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.
Is your hardware on a table? Keyboard stands? Or something else?
Without diving deep into my situation yet, I want to ask a simple question for those you with synths, grooveboxes, mixers, keyboards, etc.
Do you keep them out on keyboard stands? On a table? Or something else?
I ask because I'm rethinking my setup, and would love to hear some real-world advice.
Thanks,
Joe
Comments
Tables, shelves, drawers from Walmart and they are all black
I did buy a small rolling table and shelf system that I added to one of my smaller tables
Thanks. I'm using stands now. I'm wondering if a table is simpler. Would have to be the right height, of course, for keyboard use.
I generally make my own stands if required. Some things are fine just on the desk.
I have a sit-stand desk that I use as sort of a music workbench. Anything I'm currently using or recording gets put on the desk, and I have power, USB, and audio cables always prepped and ready for it to plug into. Gear I'm not using gets put on a side table or stays in the closet. No sense having it sit out and get all dusty if I'm not using it.
A big part of my workbench workflow is just that I hate NOT being in the sweet spot for my monitors when I'm writing music. So I can't really enjoy working turned to my left or right where the music will only be hitting one ear or the other. Weird, I know.
On the hardware synth front: I've got a Korg Minilogue, Korg Volca Keys, Behringer RD-6, Behringer TD-3, a Korg SQ-64, and a MIDIPlus X6 Mini. I ended up getting the "Millenium SD-120 C StudioDesk" from Thomann for them. I didn't install the rack rails, and I got a stand to stack the Behringers.
I've also got space on the desk for the iPad and my Minifuse 2.
I've got some Yamaha Refaces too, and they migrate around the house for impromptu playing. Next to the bed, next to the sofa, etc.
Thanks folks. If I go with a table, I also want to have covers. To keep off dust or any spills and, most importantly, the weight of two cats.
Any suggestions? Cheap and functional works for me best. :-)
Mine are all on a desk.
FYI, my hardware is:
Those are the things at a minimum I'd want on a desktop/ tabletop.
Other gear I'd like to get out (I have a small studio space, so dunno if I can)
Again, just FYI. Obviously, I'd want my hands to have comfortable access to all part of the MPC key 61. It'd also be good, but not completely necessary, for hands to have comfortable access to all of the synth desktops.
I use a DJ desk from Gravity for stuff, very flexible setup.
/DMfan🇸🇪
Keyboards on rock solid stands, and smaller devices on a desk.
Other things like guitars and woodwinds on dedicated stands.
Harmonica in pocket.
I love decksavers for my gear, pricey but bomb proof.
Do the deck savers come all the way down along the side of a device?
If not, I have to work around if I put my keyboard on a table top or other flat surface. Again, I am fending off the weight of cats.
Decksavers seem to mainly focus on the top surfaces. Only going over the sides enough to hold onto on the device properly.
They can more than support the weight of cats, and the tolerances are usually good enough they won’t slide off or anything. If your cat is going to smack them around and generally cause mischief, then maybe not a good idea. But if you’re just worried about cat hair or them walking across the top of the decksavers, shouldn’t be an issue at all. I would trust any of them that I have for my gear to support my 50lb dog.
Awesome. I sent them a message asking for their recommendations.
Laughably ugly, but I got the Akai Key 61 back out. It's back on a solid keyboard stand now. And I'm covering it by an old bigger keyboard instrument box with cutouts so the box slides over the stand posts and the box rests directly on top of the MPC.
It works so far.
AWESOME!
Maybe we need a contest on this.
It’s all on the wall. Courtesy of some Elfa brand shelving.
Not the cheapest option out there, but it allowed me to really maximize limited space without being cluttered or un-ergonomic.
Bed
Never have I ever seen so many controllers. Pauses. Looks around room… Let me rephrase: Never have I ever seen so many of the SAME controller(s)
I actually got 9 controllers or 7. If you count the blueboard and sustain pedal as a controller.
Were going to buy a 3rd. So a double bass would be on drum ipad but just added it to swam ipad. Hassle resizing au's but also hassle with bass on other ipad ( perhaps even needing another seat )
And thinking of buying the Gravity drum stool. Its hard but probably less hard than wood.
And no need to real time side chain a double bass for an occasional tune.
May as well ( with sidechaining bass ) Just accept a 50.000 buffer setting.
Eldest's first highschool football game (marching band) is starting in an hour. Dropped em off and figured it's perfect time for uninterrupted practice on my new instrument!! (Jamming along to Gift of Gabs Next Logical Progression on the radio. Working on bass, currently)
Also let's me test out my hardware mod for portability
Tools used - a Dremel and a dream
Results - hot damn, it actually works great. Somehow hit the lineup exact. Lpx doesn't have to try to shimmy out of that tight case anymore! (Ok, for aesthetics, it'll be out, but.. that's about it. The utility is dead on tho)
Stay tuned for more mobile production concepts for little to zero space xD (I've got a litany)
I’ve got so many setups it’s getting hard to track. Right now, I’m on the go, and I just recently picked up an iRigKeys 2 from Facebook Marketplace for $50.
I have a specialized setup at home, a DJ setup when I’m on the go for gigs which is in a suitcase, and a mobile studio setup which is a project I really should talk about sometime.
You must have really long arms…
@PapaBPoppin what happens if you take a lighter to that fringe? Would it curl up and harden like other plastics?
Little melty, little burn-away, but smells AWESOME! xD
It did clean up a little bit, I was more concerned about potential of the internal felt catching, but zero issue there (anxieties dictate way too much sometimes)
Ok, here's the full current setup (a couple of other pieces available to throw in, but this covers all necessities as of now)
Closed for portability:
(Lapdesk not opened here. Used as needed, mainly indoors, but great for carrying everything until I get a gig bag set up)
Fully setup:
And a look in the wireless mic case
1. Interface cable, ~4ft of cable there to go out either side
2. Charge cable for wireless transmitter on base of mic (receiver is constantly plugged under the foam at bottom of interface)
3. Headphone splitter (port \B) from output of interface for aux speaker
4. Charge cable for wireless tran/rec (just gotta plug in the transmitter)
5. From Headphone splitter (port A) to hook up production cans
Here's my typical quick jam/practice/build setup, with lapdesk
Desk has adjustable legs and JUUUUUST fits between the armrests of our recliner. I don't use it outside. Just for visual reference
Also got my mitts on an M-Vave USB Midi Bluetooth adapter for the LPX. Downside, only uses one midi out (LPX has two) - Upside, it uses the MIDI OUT rather than DAW OUT option, and I only use Notes and Custom, so I'm golden!
Using the btmidi allows me to utilize the wired earpods (for both audio purposes and vocal practice) without needing any aditional dongles or hubs off the iPad itself
Dont think you need more note pages.
I need different note pages because of multi ipads.
Theres a custom note mode download though.
So note modes can be on the custom pages.
8 note pages ( a different midi ch etc )