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.

Official "STUPID" Question THREAD

Sometimes I find myself conflating my real world music skill set and navigating an IOS music app.
It is not doubt a result of my ego.

That being said, I thought it a good idea for thread to ask any questions about IOS music apps or functions that seem really simple, you just can't figure it out.

Like how to turn on a feature. Where the volume button is on an app. Etc.

I will start.

On Cubasis, how do you save a MIDI file for later use?

For an audio loop, it is easy. Click and Media bay area on bottom screen options appear with the save button on bottom left. Easy. It is then permanently in my "Audio" files bank in Cubasis.

How do you do the same for a MIDI file? There seems to be an area for it. I just never figured out how to save my own there.

This has been a question I have had for very long time. I finally just give up and need to ask.

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Comments

  • Link Dropbox. Go to Media Panel. Touch the MIDI listing. Touch a MIDI file. The Share button lights up. Touch the Share button. 3 choices: Email, Dropbox, Open With. Enjoy.

  • It's definitely not a "STUPID" topic and much needed to avoid common head-aches.

    I don't think it's even possible to save 'midi note-clips' into the Cubasis media-bay :(
    I would personally use it to store bass and chord patterns and other clips for re-useage if it was possible.

    Maybe Lars @LFS can give us some hints regarding Cubasis or maybe this will have to wait until the next update?

  • I like the "Stupid" in the topic! Gets that out of the way right off!

    @RustiK - the only way I've found to get cubasis midi back into cubasis is using Mixdown with the Midi option checked. It will then appear in the MediaBay/Mixdown folder. You can then drag that into any new project. BUT, if it's a multitrack midi file you will import all of it.

    While not quite relevant to your question, I've found if I have a midi file in AudioShare or Promidi, and I select "Open In", that file will now appear in the MediaBay/Midi/My Midi Files folder.

    As far as I've been able to find, there's nothing like the audio "Save to Media Bay" command for midi. Which would be really nice to have, right?

  • @Zetagy said:
    Link Dropbox. Go to Media Panel. Touch the MIDI listing. Touch a MIDI file. The Share button lights up. Touch the Share button. 3 choices: Email, Dropbox, Open With. Enjoy.

    I have to look later.

    I can't get my head around your post while I am driving.

    I read post quick,

    You are talking for saving internal MIDI loops INSIDE the Cubasis app itself?

  • edited July 2015

    Not sure if this is the best way for you but with the Select tool, you can marquee around multiple clips, then copy, then load another project, then paste. Seems to be no MIDI import without using iTunes file sharing.

    http://www.steinberg.net/fileadmin/files/PRODUCTS/Apps/Cubasis/Cubasis_Help/MEDIA.html

  • edited July 2015

    @Zetagy you can transfer midi files into Cubasis using "open in" where they'll appear in your media bay under "My MIDI files". From there you can drag them onto any of your Cubasis midi tracks.

    @RustiK you can mix down your project in Cubasis and choose the option to save midi for the project as a whole. From your media bay you can then share them as Zetagy indicated.

    As @AlterEgo_UK points out below, the option to split out midi tracks by file in Cubasis is not available.

  • We had a thread like this a while back. Stupid question threads are good.

    I'll try to think of a stupid question.

    Ah... Here's one

    Can someone explain insert FX vs group FXs vs Auxilary Send FX to me? Ie in Auria.

    For example, if you send a few different tracks to a group FX strip then does the 'dry' signal come out of the individual track but a copy of that dry signal get sent to the group FX? What about sending to the master Aux effects? What if you have some insert fx and also then send that channel to a group FX?

    I kind of get what's happening but some clarity on exactly what does/doesn't get effected would be wonderful :).

  • @Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
    We had a thread like this a while back. Stupid question threads are good.

    I'll try to think of a stupid question.

    Ah... Here's one

    Can someone explain insert FX vs group FXs vs Auxilary Send FX to me? Ie in Auria.

    For example, if you send a few different tracks to a group FX strip then does the 'dry' signal come out of the individual track but a copy of that dry signal get sent to the group FX? What about sending to the master Aux effects? What if you have some insert fx and also then send that channel to a group FX?

    I kind of get what's happening but some clarity on exactly what does/doesn't get effected would be wonderful :).

    Ditto!

