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
@thepinkelefant Here's a great video by Dean, doing exactly what you're thinking about with the Big Sky reverb.. He's using Beatmaker 3 but I'm sure the same could be done in AUM etc...
@royor Wow that’s exactly what I was looking for ...thanks !! Will try to wire it up and see the latency from iOS amp sim to audio interface to bluesky back to audio interface and back in AUM
Have you tried LoopyHD? It's an insane workflow looping app. So much power.
What are your thoughts on using AUM to switch between the apps? I would have thought that Audiobus would have been easier for that application
Great thread -- so interesting to see how you are all doing your thing. The thing with iOS is that it's so flexible you can just keep changing everything around trying to find the ultimate setup with no end in sight.
So I've never used iOS for any live work other than softsynths over SMUX/IDAM. A laptop is more reliable for my guitary purposes but I love the idea of a compact iOS guitar rig and have heavily experimented with different setups and done a bit of recording with them as they are built up then knocked down:
A. Ext. amp sim/FX processing hardware w/ USB interface functions into the iPad Pro 10.5" via CCK (VG-99, Axe-Fx II) - Superior sound/feel quality but a bit bulky and tricky with the Axe-Fx's driver bootloader issue and the VG-99's lack of MIDI over USB when in Class Compliant mode (both solvable with additional hardware workarounds);
B. Ext. USB interface (iConnectAUDIO4+, iRig HD 2 w/ various IAA - Bias Fx (problematic), Tonestack, (Almost there) STARK (Good idea...), MIDI Guitar 2 (Awesome), Flux FX (Great when it works) - Fun and more or less self contained but a less satisfying guitar tones than A.
C. Any possible combinations of any of the above + all those iOS FX apps I keep buying + various iOS synths triggered either via MG2 or the VG-99.
I can use a KMI Softstep 2 with any setup -- it's all super fun to play with and you can get some great musical results.
I have a few gripes with the apps though.
It's interesting that so many people use Bias FX happily. Personally, I'm really hung up on issues with it when hosted (AUM, apeMatrix, Audiobus 3). It demands to be in the main view or some weird audio loop thing happens and the only way to kill the loop is to enter Bias FX before I can go back to the host. Has been like this for a year at least and PG don't wanna know about it. Also, Bias FX can't receive MIDI clock (no possible way) and there is no Ableton Link implementation - sucks bigtime for BPM Sync FX. Bias Amp 2 also has some problems with weird noises when using the inbuilt reverb effect, sometimes...showstopper. I really wish PG would address these issues and get them working like the desktop apps.
So we turn to Tonestack. No audio loop problems -- great, but even there I've found the MIDI Clock/or/Link doesn't always work exactly right with BPM syncing FX. Maybe I setup something wrong?
Also, you cant use the IAA functionality within the standalone apps when they have been loaded in a host app...mildly annoying as your standalone presets no longer work but you can manage that with alternate patches and routing in your host if mission critical.
Gripes aside, it all shows so much potential and the platform is bustling. I'm waiting for a clever developer to do the logical thing and build a really solid AUv3 amp sim / FX / IR loader -- we'd all jump on it in a heartbeat. Imagine something like Line 6 Helix Native or Blue Cat Audio Axiom on iOS...
What do you mean about not being able to use IAA functions when IAA apps are loaded in a host? IAA apps never actually are loaded in a host. They are standalone and can pipe audio and clock back and forth. So, they shouldn't be losing any functionality.
Any specifics to share? The issue may be solvable.
There are decent live looper setups on iOS. Loopy /AUM/AB3 work well . There are videos demonstrating it which you can find in the wiki. A lot of people also like Group the Loop.
@Vaultnaemsae I agree with your comments about Bias FX and in general I have little patience for any IAA now. I wish their Bias Pedal would go AUv3! That said, I like Amp ONE for amp sim, though Bias Amp is very good. One of these is typically the only IAA in my AUM setup. I use QuantiLoop looper with AUM. QuantiLoop could actually be the hub, as it can host AUv3 and IAA, but I don't use it that way. I also use SoftStep for pedal control.
@thepinkelefant i suggest looking at QuantiLoop. It it designed from a more trad. point of view, and it can actually host IAA and AUv3 if you wanted to use it as the hub. I think it has full I/O routing in standalone mode, so if your audio interface supports the connections you should be able to route out through a hardware effect.
What are your thoughts on STARK? Seems to get very mixed reviews. Don't really want to use it only because its AUv3.
Also @espiegel123 ,
Of course I have LoopyHD and use it but I think things are still kludgy having to use AUM , Audiobus and LoopyHD all together in this manner and having to wire them up in a fragile manner and jump all over the places . I have Quantiloop also but that works better if it’s in the center as a host and driving everything. Also mixing synths and arps and MIDI fx which are already in AUM with QL didn’t work out seamlessly.
Perhaps the upcoming rumored Loopy Masterpiece would be the ultimate looper and mixer and router all in one killer app !!
I think my explanation/terminology was a bit off and I was actually just plain wrong about some points so I'll try to clarify now.
In Bias FX or Tonestack there is an option to 'bake in' IAA effects directly in the patch -- but you cannot control the IAA ON/OFF state via MIDI in Bias FX, AFAICT-- in Tonestack you can! It's a very useful tool. In Tonestack, even generators or instruments can be used.
