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.

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Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

iOS DAW and workflow poll 2019

2

Comments

  • Yeah this was a tricky poll. I wanted to select multiple "DAW" apps. I definitely have been using AUM a LOT lately to inject things like Rozeta into Gadget. When NS2 gets audio tracks and FX automation I'll probably fully switch over to it, but until then I picked what's been working lately.

  • edited April 2019

    all my tracks usually starts as "chemists" work - i open empty project, hit play/record and then i'm just adding and adding and adding stuff - beats, bass, pads, leads, melodies, layers and layers of things...

    i don't make any significant edits in this phase - i'm just jamming, just if i record some wrong note i delete it, or copy some shorter phase few times in loop area - stuff like that...

    usually it ends as half hour jam where at beginning i have no idea where it ends..

    in 60-70% of cases i delete it then :) Just if i feel like there is any chance to ever push it forward, then i save it.. Most of them ends just like jams for fun, deleted at the end.

    After that, i leave it at least for few days untouched .. then i open it, listen to it - if i still feel it is worth to do "physicist" work - i'll start, otherwise i delete it..

  • Cool idea for poll, unfortunately, I would need multi answers in many ways I guess using a true hybrid set up.

    Summary.

    APPS HOLD MY SHIT TOGETHER.

    I run all my audio from MacBook and multiple pieces of hardware into interface and then iPad.
    AUM and AB with Twisted Wave/Audioshare/Audiocopy are my primary "DAW" actually.
    Loopy is used 99% time for my sets, practice, and composing.

  • AB3 for modular, StageLight as DAW (but couldn’t vote more than one )....
    If I could ,I would add ApeMatrix for super quick midi madness and GarageBand for sketching

  • I'm like almost everyone else, I need multiple radio buttons especially in question one! I am a tart for all of the different DAWs, but mostly write in NS2, AUM or Auria, generally starting off in the first two and ending up in the last. At this point wouldn't want to be without any of them.

  • @tk32 said:
    I agree that the poll could possibly be oversimplifying the complex variety of users and uses, but it still reveals some interesting statistics.

    What is becoming more clear (to me at least) is that there seem to be two clear schools of iOS musicians, which I will refer to here as the Chemists and the Physicists:

    • Chemists like to experiment. They mix potions and try unusual combinations. The process is often more rewarding than the end goal. These users seem to congregate around AUM, Apematrix and Audiobus.

    • Physicists like more precision. They prefer planning and structure, and view the creation process as the necessary work required to reach the end goal of a beautifully sequenced and mastered track. These users seem to congregate around BM3, Cubasis and NS2.

    I really enjoyed that analogy! :)

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • edited April 2019

    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

  • edited April 2019

    I dig the analogy by @tk32 too. Definitely more of a chemist (AUM) but working on becoming a physicist in iOS (NS2) but it's a lot easier to do editing on desktop and I love Ableton and Maschine and Max for Live.

  • @richardyot said:

    @aplourde said:
    @richardyot The problem with the poll is that you can only select one item! I always use a combination of Audiobus and AUM. AB for hosting IAA apps and anything I want to control or access with the slide-over control panel or AB Remote and AUM for more flexible bussing and stem recording.

    I know, obviously everyone uses multiple DAWs and hosts, I use AUM, GarageBand, Gadget, Cubasis and NS2 for composing/jamming/writing etc, but in the end everything ends up in Auria so for me Auria is the one app I can't do without, the others could be replaced. There isn't an option to create multiple entry polls on the forum, so I think the best thing is to pick the one app that is the most important to your workflow.

    Anyway the results so far are very interesting, and I'm curious to see how things will pan out over the next couple of days once everyone has had a chance to vote. AUM is definitely the leader (and that won't change) but I'm definitely surprised to see the results for some of the other apps.

    I guess you could have the first question repeated 2 or 3 times and the question: Do you consistently use a second app with that first app (i.e. at least 90% of the time)? Do you consistently use a third app with the other two apps (i.e. at least 90% of the time)?

    This way setups that are consistently used (such as my AB/AUM rig) could be tracked, but the results wouldn't be skewed with all the dabbling that most people do.

  • Have used AUM for ages but more recently enjoying BM3. Jamming is fun but for actual composition prefer BM3 Gadget and Cubasis

    Also use APEMATRIX. I'm guessing lots of us use multiple tools. Keeps it fresh and fun.

  • @Rodolfo said:
    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    Genre is an important consideration for workflow, but I disagree that it's impossible to create structure with a "DAWless" approach. The tools available can, absolutely, be used to create structure. That people don't typically use it that way isn't because the tools don't allow it, it's the stylistic choices / limits of the user. Rozeta, Fugue Machine, StepPolyArp, etc. can all switch patterns with remote control, so sections can be created and sequenced from a master source, or triggered on the fly for improvisation.

