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.
Audiobus has audio stutter issues
I hate to be a buzz kill but not sure why audiobus gets so high rating when it still has huge issues with audio processing. I love the programs potential but as a professional device, I can't trust it because I get a lot of stuttering at times. The only way I've been able to get around this issue so i feel confident i will not overload the audio system is to shut down (double clicking home button etc.)each app after ejecting it from audiobus then adding another. I'm using Loopy HD in the output patch. Is there any other way around this?
Comments
What device are you using? Yes, you have to shut down music apps you're not currently using because each of them will still be running in background mode even after they're out of the Audiobus signal chain, therefore eating up CPU resources. This isn't Audiobus's fault - each Apple device only has a finite amount of memory and CPU power, so if you pile multiple apps together, there's only so much the platform can take.
List your equipment version, iOS version, which apps you're using and their versions, or else nobody will be able to help you with anything.
Make sure you have airplane mode on while recording, as Audiobus has no control over interruptions instigated by the OS.
Also, enough surplus apps running in the background will both fill available memory and bring any CPU to it's knees. Not really the fault of Audiobus.
Be aware there are lots of us not experiencing your problem, so it's likely to be something about your setup.
I noticed this problem as well recording Addictive Synth into Loopy. Some app combinations don't work so well. iPad4, ios6.1.3, no apps running in background.
I do get additional latency with some combinations of apps. It happens between Orphion and Loopy, for example. The record button kinda hangs the opening note there (iPad 3).
I get neither of those problems on an iPad 2 iOS v6.1.3
Without more detailed information about the device, iOS version, apps used simulaneously it's really hard to say anything about this. Please provide this information.
I get latency recording Guitarism into Loopy. The first note is always off. I'm using an ipad 3, no other apps are open and I enable airplane mode. There is always a slight stutter no matter how I time it.
@Mmmwahaha Are you getting the same issue with recording other apps into Loopy, or just guitarism? Been trying this out myself but I'm not seeing the issue on my devices.
Hey Rhism, I tried it with ifretless bass and get the same result, this could be a loopy issue.
With Guitarism I want a slow full chord strum starting on the first note of the loop. Putting aside human error with timing I still find loopy sometimes bunches up or glitches the notes even if I'm late or early coming in on the first beat. This isn't a major problem as there's always an alternative way of doing things, but it is slightly frustrating. I'm closing all other apps and using airplane mode on an ipad 3, OS 6.1.3. BTW congratulations on producing one of my favourite music apps and being so responsive to any user issues.
You see, @Rhism operates with zero latency.
@Michael_R_Grant Yes, this is why I'm so compatible with Audiobus as they are the same way
@Mmmwahaha Yeah sounds like a loopy issue then, every issue report on this thread is a combination of Loopy with one other app. I believe Michael is looking into it (as he had contacted me about your guitarism+Loopy issue - see, zero latency all around!).
Nobody expects the Spanish Inq... Oh bugger!
I'm using an iPad 3 with the latest iOS, and I have had glitches running some apps with Cubasis. In particular addictive and PPG WaveGenerator, which both crackle. I was trying out S4 Rhythm Composer today, and I got about a quarter beat latency. I tend to rate apps on the basis of whether they work or not! I was really pleased about iMini, which works really well. Someone with a bit of time on their hands (i.e. not me!) might want to create a matrix of apps vs devices and start logging issues.
That sounds ugly. Did you ever try rebooting your iPad 3 and checking if that solves audio issues with these apps?
@Sebastian Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm using the latest update iOS with an iPad Mini 64. Sometimes its just a slight click and stutter when you open a new app or switch between programs i.e. Orphium as midi controller and switching between Sunrizer and another synth (I am also shutting down respective apps in the process as well). Bottom line, the program is glitchy sometimes. I understand that this is all a relatively young platform and more likely to do with the capability of iPad audio than it is for Audiobus but still...
@PaulB as I stated, I do not over tax the audio by stacking apps. I mentioned that I shut apps down before opening the next. That is not the issue I was inquiring about. Many people are having the same issues. It is not just an issue of set up - I could be placing more complex demands and therefor iOS is not ready for that type of set up. I concede that point. But I'm glad to hear that you are not having issues and that gives me hope. But I imagine the only way to make sure I domt have audio problems is to do as I said in my original post and that is to shut down each app as you eject it from audiobus.
Well, you actually said that the only way to get around the issue is to unload apps you have just ejected from Audiobus, so logically, it follows that the issues arise when you have the ejected apps stacked in the background. Anyway, good luck with finding a solution, I have an iPad 2 which shows none of your problems, so I doubt I'll be able to help.
I can confirm this behaviour it seems really odd. Before the IOS 6.1.3 update I did not have as many audio stutter issues. Here a couple of combinations that give me issues, in now specific order and note those combinations worked flawlessly before the 6.1.3 Updates:
Magellan (Input) - (no FX) - Beatmaker 2 (Output)
-> Nearly impossible to record anything in sync. i.e. Setting both Beatmaker and Magellan to the same clock, then starting an arp manually until its playing back in sync, hit record in the audiobus side panel -> you get a short click, it seems to record in time. Stop the recording after a few bars. Switch over to Beatmaker and play back. The audio is out of sync again. It looks like some delay compensation gets calculated wrongfully. Also, the last couple of beats of the audio you recorded are missing in Beatmaker.
