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.
Comments
Hi Both! (@LFS & @cem_olcay)
(Just got the Scale Bud AUv3 since I s*ck at playing chords & scales).
Seems like when the Cubasis is 'stopped'(ie. the transport is not running) the Scalebud UI can not be used to play' the notes from the UI.
They are however added to the 'Cubasis Midi-Buffer' and played back when pressing play!
It's quite easy to reproduce and I consider this a 'bug'.
Don't know which part is responsible, The Plug-In or the Host.
NB. It works flawlessly in AUM and apeMatrix so this is a Cubasis issue.
I guess the 'problem' here is that Cubasis deos NOT seem to process Midi Effects AUv3 when the transport is NOT running?! Don't know if this is by design or indeed a 'bug'.
Hopefully this can be fixed in a future update.
And for @cem_olcay Instead of the 'static' velocity setting it would be handy with a 'vertical velocity' for the pads similar to what the Cubasis keyboard already offers. If it's easy to add it would be a really nice addition!
Cheers!
/Samuel
Hi Samuel,
Triggering notes from within ScaleBud works fine in stop mode here.
Please let me have more details how to reproduce the issue.
Best,
Lars
In Cubasis...
The Midi Plug-In is set to 'Rec to Track' but it doesn't matter which mode is 'enabled' the notes will only play when transport is running.
This leads me to conclude that Cubasis does not process Midi Effect AUV3's unless the transport is running.
When the transport is running ScaleBud UI sends the notes to Cubasis.
I'm on an iPad AIr 2, iOS11.4.1...
/Samuel
@cem_olcay Another bug, this time in ScaleBud when it's loaded as an AUv3 Midi Effect in Cubasis.
When the ScaleBud is loaded as AUv3 in AUM the 'chord' tab has an octave switch to the left.
The 'octave' switch is missing in the the ScaleBud UI when it is loaded as AUv3 Midi Effect in Cubasis.
Don't know if it's there in Cubasis when it's running on a 10,5" or 12.9" iPad since I don't own any of those.
Cheers!
/Samuel
Gave it a short look on iPad Pro 12.9, octave button appears to the left of the pads (same as in your AUM screenshot).
Best,
Lars
Hi Samuel,
Strangely I have seen ScaleBud reproducible working in stop mode in one project.
Creating a new project leads to the same issue as yours.
Let's see what our engineers will find out.
Best,
Lars
Could this have something to do with 'AUv3 Rendering Bugs' of AUv3's on the 9.7" iPads?
(ie. sometimes the 'close box' is missing).
First tap the 'Plug-In' and then tap the 'Keyboard' and the 'close box' is there.
Do the opposite...
First bring up the 'Keyboard' and then tap the 'Plug-In' and the close box is 'gone'...
This affects most if not all the AUv3 Instruments I've tried with on my iPad Air 2, iOS11.4.1.
The AUv3 Midi Effects are not affected by this, neither are the AUv3 effects.
I do feel this is some kind of issue with the optimisation for different screensizes?!
Cheers!
/Samuel
It does feel like there's some kind of 'time out' after which the Midi AUv3's 'got to sleep'.
So for example the pads in the ScaleBud AUv3 Midi Effect 'work for a while' after stop is pressed.
Goodie, I do feel it's some kind of 'intentional time out' to save CPU and Battery Life...
/Samuel
I have the same issue as @Samu @cem_olcay @Lars.
Attaching videos. Notice that the when playing single notes on the keyboard, chords are played.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s0aiir1vwk83ewn/IMG_0149.TRIM.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5mv5mq0pfzwuiqj/IMG_0148.TRIM.MOV?dl=0
Strangely, my testings on my regular iPad were working very well.
@LFS, I can give project repo access to your engineers, if it'd help them for debugging.
Thanks for the videos. I think it is expected behavior, when you are in the chord mode, ScaleBud generate chords for the notes you are playing (if the scale you are working in has any chords with that root note). And in notes mode, it filters out off-scale notes. It is an audio unit parameter though, called "Map Keyboard" and it can togglable. But, I don't know where/how you can see the AU parameters of the plugin in Cubasis 2. In garageband, there is a button with three little sliders on it, above the keyboard, that shows the AU parameters. Not sure if Cubasis has something like that.
Other than that, it seems like this is the bug @Samu mentioned about. I'm not sure if it is a Cubasis bug or ScaleBud bug. It's so strange that ScaleBud's keyboard sometimes triggers MIDI and sometimes not in Cubasis.
Currently it's not possible in Cubasis 'by design' as @LFS and his team have chosen to only expose those parameters that have been recorded using the Cubasis automation feature.
It's not possible to directly select a parameter from all of the available in a Plug-In and create an automation lane or even edit the parameter. Hopefully this situation will improve since many AUv3's contain parameters that do not always have UI elements that could be used for automation recording.
One way would be to 'toggle' the plug-un UI to a 'parameter view' similar to what GarageBand does and let the user 'tick' a 'check box' for all the parameters that need an automation lane or a default value change.
I'm pretty sure it's a Cubasis bug since ScalBud works perfectly in AUM and ApeMatrix!
My conclusion that at some point Cubasis stops processing AUv3 Midi-Plug-Ins if the transport is not running. There's some kind of built-in 'time out' for this.... (ie. wait x-amout of time from transport stop and then stop 'processing').
@cem_olcay Chord Inversions would be a totally awesome addition to ScaleBud!
