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.

Microfreak And Ipad

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Comments

  • @[Deleted User] said:

    The pressure does work on the arp when i assign to cut-off, i haven't tried to many other matrix options on that yet though.

    Yeah, 'some' parameters work with the arp. I feel it's the 'assign parameters' that are tricky...
    (In order to apply pressure to LFO amount one needs to hold down one of the three assign buttons and select the LFO in the matrix).

    FYI on DAW ‘s Ableton doesn’t record or play back aftertouch, bitwig does however.

    Yeah, I've noticed that. Live Lite records the pressure as 'Velocity'.
    I do wish it was possible to set the default velocity the Freak transmits.

    Despite of all these minor nags it's a pretty neat synth and fun to mess around with!
    I do hope Arturia will keep it 'alive' for a while when it comes to support and updates...

  • I guess I'll pile up all my requests in one mail and forward to Arturia at some point but...
    ...man I wish the Freak would remember the last used patch when turning it off and on again.

  • Can you record the spice and dice feature in the sequencer?

  • @Samu said:
    I guess I'll pile up all my requests in one mail and forward to Arturia at some point but...
    ...man I wish the Freak would remember the last used patch when turning it off and on again.

    Yes please!

  • @robosardine said:
    Can you record the spice and dice feature in the sequencer?

    Nope but it’s possible to use the spice and random feature on an arpeggio with hold mode enabled and copy the results to the sequencer slots.

    I do wish it was also possible to edit the step gate times after a sequence is created...

  • @Samu said:

    @robosardine said:
    Can you record the spice and dice feature in the sequencer?

    Nope but it’s possible to use the spice and random feature on an arpeggio with hold mode enabled and copy the results to the sequencer slots.

    I do wish it was also possible to edit the step gate times after a sequence is created...

    Is it all remotely automatable and controllable via an ipad/PC?
    I'm tempted with one of these myself and that would make it more appealing :)

  • most of the knobs/parameters receive midi, not all. On PC it uses a windows driver. I haven't tried direct from ipad to MF as I use ICA4+

  • @[Deleted User] said:
    most of the knobs/parameters receive midi, not all. On PC it uses a windows driver. I haven't tried direct from ipad to MF as I use ICA4+

    On the Mac I didn't need to install any drivers and the accompanying MCC just installs the app bundle in the Application folder, no drivers or extensions get installed.

  • edited August 2019

    @Carnbot said:

    Is it all remotely automatable and controllable via an ipad/PC?
    I'm tempted with one of these myself and that would make it more appealing :)

    The knobs can send and respond to midi (can be toggled in the utilities menu).
    It can respond to sequence start / stop and also sync to an external clock if needed (also set in the utilities menu).

    The manual is a pretty good read and covers most aspects of the unit.
    (I read it thru many, many times before I got the unit, a printed manual is NOT included in the box).
    http://downloads.arturia.net/products/microfreak/manual/MicroFreak_Manual_1_1_2_EN.pdf

    If you can play with it in a store first but there is the risk is that it'll come with you back home :)

    From what I can see it's a class compliant midi controller and my iPad Air 2 can easily power it with the old CCK so it doesn't draw much power at all. (My Mac reports 250mA power usage when everything is running).

    It's a fun Freak and works just fine with USB-Power (I have not even unpacked the wall charger).

    The first thing I did was to upgrade the FirmWare to the latest one...

  • edited August 2019

    @Samu said:

    It's a fun Freak and works just fine with USB-Power (I have not even unpacked the wall charger).

    Do test with the wall charger as well, my impression is that the keys are even more responsive and more "sensitive" to your playing with external power.

  • @Samu said:

    @Carnbot said:

    Is it all remotely automatable and controllable via an ipad/PC?
    I'm tempted with one of these myself and that would make it more appealing :)

    The knobs can send and respond to midi (can be toggled in the utilities menu).
    It can respond to sequence start / stop and also sync to an external clock if needed (also set in the utilities menu).