-> Second Test, sending mid clock and midi out from BM2 to Magellan. After a couple of cycles playback the clock sets in at 2x the clock BM2 sends out. You can correct this manually. The recording results are the same.
Sometimes the Audio of the Magellan Patch then is muted after a recording has been done.
Rebirth (Input) - (no FX) - Beatmaker 2 (Output)
-> Impossible to to sync, even with clock from BM2 to Rebirth, nothing happens. You have to start the sequence manually. Same effects as in Point 1.
Note in BM2 the Midi latency is set to 0 ms as there is no external processing it all happens in the device. Raising the latency doesnt improve the synchronisation of recordings when lets say we have a Midi Track in BM2 that sends out to an Audiobus Input app like NLOG.
Magellan (Input) - (no FX) - Loopy HD (Output)
-> No clock sync in this test. Start an empty session in Loopy. Set the clock to 141 BPM. Start and Stop Playback in Loopy HD. Switch over to Audiobus Connection Panel. Start Magellan in the input slot. When back on the Connection Panel open Magellan, select a patch and hit the REC Button in the Audiobus Sidepanel. -> Nearly impossible to start a recording in Loopy HD. It just sits there idle but doesnt do anything. An issue that is always happening when you start the first recording in Loopy HD. You have to let the Input Source play in the background and switch to Loopy HD to actually record the first loop. From there on Input and Output Settings (set to Loopys Clocks in the settings menu) are all over the place. You can't record any new loops that actually loop. They are always inserting a strip of silence in the length of the actual clock. Same here, Audio in Magellan is muted from time to time with no apparent or reproductive reason.
iMini (Input) - (no FX) - Loopy HD (Output)
Same issues as in Point 3. Additional the Output from time to time can become distorted and create a feedback loop. Maybe this has something to do with the ability of iMini to feed itself via the External-In knob into itself. I do get the impression that the Mic in ability of some apps is sometimes interfering with AB.
iMini (or any other Synth app in the input slot) - Echo Pad (FX) - Audioshare (Output)
There seem to be issues with the inclusion of FX Apps. Overriding the Mic in for the AB connection seems unstable since the last iOS release. Sometimes for a brief moment one gets the impression that the mic in is open when having Apple Earplugs connected that have a mic included. This of course can lead to feedback Loops etc.
Also one full AB chain now seems to drastically impact the iPad performance in comparison to 6.1 or 6.1.2. i.E in this chain the GUI performance of Echo Pad is getting really bad. Dragging not recognized partially or you touch the screen but apparently the input is only recognized graphically and sonically no settings are affected.
The test's above can be reproduced and yield the same results on my iPad 3 16 GB, iOS 6.1.3 in Airplane mode with no other Apps running in the background. There is no difference in which order they have been started. If outside of AB, or inside via the connection panel, it simply doesnt matter. I've tested this several times over. Also rebooting the iPad does not have any positive effect.
I do not know if this is of help but it shows that currently there seem to be a lot of audio related issues. Once more I have to stress the fact that these issues have not been present on my iPad before the 6.1.x iOS updates. Changing the buffer size of Audiobus has NO effect on this behavior be it worse or better. My ipad has about 1 GB of Storage memory left.
As it stands I am currently forced to let my iPad sit in the corner. Which is a shame by itself. If I'd have the cash I'd get a replacement iPad 4 to see if the issues are present as well but I havent
. The whole idea was to get quick ideas down via AB, with these issues its impossible as you always have to cut and edit to have a not so sloppy playback performance.
If any of the developers want to contact me, just twitter me and I'll send you my details (www.twitter.com/oliverimseng).
Best regards
Oli
Push
Thanks for the elaborate report Oli, we're going to investigate this!
You are welcome, hope it helps. Maybe afterall it could just be my iPad thats broken, who knows
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Hey Oliver, Sebastian brought this to my attention. I was able to confirm on my iPad 3 (6.1.2) that Magellan (Input) - (no FX) - Beatmaker 2 (Output) is flawless for syncing.
So it sounds like you've found a very interesting bug with 6.1.3!
I'd be cautious with calling it a bug in iOS 6.1.3 since we so far haven't really confirmed that it's a bug in iOS 6.1.3 on iPad 3s. To be sure about it we're going to have to be able to truly reproduce the issues that Oliver has documented.
While other users mention that they're having some issues with other apps, this is not what counts as a real reproduction yet.
Anyway, we're working on it. I currently don't have an iPad 3 (will have one next week) but Michael has and he's going to test this with the exact same conditions tomorrow.
Sorry its taken awhile to respond, I'm in the middle of moving into a new place so things are a bit hectic.
I don't have iMini but I have tested this configuration with Sunrizer, Magellan, Animoog, Synthmate, and Bebot in the Input slot, Echo Pad in Effects slot and AudioShare as Output, so far with no problems. This is on an iPad 2 running iOS 6.1.3.
Is it possible for you to upload a video clip demonstrating the reproduction?
I don't have an iPad 3 to test on at the moment, but I've noticed many people that seem to have the most issues with audio glitches when using Audiobus are on iPad 3. I could be wrong though, have any other devs noticed this?
@Tim, thanks I figured this one is not going to be reproduced easily.
@Sebatstian, looking forward to what your test results show. Sorry to let you all go through such a hassle.
@HoldernessMedia, no worries mate. I mentioned to Sebastian before, I unfortunately don't have that much time at my hands. Its either working on projects meeting the deadlines or hunting this bug down.
Ignore. Couldnt delete. Wrong forum.