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.
The Speed Of SWAM / Flugelhorn
I think this is a pretty good representation of the SWAM Flug. I used no additional expression parameters other than what the basic preset has to offer. There’s a lot in it, IMO.
The track is a new version of Speed, which used an iFretless Euphonium. I’ll post that beneath just for comparison.... but, no comparison!
@Gavinski, I think CPU overload caused by inserting effects was the problem. Plus a bit of cantankerousness from Cubasis3. It’s workable. No sure about multiple instances. Freezing will be probably be required.
NeoSoulKeys2, Ravenscroft, iFretless Bass and Soft Drummer.
SWAM version..,
iFretless Euphonium.... (horn at 1:10)
Thanks @audiomodeling, will be buying several more. We need an acoustic bass!
Comments
Amazing man. I went from not sure if I were concered about trumpets to thinking jazz is also amazing. The beat was also good and the horn was great.
Great track @LinearLineman . Love the sound of a flugelhorn and as you say... No comparison.
Really excellent Michael and a telling contrast ... there's lips on the end of that swam horn. And some wild chords man ... had my fingers clicking after the first burst.
I reckon you're getting a decent double bass already ...no one is listening to the bass anyway - not with those flashy chords pulling my ears around - sigh - but of course next to a swam bass it will sound flat and mechanical... really lifts the bar this stuff. And no mean feat to fit such complexity and quality into an ipad.
I wonder if swam would be brave enough to try some scat samples ... I use the pure synth scat patches a lot ... they sound decent ... so far ... but not a patch on a swam modelled voice I'd reckon. Right at the pointy end of the business this lot.
Great composition LL the SWAM horn is sounding good almost real but to me it's
unfortunately not a real horn.
You wouldn't want to hear @LinearLineman play a real horn. With social distancing this is
the best we will get. Maybe when the world squashes these viruses he can have someone come in and put out more duet work.
Thanks for listening @sigma79 and @GeoTony.
@Soundscaper, Module Monumental Choirs has a few scat patches. Itks well worth it for the straight choir sounds.
@Frenq, no not real... but it may be on a breath controller.
@McD, only keyboard playing for me. It’s architectural.
Sounds great! Not just the horn but the overall vibe, love the keys too. Can't help thinking though that that horn would sound better with the bit of light vibrato it would be so easy for you to add if you were using an mpe controller. I wish I could play keys like you can though!
Edit: seeing your reply to Frenq, no, you don't need a breath controller to make this sound like a real horn. An mpe keyboard would be enough, or you could even manage it on a regular midi keyboard if you have a foot pedal for expression control and use mod wheel for vibrato. But also for either of these you need great technique and a lot of practice.
At last! With SWAM apps, you eventually have the proper tools to serve your amazing playing skills, Mike. It sounds amazing. Do you have an expression pedal ?
BTW, which one did you get ? I bought the trumpet and I am blown away by the sound quality! I am now Considering buying a "brass section" 😉. Shall I buy the whole enchiladas or is a selection of well chosen instruments enough? your advises are more than welcome as there are so many apps to choose from !
Hey buddy! Did you see Mike's comments in the other main 'Swam apps is out' thread?
I think buying the dominant orchestral instruments ala carte is the best 2nd step:
Trumpet
French Horn
Tenor Trombone
Eb Tuba
For Jazz, I think the Bb Fluegel Horn can't be beat.
The rest are somewhat speciality items:
TRUMPETS
C Trumpet (that exists to let the player read sheet music on a job)
Eb Fluegel (sounds a lot like the Mellophone)
Piccolo Trumpet is 1/2 the length of the regular trumpet and plays up an octave
TROMBONES:
Tenor Bass Trombone (a larger bore Trombone in Bb with a thumb activated extension for more low notes)
Bass Trombone probably pitched down to G or Eb by adding length
Double Bass Trombone pitched a perfect 4th (F) below the tenor/bass trombones Bb
Alto Trombone smaller than the tenor
HORNS:
Euphonium (valve activated in the trombone range with a conical tube)
French Horn in Bb has added tubing and another valve to reach lower notes
Bass Tuba strange name for an instrument that's usually in F just above the Eb Tuba
Great observations @McD
I am definitely partial to that piccolo trumpet, it has such a pure, clean, sweet sound. The Bb Flugelhorn also, lovely melancholy jazz vibe.
I like the conical instruments for emo solo work and the cylindrical for fanfares.
Conicals:
Flugels (that Eb model bears consideration for a mellow alto trombone ranged horn)
French Horns
Euphonium
Tubas
I'm really glad they don't make "bugles"... there are a ton of them and they would sound like the above but only play one tube length and stick to a strict overtone series:
2nd overtone (root)
3rd overtone 5th
4th overtone octave
5th overtone 10th (Major 3rd up an octave)
6th overtone octave+5th (12th)
etc.
@McD
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Very helpful as usual !
So far, on top of the trumpet (Bb) which I already got, I am considering going for the following:
Flugelhorn and Piccolo trumpet for the trumpet section. BTW, do you know if there is a very noticeable difference in timbre between Trumpet (Bb) and Flugelhorn (Eb) they seem to share a very similar key range.
Tenor trombone and Bass trombone should cover my need in the trombone section.
a bit more difficult to choose for horns and Tuba as I like them a lot. So far, I think I will go for French Horn (Bb), Euphonium and Tuba (Eb). But I am wondering if having the Bass Tuba instead of the Eb to extend the range in the low register... What do you think @McD ?
Flugelhorn has a mellower sound than trumpet. A lot of session players will bring both trumpet and flugelhorn to a session and choose the one that fits the mood of the piece.
Yes, flugelhorn is definitely mellower, lovely stuff
Hi Gavin!
I am so glad I didn't buy the geoshred version. I am amazed by the work SWAM team did on the iOS interface for their app. The keyboard is really good and even without a MIDI controller, you can get very realistic and expressive results. I can't wait for the release of the woodwinds !
Do you plan to make some tutorials for those amazing apps?
For sure - though I am still thinking how best to do it, not being the virtuosos keys player that these apps deserve to be shown off by 😛
Maybe ask @LinearLineman to provide your with a MIDI track and play in real time with the expression parameters?
One thing I still wish to hear, is a comparison for each instruments in their collections. I am sure that SWAM worked hard on their modelization. So it could be nice to be able to compare and have an idea of even the slightest timbre difference for let's say both Flugelhorn or between all the trombones...
No, playing on the seaboard is much nicer than playing with regular midi and sticking the expression in top. I can definitely play expressively, just don't expect the level of speed and knowledge of scales etc that McD or Lineman would have.
I will definitely compare the sounds of different instruments, at least briefly!
Are you originally a guitarist ? Is so, you could also include MIDI guitar in your review. I didn't try myself yet, but saw a video on YouTube, it seems to be another good way to control those apps.
Yes i am a guitarist but i am a rhythm guitarist - i would definitely rather use the seaboard for this and the way the seaboard responds to pressure is vastly more suited to demo-ing these!