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.

Ampify - We're back on Audiobus. Tell us your frustrations (and hopes)

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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    @AmpifyxNovation said:
    Hi Chaps,

    I'm back. Firstly a big thanks to Andy Plankton and Audi_iOS for the huge efforts to order the request that you guys have raised. This helps us so much.

    I noticed a question on the relationship of Ampify to Novation. I can answer this a long way...

    I joined Focusrite in 2006'ish. It had purchased Novation a few years earlier, and the company had pretty much gone bankrupt. At this time, Focusrite new that the world of music making was changing in big ways. However, it didn't know at the time how much synths would 'matter' in the future with the rise of electronic music. I become Head of Novations products in 2009'ish. Now, just about every Novation hardware product you see, I mostly lead, including the kinda big deal release of the Novation Launchpad. Yes, that was me performing the first videos back in 2009.

    It's hard to understate the impact Launchpad had on getting Novation back on its feet, and this in turn helped to fund getting synthesizers back onto the Novation roadmap. In fact, I started Peak and Circuit around 5-7 years ago. It takes a while to make innovative and awesome products. During this time I took the role as Head of Focusrite & Novation helping to introduce the current Focusrite Products you see today Scarlett / Clarett / Red etc and Also REDnet. However, given my musical background (see 'Introducinglive' / DJ Shadow / Daft Punk) and my fondness of the success of the Launchpad, we new we wanted to make music making software as a business. So 6 years ago, we started to build (slowly), a software team and out popped Launchpad for iOS.

    It become a huge success. However, one thing became immediately apparent. The majority of the users of these apps we're NOT the same customers as the Focusrite or Novation ones. Their needs and attitudes were quite different. As such, we needed for our apps to succeed, given a large paradigm shift in technology, and a different user we needed to separate the project off from the Novation and Focusrite brands and start to focus on the unique needs of these new customers.

    As you can see, there is a tension between our huge global new music makers and the more 'traditional' needs of the 'classic' music producer and creator. Ampify (the first attempt 'Blocs' met with a challenge) was the name and set of values we have chosen to tackle Music Creation Software for this 'newer' to music creation user. Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).

    I find it interesting, even from my own perspective that I soo WANT the iPad to replace my Macbook. However, it's still just not there yet. Our goals, are to make the right strategic choices (some of which are hard to make, and cost you guys features), but will pay off big time in the future, as we build things ready for that future.

    Ampify, is our software bet. We're getting there, but we don't have 300 people like Ableton, or 600 like NI ... yet. Also, we a super small team in a different place to the Focusrite and Novation Brands, and we have a lot more users than both of them put together. We know we need to connect with out users better, and somehow figure out how to deal with the huge volumes of customer communications and requests. We do need to get better at this, clearly.

    // Matt

    It’s a shame because I figured it by myself and nailed it. I used to be a big suporter of all (ampify, focusrite and novation) but these lack in comunication has made me lost all the trust even in Apple. I don’t see iPad as future anymore. I hope you continue developing products like circuit and keep alive blocs (the only app I use from you). I keep modifying launch series controllers for my needs but I stepped back and use Ableton/Mainstage and standalone hardware. Shame because I tried to share some ideas an help, shame because I’m going to start my own yt channel and most of content for your brand is gone, shame because it could be so different...

    Thanks for sharing and best wishes.

  • purpan2purpan2

    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

  • SpookyZooSpookyZoo

    I’ll wager that Midi will still be a huge piece of future music production, so would love to see Ampify apps get up to speed on that front. Cheers.

  • lovadamusiclovadamusic

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

  • purpan2purpan2

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    edited November 2018

    @purpan2 said:

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

    It’s deadly clear. 1.000.000 launchpad downloads mostly from non-advanced users drove by launchpad hardware sales which saved the entirely company after failing at advanced user market. Good choice IMHO since we are discussing (or regretting) for something done. We could look other companies and see how they gone...
    The point is that paradigm shift (call it post pc or whatever but mobile based) and how nowadays and future of music business (from composition to release) is becoming or has become.

