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.

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Staffpad Sketches

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Comments

  • I took a side trip through MIDI files looking for something to show me some interesting orchestrations. (Waiting for the IP police to show up).

  • @McD said:
    I took a side trip through MIDI files looking for something to show me some interesting orchestrations. (Waiting for the IP police to show up).

    I didn’t see the title and immediately thought of Danny Elfman. Wow. You nailed his style. Fantastic!

  • @MadeofWax said:

    @McD said:
    I took a side trip through MIDI files looking for something to show me some interesting orchestrations. (Waiting for the IP police to show up).

    I didn’t see the title and immediately thought of Danny Elfman. Wow. You nailed his style. Fantastic!

    OH NO... I DID NOT WRITE THIS! I just imported a free MIDI file I found to see how Elfman orchestrated his manic masterpiece. I change a few of the instruments but no major input from me. I'd like to do the same investigation with his "The Simpsons" Theme.

    But I want people to hear what Staffpad is capable of pulling off. Importing MIDI content,
    converting to Music XML with another app (Notion, Dorico, etc) and importing into Staffpad.

    The the score can be raided for content... complex rhythmic notations and window dressing
    like Harp and Flute runs. It's another way of using this app without needing to know a ton about music theory. Cut and Paste in the manner of magazine clipping collages.

  • @McD said:

    @MadeofWax said:

    @McD said:
    I took a side trip through MIDI files looking for something to show me some interesting orchestrations. (Waiting for the IP police to show up).

    I didn’t see the title and immediately thought of Danny Elfman. Wow. You nailed his style. Fantastic!

    OH NO... I DID NOT WRITE THIS! I just imported a free MIDI file I found to see how Elfman orchestrated his manic masterpiece. I change a few of the instruments but no major input from me. I'd like to do the same investigation with his "The Simpsons" Theme.

    But I want people to hear what Staffpad is capable of pulling off. Importing MIDI content,
    converting to Music XML with another app (Notion, Dorico, etc) and importing into Staffpad.

    The the score can be raided for content... complex rhythmic notations and window dressing
    like Harp and Flute runs. It's another way of using this app without needing to know a ton about music theory. Cut and Paste in the manner of magazine clipping collages.

    Doh! Guess I should have read up on the thread before commenting. I’m not too familiar with Staffpad but I see from your explanation how using it to explore a score would be useful.

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    Another Elf Man MIDI import... the accuracy of the MIDI file is questionable. There are all these people on the Internet that like to create MIDI fils for their favorite music. This one is pretty good. (Arg... I messed with the volume automation and some parts are way too quiet). Staffpad doesn't have a standard mixer screen... it has a fiddly volume graphic that's superimposed on the musical staff for each part. I need to learn how to control it better. There is a master volume slider for each part in a pop up menu.

  • OK... back to making my own sketches.

  • A fascinating thread and it’s nice to see and hear evolution in progress. This last one is especially good and a goodly length!

  • edited January 2022

    You’re certainly getting the hang of it now. Keeping the instruments sparce really helps. 👍👍👍

  • @GeoTony said:
    A fascinating thread and it’s nice to see and hear evolution in progress. This last one is especially good and a goodly length!

    Length is determined by the session effort. Most would wait to publish but I’m interested in variety and waiting to see how it hits me in a month or two.

    @LinearLineman said:
    You’re certainly getting the hang of it now. Keeping the instruments sparce really helps. 👍👍👍

    I’m using shorter notes on this one to allow for more parts but avoiding obvious phasing between parts. Staccato and pizzicato abound here. I learned I can “paint” whole sections with “staccatissimo” or “staccato” which speeds up not having to dot every note. Nice key learning in the docs. I’m sure there are more cool tips yet to be discovered.

  • An editing session this morning...

