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.

FFS where are the acoustic drums?

edited February 2022 in General App Discussion

I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

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Comments

  • FPCFPC
    edited February 2022

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Wow! As you say it's all about personal opinion. I couldn't be happier with my iOS drums.
    Love Drum Computer for house style stuff, FAC Drumkit for almost everything, Hammerhead for looped breaks, samples and pretty good synth.

    When you add in Ruismakers, Slammer, Ting, Skaka, EG Pulse, Groove Rider, Beathawk and more niche stuff like Fractal Bits and Skiid you've got a lot of bases covered if you don't mind your drums sounding proudly electronic. I make music that celebrates its electronicness so all of the above suit me great.

    Are you after more realistic kits?

  • edited February 2022

    @FPC said:

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Wow! As you say it's all about personal option. I couldn't be happier with my iOS drums.
    Love Drum Computer for house style stuff, FAC Drumkit for almost everything, Hammerhead for looped breaks, samples and pretty good synth.

    When you add in Ruismakers, Slammer, Ting, Skaka, EG Pulse, Groove Rider, Beathawk and more niche stuff like Fractal Bits and Skiid you've got a lot of bases covered if you don't mind your drums sounding proudly electronic. I make music that celebrates its electronicness so all of the above suit me great.

    Are you after more realistic kits?

    My apologies, I've added a key word that was missing from the title. You are of course correct. Synthetic drums are well covered in the best range and quality anyone could hope for.

  • @Ailerom said:

    @FPC said:

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Wow! As you say it's all about personal option. I couldn't be happier with my iOS drums.
    Love Drum Computer for house style stuff, FAC Drumkit for almost everything, Hammerhead for looped breaks, samples and pretty good synth.

    When you add in Ruismakers, Slammer, Ting, Skaka, EG Pulse, Groove Rider, Beathawk and more niche stuff like Fractal Bits and Skiid you've got a lot of bases covered if you don't mind your drums sounding proudly electronic. I make music that celebrates its electronicness so all of the above suit me great.

    Are you after more realistic kits?

    My apologies, I've added a key word that was missing from the title. You are of course correct. Synthetic drums are well covered in the best range and quality anyone could hope for.

    Ah I see. Maybe that's a gap in the market then? A dedicated drum app with a shit load of multi-sampled acoustic drums would be cool. With big pads that react differently depending on where you hit them + velocity.

    Probably not what you're looking for but I find Klevgrand's Slammer gives a wonderful realistic drummy sound when used with the right sequencer. Very limited 'kit' though.

  • @FPC said:

    @Ailerom said:

    @FPC said:

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Wow! As you say it's all about personal option. I couldn't be happier with my iOS drums.
    Love Drum Computer for house style stuff, FAC Drumkit for almost everything, Hammerhead for looped breaks, samples and pretty good synth.

    When you add in Ruismakers, Slammer, Ting, Skaka, EG Pulse, Groove Rider, Beathawk and more niche stuff like Fractal Bits and Skiid you've got a lot of bases covered if you don't mind your drums sounding proudly electronic. I make music that celebrates its electronicness so all of the above suit me great.

    Are you after more realistic kits?

    My apologies, I've added a key word that was missing from the title. You are of course correct. Synthetic drums are well covered in the best range and quality anyone could hope for.

    Ah I see. Maybe that's a gap in the market then? A dedicated drum app with a shit load of multi-sampled acoustic drums would be cool. With big pads that react differently depending on where you hit them + velocity.

    Probably not what you're looking for but I find Klevgrand's Slammer gives a wonderful realistic drummy sound when used with the right sequencer. Very limited 'kit' though.

    I have that one but thanks. iGOG would be fine if it was an auv3. I'm not after much. Just a decent selection of nice acoustic sounds.

  • Beathawk has a dedicated acoustic drums package. It is good imo

  • @cuscolima said:
    Beathawk has a dedicated acoustic drums package. It is good imo

    I will check that out. That's one I wasn't aware of and if I'm not mistaken it loads as an auv3

  • You’re not wrong. On either count.

    I have much better analogue style synth drum options on iOS that on my Mac by far. The opposite is true for acoustic drums.

    Garage band has some fairly nice acoustic drum kits but they’re obviously tied to GB. I tend to use GB and make a quick loop if I want to build a track with acoustic drum sounds (even though I lean heavily to wanting drums to sound fake!