    The manual is a pretty good read and covers most aspects of the unit.
    (I read it thru many, many times before I got the unit, a printed manual is NOT included in the box).
    http://downloads.arturia.net/products/microfreak/manual/MicroFreak_Manual_1_1_2_EN.pdf

    If you can play with it in a store first but there is the risk is that it'll come with you back home :)

    From what I can see it's a class compliant midi controller and my iPad Air 2 can easily power it with the old CCK so it doesn't draw much power at all. (My Mac reports 250mA power usage when everything is running).

    It's a fun Freak and works just fine with USB-Power (I have not even unpacked the wall charger).

    The first thing I did was to upgrade the FirmWare to the latest one...

    The pitch slider can be a bit imprecise/unstable without the wall charger I have found. Also I'm using the CV out with my eurorack so... the power brick needs to be plugged into a separate wall socket to stop buzz being heard though my active monitors I found.

  • @Peblin said:

    @Samu said:

    It's a fun Freak and works just fine with USB-Power (I have not even unpacked the wall charger).

    Do test with the wall charger as well, my impression is that the keys are even more responsive and more "sensitive" to your playing with external power.

    Might have to do that at some point but I'm all out of extension chords and all wall plugs are already in use...

    • not many of the sockets are properly grounded anyway...

    I've not had any issues with the sensitivity or 'odd behaviour' (that was apparently an issue prior to the latest firmware update that shipped in may).

    I'm starting to become friends with the keyboard now after adjusting some of the settings.

  • @[Deleted User] said:
    Also I'm using the CV out with my eurorack so... the power brick needs to be plugged into a separate wall socket to stop buzz being heard though my active monitors I found.

    Ok, I got a 'balanced' (TRS) cable for mine and it's super quiet...
    (I have the Freak hooked to a Steinberg UR242 with a pair of iLoud Micro Monitors).

  • @Samu said:

    @Carnbot said:

    Is it all remotely automatable and controllable via an ipad/PC?
    I'm tempted with one of these myself and that would make it more appealing :)

    The knobs can send and respond to midi (can be toggled in the utilities menu).
    It can respond to sequence start / stop and also sync to an external clock if needed (also set in the utilities menu).

    The manual is a pretty good read and covers most aspects of the unit.
    (I read it thru many, many times before I got the unit, a printed manual is NOT included in the box).
    http://downloads.arturia.net/products/microfreak/manual/MicroFreak_Manual_1_1_2_EN.pdf

    If you can play with it in a store first but there is the risk is that it'll come with you back home :)

    From what I can see it's a class compliant midi controller and my iPad Air 2 can easily power it with the old CCK so it doesn't draw much power at all. (My Mac reports 250mA power usage when everything is running).

    It's a fun Freak and works just fine with USB-Power (I have not even unpacked the wall charger).

    The first thing I did was to upgrade the FirmWare to the latest one...

    Thanks, yeah pretty sure I'll get one when funds allow :)

  • @Samu said:

    @[Deleted User] said:
    Also I'm using the CV out with my eurorack so... the power brick needs to be plugged into a separate wall socket to stop buzz being heard though my active monitors I found.

    Ok, I got a 'balanced' (TRS) cable for mine and it's super quiet...
    (I have the Freak hooked to a Steinberg UR242 with a pair of iLoud Micro Monitors).

    cool! also when the power brick is used? This is when the noise is introduced for me, not an issue as i plugged the power into a separate socket :-)

  • @[Deleted User] said:

    cool! also when the power brick is used? This is when the noise is introduced for me, not an issue as i plugged the power into a separate socket :-)

    Have not used the power brick yet and I really don't beed more 'noise sources' to track down :)

    I had a bloody nightmare with the UNOSynth and its noise issues until I got one of them DC insulator audio cables for it and all noise went away.

    All my USB devices UNO, Freak, UR242 etc. are hooked to the same USB Hub for easy switching between Mac and iPad, just one Cable.

  • Got lost in MicroFreak videos again. What a crazy time to be into hardware synths.

