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.
Looking for a guide on a simple Loopy Pro + Audio interface setup
Hi Loopy Pro friends!
I have been looping on HD/Pro for a while now, and finally got my first gig (doing the music for my friend's puppet show :P ). Unfortunately, when it comes to audio gear and lingo, I am a n00b. I have spent over an hour trying to figure this out, including lots of searching through these forums, and I figure there's GOT to be a simple tutorial for my needs already somewhere online - I just can't find it!
Basically I just want to be able to use a couple inputs (microphone and guitar), send them into Loopy Pro, and then send those over to a PA system. I understand that I'll need an audio interface for the inputs, and I'm currently looking at the Audient EVO 4 (https://www.amazon.com/Audient-EVO-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B084BGC5LR/ref=sr_1_1), but from what I have read, that only provides audio input.
How do I capture the audio output and send it to the PA? Through the headphone jack? If that's the case, is there any way to get 2 output channels so that I can have a metronome in my headphones but not coming through the PA?
Any links to other tutorials or answers super appreciated - this is a great community and thanks in advance for any help!
Comments
Audio interfaces with rare exceptions provide input and output. The specs for the EVO 4 say 2-input and 2-output: https://evo.audio/products/audio-interfaces/evo-4/specs/
Any audio interface 2 input (one mono guitar with line level & typically 1/4” jack) and one mono mic input (same type 1/4” jack) and two out puts for a stereo PA. Like @espiegel123 said I can’t think of a single interface that has a singular output jack.
I would make sure the interface is class compliant. Which means it can be powered by your iPad - no need to plug it into a wall.
Also make sure that the mic input has phantom power if you’re using a condenser mic.
ad click track:
I think you need audio interface with 4 outputs. Then you can send 1+2 directly to PA and 3+4 to the headphones.
Maybe Zoom U-24? It has 2 stereo line outputs but I don't know if both are exposed in Loopy Pro.
https://www.thomann.de/intl/zoom_u_24.htm
Any inputs or outputs exposed to the os will be available in loopy pro (and most hosts). All four outputs of the u24 are visible.
Ok gotcha! Thank you so much that makes a lot more sense! I had read somewhere that they were for audio input only which seemed silly to me. Ok great - thanks for the tips I have enough to go on now!
Thank you so much for this help!
I have a couple other short questions:
In the case of the Evo 4, I see that it says 2 input and 2 output. But in addition to the 2 XLR input plugs, there's also a 1/4" jack with a guitar icon above it. Does that mean that one of the input channels can be provided audio via either the XLR input or the 1/4" jack? If so, why is the jack needed, because it looks like those XLR plugs also contain a 1/4" jack in the center. Why add the little guitar 1/4" jack if it's not a separate audio input?
Similarly - there is another 1/4" jack with a headphone icon above it. Does that jack always play the same output as the L + R outputs?
And finally, if I ever want to control Loopy Pro via a foot pedal, should I make sure to purchase an audio interface now which has a MIDI in?
Edit: deleting comment
It depends on your iPad. I have a lightning equipped iPad 6. The Apple CCK with lightning power supplied provides enough power to power that interface (which is what I use zoom u-24) but that ipad doesn’t supply enough power by itself. I use it with a powered hub. It can also use batteries or an external power supply but I have never needed to.
Lightning C iPads might have enough power.
I haven’t used an Evo4, but I’ve read the manual and whatr I discovered is that the guitar input is a dedicated DI input that overrides channel 1 when a cable is inserted. The headphone output is whatever the stereo output mix is plus whatever you blend with the direct monitor mix (it’s not a seperate out). The other thing it says in the manual is that when you insert a pair of headphones into the headphone jack it will automatically mute the master outputs for your convenience. It doesn’t mention unmuting them. It would be worth checking what this means. I’ve never encountered this kind of behaviour in an interface before.
Can confirm that. I had Evo4 at home and it behaved as you described. That was the reason I returned it, because I want to have both monitors and headphones plugged in at the same time, which requires 2 independent volume controls.
That’s kind of nuts, but thanks for the confirmation.