  • I'm still trying to figure out the difference between core midi and virtual midi and what exactly is affected in "network session 1"? Does anyone have a good link to an article about this that is clear and easy to understand?

  • Mf2k,

    Group and insert are "100% wet". Groups are the same as insert. The difference is the insert effects multiple tracks at once. Some effects have a mix control on them allowing you to make it less than 100% wet. These are traditionally used for effects that you want 100% wet like a gate, EQ or compressor.

    Aux effects allow you to control how much goes into the effect and how much is coming to the mains dry. These are traditionally used for things you want to use to add a little sauce to the signal but not turn into a full on soup like reverb and delay. Similarly, they're traditionally used for the sort effect that you want to share across many tracks (again, like reverb or delay). You might want to share the same effect because you want to put everything in the same 'sonic space' to varying degrees or you might want to share them because hardware reverbs were expensive! They're still expensive but now it is CPU expense vs cash.

  • @syrupcore said:
    Mf2k,

    Group and insert are "100% wet". Groups are the same as insert. The difference is the insert effects multiple tracks at once. Some effects have a mix control on them allowing you to make it less than 100% wet. These are traditionally used for effects that you want 100% wet like a gate, EQ or compressor.

    Aux effects allow you to control how much goes into the effect and how much is coming to the mains dry. These are traditionally used for things you want to use to add a little sauce to the signal but not turn into a full on soup like reverb and delay. Similarly, they're traditionally used for the sort effect that you want to share across many tracks (again, like reverb or delay). You might want to share the same effect because you want to put everything in the same 'sonic space' to varying degrees or you might want to share them because hardware reverbs were expensive! They're still expensive but now it is CPU expense vs cash.

    Great post.

    I think I might add is it also contingent upon the quantity of tracks. If it is only a few, then it really isn't a stretch to do the F/x autonomously throughout the entire project.

    I only speak for Cubasis on IOS platform, not sure on others. I believe the earlier poster mentioned Auria.

  • @Martygras said:
    I'm still trying to figure out the difference between core midi and virtual midi and what exactly is affected in "network session 1"? Does anyone have a good link to an article about this that is clear and easy to understand?

    Funny you should ask. I often ask the same thing.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see different answers from different people or even companies for that matter.

    My experience lends me to believe this is still a gray area at times. I may be wrong though.

  • Core midi is mainly external - hardware keyboards etc; virtual is mainly internal, sequencing an iPad synth from cubasis or something like that.

    Midi bridge and midi flow can often be used to spoof the iPad into thinking that a virtual port is a core midi port.

  • Hello all,
    I was just a reader in this great forum, but the thread made me decide to join :)
    My stupid question is: How can I record (or automate) real time Turnado effects in Cubasis, coming from another Cubasis track? I've tried Audiobus: Cubasis In+ Turnado as FX+ Cubasis out, but no effect sound is heard until recorded.

  • edited July 2015

    @syrupcore said:
    Mf2k,

    Group and insert are "100% wet". Groups are the same as insert. The difference is the insert effects multiple tracks at once. Some effects have a mix control on them allowing you to make it less than 100% wet. These are traditionally used for effects that you want 100% wet like a gate, EQ or compressor.

    Aux effects allow you to control how much goes into the effect and how much is coming to the mains dry. These are traditionally used for things you want to use to add a little sauce to the signal but not turn into a full on soup like reverb and delay. Similarly, they're traditionally used for the sort effect that you want to share across many tracks (again, like reverb or delay). You might want to share the same effect because you want to put everything in the same 'sonic space' to varying degrees or you might want to share them because hardware reverbs were expensive! They're still expensive but now it is CPU expense vs cash.

    Thank you very much. Great post.

    My only question now is on group effects used in conjunction with single channel insert effects.

    Are you effectively bussing a copy of each channel's signal to the group channel? Because it looks like each channel still has its own effects and level - and then the "group" strip also has a level of its own. This confused me a bit. I half expected the individual channel strip levels to go dead if you were bussing that channel to a group.

  • edited July 2015

    @Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
    . I half expected the individual channel strip levels to go dead if you were bussing that channel to a group.

    Sorry Matt that's not how it works.. You still have control of each individual channel being sent to the group channel.

