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.
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Thanks Richard, it seems to working now…
Since v1. 1993.
Noice! I was still using a Fostex 4-track, hardware drum machine etc. at that time. But I did have an Atari ST with Cubase, which I used a bit at that time (Used it much more, in the early 2000's).
Apologies for the delayed response, I didn't see your message until late yesterday, and then Apple owned the rest of my attention for most of Friday night. 📺
From a functional perspective, there's no advantage of a 2nd gen Pencil over a 1st gen in Logic Pro other than the hardware advantages of the 2nd Pencil itself. Primarily being, magnetised charging and the ability to use more recent iPad models (primarily 12.9in M1 & M2 iPad Pro's).
The reason for the excitement about the 3rd gen Pencil, is that this will be the first Pencil designed outside the 'orbital influence' of Johnny Ive.
I'm a huge fan of Johnny Ive at his best, but peripherals weren't always his best work.
Now that Apple 'have skin in the game' regarding pro apps on iPadOS, it's my hope that Apple considers best in class stylus/digitizing functionality from outside the Apple ecosystem. Wacom is an obvious leader in the field, but there are other innovative ideas in the space.
The beauty of Apple design choices at its best is that having total control over the device |peripheral | driver | software journey allows them to pursue innovation opportunities that are difficult for rival companies to explore. Microsoft is one of the few that can, with their Surface line, but their business model has changed significantly since they introduced the Surface line of devices.
:-)
One of the main reasons I bought Logic back then was because of my Fostex R8 Reel to reel. Opcode Vision couldn't control my Fostex via MIDI as it used a different format to the (then) new and shiny MMC.
Logic could.
And still can on the Mac! (Sadly missing from the iPad version -- I'm furious!
)
Sweet!
One nice discovery: if you export an audio file from a project with markers and tempo information, those are embedded in the resulting WAV, so if you create a new project and export the audio back in, all your markers and tempo changes will be there as well.
Really useful if you are collaborating, just bounce the audio out and your collaborator can pull it into their project with markers and tempo track.
Thanks - what benefits does the hover feature give for music apps specifically?
Which instruments for example? Cheers!
My fun discovery for this morning.
You can create totally unique sounding and highly expressive instruments so quickly this way. Polyphonic pitch glides by moving your fingers left/right, and you get per note timbral variance by moving up/down on a key. Very cool stuff. Works best with sustaining patches of course.
It’s pretty great but have you figured out a way to stop it from snapping exactly in the middle of a key?
I just realized you can convert a Simplr to a Drum Rack. I mean, a Quick Sampler to a Drum Machine Designer track
This is good because it lets you slice a sample in the QS, edit those slices, etc. and then send those slices to the DMD as "drums"
One advantage is that you can play each slice chromatically. Another is that each slice can now have it's own FX chain.
This is related to @klownshed ’s thread on p-locking FX on individual slices:
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/55799/logic-how-to-use-pattern-regions-for-step-parameter-lock-automation#latest
Another one would be to put a sliced loop (using Quick Sampler) on one drum-pad and use the note values to trigger different slices per step.
Each audio region can be 'tuned' using the inspector and it retains the speed.
The tuning of an audio-region is kept when automating tempo changes.
Non-Destructive Clip-Gain (I use it to do visual normalization).
Each audio region can have a tape-start/stop effect instead of fade in/out.
Audio recordings can be 'quantized' (ie. change the timing of an existing audio-loop, Logic does a transient analysis and quantizes).
Non-Destructive Quantize
(It's quite nice to see how sloppy my timing is when adjusting the strength down from 100% after recording).
The Inspector can be used to set the length of notes in a selection by typing in the length.
It's worth to set the defaults for each of the 'track types', this saves time.
(Like no default instrument and keep the browser closed)
This way you'll end up with a track, tap on 'instrument', search for a plug-in and boom.
Other things worth setting up are default tempo, key and time-signature for new projects.
I simply love the QuickSampler.
I'm on Day #4 and have so much more to go thru! (Yes, I've skimmed/read thru the entire manual already).
What I'll focus on during the 'trial' is to how I can do the things I need to do the 'Logic Way' instead of replicating what I do with other apps.
In a few days time I should be up to speed so I can use the app without having to think too much and knowing where everything is
Another one, also posted over in the Logic Pro thread at Elektronauts.
I just tracked a song into LP for iPad, from a Digitone and Digitakt.
The Digitakt is connected via usb for audio and midi, the DN connected to the DK’s analog ins.
It was super easy. I prefer to record in one track at a time with the others muted, so I can also record the FX, but even so, the MIDI sync (Logic is in control) is good, and it’s all ready to arrange.
I know that tracking audio into Logic isn’t news, but it works so well with just an iPad and a single USB cable that there’s very little barrier to recording stuff. This has always been a sticking point for me in the past
I also recorded in some longer samples from the DT, and now I’m chopping them up with the new Beat Breaker, which is also rad. I plan to keep working on the song across Logic and the Digis, as going back and forth is so reliable, and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses.
A big thumbs up. Definitely buying this after the trial is up
Refreshingly sensible! ;-)
I think that the parameter panel is the heart of Logic.
Realising the power it contains unlocks the ‘Logic way’…
I’ve missed the functionality of the parameter box in every app I’ve ever tried since.
I’ve wanted this ever since I first tried cobbling audio apps together with audiobus on my old iPad 2. No going back :-)
In addition to what you’ve mentioned it’s indispensable for thing like:
Changing the timing by pushing or dragging regions by a tick at the rim; get that snare feeling right over multiple regions simultaneously.
Change the dynamics in a region or compress the velocities. Fix the velocities or change the dynamic range.
Make notes legato with the gate parameter
Mute and loop regions
Quantise audio
Reverse an audio region
Change the gain and fade in/out of audio regions.
