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.

A quick Neo-Soul Keys live jam at a lake while backpacking in some mountains.

A short jam at Hidden Lake while backpacking with iOS stuff. I did this 2 months ago, but posting it if anyone wants to watch. It’s pretty simple Ruismaker FM plays a beat, Neo-Soul Keys Studio does all the melodic stuff mostly live, Rozeta sequences a simple bass line from Neo-Soul as 37 keys and no sustain pedal is a bit lacking for live EP playing. I added some delay, etc.

I carried everything I needed for 2.5 days. Shelter, Food, and Music stuff while doing some hiking.

I didn’t manage to get much recorded as I hoped as I’m used to my iPad Pro and the Air 2 I brought I was pushing too hard and had several crashes. This jam was kept simple, and the Air 2 handled it just fine.

Comments

  • If you want to know what music stuff I carried here is a picture. It was an extravagant 8lbs extra.

  • edited August 2018

    This is great @DMan. I can imagine the joy of having a Rhodes (and backing band) with you out in the middle of the mountains. Watching those clouds roll by... so therapeutic.

    My only recommendation would be some open-back headphones so you can still hear the birds and wind, etc ;-)

  • @Hmtx said:
    This is great @DMan. I can imagine the joy of having a Rhodes (and backing band) with you out in the middle of the mountains. Watching those clouds roll by... so therapeutic.

    My only recommendation would be some open-back headphones so you can still hear the birds and wind, etc ;-)

    Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I actually just either used only the iPad speakers or only the headphones in one ear. There are wild animals around though dangerous ones aren’t extremely likely to appear here, but having headphones on both ears is a bad idea and then you can’t hear the birds, wind, etc anyway.

    I recorded the audio in AUM but there is some of the location audio from the separate iPhone video with birds, etc. There was also the sound of the iPad speaker and clicking of the keyboard, so I couldn’t really boost the birds singing in the video. If you put headphones on and listen very closely you might be able to pick out some birds. When I got further up the mountain it was so windy that no microphone recording could be possibly be done, with what I had anyway.

  • Man, that was beautiful. Nice job.

  • That is an "Ode to Mobility" in the age of the integrated circuit.
    Nice easy groove playing which fits at the end of a day's hike.

  • @Daveypoo said:
    Man, that was beautiful. Nice job.

    Thank you, kind sir!

    @McDtracy said:
    That is an "Ode to Mobility" in the age of the integrated circuit.
    Nice easy groove playing which fits at the end of a day's hike.

    It’s definitely amazing how portable it’s made music making of all kinds, with that solar panel and battery pack in the picture above I could stay powered for weeks if I had the time to stay... Before iOS, I used to take my melodica or sometimes just a simple bamboo flute and that was still fun. The bamboo flute has been banned from such trips as I’ve already had to repair a crack in it from unstable moisture, etc.

  • So, this music is not just bluesy... It's solar powered "green".

  • @DMan this is awesome. You got a link to that solar panel? And how is the CME? Is it the Bluetooth version?

  • @mjcouche said:
    @DMan this is awesome. You got a link to that solar panel? And how is the CME? Is it the Bluetooth version?

    Here is a link to the solar panel but it appears it’s no longer available. That company does make a few other panels still available. There are so many out there now. The one I have does USB and also DC barrel jack, but I don’t trust the DC barrel jack power as I don’t have a voltage/amperage meter or regulator. The USB I do have a tester I can put between and I just charge the battery pack because when clouds, etc roll over the voltage does drop. iOS devices do have built in protection against that, but I just charge the battery first anyway.
    https://www.amazon.com/SUNKINGDOMTM-Portable-Foldable-PowermaxIQ-Technology/dp/B00MTAHHA0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

    The CME Xkey 37 Air is great, I take it most places I travel because it’s so easy to bring. No need for any camera connection kit, cables, etc. I play enough notes that I would notice any bad latency, especially if I start drumming away. The keys lack some depth which actually makes it ideal for cramming in a backpack with camping gear and doing multi-day hikes. Only that’s the only kind of backpack I have it fits in, my daily around town backpacks don’t fit it, so a friend made a custom bag for me. Also, the battery lasts like 10 hours, so I rarely bring a charging cable with me for the Xkey.

  • @DMan Thanks! Any idea if you could set up a Blueboard from IK to work as a sustain pedal with the CME xKey Air?

  • edited September 2018
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Henry David Thoreau would envy you, @Dman. You really integrated the circuit! Thanks for sharing such a good time. And no Facebook in sight! Solitude can rock and you proved it.

