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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Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

How good is the iMS20?

Just wondering, and inspired by the absolute behemoth that is iVCS3 and a lot of ms20 self-playing patches on youtube, is the ios version any good? Can you make all the same patches and is the sound any good?

Comments

  • edited March 2023

    Can’t say if it is as good as the real thing, (though comments on the App Store suggest it is close) but it is a very good synth in its own right, and more capable than the real thing in certain respects. (Kaos pad, fx, drum machine and sequencer all included.) One of my first, and still one of my best app purchases. IAA only of course, and the unmovable AUM transport (doh!) obscures some important controls so you may have to use it as an external synth piped in if you use AUM, but it certainly has that iVCS3 style skeuomorphic ‘I’m actually fiddling with a piece of hardware’ thing going on, which works well with these vintage machines, I think.

    Damn, now I’m going to have to make a track with it…

  • Long ago in the big mists of time, I used to have a Korg MS-10, MS-20, SQ-10, KPR-77, KPR-77, KMS-30 (the latter is the only of those things I still have)

    When I first got iMS-20 (it was one of the first apps I ever bought back when it came out) I told everyone that it was basically as good as my old MS-20, and better than my old SQ-10 (SQ-10 had 12 steps, this has more)

    It’s better than a real MS-20 in that it can save patches

    The ‘drum’ thing in iMS-20 is effectively another six pre-patchable iMS-20 synths but I suspect it’s basically a ‘frozen’ patch which acts like a sample of a patch (not sure if it is or not, I never did get round to doing tests to see if in a highly dynamic patch there’s a difference between each hit or if it simply plays back the identical sound each hit)

  • Like all Korg apps, it’s f***in gr8! 😺🎛🎹🚀

  • The MS20 is my favorite synth of all time. I haven’t tried the app yet but this thread definitely makes me want to if it’s that close. I sold mine when I moved a year or 2 ago after owning it for nearly a decade.

  • By the way here’s a WTFKnobs I did years ago on the iMS-20 modulation knobs, as they’re often misunderstood

  • iMS-20 inside Gadget is quite nice as it accepts audio-input from any Gadget Track which can be used for modulation or just processed by the filters and effects of the iMS-20 Gadget.

  • edited March 2023

    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

  • Interesting to see this thread. It's my birthday next week, and I have enough funds (£130/€£149) to buy one of the following from the top of my wishlist:

    • Some more ambient Kontakt instruments, currently on discount sale.
    • LaunchPad X, currently on discount sale.
    • Korg Volca Sample 2
    • Arturia V Collection (I would really love Mellotron V and Korg MS20 V, both are included, and usually cost the price of V collection's sale price each, on their own. So the rest would be a mighty bonus). Currently down from €599 to €149 for me. I have Analog Lab V already, but could sell that on Knobcloud later, once I had V Collection.

    I came to this thread searching for more confirmation that MS20 is worth my attention, in any form (hardware, plugin, app). I have most of the Korg and Arturia apps on my iPad already, and am very happy with the sounds.

    I'm looking for more examples of the sounds possible with both the MS20 app and the plugin. Especially ambient videos and audio.

  • edited March 2023

    Can anyone point me to further sources of presets for iMS20?

    I only have the factory presets, and feel that's lacking. Whilst in the long run, my interest is in developing more of my own presets, I find presets to be a good starting point for the learning process.

  • I’m thinking about the arturia collection too, though I’d be doubling up on a few emulations (moogs, arp, solina and a few others) I did install most of them and found it all a bit overwhelming trying to assess so much… maybe odd be best just getting the buchla elsewhere as that’s the one I really want 😅

  • @Krupa said:
    I’m thinking about the arturia collection too, though I’d be doubling up on a few emulations (moogs, arp, solina and a few others) I did install most of them and found it all a bit overwhelming trying to assess so much… maybe odd be best just getting the buchla elsewhere as that’s the one I really want 😅

    I was concerned about overwhelm too. But I really do want the MS20 and the Mellotron V options, so I would be crazy to pay €149 for each of them, when I can get both, and a whole lot more for €149 paid once. And I don't have to install or use everything right now. I would certainly want to take a look at the Prophet in there too though.

  • @andowrites said:

    @Krupa said:
    I’m thinking about the arturia collection too, though I’d be doubling up on a few emulations (moogs, arp, solina and a few others) I did install most of them and found it all a bit overwhelming trying to assess so much… maybe odd be best just getting the buchla elsewhere as that’s the one I really want 😅

    I was concerned about overwhelm too. But I really do want the MS20 and the Mellotron V options, so I would be crazy to pay €149 for each of them, when I can get both, and a whole lot more for €149 paid once. And I don't have to install or use everything right now. I would certainly want to take a look at the Prophet in there too though.

    Yeah totally, if there’s more than a couple it makes sense, I got a lot of the ik stuff a year or two back, but apart from the mellotron and some FX I barely touch it…

  • If you listen close enough, no software will ever sound/behave the same as its hardware counterpart.
    All you are hoping for is that the character is there.
    My MS20M sounded completely different from my K2 and both were different from iMS20.
    So, while the same settings will sound differently, you should be able to match the character.

    I personally love iMS20 (or these days in Gadget/Memphis), because of this, different not necessarily means worse...

  • edited March 2023

    @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

    Hmm I have original MS20 and MS10. iMS20 does not sound like trash to me?

    🤷🏻‍♂️

    But I find that with all software versions, it’s like @0tolerance4silence said: You can get the general character but not the behaviour. Analog is really it’s own thing.

