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.

Will android ever catch up with iOS for music?

As above. I've fallen out of live with Apple and the new iPads sealed it. It's just all too pricey and android had much more choice. I know latency was always an issue but what do you reckon ?

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Comments

  • I highly doubt it will, ever. Latency being just one reason, fragmentation (or choice) another. Then, the market for music apps is tiny as well so from a dev point of view going Android doesn't make much sense especially if you're just a small team or single dev.

  • edited November 2018

    I doubt it'll happen quickly :/

    Then again, things do move quickly with technology. Google or Amazon or another of the titanic corporations will inevitably offer a really good product at some point and tip the scales with a nefariously effective marketing campaign. If the hardware's good and they address the various reasons why we didn't all jump ship yet, the software's bound to follow the trail of people.

    Apple will strike back though.

    Ebbs and flows like LFOs.

    I was wondering the other day how much money the 'white headphones' decision has made Apple. Stroke of genius.

  • @TheDubbyLabby said:
    Stagelight.

    Except that Au don’t exist in android

  • @tomato_juice said:
    I doubt it'll happen quickly :/

    Then again, things do move quickly with technology. Google or Amazon or another of the titanic corporations will inevitably offer a really good product at some point and tip the scales with a nefariously effective marketing campaign. If the hardware's good and they address the various reasons why we didn't all jump ship yet, the software's bound to follow the trail of people.

    Apple will strike back though.

    Ebbs and flows like LFOs.

    I was wondering the other day how much money the 'white headphones' decision has made Apple. Stroke of genius.

    I'd look at it like this:
    Amazon is making devices in order to sell you stuff
    Google is making devices in order to to get your data
    Apple is making devices in order to sell just them - completely different game

  • @ka010 said:

    @tomato_juice said:
    I doubt it'll happen quickly :/

    Then again, things do move quickly with technology. Google or Amazon or another of the titanic corporations will inevitably offer a really good product at some point and tip the scales with a nefariously effective marketing campaign. If the hardware's good and they address the various reasons why we didn't all jump ship yet, the software's bound to follow the trail of people.

    Apple will strike back though.

    Ebbs and flows like LFOs.

    I was wondering the other day how much money the 'white headphones' decision has made Apple. Stroke of genius.

    I'd look at it like this:
    Amazon is making devices in order to sell you stuff
    Google is making devices in order to to get your data
    Apple is making devices in order to sell just them - completely different game

    I kind of agree with the first 2 points, but Apple want you buying content too! And they want your friends and family climbing aboard...

  • @tomato_juice said:

    @ka010 said:

    @tomato_juice said:
    I doubt it'll happen quickly :/

    Then again, things do move quickly with technology. Google or Amazon or another of the titanic corporations will inevitably offer a really good product at some point and tip the scales with a nefariously effective marketing campaign. If the hardware's good and they address the various reasons why we didn't all jump ship yet, the software's bound to follow the trail of people.

    Apple will strike back though.

    Ebbs and flows like LFOs.

    I was wondering the other day how much money the 'white headphones' decision has made Apple. Stroke of genius.

    I'd look at it like this:
    Amazon is making devices in order to sell you stuff
    Google is making devices in order to to get your data
    Apple is making devices in order to sell just them - completely different game

    I kind of agree with the first 2 points, but Apple want you buying content too! And they want your friends and family climbing aboard...

    Obviously, but what's wrong with that? Just wanted to make a point about Google/Amazon having completely different business models so comparing them to Apple doesn't make much sense in my mind, especially when it comes to creative niches like music apps. I highly doubt anyone at Amazon or Google gives a shit about any of this.

  • @ka010 said:

    @tomato_juice said:

    @ka010 said:

    @tomato_juice said:
    I doubt it'll happen quickly :/

    Then again, things do move quickly with technology. Google or Amazon or another of the titanic corporations will inevitably offer a really good product at some point and tip the scales with a nefariously effective marketing campaign. If the hardware's good and they address the various reasons why we didn't all jump ship yet, the software's bound to follow the trail of people.

    Apple will strike back though.

    Ebbs and flows like LFOs.

    I was wondering the other day how much money the 'white headphones' decision has made Apple. Stroke of genius.

    I'd look at it like this:
    Amazon is making devices in order to sell you stuff
    Google is making devices in order to to get your data
    Apple is making devices in order to sell just them - completely different game

    I kind of agree with the first 2 points, but Apple want you buying content too! And they want your friends and family climbing aboard...