  • Outta sight @DMan , especially the heavy staccato "trills" making the Rhodes bark a bit. You know for guitarists the option for an old campfire style jam with acoustic guitars has always been there, but for keyboard players a improv'd jam like that in the woods was an impossibility years ago.

    So cool and to have that mojo of being outside to jam is really awesome.

  • @JRSIV said:
    Outta sight @DMan , especially the heavy staccato "trills" making the Rhodes bark a bit. You know for guitarists the option for an old campfire style jam with acoustic guitars has always been there, but for keyboard players a improv'd jam like that in the woods was an impossibility years ago.

    But but but but ...

    Accordion.

  • Mmm I really love the Neo Soul keys sound. I dont know what it is but I always come back to it.
    And this peace of music was lovely in my ears!!!

  • edited September 2018

    Thanks everyone.

    @mjcouche said:
    @DMan Thanks! Any idea if you could set up a Blueboard from IK to work as a sustain pedal with the CME xKey Air?

    I’ve heard you can set up a Blueboard pretty easily for sustain, and I kind of like what it can do. The thing is carrying that plus my very lightweight sustain has to be at least another 1lb probably closer to 1.5lb. I can just add delay and be happy enough.

    @JRSIV said:
    You know for guitarists the option for an old campfire style jam with acoustic guitars has always been there, but for keyboard players a improv'd jam like that in the woods was an impossibility years ago.

    I’ve been taking my melodica for years actually. It’s actually lighter than both the Xkey plus iPad combined and can even get rained on for a while, just drain it well afterward. I’d never bring a guitar backpacking but camping is fine. Guitars are so fragile!! My brother and I did bring a guitar on a short canoe trip once though, a cheap one that if we tipped it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. I would debate bringing my $30 USD Ukulele and still be worried about destroying it.

    @marcuspresident said:
    Mmm I really love the Neo Soul keys sound. I dont know what it is but I always come back to it.

    I know what you mean. I can chase shiny synthesizers, flashy, fun, etc musical sounds but really give me 61 keys (88 even better) and some electric piano, and I’ll really enjoy myself for quite a while.

    @LinearLineman said:
    Henry David Thoreau would envy you, @Dman. You really integrated the circuit! Thanks for sharing such a good time. And no Facebook in sight! Solitude can rock and you proved it.

    Thanks, yeah there was nobody on this section of the trail. Further along there were more people and I was along a pretty popular section the next day. It’s also not too far from a ski resort and you can get cellular internet, but I kept it turned off.

  • Nice! I enjoyed that!

  • I also have CME xKey 37; I just learned that they offer a breakout cable (plugs into the charging port) for connection to a sustain pedal. I THINK it's supposed to be included in purchase; am calling them on that.

  • I have their case; it's very awkward and the rod for the keytar is too long. It fell out and I lost it. Also the unit itself fell out as it's top heavy. Terrible design and expensive.

  • edited September 2018

    Which of these apps is doing the actual recording of the finished product? Neo Soul Keys does not work with Audiobus or IAA. The Manuf informs me that they are working on this. Thanks...

  • @purpan2 said:

    @JRSIV said:
    Outta sight @DMan , especially the heavy staccato "trills" making the Rhodes bark a bit. You know for guitarists the option for an old campfire style jam with acoustic guitars has always been there, but for keyboard players a improv'd jam like that in the woods was an impossibility years ago.

    But but but but ...

    Accordion.

    Lol. You’re right! Bust out the old squeeze box... :smiley:

  • @purpan2 said:

    @JRSIV said:
    You know for guitarists the option for an old campfire style jam with acoustic guitars has always been there, but for keyboard players a improv'd jam like that in the woods was an impossibility years ago.

    But but but but ...

    Accordion.

    LOL! Sh**, you're right... absolutely blanked on accordion, concertina and as @DMan said, melodica.

    @gusgranite "Mama's got a squeezebox she wears on her chest..."

  • @Skyscrapersax said:
    Which of these apps is doing the actual recording of the finished product? Neo Soul Keys does not work with Audiobus or IAA. The Manuf informs me that they are working on this. Thanks...

    I almost always do all hosting and recording in AUM. I actually didn’t realize that Neo-Soul Keys wasn’t working as IAA or Audiobus connection. I try my best to use AUv3 versions of apps and avoid IAA whenever I can, unless I’m doing sound design and want the full screen app.

    @Skyscrapersax said:
    I also have CME xKey 37; I just learned that they offer a breakout cable (plugs into the charging port) for connection to a sustain pedal. I THINK it's supposed to be included in purchase; am calling them on that.

    Check the left side of your xKey to see if there is a port for it. The breakout cable doesn’t plug into the charging port, it’s a separate one on the other side. I had the original version for a day before returning it and getting the Air version.

