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
@eyesunderground
Thank you!
1) This is a great idea and has been on my todo list for some time.
2) Have you tried scrolling? The whole circle of fifths page is scrollable, as is the scale chords table.
3) I might change it, but for now you can tap and drag where the corners of four pads meet to scroll within the chord pad grid. Two-finger scrolling might be better.
4) Try swiping left and right; this changes the playback direction.
Thanks for taking the time to give feedback!
The stringed instrument features are exceptional. I also noticed there’s some ear training features I need to check out. Grab this on sale if you play piano, stringed instruments or want scale ideas for sequencing.
@McD
Thanks for the kind words; glad you're enjoying it!
This is one of those apps that showcases a developer with an exceptionally organized mind.
I still have a lot of work to do to understand everything it does but the complete coverage of
guitar chord choices and options settings shows me I'd like to see more music apps from you.
Version 4.5.5 out now!
Bought it today...Thanks for the sale.
SInce there is a Basic Mode (for learners) in Settings, it would be nice fingering for common (or more) chords, in the same way scales already have.
Regarding the comments from this site, I thought it was implemented:
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/music/tonality-music-reference
The app is great, useful and easy to use. It will be my daily tool for learning/practicing with Piano companion Pro (which you can't use as AUv3).
@fjcblanco
Glad you like it! I guess that comment is a bit misleading; I can ask him to change it if you want. The only reason I haven't implemented fingering for chords is that there is so much variability due to hand size, inversion, preference, and context (i.e. what chords are played before and after in a progression). If you have any suggestions as to how to get around these, please let me know.
Are there any features of Piano Companion that you feel are missing from Tonality?
Not really...I am used to see Treble and Bass staff together without pressing to switch...not a big deal.
And about scales, I like (as beginner who I am) the tone-semitone explanation and the ability to play chords as arpeggio/loop.
I can see myself using both for a very long time.
@fjcblanco
Ah okay, makes sense. Thanks!
Happy to provide feedback, thanks for listening. In a former life, I was a software product manager, so sometimes it's hard for me to resist product improvement.
1) Awesome, I think I would use this app in almost every track with a CoF AU.
2) I have. Scrolling (for me) only works past the second entry once I've clicked on one of the two scale chords listed. (Link to screen recording)
3) Thanks for that. I can scroll now by dragging in between pads. Seems like a scroll bar on the right when the active area is larger than the window would improve functionality.
4) Great, thanks! I was wondering why the scale was descending sometimes.
I also second the request for a "basic" version view for common chords.
Going along with this, and maybe I'm missing something again, but it would also be great to see (and play) scale chords of the selected key that work well together in a simple view. We can kind of do this from the Circle of Fifths tab, but due to scrolling it's a bit harder to play them consecutively and quickly, for instance, triggering the I IV V chords for CMin.
My suggestion and ideal behavior would be something like this (using the Chords area as an example).
I think something similar for the Scales area would be cool too, where the actual notes of the scale were individually playable within the scale view.
That's definitely enough additional feedback for now. Please let me know if you'd like any further details or explanations, and seriously, thanks for being such a responsive developer!
@eyesunderground
Thank you for your continued detailed responses!
1) How would you envision this working? I just released an update (4.5.5) to the chord pads with a circle of fifths selector; you choose a key and it creates a pad layout with the scale chords from that key. Would you want a playable MIDI CoF instead?
2) I'm a bit confused. In your first post I thought you were talking about the scale chords below the circle of fifths in the main app, not the chord pad entry. The video you linked looks like it could be an iOS 13 bug; the new modal popover might treat scrolling as dismissal unlike in iOS 12. Are you trying to scroll through all the chords when that happens? Also, could you send a video showing how it "works past the second entry once I've clicked on one of the two scale chords listed"? Thanks!
3) Good idea, thanks!
Are you seconding the fingering request? The option to view basic chords already exists in the settings page.