Transpose any region: midi and audio
And all of this is totally non-destructive.
(Apologies for repeating anything you already mentioned :-)
Yeah, over-comparing to other tools even desktop Logic is counter-productive. Using it as something new and independent has been helpful for me as well. I'm amazed how much I like it, when I had no expectations or need for it.
For me this was an intentional decision, instead of focusing on replicating existing ways of doing things I focused on what I wanted to do and how to do it The Logic Do.
There's something weird about iPad Logic, I feel 'calm' when using it while other apps can drive my stress-nerve to a level where I need to take a break. I feel the same 'calmness' when using Drambo and SunVox while Cubasis can drive me nuts in no time...
Could be some psychological mumbo-jumbo related to colors, graphics and stuff?!
LOL, I think interface design and even aesthetics has a lot to do with it. Cubasis and Reaper remind me of using old Linux or Windows interfaces which were functional but experientially lacking.
It’s happens whith some Alchemy sounds if I remember. Sorry I don’t take note which ones. I notice the red light and using a piano keyboard slidin on the key
It's quite funny, but this is exactly what I did after launching Logic for the first time on the 23rd...
Another tip. You can put Drambo in the FX slot on the master bus (the main stereo out channel).
Drop a recorder module into a drambo track, and you can use it to resample anything you can hear. And then—this is the killer part—you can drag the audio out of the Drambo recorder and drop it anywhere in Logic. Into a track, into a Quick Sampler.
And if you p-lock the first step of Drambo’s sequencer with a rec and play trig, it will capture a perfect bar of audio, in time.
This is really, really great, and makes resampling super fast. LOVE IT!
I do wonder if/when Logic for iPad will add support for 'Dragging Out' stuff from the time-line for easy export of Midi and Audio?
ie. you should in theory be able to drag an Audio Event from Logics Time-Line to a Flexi Sampler in Drambo as one example.
This is one area I have not experimented too much with yet...
...tomorrow is Day 5 with Logic
Can you elaborate a little on the steps you need to follow? I don’t seem to get there..
I ‘separate by note pitch’ and I get the separate tracks. But I don’t know how to play the single slices chromatically now, or actually turn the thing into a DMD (it stays a QS)..
That’s a winner! You made my day.
You don't need the separate by note pitch step here...
All you do is drag any region you want sliced into a blank bit at the bottom of the tracks area (i.e. underneath the names of the tracks) -- as you drag the region will change to a blue icon. It will automatically convert the region to audio if you chose a MIDI or Drummer region, etc. Basically if you have a region you want sliced, just drag it to the tracks area.
When you drag the icon over the tracks area, a popup menu will appear giving you the option to make a quick sampler, alchemy sampler or drum machine designer track.
If you choose Drum machine Designer your sample will automatically be sliced and assigned to pads. Each slice will also be its own quick sampler track so you can further manipulate from there including p-lock automating. You can have a pattern region that includes the hits and the automation, no need to split into multiple tracks. Or you can have all the slices triggered in the top level track (the one that has the disclosure triangle).
Alternatively you can still chop it up by choosing Quick Sampler. You have a lot of control over each slice in the quick sampler track and it might be the best option unless you want to play each slice chromatically or have each slice as its own track so you can use different fx on each slice.
Normally I'd choose to slice in quick sampler. You can automate various parameters there too and it's all on one track. Also, if you choose quick sampler you can tweak the slices to make sure they're just as you want them before making the drum machine designer tracks (use the "..." menu). This will also create MIDI to play back your slices in time.
You can also create a MIDI region from the slice markers for the quick sampler track. Again from the "..." menu button. Copy the midi and paste it into the tracks area to make a new MIDI region.
The main thing here is to just experiment. I find that if I know something is possible, the best thing for me is to work out how to do it myself rather than follow steps. It makes more sense to me to work out my own steps.
Sure! Make a Quick Sampler and set your slices. Then tap the teeny-tiny three-dot icon (1), tap Functions (2), amd then tap Create Drum Machine Designer track (3).
You get a new track stack with a Quick Sampler on each track, and a handy midi clip that plays them all with the correct timing etc.
@klownshed @mistercharlie great and clear! thank you guys!
Aesthetics are an intrinsic aspect of the best interaction design. Don Norman, a founding god of UX best practise always understood this. A co-conspirator of his, Jakob Nielsen, not so much. He'd argue the case for a digital experience with the aesthetics of a Windows 95 era spreadsheet given the chance! 😱😱😱
Much as Emagic era Logic Pro had horrendously busy instrument UI's, LP viewed holistically was a superior user experience to it's main competitors. IMO Ableton led the way from the get-go in terms of providing a category-defining non-skeuomorphic experience. Even lacking a multitude of features available in Cubase, Logic Pro and MOTU Digital Performer, it redefined the look and feel of digital audio software.
Over (a very long) time, Apple has moulded the mature Emagic product they purchased into a sleek modern UX. I suspect part of the reason it's taken them so long to convert Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro for iPadOS, is that they realised iPadOS already has killer IP's across AV categories and the artists using those killer IP's have evolved sophisticated expectations. My biggest surprise, was that I expected Apple to do a better job with FCP than LP. It's great to be wrong.
I saw a question earlier today - someone here wanted to resample the audio from Master Track, and, the solution was as you wrote here, put Drambo in the FX Slot and record to a Recorder Module.
The problem - it seems to be an limitation in Drambo how long the recording can get (60 seconds?)…
Are there any possibilities to increase this recording length in Drambo?
@ErrkaPetti Not sure! I use it for grabbing a few bars. If I wanted longer, I would probably just record to a new audio track in Logic. Or use two recorders in Drambo.