How do you use Blocs Wave in your workflow?

chandroji

Happy new year to everyone! 😊

Because of the Christmas sales I grabbed Blocs Wave and some iaps.

I’ve never been in the loop based making music before so it’s a new playground for me. Always thinking using ready made loops is a kind of creating “fake music “ but some of my friends recommended to use also loops for the own creativity.

Anyway, I will give it a try to learn more about using loops and apps like Blocs Wave.

It’s interesting that all loops fits together even after changing tempo or root keys. I already had some fun using BW. 🎶

I’m curious how do you use BW in your personal workflow. Do you create whole tracks just inside BW or in conjunction with other apps? Maybe you export loops for using in other apps or you import only your own loops?

Do you think BW is a serious tool for a creative workflow or is it just a “music gaming tool” for kids who want to create some beats easy and quickly?

Happy to read some of your thoughts about using Blocs Wave... 😊

[Deleted User]

There are multiple workflow uses. I know Henny uses Blocs Wave a lot in his workflow.

I find it useful for recording synth or drum loops into via AB3, as it goes nicely into the output slot. And you can choose which of the 8 “blocs” to record into, which is useful for auditioning ideas. The loops can then be rearranged and chopped inside Blocs for exporting into your DAW of choice. Basically, it’s great for auditioning and then exporting synth/melody/drum combinations.

bounce

it’s a serious auditioning tool for my own files and a game in that I got gamed believing management of user files was going to get better.

LeonKowalski

I only „borrow“ some samples from the IAPs (which I find quite useful and versatile) and use them to enhance my tracks in Gadget or Cubasis.

robosardine

I use it for finding audio clips (to later launch in another app like Launchpad) from the rambling effects laden jam sessions that I have.

reasOne

I used it a couple times to record my synths and stuff into, it's petty easy and with ab3 you can record everything via the slide out side panel so you have no need to bounce between apps, however loopy replaced blocs very quickly lol
And ya I wouldn't ever use a loop that everyone in the world can buy for a dollar and use as well, but you could use it as a clip launcher for your own audio loops

AudioGus

I had fun recording in some synth jams and chopping them up for a bit. Not being able to record dry and audition with a basic reverb kept me from getting into it much though. Also, there did seem to be promised file management that just never apeared. Aparently they are working on some sort of (insert thing) that I guess goes over or unifies all their apps in some way but really if you are posting on this l337 forum you either too sexy for their stuff or will be soon enough.

oddSTAR

It's clearly designed for the mass market as it's super easy to get instant gratification and therefore it's the only app I've managed to get my kids interested in playing around with. It can be a little limiting and therefore frustrating for a serious musician like you might find around...here! That said, I have to admit I LOVE layering loops, have convinced myself there is a certain skill involved in making everything blend well, and these apps have a fun factor lacking in many others. I struggle with that "loops are cheating" mentality sometimes, but also believe only other music creators give a damn about that...casual listeners generally only care about the finished product so not sure it matters if you don't allow it to affect your self-esteem. I borrow sounds to embellish tracks in other apps (usually hits and drum loops), the FX in Launchpad are delightful, and yes, I may even shame myself and post some tracks built almost entirely in these apps one day. At least I will have finally finished soooomething...

audiblevideo

Take a sample and chop-record rearrange. Viola different rythm and texture from the same sound. Faster than chopping up in a DAW for auditioning ideas.

Great for little flourishes and vocal fills as well. I do spend way more time and $ in Groovebox

klownshed

I use it with my own loops to help with arrangement ideas. I break my track into 8 and/or 16 bar loops of drums, perc, synth lines etc and load them all into blocs wave.

From there I can jam arrangement ideas with my iPhone whilst I have a spare minute.

I find the interface to be conducive to quick little sessions and it makes it a doddle to chop up and rearrange my own loops in ways I’d not do as easily or quickly any other way. I export these rearranged loops for use later.

I don’t use the included loops other than maybe getting some drum or percussion ideas with the Discover tab.

I find the simplify and limitations of Blocs Wave actually help and make it fun to use. It’s basically a sketch pad. I use the scenes to sketch out rough sections and use the arrangemend ideas and flesh them out on my MacBook when I get the time.

Janosax

I find Blocswave really efficient to make sound material.

