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.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Comments
@richardyot Sorry, I should have said "Cuddle" but after living in Wales for last the 20 years I'm used to saying "Cwtch" which is a lovely sounding word.
Yes (1) I hear the different basses & also like the slightly fuzzy version from the start to 0.20 & Yes (2) a VERY promising approach. You've captured the emotion of what "that person" would feeling in your heart felt words. I forgot to ask, what did you use for the drums? The snare goes well with your style of song.
For the drums I've been cheating for the last 3 months, by using loops, either from the Session Band apps, or in this case from Drum Loops HD. I do a little chopping in Gadget's Abu Dhabi to add extra snare beats, but otherwise I can't take much credit for them
I'll have to go back to programming my own drums at some point, but they are one of my biggest weaknesses (unlike your good self), and I found the task very time-consuming and a bit of a drag.
One good thing about using loops though is that it lets you study and dissect the beats, for future reference. I did something similar with some of the piano loops in the Session Band apps - I could never bring myself to use one of those on one of my tracks (that really would be cheating for me, it wouldn't feel right), but I dissected the part and used my own variation on an earlier track (Sinking Slowly).
Nice track Mattt - I've been playing around with Fugue Machine quite a bit over the last few days, and I find it's easy to fall into the Sector Trap - press a button and you get a thing, which sounds a bit like all the other things people do with it. You've managed to avoid this and come up with a good bit of music - if you hadn't mentioned Fugue Machine I probably wouldn't have guessed you'd used it. Very pleasant.
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Good stuff - reminds me a bit of Nik Turner's Inner City Unit (not the other one's) stuff. But turn the vocals up please, I won't ask you again...
Nice, your vocals keep reminding me of different singers - last time I think it was Dave Gilmour, this time a bit Snowy White. My only (constructive) criticism would be that it's all a bit too mellow and flat - I feel it needs more dynamics to lift it up and keep me interested. The vocals are excellent in some parts though, with the harmonies behind them, I wish I could sing like that.
Maybe I hit the limiter a bit too hard, thanks for the comment, it's something to consider. I also thought that maybe the chorus doesn't have quite enough lift due to the verse already pushing the limiter when the voice comes in. It's one of the problems of having the voice pushed up in the mix, there's less room for the music behind it.
It's taken two years of near constant bellowing in the front room of an evening to get to the stage where I've produced one vocal performance that I'm more or less happy with. As long as you don't mind putting a strain on your marriage you can do the same
Thanks for the drum compliments. Ah that's what the Session Band apps do? Great idea about listening to what they sound/feel like, then putting your own stamp on things. I enjoy programming drums & at the moment have the patience to alter, for example, each hi hat strokes velocity (easier on a minute & a half song). But only cos of I enjoy drums. I struggle (where you don't) on tunes, melodies, vocals, guitar & synths.
I agree about using those apps as inspiration & knowledge, otherwise I'd feel a bit of a cop out as well. Great for getting ideas down though I'd imagine.
To be fair I think it's perfectly valid for people to use the SB apps or any samples loops etc. as they see fit, I just want to be clear that I wasn't being judgemental but rather only talking about my own perspective. LostBoy85 for example did a damn fine job with SB Acoustic this month. It's no different to me using drum loops to save time.
(Edit) oh, and I've had my share of struggles with vocals, melodies, guitars and synths! They're ongoing in fact
Haha @monzo ok I will. It's that self conscious thing again & the song is starting to grind on me after listening to it so damn much. That it reminds you of ANYTHING musical at all is such a bonus. I will have a play around again & repost. Thanks for listening again sir.
@richardyot Good. You're like some sort of computer. Assimilating all that's gone before. Improving. Working. I like all of this, within your genre (whatever that is) but I particularly like or was taken in the four listens so far with the word 'breeze' when it first is sung right at the start. The way the word is sung and how it (in the micro-second and I presume unconsciously) has a slight feel to it: This is singing (for me). A singer telling us something, not reading from the page. And while I have heard you improving your technique/ability to hold pieces of your tune etc etc, I haven't heard this so specifically before. So, go buy your wife some flowers or their equivalent, her patience is paying dividends
I think Mrs Monzo has suffered enough already...
Thanks Monzo. That's very nice of you to say. You are spot on about Fugue. I was thinking the exact same thing last night... That's there's gonna be a rush of poly rhythm-ed slightly plinky plonky and out of kilter leads and pads on every iOS track for a while
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I actually recorded most of the track before Fugue came out, and then added just 2 play heads (not the full 4) from Fugue playing an iSem plucky patch and an Alchemy pad at the same time/same notes throughout the track. But it sounded a bit repetitive and I preferred the longer notes with the pad so I went through Mutlitrack DAW afterwards and chopped out most of the Fugue driven parts, just leaving a few phrases in here and there occasionally. This seemed to work well as quite a nice workflow.