    Indeed for something like jazz where improvisation plays a large roll, the flexibility of a DAWless approach could be beneficial. But even more traditional forms could use this approach to experiment with structure. Obviously it's easier to set up a linear flow in a DAW, but if you want to do a strict Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Outro, it is absolutely possible (and pretty easy) to do - and it could be an interesting approach to try if you want to break out of strict structures....

  • Mainly Audiobus 3, Gadget, and Cubasis. I’ve been putting off AUM purchase but with current App Store sale ($14.99) and the results from this poll, I think it’s time to finally grab AUM... Does AUM save presets? Sessions?

  • Surprised by how few use stagelight, but I guess most people don’t limit themselves to universal apps like I do 😊

    Honestly though, it’s excellent and the devs are super responsive

  • edited April 2019

    @aplourde said:

    @Rodolfo said:
    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    Genre is an important consideration for workflow, but I disagree that it's impossible to create structure with a "DAWless" approach. The tools available can, absolutely, be used to create structure. That people don't typically use it that way isn't because the tools don't allow it, it's the stylistic choices / limits of the user. Rozeta, Fugue Machine, StepPolyArp, etc. can all switch patterns with remote control, so sections can be created and sequenced from a master source, or triggered on the fly for improvisation.

    Indeed for something like jazz where improvisation plays a large roll, the flexibility of a DAWless approach could be beneficial. But even more traditional forms could use this approach to experiment with structure. Obviously it's easier to set up a linear flow in a DAW, but if you want to do a strict Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Outro, it is absolutely possible (and pretty easy) to do - and it could be an interesting approach to try if you want to break out of strict structures....

    I’ve already tried, but it can take me ages to put together a standard rock song with the DAwless/modular setup. When I hear the music in my head I need tools to make it happen. I can write what I hear in just minutes in a DAW and add numerous arrangements, cut/paste sections, edit MIDI and quickly check that specific section. I honestly see no reasonable workflow for doing it in AUM with the tools available. It would be like traveling 1,000 miles in a bike to go some specific place. You’ll eventually get there, but it’s not the best vehicle choice. You should ride your car or even better, get a plane.
    Tools like Rozeta Particles, Scaler, Collider, Riffer, Autony, etc, etc are really great tools for generative music in a modular setup, and very fun to use, but I see no place for them in a standard DAW approach. What would I use Rozeta Scaler for if I can play any scale I need with my keyboard? Riffer for a heavy rock song? Hard for me to imagine when I can use my keyboard and play any note I want.
    I insist, the modular/DAWless approach at this moment is specific to a few music styles. I haven’t seen anybody making traditional styles with this modular approach. All videos and most music posted on this forum where AUM+generative stuff is used is specific to a few genres.
    I don’t have anything against the DAWless aproach and those wonderful new tools, as I said they are really fun to use (I own almost all of them), but they are not really well suited for a traditional DAW approach.
    Hopefully all this hype will generate new tools, new music styles, new paradigms and finally transform DAWs into more flexible tools, or modular setups to something more versatile for all genres, but we’re not there yet.

  • I> @Rodolfo said:

    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    I think that is a key variable.

    But I also agree with many posts above about the multiple select options.

    I do electric rock so, yes the DAW side, but i am using it as a performance tool, not recording, so Im in the pattern based DAW zone like Modstep, Gadget.

    But I get my chemist on a lot too, i use various chemistry setups to make samples for the DAW setup.

    With all due respect for getting a good discussion going, I am tempted to do a more complex SurveyMonkey for this.

  • @Multicellular said:
    I> @Rodolfo said:

    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    I think that is a key variable.

    But I also agree with many posts above about the multiple select options.

    I do electric rock so, yes the DAW side, but i am using it as a performance tool, not recording, so Im in the pattern based DAW zone like Modstep, Gadget.

    But I get my chemist on a lot too, i use various chemistry setups to make samples for the DAW setup.

    With all due respect for getting a good discussion going, I am tempted to do a more complex SurveyMonkey for this.

    I also use AUM and I love it, a wonderful app, very well designed, and extremely useful for quick jams and even for unbelievable complex setups. But it’s not a true DAW, it’s a modular mixer, probably the best one in IOS and something not available on the desktop.
    That’s why I say this is indicative of genre and not of DAW preference, I would not include Audiobus, AUM, apeMatrix, and even Gadget in the poll, they are not DAWs.
    If the question were “do you prefer a DAW or a DAWless aproach?” I bet that 90% of the DAWless answers would be indicative of a few specific electronic genres (and not traditional ones).

