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 Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

Xequence + Audiobus + AUM, best practices for a complete music production environment

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Comments

  • tjatja

    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

  • j_liljedahlj_liljedahl

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

  • tjatja

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

  • j_liljedahlj_liljedahl

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

  • SevenSystemsSevenSystems

    @d4d0ug said:
    Not sure if this the right thread to ask, but I’m having a recurring problem with the state saving. It’s like the state of Xequence is not saved - when I reopen a session it reopens the last one not the saved one. Not sure what I might be doing wrong or if it’s a bug. Will investigate.

    Don't bother investigating, it's a known problem either with Xequence or Audiobus, we're investigating and hoping to have it fixed shortly!

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • SevenSystemsSevenSystems
    edited August 2018

    @Kühl said:

    @SevenSystems said:
    @wim great points there. The one thing why I prefer doing all audio in AUM is the more powerful mixer with sends etc. - but I'm probably not experienced enough with Audiobus to have the last word on it.

    EDIT: That's why I rephrased the topic title a bit now. Open for further discussion and feedback!

    EDIT 2: The office cat is a bit in need of affection right now, first things first! :)

    Respect! The pussycat comes first. I hope you give it delicious food :)

    Yep, only the best -- Coshida Beef in gravy (jelly doesn't cut it!). ;) (I even put it in the microwave briefly before "serving" to bring it to the same temperature as a freshly caught mouse 😉😉😉)

  • SevenSystemsSevenSystems

    Note to everyone: there's currently an intermittent problem when the state (project) of Xequence doesn't get saved or restored correctly in Audiobus presets. We're not sure if it's a problem in Xequence itself or in Audiobus, but working hard to have a fix ready.

    You might want to save your project using Xequence's regular "Save as..." button just in case for now!

  • tjatja

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

    Start a new project with any Apps you have.
    Slide the Apps to the left, disabling them.
    Then save this as new preset!

    Then, skill everything, start AUM new and load this preset again.
    The Apps will not start!

    That’s great!!!

  • j_liljedahlj_liljedahl

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

    Start a new project with any Apps you have.
    Slide the Apps to the left, disabling them.
    Then save this as new preset!

    Then, skill everything, start AUM new and load this preset again.
    The Apps will not start!

    That’s great!!!

    Except that it isn't true :) As I said a couple of time, the apps does start, they're just bypassed - meaning that AUM runs them outside of the signal flow. They are still running however, taking up CPU resources, etc.

  • tjatja

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

    Start a new project with any Apps you have.
    Slide the Apps to the left, disabling them.
    Then save this as new preset!

    Then, skill everything, start AUM new and load this preset again.
    The Apps will not start!

    That’s great!!!

    Except that it isn't true :) As I said a couple of time, the apps does start, they're just bypassed - meaning that AUM runs them outside of the signal flow. They are still running however, taking up CPU resources, etc.

    Hmm.
    But they are not visible in iOS.
    Only after touching them!

    And only then, i can see the regular start graphics etc. of those Apps

  • j_liljedahlj_liljedahl

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

    Start a new project with any Apps you have.
    Slide the Apps to the left, disabling them.
    Then save this as new preset!

    Then, skill everything, start AUM new and load this preset again.
    The Apps will not start!

    That’s great!!!

    Except that it isn't true :) As I said a couple of time, the apps does start, they're just bypassed - meaning that AUM runs them outside of the signal flow. They are still running however, taking up CPU resources, etc.

    Hmm.
    But they are not visible in iOS.
    Only after touching them!

    And only then, i can see the regular start graphics etc. of those Apps

    That's how IAA apps work. And the reason we get "IAA zombies".. IAA apps can be launched in background without their UI showing up in the multitask view in iOS. The same happens when Audiobus launches AB3 apps in the background.

  • tjatja

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    @tja said:
    And @wim and @michael I also forgot an argument :)

    AUM has one big feature that I so much would love to see in AudioBus:

    It can save a setup with lots of Apps chained together and their MIDI routed, but have those Apps DISABLED!

    That means, you can configure some gigantic configuration and when you load it, those Apps will not be automatically started!

    This enables you to have different setups for different goals all together in one preset and after loading, you can then enable those Apps from that configuration that you really want to use!

    In AudioBus, this is - currently - not possible, so that any and all Apps are loading automatically. This means, if you sometimes want to use Xequence, Quantum, midiSTEPs, ChordFlow or modstep, you need different presets for them, and again for each of them multiple presets more for different targets and other setups.