  • edited March 2023

    If it helps to think about it in an analogue way, Korg’s own page about it mentions this (highlighted by me):

    This is pretty much the same kind of approach that Roland would also use in their ACB, and in principle is essentially like running a circuit simulator (like the kind that an electronics engineer would use to design a new circuit with) where all the exact components chosen are simulated accurately for their specification and behaviour and do exactly what the real component would do given the same inputs etc – and then the output of this simulation is made to go to your ears in the outside world (which arguably is yet another simulation, but there you are…)

  • @Samu said:
    iMS-20 inside Gadget is quite nice as it accepts audio-input from any Gadget Track which can be used for modulation or just processed by the filters and effects of the iMS-20 Gadget.

    Indeed, that’s my fav way of using iMS20.

    For raw ‘analog’ sound I personally prefer ODYSSEi/Lexington.

  • edited March 2023

    I would say go for it. It's worth it.

    It's fun alone. It's fun with an external sequencer (I have a Xequence template ready for it). It's fun inside Gadget.
    A nice playground for experimentation and jamming.

    Funny that yesterday I was building some stems in it's little sibling, iDS-10, with Drambo side by side and dropping loops to Loopy Pro. Trying a new workflow to see if I finish stuff and publish them instead of recording and deleting :lol:

    edit: a link for the xequence templates
    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mody0TH8W3j5Gfp7zUXB5xhpQ8U9x8Dw

    For the korg heads, there's one for iMS-20, iPolySix and iM1

  • @senhorlampada said:
    I would say go for it. It's worth it.

    It's fun alone. It's fun with an external sequencer (I have a Xequence template ready for it). It's fun inside Gadget.
    A nice playground for experimentation and jamming.

    Funny that yesterday I was building some stems in it's little sibling, iDS-10, with Drambo side by side and dropping loops to Loopy Pro. Trying a new workflow to see if I finish stuff and publish them instead of recording and deleting :lol:

    edit: a link for the xequence templates
    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mody0TH8W3j5Gfp7zUXB5xhpQ8U9x8Dw

    For the korg heads, there's one for iMS-20, iPolySix and iM1

    Great share!

  • Thank you everyone for your comments, advice and links! I will think about it, and it may well just be my purchase of the month! Thank you!

  • @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

    That’s how I was when I got the boog vs the model d app. The sound is so much more full to my ears and the analog filters can’t be beat

  • edited March 2023

    @BroCoast said:

    @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

    Hmm I have original MS20 and MS10. iMS20 does not sound like trash to me?

    🤷🏻‍♂️

    But I find that with all software versions, it’s like @0tolerance4silence said: You can get the general character but not the behaviour. Analog is really it’s own thing.

    For example there is zero chance you make this one with iMS20

    https://youtube.com/shorts/smTl_tgcjYo?feature=share

    In general all sounds where very high resonance is crucial part of character are sounding just plain bad on iMS20, thin and sigital. Same goes to Model D.High resonance is where most of SW breaks apart and HW analog jusz holds strong.

  • There is a difference between "sounds like trash" and "isn't capable of capturing certain aspects"

  • edited March 2023

    @espiegel123 said:
    There is a difference between "sounds like trash" and "isn't capable of capturing certain aspects"

    Indeed. Quality of sound produced by any instrument is always going to be very subjective.

  • While hardware is always going to be my favorite, adding Volcano to some soft synths I have found a bit thin really adds a lot of character to them. i haven’t tried with iMS20 yet and you lose some of the modulation fun though I suppose

  • @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

    Pretty much this. I’ve own a few real MS-20’s over the years and while the app is sorta cool in its own way, soundwise the real deal (or other hardware clones) blows it away IMO.

  • @dendy said:

    @BroCoast said:

    @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

    Hmm I have original MS20 and MS10. iMS20 does not sound like trash to me?

    🤷🏻‍♂️

    But I find that with all software versions, it’s like @0tolerance4silence said: You can get the general character but not the behaviour. Analog is really it’s own thing.

    For example there is zero chance you make this one with iMS20

    https://youtube.com/shorts/smTl_tgcjYo?feature=share

    In general all sounds where very high resonance is crucial part of character are sounding just plain bad on iMS20, thin and sigital. Same goes to Model D.High resonance is where most of SW breaks apart and HW analog jusz holds strong.

    Yes pushed to extremes you are going to expose the limitations of software.

    However that doesn’t make it absolute trash. It can match most of what I would use the real thing for with a lot of convenience. It was one of the synth apps that actually got people interested in iPad music.

  • edited March 2023

    The iMS20 ran and still runs on an iPad One...
    But I definitely have better high resonance filter sweeps in software than in the video above o:)
    Some of this from around Y2K (Koblo Tokyo)

  • I bought iMS-20 after I got a loan of a MS-20iC controller - they play well together. The controller really brings the app alive and the built in drums and FX make a complete performance possible - here’s a jam I did:

    I also got the Cherry Audio MS Vintage bundle (desktop) to have a go at creating a Voltage Modular MS-20. I tried to recreate some of the iMS-20 presets on the Voltage but was pretty underwhelmed with the default STRINGS, CHOIR, etc. app offerings. I don’t know how true to the original the Cherry modules are but the amount of (intermodulation?) distortion was alarming 😀. I guess that’s where the character comes from.

  • "MS20 is totally boring synth" 😂😂😂

    @dendy said:
    when compared to Behringer K2, iMS-20 sounds like absolute trash .. not even remotely close to how HW sounds .. I was always like "MS20 is totally boring synth" because i had contact just with iMS-20 and i thought it sounds like real thing.

    Then K2 got into my hands and i was blown away how amazing the real thing sounds ..

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