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.
Comments
I second all of those suggestions above. Personally I use a combination of DrumPerfect and DrumJam. I get my core beat and some nice humanization from DrumPerfect, then I add in fills and other awesomeness from DrumJam. I'm typically going for a more natural sound, and I find this combo seems to get me there.
I am a big fan of drum jam here as well. Very easy to get a great result with it.
Of course, then a lot of it get's the drumagog treatment over in Auria. Yeah DJ is incredible. It's got some great sound to it. Then if you start using bedlam at all...well you can just get lost in there for hours.
haha. For real. I seriously sometimes force myself not to touch it if I opened DJ for a specific purpose. Touching the bedlam button is like going to that really nice local hardware store for a pipe but 'taking a sec to just peek at the tools section'.
^My wife does this.
w h a t
@boone51 said:
Wow, I can see how DJ seems to be about the most popular app. It looks to be easy for beginners too. Do you have any links where we can check out some of your audio?
@Tickletiger said:
Yeah, Impaktor, that's a very cool looking app. Definitely stands out. Thanks for that suggestion.
Some of the vocal apps will help correct miscued guitar (or dobro) playing. I don't own Vocalive but you can try it and see if it works for your needs.
BTW, welcome to the best iOS forum around. Good luck on your venture.
@Keebo said:
Thanks for that comment! I was wondering about that. Maybe try putting autotune at a very low setting & recording the dobro track by mic through that? Does that sound what you mean?
Yes, if you make appropriate settings then I think you will be happy with the results. Haven't tried it though but at least you have a chance to see if it works for you.
As long as the dobro track is monophonic, it could work. I'm sorry—when you asked originally I was thinking chords.
There are plenty of Drum Jam videos to check out on YouTube if you want to hear it first. Don't get overwhelmed with this stuff; you're among junkies. Garageband has plenty to get rocking.
Ok, thanks guys... will give it a shot with VL. Yeah, I've been checking out the DJ vids... pretty sweet!
Good work Agent Keebo, I believe he is ours now...
Couldn't help but think...
@JohnnyGoodyear said:
hahaha... I will await the secret cyber handshake protocol...
Question on getting the best harmonies on Vocalive: Do they need an instrument track to follow in order to "sing" properly? Experimenting a capella they will resolve in wrong places etc. Or is this just learning curve, settings...?
@boone51 said:
I came back to this comment b/c I remember you saying you use the audiobox interface. I'm using a powered usb camera connector, and it's getting good power to the interface, but Garageband isn't cooperating for some reason. It will will either not recognize it or it will recognize it then do some weird thing where the needle pegs out all the way and freezes there. This is after I do a restart just to get the option to use external source to show. Any thoughts?
Weird. I can't really comment on GarageBand because I don't use it in my workflow and as a result don't have it installed. Sorry I can't help more.
@dobroz said:
This is most likely your problem. Since, Apple doesn't make a powered CCK, am I correct in assuming you are using a 3rd party CCK ?
These are much cheaper than the Apple CCK, and often work for transfering USB files and photos. But they consistently have problems when used for MIDI or digital audio.
I would recommend getting an Apple CCK, or at least borrowing one to test with your system.
Ah, I missed that. If that is the case, Hmtx is most likely correct. I just read it as "I'm using a cck and a powered hub", which is what I do as well.
Aaaaah... it doesn't occur to me cheap ebay buys from China might present problems.?? I will now remove the elephant from the room
Thanks!
Ok, went out & got a cck + hub = $60+ then found an Alesis iO dock on CL that I could probably get for $70. Is there any reason I shouldn't return my purchases (still boxed), sell my Audiobox for basically a wash, and then use $ to grab some monitor speakers?
Of course question 2. Looking at Bose II's for $99... good or other recommendations?
Personally, I would do exactly that (assuming the ports match up with your version of ipad - lightening/30 pin).
And I'd hit Amazon for some decent speakers. Those bose suck. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater. I have a pair of their headphones. But I also purchased and returned those (awful) speakers you're looking at. Just my opinion obviously. Take that for what it is.
Cool. I was thinking you'd recommend doing that, especially since I'm gonna benefit from dialing in the sequence to the simplest equation. Actually I have the iPad Air which is not 30 pin, but I've seen a couple youtubers showing just using the cck lightning and sliding the ipad in with a stand.
In fact, the guy selling the dock said he's done that w/no problems. I actually think I might like standing it up more anyway like this guy pointed out: 
And yeah, someone else just told me the same thing about the Bose speakers cause they color the sound he said. I'd like to keep it as close to the same $ though if possible. I've seen some good reviews on the M-Audio 30's http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM1O . Of course with everything, there are mixed reviews. What do you think? Then there are some like Behringer for even less money...
If the previous owner is telling you it will work then you will probably be fine. I would take a second to search around this forum about it if you haven't pulled the trigger yet. Would just want you to make a well informed decision. For instance this thread was just at the top of the forum and it's talking about some drawbacks of that dock.
http://forum.audiob.us/discussion/5785/the-alesis-io-dock-and-ipad-2-saga#Item_9
Again, though, if the previous owner is telling you it's working with his Air, then sounds like no real problem. As far as good monitors, I would defer to the other experts on this forum that have vetted various models. My search is ongoing for a decent pair at the right price. I love my music, but my kids insist on eating every.single.day, so I have to budget.
Thanks for the heads up on that. It seems like the issues have been with OS. I'm a bit confused with some people saying it works with both 7 & 8, but some saying they have no success beyond 6.?? I realize there can be user fault, but these are usually pretty tech savvy people..hmm? The second video I posted has the guy using the Air, but he doesn't say what OS, and that is obviously the main issue. I'm waiting for a cb from the seller. I might post a new thread on this issue exactly. On this thread Alesis says they have an official update but then people seem to still argue: http://community.alesis.com/alesis/topics/io-dock-with-ipad-3-ios-8-compatibility
...and about the speakers, I continue to find pretty credible pro reviews on the M-Audio AV30's. Seems to be pretty strong #1 consensus for that price. Yes food and kids... quite important
I've read the reviews on those on Amazon and they seem to be all over the place. The one thing I've found with these "studio monitor" speakers in the extreme low end of the spectrum (as these are re studio monitors) is that they all seem to be about as far away from "flat" as you can get. They have crazy things on them you'd never want in a studio monitor like "bass boost" buttons and other crap. And that's odd for something labeled "studio monitor" in my opinion. I have read some decent reviews about the next model up, the av40's. They don't seem to be that much more expensive honestly. Here's one link. I've read you can find them for 130, but didn't find it. Again, though, I'd expect there to be a lot more opinions out there about the monitors. In the words of Bono, I still haven't found what I'm looking for.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/797785-REG/M_Audio_9900_65139_00_AV_40_Active_2_Way.html
Yeah I've noticed the reviews on the AV40's seem to more than warrant extra $30-40. Might just be another CL item though. Something like this, buying used might give you much better quality for even less $, ie. just saw a listing for Alesis Ones for $95 obo. Of course you just need to make sure you can hear them well first.