    Midi even as iAP goes against that target so they know but they can’t. I will stop here due I don’t want to sound hater or troll. :expressionless:

  • Aud_iOSAud_iOS

    @AmpifyxNovation said:
    Hi Chaps,

    I'm back. Firstly a big thanks to Andy Plankton and Audi_iOS for the huge efforts to order the request that you guys have raised. This helps us so much.
    // Matt

    @AmpifyxNovation Thx, and thx Matt for sharing your story, impressive! I have to direct all credit to @AndyPlankton for organizing the thread suggestions. As for me, I just ordered my own suggestions into list form :)

  • purpan2purpan2

    @TheDubbyLabby said:

    @purpan2 said:

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

    It’s deadly clear. 1.000.000 launchpad downloads mostly from non-advanced users drove by launchpad hardware sales which saved the entirely company after failing at advanced user market. Good choice IMHO since we are discussing (or regretting) for something done. We could look other companies and see how they gone...
    The point is that paradigm shift (call it post pc or whatever but mobile based) and how nowadays and future of music business (from composition to release) is becoming or has become.

    Midi even as iAP goes against that target so they know but they can’t. I will stop here due I don’t want to sound hater or troll. :expressionless:

    You’re absolutely right, I guess. Disappointing for some of us here, but great news for the million people who like that sort of thing. Maybe there are a few downsides to the business plan, though. If Groovebox had preset saving I’d probably buy myself a launchkey for Xmas.

  • JohnnyGoodyearJohnnyGoodyear

    @purpan2 said:
    You’re absolutely right, I guess. Disappointing for some of us here, but great news for the > million people who like that sort of thing. Maybe there are a few downsides to the > business plan, though. If Groovebox had preset saving I’d probably buy myself a launchkey > for Xmas.

    There is/was obviously a table sat round as regards preset saving where a decision was wisely made for strategic reasons that seemed obvious (at least to the loudest voice at the table), but they were wrong.

  • purpan2purpan2

    @JohnnyGoodyear said:

    @purpan2 said:
    You’re absolutely right, I guess. Disappointing for some of us here, but great news for the > million people who like that sort of thing. Maybe there are a few downsides to the > business plan, though. If Groovebox had preset saving I’d probably buy myself a launchkey > for Xmas.

    There is/was obviously a table sat round as regards preset saving where a decision was wisely made for strategic reasons that seemed obvious (at least to the loudest voice at the table), but they were wrong.

    Not to worry, though - plenty of other apps that do have preset saving 😀

  • JohnnyGoodyearJohnnyGoodyear

    @purpan2 said:

    @JohnnyGoodyear said:

    @purpan2 said:
    You’re absolutely right, I guess. Disappointing for some of us here, but great news for the > million people who like that sort of thing. Maybe there are a few downsides to the > business plan, though. If Groovebox had preset saving I’d probably buy myself a launchkey > for Xmas.

    There is/was obviously a table sat round as regards preset saving where a decision was wisely made for strategic reasons that seemed obvious (at least to the loudest voice at the table), but they were wrong.

    Not to worry, though - plenty of other apps that do have preset saving 😀

    Absolutely! But you know how the heart is; it wants what it cannot fully have.... :)

  • AudioGusAudioGus

    I can totaly get where the apps are at and why. In the end there are seeds of ideas that other devs focused on hardcore users can build on or maybe in a few years Ampify will eventually cater to that crowd. Soon there will be the BM3/NS2 Coke/Pepsi war to look forward to.

  • KorakiosKorakios

    So,
    Ampify’s apps will remain as is and new ones for “advanced” musicians will come some time in the feature?

  • AudioGusAudioGus
    edited November 2018

    @Korakios said:
    So,
    Ampify’s apps will remain as is and new ones for “advanced” musicians will come some time in the feature?

    Yah, sounds like that is more or less the high level direction. Maybe Blocs Wave will get a flanger/chorus IAP (or would that take away from the Launchpad market? ;) ) or Groovebox gets... uhhh, more presets.

    LOL (I mean sob or rather SOB), compare the number of ratings on these two beat maker apps....