    Obviously, but what's wrong with that? Just wanted to make a point about Google/Amazon having completely different business models so comparing them to Apple doesn't make much sense in my mind, especially when it comes to creative niches like music apps. I highly doubt anyone at Amazon or Google gives a shit about any of this.

    I get that they have different goals, but technology keeps on doing new stuff. I figure that some future, affordable product that's been made for the masses will have the goods, even if it hasn't been made with music software in mind. It's happened with iOS, for instance.

    I'm not against you.

    I don't think they give a shit either. They just need the numbers to get bigger, year on year...

  • I can't answer the question, but as a developer Android trails at the bottom of the list of platforms I'd consider supporting. Absolutely no interest in even testing the waters.

  • What about this Superpowered Media Server thing, is that any good?

  • Perhaps a dream or joke.
    Certainly not a chance or reality.
    Which Android device is the hope?
    Dev need to test 50 or UI is broke.

    No.

  • I get that they have different goals, but technology keeps on doing new stuff. I figure that some future, affordable product that's been made for the masses will have the goods, even if it hasn't been made with music software in mind. It's happened with iOS, for instance.

    I'm not against you.

    I don't think they give a shit either. They just need the numbers to get bigger, year on year...

    If only things were that simple... the thing is that no platform just magically works well for audio, it's a lot of work to make that happen. It's no accident iOS works so well either since it's audio stack is derived from OSX where they traditionally have put a lot of effort into catering to creatives and audio professionals especially.

    If it wasn't for that I'm not so sure iOS audio would be what it is.

  • It's not that music app developers haven't tried.
    I remember a time when development activity related to music apps seemed to be more noticeable than now, and there's been a number of quite nice incarnations like Audio Evolution (coming from Android originally), G-Stomper Studio (one of the few still actively developed), Stagelight, FL Studio Mobile, Caustic, SPC, SunVox, Jasuto ...

    I've heard different voices from developers coding for both Android and iOS, but if I had to conclude, I'd say that sales revenues haven't justified the effort supporting the zoo of different mobile devices, Android versions and what all the different phone and tablet manufacturers thought would be a good idea to additionally hack into their own breed of Android.

  • edited November 2018

    If you don’t like the latest devices, I’m someone who thinks that glass backed phones and Face ID iPads are a huge mistake, then don’t buy them. The 2017 iPad pros are beautiful devices and they will be sold for at least another 5 years and supported for even longer.

    Android devices may boast more powerful technology but I’ve not had much success having an Android device work well after more than one year. For whatever reason the OS just becomes a laggy buggy glitchy mess, likely because of the disconnect between the hardware manufacturers version of the UI and the google OS itself, (e.g. Samsung touchwiz)

    Privacy and identity theft is another serious concern with Google and it’s poorly regulated app market

  • @ka010 said:

    I get that they have different goals, but technology keeps on doing new stuff. I figure that some future, affordable product that's been made for the masses will have the goods, even if it hasn't been made with music software in mind. It's happened with iOS, for instance.

    I'm not against you.

    I don't think they give a shit either. They just need the numbers to get bigger, year on year...

    If only things were that simple... the thing is that no platform just magically works well for audio, it's a lot of work to make that happen. It's no accident iOS works so well either since it's audio stack is derived from OSX where they traditionally have put a lot of effort into catering to creatives and audio professionals especially.

    If it wasn't for that I'm not so sure iOS audio would be what it is.

    I hear ya. I'm an impractical idealist, was my reasoning.

    So, no hope for Android music then! I'm pretty deep into iOS/OSX anyway. Apple tax for life...

  • edited November 2018

    @BiancaNeve said:

    @TheDubbyLabby said:
    Stagelight.

    Except that Au don’t exist in android

    How could we done music before that? :trollface:
    Monolithic apps such samplr aren’t AU and these are instruments, right?
    We don’t need the same techonology in Android than iOS. In fact we don’t need VST neither... these were technologies for a moment in time (being Audiobus a solution built over the solid foundation of OSX into iPhoneOS/iOS).
    We are pursuing the same path like old computers (windows) once again so we need more ram, more cpu, more... mmm no. I can do music just with one app at time, thanks.

