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.

SP-404 MK II. Leak, relevance, GAS?

Hey there boppers, I just found out about the upcoming SP-404 mkii leak (late I know).

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2021/10/leak-roland-sp-404-mkii-with-velocity-sensitive-pads-16gb-memory-and-more.html

I know that Koala sampler still offers more functionality and my iPad has more storage and also I can link millions of apps all together and make an unholy explosion of noise, but for some reason I am really drawn to it. I mostly make 'music' with unsynced loops on Koala sampler and recently I've been looking at something to tear me away from the screen that could be an all in one solution to how I make music, and well, I think I've finally found it... This machine at this price looks really really interesting to me. And maybe finally I can prove to my kids I'm not playing video games when I have my ipad in my hand! Does anyone have any thoughts about this upcoming sampler?

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Comments

  • This looks great. I have to take a better peek later.
    It seems like they're fixing all the issues/limitations with previous versions (took them long enough)

    I have the SX (2 generations ago from the MK2), it has lower polyphony, can't resample from pattern, and the display makes you chop by ears (which is good and bad 😂) and only 12+1 pads instead of 16+1. But I still love it. It's a great way to record stuff from ios and other sources without worrying if something has AUv3, IAA, Audiobus support (good for them ol' disconnected apps).

    From there I have two options: play or sequence it (I use Xequencer) and send it back to iOS to further work in a DAW or just edit, resample with effects and just send the samples back to iOS.

    With this new version it seems we can have more options

    Oh yeah, and it's really portable.
    My portable (for a trip) setup is iPad, SP-404, Yamaha QY and boss micro BR. I can carry it all, or select 1 or 2 of them to go and i'll be happy. The QY + 404 is a great pairing

  • @senhorlampada said:
    This looks great. I have to take a better peek later.
    It seems like they're fixing all the issues/limitations with previous versions (took them long enough)

    I have the SX (2 generations ago from the MK2), it has lower polyphony, can't resample from pattern, and the display makes you chop by ears (which is good and bad 😂) and only 12+1 pads instead of 16+1. But I still love it. It's a great way to record stuff from ios and other sources without worrying if something has AUv3, IAA, Audiobus support (good for them ol' disconnected apps).

    From there I have two options: play or sequence it (I use Xequencer) and send it back to iOS to further work in a DAW or just edit, resample with effects and just send the samples back to iOS.

    With this new version it seems we can have more options

    Oh yeah, and it's really portable.
    My portable (for a trip) setup is iPad, SP-404, Yamaha QY and boss micro BR. I can carry it all, or select 1 or 2 of them to go and i'll be happy. The QY + 404 is a great pairing

    The last time I had a hardware sampler it was an MPC 2000! I really want to get back into something a bit more physical, but nothing really fit the bill for what I imagine myself doing, this looks like it could tick all the boxes. I'm guessing you can run non synced loops with it right? :D

  • @sevenape said:
    The last time I had a hardware sampler it was an MPC 2000! I really want to get back into something a bit more physical, but nothing really fit the bill for what I imagine myself doing, this looks like it could tick all the boxes. I'm guessing you can run non synced loops with it right? :D

    Yep.. you could. Playing without quantization/out of sync is something you can see and the trillions of boom bap hip hop videos for the 404 :tongue: But you can find some youtube videos for people doing ambient stuff that exemplifies that

    I would love an MPC, but they are too big. Cannot fit it in my place :lol:
    Maybe the bastard in the family (MPC500, which I understand is not exactly made by Akai)

  • 16 years development time until sample pitch could be adjusted - finally 😅

  • @senhorlampada said:
    This looks great. I have to take a better peek later.
    It seems like they're fixing all the issues/limitations with previous versions (took them long enough)

    I have the SX (2 generations ago from the MK2), it has lower polyphony, can't resample from pattern, and the display makes you chop by ears (which is good and bad 😂) and only 12+1 pads instead of 16+1. But I still love it. It's a great way to record stuff from ios and other sources without worrying if something has AUv3, IAA, Audiobus support (good for them ol' disconnected apps).

