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.
Did you Come to iOS to Emulate Your Desktop Experience or Get Away From it Poll?.. (A Friendly Poll)
Just curious how we all got to IOS land?
What Brought You To IOS ???
- What Brought You To IOS ???76 votes
- You Came to Emulate Your Desktop Experience?25.00%
- You Came to Get Away From Your Desktop Experience for something Different??75.00%
Comments
Initially came to emulate or get something close it. Started searching for plugins and ways to transfer sessions back and forth (GarageBand & Logic) but I quit on that. A lot of what I use is exclusively on iOS and I’m fine with that. Now I use iOS to get away from the traditional desktop setup
HaHa! Nice One!
I think I emulated initially because that is all I knew how to do. Once I started to understand what the iPad can do on its own, I started to evolve my ideas and working methods. I was using my iPad more, and my PC for nothing (music wise). Then my PC broke, and I haven’t even cared. Just iPad for the past few months.
About the only thing I miss my PC for is for downloading and transferring files to my iPad, and the annoying need for iTunes still.
This is a great question that I don’t quite know how to answer. I basically needed a music making solution when I couldn’t be in my studio, which ended up being a lot when my daughter was born. I can’t imagine ever having a full desktop experience one the iPad. I think it will always be different. But I do expect a smooth experience, which is why I don’t want to use IAA apps and have to constantly switch screens to interact with instruments. I want to embrace the unique approach (and limitations) a touch screen offers, but my biggest obstacle (other than non-au apps) is using onscreen keyboards. Since this would be an issue for me on a computer, I guess it’s not really a desktop thing. I basically want iOS to be an ideal on-the-go solution.
I came because of the cheap barrier to entry after having an iPhone for a couple of years and seeing what iOS was capable of.
So knives out
Catch the mouse
Squash his head
Put him in the pot
Radiohead sums it for me.
Was in an Apple store the other day and thought I'd have a bash at a mac. No can do. Love the touchie screeness
Actually, I discovered IOS music making by accident, when I got my first iPad and downloaded the freebie GarageBand out of curiosity. It blew away anything I’d seen on Android.
The rest is an explosion of realisation, enthusiasm, and Buy button pushing,
I ran from the Traditional desktop/macbook setup... not far as I still use them everyday but I heard people swearing up and down about how they were so happy to get away from the traditional ways of the Mac/pc, and how iOS was so liberating with it's maximum creativity, unique apps, paired with the simplicity we sorely do not have on our traditional setups a platform that promised to not feel like your normal rig.... I was a doubter but then Samplr blew my mind, thumb jam, ikaossilator and the list goes on!
I came for the cheap synths
I‘ve never had a desktop experience.
I came in around 2011 initially looking to make sounds to put onto desktop while commuting. Soon after I wanted to emulate my desktop experience. So far only BM3 has given me hope that this may just happen before I hit the yawning grave.
Neither....i just started with iOS and then it evolved....
That‘s exactly one half of my story.
And that is the other half.
Oops. Just realised that my story has a third half.
I’m just here for the forum.
I too have never had a desktop experience.
Jumped straight from analog hardware to iOS.
Less is more!
Some years ago I exchanged my Nikon full format camera equipment for a much smaller MFT equipment from Olympus. Since I don't have to carry this heavy Nikon stuff around, photography is fun again. I have never regretted the change of system.
Something similar is happening in my music area now.
I haven't used my extensive desktop studio for 6 months. Although it's really well equipped, the whole technology stuff hinders me more than it helps me with my music.
Since working with minimal hardware equipment (iPad and some little controllers), I have enjoyed music again.
I really enjoy being able to make music at any place. After all, my iPad or iPhone connected to headphones can be enough to work creatively on my own music in a garden café.
I enjoy the lightness of being.
And yes, of course I also enjoy the completely new approach to music. The direct interactions with the iPad inspire me a lot.
I think I will sell all my desktop equipment and enjoy my creative musicality with the iPad!
By the way...
I'm actually a guitar player since 45 years. But here, too, I'm making some changes. I started playing ukulele a year ago. Meanwhile I take my guitars only very rarely in the hand. They seem like elephants to me compared to the ukulele.
