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
If you use it as a dummy keyboard, there is no way to sample or do anything except to send midi commands from it to ipad. It needs to be in controller mode and there is basically just text on screen "looking for computer" all the time and you cant use any of the functions of MPC, only to send midi out. Also you cant change what midi messages it sends and i think not all buttons even send midi, like shift, tap, main, undo, copy.
Yea its nice that they keep updating it in significant ways. Hopefully one day we can get a proper class compliance and drivers for it to understand ipad properly through USB. But it also sucks that now they are offering paid plugins for it also, when before all plugins they made as updates were free. I suspect there will be less free plugin updates to MPC in the future and more paid ones, which cost shit tons and not worth that amount of money, at least to me.. But if i understood right, 3rd parties can make plugins for MPC better now, so hopefully there will be more of that and over time also some indie guys making free or cheap plugins like on ipad.
MPC One + Octatrack :-)
Yeah. Or MPC One, a midi controller, iPad and a bunch of apps
@ToMess : You don’t mean the paid plug ins for update 2.11 do you? They’re included on the 61, otherwise they’re $500 on everything else .
Similar here - B-stock MPC One, used Blofeld Keys, used Microfreak, Zoom MS-70CDR effects pedal, going through a cheap old mixer. Total cost under £1300. However, I can see the appeal of the MPC Keys as an almost all-in-one solution, autosampling additional sounds if you need them, with fewer cables, fewer connections to go wrong etc.
I wish the ipad integrated properly, with audio usb. It might come one day - Akai are big on updates.
Ah i didnt know they come with MPC keys. At least they get them free, 500 bucks feel like a robbery to me. Pretty much same as used MPC Live mki, if not more.. I mean you could get a ok hardware setup for 500 if you buy good value products smart and used. Maybe im just too spoiled with ios prices, but 500 bucks for those plugins seems ridiculous to me.
Exactly, considering that the MPCs and Force got a 4(!) free instrument plugins in the previous update. I believe Akai is just trying to justify the high price of the Keys by overpricing it’s software content.
@ToMess : Yes, as @israelite said it might be a ploy to sell the 61.. Prices my come down once 61 sales level off ..
@iansainsbury : Why the “almost “ as in “almost all in one solution “?
I withdraw the ‘almost’. I love the MPC One, and with the added keys and mic input, the Keys is pretty much a one-stop recording solution. I’d still want to add extra synth voices with buttons to twiddle, but that’s hardly essential.
@iansainsbury : I hear ya.. I wanna but the Roland Fantom 0 61 but I’m restraining myself
I use the MPC One in controller mode with a CME Bluetooth Midi Din in the back connected to my MBP. Arturia Keystep 32 also Bluetooth fitted. Audio out of MPC One into my TC Helicon Blender then into AUM and or Cubasis.
Now I have access to all my VSTs on the MPC One with program change on the screen for preset selection which is great with the latest update and the sound piped directly into my DAW of choice usually AUM on the ipad.
I also have a Polyend Tracker and a Microfreak Bluetooth up and connected to the Blender for additional sounds in or midi in. Or midi out from ipad.
Lastly a launchpad pro is Bluetooth ready to use as a second controller or fader mixer as required. My options now are endless in regards midi routing and or sounds in or out.
It’s just the jiggery pockery of setting up DAWs for Bluetooth midi input and audio routing which can take some time.
AUM midi matrix is brilliant wish Cubasis 3 had something similar.
BM3 mixer is also pretty good when it comes to audio tracks and monitoring and setup.
Some iPad OS DAWs have more options for multitrack in than others.
My setup constantly evolving trying out new things and learn it in the process.
I’m seriously considering the key 61. My iPad is getting old and I need something for church. My iPad works get for my guitar but when I’m start adding in multiple apps for keys, pads, etc. I have to set the buffer to 256 or higher.
Weighing the cost of the key 61 vs the fantom 0 or the modx+ or replace iPad. I feel the Key 61 would give me an easy setup at church. Plus has great value for production.
How’s the keybed on these? As nice as the NI S series?
Still happy with the Key 61 which I bought when they came out as my first MPC. the keyboard is good but IMHO not on par with high-quality ones. The Alesis Prestige Artist keys were much better.
Surprisingly, easy to use as a controller with the laptop running MPC 2. Sounds are better through the laptop and most of my VST plugins can run on it.
Bluetooth connection is quirky and I don’t use that anymore. I get a solid connection to my my iPad through the iRig IO.
My biggest complaint about the MPC is the piano roll is a bit fiddly. Helps to get a stylus.
Some say the worst of the learning curve is with the MPC workflow, sequences, tracks, and programs. But honestly, I find that workflow pretty intuitive and you can almost whip through it live to play different parts.
TBH, if the new Key 37 was portable, that would be the one I’d recommend. And maybe even want myself.
Ws replying to an ancient post didn’t realise
I just bought the MPC X SE…(i already have the force)
I sold the shite Roland Fantom 6…
I wonder why people think the fantom synths blow away the synths on the MPC…they really don’t to be honest. All the Roland stuff has the same exact flavor. Roland is really good at sounding like a Roland. The Fantom 6 is overpriced, the EX update is garbage, the polyphony is a joke…voice stealing like crazy, the touchscreen makes you wanna kick the thing off the stand, the pads have no velocity and are just “utility pads”. It has 3000+ sounds it claims…I guess (piano, piano with hall reverb, piano with chorus, piano with chorus and reverb). It literally has about 800 or so different sounds. Sample processing might be the slowest thing I’ve beheld since the 80s. The sampler is so basic they should have just left it out TBH. The aftertouch is a pure afterthought. The keys are loud to play and nothing special. NZyme is a joke at best. If you are pining for the ACB models you can only use one per clip…track one…and the polyphony of the acb models is based on the real thing it emulates. There isn’t a piano on the Roland that comes anywhere close to something in software. If the Fantom 6 was 1400.00 it might be worth it.
If you are looking for a good workstation buy a k2700 or Kronos.
If you just want a great sounding “Roland” synth buy Sunrizer. Host it in zenbeats. Tadahhhh Roland workstation.
Good riddance!
I said what I said
There’s now a 37 key version of the Akai MPC and the semi-weighted keys have Aftertouch. That got me thinking… so I messaged my nephew who uses an Akai Force for his advice. He said the Akai build quality would be good but he wondered why I was interested since the iPad covers 90% of my needs. I said I’m bored. He said “Let me loan you an OP-1”. I think he has more than one. That will keep you busy and save you $900. Still, Aftertouch. My birthday is in May.