    From there I have two options: play or sequence it (I use Xequencer) and send it back to iOS to further work in a DAW or just edit, resample with effects and just send the samples back to iOS.

    With this new version it seems we can have more options

    Oh yeah, and it's really portable.
    My portable (for a trip) setup is iPad, SP-404, Yamaha QY and boss micro BR. I can carry it all, or select 1 or 2 of them to go and i'll be happy. The QY + 404 is a great pairing

    I've never > @rs2000 said:

    16 years development time until sample pitch could be adjusted - finally 😅

    hahaha

  • @senhorlampada said:

    @sevenape said:
    The last time I had a hardware sampler it was an MPC 2000! I really want to get back into something a bit more physical, but nothing really fit the bill for what I imagine myself doing, this looks like it could tick all the boxes. I'm guessing you can run non synced loops with it right? :D

    Yep.. you could. Playing without quantization/out of sync is something you can see and the trillions of boom bap hip hop videos for the 404 :tongue: But you can find some youtube videos for people doing ambient stuff that exemplifies that

    I would love an MPC, but they are too big. Cannot fit it in my place :lol:
    Maybe the bastard in the family (MPC500, which I understand is not exactly made by Akai)

    Hahahaaha!

    Thanks that's good news!!

  • edited October 2021

    How close can Koala get to this, still?

  • @Michael_R_Grant said:
    How close can Koala get to this, still?

    I'd say apart from the effects bus and that rewind feature, Koala has it covered and more!?

  • @sevenape said:

    @Michael_R_Grant said:
    How close can Koala get to this, still?

    I'd say apart from the effects bus and that rewind feature, Koala has it covered and more!?

    Agreed...

    But also... I was pretty sure I wouldn't be hyped for this. But now that I watched some videos on it... I have a burning desire in my pockets :lol: But they didn't show up here in Brazil yet, and when they do, they'll probably cost too much.
    (For example, doing a search for it, I found people selling the SP-404A (previous version) for the equivalent of 1800 USD)

    Will probably keep an eye, but stick to my iOS options for now :lol:

  • @senhorlampada said:

    @sevenape said:

    @Michael_R_Grant said:
    How close can Koala get to this, still?

    I'd say apart from the effects bus and that rewind feature, Koala has it covered and more!?

    Agreed...

    But also... I was pretty sure I wouldn't be hyped for this. But now that I watched some videos on it... I have a burning desire in my pockets :lol: But they didn't show up here in Brazil yet, and when they do, they'll probably cost too much.
    (For example, doing a search for it, I found people selling the SP-404A (previous version) for the equivalent of 1800 USD)

    Will probably keep an eye, but stick to my iOS options for now :lol:

    If they are really only cost 499 euros here in Italy, I will buy myself one for Christmas as a 'dawless' all in one. At 1800 USD maybe a hard pass!! Like you, I didn't think I'd really be hyped. But... the effects, the machine, the price...

  • @sevenape said:

    @senhorlampada said:

    @sevenape said:

    @Michael_R_Grant said:
    How close can Koala get to this, still?

    I'd say apart from the effects bus and that rewind feature, Koala has it covered and more!?

    Agreed...

    But also... I was pretty sure I wouldn't be hyped for this. But now that I watched some videos on it... I have a burning desire in my pockets :lol: But they didn't show up here in Brazil yet, and when they do, they'll probably cost too much.
    (For example, doing a search for it, I found people selling the SP-404A (previous version) for the equivalent of 1800 USD)

    Will probably keep an eye, but stick to my iOS options for now :lol:

    If they really only cost 499 euros here in Italy, I will buy myself one for Christmas as a 'dawless' all in one. At 1800 USD maybe a hard pass!! Like you, I didn't think I'd really be hyped. But... the effects, the machine, the price...

  • Definitely looks cool, but I might have to stick with Koala. It does so much now, plus as AU, almost perfect.

