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.
Demoting iPad & Project Catalyst
Two points I’d love to hear some perspectives on.
I’ve only just come to realise that the iPad just doesn’t cut it for me as a master studio brain. I have lots of hardware synths, effects and some cv stuff, and try as I might, the iPad just falls short in too many areas. Some of you probably already know that and are way ahead of me. I wanted it to work, but just can’t without a slew of compromises or workflow-killing workarounds. Since I made the decision, boy do I feel liberated. So I’m keeping my MacMini for internet & printing chores, and just bought myself a 2018 MBPro. And now Mainstage is looking something like AUM on steroids, to me. So I’m delegating my “i” devices to just controllers, and house devices to create in bed, on the couch, etc, and transfer to Logic to expand on.
Has anyone else already made this choice or contemplating it? Have you looked back?
Second, somewhat related point, do you think many devs will make their iOS creations available to the upcoming Project Catalyst where MacOS will host iOS apps (as I understand it). I love the idea of having Brambos stuff running on my MBPro inside Logic. This excites the hell out of me. Devs, are you planning for it? Punters, do you think this is huge news?
So for me, I’m demoting how I use my iPad, but I’m hopeful that I’ll still get to use some iOS apps or plugins with my DAW of choice on a Mac in the not too distant future.
Thoughts? Cheers all.
Comments
The way I see Project Catalyst, is a "One platform to rule them all". The new Mac books are using improved versions of the iPad and iOS chips. They'll have their own naming convention, sure...but they are very much similar.
My take on platforms is...use what works for you. There isn't one right answer. The "best" choice depends on your use case.
For me, I love being able to connect to any MIDI instrument (such as my Artiphon Instrument One) and get the same sounds using my tiny iPhone SE. I have another iPhone which I use exclusively for guitar and vocal effects, and i use my iPad for designing these patches. My need for a Macbook has reduced once I learnt about JUCE for WIndows, Luma Fusion, Pythonista, and Garageband for iOS (which is just a simpler Logic Pro).
I'm of similar mind to @seonnthaproducer
It's what works for you.
If or when working on an iPad doesn't cut it
for you then there's nothing wrong in that.
I had the reverse effect with idevices and desktops.
As I continue to evolve as an artist I've been finding a
certain freedom when it comes to idevices and my creativity.
Granted OS updates can throw our compositional tools out of
whack but there's a thrill in being able to get them back on track
and they sound great.
What's also fascinating is that everyone assists in overcoming the
difficulties of maintaining a working system with the continuous updates.
I have an advantage which is I am professional
musician and composer and I don't have that many goals
anymore as a musician so idevices keep me mentally and musically fit.
For up and coming musicians obviously it's a
different matter but in the end it's the same thing.
We learn, we grow and we all need different challenges or even no challenges.
No judgment.
I think you're expectations that the tools you use now will work on one of the Macs with ARM chips needs to be proven with real software on real hardware. Some of the concepts you imagine seem like they won't be supported as Apple protects their current market-driven cash cows. IOS developers will have to scramble to update their products to fit into this new
set of OS'es and hardware targets.
I DO think the capability to write software and test it on the Mac will be improved but software will likely get packages and sold to function on a platform and not just be interoperable between Desktop, Laptop, iPad, iPhone and FannyPad (oops, NDA broken).
Anyway... keep your iPad handy. You may need to for a few more years to run these great apps on the current chipsets.
After my fairly commited and sustained iOS experience, trying to make an iPad Pro my main studio brain, I will never again have expectations. Hopes yes, expectations no. But I fully agree with your sentiment. This is just me going back to what I know and know best, and can somewhat rely on. I dont really expect to see iOS apps running smoothly on Macs anytine soon, but you never know? Devs are a pretty clever and enterprising bunch.
