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
@crony Thanks very much for dropping by and taking a listen. Very kind. Glad it made you smile. Looking forward to seeing your new set up. And how many iPads are involved this time? New balaclava and shorts are a must for this event. What you gunna wear?
Cheers.
@MonzoPro Mmmm. Did I detect a slight hint of diazepam added to the tip of the drill bit on this visit? Calmer. All joking aside.. "Silly noises and not very musical." Sorry, I disagree. Tell you why. Been spending a lot of time listening (really, deep down listening) to other highly skilled folk that create a similar vibe to yourself. There ain't many. Not with THAT amount of musical open mindedness. One maybe. I don't think the cliched "Sound mangler" does your select crew justice. You are visionaries in my book. Take chances.
Don't give a Shit about the so called musical rules. Pissed off and bored with the norm.
Learnt to fully appreciate every single "noise" and found that underneath all of the mania, there is a peaceful, less chaotic soul that needs investigating further. Threw the 4 on the floor in the bin for a bit, opened the mind, fully, and found joy. So liberating, that when I got to 6 minutes, I was singing/muttering along. Ah monzo, you did take me back. The Hawkwind, Silver Machine bit at 7.27. It was always pumping out from the fairground and created the perfect three. Waltzers, Silver Machine and a telephone pole sized spliff.
Message to all Clubsters. If Mister Monzo ever allows you into his workshop to collaborate.......go! Don't think about it, just damn well go. If you have any musical chains that have been tied too tightly for too long, they will loosen and allow you to breath. Freely.
A beautiful love song monzo. That's what I heard. Brilliant, as usual. Looking forward to seeing your band. Keep me updated please.
@crony well done with that epic batch of feedback!
@marliess musically this is an excellent track, starts off very strong and funky, but with all the little breaks and variations there is a lot of musical invention on show and the music stays interesting throughout, and punctuates the vocal brilliantly.
The vocal still needs work IMO - the delivery is somewhere between singing and rapping, but without the melodic variation of singing or the rhythm of rapping, but more importantly it makes all your tracks sound a bit samey because the delivery is so similar between them. The second half of the track is a bit better because there is more variety, but it seems to lack confidence. But the funny thing is you are actually singing, and it's in tune so I think it's just a matter of confidence and maybe just trying to come up with some more varied melodies in your tracks. You're really close, just need to stretch that little bit further.
You've got your own take on things, and a quirky and unique POV, along with something to say, and that's really cool, in fact it's more than half the battle. You just need to free your voice and let it soar IMO.
I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. All I can say is thank you
@MonzoPro the intro sounds like you dropped a condenser mic into some mad professor's lab and just hit record while the maniac's pots boiled and his machines whirred.
But there is actually a hint of structure and direction as the track evolves, a gently pulsing rhythm chugs away in the background while an array of strange noises parades before the listener. We leave the mad scientist's lab to walk down the street in a strange and dimly-lit dreamworld, in that half-remembered twilight between the real and the imagined, like a walk through the subconscious. At times we're in the jungle, and others in a dark and disturbing factory making god-only-knows-what.
Reminds in parts of the soundtrack to Eraserhead, with the industrial clanking etc... If I may make one crit is that it's a bit long, some well placed edits might help to make more engaging. Some visuals would be fun, it could make a terrific soundtrack to a weird animation.
@theconnactic nice track, I like the laid-back latin vibe and the guitar playing is great. Watching the video gives a much better impression of the performance as well. The only part of the track I wasn't keen on were the fast scalar runs, I didn't think they really added anything to the tune, but the slower more melodic phrases were great.
Your mastery of the various instruments really shines through - I love that rhythms section! The strat looks well-worn, maybe from the hours of practice you've put in? Anyway, great track.
@JDubbel I love everything about this. Great intro, great laid-back groove, great sounds, chords. melodies, evolution. It's a great instrumental that kept me listening and then wanting to come back for more.
Particularly liked the hammond-sounding instrumental break and the guitar solo that followed it. The tune start off very chilled, but by the end it's soaring.
Thanks Richard! I look a bit like the bloke out of Eraserhead at the moment so you're pretty close there!
I've got a stack of 'normal' band tracks sitting here waiting for my basslines, but as I need an escape from the horrors of current real-life stuff, an experimental noise escape is needed. Band stuff can be a bit more like work when you're already stressed out to the max.
I'd originally setup the Horse Gas account for art noise scratching, but that's been getting a bit too popular - nearly 1000 followers and over 10,000 plays - so I needed a new no-pressure account for mucking about on. Hence this one, and the plan was to record a track each day (live), and have a CD's worth at the end of the week, and I'm there now. You're right they do need editing, but the plan is to knock them out quick. I'm starting the second CD tonight.
Might not get many fans, but by crikey it's brilliant stress relief!
@MonzoPro This planet and surrounding countryside, needs a refreshed one of these. Over to you.
Brilliant! I was in a band like that in the 80's, though I remember very little of it.
