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
Whoa they showed an updated version of GB? Were you there? I'm really curious what new features it will have
Not really a fan of Gadget's piano roll either lol
I'm 100% iPhone user (though, hopefully not for much longer), so I haven't used a lot of the ones mentioned so far.
for me:
Another vote for Nanostudio. What makes it great is the ability to transform the notes with the buttons that pop up when you select a note. I also like the way Nanostudio handles automation drawing, though I could imagine some improvements. The little static menu under the piano roll is a bit clunky/ugly, but is full of extremely useful features. I really like the select options (to the beginning, to the end) and the little tools menu being right there in the roll is very useful. Really love the automation editing in Nanostudio. I'm not sure how useful it would be without the ability to create separate automation tracks like you can in NS, but this is one thing about NS that I always loved. I find that I work faster in this roll than any others on the iPhone.
Same deal with Beatmaker 2, but I just like the movement buttons/icons better in Nanostudio. BM2's is a little busy and the buttons are kind of small and it's not immediately clear what each button does. I do really like the little eye button that centers the view on the selected note. I just never really took to BM2. NS was my first iOS DAW, so if it had been the other way around, I might say BM2. It's clear that my preference is of the note select and transform being separated with external buttons instead of select+drag.
Another I've used a fair amount is Aleph Looper's. My biggest issue with A.L.'s is that it takes up too much space on my iPhone. I think the data is too hard to select and not "responsive" enough to the touch. I'd much rather an assortment of context-sensitive floating buttons pop up when the data is selected than to have that big static menu always there and to have to go hunting for the correct transformation button to press. One thing I love about A.L.'s is the many transposition options available.
I actually really dislike Garageband's roll, but I am getting used it out out of necessity. I find myself getting frustrated by trying to select a certain part of the data and then transform it with one press. Edit piano roll, zoom in on a note I want to change. Select the note, try to hold press it to drag the end of it for a longer decay... whole piano roll moves. Though my finger appears to be right on top of the data, it just won't grab for some reason. Sometimes takes me a few tries. Frustration grows; inspiration wanes.
I really like KRFT's piano roll, though it seems obvious that it wasn't meant as a full-fledged MIDI piano roll and is still evolving into it. Hence the placement and asterisk. It's gorgeous to look at - the nicest-looking of them all imho - the notes are super easy to grab (nice and thick). I wish there were notes on the roll - maybe the first column since I have a difficult time grabbing notes that close to the edge of the screen anyway. The lack of ability to select multiple notes is the biggest thing it's missing. I'm not sure I am crazy about the grab+hold+drag method of velocity adjustment, especially when you have to grab+hold+drag to move the notes horizontally. It's easy to mess up and move a note instead of adjust velocity - especially on the small screen of an iPhone. I would imagine if we're given the ability to select and adjust multiple notes, that problem may be compounded since it will be a whole chord getting moved instead of one note. I was just now playing with it and was wondering if one elegant solution might be to allow the double-tap of a note to lock that little menu that pops up when you select a note, as it appears that all a double-tap does right now is remove and re-create a note.
Well, shows how long it is since I used it But that pianoroll is a thing of beauty.
Bigly.
As for the piano roll: NanoStudio. Took me awhile to realize why and how, but that's probably true about the whole app. It really is and was so far ahead of its time. Impressive piece of damn work.
Nothing new to add except KRFT was in my top four from v.1.
For me Gadget, Modstep and Cubasis are the best. I havent used Auxy.
The fold function in ModStep and Gadget is nice for visualising complex sequences? Id like to see that in KRFT.
Yes, fold would be great.
Also, an indicator of note or drum pad on every row so you don't have to count up to figure out where you are.
A slight shading difference for "black" keys on the keyboard might be helpful as well.
And if you really want to knock it out of the park: the ability to display another track's notes as "ghost" notes in the background.
oooh. And if you want to compete with the desktop boys ... ability to display the waveform of an audio clip as a ghost in the background as well. Helps with lining up beats sometimes.
Ghost notes is sorely missing on iOS @Alex fox. That would be major brownie points
Nanostudio, easily. For all the reasons mentioned already, primarily the handles and the super duper smooth two-finger zoom/pan/scroll. I'm sure the handles are weird for some but they're very quick to use and solve the "hey, my finger/hand is blocking the thing I'm trying to move right now" problem. Indeed, when BM2 completely ripped off the NS sequencer, I thought it was at least an acknowledgment of "this is the right way to do piano roll editing on the touch screen". Sadly, rarely seen otherwise!
Also oddly rare: NS will allow you to keep the grid visible and turn off snapping so that you can move notes off the grid but still be aware of where the grid is.
The select and add options in the bottom bar are really useful as well.
What are ghost notes? My knowledge of the term is light hits on a drum kit?
Basically, the ability to show another loop's notes notes "read only" as dimmer notes in the background of the loop. It makes setting up timing, harmony, etc easier since you have a reference point. They're usually grey, so as to be visible without being too distracting or getting confused with the real notes.
Some DAWs have a similar ability to show an audio clip in the background, which can sometimes be useful for timing things based on the waveform peaks. But just the above ability would be plenty.
Ah ok got it. Not sure how that would work with our current implementation - I want to keep things fairly simple. Maybe in KRFT 2!
This
Modstep is easily the best piano roll on iOS, much better than Gadget
Having used gadget, cubasis, Auria pro, infinite looper, auxy and Krft I have to agree. Sad part is most will scoff that it isn't.
I kinda like Medley.
Apparently, they've removed Auxy Classic from the app store
Their loss but yea, Modstep definitely doesn't get the recognition it deserves for it's piano roll. Sure, there is a learning curve that's probably steeper than most but the pay off is more than worth it
I am going to revisit and compare the ones I have:
modstep, Gadget, Genome, Infinite Looper, midiSTEPs, KRTF, Thesys, Auxy Classic, Cubase and Auria Pro
I don't have Nanostudio or BeatMaker, waiting for their new versions ;-)
Would like to know what it is about the modstep piano roll folks who love it, love so much about it. I like the note folding a lot but the actual interactions with notes leaves me wanting. Learn me please!
To. Be honest the only thing it really needs at this point is an unlimited step undo and redo.
At that point I'd even use it to sequence ableton permanently. That and manual step input ala ableton with a hardware midi controller.
For me it's the note editing that sets it apart. Copying and pasting, both within the same pattern or between them is so fast and smooth. Same goes for transposing
Those 2 buttons are the key for me. I recommend experimenting with the edit and tranpose functions to get a feel for it
exactly what i was about to mention. the transpose respects the global key. so lets say you draw a rhythmic sequence in 1 bar. you can duplicate that bar 3 more times using the copy tool in the edit menu. and then transpose each bar up or down as much as you want. instant melody while keeping the rhythm you programmed. its fantastic for quickly drawing basslines and even complex melodies.
made a quick video showing this:-
If modstep would just make zooming easier it would be much better. I hate having to use the scroll bars.
Very nice video that show exactly what i love about it
i'll probably shoot a video showing how to use the step sequencer along with copy and transpose to make interesting rhythmic melodies when i can
I think KRFT has the best way to scroll through an entire sequence in the piano roll hands down. It's really nice to be able to see that small preview/scroll bar of the midi notes and then with a quick tap jump to wherever you need to be.
Cannot be understated how useful that is
Would very much like to see that.
@gonekrazy3000 Great tip. I was not aware of that. Thx