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.
Logic/MainStage: What is your experience?
Marc is a guilty pleasure for my non serious side.
I never really looked Logic-mainstage actually until video.
Wondering your experiences.
Thanks for the feedback.
Comments
I really like Logic. MainStage would be useful for performing live. I used Logic to perform live before Mainstage had been released. MS would have been better/easier. You can really customize your setup. Logic Smart Controls, though, are pretty good for some easy access.
Mainstage was fantastic for playing live when I used a Macbook instead of a IPad. A rather steep learning curve but worth the payoff.
I've used mainstage quite a bit for some live things. I'd play guitar and use maybe 3 instances of loopback, plus some keyboard stuff, and drum loops. I was always looking for drum apps that would include some randomisation.
I've found better looping apps and better live randomisation stuff on iOS, but the experience of being able to have a live set, with all the sounds required saved under one file, and the ability change between them quickly much better from within Mainstage or the desktop OS system in general much better
I use Logic (15 years!) because the editing is full featured, and I love the stock plugins, especially the EQ with spectrum analyzer and the compressor, with the different character/models. Love the “Pedalboard” plugin, and the convolution reverb. The amp sims too. The only 3rd party plugs I end up using are the Ozone modules, like the multiband compressor, and exciter.
I like the elastic audio stuff (usually just the “slicing” algorithm, it’s like Recycle), the elastic pitch is ok, Melodyne sounds better to my ear, but they are close. The instruments are good, the drum kits are great, the library is huge. I really like the classic EXS24 sampler, and how the daw works with it to make your own sample instruments.
I started learning Ableton, but all of the things I’d come to rely on in Logic that were missing drove me crazy. I think if I was doing a live thing with lots of loops I would get into Ableton, but it seemed unnecessary to learn a 2nd DAW for regular recording. In general it seems unnecessary to collect DAW’s, they’re all decent and they all are useless until you put in the time to get fluid with the commands.
Excellent point. I’ve started learning Ableton in addition to Logic and for everything I like about it (easy setup, hardware sync, recording), there are things that drive me nuts (can’t move the play head with the keyboard, having to manually reconnect to audio interface every time I launch it).
Best thing on Logic is bundled set of plugins. There is almost everything you an imagine in best possible quality. Synths, samplers, drum machines, euqalisers, compresors, delays, reverb, choruses - literally anythig you can imagine. And they are really TOP NOTCH quality. You will probably never need install any third party plugin
@dendy Agreed, plus the loop library can really help fill out a track, or use things as starters and then replace. Or, make your own Apple Loops easily!
Note, this applies to Mainstage too, if anyone is unaware. Same stuff, for an 'iOS app price'. But really only useful for live, use as you can't record more than 32 bars. (the loop limit in loopback)
I have been a logic user for 5 or so years. Pretty easy to learn and get going. Has a lot of great stick sounds and effects.
Main stage is great for live. It is a learning curve but once you get a good live set, it works pretty flawless. I have played several long worship sets with no crashes and seamless transitions between scenes.
LPX is my go to Daw...period!
i’ve tried them all
I also have Reason 11 that now plugs in to LPX so it’s happy candy land now days!
Alchemy is in both
Is there anything similar to Mainstage for Windows that I can use with Ableton?
Similar in terms of what?
Ease of setup, mutiple instruments, customizable patches.
I’m trying to make a mobile setup, but a lot of sites keep heralding Mac OS as the king of music production AND live production. I’m not sure my “Gadget” setup will cut it, but the dream is to be able to organize a live performance my hooking up my phone into anyone’s system.
I only mentioned Ableton because I have the Lite version, and I’m able to extract files from Ableton, but the goal is to make a portable setup.
@Samflash3 So what you want is actually a sound generator for the iPhone?
If so, what's missing in Pure Synth and Synthmaster one? (except Pure Synth iPhone support of course)
Funny enough, I have both on my iPad, among a few others. Maybe I’m just trying to find what I already have.
I guess I need to “think differently”. There’s no way I can realistically use 1000 sounds. I just need to find the 256 that work well for me.
Thanks for the chat, @rs2000.
No less than Eddie Jobson (UK, Zappa) has been using Mainstage for his keyboard rig.
From: https://keyboardmag.com/artists/interview-eddie-jobson
"In recent years, Apple’s MainStage software stacked with hundreds of AU software instruments is the system I have been milking to its fullest capacity. The recent UK reunion tours really pushed the software to its limits having to replicate all of the CS80, Minimoog, Prophet, VCS3, Triadex Muse, and Hammond sounds from the ’70s, all on two laptops. It took me months to rebuild all of those sounds in software. My entire rig consists of two VAX77 keyboards and two Mac laptops running MainStage; plus a bunch of controller pedals. I can do everything I need to do with that setup... some of the software instruments, and even MainStage itself, are still a bit glitchy at times. It takes a bit of nerve to be standing in front of a few thousand people relying completely on computer software and a couple of USB connections. And it has all crashed on me more than once."
Big thing in Apple Mainstage is Autosampler - really powefull tool for creating multisample packages from synths ..