  • I just want to say that the discussions over the last few days and people here just talking about how they use what they use has been so enlightening. I definitely understand the forum better and who does what. I think @tk32 nailed it with the chemist and physicist monikers. I did not realize there were so many chemists but it makes sense now that I think about how people respond or opinions on different things.

  • @tk32 I like your characterization of the two camps. I’m all about learning about different aspects of music and sound. The traditional DAWs with Grid like structures do not appeal to me as I have an irrational aversion to scrolling grids as they’re associated with spreadsheets and bureaucratic office systems for me.

    I am not tied to any particular genre of music and make no attempt to create music in any particular style.

    Some days it will be trying to design sounds with a synth. Other times figuring out all of the ways I can use an effects app. Trying to automate a sound workflow with MIDI control while playing along to it.

    Try out various scales and non-western scales.

    Try to learn about an aspect of DSP or type of synthesis using a modular app.

    I attempt to incorporate vocals in music taking into account my limited skill in this area.

    Record audio samples and use them in various apps and contexts with no initial plans as to how this will work out.

    Tweak BitWiz codes to coax interesting sequences and learn how to tame them with effect apps so they’re less harsh and more useful and musically linked to other sound sources.

    If a particular musical idea is intriguing enough, I’ll try to develop it in to a song and even more rarely I will use a traditional timeline based DAW to create a song.

    I definitely like groove box type apps and the ability to layer and loop as I go.

    Develop ways to have workflows that are more efficient and effective in terms of control methods, audio routing, where to place effects in an audio chain. How to get various sounds to play nice and not turn into musical mud.

    Develop more convenient ways to incorporate my music hardware with iOS including developing a central MIDI controller to operate complex setups in a straight forward way so I can start to focus more on composition.

    My ability to create music in my head is pretty much zero, so I tend to try things out and make changes or adjustments in response to what I hear.

    Perhaps at some point I’ll acquire enough knowledge during my explorations that I’ll have a desire to focus more on creating coherent pieces of music than learning about various aspects and musical tools.

  • @Rodolfo said:
    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.

    I agree with you entirely but there is one use case that popped up recently.

    There's an "arranger keyboard" like model built around a couple apps that support
    song form arrangements:

    LumBeats iBassist has chord progressions and a PAD interface to call up sections in a Live context. iBassist serves as the "style" center and links to all the LumBeats Drum Apps (Rock, Future, SoftDrummer (trad jazz), Funk, Afro-Latin, Middle Eastern). The styles between bass and drums are coordinated.

    iBassist can output MIDI to 2 chord instruments of your choice with a few rhythm styles.
    So, you end up from iBassist controlling song structures for a 4-5 piece band Live.

    It also supports Live MIDI Chord in (like the Arranger Workstations) to allow for realtime
    chord progressions controlled by a keyboard player.

    Another Forum Member has pulled together a similar approach using NaviChords (on sale)
    which allows you to prepare chord progressions with song sections and invoke with
    buttons I think.

    Just for the record. DAW-less "Band in a Box" style use of the IOS systems. I understand
    Band in a Box is a very advanced execution of this approach but it's desktop/laptop only and
    they collect $100's in upgrades and add-ons overtime so an expensive if powerful approach.

    Jazz players seem to be OK with iReal Pro to drill the standards. iReal Pro can export MIDI
    so I'm porting into a real DAW is the right next step to build an arrangement from the real book chord charts.

  • I’ve got a degree in IOS Physics going for my masters. I’m about 2 semesters from my minor in Chemistry.

  • Some nice comments and approaches. Let me explain mine(s) and I hope it helps someone.

    Firstly I voted Garageband. I’m in the position to sell my iPad mini (and itrack dock) and maybe the mac mini will go too (but I’m wondering about macbook)

    I voted Garageband due musical notepad app (translates chords from incoming audio and creates bass and drum lines from the recorded material) so I can evolve musical ideas into songs. Call me a Phisicist this time. Yamaha’s Chird Tracker also plays a role in this workflow...

    Also I would like to vote Stagelight... but before BlocsWave. I use it 99% of time with iDevice (one of the reasons to keep an iPhone).
    Just build 4 sample basic structure chop/slice workflow or just as backing track for playing keys over it. Then export to Ableton to more physics... or Launchpad app for some chemistry before going Live.

    Another approach interesting for ephimeral composition (chemistry) but also suitable for bands (physics) is GroupTheLoop. It has the best of loopy plus the best of Ableton in chemistry/physics... since you have song structure live looping and Link.

