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.

X-Station

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Comments

  • I have an X-Station 49 that I would love to use as an iPad controller.
    But the regular lightning to usb camera adapter does not deliver sufficient power.

    Can you guys say if an Apple Lightning to USB 3 camera Adapter will be able to give enough
    power for my X-Station to be used as a controller?
    Or do i need a powered hub or powered audio interface?

  • edited May 2019

    @Dropitnow said:
    I have an X-Station 49 that I would love to use as an iPad controller.
    But the regular lightning to usb camera adapter does not deliver sufficient power.

    Can you guys say if an Apple Lightning to USB 3 camera Adapter will be able to give enough
    power for my X-Station to be used as a controller?
    Or do i need a powered hub or powered audio interface?

    Hey @Dropitnow Welcome to the forum.

    With the Apple Lightning to USB 3 camera Adapter, you would still need to 'charge' into the slot next to it with a common apple charging cable plugged into a power source.

    I usually power the X-Station with a battery pack and USB cable, and then send midi over Bluetooth to the iPad using the Yamaha MDBT01.

    But the wired setup above will work just fine.

    The X-Station is an amazing controller for the iPad. Have fun!

  • Thanks a lot i've ordered the adapter :smiley:

  • @SpookyZoo The world looks forward to the wiki page full of links to your X-Station work! Not sure if there's an upload size limit but could always link to Dropbox or something if you size out. :+1:

  • Hi x-station fans - I recently bought myself a 49 key x-station and have a question regarding the internal synth sounds and output - currently I have Patterning set up in AUM with the output to the right and synths to the left, so that I can send drums to the pa and the synths to my amp. The internal synth however, is being sent both left and right, so it’s mixed in with the drums. I tried routing it through AUM and choosing the left output but I’m still getting output on the right. I thought the direct monitoring knob might provide a fix but I want a mix of iPad & internal sounds. Is it possible to output the internal sounds in mono? I have found reference to “dual mono mode” on the internet but no such setting can be found in the manual. Maybe @SpookyZoo @syrupcore have the answers I need? If not I guess it will be softsynths only!

  • edited July 2019

    @girlvsworld said:
    Hi x-station fans - I recently bought myself a 49 key x-station and have a question regarding the internal synth sounds and output - currently I have Patterning set up in AUM with the output to the right and synths to the left, so that I can send drums to the pa and the synths to my amp. The internal synth however, is being sent both left and right, so it’s mixed in with the drums. I tried routing it through AUM and choosing the left output but I’m still getting output on the right. I thought the direct monitoring knob might provide a fix but I want a mix of iPad & internal sounds. Is it possible to output the internal sounds in mono? I have found reference to “dual mono mode” on the internet but no such setting can be found in the manual. Maybe @SpookyZoo @syrupcore have the answers I need? If not I guess it will be softsynths only!

    Hi there. I have a feeling that what you're after isn't possible, but I'm willing to help and check a bit later.

    Just to clarify however everything is connected.... How are you routing Patterning into the X-Station? Can we see a screen shot of Aum, ta.

    There is a Pan knob that will affect the internal synth on the Headphones, however even then, if it has delay/reverb/chorus FX these will be heard on the right even if knob panned hard left. Maybe try your setup with an INIT patch to see if you can get desired routing first. Would excluding X-station internal FX and adding external FX be an option?

    Not sure if this is relevant in your scenario as it details 2 external inputs rather than the internal synth, from the manual....

  • Thanks @SpookyZoo - I’m not doing anything too fancy with Patterning - it’s hosted in AB (so that I can launch it via midi) with the output routed to AUM to control the output.

    A little bit of testing this morning, I discovered that if I hard pan the knob on the x-station, it works for some sounds but not all - at least this gives me a few options. If there is a better way to do it I’m all ears! Not too concerned about the on-board effects.

    Here is an example of my setup:

    Audiobus:

    AUM:

    A few clues I found on the internet, But I think both are related to recording the inputs:

    The dual mono thing:

    On the Ableton forum (last paragraph)

  • I guess the reason it works for some of the sounds but not all is because of panning effects in the patch itself (as per the post on the ableton forum). So as an option I can see if I can eliminate those!

  • edited July 2019

    @girlvsworld said:
    I guess the reason it works for some of the sounds but not all is because of panning effects in the patch itself (as per the post on the ableton forum). So as an option I can see if I can eliminate those!

    Yeah, as I mentioned in my post. It's just the patches with Delay/Reverb or Chorus FX that will pan into the right channel. If you can work without these and apply FX on post, you should be fine. Fingers crossed! :)

  • edited July 2019

    @girlvsworld Nice find on those articles btw!

  • @SpookyZoo said:
    @girlvsworld Nice find on those articles btw!

    I like to dig around a bit before asking 😀. Loving the x-station! Thanks for your help!

  • edited July 2019

    @girlvsworld said:

    @SpookyZoo said:
    @girlvsworld Nice find on those articles btw!

    I like to dig around a bit before asking 😀. Loving the x-station! Thanks for your help!

    Cool, hope it works out for you. The X-Station is amazing, I have Syrupcore to thank for the recommendations a few years back.

    So is the total output of the iPad being fed into the X-Station and then onto the PA?

  • @SpookyZoo said:

    Cool, hope it works out for you. The X-Station is amazing, I have Syrupcore to thank for the recommendations a few years back.

    So is the total output of the iPad being fed into the X-Station and then onto the PA?

    I had to think about this! I think so - using a cck, have a stereo 1/4" to dual mono 1/4" from the headphone jack to two inputs on my amp (in case the band needs a little extra drums on stage) and the drums from one output to the pa. First gig coming up this weekend using this set-up - previously used an akai EIE (with microkorg and Launchkey mini and 8000 cables, I began to feel it was too much gear to keep track of) so I could send synth out to the pa as well, but my Roland Cube keyboard amp has an rca out in the back which I can send the keys to the pa if needed - but most of the places we play are so tiny usually it’s only vocals and drums through the pa!