    Traditionally inserts are used for EQs, compressors, gates etc because they are a direct out/in for that particular channel strip. Therefore only that channel is effected.. 100% wet.

    Auxillaries are traditionally used for reverb, delay, chorus etc because with aux 1 on each channel strip means a reverb can be bled into each channel accordingly, giving the impression all instruments are in the same room. Aux 2 could be a delay again on each channel if required.

    Hope the helps

  • Yep. Groups are just a way to bring a bunch of channels together. The level and inserts on each channel will affect the relative level of that channel within the group.

    Think of groups as (sub)master outputs. They work the same way. In Auria, they are also summed into the master output by default.

  • edited July 2015

    @Paul said:

    RustiK you can mix down your project in Cubasis and choose the option to save midi for the project as a whole or files per track. From your media bay you can then share them as Zetagy indicated.

    On my iPad Air2 latest version of Cubasis and iOS, if I choose to mix down as midi the separate tracks option is not able to be turned on.

    If I choose the separate tracks mixdown option for a project that has midi and audio tracks, the midi tracks are rendered as separate audio tracks along with the audio tracks!

    To get separate midi files that I can send to a fellow collaborator for instance, I have to mix to a single midi file, share that to Dropbox and then import it as separate tracks into Reaper on my PC and then export each midi track separately from there!

    Is there any app on iOS that can import a midi file e.g. by Open In, from Cubasis, split it into separate tracks and then have the option to save out individual midi tracks?

  • @AlterEgo_UK said:

    I appreciate your post.

    As for your question, it actually dovetails on what my next question was going to be.

    On the same page cousin.

  • @SrKunp said:
    Hello all,
    I was just a reader in this great forum, but the thread made me decide to join :)
    My stupid question is: How can I record (or automate) real time Turnado effects in Cubasis, coming from another Cubasis track? I've tried Audiobus: Cubasis In+ Turnado as FX+ Cubasis out, but no effect sound is heard until recorded.

    Cubasis (input) --> Turnado (F/x) --> (Loopy or Audioshare)

    --------------------------THEN-------------------------

    WITH LOOPY :
    INPUT SLOT(LOOPY)Track with F/x --> into--> Cubasis

    WITH AUDIOSHARE:
    Cubasis (input) --> Turnado (F/x) --> (Loopy or Audioshare)
    Export audio into Cubasis as audio file

  • @AlterEgo_UK Pro Midi can import four midi tracks at at time and split them by channel. You can then click on any of the squares in the grid in Pro Midi and export that midi into Cubasis via open in. Probably a far from ideal solution given the four channel limitation.

    Thanks for catching the no midi export per track option not being available in Cubasis.

  • @Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:
    My only question now is on group effects used in conjunction with single channel insert effects.
    Are you effectively bussing a copy of each channel's signal to the group channel? Because it looks like each channel still has its own effects and level - and then the "group" strip also has a level of its own. This confused me a bit. I half expected the individual channel strip levels to go dead if you were bussing that channel to a group.

    Just to be clear, the insert effects on a given channel will still be in place when you hear them through the group fader. The effects will cascade. If you put an EQ on channel 1 taking out -10db at 100hz and then send that to group 1 and add an EQ on the group taking out -10db at 100hz, channel 1 will have -20db removed at 100hz.

    That's a contrived example. A more common bus scenario would be one compressor on the kick, another on the snare and nothing on the other drums. Then, all drums are sent to a group (or 'bus') so that you can easily control the level of all of the drums at once and another 'overall' compressor is applied to the entire group. The compressors on the kick and snare are more like sonic sculpting while the bus compressor is more like sonic glue.

  • @RUncELL said:
    Hope the helps

    I wanted to add that auxes are also used to make monitor mixes. The only difference is whether it is pre-fader or post-fader.
    Aux as an FX send = post-fader
    Aux as monitor send = pre-fader

  • @Paul said:
    AlterEgo_UK Pro Midi can import four midi tracks at at time and split them by channel. You can then click on any of the squares in the grid in Pro Midi and export that midi into Cubasis via open in. Probably a far from ideal solution given the four channel limitation.

    Thanks for catching the no midi export per track option not being available in Cubasis.

