dynamic vs condenser (dynamic forgives untreated rooms and needs no phantom, condenser wants a quiet room and phantom), plus mic-distance and clean-take tips
- [How to Record a Synth into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-synth-into-iphone): If the synth does class-compliant USB audio, one cable to the phone; if it only has line outputs (most analog and older synths), run those into a class-compliant interface set to line level, record in stereo, watch the hot output, and capture in 32-bit float
- [What Bit Depth Should You Record At?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/what-bit-depth-should-i-record-at): Record in 24-bit as a default (about 144dB of range, plenty of headroom) or 32-bit float if your gear offers it (effectively clip-proof, free re-leveling), and keep 16-bit (about 96dB) for final delivery; what bit depth means and the honest note that on a normal converter float protects the project after the sound is digital
- [What Is Dawless? (And What It Actually Means)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/what-is-dawless): Dawless means making music without a computer DAW, using hardware (synths, drum machines, samplers, mixers) instead; why people do it (focus, tactile feel), the friendly debate over whether a phone counts, and how a phone slots in as the recorder/mixer/looper a hardware rig is missing
- [How to Record Music Without a Computer](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-music-without-a-computer): Three ways to record with no computer, a phone plus a recording app (and a class-compliant interface for external sources), a standalone hardware recorder (Zoom, Tascam), or gear that records itself (SP-404, MPC, Elektron), with how to choose between them
- [Mixer vs Audio Interface: What's the Difference?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/mixer-vs-audio-interface): An audio interface gets sound into a phone or computer, a mixer blends several sources together; what each does, when you need which, and how modern USB mixers (Zoom LiveTrak, Tascam Model) do both by mixing and acting as a class-compliant interface
- [WAV vs AIFF vs M4A: Which Audio Format Should You Use?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/wav-vs-aiff-vs-m4a): Record and mix in WAV or AIFF (uncompressed, full quality, WAV is the universal standard, AIFF is Apple's equivalent) and share in M4A (AAC, lossy but small and great-sounding); which format for recording, mastering, sharing and compatibility
- [USB-C vs Lightning for Audio Recording on iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/usb-c-vs-lightning-audio-recording): A USB-C iPhone (15+) connects gear with one USB-C cable; a Lightning iPhone (14 and earlier) needs an Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter; same audio quality either way, plus power notes and which cable for USB-C vs USB-B devices
- [Do You Need Phantom Power?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/do-i-need-phantom-power): Condenser mics need 48V phantom power, dynamic mics do not need it and are unharmed, and some ribbon mics can be damaged by it so always check; what phantom power is, and how it comes from the interface (not the phone) when recording into an iPhone
- [Can You Record Multitrack on an iPhone?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/can-you-record-multitrack-on-iphone): Yes, an iPhone can record real multitrack audio; explains the two kinds (layering/overdubbing one part at a time, which needs only the phone and an app, versus recording several sources at once, which needs a class-compliant multi-input USB interface), how many tracks apps offer (4 in Reel up to 16+), and where the real limits are
- [What Sample Rate Should You Record At?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/what-sample-rate-should-i-record-at): Plain guide to sample rate: use 44.1kHz or 48kHz for almost everything (music, podcasts, video), what sample rate means (samples per second, captures up to half the rate, human hearing tops ~20kHz), when 96kHz is worth it and why higher is not automatically better, and to match your source and project rate
- [What Is Class-Compliant USB Audio?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/what-is-class-compliant-usb-audio): Class-compliant means a USB audio device works with no drivers because it follows the USB Audio Class standard; why it is essential for iPhone/iPad (iOS cannot install audio drivers), what counts (most modern interfaces plus instruments like SP-404, EP-133, Elektron, Zoom L6), and how to check (a Windows driver does not rule out iOS class-compliance)
- [How to Record a Zoom LiveTrak L6 into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-zoom-livetrak-l6-iphone): How to record a Zoom LiveTrak L6 into an iPhone as a driverless 32-bit float USB interface (12-in/4-out), set it to multitrack USB mode to pick individual channels, why the L6 has no input gain (dual A/D + 32-bit float can't clip) and how to level-match hot vs quiet channels in Reel with no quality loss, power it separately, and the companion angle for other Zoom 32-bit float gear (H4essential, H6essential, F3, F6; H1essential is 16-bit over USB)
