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.

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Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

Having issues syncing iPad with Windows Ableton

Hi all

New iPad user here. I've got my iPad sync'd via Ableton link which seems to be working reasonably well but the signal coming into Ableton is delayed, and even setting a track delay doesn't help because the delay seems to change slightly every time I press play. I thought it would be perfectly sync'd with Link but was silly of me to expect that, it's never like that. Is there a better way to do this? Or a way to get perfect sync fairly easily?

Connecting my ipad to my audio interface via 3.5mm to dual 1/4" jack. I also tried connecting my iPad via USB to my computer but couldn't get anything to appear on the desktop. Was probably missing a step or two.

I've seen some explanations to get this working with Macs but haven't been able to find a clear solution anywhere for Windows.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

Comments

  • For Windows, you’ll need an audio interface. Connecting the iPad via USB to the computer is mainly for device backups.

  • Yep I’ve done that. Did mention I’m connecting audio into my interface.

  • @bdbr said:
    Hi all

    New iPad user here. I've got my iPad sync'd via Ableton link which seems to be working reasonably well but the signal coming into Ableton is delayed, and even setting a track delay doesn't help because the delay seems to change slightly every time I press play. I thought it would be perfectly sync'd with Link but was silly of me to expect that, it's never like that. Is there a better way to do this? Or a way to get perfect sync fairly easily?

    Connecting my ipad to my audio interface via 3.5mm to dual 1/4" jack. I also tried connecting my iPad via USB to my computer but couldn't get anything to appear on the desktop. Was probably missing a step or two.

    I've seen some explanations to get this working with Macs but haven't been able to find a clear solution anywhere for Windows.

    Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

    You might want to look into the StudioMux beta. StudioMux is a way to send audio and midi over USB to Windows. TBH, it's been inconsistent (works well for some and for others not), and not well supported over the years. But there seems to be some dedication and improvement in the latest iteration now in public beta.

    Keep in mind that latency adds up. You have latency from the time a note hits until the audio comes out of your iPad, then latency when the audio goes in to the PC and comes back out. However, that latency should be consistent, not changing every time you press play.

    Link uses WiFi. Inconsistent timing could be affected by your local wifi network performance. It is possible to set up a "peer-to-peer" network that bypasses your router ... but you're looking for simple solutions and that probably doesn't fall into that category, and may not fix the issue.

    If your interface has 5-pin MIDI DIN output, you might want to try a USB MIDI adapter to send MIDI clock out from the iPad to the PC and use that instead of Link.

  • edited June 2021

    Why not just record your stuff on your iPad (Audio or Midi) and transfer it over to your desktop via the cloud?

    Edir.. AUM records audio in perfect sync with no hassle and, we have a host of midi apps for recording, lately..

  • wimwim
    edited June 2021

    @RajahP said:
    Why not just record your stuff on your iPad (Audio or Midi) and transfer it over to your desktop via the cloud?

    ^this. Far less hassle, unless you really need to work with live audio from the iPad.

  • @wim said:

    @RajahP said:
    Why not just record your stuff on your iPad (Audio or Midi) and transfer it over to your desktop via the cloud?

    ^this. Far less hassle, unless you really need to work with live audio from the iPad.

    Agreed. Connecting an iPad to Windows can involve a lot of trial and error that results in limited or no connectivity. Definitely better to do it this way (or to consider buying a Mac at some point).

  • edited June 2021

    @wim said:
    You might want to look into the StudioMux beta. StudioMux is a way to send audio and midi over USB to Windows. TBH, it's been inconsistent (works well for some and for others not), and not well supported over the years. But there seems to be some dedication and improvement in the latest iteration now in public beta.

    Keep in mind that latency adds up. You have latency from the time a note hits until the audio comes out of your iPad, then latency when the audio goes in to the PC and comes back out. However, that latency should be consistent, not changing every time you press play.

    Link uses WiFi. Inconsistent timing could be affected by your local wifi network performance. It is possible to set up a "peer-to-peer" network that bypasses your router ... but you're looking for simple solutions and that probably doesn't fall into that category, and may not fix the issue.

    If your interface has 5-pin MIDI DIN output, you might want to try a USB MIDI adapter to send MIDI clock out from the iPad to the PC and use that instead of Link.

