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.
Suitable beatmaking app for a beginner?
Could you pls advise?
I have written songs for a long time, so basically I can write a complete song. However, my method is traditional: playing keyboard, using linear DAWs like Reaper.
Recently I tried Ableton Live and began to understand the way its Session View works for improvisation.
However, I find it difficult when I tried to use two beatmaking apps: Beatmaker 3 and iMASCHINE 2. For me, their methods are too different. I cannot figure out how to make a very basic backing track on these apps.
In this scenario, is there other easier app that I should try?
My sincere thanks,
Comments
Patterning is my absolute favorite so far!!! Give it a try, cheers.
There is a big update in the works, so maybe you can get the current one with a preorder or something? I don't know.
iMaschine is terrible imo, but I love the full version, so maybe I'm spoiled.
Beatmaker3 is a great 'MPC' style environment, but most of my non EDM musician friends hate it.
Patterning takes a tiny bit of getting used to, but the design seems to lend itself well to really creative or basic but solid patterns. Plus the ability to route any of the 8 channels to AUM, Auria, Audiobus, or the new ApeMatrix (just realized those all start with A) makes it actually multi trackable.
Also, any of the tracks can send midi independently as well, to double up with synths or other sounds elsewhere. Mute the sound in Patterning to only pass midi along to another App.
I can't wait for the update!! One or two months apparently.
Best of luck!!
For me Groovebox by Ampify is the easiest to use and the one I get quickest results with. It's also free to try it out, there are IAP's to add more drumkits, synth patches and patterns, also to unlock the synths so you can program them yourself if you wish to.
Maybe give Korg Gadget a try? It includes export to Ableton Live.
Gadget LE is a free version for both iOS and Mac to check it out.
Dm1 is what you're looking for. Trust me. Also it's dirt cheap. Just audiocopy export your beats out into whatever daw or looper you're using
I still use it. Super easy to use but still has great depth. The randomize pitch/length/panning function really adds another dimension as well
Thank you so much for your replies so far. I will try using Patterning and Korg Gadget LE to see how they work.
Beathawk.
Beathawk - I just tried it for the first time yesterday (Its on sale atm) and it is easy to take.
Groovebox has great Ableton export and patterning, there is a lot to choose from
Like mentioned above groovebox is free, so nothing to loose
How about Figure from Propellerheads?
Simple and fun.
GarageBand iOS and it’s free
Question - are we asking strictly about ios apps?
I would say Beathawk 2 also.. The Song Mode, Ableton Export.. Infact, one of the best export system for getting your stuff back to the desktop...
I do need to get back into it more...
I think BeatHawk is a great start for beginners , still has the fastest workflow.
It’s my top recommendation.
In desktop, nothing beats Geist2 except the bugs ,so download the demo first ,or check if there is a refund period .
Another option is iMpc 2 , but first spend some time on videos to see if it misses any feature you may want, since Retronyms tends to make new versions of the app instead of updating .
I won't recommend drum machines because from your description you want more than drums. So I'll try to list the ones that are very easy to use but not too restricted.
Pattern-based:
Gadget LE is probably the best free option for pattern-oriented beatmaking.
Beathawk is nice and simple too and it can sample.
GR-16 is fairly easy to use too (much easier than BM3), and I'd recommend it over Beathawk because it's simply much more powerful, but you will have to take the time to go through the well-written pdf manual.
It cannot sample but you can record in AudioShare and import these, and the built-in synth looks simple but is very capable. FX are great too.
Linear with the ability to record your own samples::
Nanostudio 1 (on older devices) is one of the most immediate apps, as is Music Studio or Music Studio Lite. If you want to spend more, have a look at Cubasis, its sampler is very limited but at least you can use your own samples mapped to a keyboard patch.
Korg Gadget you can make full beats with nothing else needed
Caustic you can make full beats
GarageBand. It has it all for where you coming from, as well as where you are trying to go.
It has a whole Live Loops area that you should look into, and the Beat Sequencer is a total sleeper on iOS it seems. That thing is great!
GarageBand and beathawk separate and they work great together and also gadget.
Thank you so much for your wonderful replies. It seems to me that personally I find it hard to understand MPC-style apps.
I've just tried Groovebox and Blocs Wave and found it easier to use. I will also try the live loops in GarageBand.
Thank you again.
+1 for Beathawk. I’ve tried them all, and it seems to be the fastest, most intuitive workflow for me. Also, supported by the best sound library. And they have sales pretty regularly. Like now!