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.
Basic Audiobus/iPhone/GB Questions
Hello,
Absolute beginner here, so I apologize for the absolute beginner questions. I have two related issues that I was hoping for some guidance on.
On an iPhone XR, Audiobus is often crashing when I'm using it, and I don't think I'm asking too much of it. Basically just one chain (Minimoog Model D AUV -> Delay Effect -> Garageband). I think I've tried all the basic things (hard reset of the phone, close all apps, Airplane Mode). Is Audiobus just too robust to run on a phone and I should wait until I can get an iPad, or is there something I'm missing?
After restarting Audiobus and just running an app/AUV straight into Garageband with no effects or anything, the audio just doesn't show up in GB. All apps are still functioning, everything looks right, but just no sound. If I remove GB as the output, the audio is fine, but as soon as I try to record it into GB, the audio disappears again. I've had some success uninstalling/reinstalling Audiobus and it will work temporarily, but will then shut off again. I understand that GB is not the best DAW to be using, but that's what I'm messing around with right now. I don't see why the audio should stop working when the CPU load (if that's the right term) seems to be fine.
Hope this was clear, and thanks in advance for any tips. I'm really just getting started and was psyched to mess around with Audiobus, but it's very stop and start right now with these issues. Cheers!
Comments
Hi @walterreuben To get started, please identify your iOS version and AudioBus version (it's at the bottom of the settings inside AudioBus).
Also, check in the iOS Settings–>Privacy Analytics page for AudioBus crash logs. Their names will start with AudioBus. You can ignore the logs with "wakeups" in the name. If you find a crash log, look in it for the "Exception Type". It's not too far down. It may be SIGQUIT, SIGABRT, SIGSEGV, for instance. This will give us some clues.
Thanks for the response. I just updated to iOS 14.3, but the same issue was occurring in 14.2 as well. Audiobus version 3.4.25 (168).
In the analytics, the Exception Type that is showing up most frequently is SIGSEGV.
Thanks again!
OK. So you're current on software. We don't need to worry about some ancient iOS mysteries.
SEGV means a bad memory memory address, likely something not properly initialized, wrongly deleted, etc. This is an actual software problem, not something caused by the OS.
Is AudioBus working OK alone? Can you use a synth, and effects, with output direct to speakers (no GB)? If that's OK, then it's likely some complication in the GB connection. I don't know much about GB, so we may need to wait for someone else to chip in.
However, could you check the buffer/latency setting you're using when connected to GB? It'll be at the top of the settings inside AudioBus. Some synths have trouble with large (2048) buffers, and I wonder if GB is forcing that value.
Two maybe dumb questions, but I have to ask:
Also, be sure to start GarageBand outside of Audiobus before adding it to Audiobus. Of late, this practice seems to be needed for all Standalone/IAA apps added to any host. Be sure to "clear session" in Audiobus, and force-quit GarageBand and Audiobus when done with them. This goes for other apps you might be using.
What is the delay FX you're using after Model D? (BTW, Model D isn't always the most stable app in the world, and could be contributing to this.)
Yes, it is working fine alone, both with the synth clean, and running through one (or multiple) effects. I changed the latency from 256 to 512 and it didn't seem to have an effect either. I could maybe try even slower response? Thanks again.
Thanks for the tips, there was some progress. Monitoring was on and I rebooted a few times. I think having GB open did help, because I can now hear what I'm playing when I hit record, but it doesn't actually record. The track moves forward like it is recording, but it's just a flat line when I stop recording.
*** Although when trying to replicate even that just now, the initial issue happened again, no audio at all. After force quitting everything and starting from scratch.
The delay is PhaseDelayArray, but the issue was the same with multiple synths as inputs and multiple different effects. Thanks again.
Hi! Sorry to hear about the crashes - would you mind sending those crash logs to me so I can investigate? ([email protected]).
Also, with the GarageBand issues - would you mind sending me some diagnostics? Here’s how: using the latest version of Audiobus, open the system preferences app, then find Audiobus, and turn on Diagnostic Mode. Then open Audiobus, and recreate the problem. Finally, open Audiobus settings, and tap Get Support.
I thought I'd continue the discussion here @walterreuben - before I reach out to the GB team, it occurred to me I should ask: do you have any other apps that can go in the output slot which you can try with? Say, AudioShare, or Loopy, or anything really.
Thanks for continuing to follow up.
Yes, I can record from the Model D Audio Extension into Loopy.
Okay, definitely a GB issue then! Let's see what they say.
Some questions from the GB folks, @walterreuben:
Personally I would just load Model D as an AUv3 directly into GarageBand, add the needed effects and when GarageBand starts to get low on CPU resources it will bounce down the audio and you can keep on going adding more if needed.