And, I will certainly be keeping my iPads very handy. I love what's happening in this space. A lot. So much so, that I had hoped (and probably naively expected), was mature enough to be able to run reasonably sized midi and hardware setups reliably but my experience has been fraught. The main problem has been my expectation of what I wanted and hoped iOS would be. I was wrong. Lesson learned. Twelve months time could be another story. NS with solid MIDI clock and AUv3 MIDI (lets not start again on audio tracks), Cubasis & Zenbeats bugs ironed out, Gadget with AUv3, Garageband allows more external integration, who knows. I hope to come back to it one day as #1 to give it another go at being my main studio brain but time will tell. I might need to wait for iOS15 or 16.
So for me now, I feel like I've finally unshackled myself from months of frustration. It feels good, right, and bang-on perfect for me, to be back in laptop land for a little longer. How's anyone else observing the transistion from computer to iOS? Regrets? Disappointment? Couldnt be happier? I'm talking to the people who are accustomed to desktop and laptop power. How are you finding going all iOS? Has it worked out for you?
For myself, I'm keeping my iPad, will keep playing with it as a 'convenience and sound-design tool', and watch out for any signicant beakthroughs or developements as time rolls on.
I have learned that if I commute to work (which means up to 12 hours a week) I LOVE my iPad and it becomes absolutely central to my thinking/planning/doing. If I do not commute (like the past six months) then I simply like my iPad just as much as my laptop/desktop/hardware and they now all get along wonderfully that I have had time at home to really chin stroke and figure it all out.
I have the couch which works great now with an iPad/laptop and then a separate standing desk in another room with iPads/desktop/hardware. Things can start on the couch all chill and drifty/sketchy with no pressure primarily with just the iPad for initial sequencing / sending midi to laptop and then later get more serious/finished at the standing desk with all the hardcore CPU cycles etc and precision/speed of mouse/keyboard. Maybe in ten years I can be all iPad but there are too many sweet desktop tasties and I actually don’t find iOS cheaper overall considering the low end impulse buy / instalment nature of it. There is amazing affordable and free stuff on desktop.
Klaatu barada nikto
'There's hope for Earth, if the scientists can be reached.' - Edmund H. North
Quite prescient for a 1951 SciFi film script.
@niktu My humble opinion and perhaps something I ‘ve overlooked or missing.
I use Ableton as my main DAW whose integration with iOS is amazing. I ‘ve also tried Mainstage in a similar fashion to AUM but it is too much of a hassle everything is so complicated and very difficult to use in conjunction to other programs. It is the “successful” Apple mentality of “only in my environment, I don’t play well with others”. That was just an experiment. On the other hand both AUM and Audiobus work seamlessly, connections made (I use iConnectivity Audio 2+) instantly, I don’t have to interrupt my workflow on how to do this and that. I can even mix my Desktop plugins (UAD) with iOS plugins with a slight workaround that works great. Can run 3-4 THu instances and 2-3 synths at the same time. Don’t think that ‘s feasible with Mainstage. The only plus I find in Mainstage and still have it is the Brass sounds and that until I can afford a better library.
I do so free that iOS is not as potent as a Mac for being the main brain of the workflow. But for now.
Money. That’s it for me. I have Ableton on a secondhand MBP. Yes I know there are a lot of freebies for laptop, but I look at the eye watering prices of the fairly niche quirky and experimental AU/VSTs and Max for Live scripts available and tempting there that I would love to have... And then remember all the wild and crazy FX and midi manipulation I can already do on my IPad for pocket money. And where I do my actual creating. And it isn’t the laptop.
I had the typical bedroom studio, for my own songs etc. But then started playing guitar live, just traditional hardware Guitar with strings, Amp with tubes. Then I decided to investigate solo playing with a laptop, amp sims etc, and used Mainstage for that, for it's collection of fantastic instruments (I play keys a bit too), plus the Loopback plug in and foot control, so i could do things with multiple sections. That worked really well, when I wasn't screwing it up.
