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.

SynthJacker

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Comments

  • @Carnbot said:

    @skiphunt said:

    There's lots scenerios where it'd be useful, but i'd mainly use it for sampling hardware first and sampling desktop synths to the ipad. Sampling an AUv3 you already own could reduce cpu in projects, or you could be sharing a project to someone who doesn't have the synth etc.

    If you just want to use an Auv3 as it is you already own, there's not a lot of point in sampling it, but maybe you could create a hybrid instrument with different synth sounds in the different layers for example :)

    (ok yeah you can layer AUv3, but not in one instrument like a sampler.)

  • McDMcD
    edited June 2019

    @skiphunt said:
    Let me make the scenario simpler.

    It's always (for me) about making life simpler which usually means less prone to crashing or extra workflow steps.

    Let's say I want to use the AUv3 synth DRC in Auria Pro. I can use Synthjacker to create up to 127 different midi controlled notes (as you say). Then, I can quickly import SFZ files into Auria (as you also say)

    Sythns seem to work well in AUv3's as is... My problems are with the big sample-based apps like iSymphonic and Colossus Piano. Anything that demands a lot of resources to function before causing my DAW's to crap out. That's why I sample them. To use less resource for a similar result. It's a personal imperative. When I hear what @ScottVanZandt was able to achieve sampling Apps into NS2 I'm jealous.

    Now, I've got these samples imported into Auria's sampler and ready to play DRC in Auria.

    You would have less control so you haven't had the problem I had (and some others that complain about the big sample based apps in their DAW's). @LinearLineman for example mines this technical frontline to make his complex projects and he's learned a workflow involving freezing the apps early to get a final product.

    Why would I do this when I can already simply use the DRC AUv3 synth in Auria without making any samples at all?

    Yes. Synths just work.... sometimes you can have 4-5 working in parallel delivering on the promise of AUv3 apps. You can never get several iSymphonic tracks using the apps. You always need to freeze along the way. But @ScottVanZandt's over on NS2 without even the ability to make an audio track... imagine that. Magic use of the technology.

    I get being able to combine several synths into one complex AUv3 synth. But, I can more or less do that already with just Chameleon.

    Up to 15 samples. Have fun. It's a toy for me that has some use cases. It's got a free vocoder inside for example.

    I'm not doubting there's great use to be had with Synthjacker.

    If you ever needed an auto-sampler it's the only choice for IOS. There's one on Mac OS and another in Windows but this is one is ours. Rejoice or ignore if you just don't need it.

    Otherwise, the developer wouldn't have created it.

    I'm sure he's bought a Tesla with the proceeds (not).

    It's just that I'm having trouble seeing how I can use it to benefit at all... considering I can just load up 3 or 4 (or more) synths in apeMatrix or AUM/AB3, etc. and have the result of a complex synth sound too. Where does the benefit of creating all of these extra sample files to import into another sampler factor in?

    I hope it's clear. Some apps use too much CPU or RAM and cannot function along side other apps or with more than one instance of itself (which is the implied benefit of making it AUv3). Slowly, people are learning that's not true for the "big apps". You can't even record Colossus "Brown Concert Grand" (the $56 IAP) in a DAW. Its just uses too much RAM and the DAW (as instructed by Apple's specs) kills it every time you hit play. Go figure. It can be loaded as an IAA too I think.

  • Also. Handy for sampling IAA synths to use in non IAA hosts like NS2. Or for avoiding using IAA apps with their lack of saving. You could always do the same manually, synthjacker can speed the process a bit.

  • @wim said:
    Also. Handy for sampling IAA synths to use in non IAA hosts like NS2. Or for avoiding using IAA apps with their lack of saving. You could always do the same manually, synthjacker can speed the process a bit.

    True but IAA's can only be sampled using an external "loop back (audio and MIDI) cabled" audio interface.
    It would be nice if the developer can add the right standard to allow sampling using audiobus or hosting IAA App's. Not a trivial update but it could insure another round of users invest in it. Audiobus is well documented for developers and our host helps with app developments.

  • Thanks for the explanation and info @McD @wim and @Carnbot I can see the value of it. Again, I wasn't putting it down or trying to decide whether to buy or not.... as I already have it. Just trying to figure out where it fits. And, although Chameleon isn't enough for some I'm sure... so far it's been plenty for me, toy or no toy. :)

  • Does this play back the SFZ files too?

  • Yep, I will be so happy if IAA sampling becomes possible using SynthJacker. Great updates until then but that was my real use case in buying this.

  • @eddielovesyou said:
    Does this play back the SFZ files too?

    No. You need to load the SFZ and samples into a compliant sampler app to hear anything.

  • @skiphunt said:
    Chameleon... so far it's been plenty for me

    It's very good at what it does and comes with some useful instruments for a lot of uses.

    I'm just chasing that "perfect piano" AUv3 instance and SynthJacker has helped scratch that itch.