    All I can say is thank God for INTUA.

  • espiegel123espiegel123

    Thanks Matt - @AmpifyxNovation

  • lovadamusiclovadamusic

    @purpan2 said:

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

    But it answers the question why they'd be asking for feedback here. It's apparently not a top priority, but they want to know what more demanding users are looking for. It could factor into decisions in the future. Considering the answers here, some of us feel it's worth responding even though Ampify is primarily making apps for another market. Personally, I think that it being treated like some kind of scandal is silly, but we all have our own perspective. :)

  • purpan2purpan2

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

    But it answers the question why they'd be asking for feedback here. It's apparently not a top priority, but they want to know what more demanding users are looking for. It could factor into decisions in the future. Considering the answers here, some of us feel it's worth responding even though Ampify is primarily making apps for another market. Personally, I think that it being treated like some kind of scandal is silly, but we all have our own perspective. :)

    Not a scandal; a disappointment. Not even a big one, really.

  • KorakiosKorakios

    Thanks @AudioGus :)
    Will move on ;)

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    @purpan2 said:

    @TheDubbyLabby said:

    @purpan2 said:

    @lovadamusic said:

    @purpan2 said:
    So why did you start this thread by asking for feedback if you’ve already basically decided what you’re going to do? I can understand your position, but can’t understand why you keep asking us what we want ir you’ve no intention of giving it to us.

    He may not be back for awhile, so to relieve the suspense…

    “Our goals are to ensure that everything feels smoother and easier to user/make for this new customer, whilst at the same time adding features that are more advanced for the Innovators (You guys! and ourselves as we are like you!).”

    It’s too vague, I’m afraid.

    It’s deadly clear. 1.000.000 launchpad downloads mostly from non-advanced users drove by launchpad hardware sales which saved the entirely company after failing at advanced user market. Good choice IMHO since we are discussing (or regretting) for something done. We could look other companies and see how they gone...
    The point is that paradigm shift (call it post pc or whatever but mobile based) and how nowadays and future of music business (from composition to release) is becoming or has become.

    Midi even as iAP goes against that target so they know but they can’t. I will stop here due I don’t want to sound hater or troll. :expressionless:

    You’re absolutely right, I guess. Disappointing for some of us here, but great news for the million people who like that sort of thing. Maybe there are a few downsides to the business plan, though. If Groovebox had preset saving I’d probably buy myself a launchkey for Xmas.

    I hate to be right sometimes but I figured it time ago and start my new journey into standalone hardware. It’s Apple calling pro things that aren’t and funneling brands into its game... probably we are in these shift (almost numbers say that) but it doesn’t means there is no other choice. How to get personal profit to be happy inside the new wave or considering leave at all could be the true issue since we can’t change so much (it seems) but in any case we can choose where our wallet ends, almost.

  • AndyPlanktonAndyPlankton

    Hi Matt

    Glad to try and be helpful...hope it is useful in some way. Also appreciate you turning up here and asking us what we think and want...and thank you for being so open about how Ampify and the apps fit into the whole equation.

    With the wider 'newer music making' user base in mind, definitely put me down for the 'Awesome sampler thingy' in GB please .

    :) :)

  • ShabuduaShabudua

    At any rate, It’s a testament to Ampify’s development chops that, even though your apps are aimed at newer users, so many of us “innovators” still would like to use them, and take an interest in their continued development. Of course you have to go where the money is; I do hope you can find a way to add more pro features and make it worth your while. Maybe you need to charge pro prices for your pro upgrades, like, Korg-style prices. I’d pay it—as long as you don’t resort to the dreaded “S-word.”😝

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    @Shabudua said:
    At any rate, It’s a testament to Ampify’s development chops that, even though your apps are aimed at newer users, so many of us “innovators” still would like to use them, and take an interest in their continued development. Of course you have to go where the money is; I do hope you can find a way to add more pro features and make it worth your while. Maybe you need to charge pro prices for your pro upgrades, like, Korg-style prices. I’d pay it—as long as you don’t resort to the dreaded “S-word.”😝

    Or get revenue from the hardware since it’s exclusive partnershipping now it seems you are splitting from Novation...