    Nanostudio 2 has a studio kit IAP for about a fiver. I’ve not got it but the demos sound OK.

    There are lots of nice acoustic kits available in EXS24 format which can be read by the AudioLayer sampler. JRR samples for example has some pretty nice, very lightweight acoustic drum kits and they’re only about a fiver each. And they have sales where you can get them even cheaper, sometimes even free.

    You can import those into a sampler that can read .EXS format. Not exactly DFH or whatever the latest and greatest drums on desktop is these days but you get what you pay for and for a fiver they sound pretty good to me. And storage space is often an issue on iOS so I like the fact they take up so little space.

    The main issue is that I don’t like AudioLayer very much ao I tend to make quick and dirty kits in slate in NS2 or in something like hammerhead as I want instant gratification on iOS and the thought of making a multi sampled kit in AudioLayer fills me with dread. I’d rather not have drums.

    I wish IK Multimedia would port MOdo drums to iOS. It’s native for M1 on Mac already. And it sounds really good and as it’s modelled doesn’t take up too much storage. I like it a lot on the Mac.

    Ik mumtimedia also have some nice sampled drum kits. J don’t know what’s in Sampletank for iOS as it’s not yet auvr3 (at least it wasn’t last time I checked) so I never use it.

  • Korg Gadget - Gladstone covers my acc drum needs.
    Not an AUv3 but fairly simple to add to most hosts or via export.

  • As someone said the BeatHawk acoustic.

    Honestly GarageBand has some of the most realistic sounding acoustic drums. In both their drum sequencer and the Drummer part.

    I’d also check out Jam Maestro - some good kits in there if you are able to write drums in tab form.

    Last and certainly not least…DrumJam is just amazing for any kind of acoustic percussive instrument. No, not AUv3 but you don’t need it to be (though it is on the way in some form).

    Honorable mention: if you want to dive deep, Drum Perfect Pro. But it has a learning curve.

  • @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Have you heard about DrumPerfect Pro?

    • 16 detailed libraries ( packs ), multisampled, in many styles of drumming from Rock, Jazz... to Brazilian.
    • Load user's samples ( up to 256 samples per kit. )

    • Auv3 player ( just load the track from Presets )

    Demos tracks listening here:
    https://soundcloud.com/user-45973677

  • And we’re still awaiting

    DrumJam Pads - Upcoming AUv3

  • @Gilbert said:

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Have you heard about DrumPerfect Pro?

    • 16 detailed libraries ( packs ), multisampled, in many styles of drumming from Rock, Jazz... to Brazilian.
    • Load user's samples ( up to 256 samples per kit. )

    • Auv3 player ( just load the track from Presets ( playlist style ))

    Demos tracks listening here:
    https://soundcloud.com/user-45973677

  • Hello all, I’m new here, but have browsed and gained lots of help and insight on my iOS production journey for a while - thanks for all the amazing discussions ❤️

    I was really taken back by how good I could get the acoustic drums in NanoStudios “slate” to sound. I think originally I was using the acoustic kits that came with it, but was so impressed I spent the couple pounds in the acoustic pack. Honestly, with some compression, fx mixing etc I wouldn’t tell difference, in a track mix down, between those and say kontakt libraries I own, or modo drums, which I love and agree with previous poster would be very welcomed on ios!

    I also think the garage band drums sound great out the box (like nano studio), but even better with processing. I don’t use them tho as space is limited and so I don’t have Garage Band installed. I have installed it in past just to track some acoustic drums from it.

    Third, as also previously mentioned, the ones in the Korg gadget Gladstone sound great too. Once more, with some processing, sound as passible as my big kontakt libraries in a mix.

    The ones in DigiStix by 4 pockets sound ok, I like that they come with a sequencer and fx, eq etc. I only have v1 as I’m in an old iPhone 6s for my productions (limitations force creativity haha!)
    I think DigiStix 2 has more velocity layers for kits… but that’s off top of my head, so may be wrong.

    Just my opinions I wanted to share incase they helped. Good luck on finding those drums! I think regardless of platform many of us are always on the lookout for that perfect acoustic drum kit (or any other perfect such and such, for our work flow - the search is part of the fun for me haha)

  • If you want multi sampled kits, this thread has some good ones: https://forum.reasontalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=7257192

    Some links are dead, but still

  • Patterning has plenty of good acoustic kits in its community library

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • @BCKeys said:

    • On iOS, only GarageBand will give you clean results on iPad if you want clean acoustic drums.