    Just wanted to mention that I imported 16 MIDI tracks at once into ProMIDI. I just did it again to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

  • @AlterEgo_UK @Paul
    Hey guys I just did another Cubasis MIDI mix down, and did "open-in" straight to ProMIDI, and it created all 6 of that song's midi tracks. I've done this before, and didn't recall getting a combined midi file, so it had me wondering. That and I had assumed that the separate channels button was for Audio, and MIDI would be what I expected; each on their own channel. I'm on iOS 8.4 current Cubasis release, so if this doesn't work for you...then we should dig in further and figure out what is going on.

  • @TozBourne @Paul thanks for that info!
    If Promidi can separate 16 tracks of midi from a single file mixdown from Cubasis via open in then it is probably worth the £7.99 asking price! No Audiobus though? But IAA.

  • Here's my question - what is the IAA midi spec? In my case I encounter IAAm in Cubasis and most recently in MTS, and I am unclear as to what the expected behavior is. There also seems to be inconsistencies between apps as to how IAAm is implemented.

    Just to qualify the question- I've been messing with midi since the late 80s. I eventually had a couple of keyboard synths, and several rack mount synths and fx, and for sequencing my Amiga running Bars&Pipes, plus Soundquest for editing and managing patches. And my beloved JLCooper router. So basically I'm saying that I had to learn both the physical patching, midi in/out/through, as well as configuring software to match. (And obviously I get that audio was a whole nother deal, I had a 12ch mackie to handle all the ins, outs, sends and returns).

    My wtf question came as follows.
    I usually rely on AB for audio routing, and I usually only use IAA as an insert for FX apps (I.e. Audio routing not midi). I was working in Cubasis, and recording a Thumbjam track. I created and armed both a midi and audio track - midi was set to listen to TJ midi (via the inspector), and the audio listening to AB. Swapped to TJ, engaged record, perfect. Got the audio performance, plus midi if I want to layer later.

    Then I swap to iFretless. Yikes. I can get my other iOS synths to use iFG as a midi input, but for the life of me I cannot get Cubasis see it. Tried midi router apps, and every variable I could find, no go. Until came across a blurb somewhere, and loaded iFG as an Instrument in Cubasis. Bang, now I got midi recording.

    But now I'm in the whole "only one instance" IAA limitation - where using the Inspector and AB did not. I know how to work around that, but it's just extra steps.

    So it looks like IAA includes some sort of zero config (pseudo)midi routing. And it seems in the case of iFG and Cubasis, that routing must be used rather than virtual midi. And in the case of MTS (which I've just started with) it's the only way in and out. IAAm also seems to include some sort of sync, which sounds like, for some users, works better than the usual midi clock.

    It feels like one of those Apple things - I shouldn't have to know about it, therefore I can't. But I grew up in a world of 5pin dins and 1/4" trs cables and that drives me nuts. Obviously my DAW's developers are though.

    In my case, the challenge seems to be that I like using iFG as a midi controller, but IAA won't allow for any routing, it presumes I want to hear iFG if that's what the midi source is.

    So if I have to count on interappAUDIO for midi routing, what am I supposed to expect, and what is the expected workflow?

  • edited August 2015

    @Martygras said: 'network connection'

    To link the idevice to a computer over wifi, say using thumbjam as a midi controller for a daw's instrument, or vice versa letting thumbjam be sequenced by a daw's miditrack.

    Or to link two idevices, with wlan on in the settings, the iphone's thumbjam plays the ipad's and the other way around.
    The phone's hotspot must be active then.

    Since there are bluetooth connection options to accomplish such tasks, I found these to be easier for me, also regarding latency.

    P.s.: Thanks for the pre/post monitor/fx aux clarification.

  • edited August 2015

    As for the drums/compressors bus scenario, @syrupcore - would you be so kind to point out for me how I can bring 'sidechaining' (e.g. with a vocal track) into the equation?

    Basically I have been curious about it, although I haven't dared to implement these techniques until recently, with aufx:push and pro c, maybe an extra thread would be necessary for that ...

    Thank you.

  • @Martygras said:
    wanted to add that auxes are also used to make monitor mixes. The only difference is whether it is pre-fader or post-fader. Aux as monitor send = pre-fader

    Yes. Thanks @Martygras, monitor mixes are sent to the cans pre fader. That way the fader does not affect the monitor mix and the aux becomes the monitors gain control. A little advanced for an iPad maybe.!

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