  • SpookyZooSpookyZoo
    edited November 2018

    @AmpifyxNovation

    Congrats on the 10million app users. This does however highlight more than anything the improvements that need to be made to Groovebox in particular.

    A large percentage of your 10 million users probably own more than 1 Ampify app, but lets say for now that 1/3 of them own Groovebox.

    Round that down to 3million Groovebox users.

    Each Groovebox synth pack has 20 patches and 40 Patterns.

    Lets stick to the melodic Patterns available in Poly-8 and Minimon.

    Poly-8 has 13 packs, which = 520 Patterns.

    If I create just ONE song and include just ONE Poly-8 pattern.

    Odds are that I'm rocking a song with a melody shared by over 5,000 (THOUSAND!!) users! (3,000,000 / 520 = 5,769)

    Use just 1 Minmon Pattern and you're in a race to the copyright finish line with 9,375 others. Yep, NineThousandThreeHundredAndSeventyFive!

    So, Ok. Groovebox is a great place to start, kick off some ideas, but the piano roll is just so awful, trying to edit and personalise the track is just a horrible experience. Sorry, but it really is the worst piano roll on the store.

    The app needs to be better to make these ideas our own. The Synth sounds are great. Let us import/export midi. Save presets. Give us a better piano roll.

    Otherwise we're all just playing the same song.

    Cheers

  • SpookyZooSpookyZoo

    @AmpifyxNovation

    Any news?

    Any inkling of which requested features may eventually make it?

    Will 2018 remain a year of Bug-fixes only or will we get an X-mas gift of features rather than just the weekly soundpacks?

    Any plans for 2019?

    Fingers crossed for good news.

    Cheers.

  • sysexualsysexual
    edited December 2018

    weirdness. just take these apps down already.

  • ksoundksound

    Hey, @AmpifyxNovation

    It looks like a quick fix you could do to get your hardcore users back on board would be to add more Audiobus Remote controls, so that users can map midi to them through Audiobus. If you follow this thread, you can see what would be helpful in Blocs Wave:
    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/596896
    -direct access to each of the 8 pads, with the possibility of mute and solo
    -switching between scenes
    -it’s not in the video, but if you put a monitor on/off in there, it would make my life infinitely better.

    IMO, adding the Audiobus controls allows you to not have to deal with the MIDI and also gets directly to your pro customers.

    Sincerely,
    A user who wants you to succeed

  • mistercharliemistercharlie

    @ksound said:
    Hey, @AmpifyxNovation

    It looks like a quick fix you could do to get your hardcore users back on board would be to add more Audiobus Remote controls, so that users can map midi to them through Audiobus. If you follow this thread, you can see what would be helpful in Blocs Wave:
    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/596896
    -direct access to each of the 8 pads, with the possibility of mute and solo
    -switching between scenes
    -it’s not in the video, but if you put a monitor on/off in there, it would make my life infinitely better.

    IMO, adding the Audiobus controls allows you to not have to deal with the MIDI and also gets directly to your pro customers.

    Sincerely,
    A user who wants you to succeed

    That would do the job for me. Direct remote access to each slot in a Blocs scene, for example, would be fantastic. And if you could put a progress indicator in there so you can see the progress of the running loops, we could call it a day :smile:

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    I’m leaning towards exporting the loops and importing them into Stagelight.

  • JanosaxJanosax

    I think they will never add any feature we need to their apps.

  • gusgranitegusgranite

    @AmpifyxNovation said:
    So now is as good a time as ever to listen to your feedback here, and attempt to give some re-assurance that your investment in us has, and will continue to be a good one!.

    Anyway, I'm preparing myself for a lot of feedback. Please bear with me if I don't respond as promptly as I could.

    // Matt

    Hi Matt - this was a good first post to the thread! However, it was well over a year ago. I know you gave us a little history of the company a while back but it would be great to hear your response to the features requested. Have any made it into the roadmap? Any timelines? Should we be reassured that our investment has been a good one, as you put it? 😉

    Thanks!

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