@JohnnyGoodyear a really good track, vocals seem fine to me, and I really like the "to reveal itself to me" hook, which works really well as a contrast to the semi-spoken verse. The musical backing is pretty busy with all the little bits thrown in but it works and is a cool mixture of dancey/sampled sounds and more jazzy ones and there is enough going on there for repeated listens.
Lyrics are great (love the man who believes his wife is a horse), as is the video, especially the Goodyear blimps at the end.
So after two years of participation on SOTMC, what is your keeper tally? Enough for an LP, or an EP?
@orchardman as ever there is a high level of musicianship coupled with very strong songwriting and creativity with melodies and structure.
I think all the riffs are great, however I think some of them are repeated for too long, the intro riff is really cool but I think it outstays its welcome because it's repeated so many times in the first couple of minutes. The heavy guitar is also really cool, but again I think that "movement" could be shorter - if you trimmed the track down to 3 or 4 minutes it would be much stronger.
The eastern-sounding melody that comes in at 4.20ish is my favourite part of the whole track, it's lovely. Overall though it's a track with some great ideas and lots of nice evolution in it that needs some editing down to make it flow better and be more interesting.
(edit) BTW, what guitar did you get for Christmas?
@rickwaugh it feels quite formal for a tango, it's more of a classical/latin fusion thing to my ears. The melodies and rhythms do have a latin feel, but there is definitely something of the classical about it, maybe it doesn't quite swing enough to totally sell me on the latin feel.
There's some jazzy, almost dissonant chords in the backing, and a lot of stopping and starting - it would be nice to have a stronger sense of a recurring theme to tie the whole thing together a bit more coherently. The violins are very nice, and the contrast with the instruments and the theme provides some nice surprises.
It certainly takes me out of my comfort zone - I look for grooves and hooks, and this something completely different, more formal, more studied. As ever though with these kinds of technical pieces I wonder what the music is trying to communicate. It seems to speak to the mind rather than to the heart.
@hellquist it starts out pretty dark, with that big Miami bass line with the spooky organ sound behind it. The melody is hypnotic as soon as it comes in, and then all the variations that come afterwards are equally effective.
It's very hard to play such a long flowing melodic line without losing the listener's interest so kudos for achieving that. The melody has a consistent theme without ever being repetitive, it's a tightrope trick that I've rarely heard pulled off this well.
The track is probably a tad too long though, IMO it could lose two or three minutes without really suffering too much, but even at seven minutes it works because of the melodic invention on display. Was it all improvised? If so then that's pretty amazing, but even if it was crafted more slowly it's a terrific piece of music.
Yes, it's less of a "Tango" and more of a "Piece". It felt latin and tangoish, and it was just fun. It was also a bit of an exercise in that I used the principals of voice leading for some of the sections, which was interesting, and something I'll do more of. And yes, I definitely lean towards the classical in my composition. If anything, that's getting stronger.
Thanks for the review, as always.
@theconnactic You made this in only an evening! You must love Auria Pro, 2.9 very much. Feels less busy and time for us non guitarists to take it all in. There was a thread on here last year discussing the useage of everyday, household objects as sound sources. It's good fun experimenting. Recorded seagulls today feasting on a rat carcass, or was it Ivor's tossed away, knackered liver, and am hoping to turn it into a tidy drum roll.
You are one of those faultless musicians with a talent, amongst others, of playing off the wall notes and chords. I like the songs where you add some edgy electronica but it's always a pleasure listening to whatever you release. Will check out the salt shaking vid and I must say you tap that rhythm out beautifully on your desk. Wise choice. Two long bits of squared off 2x1, isn't. Oh no, no no!
Thanks Mister. I will redo the vocals on this piece, but as mentioned the real effort/fun was playing the sax on ifretless. I somewhat disappeared down the rabbit hole on that specific thing, and it took a lot of practice to get the sound I wanted (from a playing perspective, rather than mixing etc.), but on balance that's one of the things I really appreciate about SOTMC, because I would have never put in the time/effort to advance my limited skills without the purpose on my shoulder etc....
As for 'keepers' or otherwise, I think I have one or two that really mean something to me. I also have learned so much, especially -slowly- with things like the Fabs, which have also come on quite a bit over the past 24 months. I am, by personality, someone who wants to always move on to the next project, but I am thinking (notice the lack of definitive commitment
) about going back and picking out what I consider to be the strongest two or three and then redoing them with real attention to detail/quality. Whether they would then be legitimate SOTMC candidates or would fall into the Covers Club I can't say 
@JohnnyGoodyear the thing that has really come on in leaps and bounds over the last 24 months is your musicianship I think. There is (I think) a much greater aspect of actual performance in your tracks now, and your timing (noticeably with the vocals) has improved immeasurably. And of course, a side benefit if that is that your compositions have improved alongside, so there's musical meat to hang on the literary bones.
Oh and by the way, definitely do revisit your strongest tracks, I think that's a great idea.
@JDubbel A whispy, wandering way, this has. Meadow grass gently swaying in the summer breeze. Ultra relaxing, like a sound massage on a bed of fluffy white clouds. After a hard day at the coal face, your tune is just the tonic. The first couple of minutes soak deeply with longing. Lovely. Blag a vocal from Enya for that section. Talk about taking a song into the stratosphere. What!