  • @sevenape said:
    If they really only cost 499 euros here in Italy, I will buy myself one for Christmas as a 'dawless' all in one. At 1800 USD maybe a hard pass!! Like you, I didn't think I'd really be hyped. But... the effects, the machine, the price...

    for that price, it's a great option whenever you want to avoid using a screen :wink:

  • @senhorlampada said:

    @sevenape said:
    If they really only cost 499 euros here in Italy, I will buy myself one for Christmas as a 'dawless' all in one. At 1800 USD maybe a hard pass!! Like you, I didn't think I'd really be hyped. But... the effects, the machine, the price...

    for that price, it's a great option whenever you want to avoid using a screen :wink:

    You need to stare at the screen on the SP404. The screen is just less HD. :)

  • @Montreal_Music said:

    @senhorlampada said:

    @sevenape said:
    If they really only cost 499 euros here in Italy, I will buy myself one for Christmas as a 'dawless' all in one. At 1800 USD maybe a hard pass!! Like you, I didn't think I'd really be hyped. But... the effects, the machine, the price...

    for that price, it's a great option whenever you want to avoid using a screen :wink:

    You need to stare at the screen on the SP404. The screen is just less HD. :)

    :lol:
    And be hypnotized by the flashing blue and red lights

  • I really loved my sp404 but to be honest it became pretty much obsolete when I got an iPad. As much as this version loops like a bit of a leap forward I doubt it would be any different this time around for me. Will still watch the youtube videos, drool and reminisce.

  • Ah, nostalgia...

  • edited October 2021

    Looks like a lot of fun to be had on this piece of kit. Audio over USB from the iPad makes it a really interesting device for integrating in to ones setup. Going to keep a close eye on this MK2 for sure.

  • Ditto, I had eyed the 404 for awhile, even though I knew it was pretty limited to other stuff I've used over the years. This looks pretty sweet though, and I like the fact it doesn't have a step sequencer.

  • edited October 2021

    @oldschoolwillie said:

    BAM

    Boom!
    Nice Find. The simplicity in which you can capture from an iPad or iPhone and all the effects and features of this MK2 model is going to make it sell like fire fire fire....

  • I’m definitely getting one when I get a chance. The improvements matched with the fact it’s the same price as almost all of the older, second-hand units make it a no-brainer. This paired with the iPad as a sound module makes this a mobile users heaven.

  • This is Deadly combo IPad plus SP 404 MK 2
    Maybe an interface between the two to bring audio back into the IPad...Hmm
    just pondering definitely getting one trading my SP 404SX

  • edited October 2021

    @oldschoolwillie said:
    This is Deadly combo IPad plus SP 404 MK 2
    Maybe an interface between the two to bring audio back into the IPad...Hmm
    just pondering definitely getting one trading my SP 404SX

    I assume if audio goes in to the MK2 over USB, it will go back out over USB and back in to the iPad. 😳🤔💕💕

    I couldn’t resist and Pre-Ordered it 🥰

  • Not sure if this helps, SP-404 MKII Audio Diagram:

  • edited October 2021

    @echoopera said:

    @oldschoolwillie said:
    This is Deadly combo IPad plus SP 404 MK 2
    Maybe an interface between the two to bring audio back into the IPad...Hmm
    just pondering definitely getting one trading my SP 404SX

    I assume if audio goes in to the MK2 over USB, it will go back out over USB and back in to the iPad. 😳🤔💕💕

    I couldn’t resist and Pre-Ordered it 🥰

    This is true but maybe I want the advantage of running my audio through the circuitry and those outputs...

  • I hope Roland will push a firmware update to save the fx routing
    other than that it looks dope

  • @echoopera said:

    @oldschoolwillie said:
    This is Deadly combo IPad plus SP 404 MK 2
    Maybe an interface between the two to bring audio back into the IPad...Hmm
    just pondering definitely getting one trading my SP 404SX

    I assume if audio goes in to the MK2 over USB, it will go back out over USB and back in to the iPad. 😳🤔💕💕

    I couldn’t resist and Pre-Ordered it 🥰

    Roland say on the 404 website that it can be recorded to your phone or tablet.

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