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
Really? I looked for it and couldn't find it. Maybe the problem is the terminology itself, and I didn't understand the meaning of the words.
This bit here here I've bolded:
Sequence Sub-Pattern Syntax
Syntax
<[S][prob][.M] R {[seqnum[-seqnumrange].[repeattimes[-repeattimesrange]] [seqnum[-seqnumrange].[repeattimes[-repeattimesrange]]}* >
Where:
seqnum: Sequence Number.
repeattimes: Repeat Times Minimum.
Nope. I wrestled with it for a while and then after getting frustrated decided i was more interested in playing music than getting frustrated. Wotja is super cool and I’m invested enough to keep plugging away at it. But the barrier to entry is pretty high. Life is short.
I need to take a look at this too.. I’m still lost on where to begin with this app. Mostly my fault for not giving enough time (there’s never enough hours in a day!)
Always love to see updates!
Question, say I bought Wotja Pro 21 a few months back. And say I never get around to using it... does it “expire” when the new year’s version comes out? Will it still be functional, or will I need to purchase it again?
I’m not any kind of expert on the iOS side of Wotja (mostly using it as a controller for other hardware) but I’ve found MidiFlow (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/midiflow/id879915554) invaluable for sorting out midi routings inside iOS.
It’s the nearest thing I’ve found to give me similar functionality to MidiPipe on MacOS.
No idea if it will help with your situation but thought I’d mention it just in case.
Thanks for the recommendation. I have lots of MIDI tools for iOS and write scripts in Mozaic and StreamByter. I’m sure it’s doable but I’m just mindful these days about how much time i waste fiddling rather than creating. Appreciate your help, nonetheless.
I'd also recommend the free MIDI Trail as more helpful than text-based MIDI monitors for monitoring the notes produced by Wotja, particularly its 3D Rain view. Unfortunately it removed split-screen functionality on iOS for some reason, so it may now be more useful on desktop - though the gestures are more intuitive on iOS.
@lukesleepwalker will already know this, but StreamByter's graphical sibling MidiFire is more versatile than (the excellent) MidiFlow for more complex kinds of mapping, and mapping scenes can be transferred between the iOS and Mac desktop versions and work straight out the box.
No, it remains fully functional for as long as iOS supports it. You only need to pony up for the new version if you want the new features that come with the next year's initial drop or subsequent updates. To give an idea of what that involves, there's always been an additional clutch of new templates in the first rollout and one big new feature, which this year was text-to-speech; this year's headline additions since then have been AUv3 and now the new reverb fx, though there've also been a lot of significant interface and under-hood improvements. But I still use Wotja 20 and am glad I kept it around; there were text features that text-to-speech had to break, though normally Intermorphic are very scrupulous about backwards compatibility with files created in older versions.
It's worth reiterating nevertheless that Intermorphic have done brilliant work in constructing paths to easy entry via the Flow feature. Even complete non-musoes can pick it up at once; you're only two taps away from an endless stream of ever-evolving generative radio, and can tweak it at any level you're comfortable with from either top down or bottom up. You don't have to master everything at once, any more than you need to be able to service a car engine to be able to drive. (And Wotja has a self-driving mode if wanted.) One-minute visual quickstarts further back in this thread here and here.
@Masanga I don’t dispute that the self driving car works very well. Sure enough, press a button and off it goes. I also don’t doubt that mechanics can learn every little crevice of the vehicle. Given other comments in this thread i don’t think I’m alone in noting that it’s hard to figure out, as a musician, how to do the simple “driving” that musicians do. Two cents.
You are not alone! Wotja is deep but very difficult to master and understand. Only buy this if you have a lot of patience and time. And of course, try the free version first.
Yes, that's a nice extension of my rubbish analogy, and I completely get where you're coming from. On the one hand, there's a lot about Wotja that is very familiar to anyone who uses our kind of tools: there's a track structure with mute and solo buttons, a pattern sequencer, a modular synth and fx chain, a couple of mixer views, a routing structure based around MIDI channels on which notes are output to internal or external sound sources. But what's not part of this existing toolkit is the Generator object, which is the beating heart of Wotja and is less immediately translated into specifically musicianly ways of thinking about the production of notes.
What I would say, though, is that even Generators are is designed around familiar things like keys (or rather root notes), scales, and pitch ranges – and any headbending is the result of differences between how a musician's brain and a probabilistic system of algorithmic processes compose. One of the reasons, for example, that Wotja's compositional comfort zone is ambient is that its sense of harmony is vertical and interval-based rather than horizontal and (chord) progression-based. But one of the things that generative music gives us permission to do is to roll the dice and trust the algorithms, without always needing to think reductively and deterministically about how the interactions of algorithms produce the specific notes that they do, and Wotja has really leaned into that as part of the genesis of generative music as a convergence of compositional, curatorial, and aleatory processes.