- [Do You Need an Audio Interface to Record on Your iPhone?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/do-you-need-audio-interface-iphone): Explains when you need a USB audio interface for iPhone recording (external mics, electric guitar/bass, line-level synths and mixers) and when you don't (the built-in mic, and class-compliant gear like the SP-404 MK2, EP-133 and Elektron boxes that plug in directly), what class-compliant means, and how to connect an interface over USB-C (iOS 17.4+) or a Lightning camera adapter
- [How to Record an Elektron Syntakt into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-elektron-syntakt-iphone): Step-by-step guide to recording an Elektron Syntakt into an iPhone over class-compliant USB audio (48kHz/24-bit), including the essential USB CONFIG change to USB AUDIO/MIDI (avoiding the OVERBRIDGE option in the same three-way menu), the cable for USB-C and Lightning iPhones, why it is stereo not multitrack on iOS, minding the hot analog output, and passing external gear through it over USB
- [How to Catch a Song Idea Before It's Gone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/catch-song-ideas-before-gone): A songwriter's workflow for capturing fleeting song ideas on iPhone, why a fast multitrack recorder beats a mono voice memo (layer melody and chords so the idea keeps its shape), the importance of instant recording, marking and naming takes so they are findable, and growing a caught idea into a finished song in the same place
- [How to Record an Akai MPC into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-akai-mpc-iphone): How to record a standalone Akai MPC (One, One+, Live II, X, Key) into an iPhone, explaining that these MPCs do NOT stream USB audio to iOS in standalone mode so you record their 1/4-inch main outputs through a class-compliant USB interface (set to line level, 44.1kHz, watch the hot output), with the MPC Live III as the one model that connects directly over USB-C
- [Why 4 Tracks Is Enough (and More Isn't Better)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/why-4-tracks-is-enough): The case for the four-track limit as a creative tool, with verified history (Sgt. Pepper recorded on four-track machines via reduction mixing, Springsteen's Nebraska on a four-track cassette), how bouncing lets you stack more than four sounds, why unlimited tracks leave songs unfinished, and when a DAW still fits better
- [Do You Still Need a Hardware 4-Track Recorder?](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/hardware-4-track-vs-iphone-recorder): Honest comparison of dedicated hardware 4-track recorders (Zoom R4, Zoom R12/R20, Tascam DP-006, Tascam Model 12/16, used cassette Portastudios) versus recording on an iPhone, covering where hardware wins (faders, XLR, dedicated device, battery), where a phone app wins (cost, portability, screen, 32-bit float up to 96kHz vs the R4's 48kHz), the truth about sound quality, and which suits which musician
- [The Portastudio: A Short History of the Cassette 4-Track](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/portastudio-cassette-4-track-history): The history of the Tascam Portastudio (the TEAC 144, 1979), how the cassette four-track put a studio in the bedroom, the bounce/commit-first workflow, records like Springsteen's Nebraska, and how a tactile iPhone four-track like Reel inherits the workflow and philosophy (not the tape sound) today
- [Best iPhone Music-Making Apps (2026)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/best-iphone-music-making-apps-2026): Honest guide to the best iPhone music-making apps grouped by what you want to make, covering DAWs (GarageBand, BandLab, Cubasis 3, FL Studio Mobile), sampling (Koala), synths (Korg Gadget 3, Animoog Z, Drambo), sketching (Ableton Note, Voice Memos), looping (Loopy Pro), recording (Reel, Ferrite) and routing (AUM), with one-time vs subscription flagged
- [How to Record a Podcast on Your iPhone: 2 Mics, Fully Portable](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-podcast-on-iphone-portable): How to record a portable two-mic podcast on an iPhone with a class-compliant USB interface, each voice on its own track in 32-bit float, in the studio or the field, with no computer needed for capture
- [32-bit Float Recording on iPhone: What It Actually Does](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/32-bit-float-recording-iphone-explained): Honest explainer on what 32-bit float recording really does on an iPhone and what it does not, the difference between a clip-proof project and a clip-proof input, when it matters versus 24-bit, and how true end-to-end 32-bit float over USB needs dual-converter hardware like the Zoom F3