    You can go straight or nuts. It’s up to you. Later you can export those into AudioShare and edit that on proper DAW.
    Soon it will be iPhone version so another nail in the iPad’s coffin.

    Finally I bought Digitech trio+ which has the chord recognition drum/bass algorythim from bandinabox (similar to apple’s music notepad) plus 5 song parts plus simple looper (1 slot with overdub). It lacks midi and proper export tools but for my needs it’s more than I need. 200€ costs new, I get it for 130€ includding fs3x footswitch companion.
    I also bought a tc-perform vk processor which has harmony tools and audio/midi incoming recgnition so keeps the harmony synced with the backtrack or keyboard playing. Another 200€ new at thomman. Loving it each single day...

    So I will go the iPhone route (maybe a big screen one like plus models), macbook (air?) and ditch the iPad and all the regular mess (cck and spaghetti...). Maybe buy something specific for iPhone (irig like), maybe a nektar footswitch for GTL but meanwhile I’m with trio+ stability and holy limitations. Call me a physicist again.

    Apple last years fails like cpu throttling and luxury prices like new macs made me consider leave the ecosystem. I will keep the minimum necessary until I find replacement. I even consider ditch Mainstage at this point. Too much hussle against a simple numa compact 2 which performs perfectly for my needs.

    I keep coming audiob.us forum daily but I feel less and less engaged with the whole ecosystem so I haven’t motivation to discover new chemical apps or physical ones neither.
    I have all I need and iDevices aren’t the center of my set anymore.

    That’s all folks!

  • Physicists like more precision. They prefer planning and structure, and view the creation process as the necessary work required to reach the end goal of a beautifully sequenced and mastered track. These users seem to congregate around BM3, Cubasis and NS2.

    That’s a good description of what I do @tk32.

  • edited April 2019

    @Rodolfo said:
    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    @Rodolfo...Perfect timing because I do jazzy type stuff and just decided to buy a Yamaha MODX keyboard along with a Squarp Pyramid when I save some more sheckels.. Use iOS for some sprinkled goodies... Fab Filter in Auria... Sampling in NS2. I’m afraid you were right here..However I do think you can put jazz type stuff together in Stagelight ...

  • I voted (AudioBus now mainly) but I'm not happy about my favourite DAW being excluded, again.

  • @Jocphone said:
    I voted (AudioBus now mainly) but I'm not happy about my favourite DAW being excluded, again.

    Is that Sunvox? Or something else?

  • @richardyot said:

    @Jocphone said:
    I voted (AudioBus now mainly) but I'm not happy about my favourite DAW being excluded, again.

    Is that Sunvox? Or something else?

    You got it. Most flexible DAW on iOS :wink:

  • @Telstar5 said:

    @Rodolfo said:
    I believe there’s a missing variable in all this and it’s the music genre.
    There’s no possible way you can use a DAWless/modular approach (a “chemists” approach as beautifully explained by @tk32 ) if you are into jazz, rock, pop, etc, or in general a traditional genre where you have verse, chorus, bridge, drop, etc, basically different sections with several chords, bass lines, complex harmony, drums breaks, etc.
    I haven’t seen any DAWless/modular jams in AUM other than electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, and I don’t think I’ll see any at least in the near future. Maybe now that piano roll apps like Atom are emerging they will be able to add some alternative approaches, more like Ableton with clips/scene mode, but for traditional genres I believe there’s nothing like a standard DAW.
    It’s no surprise for me that the majority will vote for AUM since the most active users in this forum are not into traditional genres but electronic/tecno/ambient type of music, so the poll is great but I guess is more indicative of genre and not of a DAW preference.

    @Rodolfo...Perfect timing because I do jazzy type stuff and just decided to buy a Yamaha MODX keyboard along with a Squarp Pyramid when I save some more sheckels.. Use iOS for some sprinkled goodies... Fab Filter in Auria... Sampling in NS2. I’m afraid you were right here..However I do think you can put jazz type stuff together in Stagelight ...

    Absolutely, StageLight is a DAW in the traditional way, plus the scene/clips mode (Ableton style) which is great for jamming.

  • My take aways so far:

    The modular/DAWless workflow is much more significant than I realised.

    StageLight unfortunately hasn't really caught much mindshare in the iOS community as of yet, but NS2 is doing pretty well.

    Cubasis is still the most popular regular DAW app.

  • edited April 2019

    It is interesting to see how fragmented the DAW camp is in comparison to the jammy / live (AUM) camp.

    For me once iOS gets a good enough multitrack audio editor (squawk! maybe NS2 in time?) then my AUM/ApeMatrix use would go waaay up because then I would have a nice mobile way to integrate and edit those big old jams together.

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