What this means for incoming users is that there are many bits of the main view that are trivially self-explanatory – the track pane is just a bunch of tracks, the sound engine is just a modular hybrid synth network and fx chain, the pattern editor is just a sequencer, while the text and graphics features are extraneous and can be ignored if they're not of interest – and the Flow tab lets you bypass all of this and do everything with curated combinations of presets ("templates", which are cells that include both a note generator and a sound patch).
In the main cell view, you do have this very big and complex pane with all the parameters for the currently selected Generator object permanently in view – but in twelve years with the various apps that are now all one, I don't think I've ever used anything after the first ten items (except for Comments, and ok Scripting in the year between its introduction as a Cell-level feature and its expansion to Mix level last year, which has made Cell-level scripting largely surplus to requirements). It's a deep app – probably the deepest music app on iOS – but you do click with it and then it seems so obvious that you can't remember whatever seemed difficult about it (till you go back and look at the original Koan Pro or Noatikl interface and realise how far we've come…).
I've never been able to get past the varied Amway pricing models for this app over the years.
It's been fairly stable for the last few years, though, and the changes were always in response to user feedback. Until this year there were different subscription tiers for different kinds of non-personal use, but all that's been simplified down now: there's a subscription version that includes the desktop app, and an annual fullgrade version that doesn't. (I googled Amway, but the reference is over my UK head!)
Though I'd actually also recommend it to people with zero patience and zero time… If you want to go deep, you can, but you don't have to. It's like buying a synth for its presets, except that with Wotja the presets play themselves, recite terrible poetry, come with their own light show, and form themselves into bands that keep breaking up and getting back together.
Ha, good one. I’m all in on the aleatoric and generative and Wotja truly delivers excellent results on this front. But other generative tools recognize the modular nature of iOS music making and are more accessible to collaboration the way musicians work. It’s not entirely fair to compare apps but take a modest app like Cality. I load it in the host, connect the MIDI, set the key and the most important parameters like number of notes and gate and overlap. Hit play and it jams along nicely with everything else. It’s nowhere near as sophisticated as Wotja but it is considerably more intuitive and accessible. I’m ready to go all in on Wotja; it’ll just take much longer because i force myself to learn a little at a time so i can still enjoy music making instead of fiddling with apps.
@Edward_Alexander @lukesleepwalker @Pierre118
Hi folks - and I'm sure I've missed a few - yes, we need to put more work into making it as easy as possible to "get into" Wotja. We keep working towards this, but it is a never-ending battle!
A big issue for us is that, because we keep evolving Wotja and the UI never stands still, it can make tutorial videos go out-of-date quite quickly. This is a real, practical problem for us, as each video is unbelievably time consuming to create.
Here is how you might want to start:
tap top-left cell in the top row, browse for templates.
Have a listen! Change until you find something you like.
tap left-most cell in the second row, browse for templates.
Have a listen! Change until you find something you like.
You are now mixing two templates together!
tap top-left cell in the top row, browse for templates.
Have a listen! Change until you find something you like.
tap the Synth button in the main mixer view.
You can see the Synth network design - this makes the sounds for what you’re hearing.
Press the Presets button, and make a selection. Listen to how it sounds!
Keep on making Presets selection, until you find something you like, then press OK to apply
your change (or just Cancel out)
I think that micro-tutorials (like the above), with some supplementary videos, are probably the way to go for us - it'd be interesting to read your thoughts!
Pete
NB: I wonder if Wotja users are finding our tutorials, which are here:
https://intermorphic.com/wotja/21/learn/tutorials/
Hi John - it has taken a lot of experimentation for us to figure-out what works!
Pete
If there are any happy users of the Free version out there, then we'd ask you please to leave an App Store review - it all helps
Best wishes,
Pete
Thank you for this! Yes these short and concise tip pages like this are what we need!
I got more out of this post right here than I ever have trying to thumb through the manual(s) which, as you say, are always being changed and overwritten.
What I need
Guess I better speak for myself around here lol
Thanks @impete Very helpful.
@Edward_Alexander @Pierre118
Here are some more!
