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
it would be nice to be able to randomize without shaking as well.
Yes, ideally something like this:
1) You'd hit the Settings Icon
2) The composition from changing while you're in that panel so it doesn't morph before you save
3) Hit a save button, might be in a Compositions sub menu
4) There would also be a menu of already saved compositions
The thing I need to figure out is how to export that file, and how to import a MIDI file from a computer or other app.
That is good news Jason!
Oh yeah - the randomize function ? - I never use it because shaking my ipad with Camera connection lead/ midi etc attached is not ever a good idea - so it always stays on a table.
Just programmed that into the percussion app, via shake, but that's a good point - I hadn't thought of iPads and something connected in a studio. I'll brainstorm ideas on what user input would translate to a randomize function.... Thanks for bringing that up.
Jason, any chance to have both internal and midi external sounds selected??
Really would love that option.
One thing that came up for me the other day when using it was I already had a track going in a certain key, and wanted SR to add some other melodic content.
I just could not get anything usable out of it because I cannot select a key to work in.
Jason you mentioned about possibly having midi input for notes - is this on the horizon?
It would really take it to the next level.
ATM it is great for starting an idea - but no good for adding to an existing composition
Yes! I've been restructuring the whole data model (which is taking a while) to accommodate future changes such as user / customized kits which would include audio instruments and MIDI instruments together.
By key, you mean choosing the scale based on a C, or a A, something like that?
Yes, MIDI input from external controllers is one of my top priorities for future enhancements.
Yes - by choosing the key of C for example - means it can be used and included within existing compositions.
But if it had Midi input (IE Notes) then this would solve the non key issue.
So - If I could play / or input / import up to 7 notes into SR before I touch the screen, and then let it do its magic that would be really amazing as a composition tool...
Got it, yes, the MIDI input sounds like a good solution. Definitely in the queue. Almost to beta with my percussion based app, which settings updates will be easy to port back to Refraktions.
Really enjoyed this track! Great work.
@Matt_Fletcher_2000 thanks man!
Refraktions never ceases to amaze me with what it can come up with. Just yesterday was using it with Beathawk's Grand Piano and iSymphonic Strings and it literally blew me away at the stuff it comes up with.
Looks like an awesome update to my favorite generative app!
What's New in Version 2.2
• Audiobus 3.0.2 added. Refraktions is available as an Audio Source, MIDI Source, and MIDI Filter.
• App can now receive note input from external MIDI controllers or other iOS apps (as destination "Refraktions").
• Play / pause functionality added by tapping center circle.
• Added 8th synth, "Coastal Synth."
• Added ability to change root key in musical scales.
• Added per-track customization of playback, composition, volume, and pitch.
• Added global and per-track customization of MIDI sources and destinations.
• Added shake detection, which rearranges the composition.
• Improved note creation, including fixes to MIDI on / off for each tap.
• Rebuilt internal metronome with average drift variance of < 0.7 ms.
• Switch from UserDefaults to CoreData for data storage.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/refraktions/id866134037?mt=8
Looks like a big update! Can't wait to try it out.
There is a God.
AUM, is the word.
Great update, time to get back into a generative mood.
WOW!!
Such killer additions
Per-track customization!! The Play/pause option is really great too..
One of my faves just became a monster!
Midi Filter !!!!!
@Mayo Yeah, I appreciate everyone's feedback and try to prioritize it by frequency of the requests + seeing ways it can be useful to me. I'm excited to see what people think of the MIDI filter usage.
A PDF Manual would be a great help too
Just been noodling around in AB using Fugue Machine to drive Refraktions using the individual head outputs, works really well for slow tempo stuff.
The per track customisations are great, just the right level of control while still letting the AI drive.
Going to be great layering it up using MIDI out but my lunch break has just flown by so will get into that later.
Great update.
@Mayo Good idea, here you go. Link is on the web manual now too.
http://app.jasonjsnell.com/refraktions/manual/Refraktions_Users_Manual.pdf
@TheVimFuego Great to hear, thanks.
Huzzah. Thank you, thank you.
@j2snell
I don't get it... When I'm trying to use it as midi seq/note generator in AUM or AB3 the midi settings simply disappear from the app. The infobox says no destination selected, and there is no way to select one.
The only way I managed to get anything out of it if running standalone so midi settings remain available. How is it supposed to be working inside AB3?
Thanks
In AB3 the MIDI settings are managed by the bus so those options are hidden by design.
In AB3 put it in a MIDI lane as the source and put whatever you want to drive in next (it asks which Refraktions port you want to use), also add whatever’s being driven (and Refraktions?) into an Audio lane as the Source otherwise you won’t hear anything.
I’ve just verified this and had to start Refraktions in standalone before it would turn up in AB, bit of a weird one.
By the way, this is mentioned in the manual (PDF link a few posts ago) which is well written and worth a read.
Thanks for the detailed answer!
Managed to set it up, and found what was wrong...
My first attempt was Refraktions inside AUM with no luck, then Refraktions standalone sending midi to AUM. That worked fine, but For some reason I disabled omni/global and pointed individual 'tracks' at AUMs midi port. And later when tried inside AB3 those disabled global ports were remembered.
@j2snell
IMO if AB3 takes over all the internal routings Refraktions should reset back to its defaults, so user don't have to troubleshoot these settings after different use scenarios.
For some reason even when AUM is not running and all settings reseted, Refraktions (hosted in AB3) still says its sending notes to AUM.
Fiddly stuff MIDI sometimes, yes, sometimes running apps standalone even before hosting in AB/AUM is more reliable.
You may be right about the default ports needing resetting, might save some grief for others in the future.
@TheVimFuego
Strange... I shut down both RF and AB3 (hard closed both apps) and restarted them. The first time I tried to load RF from AB3, it took a second to show up, but did (without launching it). After that, it showed up consistently from a hard start. I wonder if the registry takes a second to update since I just pushed it yesterday, or perhaps since it was AB2 and now it's AB3, it's taking a second to show up... Hmm.
@recccp Thanks for the feedback - yeah, I can definitely have Refraktions revert to Omni on the Global MIDI settings, and all the tracks revert to Global (these are the defaults) when it is loaded into AB3. Hadn't thought of that ~
And @TheVimFuego covered it, but the MIDI implementation guide in AB3 requested that I hide the local controls for MIDI when it gets loaded into AB, everything be sent on MIDI channel 1, and to let the MidiSendPorts (the port you choose when you load the app into AB) control the routing.
If anything else comes up, let me know.
Thanks!
J