    Currently old-man-lost in the notion that someone could spend less than a grand and get a MicroFreak and a Minilogue XD. New! Or $850 for the MicroFreak and the XD module and then $150-250 on craigslist to get either some 16 part multi-timbral thingamajig to fill in the blanks or an older iOS device+interface to capture it all. As a teenager I saved a grand to get a used Juno-106 and (later) considerably more to get a used Roland S-760. $1100 to get two interesting polysynths + an iOS device with sequencing, effects and sampling apps??? Woulda traded my girlfriend!

  • Got it! It’s actually smaller than I expected. Talk about instant gratification😻 I’m sure it will last. It’s too good. It feels easy to get the sort of sounds I am looking for. Not only that- there’s plenty of them as well. I’ve not even let it near my effects yet- and that will be another leap forward.
    I have had a lot of synths in my time. I do not ever remember having so much fun on my first sit down as this one.

  • @robosardine said:

    I have had a lot of synths in my time. I do not ever remember having so much fun on my first sit down as this one.

    +1 It's loads of fun and when you do decide to run it thru some effects it will be another 'rush' that makes time vanish...
    If you've got Eventide Black Hole try that one after you first pass it thru FAC Chorus and maybe a few other goodies :)

    The WaveShaper engine is actually more FM like to my ears than the 2OP FM Engine for the type of sounds I usually dial in with FM synths.

    Enjoy the Micro Marvel, It's a Freak all right!

  • Got a reply from Arturia and it's a 'mixed bag'.

    Good news is that my suggestions have been forward to engineering for evaluation.

    What I am worried about is the lack of technical expertise of the person who replied. It's like they had ZERO knowledge about how the MicroFreak works! (I mean a tech rep who answers device specific questions should know the device in question inside-out right?).

    But then again this is the 'modern help-desk syndrome'. Put a 'cheap' person in front of a computer and teach them to search a data base for generic answers without actually understanding what the customer asked for...

    Oh well, time will tell what happens :)

  • I think you have not unreasonable but possibly a mite high expectations for this day and age @Samu. You got a reply fairly quickly- so that immediately puts them ahead of at least 60% of companies out there. If the guy is the first point of contact and he is in some sort of filter/gateway position- which is what it sounds a bit like he is-and he has forwarded you query to the appropriate department then that sounds like it is all good at this stage..... but like you are saying- time will tell...... we have all been let down before. Imagine the engineering department did actually get back to you..... in gambling terms- it’s not going to be odds on I suppose 😕

  • @robosardine said:
    I think you have not unreasonable but possibly a mite high expectations for this day and age @Samu. You got a reply fairly quickly- so that immediately puts them ahead of at least 60% of companies out there. If the guy is the first point of contact and he is in some sort of filter/gateway position- which is what it sounds a bit like he is-and he has forwarded you query to the appropriate department then that sounds like it is all good at this stage..... but like you are saying- time will tell...... we have all been let down before. Imagine the engineering department did actually get back to you..... in gambling terms- it’s not going to be odds on I suppose 😕

    If engineering gets back to me I’ll offer them free time to beta-test the firmware update :)
    Who knows, maybe the features are already there but not activated?

    The Freak does have a ‘diagnostics mode’ but it requires a password to unlock using the Midi Control Center software...

    But man, the Freak comes alive after feeding it thru some effects, FAC Chorus and Eventide Black Hole do wonders as do AD Grind and Bleas Delay. I’m starting to see the point of all those ‘Multi Freak’ setups shown on Youtube :D

  • So far so good...

    My ideas fell into good ground so now we'll just have to wait for the next firmware update for the MicroFreak and see if I got lucky :)

  • @Samu said:

    @robosardine said:
    I think you have not unreasonable but possibly a mite high expectations for this day and age @Samu. You got a reply fairly quickly- so that immediately puts them ahead of at least 60% of companies out there. If the guy is the first point of contact and he is in some sort of filter/gateway position- which is what it sounds a bit like he is-and he has forwarded you query to the appropriate department then that sounds like it is all good at this stage..... but like you are saying- time will tell...... we have all been let down before. Imagine the engineering department did actually get back to you..... in gambling terms- it’s not going to be odds on I suppose 😕

    If engineering gets back to me I’ll offer them free time to beta-test the firmware update :)
    Who knows, maybe the features are already there but not activated?

