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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Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

What is the BEST iPhone Midi Sequencer?

I'm re-evaluating my workflow again, and looking to better integrate with AUM. My key weakness is a Midi Sequencer. I've been using Music Studio, but I'm wondering if there is something better for pure midi sequencing. Suggestions?

Comments

  • Actually, depending on your needs, Aleph Looper is definitely a newer mulit-track contender.

  • MIDI sequencing on iPhone is lacking. You could go the gadget route, but no midi out, flexible sounds though. Infinite/aleph looper is good for midi recording and midi out but the piano roll sucks. Nanostudio has an awful piano roll where everything function has a different icon that needs to be clicked first. Haven't tried beatmaker. Caustic seems cool but you can't confine the keyboard to specific scales apparently, which I dunno about you but I'm kind of used to that on iOS at this point. Beatwave has one of the best piano rolls on the platform but no midi out, sample import though, 4 instruments per song limit. The option I have landed on for iPhone midi sequencing is Xynthesizr. Up to 32 steps, but easy pattern saving and recall, scale restrictions, scalar transposition, bpm ratio timing, forward and reverse playback, pattern inversions, generative options if that's your thing, and most importantly, extensive midi out options, solid clock sync, not to mention an easy elegant interface.

    TLDR: Xynthesizr, because it will provide maximum fun with the least amount of headaches.

  • Agree* plus LittleMidiMachine is free and Oscilab works great but is too fiddly on a iphone 5. FWIW

  • Does NanoStudio have a midi out?

  • Don't think so. Not 100% sure.

  • I reinstalled it to check--it does not. Neither does Yamaha's app. Neither does Caustic nor Garageband.

    Beatmaker 2 might work.

  • edited July 2016

    my favorite Sequencer is the ex-Fairlight, now Peter Vogel CMI
    unfortunately it doesn't send midi notes directly, but only via export as midi file
    (which I only just noticed because of your question - I don't use midi that much)
    to make things worse your choice is either plague or cholera: email or document directory

    anyway... the CMI has a funky workflow - and once you get behind the it's crude method it's really effective
    (but completely different from anything like Cubase or Logic)
    note entry by onscreen keyboard or fingertip/dial, single step or record mode, quantize always on
    which in fact is cool in this case... since the original was operated by lightpen a stylus may apply...
    I can handle it on my iPhone 3gs, seriously (and don't use it that often)

    for even beats I'd also choose Xynthesizer, but the CMI is great for variable measures in between
    (the grid may be changed anytime to any value without affecting what's already entered)
    from my first half hour with the app to give an idea what the blurb is about:

    cheers, Tom

    ps: sorry, I forgot to check... I'm not shure if the Page R sequencer is activated today in the non-pro version
    the shop description seems outdated to me and you probably don't want to invest that much...

  • Hmm I hadn't heard of CMI. Thanks! Honestly though, do you think the pro features are worth it? That's quite a steep price in app land. On top of the 9.99 already. The note entry and grid resizing would have to be super fluid and quick for me to drop that. How is that aspect? You said its crude, but is it... Crude yet fast?

  • @db909 said:
    Nanostudio has an awful piano roll where everything function has a different icon that needs to be clicked first. Haven't tried beatmaker.

    Honestly never heard anyone say that about the NS piano roll. For me, it's the best around. No do-long-press? did-i-tap-the-right-part-of-the-note? guess work. Admittedly, it is the one I've used the most by far so perhaps it's all just comfort.

    BM2 basically ripped it off wholesale so if you don't like NS', I wouldn't bother with BM. BM2 supports MIDI Out and for me remains the best bet for piano roll style multi-track sequencing on iPhone.

  • Ahem. Yahama MMS DOES have midi out. Beatmaker2 is the only solution to combine beatmaking, sample editing, MIDI RECORDING(in) and playing (out / per instrument channel), however its size and file system and interface drive me NUTS. Infinite looper is great for recording and arranging MIDI and playback. Editing meh.

  • edited July 2016

    I'm wanting/waiting for Beatmaker3, but I'm turning blue and I bet you the $40 it will cost it's going to be iPad only.
    If only MultiTrack DAW RECORDED midi and did midi out.

  • @syrupcore said:

    @db909 said:
    Nanostudio has an awful piano roll where everything function has a different icon that needs to be clicked first. Haven't tried beatmaker.

    Honestly never heard anyone say that about the NS piano roll. For me, it's the best around. No do-long-press? did-i-tap-the-right-part-of-the-note? guess work. Admittedly, it is the one I've used the most by far so perhaps it's all just comfort.

    BM2 basically ripped it off wholesale so if you don't like NS', I wouldn't bother with BM. BM2 supports MIDI Out and for me remains the best bet for piano roll style multi-track sequencing on iPhone.

    I agree completely

    Nanostudio has one of the best piano rolls i've seen on IOS

  • edited July 2016

    @db909 said:
    ... The note entry and grid resizing would have to be super fluid and quick for me to drop that. How is that aspect? You said its crude, but is it... Crude yet fast?

    the grid resizing is instantaneous, just a tip on the respective note symbol and it's set
    the grid defines the rhythmic distance only + initial duration
    pitch, velocity and duration may be adjusted by a 3-part dial
    pitch also by tip-dragging on the grid position of the note
    initial pitch for a new note is the previous pitch - or what you hit on the screen keyboard

    a tip on a note highlights the left part (pitch) in the 'instrument panel' + velocity + duration
    notes on other tracks at that same time position (if any) also show these details
    but their right part (duration) is highlited to distinguish from the current note
    really useful because it displays any chordal context at a glance

    you may loop the current pattern, the whole song or play start to end
    there's insert/delete for notes and clear for the track or pattern and that's more or less about it...

    extremely limited, but after a short time one begins to notice how smart the method actually is
    the original had to deal with 'no resolution' (text CRT), that's why it get's along quite well with limited space
    kind of similiar to program a drumbox (rhythmic) and then modify pitch, velocity and duration
    didn't find a good example on YT - Page R is often mentioned, but only playback action is shown
    the soundtestroom skips it alltogether with the comment: few people will probably ever use this... ;)

    I don't want to talk you into it, but found it worth mention - as probably the only alternative to the pianoroll
    (and yes, my iPhone 3 gs is way cool with this thing on it) B)

    cheers, Tom

  • @audiblevideo said:
    Ahem. Yahama MMS DOES have midi out.

    Where? I've looked and looked...

  • @Telefunky thanks for the info. I decided to check out the 9.99 version. I'm liking so far as simply a resource for some nice, classy sounds. The interface definitely has an odd charm about it.

  • Cool!! Thanks!! I wasn't aware IAA Apps were supported too. I learned two useful things!!

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