5a. Play with Generator Types
you now have a single cell, populated with a single Ambient Generator - which is a
generator that plays long notes, and is often used for drones
add a new generator: double-tap (or right-click) your "Ambient" generator OR tap the "Menu"
button in in the Generator Network view (this is above your Ambient generator);
select "Add Generator of Type..." - and select Rhythmic; this plays notes much more often.
you now have two generators playing in your cell; one is Ambient and one is Rhythmic
5b. Set your generator sounds
you'll see that your Ambient generator is attached to MIDI channel 1;
tap the Synth button to the right of MIDI channel 1.
this shows the "MIDI 1 Synth" screen, where you can edit the sounds used for your Ambient generator
you'll see that your Rhythmic generator is attached to MIDI channel 2;
tap the Synth button to the right of MIDI channel 2.
this shows the "MIDI 1 Synth" screen, where you can edit the sounds used for your Rhythmic generator
6a. use Following generators; this tutorial will create a network of Generators that respond to each other, and configure their sounds
you now have a single cell, populated with a single Ambient Generator - which is a
generator that plays long notes, and is often used for drones
add a new generator by copying: double-tap (or right-click) your "Ambient" generator, then:
select Copy
select Paste
you now have two generators playing in your cell; both are Ambient
tap on your second Ambient generator, and drag it onto your first generator;
your Generator becomes a Follower generator; which will compose notes that "Follows"
notes composed by your first generator
change the new generator's name...
select the new generator, and then (in the right-hand parameters panel...) look
for the "Generator" section and then "Generator Name" parameter within it;
select this, and use the alert to call it "Follower 1"
6b. adding some more generators!
change your Follower generator to compose notes 50% of the time;
select the Follower generator, and then (in the right-hand parameters panel...) look
for the "Following" second and then "Percent" parameter within it; set the slider to 50%
your follower will now play a note 50% of the time that your Ambient generator composes for
copy and paste your follower, creating your third generator; configure it to follow the
second generator (which is your first follower!), by dragging from the third
generator to the second generator
create a fourth follower by copying the third generator, and configuring it to follow
the third generator by dragging.
you now have: one ambient generator, followed by a follower, which is followed by another follower, which is followed by one more follower; the net result is a Mix that generates chords; sometimes the chords are thicker than others.
a different MIDI channnel; for every generator's MIDI channel:
6c. set the sounds
this shows the "MIDI ... Synth" screen, where you can edit the sounds used for your generator's
MIDI channel;
press the Presets button, and find a sound you like! Then press OK...
@Edward_Alexander @Pierre118
And more more!
7a. import a mix, look at the generators, and play with the Rules
press the main Wotja Documents screen + button, and select "Mix (from Clipboard)"