I'm actually considering selling the guitars. The small ukuleles are wonderful instruments.
As I said, less is more!
I was undergoing a period of financial devastation when I began the switch from desktop to iOS. Because it was cheaper. I don’t care desktop or mobile as long as I can record songs without the hardware or software getting in the way. Unfortunately iOS has taken a long long time to get to the point that it ISN’T contantly in my way (crashes, glitches, unexplicable lack of useful internal connectivity on a great many apps, DAWS that couldn’t retain the exact state of a song the last time it was worked on, etc.) Fortunately, It has matured to the point that I no longer feel like I’m being forced into “doing music iPad’s way” instead of my own. Don’t know why I felt like I needed to share all that. It’s just nice to finally be back in business, I guess.
@chandroji I am a bass player turned guitar player turned Uke player, although I still play all 3. For me, the enjoyment of the Uke really came when I upgraded from the decent soprano Uke I bought for my kids to a tenor Uke that is very playable and has good tone. It doesn’t feel limiting at all. Really want to try a U- bass now.
I am a slightly surprised by the number of people who never used desktop DAWs. I am wondering how this can be.
Are some of you younger, likes teens or twenties?
Maybe just more musician than computer nerd?
Just seems like everybody would have had to have tried using a computer for music before, but apparently this is not the case at all.
Difficult to remember now, but I was tempted to buy an iPad when I saw a demo of iMS20. Then lost interest for a year, and then when Audiobus and Gadget turned up it suddently became a contender.
It's just another thing for me really. A couple of years ago I was 90% iOS, now it's about 30%.
@CracklePot
My girlfriend gave me a Sopran Uke as a Christmas gift to me. Soon I bought an additional Concert Uke and later a friend who is a guitar maker here in Berlin makes me a Custom Tenor Uke.
As a Guitarist I love the Tenor Frettboard and this Uke really sounds brilliant and is lightweight.
An ideal companion for my iPad music!
iOS is a great starting spot for beginners. It's not intimidating. It's simple to approach, affordable, and fun with the touch interface. It's not surprising to me as a younger gen of producers need affordability and simplicity.
That said, there is a lot of really bad music produced in iOS due to users not knowing what half the parameters within a DAW or Synthesizer really do. Or perhaps they are just curious. It helps to have the experience of a full fledged DAW before coming to iOS. That said I have also met some younger guys making some really nice music in iOS.
I personally started out in AcidPro and SoundForge with a bit of Reason in the early 2000's. Took a break from production and did a lot of travelling and stumbled upon Audiobus and a few really quality synths a few years back and haven't really looked back. I love producing with the iPad at the center of my workflow. There are drawbacks and limitations that get annoying but there isn't much cooler than being able to easily take my projects on the train with me or for a walk outdoors. I still muck around with AcidPro and Reason but I really enjoy working with the iPad much more (no mouse)
Mobility is the trend these days with battery powered analog synths and iPhones.
I am 32.
Back in the 80’s I used a Mac and Opcode software to run 3 synths and a drum machine. The other day I was at the hospital waiting for my husband who was having a quick procedure blasting his kidney to get rid of kidney stones. I sat there waiting a couple of hours having a great time creating music with my iPad, with way more soft instruments and effects than I could ever afford back then. I am blown away by this technology.
I came to iOS for portability I will leave it for the same reason.
I can use it outside my bedroom without risks so totally burn out.
No item for me
I need iOS instruments to complement my hardware stuff and desktop (and to replace in some cases). So it's really fuzzy and agile
Went to desktop and laptop to get away from hardware, but found I really missed it, went to ios to get away from my laptop but found I really missed it, went back to my laptop, but now I'm missing ios and hardware.
I came to iOS because I had some hard times and had to sell all my music making gear. iOS let me make music way cheaper and pay for it in small easy to pay slices
Pretty much an acoustic guy. But I needed something portable here in Turkey. Researching keyboard workstations I, by chance, saw a YouTube of Jordan Rudess playing his GeoShred. Thought it amazing. Never bought or installed an app of any kind, but had an iPad for email and YouTube.Thought maybe there were a few more apps for making music and it intrigued me. "Few more apps" indeed! Definitely hooked. Love the affordability and portability. Maybe desktop some day,