    Thank you. I probably shouldn’t have said ’easy’ because tbh I’m prepared to do whatever is necessary to get perfect sync. It sounds like maybe setting up a peer to peer network might be helpful? I’ll look into that. Do you have any links or suggestions?

    I’ve also got an e-rm multiclock so maybe I could send it midi through that. That’s the only way I’ve been able to sync other hardware perfectly with ableton. Although does that mean I’d have to turn link off? Or can it receive midi through USB and also link at the same time?

    @RajahP said:
    Why not just record your stuff on your iPad (Audio or Midi) and transfer it over to your desktop via the cloud?

    Edir.. AUM records audio in perfect sync with no hassle and, we have a host of midi apps for recording, lately..

    I got the iPad to augment my music production process and also live performances. That would certainly be easier but for me it would be shutting the door to a huge amount of processing/performance opportunities so I’m wanting to get this working.

  • @bdbr said:

    @wim said:
    You might want to look into the StudioMux beta. StudioMux is a way to send audio and midi over USB to Windows. TBH, it's been inconsistent (works well for some and for others not), and not well supported over the years. But there seems to be some dedication and improvement in the latest iteration now in public beta.

    Keep in mind that latency adds up. You have latency from the time a note hits until the audio comes out of your iPad, then latency when the audio goes in to the PC and comes back out. However, that latency should be consistent, not changing every time you press play.

    Link uses WiFi. Inconsistent timing could be affected by your local wifi network performance. It is possible to set up a "peer-to-peer" network that bypasses your router ... but you're looking for simple solutions and that probably doesn't fall into that category, and may not fix the issue.

    If your interface has 5-pin MIDI DIN output, you might want to try a USB MIDI adapter to send MIDI clock out from the iPad to the PC and use that instead of Link.

    Thank you. I probably shouldn’t have said ’easy’ because tbh I’m prepared to do whatever is necessary to get perfect sync. It sounds like maybe setting up a peer to peer network might be helpful? I’ll look into that. Do you have any links or suggestions?

    I’ve also got an e-rm multiclock so maybe I could send it midi through that. That’s the only way I’ve been able to sync other hardware perfectly with ableton. Although does that mean I’d have to turn link off? Or can it receive midi through USB and also link at the same time?

    @RajahP said:
    Why not just record your stuff on your iPad (Audio or Midi) and transfer it over to your desktop via the cloud?

    Edir.. AUM records audio in perfect sync with no hassle and, we have a host of midi apps for recording, lately..

    I got the iPad to augment my music production process and also live performances. That would certainly be easier but for me it would be shutting the door to a huge amount of processing/performance opportunities so I’m wanting to get this working.

    K.. like @wim said, Studiomux 5 Beta.. It finally worked for me (midi) after a while..

    Have that Iconnectivity 2+ .. It never worked for me.. others swear by it (well, the newer models)

    Someone needs to just make a simple plug and play cable thingy solution..

  • wimwim
    edited June 2021

    Well, if you're talking about performing possibilities, then Link / WiFi is a poor choice. Maybe if you set up a peer-to-peer network, but no way I'd trust even that in a live situation. So that leaves trying MIDI Clock sync. over the wire.

    Well ... not exactly. There are USB ethernet adapters that work with iPad, and Link is supposed to work over ethernet. That's might be a possibility and also should improve timing performance of Link.

    In general, for each app you need to pick Link or Midi Clock for sync. Never have the two enabled in the same app. The exception is Audiobus, which can serve as an excellent Clock to Link bridge. So, for instance if you have apps like AUM that don't follow midi clock, you can send the clock to Audiobus and have it take care of bridging to Link to sync AUM.

    Other options: One Audio and Midi capable device on the iPad and another on the PC, then send audio and Midi from interface to interface. Or, people have made great reports about the iConnectAUDIO4+ - one device that can route between the two seamlessly. Those aren't made any more so you'd have to try to find a used one. Lately people have been mentioning the IConnectAUDIO4c in a good light. I can't comment on that one though. (Here's the thread: https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/44806/iconnectivity-audio-4c)

  • Ableton Link should sync well, if it's connecting to the ipad and shows the link connection is operating then there shouldn't be any significant latency. But you should show more info, pictures of the setup you're using, apps etc.
    It's impossible to see what can be the issue otherwise.
    It might be best to start with Ableton support to see if there's anything up with your Ableton installation.

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