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.
Help me expand my Ambient Toolbox
So lately I've moved back into NS2 after a two-and-a-half month stint in Gadget, and during that time I've morphed from an EDM artist into a Minimal Techno experimenter and into an Ambient craftsman, and I'm looking to expand my Ambient toolbox further. 
So far, I have...
-FAC Alteza
-Bleass Granular
-Velvet Machine
-Obsidian and Slate in NS2 (as well as automatable internal FX)
-Reelbus
What I'm looking for...
-More high-quality reverbs geared for Ambient
-More saturation/distortion plugins like Saturn 2, but Universal
-More glitch/FSU plugins and granular plugins
-Unique synths
-Effects I haven't thought about
There may be plugins I've already purchased but overlooked, and there may be plugins I never heard of before. The only stipulation here is the plugins must be universal. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Comments
On my phone I use spectrum synthesizer bundle, xynthesizr, decent sampler, Spriangle, lunar lander, Mononoke, model 15, eos 2, k7d and most definitely Fieldscaper in my pocket ambient toolkit.
Made this on my phone whilst walking my dog:
This is just on my phone too:
For effects def check Eventides.
Unique synths: Phosphor3, iVCS, id700, Mononoke, s t r n g
Spacecraft is a must have it will defo send you down rabbit holes.
Blackhole for reverb.
If you can handle the learning curve Beatcutter is great for glitches or ambient if hooked to say Eso or Blackhole.
Tardigrain if you want the darkest of synth, its a demon releaser.
Borderland is a great sampling journey.
Kosomanuat sorry spelt wrong like the Russin Spaceman.
All of the above are fun.
FRMS and Aparillo...
Also all the IAPs in FRMS...
Refraktions: This sequencer is secretly one of the best tools for creating long ambient pads. It's IAA, but it includes Ableton Link support. You can feed until 8 external synthesizers, and it's ideal for creating long and organic generative atmospheres. It includes a machine learning algorithm in which the program will automatically create notes based in your way of playing. And you can reset the artificial intelligence in any point of your live performance, for creating new moods and variations, adapting its generative music algorithm to your way of playing. You can reach incredibly musical results, that perfectly fits in ambient landscapes. And with its touch screen surface it's super easy and intuitive to modify your 8 atmospheres at the same time, but you can also use other external sequencers (or keyboards) as Midi In.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/refraktions/id866134037
BB17 Binaural Auv3 Synth: Don't be fooled by its supposed focus in creating binaural sounds. BB17 is much more than this, one of the most distinctive synths in the App store, with an unique sound designed for minimal ambient performances. And together with FAC Alteza, it's a match in heaven. Seriously, with none other synth you will push FAC Alteza to its limits as with this. They seem designed to work together. Piano Motifs + 3 BB17 in each midi channel + FAC Alteza, it's the secret sauce for minimal ambient. And for the same price, you obtain a Mac Audio Unit, that it even works on Intel Macs!
https://apps.apple.com/mx/app/bb17-binaural-auv3-synth/id1484562949
AudioStretch: This is marketed as an audio editor, and it's the worst program that you will find for this purpose, because it only can save audio in 16 bits and 44.1 kHz. No, the real purpose for this one is using the program as an IAA unit, playing with its time stretch function and performing in real time with its audio scrubbing capacities. Other secret sauce for long ambient atmospheres is recording in AUM a Piano Motifs composition with Pure Piano, moving the XY Pad between the Reverse and Pad positions, and using FAC Alteza as the only effect. Then import the recorded sample in AudioStretch, set the velocity between 0.5 and 0.20, change the pitch separately in real time, and make a live performance playing with these 2 values, or moving your finger through the audio sample for advancing or reversing the audio signal. And from a mere sample of 20 seconds recorded with Pure Piano and FAC Alteza, you can obtain a long 10 minutes ambient piece.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/audiostretch/id571863178#?platform=ipad
For reverb, possibly try one of Steve Roach or Robert Rich's techniques.
Multiple reverbs and delays cascading and feedbacking into one other. An analog mixer will help here (or AUM or apeMatrix buses). Experiment.
As far as more plugins, well there's already plenty of great suggestions.
Effects you may have passed over?
(Bleass Granulizer), Bleass Motion FX,
I normally don’t care for their stuff but I really dug these and used them in >1 project. Since you mentioned Granular, Motion FX was in the same “yes” bucket for me.
And LUNAR LANDER is easily the best universal app of the year (Timeless 3 being the best iPad-only). Lander is THE ultimate ambient effect, and honestly a lot of times the only thing you’d need after your synth/instrument to instantly be an ambient pro. Plus, you get 80% of it for free. The extra 20% (and believe me you need plate 3 if you want any ambient cred) will run you 10 bucks.
Mononoke
Synthscaper
Moodscaper
Autopad
Stratosphere
Kosmonaut
Classic FX
Thats an awesome post, not the OP but as someone who's starting to branch out of garageband into AUM and more electronic music, this was really interesting thank you.
Unique synths: Spacecraft, FRMS,, iPulsaret, Strng, Pipa, ID700
Granular: Spacecraft, FRMS, iPulsaret, iDensity
Unique FX: Spacecraft, FRMS, iPulsaret, iDensity, CuSnP, Thanfknar, Attack Softener,
Reverb: Thanfknar. Also, try to find yourself a good plate reverb. Huge plates are ambient and diffused af. Lunar Lander, Drambo, EOS 2, and MixBox all have nice plates. Lunar Lander is my favorite of the 4 (you already have Alteza, honestly no need for any more ambient verbs such as blackhole)
Saturation: ChowTape, Saturn 2
Also, I’d recommend some kind of buffer or halftime effect. Layering your audio with a half speed double of it sounds amazing. This could be done quite easily in a DAW though, and would be more of a compositional/sound design decision.
