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.
In Search of the ultimate multi track loop app
There seems to be some great apps for 'live looping', where you build a groove ala beardyman or whatever... But I haven't found a real intuitive way to take 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bar loops from my little techno experiments and rock them out live yet. I have LaunchPad, and BlocsWave... I'd love something a little more... Shit. I dunno... More like the new Maschine style? Maybe I should just keep at it with BM3?
What about iMPC? Tempted to give that a try, as well as GrooveRider16... I just want a really solid way to mess with my techno loops, drop fx / other instruments on it, focusing on a live / improvised situation... any advice appreciated.
Comments
If someone has project files for Blocs or Launchpad with their own material I could check out - just to get workflow ideas, that would be cool. I'm going to spend an afternoon on each and see if I can get what I'm looking for out of one of them...
*I can tell neither of these is what I'm really looking for, $6.99 to import your own audio into Launchpad? Grrr.... And no internal AUFX? Grrr....
Someone really needs to make a kick ass looper app, hopefully see one soonish.
Actually, Launchpad could be pretty cool if they went full on Host with it... Seems like just a toy at this point though.
Frustrating you can't even bring separate audio tracks into Ape or Aum for FX etc, then I could limp around the other things.
I haven't used them but I think garageband live loops might do what you want.
Tried the file player in AUM? You can configure it as well.
Live looping audio or live mangling midi?
For the first there are some interesting apps from loopy to gtl through quantiloop. For the second Modstep and similar to name some...
What's missing?
I hate to mention Ableton... but something that can handle a lot of loops like that, most seem to be a couple tracks and not great file management... I suppose I can spend 7 bux to see if Launchpad might work, and you can at least futz with the output in Ape/Aum through IAA. I'd love to see a pretty simple AU with a slick file browser, I'm sure one will show up. Just checking in case there was something I missed in the snapplestore.
@scottsunn If it’s audio clips you want to play with, you might want to look at LP-5 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lp-5-loop-based-music-sequencer/id662040243?mt=8 which is free (IAPs add loop banks and functionality)
Also the mighty Looptunes HD https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/looptuneshd/id1090300008?mt=8
(Or the DJ version which adds some DJ niceties to the clip launch workflow)
Rotor
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rotor-tangible-music-synth/id1110719747?mt=8
and Stereosun
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stereosun-pro/id989174876?mt=8
Also are built around playing with loops, GUI wise very interesting and inspiring
I’ve spent many happy hours in LP-5 and Rotor...
LP-5 is made by the same dev that made MoDrum and BassLine, and those two apps directly export loops to LP-5
Do any of these live loopers have a count in feature in order that you can be synced and poised to twiddle just as the loop recording starts?
Loopy HD is seriously powerful despite being a vintage app. Amazing in combination with a foot controller due to the extensive midi functionality and the audiobus integration makes adding different effects to each track a breeze!
Loopy really is good. I was also hunting for a Live Loops app recently and loopy seems to have the most going on. It’s also a bit of a pain to use the settings section.
ReMix Live is the best grid launching app using the iPad and no MIDI. The sound packs are the best on iOS and the company is constantly innovating and improving on their brand. They also have an amazing DJ app that I use for my day to day jams in which I load a beat or kick loop or 2.
LP-5
LoopClip Launcher in which you can use 2 AU Fx as send channels. This is my preferred iPhone clip launcher. This also handles zip files and air drop perfectly. No fuss. All 1 screen great for performance.
You may also look at their app Baseline and MoDrums for techno music. These are classic apps from this company.
Are you making all your own loops? or do you use stock stuff? Doesn't matter, just wondering.
If you are just wanting loop launch I don't think BM3 would be needed. And no iPhone version.
Just my two sense.
You also can do things like use GrooveRider in sample loop play mode that works awesome and is super quality and fun.
Pattering is what I use for individual hits and samples in addition to GrooveRider.
Loops I stick with I mentioned above and occasionally LaunchPad app.
Blocs is the best for zip folder action and Airdrop features.
Here check this out. MixVibes Remix Live does loops as well as SINGLE SHOT loop creation on the fly! You also have transposing, quantizing and a more versatile performance based Fx section. Really no other apps that are universal on iOS that do this much. For real. All you need is this app, TroubleMaker and Sunrizer or Synthmaster and you are good to go!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remixlive-remix-music-live/id1058801458?mt=8
Jeez, never heard of this one before. Thanks
Thanks man, will check these for sure, cheers!
check out Protein Der Klang, it has some very cool features.
it's been many moons since I've used it but you can def save sets , I think I was importing my samples either through iTunes or audioshare or both
the dev Pierre was working on an update as well but I haven't heard from him in a while, don't know what he's up to
I remember my favorite feature was on the fly in sync sampling and resampling to other pads
@kobamato good call. In fact your mention got me to reinstall and after all these years I’m figuring it out - it’s kind of an iOS masterpiece of form and function, but digging into the manual is crucial
@Dawdles you can save sessions, sample import is via AudioCopy, which tests fine (like other apps with older AudioCopy sdk, import probably only will work as long as you don’t have the actual AudioCopy App installed, something I’ve seen in Stroke Machine as well...)
Samples are filed in User samples for future sessions
yeah just looking at those vids I'm gonna have to reinstall tonight.... I remember it running rings around my head back In the day ... the manual was like heiroglyphs to me lol... then one day it just made sense....
this is the kind of app I got into iOS for
I don't remember if it has link or not, I don't think so.... but PDK and werkbench would be so sweet together with link
@Dawdles PDK appears in the input lists for both AB 2 and 3, so recording output looks good.
@kobamato all this (that demo is nuts) plus insync sampling and resampling, holy shit Batman
It is a great app.
Great company.
You got it!
PDK
I forgot about that!
What a cool app
Reading up on the bpm stuff
Another sweetness about PDK is that it’s universal