Then I started to see videos of people doing amazing things with iPads, and got kinda hooked on that, especially when I realised that there were apps that had no equivalent in desktop land. I don't think there's anything like the Lumbeat apps, that can accompany you, and add fills etc, and variation. And there are no loopers like GTL, which for me is fabulous for more structured things. And it's all SO CHEAP! Even what are considered expensive apps for the most part really aren't at all.
So, iOS still seems like a magical landscape to me, admittedly one with a few hidden pits to fall into.
I'm still hooked on iOS for making stuff in real time for live solo use (not that I've actually performed live with it yet, lol, but I still play guitar in duos and bands etc with no computer in sight). But in my mind it's in a different category to recording songs. I think I'd just retreat back to the desktop for that, and use some of that hideously expensive software that's been sitting around doing nothing.
Thx for the considered responses peeps.
@Audiogus - Your post resonates loudly for me. Thank you. Your situation appears to mirror how I intend on doing things now, also, after my epiphany.
@McD - Oh, so true, and very good pickup on my handle thingy. That movie won a Golden Globe award - ‘Best Picture to Promote International Understanding’, and most importantly, everybody knows that Gort could beat the shit out of that pussy, Robbie the Robot, from Forbidden Planet.
@SimonSomeone - I agree, iOS is a “magical landscape” for me too, but it just doesn’t play all that well with a room full of equipment. I had hopes but it didn’t work out for me. By itself, yes. But not to control even mildly sophisticated hardware setups.
I must say this liberated feeling is great. No more midi-clock, external hardware or controller headaches, and no issues like ‘audio tracks’, niggling midi or compatibility bugs for me no more. I upgraded my Ableton Live software last night. I look forward to my Live vs Mainstage, and Live vs Logic experiments. A whole new ballpark. The term “what was I thinking” comes to mind now that I’m burying myself in those environments again.
I look forward to when iOS gets some muscle to better control the outside world, or when I eventually downscale my studio, so an iPad is all I need. One day.
The insights have been interesting. Thank you. Cheers all.
The star of that movie for me was the composer Bernard Hermann and that amazing instrument, the "Theremin" - the choice of certified Germophobes:
Then, "Mars Attacks" and magic became a gag. Still, when I was 10 and TDTESS was on TV...
totally cool. I still tend to prefer B&W movies with awesome film scores like Hermann's.
We tend to like synths because they conjure up the other worldly.
For fear of hijacking my own thread (which I think is ok because its naturally fizzling anyway), I must respond with more unrelated trivia.
Oh McD, be careful, we might have to go the biff to resolve who was best in what sci-fi, he he. I do agree that Hermann nailed it and really set up the 50’s sci-fi sound for sci-fi and all parodies to follow, but that movie was brilliant on so many levels, not just the score. The director Ray Wise (also did the first ever Star Trek movie), who quite possibly directed Hermann to a ‘sound’ he wanted should take most of the credit IMO. It was directed superbly and even acted superbly. The combo of Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, and good ol’ Hugh Marlowe was just fantastic and great casting of Rennie as Klaatu. And then there’s the direction of Gort, using shadows, ominous theremin music, and camera angles to great effect - what a movie. My all-time fave sci-fi.
Leaving the wonders of the Theremin, Leon, Bob and Clara Rockmore aside (for the time being) for pioneering synth wizardry and the Louis Armstrong(s) of knob twiddling synthesis, you can’t go past husband and wife team ‘Louis and Bebe Barron’ and their work on ‘Forbidden Planet’ (Leslie Neilson as the romantic lead - and he’s really good in it). Came a little after Hermanns masterpiece, but they took a different approach altogether, mashing science and synthesis, showing the world what can be done with a synthesiser. Their abstract genius in Forbidden Planet is also highly regarded in the synth world as early pioneers of synthesis.
https://soundworkscollection.com/post/creating-the-music-and-sound-effects-of-forbidden-planet
I live for sci-fi. The ideas and philosophy are eternal food for my brain.