wotja://wj4UEsDBBQAAAAIAAAAIAAA2Ihi%2DwUAAJUNAAAJAAAAbS5taXh0aWtspVVbk6JWEP4rW77Mi%2D5wE2QrmxR3jgoCCqJJyuImHm4ioAJb%2De9BZ5LVydQ4VfGh6_Sh6f7660_6Ry_tffv9Ry_sLNIfYn203xN6fazfg1kVFOm%2DyHfQe05hXcE4ec6duHwGykYKMgXW6IZXnOhZab50ztfzvoqcXp9AurcJtI8jSJ_A%2Dp3BLxdEv7erqvzb83MC80uur94%2Dff4tqWJM42nCXZ5DP7UaD0tOboRAZU6cAWQTN1VPayk5rlsEWpYhTRch1Fpiokl17slG7mDnAQeZUJONJJD10FnqNIgYCCRj50sCDSAYaByNrO0dooX7EPD19QykJNbmoO5qxCvb2HVnqEXnky9ZhM8TE8Axo%2DuZY_M13%2DGBIFxLIrJaIBBExGiKX%2Du9U1v5bG3ko9peZpXr%2DWtt7mdtZY6gs0xBAQ8qtc1btWHq6cIkvdYMfSlBXMkkx5mIurhOzSUxd3Az9Wzr5PNlh0uMuhhsfc1zxdb4yzp5xXY9v8PL%2DaXfMdrlfu33en7tF_zsNxKufVyxL97po7ntg6k_zqvf5g0V7lG8eR__MP_qJh58iFu9xQ0f5Q1v84YK_JDn4Q3PDeCZ8NFc7rRwwcI_4Hwh3OPhmOZj_EJzjwk8xnTPz%2DWdB5j0Nxwx58d9mG_f%2DUTvtzNWHsR6t7GP5lbPbufQMO0DTm_n3H6C00Z5m59_gD8S3uD_BKd3_13lldOHGmxu561yH8eq3G3sI54AesMT0vX8aA6NCt_k_wS36h1%2Dpqujh4_6uJ23OmdwwJv_4Xa9NHJfopub73_oSnTkYOjO6_i%2D9Obi432wRJPrN_bCBWbFjm2cvKjbaRxdOjaLOMuq7DB0q3R4WZ_kxVAXM%2DqTnaW71dofIt0FeXk0RPsoSVEUhpJ9qtveymohz8w5%2DrqP__yr_6NXDdDrlveQ65rvdev6jz8yPtg6x6T6mu2dy0Lutn736Jdguw28qvzifH9Cn3795fnV_7V73GV_je3WeFbFuCmUPMvqTPcDL4Yf0UvRG1yv9lxnxpeTC4dHFxOvnUUrWnVGypkH7mZesR2pKbaZyhS7n_l1tUuGqoHmIMCAd0x2Wos3ttT6UiOv7DBZTzEtZ5KZp3nYeTU76Hh0nKYqrs0aB92ouwqjg%2DkJCRBOGWWlS3v8Wds6_mYxmFGMPTdjSTNToSrXwzbUm5g9uxyBijt6nE%2DEOoqaQ9HGSQlOrZ%2DP4%2DJ8mKOSgarslh%2DuhplHGFmg5Dvfyhv_WCDNYqecNpOoHnsDWzzijoFZK78M5a410WPzwMyAulcFYew7KifGcGgO0GQ%2DTSnDQd1k58p7uk635H4PLHiShigHT16KOXt8Q01OpV2lS5OFlWGCghzvQEzUZ34EoaEPRZAAqtoodsc_y4QMI15IvhwuRmvRldUOLw4XXsYSM__%2D9J9HRiKObkp3Sk0KV2SnrL76J4ZleO8l10t8J6IXGb3IB8Wo_k8tgTTfFzciQulORNs6Lb8k35%2DQp_z7E9HJqLvotPSvvcrp_6uN2dp0c54xAsPIe_49tVVrVpuPVEZQlpsmAtluLivUlC5P8s4gPTMITgzUdEN1HKuax7glaIWfmVjDkjHQ41PYuq2CbdIaGwlLNyeogOV8mZL42sLQCbMpjBgrpkOJPPiLspwMY4oVmjJZJyJTiJPyKE%2Dhsp3Vmmj4lRxUsuEc8D19pkmCB%2Dx4YA1MbOPu5Bmn1JNFYeVJcQxERLfyE8uWg1iEm50QNFolZBB310UyJgBHcjIeblxxdNhsD041PZKZTR3hAUfbqSYsIMwYmCnZwdCwFe9Dj0rV7nsvrLlkX5SIFEJPtznNYTGlEgZzSM6lwWJAKf7iZB9yUSkny1E4FCgmrMAi2EcmmOmyE4os8BcrzlbbWA9bQpbtMzlbcmDOLmyFD2pDkCHOFDZ7KEarmCgWlKXzJm%2DtaX0zX%2DbBgXME8kCNZWu02h4XQUQ5Gy1U31UwS2_xKUNc1BeEyv9QMLt9q2D0HwW_uNi9i9%2D7xL07vHfJe5e6d0f3Ln3vosgb_wbXn3_9DVBLAQIAABQAAAAIAAAAIAAA2Ihi%2DwUAAJUNAAAJAAAAAAAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAABtLm1peHRpa2xQSwUGAAAAAAEAAQA3AAAAIgYAAAAA
7b. play with the Scale rules
the item for "Cell Rules -> Use Cell Rule" is defined; there is only one Scale rule
set-up for your cell, and in this case your mix is composing your generator
through the "Major (Hypolydian)" rule set-up for that cell
select the Major... item, and change the slider values. Hear how the music changes!
7c. play with the Harmony rules
the item for "Cell Rules -> Use Cell Rule" is defined; there is only one Harmony rule
set-up for your cell, and in this case your mix is composing your generator
through the "Default Harmony Rule" rule set-up for that cell
select the Default Harmony Rule item, and change the slider values. Hear how the music changes!
7d. play with the Rhythm rules
the item for "Cell Rules -> Use Cell Rule" is defined; there is only one Rhythm rule
set-up for your cell, and in this case your mix is composing your generator
through the "Default Rhythm Rule" rule set-up for that cell
select the Default Rhythm Rule item, and change the slider values. Hear how the note durations change!
If anybody has any feedback on the above, I'd be interested to see it. Trying to limit each item to no more than approximately 10 steps...
Clearly, of course, this does require some small amount "work" on the part of the user; so of course, it'd only suit somebody who was motivated to learn the basics of Wotja
Best wishes,
Pete
LOL 👏
In fairness though, if they have figured out a business model in which they can take cc 30 EUR from their customers every year for one evolving app while keeping them happy, I would say that's quite a feat in the iOS music world. Good on them.