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 Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

Who is using MIDIFlow?

edited November 2014 in General App Discussion

Do you like it? Does it support presets?

Seems to be a cleaner version of MIDI Bridge. Does it do something for you that MIDI Bridge doesn't?

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Comments

  • I do, nice app, supports some sort of preset system (remembering app connection). It only offers a quicker UI (for me) vs midibridge. I use it offen.

  • Is there anyway you can use it for midi sync? I was not very enthused when I tried it the other day, I feel like I did just as much if not more midi connecting in the actual apps and not really in midiflow. Also, the fact that the icons for apps weren't coming up really bugged me for some reason.

  • edited November 2014

    I really don't like it. It pretends to be AB for MIDI. Similar GUI concept but that's it.

    It is "clumsy", apps don't "load", you have to start them in background and keep switching?...wtf? it doesn't "look" (or know) which apps are MIDI compatible.

    Maybe it is OK to control external hardware, but since I don't have any, I don't care.

    You get to appreciate what a fine tool is AudioBus for audio.

  • @soundklinik said:

    I really don't like it. It pretends to be AB for MIDI. Similar GUI concept but that's it.

    It is "clumsy", apps don't "load", you have to start them in background and keep switching?...wtf? it doesn't "look" (or know) which apps are MIDI compatible.

    Maybe it is OK to control external hardware, but since I don't have any, I don't care.

    You get to appreciate what a fine tool is AudioBus for audio.

    Thanks for validating my thoughts too. I thought I was overreacting when I got really annoyed with it right away.

  • Glad to read some feedback on MidiFlow. I had considered trying MidiBridge, but I don't have a lot of confidence it would actually solve the problems that creep up from time to time - which may actually result from problems with the actual app sending or receiving MIDI data.

  • Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll stick with MIDI Bridge.

  • And midibus? I cant help myself but midibridge is not nice looking app... Even it is super great

  • edited December 2014

    @goozoon indeed. And its bits are fiddly. That's why I was seeking alternatives. According to the dev, there are no presets per se. Filters can be remembered per output destination (always map channel to channel 9 for Sunrizer, say) but not entire set ups like MIDI Bridge.

  • I'm the dev of Midiflow.

    @soundklinik
    First, I'm sorry that your impression of the app was unsatisfying. I'd be interested in getting to the bottom of the problem, since I haven't received any feedback like that before. However, I do get lots of feature requests which is why there is a big update coming soon, extending routing/modifying controllers and notes, specifying velocity curves etc.

    About starting the apps manually: The iOS MIDI framework requires an app to be running in order to be seen by other MIDI apps. The only way to overcome this limitation is by creating a dedicated SDK and convincing the devs of all those other music apps in the world to include it (that's exactly what AB is doing). However, I thought this was not really necessary because if you're using AB, you launch your synth apps from there anyway, don't you?

    @BvsMV
    Can you tell me which icons did not load? I'd like to fix that.

    Best,
    Johannes

  • Nice extensions. Which also make snapshots/scene saves (selectable via Program Change messages) and detail config saves (like MidiBridge does) all the more required.

    There is btw another option for opening and switching to other Apps, which all Apps that use the MidiBus SDK get included, and that is the OMAC method. I presume you have MidiBridge as a checkpoint on your designs? Also, not all the other Apps being used are necessarily Synths. Might well be multiple MIDI only Apps driving those Synths.

  • Thanks for that @JohannesD. Nice to have you here.

  • Actually, my main app is iMIDIPatchbay which has a completely different approach than all the other MIDI routing apps. With the time, however, it turned out that many people used the app exclusively for synth apps (often in combination with AB), although it was designed mainly for managing hardware keyboards in live situations. That's why I decided to make a second app, Midiflow, which has its focus on those users.

    I know MidiBridge and its dev (if I have time, I'd like to contribute to his Midibus library). It is not a benchmark for me, our apps have different focuses – I invest a lot in ease of use. Luckily, I get a lot of user feedback although MIDI is a complicated topic for many people. Based on that feedback, and my own needs, I come up with new features. So, feel free to contact me :)

    [With synth apps, I mean client apps for Midiflow. You're right, these could be MIDI-only apps, too]

  • @JohannesD

    The updates sound great. As for the issues I was having a lot of problems on my iPhone 5s on ios8. Loopy has a strange icon of black and white stripes. Soundprism and Animoog do not have an icon. Apollo's is wrong and it doesn't even recognize Fingertip Midi whatsoever just to name a few.

    Is there anyway to control midi sync through midiflow? I thought the AppStore description said it did, but I havent seen away to select anything. Thanks!

  • @BvsMV Thanks for your reply. Would it be possible for you to send me a screenshot of the list of inputs or outputs (not only the main screen) so that I can see the erroneous icons next to the names? [email protected]

    Regarding MIDI clock: The routings in Midiflow transmit clock data. So, if you connect two apps, the clock will be send from the source app to the destination. The new version will include a switch to filter out the clock signal in a routing.

  • @JohannesD said:

    I'm the dev of Midiflow.

    @soundklinik
    First, I'm sorry that your impression of the app was unsatisfying. I'd be interested in getting to the bottom of the problem, since I haven't received any feedback like that before. However, I do get lots of feature requests which is why there is a big update coming soon, extending routing/modifying controllers and notes, specifying velocity curves etc.