    The Freak does have a ‘diagnostics mode’ but it requires a password to unlock using the Midi Control Center software...

    But man, the Freak comes alive after feeding it thru some effects, FAC Chorus and Eventide Black Hole do wonders as do AD Grind and Bleas Delay. I’m starting to see the point of all those ‘Multi Freak’ setups shown on Youtube :D

    I agree - I have fed it into my H9 and just sat back and giggled.

  • Seriously though, pure entertainment :)

  • .

    @u0421793 said:
    With a wavetable you’d think you’re limited to one axis of traversal which would equal one tonal variation, but in practice the tonal evolution is often manifold and complex, although you’re only indexing into the wavetable of it along one modulation axis.

    To effectively handle something like the complex performance variability of an RCM FM algorithm you’d need the wavetable to be multi-dimensional, so that you can (eg) go up-down, left-right as well as back-forth, tied in with some form of performance such as pitch, velocity, polyaftertouch or some such way of putting the variations into effect.

    In practice, there aren’t really multidimensional wavetables in and of themselves. Synths such as Nave have a parameter to index into the wavetable, and other parameters such as ‘spectrum’ to shift the result of the wavetable readout. It also, quite importantly, has a pair of wavetables between which a lot of variation may be put into play.

    I've just found a Win/Mac synth that I've never heard of before - maybe something for you?
    https://www.fathomsynth.com/
    It does support the creation of two-dimensional wavetables too: Two wavetable oscillators that can be modulated independently and you can not only interpolate between adjacent WT frames but also between the two oscillators which basically allows you to jump to any X/Y position if you will. The modular concept is another plus for tweakers.

  • @rs2000 said:
    .

    @u0421793 said:
    With a wavetable you’d think you’re limited to one axis of traversal which would equal one tonal variation, but in practice the tonal evolution is often manifold and complex, although you’re only indexing into the wavetable of it along one modulation axis.

    To effectively handle something like the complex performance variability of an RCM FM algorithm you’d need the wavetable to be multi-dimensional, so that you can (eg) go up-down, left-right as well as back-forth, tied in with some form of performance such as pitch, velocity, polyaftertouch or some such way of putting the variations into effect.

    In practice, there aren’t really multidimensional wavetables in and of themselves. Synths such as Nave have a parameter to index into the wavetable, and other parameters such as ‘spectrum’ to shift the result of the wavetable readout. It also, quite importantly, has a pair of wavetables between which a lot of variation may be put into play.

    I've just found a Win/Mac synth that I've never heard of before - maybe something for you?
    https://www.fathomsynth.com/
    It does support the creation of two-dimensional wavetables too: Two wavetable oscillators that can be modulated independently and you can not only interpolate between adjacent WT frames but also between the two oscillators which basically allows you to jump to any X/Y position if you will. The modular concept is another plus for tweakers.

    That does look interesting, thanks. I’m perusing the manual and it looks quite comprehensive in the things you can do between the two wavetables.

  • Just been spending almost an hour with the MicroFreak thru an effect chain in Gadget that roughly matches the Korg NTS-1.
    (Ie. Chorus/Ensemble in Zurich, Delay with Dotted 8ths's and FB Reverb (Submarine) in IFX slots) and man, that little thing will be just awesome when it drops in November just for the effects alone!

    Then there's the ultimate ChipTune oscillator for the NTS-1/Minilogue already availble :)

    The NTS-1 will be the companion for the Arturia MicroFreak. Pure Bliss!

  • So tonight I hooked up my Microfreak to the iPad for use with AniMoog. Match made in heaven.

  • Question:

    If I want the Mikrofreak to be portable with a Powerbank using the USB port, how do I connect the iPad?

    Thanks
    (I don’t own the Freak yet…)

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