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    OK... Another MIDI file import. I was PM'ing with @mjcouche and he mentioned the "Violin Concerto in D"... "which composer?" I asked. Tchaikovsky he replied. So I did the workflow on it:

    Youtube to hear the work:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=violin+concerto+in+d+major&oq=Violin+Concerto+in+D&aqs=chrome.0.0i512l2j69i57j0i512l3j69i60j69i61.5577j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

    Google for a MII file rendering:

    https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=466

    Download the MIDI and pass it through Notion to make a Music XML variant.

    Import the Music XML into Staffpad.

    Staffpad doesn't assign any instruments (sometimes it does) bt every part is clearly labeled.
    Re-assign the parts to actual instruments. The violin Solo is the "Taylor Davis" Cinesamples library. The Strings are Berling Strings and the Brass are Cinesamples Brass and the woodwinds are the staffpad defaults. I could render everything with defaults but really need a soloist. Cinesamples has a collection go string soloists and it also sounds good with this one:

    NOTE: Staffpad is still on sale for $40... but you need that pencil for somethings in the app but not all. You can import MIDI and assign parts and cut and paste bars of music without ever needing the pencil. Adding notes requires the pencil. Notion costs $15 but there maybe cheaper Music XML converters out there.

  • @McD said:
    OK... Another MIDI file import. I was PM'ing with @mjcouche and he mentioned the "Violin Concerto in D"... "which composer?" I asked. Tchaikovsky he replied. So I did the workflow on it:

    Youtube to hear the work:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=violin+concerto+in+d+major&oq=Violin+Concerto+in+D&aqs=chrome.0.0i512l2j69i57j0i512l3j69i60j69i61.5577j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

    Google for a MII file rendering:

    https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=466

    Download the MIDI and pass it through Notion to make a Music XML variant.

    Import the Music XML into Staffpad.

    Staffpad doesn't assign any instruments (sometimes it does) bt every part is clearly labeled.
    Re-assign the parts to actual instruments. The violin Solo is the "Taylor Davis" Cinesamples library. The Strings are Berling Strings and the Brass are Cinesamples Brass and the woodwinds are the staffpad defaults. I could render everything with defaults but really need a soloist. Cinesamples has a collection go string soloists and it also sounds good with this one:

    NOTE: Staffpad is still on sale for $40... but you need that pencil for somethings in the app but not all. You can import MIDI and assign parts and cut and paste bars of music without ever needing the pencil. Adding notes requires the pencil. Notion costs $15 but there maybe cheaper Music XML converters out there.

    Wow. This was a mere couple hours later. Think about the possibilities with some more time and effort. Unmatched sounds. Seriously.

  • @mjcouche said:
    Wow. This was a mere couple hours later. Think about the possibilities with some more time and effort. Unmatched sounds. Seriously.

    It's like word processing... find a batch of words (MIDI), convert them to a presentation standard (Music XML), import into a composition tool (Staffpad) and add styles (instruments).

    It's very similar to making music from audio segments. You can go crazy with importing from
    multiple sources and make something cool... without a pencil.

    NOTE: You might have to cut from one project and paste into another for the multi-source strategy. Still... no pencil required. $40 and today is the last day of the sale. $90 tomorrow.

  • @McD said:

    @mjcouche said:
    Wow. This was a mere couple hours later. Think about the possibilities with some more time and effort. Unmatched sounds. Seriously.

    It's like word processing... find a batch of words (MIDI), convert them to a presentation standard (Music XML), import into a composition tool (Staffpad) and add styles (instruments).

    It's very similar to making music from audio segments. You can go crazy with importing from
    multiple sources and make something cool... without a pencil.

    NOTE: You might have to cut from one project and paste into another for the multi-source strategy. Still... no pencil required. $40 and today is the last day of the sale. $90 tomorrow.

    Good point. Plus flat.io is another app that is FREE that can convert to MusicXML.

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    @mjcouche said:
    Good point. Plus flat.io is another app that is FREE that can convert to MusicXML.