• you can use internal loops, some are very nice and inspiring.
• you can record any audio though Audiobus, that can be Gadget, BeatHawk, apeMatrix, AUM, any AU with Rozeta, or a microphone/output source...
• With Audiobus/AUM/apeMatrix you can add any effect in the chain.
• You can thanks to Audiobus/AUSendReceive or AB/AUM record Blocswave to Blocswave with effects too.
• You can easily thanks to Audiobus use any midi controller like MF keyboard, iFretless bass, Geoshred and control other apps.
• Same with KRFT, TouchOSC, external midi controller add some real-time automation to Blocswave recordings.
• You can use apeMatrix AU send receive in AB to minimize latency when playing apps (see presets below).
• You have a nice and musical slice mode with pads and snap to grid recording.
• You can slip samples for latency compensation.
• You can set key and tempo will match too, and the app also uses Link.
• You can also export to any DAW, launchpad and Ableton Live.

BTW, everybody uses loops. Most musicians when writing some linear stuff in DAW in fact mostly do some midi/audio loops of 2/4/8 bars. This is no different here with BW. And in fact loop creations is an art in itself. What can involve less skills for sure, is to simply use iaps loops without any external AB stuff involved or any modifications. But even that can be fun and artistic. Assembling loops together is in essence like mixing.

What I like with this app is that there is no timeline, but it’s still like a mini DAW. You focus on sound material. You will create for example a drum in Gadget using its midi sequencer. Then you can use various effects in Audiobus to make some variations of that loop and record results in Blocswave on first slots of different scenes. Same for basses with iFretless and Madrid, and keys with MF keyboard and leads with Rozeta, for example. You can do additional variations with Blocswave slice mode. When you’re done, a quick export to Launchpad will help you feeling what kind of arrangement can be done, in real-time. You can record LP audio output and put it in a AUM file player and do some stuff other that. Or you can export all individual stems from Blocswave and import them in any DAW/Ableton Live for arrangement or even Loopy for live stuff. What is cool is that AB/BW setup is light on ressources too, I find it easy and fast to do initial production process in Blocswave, then I can go in any direction.

Here are two cool advanced presets:

Audiobus/Blocswave/IFretlessbass/MFkeyboard/Gadget/AUSendReceive

Audiobus preset '-2BLOCADGET-': http://preset.audiob.us/5F91F3jptmjqEbQ

Audiobus/Blocswave/IFretlessbass/MFkeyboard/Gadget/AUSendReceive/apeMatrix/KRFT

Audiobus preset '-4BLOCADGETRIX-': http://preset.audiob.us/OQ1hJOSo4tA3ZWU

CracklePot

I use it to get some creative juices flowing, and to create a nice foundation on which to build on.
Then, I mute it out and check out all the stuff I added on top, without the BW track. I usually don’t keep it in once I have added enough elements to stand on their own.

So, I suppose I use Blocs as a point of departure.

Spidericemidas

@chandroji said:
Happy new year to everyone! 😊

Because of the Christmas sales I grabbed Blocs Wave and some iaps.

I’ve never been in the loop based making music before so it’s a new playground for me. Always thinking using ready made loops is a kind of creating “fake music “ but some of my friends recommended to use also loops for the own creativity.

Anyway, I will give it a try to learn more about using loops and apps like Blocs Wave.

It’s interesting that all loops fits together even after changing tempo or root keys. I already had some fun using BW. 🎶

I’m curious how do you use BW in your personal workflow. Do you create whole tracks just inside BW or in conjunction with other apps? Maybe you export loops for using in other apps or you import only your own loops?

Do you think BW is a serious tool for a creative workflow or is it just a “music gaming tool” for kids who want to create some beats easy and quickly?

Happy to read some of your thoughts about using Blocs Wave... 😊

I use BW a lot in my workflow. There are a lot of great sound packs available for it. I usually find some inspiration from just one or two loops, export them to Gadget, and build on them with my own stuff from there.

Also, I import my own loops and phrases into BW and use the sample editor to chop up and rearrange them, or to centre/sync one of my own loops from other apps with something I’m already working on in Gadget, by having BW and Gadget tempo synced with the ableton link function. Then I can use the slip function on my loop in BW to get the audio in time with my Gadget project, and then export that loop from BW to Gadget.

