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.
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I've put my dollar into the hat for Quantum development
Yep. mS is a replacement for a single row on the MAQ16/3. A MAQ16/1? Though the single row in mS is way more powerful (with the ratcheting, step division, probability, midi effects, separate sliders for all params...). Quantum is like the MAQ64/6.
IAPs are stored as a status on your device. If you delete the app you need to restore them again in the app, but every app uses (infact has to use) standard Apple routines to query the store for the IAP & its price.
So to answer you question - no I don't believe they they are, but then midiSequencer now doesn't have IAPs.
Re the Doeper Maq 16/3. The reason I wrote midiSequencer was to use faders & music note names instead of rotaries as I prefer to work this way for creating tunes. I sold my Maq, and my .com 960 sequencer too for this reason - plus the fact they are ridiculously priced and limited in functionality imo.
As @syrupcore said, Quantum does go further than the 3 tracks but has features from many other cool sequencers too: Intellijel Metropolis, Cirklon, Schrittmacher, MidiBox Seq, MANIAC(for the timewarp & split sequences)....
this is so cruel. teasing us with something we cannot have yet
@midiSequencer Thanks for dropping the IAP and the additional info.
Regarding the Doepfer MAQ16/3, I agree faders are my preference too over rotary controls and the ability to draw in the pattern seems superior to any tactile advantage of a having physical controls most of the time.
If you don't mind I have a couple of questions for which the answer may well be RTFM ^_^
Can midisequencer have different loop lengths for each parameter lane (note, velocity , cc's etc.) or is this global for the pattern?
Can incoming MIDI notes be used to transpose the sequence? (preferably while maintaining the scale locking.)
Cheers.
You can't have different sequence lengths for parameter lanes except a note one at the moment - so you can designate one of the 6 sequences as a value only and use its note values around middle as a transpose for other sequences.
My intention is this will be opened up to all more than just notes as inputs - search step has note,vel, channel, gate%, time division, swing, probability, humanise%, humanise note, humanise velocity as well as 32 possible CC values. So I will expose these and allow any of them to drive something like velocity for crazy accents etc.
Midi note input can be used to transpose the song, but it could also be recorded into steps (including chords), or played through a selected step to use that steps fx.
Midi thru is also possible on notes & CC messages.
Midi CC input can also be recorded, learnt against common controls (like the 16 faders on the main page which will adjust when you turn the knob - or indeed the new mixer panel), used as pairs in NRPN automation (so automating things like time signatures that would alter accents).
sorry - its well overdue, but I've three good beta testers finding out the things you shouldn't when it launches..
@midiSequencer Thanks for the help! I will continue to explore the many possibilities.
Also, I downloaded the manual into ibooks for a proper read on a rainy day : )
Revisiting the app after a while and I can't seem to 'turn on' the FX.
Is there a setting needed? None of the FX 'on' buttons or dials are responding for me.
EDIT: - not working for me on latest iOS 12.9 Pro.
Is working on iPad 4 iOS7.1.2.
Likely to be user error but could do with suggestions. Cheers.
You have to turn on FX globally before you can add to a step (left hand side).
I saw where Tony updated it since the other day because of issues with 12.9 Pro so maybe that will fix your problem once Apple approves and the update arrives.
And you're going to have tutorial vids for Quantum, right Tony?
@yowza Thanks for your suggestion.
Note, CC & FX are all highlighted yellow next to 'Playback Options'.
Clicking on the fx tab (left hand side) brings up the FX Rack, but none of the 'on' buttons will go green.
Perhaps you're right that a fix for this on the 12.9 is already planned.
Cheers!
They're not really on buttons. You have to drag them to the slots on the bottom. "Touch to toggle" is probably a good idea for future version though.
This will be fixed in the update that is waiting on Apple's approval.
From the MidiSequencer Facebook page:
Fixed iPad Pro 12.9 FX buttons not working
yep - submitted fix to Apple - should be with you in a few days.
Also turned off the IAP so permanently enabled now without you needing to buy them.
will probably put the price up again soon... but not by much... after July 4th is now long gone!
Yes some short ones explaining key concepts and longer ones showing how audio sessions.
It also has the ability to press a ? button and touch the controls for a pop-up explaining them, so there won't be the need for a large manual this time just a quickstart one.
Cool. Thanks guys!
The MS update has arrived!
yep just noticed - Apple are getting quicker!
No need to bother with buying the IAPs now.....
I'm curious about this. Are you saying that you can have Quantum synced to the Link tempo and beat, but not be locked to the phase of the sequence? Or that you can specify a different Link phase from the actual sequence phase? That would be fantastic! I'm constantly frustrated that developers force locking to the phase while still allowing different time signatures. Since Link doesn't force phase locking, developers should allow switching to just tempo / beat locking and allow a floating phase if the user wants it. Or allow a way to define the Link phase separate from the played phase.
This is the big problem I have with most implementations of Link. It's great if you're doing everything in the same meter, but if you're trying to run different apps polymetrically, it can be a worse experience than MIDI clock or other "dumb" synchronization.