    Good point to you as well... I should try it. But I did buy Notion in an effort to see if some MIDI could be easily printed. That's when I learn about the importance of playing to the clock/click. Notating when was played relative to the clock can make for some rhythms most can't play or even "count".

  • @McD i love this thread. You are really killing it! Such great stuff you are doing here 🙇

  • @drez said:
    @McD i love this thread. You are really killing it! Such great stuff you are doing here 🙇

    Thanks. I hope a few more adopt this format for their musical journeys.

  • I keep going back to the moody orchestral strings... Just after finishing this while we're watching the "Matrix Resurrection" I notice the music behind the scene where Neo and Trinity leap off the building is playing something very similar. Minor key with descending bassline? You'll end up here most of the time.

  • An attempt at something martial...

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    Going for those notes that pull your heart out. Oh, do me a favor... turn down the volume slowly at the end... I forgot to add a fade out in AudioShare.

    UPDATE: I beefed it up a bit and gave it an ending.

  • You’ve never been so productive. You might space out some of these like you did Moonlight Sonata.

  • @LinearLineman said:
    You’ve never been so productive. You might space out some of these like you did Moonlight Sonata.

    Your comment triggered me to conduct an experiment:
    1. I exported a couple projects in Staffpad as MIDI files.
    2. I imported one of these files into "LK" in AUM and assigned AUv3 apps on various MIDI channels with the FAC Alteza on a master mix.

    This also makes me think... If I want to use any AUv3 app I can export the Staffpad MIDI and make a recording of the MIDI in AUM and then re-import the resulting audio back into Staffpad. I just need to check for any timing issues that might ruin this vision.

    The recent Staffpad update provides a new set of FX capabilities including a Plate Reverb and I have been using this a lot to give the recordings more "space".

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    A tribute to Harry Nillson in 9/8.

    And a heartfelt memorial by Jimmy Kimmel for the late Bob Saget... "the sweetest".

  • Staffpad added this adaptive audio feature so you can time shift the audio track to match the clock/click track in Staffpad. I found this example on YouTube... it looks like the compose matched the xylophone notation to Natalie Portman's laugh. The benefit of adaptive audio would be that you can see the transients on the audio track and then write notes that line up.

  • A "Safari" sketch... This started with an audio drum track made with Polyplay and DrumJam+Slammer+FAC Drumkit with a heavy sprinkling of Mixbox (Delay, Dynamics, Reverb).

  • @McD said:

    This also makes me think... If I want to use any AUv3 app I can export the Staffpad MIDI and make a recording of the MIDI in AUM and then re-import the resulting audio back into Staffpad. I just need to check for any timing issues that might ruin this vision.

    When it comes to multi-app MIDI IO timing management, it's a good idea to have a simple click track in the background that's muted for performance playback (a woodblock or even clicky kick drum works well). This is especially important where you're modulating your timing as is typical of orchestral music.

    It doesn't matter if you start in Staffpad or in another MIDI sequencer, a timing click track is still super useful and can act as a visual metronome too (reposition the click track beside to part you're working on).

  • @jonmoore said:
    It doesn't matter if you start in Staffpad or in another MIDI sequencer, a timing click track is still super useful and can act as a visual metronome too (reposition the click track beside to part you're working on).

    Excellent tip, Jon. Thanks for sharing it.

  • McDMcD
    edited January 2022

    This one wore me out writing complex rhythmic notation... only about 10% got interpreted correctly. So, I started using cut and paste from anywhere I could find something in a similar vein. It's a little cheese to go along with my whine and a little Zappa...

  • The Fantasy Film scores of Bernard Herrmann filled some pretty films of my youth with Wonder:

    Journey to the Center of the Earth
    Jason and the Argonauts

    He could open caverns of wonder with some rather distinctive chord progressions:

  • edited January 2022

    Did you ever, in your wildest imaginings, envision you could do this stuff? Coconuts excellent. Maybe your most original. Let’s have more of that!

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