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.
MIDI controller apps lift iOS to serious music making platform
In my opinion the number of high quality MIDI controller apps available for iOS really make the iPad stand out. Honestly working on a desktop now seems somewhat bland to me, after using the following:
ChordPolyPad - Quickly set up a 16 pad page with chords, using things like randomization and scale filter, along with x/y cc control? Glorious.
StepPolyArp Unit - Same developer as ChordPolyPad, with a ridiculously versatile sequencer/arp, complete with multiple patterns and cc control. So good, and works as a MIDI AU effect too.
Fugue Machine - Wonderful sequencer that lets you output each single playback head to a different channel.
Arpeggionome - Same developer as Fugue Machine, a playable arp tool with a slew of options.
Gestrument - A controller with focus on touch screen controls, with a nice set of parameters to work with.
TC-Data - Another controller with a focus on touch screen controls, a bit of a learning curve but very rewarding.
Changeling - A playable multi channel sequencer that lets you adjust patterns on the fly with various parameters.
Rozeta - Excellent collection of MIDI AU effects (needs a host to work).
I know there are others too, and even if you take just a few of them they quickly outshine other MIDI controllers. Seems to me to be one of the more overlooked, or at least not talked about enough, aspects of music making on iOS. These apps bring so much to the table.
Comments
Those are some fantastic ones, and I've used all of them to some degree. But nothing beats a good old fashioned MIDI keyboard/controller.
They can be a bit of a drag to set up, especially the more complicated ones, and you sort of lose the ability to jump right in like you would a more traditional keyboard. Yet once you get them going, and combine them with a good sound generator, they become like their own instrument.
I just wish Cthulhu would be there....still my all time favorite.....
I've checked out pretty much all desktop MIDI controller tools, and I think the iOS ones win hands down, and it's not even really close. Probably doesn't help that I use Logic, and Logic doesn't record the note output from MIDI FX, but even omitting that the iOS ones are far richer in creative possibility.
I have looked into the Ableton Max 4 Live ones, and while I haven't used them, they too seem to pale in comparison. There's just so much possibility with the ones I listed (and yes, I know there are even others as well).
Of course you are correct about M4L and many other options for in my case PC. Thing is I can program my midi sequences on the bus home with the ipad which in-fact makes me more productive. In many cases I have to use sequencing more because I don't have a nice keyboard to play. Forces a more electronic process.
and in case of the midi stuff you can just run you hardware gear at home with it too! :-)
That's where the benefit is for me.
I have not done a comprehensive feature comparison of desktop to iPad midi capabilities. All I know is that, of the things I have ever had in mind to do, I could very easily do all of them in Reaper with its extensions. But I can do all the normal important things on an iPad* though it took a lot more searching to figure out how. This is partly just the smaller user base and recency of many apps, for any Reaper question I've had, it has been asked and answered a few times on forums. Probably a tutorial video.
But the portability is why my band is moving to it. And frankly _because _it has fewer options. Fewer things to go wrong ya know.
Take the iPad and work on your patches and beats on the subway, while watching the kids at the playground, etc.
Add a couple midi controllers and a small hardware synth and you've got a pedalboard sized studio. So in that sense, hell ya, 'midi control apps life iOS to a serious music making platform'
@e121 I would love to know if any of those other apps you listed can save change tempo in the middle of the 'song', i.e. like a verse, chorus, bridge with different tempos. I've only found Modstep that can do that and trigger scenes with a foot controller, and it is actually working for almost everything I need. But the lack of consideration for tempo changes has been the most shocking thing about trying out iOS. Sort of hate to pin my usage on one app.
Your list is missing Quantum which in my opinion is the best of the lot. Not sure if it’s tempo features meets your need though?
You can record the midi out in Logic...but of course just with a bit of extra step/workaround or other midi FX.
I agree that there are some awesome midi tools for iOS but still i found no arp which is better than Logic´s included to live play tweaking etc.
Also it´s so nice to just use a midi modulator and just learn any automation parameter to it.
It´s all in Logic if you want just now.
There are a lot more powerful midi tools for mac (like in Reaktor 6 or something like Numerology) but mostly the GUI´s suck and here iOS wins hands down then indeed for me as well. But i miss some more really creative midi sequencers like Spiral on iOS.
So i think iOS is still not even close to what could be there.
Shout out for the highly under rated AC Sabre. It’s along the lines of TC Data but understandable by mere mortals. It has blown my mind for its expressive capabilities for cc control.
I think the only glaring thing missing is a use-anywhere midi record / playback app to capture all this midi goodness. I’m craving an AU that can be put in the data path and suck up every midi message it receives, then save it. Once captured it could then be played back by the app in, or to, any host.
The beauty of iOS music making is the spontaneity it enables. So much of that is lost because by the time one realizes something is worth taking further and then does the needed setup in a DAW - if that’s even possible, the moment has passed.
Something like the midi monitor in apeMatrix, or MidiFlow monitor in AB3, but as an AU and with the ability to record, save, and play back whatever it receives as a loop. Is about all I need at this point.
That’s the one major thing aright! AUM update to the rescue?
I have a bunch of traditional Irish instrument based MIDI controller apps based on bagpipes, flutes, accordions, and concertinas:
http://appcordions.com/MIDI
I look forward to the possibility of that for AUM, but hope for something a lot more flexible, that could be used in any host. Creative spark doesn’t just happen in AUM for me.
I have such a clear vision of what this could be that I’m even trying to learn enough to develop something like it myself. By then it’ll be the perfect companion for NanoStudio 4.
Id also add iKaossilator and Figure to that list, they both blur the line between traditional sequencer and touch interface and do a great job.
Has anyone actually got something useful out of Arpeggionome? Ive had it forever and occasionally screw around with it but it never seems to fit in songs.
SoundPrism is another nice alternative keyboard.
I see what you are saying. Well I’ll be waiting for that AUv3 🤤
GeoShred for me is my best touch screen controller.
This free plugin should sort the Logic MIDI FX issue for you until the Logic devs figure out how ridiculous this is.
http://www.audiocr.com/midi-fx-freeze/
Or use Reaper.