The latest update (4.5.5) has something pretty much exactly like that in the chord pads as a preset. Let me know if that works. (You select the scale chords preset, use the CoF to select a key, select triads/sevenths, and then a chord pad layout is automatically populated)
Good idea for the scales!
1) I'm not seeing a CoF selector in the new release for today, but it sounds like what you are describing is close to my request. Nevermind, I see that I'm on 4.5.4 and 4.5.5. must be waiting approval.
A playable MIDI Circle of Fifths would also be aces! But the version you describe could work too (once I see it).
2) I'm an idiot and linked the wrong video. Here's the one I meant to include.
It may be a iOS 13 bug, I'll have to try on my mini that hasn't been updated when I get home.
Yes to seconding fingering request. I love the option to view basic chords, for sure though. Basically anything that makes it easier for those of us still learning music theory to successfully play chords, scales, and notes that all fit together is a huge WIN in my book.
All that said, I'm really impressed with the app so far and have begun using it a lot for the learning aspect, which is really good. As a current educator, it ticks a lot of good boxes from an instructional point of view.
Keep up the awesome work!
@eyesunderground
1) Odd; it was approved. I think it might take a bit to fully “circulate” through all the app stores in different countries
2) Okay thanks. Not iOS 13 like I thought; just how nested scrolling works. You have to wait a bit after scrolling the whole page, then scroll again with your finger inside the scale table a bit more. Let me know how that works. The reason going to a new page and back worked was it would move the context away from the outer scroll. Lifting your finger, waiting, and then moving your finger in a bit and scrolling will do the same. Also with iOS 13 I've discovered that if you hold down on the very edge of the screen at the scroll bar, you'll feel a haptic thingy and be able to drag the scroll bar directly.
What was that first video of the chord pads for? I thought that might’ve been the iOS 13 bug I was talking about.
Glad you’re finding it useful, and I’ll continue to keep all your suggestions in mind!
That first video I sent was to demonstrate my inability to see below the second row from the chord view, but your fix to click on the + area between the pads resolved it.
The little trick to light touch the numerals within the Scale Chords area works, thanks for that, but I suspect that I'm not the only one who sees "missing" chords when I scroll "below the fold".
Looking forward to 4.5.5!
@eyesunderground
Okay, I might make it so that scrolling the outer scroll view just reveals everything, eliminating the inner one.
Scale identification now available as an audio unit in version 4.6!
the app that keeps giving!
Fantastic! Thank you! This is greatly appreciated.
How do we get to the bottom of this? Scrolling does not work. @TonalityApp
Gah that’s a bug. I’ll fix it soon. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Ok cool. Actually got the whole thing to show by making the window the full height but on half the width of the screen. I have a bit of trouble trying to scroll between the chord pads as well so I second a scroll bar or some other means. Otherwise this app is fantastic! Thank you so much for all of your hard work!
Rotate iPad to portrait, workaround for now.
Yeah both resizing and rotating should work. I actually just fixed it though and the update should be out no later than tomorrow.
Scratch that; I’ve added too much to get it out tomorrow (midi triggers, latch, guitar stuff, and more) so it’ll be out soonish but not tomorrow.
Version 5.0 is out now with chord pad midi triggers/midi learn, latch mode for the sustain pad, a new guitar voicing viewer, and bug fixes (such as the one @DCJ and @Poppadocrock mentioned).
@TonalityApp
Is there velocity information for each note in the chord pads midi triggers?
Not yet but that’s a great idea! I’ll add it soon
That would be great, makes the pads work as performance tools.
Like having the same piano, or string section chord on 2 pads, one has the lowest bass note dominant, the other pad has top 2 notes of the chord with more velocity.
Allows the chord pads to be much more expressive
Oh wait were you asking if the velocities of the pad’s voicings are preserved when triggered or if the velocity of the trigger itself affects the pad?
To what extent can you design your own custom chords in the chord pad AU? Can you ignore the scale/chord designation and simply tell it what notes to play?