    About starting the apps manually: The iOS MIDI framework requires an app to be running in order to be seen by other MIDI apps. The only way to overcome this limitation is by creating a dedicated SDK and convincing the devs of all those other music apps in the world to include it (that's exactly what AB is doing). However, I thought this was not really necessary because if you're using AB, you launch your synth apps from there anyway, don't you?
    Best,
    Johannes

    Hi Johannes, thanks for reply and explanation of the "problem" with MIDI in iOS.

    I was disappointed in the way that I have to open apps in background, open midiflow, make connections to apps, exit midiflow and then reopen sequencers and run them.
    If I want to do anything to a synth X, I must exit sequencer, open synth X etc...pain in the ass...(in windows you keep them on one page)

    What I thought, was that your app will let me open them from within your app. I hate this fiddling, reopening, background stuff. Perhaps it is my incompetence with iOS (PC user), and there is no manual to midiflow, so I am probably doing things in a clumsy way.
    I was actually tying to midi control apps that are not AB compatible. (I have a folder with those.) And I did not try to run others in AB controlled by midiflow. (don't know how)

    I hope I explained my problem with midiflow, I wrote you a letter and got no answer after a couple of days, so when somebody mentioned your app, I added my experience with it which got your attention.
    All I want in a midi app is to open apps assign what controls what on which midi channel, who is the master and slave etc and the ability to move amongst the apps, no complex program changes etc...

    Anyway, to in closing, accept my apologies if my feedback was erroneous, it was not my intention, only my frustration, I have a lot of admiration for people like you that can create;-)

  • @soundklinik said:

    I wrote you a letter and got no answer after a couple of days, so when somebody mentioned your app, I added my experience with it which got your attention.

    No problem, I received a mail two days ago and answered yesterday, maybe this thread was already going at that time.

    I was disappointed in the way that I have to open apps in background, open midiflow, make connections to apps, exit midiflow and then reopen sequencers and run them.
    If I want to do anything to a synth X, I must exit sequencer, open synth X etc...pain in the ass...(in windows you keep them on one page)

    Yes I definitely understand the problem. I could add switching from Midiflow to the synth apps, but the way back is not possible without an SDK. Anyway, I'll try to improve the workflow when I'm done with the new MIDI features.

    I was actually tying to midi control apps that are not AB compatible. (I have a folder with those.) And I did not try to run others in AB controlled by midiflow. (don't know how)

    You can run Midiflow alongside AB, they won't interfere. Midiflow will be doing the MIDI work, AB the audio (and launching of apps).

    All I want in a midi app is to open apps assign what controls what on which midi channel, who is the master and slave etc and the ability to move amongst the apps, no complex program changes etc...

    Sounds exactly like what Midiflow does, except the launching of apps. I'll contact you when I find a way to improve this aspect of the app.

    Anyway, to in closing, accept my apologies if my feedback was erroneous, it was not my intention, only my frustration, I have a lot of admiration for people like you that can create;-)

    Accepted :-D I know how frustrating it is when a piece of software does not do what I want. Thanks for the feedback!

    Best,
    Johannes

  • @JohannesD, thank you for jumping in to clarify what MidiFlow can do, can't do, and will do in the future. Quick additional question: I've read Midibus has one of the best midiclocks available. Is "one clock to rule them all" something you might implement in a future Midiflow update?

  • Like wise there is already a midi app switching ability in OMAC which is included in a lot of apps (not all by any means but a fair number)

  • Would be nice if all apps kept omac alive. Can be really handy. Check out the way funkbox handles it.

  • All Apps that use the MidiBus SDK (as distinct from the MidiBus App) get OMAC switching- both ways - as part of the package.

  • @eustressor Yes, a clock would fit quite nicely into Midiflow's concept and has been requested since the first release.

  • @JohannesD Thanks ... So just to clarify, a master clock will be coming in a future update?

  • This is all great news! Thanks @JohannesD!

  • Thanks again, Johannes!

  • That's good news about the clock. Maybe just using the MIDIBus library makes sense here?

  • Absolutely. I might also ask that you allow for both midi assignable tempo and tap tempo - for live use.

  • @syrupcore
    I don't know if the lib can co-exist to Midiflow's own MIDI processing. It would be nice and the quickest solution, of course. I'm currently busy with the new version. Once it is out, I can look at this.

    @all
    Any wishes for the MIDI clock? Is it more important for you to send the clock to specific apps only, or should it simply send it to all connected apps?

    Best,
    Johannes

  • While waiting for the review, I am already working on the MIDI clock feature. Here is a first impression:

    image

  • @JohannesD thank you for the update and screenshot. I think the appeal of incorporating the MIDIbus SDK is that, the more developers who adopt the same standard, the closer we come to more reliable and robust MIDI implementation across the board, ala Audiobus.

    Personally, I would benefit most from a global clock that drives all apps at the same tempo. Others may have different needs. Is it possible to offer a global vs per channel toggle switch for midiclock?

    Thanks for all your work! Without you developers, we'd all be stuck playing Candy Crush Saga.

    Cheers!

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