UI Wise it could be an extra 'tab' (Notes, Chords & Chord Inversions).
When Chord inversions are shown the 'scale & chord lists' could be temporarily hidden to make room for the buttons for the 'Inverted' versions of the chords.
A Row with 'Notes' could also be handy for quick playing a base note and a chord.
(Currently this can be done by having both the Host Keyboard open (directly feeding the Plug-In) and using the ScaleBud UI to trigger the chords).
Optionally there could also be a row of keys to change the 'key' for which the chords are generated.
I do get the the UI would get busy but it would be a super convenient way to 'play' the iPad/iPhone screen as a real instrument. (Additional bonuses could be sustain button as well as Pitch & Mod Wheel for starters as this would make it easy to to pitch-bends on the chords when playing pad-sounds).
These are just mere suggestions, It's your app so do what you feel is 'right' with it
And well since there are so many chords available being able to create a 'custom chord strip' could be handy.
This would be another 'tab' in the Keys, Chords, Chord Inversions and Custom Chords).
Cheers!
I really want to customize the chords. Custom chord strip would be amazing. Inversions would be great too, but I could see how it would be tough to implement in the UI (just like you said).
Yeah, UI is the tricky part because it's run on an iPhone SE screen size (think about loading it into AUM in that screen size) to iPad Pro 12.9" screen. Luckly these are fun problems to solve for me
I promise inversions and a parameter menu like in the standalone version for the AUv3. I've come up with an idea soon.
BTW, I have a new idea for a "two handed piano player" kinda sequencer focused on creating traditional (classic/pop/blues) to contemporary backing rhythm/chord patterns as an AUv3 app. What do you think?
Sounds nice especially if it will be possible to arpeggiate / strum the chords?
(It's quite 'mechanical sounding' when all the notes are struck at exactly the same time)
This would become something unique and with some 'performance patterns' it could cover a wide variety of styles to boot making those of us lacking proper keyboarding skills come up with cool stuff
Scalebud stopped working in auv3 for me. It worked for a day and now no longer appears in the auv3 list within beatmaker 3 or cubasis. It does appear in IAA list but I hate IAA.
It's bizarre.. it worked initially in auv3 within beatmaker... Then it stopped and no longer appears under the auv3 list for any host. Doesn't show in auv3 list for audiobus 3 either. It only shows in IAA list.
It shows up in AB3 when selecting the midi tab.
Works properly in AUM too...
BM3 in it’s current state lacks proper support for clean AUv3 midi plug-ins.
Yeah, I guess so. I just wrote to Mathieu of INTUA about the situation. I believe they will add pure MIDI plugin support soon. I almost tried every Audio Unit type in development mode and couldn't figure out how to support every host like @brambos did in his awesome Rozeta.
With aumi type, ScaleBud doesn't show up in Cubasis but show up in BM3.
With aumu type, show up in BM3 but not in Cubasis..
Always show up in AB3, AUM and apeMatrix though.
@cem_olcay Thanks for the update!
Regarding the chord & keys buttons.
I would love to split them in 3 (one octave above and bellow the selected one) when there's enough room.
This is where hiding the 'list boxes' could come in handy.
This would make it easier to reach a wider range of chords and keys and well, personally I'm one of those crazy persons who love the progression from C to Am one octave lower and it's quite fiddly to use the octave arrows to do this...
As for 'Chord Inversions' the GarageBand smart keyboard does this pretty nicely
This seems like a very good app. Does it have the ability to save favourite chords into a progression or a list or something. So that you find your favourite chords from different keys and scales and build up a personal user library?
Then, BM3 and Cubasis are s..t
It seems that the developers did not program properly, which is very sad.
The information has been very sparse so it's been next to impossible to do a 'proper job'
Not to mention the various 'full screen hacks' and before the 'aumi' identifier was found hacks needed to be added by the developers to even make midi AUv3's possible.(ie. midi only plug-ins 'pretending' to be audio plug-ins etc. etc.).
So yeah, I agree it's a sad situation but it's not always only the developers fault...
Hold up! AU MIDI is new, undocumented and experimental from what the developers have told us. It will take time for the hosts to integrate it fully. Calling BM3 and Cubasis s..t because they they are working out the kinks of this amongst their many many priorities is pretty offensive.
That's true. Even Apple haven't documented it yet.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/audiotoolbox/1584142-audio_unit_types/kaudiounittype_midiprocessor
At least they are accepting aumi apps which is nice
It seems that AudioBus, AUM and apeMatrix did get it right!
So, others did this sloppy, to not use more harsh words.
And Apple, if not documenting things properly, is the biggest problem.
But this will only change it developers attack Apple more heavily, to demand things!
So, the developers need to act!
That's quite simply not how it works.
Seems that BM3 is problematic with a few apps then. It causes Perforator to crash.
Can I use scalebud in audiobus with Beatmaker 3? I see scalebud appears in audiobus auv3 list correctly now.
Hi, you can save the current state (key, scale type, note/chord mode) into a user preset. AUM, Cubasis and few more hosts are supporting user preset saving.
About the chord progressions, you might want to check out ChordBud, my other app designed for creating chord progressions, powered by the same music theory engine of ScaleBud. But it has not AUv3 plugin.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chordbud-chord-progressions/id1313017378?mt=8
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/22557/new-midi-app-chordbud/p1
http://keybudapp.com/chordbud
Will chordbud get auv3 upgrade?