  • Let us know if you got this working? :)

  • @SpookyZoo said:
    Let us know if you got this working? :)

    Seems to be working! I’m using the patches that have no stereo effects. Although couldn’t really see how to fix that - bypassing the effects doesn’t seem to make a difference, but it’s all good because I found other patches I like (and hundreds more to choose from, from a link on the Yahoo group!)

    One thing - got some rechargeable batteries today, and I noticed if I turn the synth on with the iPad connected that all the lights and the screen blinks, but not if the iPad is not connected. Is this common behaviour?

  • Oops - just read your comments about the x-station and batteries on the Bluetooth thread! So I guess it’s better to just use the powered cck?

  • @girlvsworld said:
    Oops - just read your comments about the x-station and batteries on the Bluetooth thread! So I guess it’s better to just use the powered cck?

    Cool you got it working.

    Hmmm, I'm not sure about the blinking. I personally power the X-Station with Battery pack via USB. I also use the powered CCK in some instances. I've only ever tried one set of Rechargeable C batteries without any luck. They were expensive so I've yet thrown any more money at that route. Some folks have reported good experiences with batteries though.

    Can you link me to my bluettoth comment (just in case I need to update with any info) cheers.

  • https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/20654/yamaha-mdbt01-wireless-bluetooth-midi-adapter-theyre-brilliant-edit-check-compatibility/p3

    About halfway down

    Too bad about the battery thing - I’m going to mess with it a bit more and see if I can get it working, but if not I guess I’ll try and return them!

  • @girlvsworld said:
    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/20654/yamaha-mdbt01-wireless-bluetooth-midi-adapter-theyre-brilliant-edit-check-compatibility/p3

    About halfway down

    Too bad about the battery thing - I’m going to mess with it a bit more and see if I can get it working, but if not I guess I’ll try and return them!

    Ah yeah, the Yamah MDBT01s, love them! :)

    Hope the gig goes well!

  • JesJes
    edited July 2019

    @girlvsworld said:

    Too bad about the battery thing - I’m going to mess with it a bit more and see if I can get it working, but if not I guess I’ll try and return them!

    Hi. I find the rechargeable batteries work fine for powering the x station but when I connect the ipad and cck to it the ipad says there is not enough power ..but if I am using a usb battery bank the cck connects fine.
    However the bluetooth MDBT01 works and connects to ipad whether Im powering the XStation with USB, Batteries or the PSU .

    Hope this helps.

  • Thanks @Jes. I guess I can consider the MDBT01 but I’m a bit worried about any wireless latency as it’s a live performance setup. It’s too bad about the batteries, but I have a power bar with a USB outlet to plug the iPad in so it’s not the end of the world!

  • Cool. I dont find the latency too bad but it evidently does add about an extra 5ms compared to midi cable to ipad..

  • @girlvsworld said:
    Thanks @Jes. I guess I can consider the MDBT01 but I’m a bit worried about any wireless latency as it’s a live performance setup. It’s too bad about the batteries, but I have a power bar with a USB outlet to plug the iPad in so it’s not the end of the world!

    Oh yeah, I use them for home setup. I Wouldn’t trust Bluetooth midi live.

  • @girlvsworld said:
    Seems to be working! I’m using the patches that have no stereo effects. Although couldn’t really see how to fix that - bypassing the effects doesn’t seem to make a difference, but it’s all good because I found other patches I like (and hundreds more to choose from, from a link on the Yahoo group!)

    Think you'll need to look at two separate bits for any patches. First, as you noticed, is the FX will probably need to be disabled. Also, there's a panning menu—you should be able to set your synth patches to hard left or hard right. Check out page 53 in the manual: https://d2xhy469pqj8rc.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/novation/downloads/4178/english89.pdf#page=53

    Then, save the patches you've tweaked and rock out. Good luck with the show!

  • The pan menu! Thanks @syrupcore, I don’t know how I missed it. The first show with the Novation was great- I’m in love. Now I need a 25 key 😀

  • @girlvsworld said:
    I’m in love. Now I need a 25 key 😀

    Haha. This is how it starts. :) I went 49, 25, 61. Been meaning to sell the 49 but just... can't... let... go....

  • A question for all of ya x station freaks. Do all of the controls: knobs, sliders and buttons transmit midi data? Also, how quick/fiddly it is to change a midi channel?

    I used to have a couple of x station 25s and one 49 but it’s been a while and Drambo wasn’t out yet. ;)

  • heh love mine (25key) .. works with no batteries n cht on usb-c ipad with powerless dongle. only thing ..the pots starting to "jump around" now.. guess its about to die soon.. anyway read up on the cc and stuff here ; https://d2xhy469pqj8rc.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/novation/downloads/4178/english89.pdf

  • @noob said:
    heh love mine (25key) .. works with no batteries n cht on usb-c ipad with powerless dongle. only thing ..the pots starting to "jump around" now.. guess its about to die soon.. anyway read up on the cc and stuff here ; https://d2xhy469pqj8rc.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/novation/downloads/4178/english89.pdf

    Yes, I’ve gone through the manual but evidently not thoroughly enough.

  • All synth controls sends out midi data and you can custom what and how will send. I.e, you can set a button to increment a CC value and adjust the step : increments of 1 or any other value. You can set other button to turn on and off another CC. Not to mention plenty of sliders and knobs.
    To change midi channels I found it difficult to implement. You can do it but I gave up on that.
    Here is an example where I control all Electrictribe wave engines using a X-Station...

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