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.
How many would invest $$ on VCV Rack for iOS?
I just came across an interesting discussion from last year on Github, about the prospect of porting VCVRack to iOS. Andrew Belt mentioned that he'd consider it if it could bring in enough extra money to support the effort. (25-30k) .. A few other devs said they'd contribute.
They discussed some of the pros and cons and one of the concerns Andrew mentioned is that he thinks the iOS market might be too crowded to be able to compete with the likes of Audulus 3 , etc. I would love for the iOS music community to convince him otherwise, unless he's not wrong?
I have a feeling a large number here would invest $20 or more, in a heartbeat, including most audulus users. Just wondering what you all think? .. There are some decent modular synths on iOS already, but nothing that quite nails the eurorack feel like VCV or Softube. If they did port it, I think they'd want to keep the base app free and sell the expansion modules, like they do on the PC version. How much do you think they'd generate in IAP sales?
Any thoughts?
Here's the relevant thread:
https://github.com/VCVRack/Rack/issues/207
Comments
Hell yes. I'd invest $100 just to have the Mutable stuff.
As much as I liked that in my case, it had to go to make room. I always planned to get an Organelle for that purpose but never got round to it. So VCV on iOS would make me very happy.
Yes, yes, yes.
I feel ya, it's one of the few that I would pre-order if i could -- I could easily see myself being a collector, overspending on modules
... Only thing that has kept me back from buying into the PC version is that I'm already invested in Softube Modular, but it'd be a dream system to have on iOS. The platform is certainly powerful enough for it, as efficient as the code is. (can't say the same of Softube)
Is this something like the eurorack modular stuff from softtube? I think 30€ will be loose without an blinking of an eye.
But this thread you linked is an old one
I don't think he's working on it or even any plans yet, but the fact that he was at least open to the possibility has me thinking he could be swayed in that direction if he was to see the type of demand there would be.
price doesn't matter
Indeed. It's softube modular on steroids. For music production I happen to prefer Softube on PC since it's a VST and integrates with my DAW much more smoothly than VCV. (The former is much more CPU demanding but seems slightly more fat/analog sounding as well)
Softube is a more limited toolset than the mind boggling amount of modules available on VCV rack, but that helps me to stay focused on the music and not get too carried away going down the experimental patch rabbit holes.
I try to keep desktop time as focused & productive as possible and do the more experimental/fun stuff when I'm on iPad, which is one of the reasons I'm quite attracted to the idea of VCV being ported.
I am all in for that. I actually like the look of soft tubes version, which I don't own, but I recently discovered via twitter
I think something like this on iOS would only benefit the platform!
I dont think non ios musicians realize how wide spread appholism is in the community. Im sure that audulus wouldnt disturb sales too much.
Yes and it‘s also a strange thing since the area is much more crowded on other platforms.
I also would like to see VCV rack for iOS.
(But i still would prefer P900 first since it is more limited but sounds much better).
I would definitely support it.
I don't think it would compete with audulus. The whole point of VCV is to recreate the experience of the real thing, in many cases 1:1 clones. Audulus doesn't come close in that regard. Imo it would rather bring a lot more users to iOS, which is anyway the most convenient platform for such a project.
There are two types of synth lovers - who already invested in eurorack, and the rest who is thinking about it. This could be the entry ticket for the second group.
The success of someting highly depends on how it is done.
If VCV rack is going to be IAA and AUv3 and it's ported with modules that already include quite a bit of functionality so in order to build an average synth, you only need 3-4 modules, then I guess many people will not only purchase but actually use it.
If not, I foresee the same issue as with AnalogKit, KQ Mini, zMors Modular and Audulus: Most musicians are excited by the idea but they won't even start creating their own stuff because they're not ready to invest the time to learn the rather complicated details.
It's the little things that make software like such enjoyable even for the less patient.
For example:
P900 sounds like an interesting idea, given that it's coded for Mac already
But messages like this doesn‘t sound too good....
https://mobile.twitter.com/vcvrack/status/1045030469006499840?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^profile:vcvrack|twcon^timelinechrome&ref_url=https://vcvrack.com/
Just downloaded the Opensource app. Didnt knew that... and there goes my weekend.
Downloaded and added the mutable instruments stuff. wow, this on iPad would really make fun. I think all those patching stuff is awesome for touch interfaces
Depends really. F.e. as great as Model 15 is, it is terrible to use compared to patching my virtual modulars on mac. Of course Model 15 even offer no real multi-touch control (means just one parameter/knob).
Also Audulus get really fast out of control for me on iOS.
I find smaller a bit limited modulars would fit much better.
However, it seems there is a clear no to iOS yet for VCV from the developer.
Strictly speaking, thor is a modular synth too, and the way "patch cables" can be set is very nice to handle on an iPad screen. I prefer it a lot over Model 15 from the usability aspect.
I wish Michael can print some stats on the membership of AB’s forum.. It might give a gauge on the ‘consumers’ of iOS music apps..
I read the stats on how many downloads FL Studio/Ableton live gets.. it was like over 100m if memory serves me right.. Wish we can get some stats on iOS downloads..
Disclaimer.. maybe these stats are already available..
I'd definitely support VCViOS.
There already exists some limited iOS interfacability with VCVRack. I use my iPad’s RealVNC to build or edit on my PC’s VCVRack. Ableton Link was added to VCV last year.
I think including VCVRack to iOS is an inevitability.
I never patch from scratch on Model 15, that interface drives me absolutely crazy.
I could see VCV working very well on iPad if it was 1 row. It could potentially be better than Eurocrack form factor.
Id pay high prices, £50 plus. A bit of an irony really considering how VCV is mostly freeware compared with the usual low iOS prices.
The main issue is processing power, how many odules would it take for the crackles?
Talking Rackheads is a decent YouTube series for VCV tutorials btw.
That will depend on your iPad model and even more how well the code is optimized for the Ax CPUs.
Example: iMS20 is running very well with multiple synthesized drum voices on an iPad 1, iPolysix even has 2 polyphonic and 6 monophonic drum synths that also run on an iPad 1 so it really can't be an issue if it's done right.
Or take SunVox as another iPad 1 example.
PH thor does too if you don't go polyphonic.
I think iOS does pretty well considering people really struggle to run many voices of stuff like RePro or Diva on fairly powerful machines. I can run 4 Model D instances or 2 and one Model 15 at 256 samples.
VCV should do fairly well if optomized I think. I have noticed that if your pushing it in iOS (on the verge of crackle) meltdowns do seem to occur more often. Weird though that my iPad 2 seems more comfortable in the danger zone than my 9.7" pro.
What Dendy said.
What happens if i invest and it doesn't ever get made? I'm just giving some guy a tip for existing?
M15's biggest issue is the stupid skeumorphism! SOOOO much extra scrolling etc. because they had to make it look "pretty." M15's sound with a better UI/UX would be awesome.
Big fan of VCV here. This would need a fast ipad to run. VCV uses quite a bit of cpu but I would totally love to see this on ios.