  • Interesting... Would this AUM thing (never heard of it before...) work to overcome the lack of IAA or AB support for NSK? Then I could loop with it....

    I find IAA easier than AB. And it doesn't crash.

    I'll check that xKey... I was busking all day (saxophone and keys). I have the air.

  • @Skyscrapersax said:
    Interesting... Would this AUM thing (never heard of it before...) work to overcome the lack of IAA or AB support for NSK? Then I could loop with it....

    I find IAA easier than AB. And it doesn't crash.

    I'll check that xKey... I was busking all day (saxophone and keys). I have the air.

    You’ve never heard of AUM? Ever since it came out it has been the holy grail of app hosting\live mixing for a large number of people. What version of Audiobus are you using? Audiobus 3 supports AUv3 apps and you could load NSK Studio in there. AUv3 is an iOS plugin format it always needs a host to work. Also, I can’t remember which iPad is the oldest that supports AUv3 I think iPad 4 maybe. You also have to be at least on iOS 9 I believe. Yeah, the Xkey Air doesn’t have the breakout. They took it off for some reason, I’m guessing they got sick of them breaking on people as it didn’t seem like the best physical connection.

    I need to get a busking act together but I’m not sure what I’d do. The few times I did it was accordion which has quite a lot covered, no cables, and no amp.

  • @DMan said:

    @Skyscrapersax said:
    Interesting... Would this AUM thing (never heard of it before...) work to overcome the lack of IAA or AB support for NSK? Then I could loop with it....

    I find IAA easier than AB. And it doesn't crash.

    I'll check that xKey... I was busking all day (saxophone and keys). I have the air.

    You’ve never heard of AUM? Ever since it came out it has been the holy grail of app hosting\live mixing for a large number of people. What version of Audiobus are you using? Audiobus 3 supports AUv3 apps and you could load NSK Studio in there. AUv3 is an iOS plugin format it always needs a host to work. Also, I can’t remember which iPad is the oldest that supports AUv3 I think iPad 4 maybe. You also have to be at least on iOS 9 I believe. Yeah, the Xkey Air doesn’t have the breakout. They took it off for some reason, I’m guessing they got sick of them breaking on people as it didn’t seem like the best physical connection.

    I need to get a busking act together but I’m not sure what I’d do. The few times I did it was accordion which has quite a lot covered, no cables, and no amp.

    1. I've hear of AUM but I don't have it. I have no idea what it does. It appears to do the same thing as Audiobus (I have the latest one, 3.1). I also don't know what AUv3 means. NSK isn't a studio, and it shows up as an "audio something" instead of IAA or and Audiobus app. I have an iPad Pro with 10.3. My computer programmer nephew says don't get 11. No breakout? I though it plugged into the charging port.... Hard to play piano without sustain! But it is small and light for busking schlepping. My main axe is tenor saxophone, and bringing that and an amp and the xKey and busking goodies is more than enough! Accordion is like sax - self contained, no need for anything else. I don't always use backing tracks, but the millennials like the Jazz improvisations that I play with the the current pop tunes as the "rhythm section." They don't know the Jazz repertoire.
  • edited September 2018

    @Skyscrapersax said:
    1. I've hear of AUM but I don't have it. I have no idea what it does. It appears to do the same thing as Audiobus (I have the latest one, 3.1). I also don't know what AUv3 means. NSK isn't a studio, and it shows up as an "audio something" instead of IAA or and Audiobus app. I have an iPad Pro with 10.3. My computer programmer nephew says don't get 11. No breakout? I though it plugged into the charging port.... Hard to play piano without sustain! But it is small and light for busking schlepping. My main axe is tenor saxophone, and bringing that and an amp and the xKey and busking goodies is more than enough! Accordion is like sax - self contained, no need for anything else. I don't always use backing tracks, but the millennials like the Jazz improvisations that I play with the the current pop tunes as the "rhythm section." They don't know the Jazz repertoire.

    Yeah, AUM and Audiobus 3 can kind of be used in a similar way. I don’t have Audiobus 3 as I just use AUM instead. So there are 2 Neo Soul Keys apps. Neo Soul Keys and Neo-Soul Keys Studio. The one in the picture on the right is Neo-Soul Keys Studio and that is the one that is AUv3 which means Audio Unit and it’s a plugin format that works inside a host like Audiobus 3, etc. My iPad Pro is on iOS 11 with no problems, but I don’t blame you for not updating.

    Yes the Xkey Air cannot use their cable that adds sustain pedal. I’ve thought about ways to add sustain, but it ends up more complicated and less portable so I go without it.

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