Handy stuff!

lovadamusic

BW and LaunchPad are fun to jam along with and to generate musical ideas. Many of the canned loops are pretty good. My use of the apps has fallen off, and I don't import or get too much into sample chopping and stuff. So for me just one of many novelty-type apps that make my iPad a cool device to play with.

[Deleted User]

@Janosax said:
I find Blocswave really efficient to make sound material.

• you can use internal loops, some are very nice and inspiring.
• you can record any audio though Audiobus, that can be Gadget, BeatHawk, apeMatrix, AUM, any AU with Rozeta, or a microphone/output source...
• With Audiobus/AUM/apeMatrix you can add any effect in the chain.
• You can thanks to Audiobus/AUSendReceive or AB/AUM record Blocswave to Blocswave with effects too.
• You can easily thanks to Audiobus use any midi controller like MF keyboard, iFretless bass, Geoshred and control other apps.
• Same with KRFT, TouchOSC, external midi controller add some real-time automation to Blocswave recordings.
• You can use apeMatrix AU send receive in AB to minimize latency when playing apps (see presets below).
• You have a nice and musical slice mode with pads and snap to grid recording.
• You can slip samples for latency compensation.
• You can set key and tempo will match too, and the app also uses Link.
• You can also export to any DAW, launchpad and Ableton Live.

BTW, everybody uses loops. Most musicians when writing some linear stuff in DAW in fact mostly do some midi/audio loops of 2/4/8 bars. This is no different here with BW. And in fact loop creations is an art in itself. What can involve less skills for sure, is to simply use iaps loops without any external AB stuff involved or any modifications. But even that can be fun and artistic. Assembling loops together is in essence like mixing.

What I like with this app is that there is no timeline, but it’s still like a mini DAW. You focus on sound material. You will create for example a drum in Gadget using its midi sequencer. Then you can use various effects in Audiobus to make some variations of that loop and record results in Blocswave on first slots of different scenes. Same for basses with iFretless and Madrid, and keys with MF keyboard and leads with Rozeta, for example. You can do additional variations with Blocswave slice mode. When you’re done, a quick export to Launchpad will help you feeling what kind of arrangement can be done, in real-time. You can record LP audio output and put it in a AUM file player and do some stuff other that. Or you can export all individual stems from Blocswave and import them in any DAW/Ableton Live for arrangement or even Loopy for live stuff. What is cool is that AB/BW setup is light on ressources too, I find it easy and fast to do initial production process in Blocswave, then I can go in any direction.

Here are two cool advanced presets:

Audiobus/Blocswave/IFretlessbass/MFkeyboard/Gadget/AUSendReceive

Audiobus preset '-2BLOCADGET-': http://preset.audiob.us/5F91F3jptmjqEbQ

Audiobus/Blocswave/IFretlessbass/MFkeyboard/Gadget/AUSendReceive/apeMatrix/KRFT

Audiobus preset '-4BLOCADGETRIX-': http://preset.audiob.us/OQ1hJOSo4tA3ZWU

So much dopeness in this comment. Thanks! 🙏🏾

1nsomniak

@WillieNegus you don’t need to quote a 200 line comment to leave a 1 line reply, just use the @ feature like this.

JanKun

@Janosax pretty much nailed it with his comment. Merci beaucoup pour votre éclairage, Maestro !
@chandroji make sure to check Henny's video. It might give you some ideas for new work flow with this awesome app.

[Deleted User]

I use it in the simplest way @Janosax pointed so no AB or IAA, sampling from external material (from pianos to beatboxing) and scenes used as somg parts. Exporting into DAW (Ableton, Stagelight, Garageband iOS...) or Live loopers for performing (GTL, Mainstage...) and that’s it.
I love use sample packs due it let me burn my old pc-based FM sample library and just restart fresh . Sometimes with my own additional material but mostly just rearranging loops with slicer and mad tempo blends (using samples out of their safe bpm range). Discover new musical styles mixing opposite or this will never fit styles is fun and creative IMHO and others HO just don’t worry me (I have the worst friends in Earth so I’m well trainned managing idiots dissappointment, dissapointment...

Simple, non-classical and totally straightforward.
Why?
Just a matter of goals and tastes.

dewbop

Thanks for this post. I’ve had Blocswave for awhile but never really explored it. This thread has already got me trying some new experiments.