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.
Convoluted GB session, can it be simpler?
Here's my process for this track...
This was an experiment, using a fairly simple inoffensive bit of music to see if I could do it. It was all recorded in the iPad's garageband app, but the process was a bit convoluted.
Drums were copied and pasted from drumjam. Ifretless bass and ifretless guitar were recorded live through audiobus, as we're two other guitars (sampletank sounds through ampkit free effects in the audiobus effects slot). Then I wanted to play the harmonica solo using ifretless as a controller, but it couldn't be done via audiobus...garageband stopped playing every time. The workaround was to start with the harmonica open in sampletank, hit gargeband's play button via audiobus, start the record function in sampletank, then open ifretless with sampletank as the midi destination. Then, before starting the solo, I played one note on beat one of the bar before the solo starts. Copied and pasted into audioshare, trimmed the solo so it started exactly on that first note so I could paste it precisely into garageband. Phew!
Strings were auto played on garageband, and some tracks had to be merged to make room. Finally, I found the ielectric track I had put down earlier had vanished, so I opened audiobus one last time and played it in again using the akai synthstation 49 as a controller.
Not the most intuitive bit of recording ever, but it got finished and I love the fact that it all takes place within this tiny, beautiful device. Now, will cubasis or possibly the upcoming nanostudio2 (it is going to happen, right?) sort out some of these issues? Hope so, because the other stuff I want to record is far more complicated. Gulp.
Comments
Nice sound. Do you have any alternatives to GB for a DAW? That might be the easiest way to streamline your process. I believe either BM2 or MTDaw might be better options.
I really dont care how this was recorded becuase after about 10 seconds I was somewher else..I was sitting at a beach bar, the med slowly lapping waves on the beach..a cool beer in my hands and sweet virginia tobacco wafting through my fingers...bliss.....I love this track...Acoustic Alchemy, Bob James..cafe del mar..too good my friend too good........Back to reality, funjunkie27 is right..use another DAW...I think Cubasis is the one for you...and please go post this on iosmars..
Very cool and clean sounding track - I like it a lot! As you have found, GB has it's limitations (and its strengths, to be fair). I would agree that Cubasis is perhaps what you need.
Thanks for the encouraging comments, everyone....I was quite taken aback! Yep, looks like cubasis might be the answer to my workflow issues. I just wish GB was more powerful, with decent effects and better editing, since I find it so much fun to use. I don't want to lose the fun aspect. I've bought too many apps as it is!
I have four of the big ios daw's, and cubasis is the one I go too now every time. With the virtual midi and AB it's very fun.
@iansainsbury Awesome track btw! Forgot to mention in previous post.
Quite a nice track!
Really like the track, Ian, and love the changes. Your pro status shows.
Am with the sound room on this.
mines a pina colada.
Cubasis..