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.

Connecting iPad and Mac with multiple devices (Ableton)

nevnev
in Support and Feedback

Guys,
I've been trying to find a similar issue on the forum but without success. The problem is that I would like to hook up some devices all together and work on iPad-Ableton connected environment. Before spending shitloads of money on new equipment I would like to ask you what is the best way to connect all together:

1) iMac with Ableton
2) iPad
3) Korg Kaossilator 3
4) Novation MIDI Keyboard
5) some additional midi keys while playing with a friend of mine
6) Currently I'm using Mackie Onyx music interface, but don't think it would be enough for equipment mentioned above.

The problem is that I would like to use my Roland software synthesizers in Ableton and some music apps on the iPad at the same time and recording whole thing in Ableton.

Would be great to hear any suggestions from you guys!

Karol

Comments

  • jrjuliusjrjulius

    If you’re running (I believe) iOS 10 and MacOS Sierra or newer, you should be able to do this with what you already have. Simply:

    1) Plug your iPad into the iMac via Lightning and open Audio/Midi. Enable the iPad and create an aggregate device (the little “+” icon on the left hand side) with the Onyx and the iPad.
    2) Plug the Kaossilator into the Onyx. Open Ableton and select your new aggregate device as the audio input. Make sure your keyboard(s) are enabled in Ableton’s midi settings (usually happens automatically)
    3) If you want to use multiple iPad apps simultaneously, it might be a bit tricky — all the midi will be coming in through “IDAM” so you’ll need to setup channel numbers on your keyboards and apps. I only ever use one app at a time so I can’t offer too much insight here.

    Ableton is really good at routing everything internally — just create midi tracks for the Roland synths and use the input drop downs to assign specific keyboards. Use the External Instrument device to route audio and midi to and from the iPad.

    Depending on the number of keyboards and what type of midi connections they have, you might need either a USB hub or a MIDI hub. But they’re cheap.

    If some of the keyboards will be generating their own sounds, follow the setup outlined above but also plug the keyboards’ audio outputs into the Onyx. If you run out of audio inputs, you can either buy a larger interface or a small mixer.

    I explained this at a high level and by memory, so let me know if any of it is unclear. Good luck!

Sign In or Register to comment.