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.
Good synth app that's AB compatible?
Want to ask for opinions here as I have no clue. One of the things I like about GarageBand on the Mac is that it has a wealth of Synth based sounds, something which is quite lacking on the iPad version.
Is there any one app that is AB compatible that could fill that hole? (One day I'd like to get something that has decent horn sounds too, I hate how instruments like the trumpet and saxophone sound in GB)
Comments
Animoog, NLog Pro, Magellan, Sunrizer, Addictive Synth and many more. Just go to http://audiob.us/apps and search for "synth" that should do it.
Check out Sunrizer, MiniSynth 2, and Magellan.
Ahh, beat me to it Sebastian.
Thanks guys, I had seen the apps list but there are quite a few on it and best will in the world I don't have lots of money to spend so wanted to filter it a bit based on recommendations.
I forgot to add I have Animoog already (got long ago when it was ultra cheap).
Good suggestions above. MiniSynth2 is free and is useful for learning the basics of subtractive synthesis, but it is rather limited. From your post I am guessing your not an accomplished synth programmer, so I would suggest Sunriser. Not only is it an easy to use synth that sounds great, but it also comes with a lot of presets to get you rolling right away.
Which synth to get will depend a lot on what sound you're looking for. There's a ton of fantastic synths, and what you get for a few bucks is astonishing. You should approach this like Pokemon -- gotta get them all! :-) Many of them are on sale at the moment, so this would be a good time to grab them.
I think Addictive is still on sale, definitely not just a clever name. Lots of fun to be had.
You already have a great synth in Animoog! If I were to choose just one other general purpose synth, it would probably be Sunrizer or Magellan, both very powerful and comprehensive.
I second what @SecretBaseDesign said... well without the pokemon comparrison. That went over my head. lol
As a genre-less musician I kind of need everything as each song needs a different sound. So if you give us a better idea of what you need exactly, we can probably give you better recommendations. Personally I am a huge fan of both Korg's iPoly Six and the iMS-20.. I find it hard to make a song without using these.. They are just so versatile and great sounding. Not the cheapest apps on the market.. but worth every penny.
My faves iPolysix, Animoog, Sunrizer, Magellan, and Addictive. Like Nlog, CS Grain, and if they'd update Cassini it would be awesome too!
Also not sure but Korg had all their apps on sale 50% off which is a big chunk. Addictive was on sale also as mentioned
If you're looking for non-synth sounds, like the brass that you mentioned, check out Bismark's BS-16i. It also supports Soundfonts, which opens up a few more doors.
Sunrizer...no...Magellen...no...NLog....no.....animoog....wait..you will need this the brand new and soon to be released....wait for it........THE MAGLOGMOOGIZER......with IAP's.....
Seriously Sunrizer is a great place to start and you can get a stack of free banks on the web..If you are looking for real sampled instruments Thumbjam has a stack and can be played via core midi..Cubasis has some nice brass and piano sounds if you bury in the mix...but Sampletank is coming soon and the sounds on there are very very good..also Alchemy is supposed to be on the bus soon aswell and that truly is an incredible synth, and it's free to start, but has a lot of IAP's you can get if you need to expand..in the end you'll want em all..
All the above but check them out on YouTube first.
Also check out the blog dischord...a video based blog with all of the above synths reviewed or featured.
Forgot to mention,'palm sounds' also has a lot of video reviews..
So many good ones! Agreed that it really depends on the music you want to make. But based on the synth sounds that come with GarageBand: get Sunrizer or Magellan. You'll be happy. Great synths, lots of presets. Sunrizer is a tiny bit easier to program because it's all on one page but Magellan is pretty simple too. Plus, two synths! And you can use magellan's effects in the audiobus filter slot to process other apps before landing in GarageBand.
Maybe it's a dumb question but i 'll ask anyway
Can Sunrizer fit into a rock/pop song or it suits only electro music ?
Well it can produce synth sounds of the seventies/eighties, like those Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman used. Or Jethro Tull on records like "Broadsword and the Beast"...or Tons of other prog bands...Pink Floyd, Genesis, Camel...you name it. So I'd say "yes it can".
Thank you
I ll buy it, this app sounds awesome
That's the trouble - so many awesome music apps, at such low prices. Actually, what am I talking about, that's not a problem, it's fantastic!!
Yes...the "trouble" is, that you end up with a truckload of synths on your IPad
It can get quite addictive (no wonder that this is one of the synths name...)
@MrNezumi no, def not an accomplished synth programmer. I tend to use presets as is and not really play with the multitude of options.
@SecretBaseDesign I like the music of say JM Jarre, Bjorn Lynne, Chris Heulsbeck, Jogeir Liljedahl, Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen and many from the days of the MOD scene on the Amiga & Atari ST (I also listen to is orchestral film scores though, game music electronic or orchestra, and jazz) and that tends to be the sort of thing I tinker with in GB. I would try orchestral stuff but I tend to dislike the string and horn sounds.
@funjunkie27 BS-16i for sound bank support does look interesting. Nice to have multiple banks loaded to pull what you need from.
@commonstookie indeed I've spent part of this morning watching YouTube videos.
@syrupcore I think I'm going to go with Sunrizer ATM, then Magellan which is tempting for the filter slot. Don't have anything at the moment that can sit there
Cheers everyone the thread has been very helpful.
@tarasis I'm a big fan of Alchemy...it's kind of the "synth for dummies" which is great for me...because I hate having to do a lot of tweaking with the sound...has killer presets that can be adjusted with a few simple taps....of course I sunk a bunch of $ in in-app purchases as well...but worth every penny. It will be AudioBus compatible in the next update along with som other great features coming as well. This is just a short demo I did with Alchemy (beta version with audiobus and just the included sound files)
@DerekBuddemeyer Very nice track and great sound, I too love alchemy and all the IAP'S and Pro Upgrade were well worth the money..superb "out of the box" synth, and awesome quality sounds...
@tarasis Sunrizer sounds like a winner for you. It's a brilliant synth with hundreds of excellent presets. Check out the Blade Runner preset - Vangelis tastic!
@tarasis though they are definitely different beasts sunrizer and Magellan cover similar sonic territory. Consider some of the other synth suggestions before doubling up there to further increase your sonic palette (though the filter slot thing is indeed very cool!).
@DerekBuddemeyer t'was an enjoyable demo, thank you. Alchemy seems to have some nice sounds, been playing with the free version & the bonus samples. The only thing that puts me off is the €14 to unlock pro + the €40 for the libraries, otherwise the horrible knowledge that there might be the sound that I want but it's not in the libraries I owned
You might want to know that according to the Dev the next update will include AB support and more traditional instruments.
Yea I'm excited about the more traditional instruments, heard about that a while back
Got Sunrizer this morning and been playing with it a bit, there are indeed some nice sounds. I'm a bit bugged that you can't scroll the keyboard without triggering a note. I.e.
Use an ARP patch, play a note and touch hold. Unlock keyboard and try to scroll left or right but it triggers wherever note I touch which is note what I want.
I know Alchemy & Animoog have scrollers above the keyboard, how does Magellan handle this? Am I missing a way to do this in Sunrizer? (Beyond using my external key rig 49 and switch octaves in hardware)