Indeed! If Apple just did not stripped the Autosampler (and parts of Alchemy) so much down. Redmatica was so good.
But yes, Mainstage and Logic are maybe the best deal ever in terms of music production (beside free software).
I still need third party tools for some things but some tools from Logic are even better/unique to everything else on the market.
I wonder why there was so long no major update. Maybe they finally prepare for multi-touch?!?
True, I has to find that out too. Luckily I still have an older Mac just for the Redmatica pack.
Maybe they just don't touch it more than necessary because they prefer to keep it stable and reliable? 😁
You've seen what happens when a weakened developer team is forced to bring out a new iOS release in relatively short time.
Reading all your experiences, I share mine.
In the 80's I started my first gigs with an organ and a Solina strings.
After a while with other musicians with a base player, so I didn't need my base-pedals and therefore my keyboard rig started changing.
In mid 80's I studied on the conservatorium in Hilversum, with gigs and giving music lessons I could finance my study at that time.
Every year on music fairs in the Netherlands I got enthusiastic about new synths and bought them.
I worked for about 13 years in a local music store, so the future investments were somewhat easier.
In 2012 I invested in a Macbook-pro. (I was already an Apple desktop fan using Protools and Logic).
In keyboards and synths-modules was sound wise for me not very much going on.
New keys were often workstations, I always play life and the use of sequencers is not my way to make music on stage with very fine musicians, meanwhile for 35 years.
On stage it is very convenient to use DAWS, it's flexible and much cheaper than always investing in new keys or modules.
For years I used Mainstage and an Apogee Duet interface. This was a very stable rig.
At this moment I use Roland RD700GX, Edirol PCR-800, Novation Impulse 61.
I use all the control inputs for sustain, dynamics and modulation.
During the COVID-19 lock-down as a music teacher and musician I started my "Project".
First I started with my Ipad pro 12.9 second generation. Actually for music sheets use.
So I treated myself with the latest 2020 Ipad-Pro 128GB and powered usb hub, just to use it as AU on stage.
In our living room I have my keyboard rig to get the job done in small steps.
At start I invested first in AUM and getting started, later also Audiobus 3, with the in-app midi-learn.
This moment my list of virtual instruments:
Ravenscroft275, HammondB-3X (New, fantastic!), Neo-Soul keys, FM Tines, Heavy Brass, iSymphonic (Basic), Pure Synth, Sunriser, bs-16i, Syntronik, Matrix Vocoder, Digital D1, Audioverb 3, Chorus, Model D,
Vogel CMI.
This all in Audiobus 3 and Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 Audio interface.
Stability was my main worry, AUM was to slow for me in switching program changes and limited in app midi control functions at that time. (maybe future updates is it getting better).
The connection of the instruments as "App" or "Audio Unit" make for some instruments the solution in stability and loading issues. In "Audio Unit" the effect sections in the apps are therefor not in use (little strange). Therefore I use the Audioverb in "Audio" setting.
Last weeks of editing the rig stays on the whole day. During the day and evening I play.
Sometimes the program changes (on the Roland RD700) takes another attempt.
In my opinion it is very stable and I have no worries to use it on stage, I hope very soon in connection with the COVID-19.
@Axemusic Nice rig!
The Impulse 61 must be the perfect B-3X keyboard, right?
Which Lightning hub is that connected to the iPad?
Thanks for sharing with us what works well for you.
Man, you've got enough pedals to play a bass line on them 😅
PS: Glad to see you're also using D1 😊
Thanks for the reactions.
My english glitch sometimes.
Looking at Camelot, that could be very handy.
I have to admit that the Roland RD700 understands very well the use of making patches and program changing and controllers (per patch). I also combine internal sounds with straight midi in, in the Roland RD700 connection from the midi out Edirol PCR (midi merge switched on).
The way I use it:
I make the setups in Audiobus, with the in-app midi learn I can switch the saved setups in the "pc" menu of the Roland RD700. In the "Set-up" mode I can switch numeric on the Roland very fast.
When I have to switch sounds on the other keyboards, I change in a midi channel way.
On the Edirol PCR it is very quick with the "upper" and "lower" knobs, and even "dual".
I trusted the Mainstage usage, it never let me down on stage, it's just to make the rig a little more efficient and it's nice to discover the nice sound quality and flexibility. Also the soft instruments are much cheaper in IOS, that's nice.
Logic I used in my little attic studio. Mainstage and Logic both very stable.
The Impulse keys feels a little like a "waterfall".
I know that our front of house technician is not always happy when I'm enthusiastic working on the controllers, a little discipline is desirable.
But we know that having musical dynamics gives nice musical tension and sometimes goosebumps. Sound wise it can be very complex for him. When we rock, it rocks! So now and then our ears have to bleed on stage
I almost forgot, in some songs I use my Hohner accordion. With a wireless system connected to an iRig acoustic Stage pickup system. FUN!
I'll send some more detail pictures of my rig.
The Roland 2080 (filled with 8 sound boards) is going in retirement for now.
Thank you for the tip, BCKeys!
I'm almost ready with the patches needed for our setlist.
It's sure worth it to test it out.