I think we all fear a sudden Rise of the Tinkly.
So true
@Mat_Fletcher_ 2000 whereas Vegas took me a chilled, relaxed state, Ocular (both great titles by the way) was like waking up to the worlds most gentle alarm clock. Tempting you to get up & not ordering you to. It definitely compliments Vegas. Lovely playing & sounds. I like that almost oriental sound coming in at about 3.00.
As you said, a very productive month for you, resulting in two great tracks that go together like fish & chips. Very enjoyable.
two great tracks that go together like fish & chips>
How much is the fish ?
How much is the chips ?
Does the fish have chips ?
@Richardyot I've not listened to the song yet but I've read the lyrics.Really good mate,I love the "shake out the hurt line". Right,be back in a minute...
Haha! @Richardyot your lovely sad song has made me so happy!!! It's a brilliant song mate,lovely music (although I kind of felt the drums in the chorus or maybe throughout could be a touch louder,no biggie though:) You are the undisputed heavyweight champion of the musical outro!!:D Really awesome as always...but,I'm MOST happy with your VOCAL!
You went "Balls out" on this one didn't ya?:) you put it right on top with barely an sssss to be heard.lovely and clear,GREAT JOB! nice melody,and great choice to double your voice on the chorus,it just gave it a really nice vibe.Im so pleased that you're feeling more confident with your singing mate because...well,you should be!:D
@Bluepunk,hey man,I have to agree with Richard it's better but crank the vocals up a bit more.A good trick is to find a similar song and play it and adjust your track until the volumes sound similar:) I do love that song though mate!
@Matt_Fletcher_2000 Hey dude,feeling a bit prolific at the moment are we?!:D
Some very nice rich sounds coming out of this one mate,especially the synth towards the end.I think you need to start thinking about putting an EP together mate because I honestly can't tell the difference between your stuff and the pro's.Very nice!:D
@richardyot no-where........ Shit. Hits home. Pretty emotional for me. Great song. Dig the guitar brining it on home!
@Matt_Fletcher_2000: Ocular is very nice and easy to listen to. Some of the sounds are very Gadgety even though you used different apps
@Blupunk: Better but, as other said turn the vocals up just a bit more, I think! If you are going to swear do it LOUD!
@richardyot: Lot of potential in Feel the Breeze. A little bit mournful (or maybe flat dynamically as others have said) but I like it.
Here is one from me:
My entry for a Halloween Compilation Album from Apptronica called Fugue State. This one is quite scary!!
The Shades by Colin Powell (c) 2015
The final shard of daylight fades,
Blackness now surrounds The Shades.
Awakening is slow but sure,
Hear them scratching on the door!
Moving slowly without sound,
Hovering above the ground.
Did you see them pass you by
From the corner of your eye?
Looking for a soul to steal,
Sleeping children, ready meal!
Feeding swiftly, without pain,
A soul-less shell they shall remain.
And if you doubt this story true
I have one thing to say to you.
How many children do you know
Who lack the spark that makes them glow?
Apps used: Fugue Machine (4 notes, 4 playheads), SynthMaster, Cubasis, Audiobus, Audio Mastering
Sound FX: Freesound.org for night time sounds, my voice for spooky sounds and narration.
@AlterEgo_UK explains my teenage kids who won't listen to reason. Nice job.
Haha. I've never heard this track before & it's genius. Absolutely off their heads. That's my kinda ending. Will be singing this at the chippy on my next visit. Thanks for posting it.
Hopefully the vocals are loud enough now. If too loud please let me know. Thank you
@AlterEgo_UK to start with it really reminded me of the intro to Stonehenge, but once I managed to get Spinal Tap out of my head the track grew on me, I thought the voice is actually very well done and the Halloween atmosphere works very well. It inevitably has the feel of a novelty track about it, but that's OK since it is precisely that.
@Bluepunk that's it! It's so much better now you can hear the words clearly, and your singing is absolutely great, there was no need to bury it in the mix.
@AlterEgo_UK I listened to this hid behind the couch! The last time I did that was as a kid watching Dr Who! You've certainly captured the sound & mood of Halloween. The vocals are perfect to tell this story & the chords have that eerie, scary sound.
I will playing this very loudly with the speakers facing the front door on Halloween night . It will scare away the "Hey Mr, can I have a couple of quid instead of any crappy sweets" brigade.
Thank you. I can hear the difference from the first version, which, like everyone had rightly said, was far too low. I've just got to get this valuable & much appreciated lesson engrained into my head/ears ready for the next entry.