Audiobus: Use your music apps together.

What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.

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Chapman Stick Live Rig

EuphtubEuphtub
edited May 2013 in General App Discussion

Hello all,

I play Chapman Stick and currently use my MacBook with Mainstage2 as my live rig. My laptop (6 years old) decided to stop charging yesterday :-/ I took the adapter to the Apple Store, and it works fine.

Depending on how much money I need to fix it, I'm considering purchasing an Alesis IO Dock for the iPad and Amplitube or JamUP.

My question about Audiobus:

Can I run 2 simultaneous mono inputs?

OR

Can I divide a stereo signal input to 2 mono?

Either way, I need to use different amp models on each channel of the Stick and process them independently. Think of it like running a Bass Guitar and a Guitar through the same DAW and processing each instrument separately.

Thanks,

Michael

Comments

  • funjunkie27funjunkie27

    You can run two mono sources into the iPad/Audiobus, as long as the interface supports it, which I believe the Alesis dock does. I'm not clear on any app that will split a stereo signal to two mono signals, but there probably are apps that can do that. If not, you could get a y cable that splits out each channel. As far as processing them independently, there is only one effects slot (may change in a future ver) in Audiobus, but you can still do that in many DAWs. Auria with the JamUp plug-in is probably the best quality.

    I'd love to hear some of your recordings of the Chapman through Audiobus!

  • Phil999Phil999

    dual mono (two separate mono inputs) is possible with a DAW app like Auria.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    Alright, now I know it's possible. Now—Is it advisable?

    Can the iPad handle a 3 hour live Stick set?

    Has anybody used a DAW running dual channels of JamUP or Amplitube in a live performance?

    I don't change a lot of things while playing. Mainly, I just need guitar and bass amp modeling to give the color to the tone. I use a keyboard amp or a mobile PA system, so it's pretty bland unless it has some light compression and reverb.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    I think I'm going to take this plunge. I am actually kind of excited about making this switch. I just need to find the correct interface.

  • Phil999Phil999

    yeah, the interface is still a bit of a problem in my view. There are not many solutions that keep the iPad powered, and some of which that do can be a bit problematic in certain situations.

    I'm using a Tascam iU2 where I can use two microphones, one mic and one guitar/line in, or other combination. I just need to reset the sampling rate to 44.1kHz occasionally before a session by inserting and removing a plug into the iPad headphone out, but apart from that, it works well. I also use it as a dual mono insert for my mixer, running compressor's or EQ's. The iU2 and some other 30-pin interfaces keep the iPad powered.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    I went to GC today and looked at the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, 2i4, Akai EIE, and the ART Dual Tube preamp. I think I'm going with the iPad 4 because of the processing power which pretty much rules out the IO dock I listed above.

    I really feel that the Scarlett 2i2 will do what I need if I can plug my FBV MKII Express midi over usb pedal into a hub alongside it and send midi changes. It's the same principle as the EIE, but it has a separate hub. I like my little Session IO, but I don't think it will work.

    I'm not too concerned with constant charging. I don't think a 3 hour set running 2 inputs of a software processor is anywhere near the battery usage of watching 3-5 episodes of shows on Netflix in HD.

    Some day a dock for lightning connector may come out and I can adjust. Who knows-maybe some inventor will read this and give me a call. lol

  • thatsRayorthatsRayor

    Out of curiosity- how was your buffer set when you were running through Mainstage? The lowest buffer setting Audiobus offers is 256 samples, which IMO makes it unusable for a lot of things in a live setting.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    Honestly…I don't know. I ran Guitar Rig 3 XE with 1 gig of RAM for 2 years with no issues at all. Mainstage 2 was a nice solution after I upgraded the RAM to 4 gigs.

    All I need is amp modeling with 3-4 effects on the melody side and bass amp modeling on the bass side routed through a mixer adding a little reverb that I can output in direct monitor to my little keyboard amp or the house PA of the small venues I'm hired to play. It's nothing strenuous, but it gets my entire setup to fit on a stool instead of all over the floor.

    I'll post some recordings soon.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    http://discchord.com/blog/2013/1/7/marc-luecke-isnt-it.html

    Off track a bit and may not be of use but....

  • Pianokey88Pianokey88

    The Chapman stick is such a cool instrument! In the late 1970s I was lucky to have seen the inventor himself, Emmit Chapman, do a live concert and demonstration of his new Chapman stick invention at Indiana University school of music. He was backed up only by a very talented IU music student percussion major named Peter Erskine, who has had a very successful career playing with Weather Report & Steely Dan, among others. We were blown away with the extreme coolness and the huge, wonderful sound of the Stick in the hands of the person who invented it. He said he got the idea from watching guitarists like Jimi Hendrix doing hammer-ons.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    @commonstookie- That was cool. If you like live looping, check these out:

    http://www.poorman.ws/glenn/video/

    Not on an ipad, but Glenn is a very creative guy and a good player.

    I enjoy playing Stick around town. People are always very interested by it. It inspires me to practice. Lol

    @Pianokey88 - I've spoken with him and his wife, Yuta, on the phone a few times over the years. They are very helpful. www.stick.com if you're curious about the instrument.

  • EuphtubEuphtub

    I did it! And I love it!

    I am using an iPad 4, AKAI EIE interface, Audiobus, and amp modeling apps. It works flawlessly at either sample rate (256 or 512) in Audiobus. I played for 2 hours straight today and had no pops, hiccups, latency issues, crashes…nothing. Only amazingly pure Stick sound filling up my little house.

    For those curious:

    Inputs

    I've routed the bass side of the Stick through Ampkit with the Ashdown 900 amp and the melody side through the stock amp in Amplitube Free

    Effects

    JamUP Free Reverb pedal

    AND

    Empty—I can't decide which sounds better.

    Output

    Speaker

    I ran the EIE outputs to 2 inputs of my Behringer 45 watt keyboard amp. It sounds great.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    Congratulations.
    You got some nice kit there.
    One last suggestion for a simple cheap no headache multitrack recording solution,(although you can record into ampkit)

    Multitrack DAW.its on the bus,is basic but you may find it useful.
    Think it can record in 24 bit(not while plugged into the bus tho...16 bits only)

    Happy gigging.

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