    Why Android should go that route? It doesn’t... but anyways I see Apple lost in track to just sell phones and due market evolution seems the only way to go for them now they are lost in content creation (and control) which Steve Jobs made a value difference from its competitors. Maybe Adobe Photoshop is the revamped strategy but audio isn’t future... it’s video content (and big data probably when someone find the proper approach).

    Back on topic... OP wants to make music like iOS (performance) on the cheap (with Android) so Stagelight (and the others mentioned like Caustic) are the answer. Not the same, not so many options, not so expensive neither.

    My advice aside that will be standalone hardware which probably will be monolithic tools also.
    Different advice for iOS developer which obviously will be AUv3/monolithic but due its context and for different reasons. AUv3 for the madness I point; monolithic to keep the trust from your users... until Apple wrecks it all and then, standalone hardware.

    Examples such MpcLive or Roli Seaboard grand using embedded devices are the best tool but at this moment of time it’s hard to make a decision between
    the future iPad Pro (with usb-c) with full AUv3 ecosystem.
    the present iPad/iPhone with monolithic apps (gadget, stagelight, loopyHd...)
    the past old macs with the best of that two (and AUv3 from iOS coming in the future) but probably outdated (old old) or ultraexpensive (new olds like mac mini 2018)

    Time again for my Apple chart...

    :trollface:

  • @TheDubbyLabby said:

    @BiancaNeve said:

    @TheDubbyLabby said:
    Stagelight.

    Except that Au don’t exist in android

    How could we done music before that? :trollface:
    Monolithic apps such samplr aren’t AU and these are instruments, right?
    We don’t need the same techonology in Android than iOS. In fact we don’t need VST neither... these were technologies for a moment in time (being Audiobus a solution built over the solid foundation of OSX into iPhoneOS/iOS).
    We are pursuing the same path like old computers (windows) once again so we need more ram, more cpu, more... mmm no. I can do music just with one app at time, thanks.

    The plugin/host concept is not just a random iOS fluke, it's a maturity stage that all "serious" music platforms reach at some point. There's no reason to choose a step backwards in time and a subpar user experience, unless you really hate iOS or never need more than one app at a time (which a very rare workflow nowadays).

    Especially since (at least on iOS) a host + plugins is demonstrably more resource/cpu friendly than running multiple standalone apps in parallel (and that's not even touching on the obvious advantages of seamless synchronization, MIDI communication, state saving etc.).

  • I'd say Windows touch tablets have more potential for iOS app conversions as obviously there's already tonnes of compatible software which just needs to get more touch friendly over time and the market is already there.

  • edited November 2018

    @brambos said:

    @TheDubbyLabby said:

    @BiancaNeve said:

    @TheDubbyLabby said:
    Stagelight.

    Except that Au don’t exist in android

    How could we done music before that? :trollface:
    Monolithic apps such samplr aren’t AU and these are instruments, right?
    We don’t need the same techonology in Android than iOS. In fact we don’t need VST neither... these were technologies for a moment in time (being Audiobus a solution built over the solid foundation of OSX into iPhoneOS/iOS).
    We are pursuing the same path like old computers (windows) once again so we need more ram, more cpu, more... mmm no. I can do music just with one app at time, thanks.

    The plugin/host concept is not just a random iOS fluke, it's a maturity stage that all "serious" music platforms reach at some point. There's no reason to choose a step backwards in time and a subpar user experience, unless you really hate iOS or never need more than one app at a time (which a very rare workflow nowadays).

    This is opinable and of course there is a reason, exactly what you pointed. The other part hate is what I started to experience due to that maturity which into my eyes is a no sense when all those wonderful apps start glitching. I can go with that at home but it’s totally unnaceptable for live gigs which was my main motivation to go full iOS. Now due to that maturity I trust more on my old iPhone4 with NS1 than my iMini4 with AUM or even monolitihic apps like Launchpad app. Obviously some apps keep some faith in me like LoopyHD or Stagelight (atm) but I see all of them as experimental due the platform. For job I bought a mac mini once again and I’m looking into standalone keyboards for those moments where high sierra or iOS12 will wreck on stage (never felt that on Snow Leopard or skeumorphistic iOS but these times are history).

    Especially since (at least on iOS) a host + plugins is demonstrably more resource/cpu friendly than running multiple standalone apps in parallel (and that's not even touching on the obvious advantages of seamless synchronization, MIDI communication, state saving etc.).

