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.
Comments
I wondered it back in the day but nowadays I will keep myself just in the advice line.
There is some places selling kits and probably you will have more luck if you go the nearest fablab/hacklab and hire the regular technician there to perfom it for you.
Wise money wasted.
I was able to do a couple of mods with a lot of magnification and some luck. It's very tight quarters in there. If I had to do it over again I would have someone with real soldering skills (and proper tools) handle if for sure. I think it's worth doing. It's a great sounding drum machine IMHO.
I have the Beats, then got Bass, then Sample. I was psyched about getting the Sample, its more powerful than the Beats but I use the Beats by far the most. It has some great character. Put an AUv3 effect on it and its flaws dont matter so much.
Keys is my favorite because I have fond memories of it, but really it sounds quite crusty if you like that. The beats needs a bit of help put it through FAC Maxima, Transient and then maybe some Kosmonaut and it is a massive giant. The bass is okay, but the built in sequencer is nearly worthless unless you do repetive blip bleep music. Even then, the bass sequencer isn’t enough.
Just remember that the Volca sample is limited to 10 on-board patterns. And if you want to sequence it externally, you have to use up 10 MIDI channels (one per voice). Same if you want to sequence controls via CC. Also, note that you can't really play the sounds chromatically without hacks.
Not to take away from it—I love it. Just stuff that might be good to know going in.
And now you've reminded me of the same. Damn.
For $280... I think I can hold off. If it offered a clock out per channel with adjustable clock divider, I wouldn't be able to resist.
https://kvgear.com/products/vixen-mixer
I thought I saw not that long ago that people still don’t have these Vixen mixers yet. Still, I could really use a small form factor mixer with an effects send. I got a shelf from goodwill today and I’m going tomorrow to get one of those $4 tablet stands from IKEA (dropping someone off at Airport anyway) and I’ll finalize my “sit on the floor” Volca setup. 3 Volcas and an iPad 2.
Volca Kick is very underrated and unsung. Ive owned all the Volcas and its the only one I havent sold.
when the long awaited Volca toaster finally arrives I’llhave a new favorite for sure.
A burn filter is an excellent idea for a toaster. Could make millions
PDX --> IKEA == naturally
. Gotta sneak into the ground floor by the elevators to skip the whole 'spend 45 minutes walking upstairs past these couches and then back downstairs' nonsense. They were downstairs when I bought mine there anyway. Might even have some right by the registers.
And I hear you re: small format + FX send. And that one has two sends. I use panning to fake an effects send on my Boss BX-4 but it's definitely not the same experience. Then again, it was $20 bucks at Trade Up so... If I actually played out, I'd be able to talk myself into it.
Indeed. Specifically the RK-004 is the perfect accessory to the Vixen and a pile of Volcas. https://www.retrokits.com/rk-004/ Though you have to preset the clock division per output (or set it via software in semi-real-time)—it's not like having a set of switches. Still, the thing is just generally awesome. As MIDI thru box alone, where it's smart enough to detect what's coming and going and is happy to be a 1>6 or 6>1 or any variation therein... awesome. Then all of the additional features like clock division per output, analog sync in and out, internal clock, USB MIDI host... Want.
But then, suddenly, even without adding the RK-002 cable for the V.Sample and V.FM fixes, I'll have spent more on hooking up Volcas than I did on the Volcas themselves! Then I gotta get that sweet 3-up stand...
Funny isn't it how these little cheap synths can easily get so out-of-hand.
Does anyone here have any experience with the Volca Mix? Can they be chained to allow more than three Volcas?
They do get out of hand. I used to think the Volcas were really great, then I got an iPad for the same price as the 3 Volcas needed fewer cables, can do a lot more and started thinking iPad is much more suited for me. I still like the Volcas they are a different experience.
I’ve seen people with 5-6 Volcas and two Volca Mix. Didn’t catch how they chained them, but there were no other mixers. I’d buy one for $50-80USD but their price is kind of way off on that one.
I am still amazed when I watch a Tony Horgan video. This guy really knows how to do a proper dawless performance with just a bunch of Volcas.
One thing about the Volcas: they're "messy" compared to the streamlined experience of a single touchscreen (i.e. iOS) .. however there's a built-in soul / grit / x-factor in the Volcas that I've never heard replicated no matter what application of software / plugin / app may be. Volcas aren't for everyone and they require cables and power ..they're limited and so on But (big "but"): they're also totally magical.
I've had a hardware analog monosynth for a couple weeks (to better learn with) and... I have to agree, and say that I wish I'd have bought a couple of select pieces earlier in my life. I can also see how it'd be easy to go crazy and end up with keyboards, racks and cables everywhere.
For anyone buying Volcas, I'd also suggest looking at a Micromonsta as a complimentary piece of hardware. I myself went with one analog synth and one external digital synth/MIDI controller for hardware and will rely on iOS and my PC for the rest. I could see myself getting one more small analog or hybrid in the future... Volca or otherwise. Though I'm tempted by the Micromonsta, I think I have enough softsynths to survive without it.
i used to love his demos. he really tames the volcas nicely.
I have only had the bass. Hated it, returned it.
I might have just been dissapointed it couldn't do acid (the resonance doesn't scream, at all) since that seems to be how it was presented.
Seen rumors on the GS forums of a new analog volca coming at NAMM in 2019.
Hmmm, what’s left to do ... Volca MODular?