Live looping (aka just a super long delay) that has gradual loop decay is a good ambient / frippertronics style effect as well. Gauss is of course a forum favorite. Excellent saturation and sample/bit reduction too.
Spatializer is going to be Universal sometime in the near future. I highly recommend grabbing that when it does. It adds a lot of depth and does so cleanly.
BLEASS Phaser, SlowMachine, Chorus, and Granulizer are fantastic for adding flavor. ToneBoosters has everything you need for creating a solid mix.
Lagrange is an excellent synth that includes strings, a bell, and robot voice on top of several “regular” synth sounds. Add preset packs from @richardyot and @Spidericemidas and you have a really solid synth.
Shapesynth is also really interesting. The sounds can be pretty cool but where it really excels is in the sequencer and effects. You can create some really funky sounds when you layer it all together.
I echo what some others mentioned about Mononoke. It is an excellent drone synth. Add something like Perforator on top and you can get some fantastic rhythmy pumping going on.
Dronelab
Mononoke is wonderful. Additional drone sources I’d recommend are Fundamental (iPad only, though), Esoteric Synth and Droneo (Droneo is IAA only).
I second AudioStretch.
FX-wise, Neon Silicon's are fantastic, as are Anthony Di Furia's. I’ve only had Spatializer a couple of days, but that’s going to be a staple, I think. Gauss is superb, as is Kosmonaut.
Tardigrain is really good if you want granular without too many rough edges. iDensity if you do want the rough edges!
If you’re interested in adding in some controlled randomness, Poly 2 is pretty good.
If you’re really up for going down the rabbit hole, MiRack has a lot of potential as both an instrument, MIDI generator, and effects processor. Among other things, it has a convolution reverb in there (Convolvzilla), plus a fantastic plate reverb you can modulate (Plateau). I recommend Dean's (Electronisounds) tutorial series to get you started.
I use Eventide's Blackhole with Velvet Machine for some huge, expansive soundscapes.
I've been doing a lot of ambient Mellotron lately, so might as well recommend trying out any of the Tron apps. Also a big fan of Klevgr's Hillman. I mean, you could really make any synth app work for ambient.
SynthScaper. Quite a bit of a learning curve but if it clicks you not just three oscillators but three mini soundtracks that you can distribute across the stereo field. There are also free packs with additional unusual textures that you can download from Igor’s website.
You’d do well to set apart some time to watch @MarkH’s tutorial:
Fugue Machine
Mute master for radomisation of active elements
Stratosphere cloud
Shimmer reverbs - I like TB Reverb but their is so many option.
@jwmmakerofmusic without a doubt Nembrini Shimmer Delay Ambient Machine…
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shimmer-delay-ambient-machine/id1559249944
Not only is it amazingly unique, but the audio quality and fidelity is top notch for both the wet and dry signals. It’s not just about the shimmer and reverb aspect, it’s how the delay brings it all together. Delay params are extremely customizable, there’s even a sub octave generator. This app is Eventide adjacent and based on a fave Brian Eno Eventide, but I like this even more and it sounds very organic, the main event is the delay rather than the reverb/shimmer, then the sub generator is just bonkers. It truly is an ambient soundscape machine…
Eventide have the distortion and reverb you mention, both wrapped up in one delicious app: Mangleverb. It’s great for giving both depth and grit to soundscapes as much or as little as you want. 👍
GAUSS
Have you tried Gauss? Man I love that thing! Just overdub in a few layers of sustained synth sounds then slow the thing right down and add some Mangleverb for wonderful deep spacious scapes to jam over! 😃
Another vote for Mononoke and Synthscaper, although I find the cheaper LE to be more than enough for me. Scythe/Wavestorm (if you already have as it’s sadly no longer in the AppStore) is also great for some eerie background rumblings.
Your music is really good!
Btw, the walking dog, I think you can create your own similar videos using Looom
Hosted in AUM: Radio Unit streaming into Gauss and or Beatcutter, with Timeless and Blackhole for fx.
Thank you, you are very very kind! And thanks for the tip! I’m gonna check it out!!!
I really dig YaleD… especially in conjunction with a looper like Gauss. Or on a send… or several! Have different frequency ranges for each instance. Anyway it’s one of the few reverse delays I am aware of on iOS (not that that says much… I am just a dabbler). I guess what I like is that I can’t really foresee the results when I throw it on…. happy accidents happen
Have a look at the recent feedback video by Jakob, build your own ambient tools using any universal auv3 combo in feedback channels. Combine it with many of the great tips in this thread. Solo the fx channels to make ambient beds from whatever source material.
Stratosphere for reverb
Mirack for everything
Congrats, you’ve now had 75% of the store recited to you. Choices, choices.
@jwmmakerofmusic do you use BM3?
I'm messing with DrumLab, DM2, Spacevibe, DroneFX and others and trying to create a sampled drone pad with multiple layers. Nothing fancy... just experimenting
😂 Whenever someone asks for app suggestions, it starts rainin' apps, hallelujah!
@jwmmakerofmusic
Synths:
Fx:
Loopering:
Midi:
My 0.02