But if you open AUM (or any host) and load/create a connection with Bias FX/Tonestack then open your preset (with prebaked IAA) in the Bias FX/Tonestack interface it will not pass a signal...at least it didn't for me. I think this was because I was testing with Eventide effects in Bias FX/Tonestack IAA slots. Eventide FX, when used as IAA (not AU), seem to have a default 'MUTE AUDIO IN' setting that needs to be deactivated upon launch before any signal can flow through to the output. So you need to go back into the IAA within an IAA to turn on the effect...proper Inception. Furthermore, I see now that it's the same situation when not loading/creating an IAA connection to these apps via the host. So I thought it was an issue of using the app with the host but I had simply missed the obvious issue with Eventide's muting behaviour.
So it follows that my original complaint only holds true for the Eventide effects -- AFAIK. Just to double-check, I tried a few other FX in the place of the Eventide FX and there were no loading issues at all.
Everything I wrote about the MIDI clock in Bias FX stands.
Nonplussed...not bad, not great, limited effects options. It's obviously subjective but I feel that STARK lacks personality. I purchased it only to use in MIDI Guitar 2's AU amp slot but then never really warmed to it. I might have a second pass at it at some stage to see if we can find love.
This is an addition to the last comment about Bias FX.
Bias FX is still pooping itself when I load a patch including baked in IAA. It announces, "About IAA - IAA only works in stereo output, turn on the Stereo Mode?" Stereo mode is 'on' always. It loops around every time I try to turn on an effect. Why?
I'm gonna put this down to me often testing routings through lightning headphones. I come up with ideas wherever I am with the iPad/headphones and then plug the guitar in later via different interfaces to tweak. Depending on what's connected, you get different results. Earlier today headphones worked, but tonight the iConnectAUDIO4+ wouldn't. It must be the app because everything else seems to work ok.
'Bias FX Output Select' can't even see the iConnectAUDIO4+'s 5 stereo outputs...what kind of nonsense is this, PG?
Needs fixing
1. No MIDI Clock;
2. Messed up I/O;
3. Bodgy IAA;
4. Audio loop bug.
I highly recommend power users to stay away from Positive Grid products. They say they areworking on Bias FX 2 on iOS when Bias FX 1 doesn't even work correctly! 3 out of 4 of these issues have been reported many moons ago and PG do not give a rat's arse.
I just started to go my first steps with guitar processing in AUM with bread-and-butter plugins, I'm especially interested in what people do in this regard.
Please post your creations too.
Here's a demo with two channels of AD GRIND and DLYM used:
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/35491/grind-and-dlym-in-aum-for-your-guitar#latest
So I just discovered last night that the Vox Adio (the small Vox amp similar to yamaha thr10) can be used as an audio interface (with a CCK) with your iPad. When plugged in the direct sound from the ipad is controlled by the Audio knob. Pretty cool, more info to come.
Don’t have AB,but I found that some guitar apps crashing occasionally inside AUM(especially Bias fx)
Tonestack is currently 75% off, and amplitube apps are on sale as well.
@Gravitas A Sessionette!
The Fender Collection 2 (bundle from Amplitube) is also half price at $10 USD $15 AUD. Does anyone use it here? Wondering if I should get it.
@mistercharlie
Yep, A Sessionette.
I had a choice between a Gartone and a Sessionette for that gig.
The Sessionette was the one.
Has anyone here tried iFX Rack for guitar? When I search for if it is suitable for guitar I get mixed results and opinions. I would really like Bias FX or Tonestack as AU's, but was thinking iFX Rack might do in the meantime? Or...no?
Update: I just got it based on an audio demo from Flo. Will give it a spin.
I’ve used it and very pleased with the sounds.
Has anyone tried the RP-1 Delay and RF-1 Reverb combo from Kai Aras? Both are half price at the moment.
MIDIculous LLC (aka Gospel Musicians + makers of iFX Rack) mentioned that they were working on an actual amp sim app to be released in the future.. so I wait patiently to see if/when it will manifest itself.. and also wait on getting the IAP(s) for iFX Rack (also 1/2 price right now)..
I'm sick of software amp sims, never satisfied. I'm thinking of just getting the JHS Colour Box 2 and finally being done with it (because I absolutely love DI no-amp sounds).
I want to like his apps more than I ever do. There's just always a better alternative available, it seems. Kosmonaut, namely, and then the wildness of Modley are much better delay options. The reverb I found way too artificial for my taste, but in fairness, it uses the word 'artificial' in the description.
I was going to suggest Master Fx by Igor Vasiliev but it seems to be off the market.
Thanks for the replies! I think I'm just going to forkout and go for the Blackhole and Ultra Tap by Eventide
How did you find it? Currently half price $8 AUD - worth it? Audiodamage stuff is also half price at the moment.
Well, overall it is a good app, suitable for many things/instruments, and it also is a "bunch of effects" using up just 1 slot, which is nice. On its own I struggle to get the (guitar) tones I need though, but having said that: I did manage to get some nice tones when building longer strings of AU's, in AUM. At one point I had stringed up iFX, Reamp, Channel Strip and Eos and it was quite nice, but then it all came tumbling down (the danger with building long chains of moving parts I guess).
I definitely think iFX (incl IAPs) is worth it though, so I'm happy to have it in my tool box.