    • If you want something realistic on iOS, the only solution is AudioLayer + DrumDrops multilayered packs.

    Period.

    Note : UVI’s Beathawk offers great percussions (Latin and World are really good packs, well supplied) and realistic -but wet - kit, not very interesting in my opinion. Needs a lot of processing to become acceptable. Notice that their new Wurlie pack is awesome !

    Sampletank ones are over processed and it’s IAA + I’m done with this company.
    Cubasis kits sounds like cardboard.
    Same for DrumPerfect.
    Lumbeat apps are overstated and IAA.
    Gadget Gladstone ones sound Korg-ish.
    4pockets apps are a joke compared to AudioLayer.
    Never tried Nanostudio because I’m happy with GB+AudioLayer.

    In the end, I'm expecting 2 things on iOS : for Apple to release EXS24 and/or for Steinberg to offer decent kits and/or a decent sampler.

    Sounds tough, huh ?! 😆
    Let’s say finding realistic drums in iOS is very important for me.
    A lot of disappointment, disillusionment, and despair when I see that in 2022, when an app is released, there is a good chance that it will be another 808, 909, etc..

    I don’t agree with AudioLayer being the only option. Depends on the use case, if you want super detailed and realistic drums , with a ton of velocity layers, AudioLayer is indeed the best. But I’m OK with say 3 to 5 velocity layers/samples and for that you can use DigiStix2 or the Drambo sampler, both of which I like better than AudioLayer for drums. I bought a couple of DrumDrops kits and I purchased the smaller 3-samples per piece kits. I don’t expect to sound like a real drummer with my iPad and I find 3 articulations enough to keep it interesting. If you want super articulate drums I’m guessing you’d need more layers plus round-robin variations for each. I don’t know if you can have both in audiolayer…
    I do agree that there’s a lack of nice “real drums” options, mostly limited by the lack of velocity layers in most drum apps.

  • Wasn’t acousticsamples studying a drum library ?

  • Drum drops are great drums.
    You need to convert them to sfz /exs format. Some conversions did not work but you get some nice sounds in audiolayer. I don’t know AL enough to know if round robins are kept after the conversion and import inside AL.
    Would love to see an ipad port of Addictive Drums, that has great sound, great control in sound choices without being overwhelmed in choices, settings and al !
    Not mentionning the potiental for iaps that is huge !

  • edited February 2022

    I had the same disappointment with acoustic drums, the built in sounds from Gladstone, 4Pockets, Cubasis, etc... etc.. just all sound a bit flat to my ears. Cubasis's are particularly bad imho.

    I over-looked Garageband and after reading about the drummer personalities I got interested because I suck at drum programming and I wanted something that sounded vaguely realistic.

    I exported some riffs as audio into Cubasis and it just didn't sit right in the mix, like the drums were too narrow and sat behind me. Then I realised managing a drum track by exporting audio snippets was just going to be too painful to add variations. There must be a better way....

    Not wanting to drop £20+ on drum drops to a test an idea out, I found a way to export/convert the samples from Sennheiser's Drummica (its free).

    Armed with these decent samples, I made a kit using Digistix 2, I exported the Garageband drummer as midi (google for that one but you'll need a PC/Mac to run the python script).

    Sure, a lot of effort, but i think it will work for me with a bit of tweaking:

    I ended up picking round robin (only 3 layers at the moment to get started) because Digistix doesn't vary the volume between velocity layers and you get big step jumps between the layers, which is a bit jarring.

    Does Audiolayer let you configure multi velocity layer volumes so there's a more smooth transition between them?

  • @hightunnels said:
    Patterning has plenty of good acoustic kits in its community library

    True

  • @0tolerance4silence said:
    Korg Gadget - Gladstone covers my acc drum needs.
    Not an AUv3 but fairly simple to add to most hosts or via export.

    I agree it sounds good but it's not really what I want. Plus, and this may be personal, but drums, like everything else, needs to be tweaked and written alongside the rest of the track so export just doesn't work. I could export 50 times and there still might be changes I want to make.

  • @Gilbert said:

    @Ailerom said:
    I've chased decent drums since buying my first iPad. I'm sure it just comes down to taste but after today I feel like I've tried everything and it's all disappointing. About the best thing I can imagine is to build my own kit from samples (which I don't have) in Koala or similar. And I think I'm done with Lumbeats and anyone else who has stopped development short of auv3. (Disclaimer: All personal opinion, no facts were used in this post).