    With the missing AUM feature, you could load all of them, but just enable what you want in that moment.

    Hint, hint, hint @michael :) :) :)

    Hmm, I'm not aware of this feature in AUM myself ;) Do you mean that apps can be bypassed? Note that they're still running while bypassed, it's just their audio that gets ignored. So, they are still started, and not really disabled.

    Please load this:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=0
    or
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqlvborezsr1v50/test.aumproj?dl=1

    It loads a preset, but does not start the Apps.

    Do you mean they fail to load? I don't have those apps installed on the device I have at hand, so for me they naturally fail to load. I see they are in a bypassed state however, but that doesn't mean they aren't started.

    Start a new project with any Apps you have.
    Slide the Apps to the left, disabling them.
    Then save this as new preset!

    Then, skill everything, start AUM new and load this preset again.
    The Apps will not start!

    That’s great!!!

    Except that it isn't true :) As I said a couple of time, the apps does start, they're just bypassed - meaning that AUM runs them outside of the signal flow. They are still running however, taking up CPU resources, etc.

    Hmm.
    But they are not visible in iOS.
    Only after touching them!

    And only then, i can see the regular start graphics etc. of those Apps

    That's how IAA apps work. And the reason we get "IAA zombies".. IAA apps can be launched in background without their UI showing up in the multitask view in iOS. The same happens when Audiobus launches AB3 apps in the background.

    :s :( :'( :/

    That explains some things.

    But, how about that feature???

    It would be perfect, esp. without starting background ghosts!!!

    :) :) :)
    <3 <3 <3

  • reziduerezidue

    @Jumpercollins said:

    @SevenSystems said:
    @tja @Jumpercollins the most probable cause for a black screen in Xequence is "Out of memory". Other apps would crash to the home screen in that situation, Xequence turns black.

    10 AUs, even if lightweight, might certainly use around 1 or 2 Gigs of memory. Add to that a few hundred MB for Xequence, Audiobus and the OS, and I can easily see how you would run out of memory especially on older devices.

    Ok thanks for the info been using AUM and Audiobus trying different combos to overcome it. We get there!

    Just wanted to mention that if you are AU heavy it’s helpful to restart the host as you move between files. What I’ve noticed is that RAM doesn’t free because it keeps the previous files AUs open until the host dies. This makes it really easy to get OOM issues in situations you wouldn’t expect.

  • j_liljedahlj_liljedahl

    @tja said:

    @j_liljedahl said:

    ...

    Except that it isn't true :) As I said a couple of time, the apps does start, they're just bypassed - meaning that AUM runs them outside of the signal flow. They are still running however, taking up CPU resources, etc.

    Hmm.
    But they are not visible in iOS.
    Only after touching them!

    And only then, i can see the regular start graphics etc. of those Apps

    That's how IAA apps work. And the reason we get "IAA zombies".. IAA apps can be launched in background without their UI showing up in the multitask view in iOS. The same happens when Audiobus launches AB3 apps in the background.

    :s :( :'( :/

    That explains some things.

    But, how about that feature???

    It would be perfect, esp. without starting background ghosts!!!

    :) :) :)
    <3 <3 <3

    Yeah, I have a similar request in my list of features to consider: a way to "unload" a whole channel, meaning it actually unloads all apps/plugins in the channel and just shows a greyed-out placeholder channel, until user chooses to reload it. That would sort of remind a bit of "freeze" functionality in DAWs, you could record the output of the channel and then unload it to save CPU, and perhaps play back the recording in another channel using a FilePlayer node (if wanted).

  • tjatja

    yes, yes, yes please, @j_liljedahl :)

    Also could allow to configure multiple instruments, but just use one ....

    And please add a search function for Apps, like as in AB ;)

  • audiobussyaudiobussy

    Excellent work.... At this point, especially with the audio bus integration, we need mult midi channels to send to Xequence.

    I know youre working on it... thank you!

  • JabreyDJabreyD

    Does this support AUV3 Midi effect apps like Rozeta?

    I set it up the ways described above and can't get it to work. If it could host though..... Routing midi Rozeta input to Xequence OUtput, then back from Xequence OUtput to Aum, then from Aum to the desired instrument track, then Audio back to AB3, and all without issues. yeah, right.