  • Thanks guys for the helpful explanations, you beat me to it (time zones...). I haven’t spent too much time with Chameleon; it came out after SynthJacker, while I was busy adding AUV3 support.

    Anyway, SJ was originally intended for sampling HW synths (and desktop AU/VST plugins) using an audio interface with MIDI connectivity. Many people requested support AUv3 on iOS, which was only logical. There may be some areas where Chameleon is more capable or more straightforward. And in any case, SJ is not an instrument, but a utility app.

    I think SJ is especially useful when you need to cross borders between HW synths or desktop and iOS devices, but it is also a handy way to mitigate the heavy CPU requirements of some instrument Audio Units. With a capable sample playback engine it will be faster to play back samples than synthesize everything, so when you get your sound down with a CPU hungry instrument, just ”jack” it and use the samples.

    One goal of SJ has been to take the tedium out of making sets of multisamples, acquiring them and doing post-processing, file renaming etc. I hope to streamline that workflow even more with future updates (no details yet).

  • If SJ would be able to use Audiobus 3... would the sampling of IAA plugins be possible? Or is the IAA thing way deeper down the code of SJ?!

  • If it supported AudioBus 3 audio input, it wouldn’t matter what was feeding it.

  • I have done the background research on Audiobus and IAA support earlier this year, and decided against it (for the time being) in favor of other features. However, it has been a constant topic, and I know it is a feature some people want passionately. I'm not ignoring those requests... but I also don't want to make a premature commitment.

  • @coniferprod said:
    I have done the background research on Audiobus and IAA support earlier this year, and decided against it (for the time being) in favor of other features. However, it has been a constant topic, and I know it is a feature some people want passionately. I'm not ignoring those requests... but I also don't want to make a premature commitment.

    It could be very useful for NS2 users because that DAW cannot open IAA apps like Animoog.
    But I wouldn't assume it's easy unless AudioKit does a lot of the heavy lifting with some sample code
    to show the way. So, I can appreciate you continuing to evaluate the situation before setting expectations.

    Getting AUv3 hosting to work was probably really hard and that's a big win for anyone that bought the App in it's first version for external hardware only sampling. It's OK to charge for additional big features using IAP packaging too to pay the bills.

  • @skiphunt said:
    Thanks for the explanation and info @McD @wim and @Carnbot I can see the value of it. Again, I wasn't putting it down or trying to decide whether to buy or not.... as I already have it. Just trying to figure out where it fits. And, although Chameleon isn't enough for some I'm sure... so far it's been plenty for me, toy or no toy. :)

    One use I personally have for Synthjacker is to sample existing instruments for further mangling in Obsidian. For example sampling Ravenscroft and then bringing the piano samples in to Obsidian for additional sound design to create atmosphere pianos, or a more treated piano sound (lo-fi or filtered for example).

    Prior to Synthjacker's release I manually sampled the original Sopranotron app and created some pretty cool Obsidian patches from them:

    Soprano Obsidian instruments

  • i think this app could be very useful for deluge user. you can sample any synths, hardware or software, and import the samples to deluge. i'm glad i found this app, it will make my deluge even more powerful.

  • For a second I thought it was on sale😌❤️

  • Can Synth Jacker be used with GarageBand iOS? Thanks.

  • @AmpApps said:
    Can Synth Jacker be used with GarageBand iOS? Thanks.

    Only by sending audio out and looping it back in with an audio interface. Synth Jacker can only sample from device audio input or from AU’s hosted inside it.

    I sure wish it had Audiobus/IAA input. That would solve all this. And seems like it would have been much easier to do than adding AU hosting support. But that’s easy to say for a non-developer. :#

  • IAA is on its way out, but I’m planning something else for all us KORG apps and Thor users... probably in August, but no promises, as usual.

    AUv3 was hard, but not that hard after all. (Well, I’m lying... it was.) Testing with all the instrument Audio Units out there is harder (have to start requesting promo codes from other devs, or I’ll go bankrupt).

    Longer note duration has been requested, and I’m looking into it. That opens a lot of potential disk space issues, so have to be careful there.

    Nice to see people are using SynthJacker, keep the feedback and requests coming!

  • @coniferprod Thank you, that’s fantastic news! Looking forward to the update.

  • @coniferprod said:
    IAA is on its way out, but I’m planning something else for all us KORG apps and Thor users... probably in August, but no promises, as usual.

    AUv3 was hard, but not that hard after all. (Well, I’m lying... it was.) Testing with all the instrument Audio Units out there is harder (have to start requesting promo codes from other devs, or I’ll go bankrupt).

    Longer note duration has been requested, and I’m looking into it. That opens a lot of potential disk space issues, so have to be careful there.

    Nice to see people are using SynthJacker, keep the feedback and requests coming!

    IAA will be with us for years. And Michael is planning on making Audiobus work without IAA when Apple does stop supporting it.