    Have you heard about DrumPerfect Pro?

    • 16 detailed libraries ( packs ), multisampled, in many styles of drumming from Rock, Jazz... to Brazilian.
    • Load user's samples ( up to 256 samples per kit. )

    • Auv3 player ( just load the track from Presets )

    Demos tracks listening here:
    https://soundcloud.com/user-45973677

    I have DPP. Have spent plenty of time with it but not real thrilled about the kits.

  • @BiancaNeve said:
    And we’re still awaiting

    DrumJam Pads - Upcoming AUv3

    Like every other auv3 with the word "drum" involved, I'm watching closely.

  • @BCKeys said:

    • If you want something realistic on iOS, the only solution is AudioLayer + DrumDrops multilayered packs.

    Period.

    Seems like how I feel. I have a couple of DD kits but only he single hit packs. It may be the hit but as good as the sound I struggle to like them in a mix. That Koala as sampler. I'm thinking of trying the Yamaha kits as well, but maybe the multi layer option should be my first move.

  • edited February 2022

    Here's my issue with all available drum kits on iOS... I cannot get a decent Neil Peart-style kit (in terms of options) together for productions. I end up piecing together audio from 3 or 4 different sources in order to fill out the full sound I'm looking for. Why hasn't there been a pallete of options a real drummer would have available to them in the form of a drum machine/drum kit on iOS or desktop? Percussion and drum choices in the real world are vast.

  • @Ailerom said:
    I have DPP. Have spent plenty of time with it but not real thrilled about the kits.

    That's key isn't it. Is there a video or music clip available of a kit that sounds great to you?
    As a drummer I'm interested. I'm pretty focused on the snare sound myself but I have learned that most recording engineers want that snare to stay out of the precious mid-frequencies which explains why I rarely hear a crisp snare on recordings. Steve Jordan is usually the exception.

    I just listened to a ton of Drum Perfect Pro demos and many of the kits just sounded so muted which, of course, ties back to the original recording session.

  • @jazzmess said:
    Drum drops are great drums.
    You need to convert them to sfz /exs format. Some conversions did not work but you get some nice sounds in audiolayer. I don’t know AL enough to know if round robins are kept after the conversion and import inside AL.
    Would love to see an ipad port of Addictive Drums, that has great sound, great control in sound choices without being overwhelmed in choices, settings and al !
    Not mentionning the potiental for iaps that is huge !

    That would be great. It's one of the better drum systems and one of the few I thing would translate well to the touchscreen.

  • @timforsyth said:
    I had the same disappointment with acoustic drums, the built in sounds from Gladstone, 4Pockets, Cubasis, etc... etc.. just all sound a bit flat to my ears. Cubasis's are particularly bad imho.

    I over-looked Garageband and after reading about the drummer personalities I got interested because I suck at drum programming and I wanted something that sounded vaguely realistic.

    I exported some riffs as audio into Cubasis and it just didn't sit right in the mix, like the drums were too narrow and sat behind me. Then I realised managing a drum track by exporting audio snippets was just going to be too painful to add variations. There must be a better way....

    Not wanting to drop £20+ on drum drops to a test an idea out, I found a way to export/convert the samples from Sennheiser's Drummica (its free).

    Armed with these decent samples, I made a kit using Digistix 2, I exported the Garageband drummer as midi (google for that one but you'll need a PC/Mac to run the python script).

    Sure, a lot of effort, but i think it will work for me with a bit of tweaking:

    I ended up picking round robin (only 3 layers at the moment to get started) because Digistix doesn't vary the volume between velocity layers and you get big step jumps between the layers, which is a bit jarring.

    Does Audiolayer let you configure multi velocity layer volumes so there's a more smooth transition between them?

    That does sound good. Will have to have a look on the desktop but I could probably do the same with BFD, Superior Drummer etc etc?

  • @NeuM said:
    Here's my issue with all available drum kits on iOS... I cannot get a decent Neil Peart-style kit (in terms of options) together for productions. I end up piecing together audio from 3 or 4 different sources in order to fill out the full sound I'm looking for. Why hasn't there been a pallete of options a real drummer would have available to them in the form of a drum machine/drum kit on iOS or desktop? Percussion and drum choices in the real world are vast.

    Maybe if Neil, Sean Kinney or Danny Carey were the iPad Jesus, but unfortunately it's Jordan Rudess.

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