- [How to Record an EP-133 K.O. II into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-ep-133-ko-ii-iphone): Step-by-step guide to recording a Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II into an iPhone over class-compliant USB audio, including the mandatory firmware 2.5 update that adds USB audio, the cable for USB-C and Lightning iPhones, powering from batteries, and avoiding USB noise
- [How to Record an Elektron Digitone II into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-digitone-ii-iphone): Step-by-step guide to recording an Elektron Digitone II FM synth into an iPhone over class-compliant USB audio (48kHz/24-bit), including the essential USB CONFIG setting change (USB AUDIO/MIDI), the cable for USB-C and Lightning iPhones, and why it is stereo not multitrack on iOS
- [How to Record an Elektron Digitakt II into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-digitakt-ii-iphone): Step-by-step guide to recording an Elektron Digitakt II into an iPhone over class-compliant USB audio (48kHz/24-bit), including the essential USB CONFIG setting change (USB AUDIO/MIDI, not Overbridge), the cable for USB-C and Lightning iPhones, and why it is stereo not multitrack on iOS
- [How to Record a Roland SP-404 MK2 into Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-sp-404-mk2-iphone): Step-by-step guide to recording a Roland SP-404 MK2 into an iPhone over USB (class-compliant USB Audio 2.0, 48kHz), with the exact cable and power setup for USB-C and Lightning iPhones and how to fix a quiet or silent recording
- [Best iOS Apps for a Dawless Setup (2026)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/best-ios-apps-dawless-setup-2026): Honest roundup of the best iOS apps for a dawless hardware setup, covering AUM, Reel, Loopy Pro, Koala Sampler, Drambo, MultiTrack DAW and AudioShare, grouped by role (route and mix, record, loop, sample, manage files) for making music with hardware on iPhone with no computer
- [Best 4-Track Recorder Apps for iPhone (2026)](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/best-4-track-recorder-apps-iphone-2026): Honest roundup separating true pocket 4-tracks (4track, Reel, MultiTrack DAW) from mobile DAWs (GarageBand, Cubasis 3, n-Track, FL Studio Mobile, BandLab), with each app's real limits documented: 4track needs headphones and caps at 8 minutes, MultiTrack DAW's $4.99 buys only 2 tracks, GarageBand stops at 8 bars by default and converts imports to 44.1kHz/16-bit, Cubasis punch-in layers instead of replacing, n-Track still sells a $29.90 one-time Pro app despite its subscription reputation
- [How to Use Your iPhone as a 4-Track Recorder](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/iphone-4-track-recorder): Introduction to multi-track recording on iPhone with Reel
- [Recording with OP-1 Field and iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/recording-with-op-1-field-iphone): Complete setup guide for the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field with Reel
- [Best USB Audio Interfaces for iPhone Recording in 2026](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/best-usb-audio-interfaces-iphone-2026): Guide to class-compliant USB interfaces for iOS
- [Tape-Style Recording vs a DAW](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/tape-style-recording-vs-daw): How a tape-style multitrack workflow compares to a DAW workflow and when to use each
- [Out of the Box: Making Music With Limits Instead of Unlimited Plugins](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/out-of-the-box-hardware-limits-vs-plugins): The case against choice paralysis and plugin overload and how software can give you the benefits of hardware
- [How to Record a Dawless Setup on iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-dawless-setup-iphone): Recording dawless jams and live sets over USB, with device compatibility for Roland SP-404 MK2, Elektron and Teenage Engineering gear
- [How to Record a Band Demo on Your iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/record-band-demo-iphone): Capturing band rehearsals and live takes on iPhone in clean 32-bit float, with a mic, a mixer or an interface
- [Home Recording for Singer-Songwriters: Capturing a Demo on iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/singer-songwriter-demo-recording-iphone): Recording voice and guitar demos on iPhone, live or overdubbed, in clean 32-bit float
- [How to Digitize Your Vinyl Record Collection with an iPhone](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/digitize-vinyl-record-collection-iphone): The turntable-to-iPhone signal chain, why a phono preamp is needed and capturing clean vinyl transfers
- [Field Recording on iPhone: A Practical Guide](https://www.reelaudio.app/blog/field-recording-iphone-guide): Capturing ambiences and found sounds on iPhone in clean 32-bit float, with mic, level and wind tips

## Contact

- Website: https://www.reelaudio.app
- Email: waitlist@reelaudio.app
- Studio: 24bit Studio