Don't know if the coming iOS14.3.1 or 14.4 will add any AUv3 related fixes but it could be that some sneaks in without any mention in the release notes...
That works perfectly here on 7 Plus/Air 3 iOS 14.3.
Not using any multi-channel device, just listening through headphones as I’m learning the app.
Yes, everything is as updated as it can be. GB 2.3.10, iOS 14, iPhone XR 128 GB. Thanks.
Thanks, that’s a good idea. I was messing around with that method before I heard about Audiobus, but the AB3 workflow is just so much nicer I’m hoping to do it that way. I will reutilize your suggestion too though.
What version of iOS 14?
Sorry, 14.3. The same issue was happening before I updated to 14.3 a couple of days ago though.
Hello, just wanted to update since everyone has been so helpful. I think I figured out half of the problem, which I'm hoping might help someone smarter than me figure out the other half.
There is now sound coming out of Model D (or any other input) when I play them, even when the app is "connected" to Garageband. I think the issue was that when GB connected to AB3, it triggered "Run In Background", but I somehow had "Run In Background" turned off in GB. It seems like having Run In Background triggered by AB3 as opposed to having it already on was an issue.
So, that's the good news. The bad news is that it still won't record. I hit record (tried it both in GB and in AB3), I play notes, but there is no audio recorded. There is a "recording" of the duration I was playing something, but a totally flat waveform. I really appreciate everyone's effort to help me out, and hope might have something that hasn't been thought of. Thanks again, and take care.
It sounds like you are loading the IAA version of Model D. The AU version (which you can load in Audiobus) doesn't have a setting for being on in the background.
What do you feel like you are gaining by loading in Audiobus rather than directly in Garageband? You are more likely to find the smoothest going with the fewest extraneous links in the chain. There are often good reasons to have AB being a link in the chain, but this is a case where I don't see a benefit.
Sorry if I wasn't clear, I meant I turned on "Run In Background" in Garageband, not in Model D. To be honest, at this point I'm just trying to figure out why nothing can be recorded into Garageband through Audiobus. It just doesn't seem to matter what my input is (full application or AU, Model D or one of the AudioKit limited editions or any other input, effects or no effects). I feel like I've tried every permutation and this app that is supposed to simplify things is driving me a little crazy.
It's just frustrating because it seemed like Audiobus would be a good thing to purchase to help me try to get better at music making in Garageband (although I know it's not the best DAW), and instead it just isn't working at all. I appreciate the suggestion and will probably just go back to using IAA within Garageband if I can't figure out the issue, but I'm just trying to exhaust all options. Thanks for your continued efforts.
Super weird! I’ve passed that info along to the team, will see if there are any ideas.
@walterreuben - A screen shot of your setup might be helpful. One from Audiobus showing the two apps, and one from GarageBand showing specifically where you set up the recording source.
I suspect this is a setup problem.
Even better : a screen recording that starts with the setup and shows the attempt to record. The problem could be a combination of setup and procedure.
Sure thing, I can’t do a recording right now but could try to later. In the meantime here are a few screenshots:
I’ve always kind of assumed it’s something dumb I’m doing that I just haven’t been able to communicate.
I can't reproduce this. Recording works just fine for me. I don't have the Digitalism app, but I tried with other AU's including Retro Piano, don't get the same issue.
One thing I notice in your screenshot is there's no "record arm" button or monitoring button. My setup looks like this:
Note the red record-arm button and the monitoring icon, which are missing from your screenshot.
On a long-shot ... maybe check to be sure that Audiobus 3 has Microphone access turned on? iOS Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
There's also a "Reset GarageBand" option in iOS Settings > GarageBand that might help. However, I'm not sure if that will end up deleting any projects you've done in GarageBand. I don't think so, but don't want to be responsible for you losing any work!
@wim The OP's GB top menu bar is different from yours (and mine). Does that indicate something?
I dunno. It could be the difference between iOS 13.7 and iOS 14 maybe? I'm staying on 13.7 for now, so I can't check.
No. I'm on 14.3 and mine's the same as yours. Maybe because it's an iPhone.
I see the distinction, and now that you mention it I realize it’s not there, when it was before. Mic permission is on, just reset GarageBand, but still only the mute/isolate options on the track. Then deleted/redownloaded GB, still missing record/monitor options. I think you’re right though, that seems to be the issue. I’ll do some searching to see if that’s a common GB issue. Thanks, feel like I’m getting closer!
I was able to record using your configuration, with the Audio Recorder, and without seeing the extra controls. I had to go back and forth between AudioBus and GB a couple of times before I saw the Record button in AB (it was greyed out). Then hit record in AB and played. I suspect @wim may be using the Sampler GB instrument, not Audio Recorder.
I just followed the Apple instructions.
Yes, that's what it looks like on the iphone.