  • tjatja

    I tried to replace Groovebox with AudioBus, AUM, Xequence and a host of 5 Bram Bos Apps in AUM

    Audiobus preset 'ScaleBud Xequence AUM':

    http://preset.audiob.us/apqG0Qqs7DbA3a9

  • tjatja

    That gave me lots of fun :)

  • wimwim

    Rozeta to Xequence on an AB3 midi lane with Xequence set to midi through. Now a new lane with Xequence sending to the app of your choice. This works great. When the Rozeta groove is running the way I want it then I simply record the midi in Xequence and either stop or remove Rozeta. Works great.

  • SevenSystemsSevenSystems
    edited September 2018

    @tja thanks for sharing, Audiobus Presets are quite amazing. Glad to finally have AB in Xequence now. (Of course each time I open a preset, I have to buy a dozen more apps, but at least it's tax deductible! ;))

  • wimwim
    edited September 2018

    @Breezee said:
    Does this support AUV3 Midi effect apps like Rozeta?

    I set it up the ways described above and can't get it to work. If it could host though..... Routing midi Rozeta input to Xequence OUtput, then back from Xequence OUtput to Aum, then from Aum to the desired instrument track, then Audio back to AB3, and all without issues. yeah, right.

    @wim said:
    Rozeta to Xequence on an AB3 midi lane with Xequence set to midi through. Now a new lane with Xequence sending to the app of your choice. This works great. When the Rozeta groove is running the way I want it then I simply record the midi in Xequence and either stop or remove Rozeta. Works great.

    Here’s a simple example. Rozeta > Xequence > Ruismaker > AUM. Midi through needs to be enabled in Xequence. Also it’s a good idea to be sure AUM and Xequence are closed before opening the preset. It failed to load properly once for me when they were already running.
    Audiobus preset 'Xequence Rozeta Midi Thru': http://preset.audiob.us/WIBRLBwDYf33ILA


  • audiblevideoaudiblevideo

    @johnfromberkeley said:
    How do people set up drums on the receiving side if they want a separate track for each drum? What app do you use for your own samples?

    From another thread -- Is this what you wanted?

    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/538496#Comment_538496

  • tjatja
    edited September 2018

    I would like to have any App that i want to switch to in AudioBus, while other Apps can stay in AUM.

    Esp., any Instrument, Sequencer or Progression App would be great in AudioBus, together with Xequence.

    But when i insert such an App, like ScaleBud or Quantum or Navichord as a MIDI Sender in the AB MIDI lane, i cannot target the different instruments in AUM.

    You can see that in my screenshot above: https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/538541/#Comment_538541

    Whatever i target with the different Xequence Ports in AUM, ScaleBud (in this example) always plays the same Synth.

    This is sad, as in Xequence, i just need to select a different track and can play a different Synth.

    Is there any way to point ScaleBud to different Synth in AUM too?

    I cannot see a way :'(

  • tjatja

    As it seems, the problem is different than i thought.

    ScalePlay seems to target different MIDI channels / ports with it´s Piano Roll keys and the Chords keys!

  • wimwim
    edited September 2018

    You should be able to use the “Virtual Midi Out” in the output slot of AB3 and direct it to AUM. Then in AUM select “AUM Destination” for your target apps.

    Or, continue to host the apps that don’t receive AB3 midi in AB3, but on the audio page only. Then use the virtual midi out to route to them directly rather than through AUM.

    The virtual midi out is a newer (somewhat reluctant) capability added to AB3.

    If that’s confusing let me know what you’re trying to do and I’ll post an example.

  • tjatja

    Thanks @wim

    I think i found the problem, it was me :D

    I used a preset in Phasemaker, where the chords were not realy recognizable as multiple notes from the same Synth - it sounded nearly like the notes from Troublemaker or just distorted.

    I now added a Ravenscroft and everything is fine!

    I love this setup as Groovebox - it better than any Auxies, Grooveboxes, Medlys, BeatWaves and so on, IMHO.

    You can easily add Synths to AUM and target them with MIDI tracks from Xequence and use any Sequencer, Instrument or Progression App to play and record MIDI.

    Fantastic!

  • SpookyZooSpookyZoo

    Any recent changes to 'best way' of setting up this AB3 > XEQUENCE > AUM triangle?

  • SpookyZooSpookyZoo
    edited October 2018

    @tja @wim I've been primarily using a pure Xequence > AUM setup but thought I'd try to include AB3 for the perks mentioned here.

    When I download the two AB3 presets above, nothing is setup within Xequence. Is there still manual stuff to be done in addition?

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