Sascha Dikiciyan, a composer who has contributed to a number of noteworthy video games including Quake II, Borderlands, Tron: Evolution, and Mass Effect 3, has made a living off of using experimentation and unconventional tools in his music over the last 15 years. Therefore, it’s not too surprising that the iPad caught his attention when it launched in 2010; since then the iPad quickly found a place in Dikiciyan’s vast array of music-making tools. However, while in pre-production for what would become the Mass Effect 3 soundtrack, the iPad became an indispensable tool, with a wide variety of apps that helped him create the game's signature soundscape.

We had a chance recently to ask Dikiciyan a number of questions about the music creation process, what other sorts of unconventional tools he’s used while writing soundtracks, and who influenced his style over the years — and he’s also shared with us his favorite iPad music creation and composition apps. If you’re an iPad-toting musician, this list should provide you with an extremely wide variety of tools for making your own masterpiece — for a lot less money than building your own studio. To hear more of Dikiciyan’s creations, visit Sonic Mayhem, check him out on SoundCloud, or follow him on Twitter @sonicmayhem.

Below, Dikiciyan takes us through his top 11 iPad apps and tells us what makes the iPad such a unique creation tool. You'll find our Q&A with him in the sidebars.