Organ and guitar solo are spine melting. So stunning and provides an edge, a difference to the beauty underneath. Liking the mix. It accentuates the airy, light feel........ the longing.
"Precious wings" is apt. Took me off, no flapping involved and allowed me to glide in and out of the thermals. Very enjoyable. Touching.
@rickwaugh Welcome back Rick. Thank you for your kind words on the song. You have been busy haven't you. I do remember you saying that you were hard at it on music exams. Good on you sir. Best of luck, but you don't need Lady Luck. Here's proof. The jukebox at the Club is rammed full of different music every month and I'm so glad when you put a 45 on it. These chord types you mention are all too much for my brainless brain to understand but I don't really need to. I'm happy to listen and feel how you proper musicians write and play songs, take me on a journey with your songs, and I can still pick up little snippets to take forward.
I bet this is a tough thing to mix. But I don't hear a struggle, I hear clarity. Shines like a polished fretboard. The track length is also a good shout. Long enough to completely enjoy and leaves me wanting more. Very good work Rick. Champagne is on ice, ready for the big "Passed with honours" certificate or whatever they call it these days.
@orchardman, enjoyed your song very much. Not a fan of the fuzzy timbre of one of the solos, though - sounded like you plugged your guitar into a stomp and then directly in the line input, without an amp or amp sim. But that's a matter of personal taste. Also, the timing of the breakdown could be a little more precise as well, in my opinion. Other than this, a great composition with an acomplished arrangement, and the mix is nice and clean. Some great melodies there. Congrats!
@hellquist If Giorgio Moroder wrote the soundtrack to Quincy, M.D. think it could sound similar to this. Cool, flowing, uncomplicated and evokes memories of Carrot cut jeans, Skol lager and a carefree attitude for reasons that I'm not sure of. That's what I feel. Your first venture into Gadget, on this evidence, should not be your last, cos this is really good. There's a subtle darkness (even under the sexy bass line) that weaves a ghostly threat around. Tell you what really got me going was that wobbly thing at 1.17/18 and other times. All skew-wiff, mad. Love that.
By the way, studying your art cover (nice) for the duration of one listen, many potential storylines came up in song mode. Like to hear you sing/shout/mumble whatever over the top of this. Your song, IMO could take it. The tune is very catchy and gives you lots to work with.
Lol. Thanks, Bluepunk. I'm happy when folks enjoy the piece, much appreciated.
I did indeed pass with honors. I was sweating this one, got done with 5 minutes to spare.
CONGRATULATIONS. Well bloody done. Enjoy the sparkly. Does this mean that you've got letters after your name now, like A, B flat, C minor, Emadd9 etc. ......Sir Rick?
Nice one.
That's nice Richard - a very 80's pop vibe, and the vocals remind me of something from that era but I can't quite put my finger on it!
Constructive criticism: For me the verse sections are a bit too long and samey - they might sound a bit punchier shortened, or with more chord changes. I know - who am I to talk about song structures!
The vocal sound is very good though, not sure what the difference between non Pro-R and Pro R versions are, but it definitely comes out strong and clear in the mix.
I'm not even going to attempt to write a review as entertaining as the one you wrote for my track - I'm crap at reviews, but I'll try and do better than my usual 'that's nice', or 'needs a bit more bass'.
It's a nice track, could do with some more bass though. Only joking. I think you do yourself a disservice when you dismiss your singing - it fits the genre you like working in, and it's definitely evolving into a proper thing. And my hero Mark E Smith doesn't worry about singing in tune so neither should we.
Singing's about having something to say, and a voice to say it with. A tone. I can sing in tune, but my voice is dull and flat and my mind full of avant-garde mutterings so I don't. There's character and tone in yours, so it works, and you've got something important to say.
Be interesting to hear your songs/vocals against a clattering synthy electronic thing. Are you able to separate the vocal tracks so some of us on here could have a go? Might be a thing.
I like the groove, slick video, and the lyrics are clever as always "When she revealed herself (to me)" is a cracking line. Clever song, and the vocal inflections are good.
Constructive criticism: You know what's coming, those great lyrics are hidden in a muffled and too-low-in-the-mix recording. You're doing the song a big disservice, those lyrics should be right out there - crisp and clear. I'd have a word with Richard - he's got the vocal recording side of things nailed. I think the track would also benefit from some more chords, a couple of key changes....it chugs along nicely but a key change would grab the listeners attention if it's started to drift.
Good work Boss, but sort out those vocal mixes.
Thanks for the crit - I had the same feeling when listening back so it's good to have it confirmed. The last verse probably needs a different melody, maybe (as Johnny suggested) even a chorus rather than a refrain.
On the positive side it's great to hear that you like the vocal sound, that has been a long hard slog for me, so any progress on that front is appreciated.
It's always difficult to evaluate one's own work objectively, but I thought that the vocals were OK (and that's a rare thought for me to have), and I suspected the verses were monotonous, I just need to learn to act on my instincts more assertively. I guess that's one benefit of collaborations vs working alone, you get immediate feedback and filtering, and people can point out where you're going wrong.