In case someone is wondering what I'm writing about: imagine if one app is in 4/4 and another in 7/8. If each app is locked to its own phase, in most cases (7 out of 8 times) when you go to start, the apps won't both have the same "1". Of course they are going to go out of phase after each iteration of their patterns, but you should be able to define that they start together.
Patterning has a pretty good solution: The Link phase is determined by the Time Signature you set in the Song page. This allows you to set something different from what the actual patterns are playing, and if set to what the other app is playing can ensure that you can start on the same "1".
Traktor on PC is only linked to tempo and beat via ableton link. So the answer is yes.
Let me explain how I've implemented it:
Quantum has a song tempo (1..240 bpm) - say 60bpm and a time signature (e.g. 4/4)
Each song has up to 6 sequences that are tempo divisions of the song tempo (e.g. 1/1 gives you 60bpm, 2/1 gives you 120bpm).
Each sequence can be split into parts - up to 4 infact. Each can have their own tempo division (1/64T up to 4/1D)
Each Part has an ability to accent (increase the velocity of a step designated as being the upbeat - the first step) with its own time signature.
Each step can also have its own time division (1/64T..4/1D again) to make the step length longer or shorter (something midiSequencer didn't have).
Quantum allows setting of synchronisation per sequence
Synchronisation means how sequences keep in step so that the first step - the up beats are aligned.
Tempo synchronisation - so changes in song tempo (you can swipe or double tap to enter on a keypad) when Q is master are proposed to link. When in slave mode, Q will listen for Link BPM and adjust the song tempo accordingly.
So any changes in song tempo affect the whole system as sequences/parts/steps are all time divisions.
Beat synchronisation means sequences align to any beat not just the first one of the bar - so will wait until Link broadcasts a new beat (or quantum in Link parlance)
Phase synchronisation means sequences align to the first beat of the bar - so will wait until Link broadcasts it on the first beat of a new bar.
Quantum does have at least 5 other types of synchronisation (and more as time goes on as this emulates step hardware triggers):
1) Midi clock - but thats not reliable unless Q is the master
2) The ability to define sequences as Master or Slave or None - allowing slaves to reset to start step if the master loops
3) Loop actions - these can start sequences or parts from any sequence or part using absolute or relative positions - as well as load in completely different versions of a sequence
4) Link sequences - so you can run Q in Link mode to play S1->S2-> etc->S1 again
5) Link parts of a sequence - where a sequence is broken into parts, you can play that sequence as a) selected part only (so you need to manually press play/stop) b) all parts together play/pause or stop c) play one part then the next part etc looping parts or d) like c but in reverse (A->D->C->B->A->D etc)
and of course steps can jump about in the sequence....
Also Q has it's own polymeter mode. In that mode, you have only the song BPM, all sequences are adjusted to play at a speed to make them loop at the the same overall time (start to finish) - the definition of sync I believe - so all sequences play the starting step together. This is like grace notes in classical piano works like Chopin. Q does the math and keeps on adjusting if you adjust (a step time length, skipped notes, repeats etc).
So a long answer I know, but then Quantum has huge depth.
Not quite the question asked, but I'd like to know of any other IOS apps that implement Link Phase and not just Tempo & Beat - if only to make sure I've got it right (tempo is bpm, beat is match one beat against another but not necessarily the same one, phase is match first beats)
Hey tony,
Thanks for the quick fix. Can confirm that FX now working with 12.9 Pro.
BTW I watched your 12 min 'Noodling' vid on YouTube yesterday and it completely blew wide open for me a different way to use the app.
Splitting the pattern into 4 parts and playing the app like an instrument.
So much fun!
no problem. bugs need to be squashed!
midiSequencer (and Quantum) are very much aimed at being a helping hand at music composition, so a lot of controls are there to allow you to perform a lot with minimal effort (e.g cycle mode to delay changes - which I still think is unique to this app).
I like music generated out of a repeated series of notes with variations - the more variations and controls you can make the better. So it's not geared to intro, chorus/verse song structures but through-composition - much like a modular synth encourages you ignore presets and explore. So why not allow faders to play as well as set notes. Quantum does this on the chords panel too - so you will have fun with that!
Good stuff!
I've also just been enjoying discovering the 'snapshots'.
Is there a way, or a setting, for 'one-touch' switching between the snapshots?
Also, does 'cycle mode' only apply to a full 16 steps?
So if I split my Sequence into 4 parts, is there a way for changes to be delayed until the next return of that smaller part?
Hope that makes sense. No stress on a quick answer. Whenever.
Loving the app again. Been too long since I dabbled in it.
Will be buying Quantum on release day.
Click the pf in the upper left corner which opens performance mode and a row of buttons opens at the top of the screen which allows for one touch selection of snapshots.
I'm not sure about your Cycle question.
Thanks @yowza I still seem to need to hit 'LOAD' after selecting a snapshot though.
One tap change would be nice. Perhaps it's there in a Setting somewhere.
So much fun with this app & Sunrizer tonight.
Yes go to the Settings app and turn on One Touch Performance, that should be it.
Aha, awesome.
It was actually in the iPAD settings area.
Thanks for the help @yowza