  • @espiegel123 said:
    IAA will be with us for years. And Michael is planning on making Audiobus work without IAA when Apple does stop supporting it.

    I know, but I’m still hesitant to jump on the Audiobus, because I don’t think it would be easy to implement Audiobus hosting. I see how much work must have gone to AUM.

    But I hope you will find the solution for autosampling IAA apps I’m planning useful and fit for the purpose. Maybe even for other purposes as well.

  • Glad to see you (again), Jere :)

  • @MrBlaschke said:
    Glad to see you (again), Jere :)

    Thanks, you too - I was busy with work in May-June, but now on holiday. Hope to get some music done. Or some utility development. Or sound design. We’ll see about that... maybe I’ll just rest?

    And thanks again for helping me troubleshoot SynthJacker; both you and McD were really active and helpful. Appreciated.

  • @coniferprod said:

    And thanks again for helping me troubleshoot SynthJacker; both you and McD were really active and helpful. Appreciated.

    It's a great tool! I really want longer sample times. Let me worry about how I use disk space. I can
    use other tricks to address total run times like doing one layer at a time. NS2 only uses 3 layers so
    I want more natural strings and longer samples beats looping to sound like an orchestra.

    Otherwise, I have to go back to doing it by hand. How about 20 seconds in an update? and limit the total sample time allowed to something like 15 minutes or less to reduce your testing effort. Or declare settings above some limit experimental but let use set them anyway.

    This is for those of us that want to make film music using NS2 or AudioLayer.

  • wimwim
    edited July 2019

    @coniferprod said:

    @espiegel123 said:
    IAA will be with us for years. And Michael is planning on making Audiobus work without IAA when Apple does stop supporting it.

    I know, but I’m still hesitant to jump on the Audiobus, because I don’t think it would be easy to implement Audiobus hosting. I see how much work must have gone to AUM.

    But I hope you will find the solution for autosampling IAA apps I’m planning useful and fit for the purpose. Maybe even for other purposes as well.

    Audiobus hosting? What do you mean my that? No one is asking for some kind of ability to host Audiobus within SynthJacker if that’s what you mean. And I really don’t understand how that in any way relates to AUM?

    What is being requested is for the ability for SynthJacker to be hosted within Audiobus so that SynthJacker can accept audio input from Audiobus.

    Just about every audio app there is has Audiobus compatibility. It’s nowhere near the scope of something like AUM in terms of development. There’s an SDK, excellent documentation, and a developer forum to get help. I’m not an iOS developer, but I’ve read most of the documentation and it seems a hell of a lot more straightforward than hosting AU’s internally as you’ve already done (and which you wouldn’t have had to do if you had done AudioBus). Lower maintenance too because if Apple breaks Audiobus, or changes AU specs, it’s @Michael’s problem, not yours.

    I’m in no way telling you how to do your job. It just seems like maybe you’ve misunderstood what Audiobus capability is. If not, then I can’t fathom why it wouldn’t be seen as a fantastic way to open up SynthJacker to the widest range of app inputs and hardware inputs with the least amount of work and maintenance to you.

    Sorry, none of my business maybe, but I had to say something. Hope you don’t mind ... no response needed. -cheers.

  • @coniferprod what is it you have planned for Korg users? I have korg gadget because I like the instruments, but I don't like the workflow. It would be really nice to sample gadgets with Synthjacker.

  • edited July 2019

    @fattigman said:
    @coniferprod what is it you have planned for Korg users? I have korg gadget because I like the instruments, but I don't like the workflow. It would be really nice to sample gadgets with Synthjacker.

    If you have external MIDI interface, what you can do is connet it's OUT back to IN .. choose that interface as input in Gadget ... then in Synthjacker choose "external instrument", choose that midi interface .. load Gadget into something like Audioshare and you can sample ;-)

    if you have external soundcard with bodh midi and audio in/out, then it's even simpler - same way as MIDI connect also souncard output back to input and now you can use just Synthjacker ..

  • @wim said:
    What is being requested is for the ability for SynthJacker to be hosted within Audiobus so that SynthJacker can accept audio input from Audiobus.

    I may have thought about it the wrong way around or something; the way I envisioned is I need SJ to drive the IAA instrument with MIDI and capture its output. Guess I could check it again and rethink.

    I have read the Audiobus SDK docs, it just did not seem to click with that use case, but I could be wrong!

    Obviously AUv3 is the Apple sanctioned way for instruments and effects, and while I have high respect for Audiobus, it’s far more likely than AU to take a hit if Apple changes something. The whole IAA deprecation thing does give the idea that Apple does care about long-term stability. Even AUv3 is only, what, 3-4 years old (yes there were v2 and v1 but no app extensions), and it’s only now starting to take off.

    I took a long technical look at Audiobus last spring, even up to integrating the SDK into SynthJacker, but maybe I just didn’t get it.

    I really appreciate that you took the time to write about this. I hope I can rethink it and see what Audiobus support would really require. That will take some time, of course.

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