    That’s the point... I don’t want parallel apps, I want Mainstage for iOS. That’s why Gadget has so many users (but I’m not one of them because don’t covers my needs). I didn’t buy Sampletank because I had Mainstage hijacked in my icloud account and Apple never port it. Garageband is nice but not a true replacement so yes, I hate feel deceived with iOS for Apple itself as audio platform. I use it because there isn’t better in bangforbuck terms and stability but that perception has starting to change from both sides (IMO)

    Obviously as I stated other times I don’t have any of your apps so I’m no pointing to you or any other AUv3 developer. I understand your point and I hope you can understand mine.
    I loved the promise from Apple but I don’t believe it and prices can’t be justified from the platform itself (iOS). I will go 100% for standalone workstation before any iPad pro as music tool. Stability, performance and (the worst part) price as points. For one grand I can buy a workstation... that’s why I pointed it from my particular POV as a amateur>pro musician and why Android doesn’t needs to follow the same path as Apple. In fact Apple should deliver the ARM macOS or whatever they have in mind before the next summer since they have the hardware ready (actual iPad pro) but the software isn’t pro from performance and price talking about iOS and about policies for apps... but it isn’t their focus neither. Logic at 1/4 of the DAW competence, Mainstage at iOS app price range (gadget is more expensive in fact)... Apple sell dongles from ccks to iDevices and macs themselves. Maybe the photoshop demo is a sunray of hope but again not at that hardware prices.

    I hate iOS Apple strategy but I feel sad for the developers. Such amazing talent so little reward and as days gone hardware more and more expensive...

    That’s what truly doesn’t makes any sense into my eyes.

  • A friend gave me his iPad Air with a cracked screen. I used the iPad with the broken screen for 2 years. The glass got progressively worse, to the point of registering false touches all the time. I then bought new glass for $20 on Amazon, installed and continue using the iPad. It works great! It is a little slow, but by experience still more reliable then a newer more expensive Android.

  • Just looking at Amazon/Ebay/Craigslist there is a huge variety of recent iPads that are super powerful available anywhere from $150-$500. Also you can buy a brand new iPad for $300 from Apple directly. As a rule of thumb tho I find buying a used high end better then a new low end. I have never bought a new car, and feel no need to. I am not chasing the new shiny. I am chancing the practical, useful, gets it done for a reasonable price kind of car... I drive a luxury car (mind you it is 20 years old). For the price I payed for it I can't dream of driving a new tin can!

  • In my opinion, while the Android is less suitable for music creation, it has some great apps. FL Studio Mobile and Caustic were my weapons of choice back when I tried to use an Android phone to make music.

    The fault however lies in most of the Android devices themselves. Unless you shell out mad stacks for a high end Samsung tablet, chances are the device you use will have a multitude of issues. Fun for a "youtube challenge" video (i.e. the "Make a track on the shittest Android device" challenge), but not for serious work.

  • edited November 2018

    @Carnbot said:
    I'd say Windows touch tablets have more potential for iOS app conversions as obviously there's already tonnes of compatible software which just needs to get more touch friendly over time and the market is already there.

    Agree. Now that Windows is running on ARM, it's just waiting for more powerful processors. The only thing WIndows needs is more audio devs. Somehow I doubt if that's gonna happen. Most devs moved to iOS, probably there is where the honey is. Also interesting to note is that the Appstore voor Mac OS is also not really taking off.

  • @brambos stated he will never go Android.
    So obviously the answer to the original question is ‘NO’.

    If Android ever catches up to iOS for music making, it will be entirely Apple’s fault. It doesn’t seem like Google is even interested in trying to catch up.

  • Piracy in Android is the problem... Well known among every developer out there...

  • KVRAudio is confident of porting SynthMaster apps to Android next year

  • Google's new Fuchsia project is a true real-time OS.
    Whether it makes it to market is a different story, but it has potential...

  • Products built on making revenue from collecting data and driven by ad dollars will only go so far when referencing the bottom line.

    Just my humble opinion fwiw.

  • No, I don't think it ever will. I've been hearing the same thing for nearly a decade and it's always been a joke.

  • @MobileMusic said:
    KVRAudio is confident of porting SynthMaster apps to Android next year

    I wish they'd start with an iPhone, first.

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