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 StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Comments
Last day of the big sale and we're already working on the next update adding AudioShare. Sale sends 12am Wed wherever you are!
Props to @telecharge for not being "baited" into all that drama. Respect homie.
Props to @decibelle for sharing his honest straight forward critique of an app. I like the app and the effort that was put into it by developer (much props!) but I also appreciate a professional’s opinions vs amateurs.
I read the details, and I think you can use the iPad mic. Is that correct? How is it routed in the app to a DAW like Cubasis? Simple as an AU insert effect? Thanks!
@LinearLineman
Yes it works with the iPad mic.
Yes it is a AU insert effect in Cubasis.
But it doesn’t seem to apply the effect to the mic signal prior to recording. The recording comes out raw, but when you play the recording back the effect is applied. You could then freeze the track to bake it in.
Hmmm, @CracklePot.... So you can't demo what each mic will sound like? Seems odd. Is it different if you use an external mic? Thanks
@LinearLineman
No you can hear the effect being applied to the iPad mic in real-time, with a live signal. It is just that the mic signal goes directly to the Audio recorder, while the monitored signal goes through the Mic emulator effect.
So you can always hear the effect, but it doesn’t actually record the effect directly. You would have to freeze the track to permanently apply the effect to the Audio Track.
You could input your mic into Audiobus, put MicSwap in the FX spot, and put Cubasis in the output. This would allow you to hear and record the effect in Cubasis, since the Mic audio passes through the MicSwap effect before it enters Cubasis and gets recorded.
I don't understand these Microphone Emulator apps. I would think this amounts to just slapping an EQ curve or filter (or both) on the incoming mic signal.
What am I missing here? I don't know that it's truly possible to have an SM57 sound like a U87 - am I wrong? Am I making assumptions? I'm all ears for someone to prove me wrong and sell me on something like this....
Thanks @CracklePot. Helpful as always. @Daveypoo.... yeah. How does it do that?
It's similar to an Amp Modeling app and you probably see that they are winning for small studio tools to control costs and produce better results.
I did a little Google research to see what a Microphone Emulator would do. It's based upon analyzing a mic's response to known input sounds and measuring how each mic tested presents the final audio.
This approach to modeling gets applied in many products and the magic is in the DSP math.
The modeled algorithms would apply the same changes to a processed signal. EQ, Reverb and
Saturation FX could be used to produced the results.
Some mic attributes they attempt to duplicate:
spatial nuances (how does a particular mic capture the sound of the room)
proximity effect (does it have more bass when closer)
off-axis frequency response
So, it looks to me like a layered "modeling" of frequency analysis which would be presented as
a composite re-mapping of the current mic's frequency response with the addition of subtle reverberation effects applied at various frequencies.
Like most complex audio tools: you might appreciate the results and appreciate saving the money it takes to have a deep mic cabinet at hand.
@Daveypoo
I have no idea. It does sound like what you describe, but there is probably a little more to it I would assume.
I don’t have a whole lot of experience with these Pro mics to judge from, so I just try it and see if I like the sound., and if I do, I probably will use it.
For sure - not questioning the value/quality just curious as to the technology. I still don't know if I ascribe to the philosophy but hey - different strokes, right? Just because it's a tool I may not use doesn't mean it's not valid....
Sweet - thanks for saving me the Google search, Mr. Ex-Tracy!
@Daveypoo
To complicate this further, MicSwap also emulates famous recording studio rooms and spaces, along with the various mics.
@garygary, how about a sale for audiob.us members? I don’t do vocals, but I sure am curious about MicSwap. Just a little pricey for a nonspecific adventure ( for me).
I can see why they threw this feature in because every microphone model was developed by
putting a known sound into a mic. So, what ever room was used to build the model became part of the result. So, they just modeled that mic in several room types to highlight it's results with different off-axis reverberations. That's why it's not just a basic application of EQ signal processing. There are reverb and harmonic/frequency "distortions" of the original sound source.
Not disputing the technology or effort put into this, but I dunno - I'm having a hard time with the concept of mic modeling. Sounds cool, though - I appreciate that there's more going on under the hood here.
I wonder how many here use mic's for input sources.
I did it once to test the Harmonizr App to do that Imogen Heap/Laurie Anderson/Jacob Collier vocal choir driven by a MIDI keyboard and haven't used one since.
I imagine anyone doing a lot of classic studio style recording would crave owning one but it's a really small user base for IOS. I think App the price has to be higher to justify the effort of getting access to $20,000 worth of mic's and making/testing all the models and then marketing it to the IOS community that sees the price and thinks it's too much for an FX AU product.
I think the $30 pricing strategy for the FabFilter Pro Q convinced them not to put out a lot more of their products on IOS.
The serious IOS Studio user might be using Auria Pro and willing to pay FabFilter for their products there or wait for the yearly sales events to get a discount.
.
Because the love in this thread got rekindled, we put MicSwap Pro on sale again. 🎶🤟🎤
https://itunes.apple.com/developer/future-moments/id895157892
Thanks, @garygary. Am interested in exploring it! Question: this can be used as an effects insert for instruments as well, correct?
Yes indeed! That’s actually my favorite use of it. Especially the old timey mic sound to add some grit. It can be used as an input or effect.
Damn you!
Now I had to go and buy it... Going to experiment using it with a vocoder.
@garygary, just bought it and it looks great ( love tapping the “s”) .
questions...
1. you suggest recording everything using the Shure SM58 emulation and then converting to the others. is that correct?
2. I want to start out with an inexpensive mic... Shure SV200. Reasonable results? How much better is a real SM58?
3. I tried to reorder the mics... hamburger doesn’t function. How does it work?
4. What parameters are the different environments emulating?
5. Really cool. Thanks!
Doesn't matter what mic you use when recording because you can always change it later, so I'd say use the one that sounds best and inspires you the most.
Any mic with an on/off switch usually isn't that good, but it depends what you're using it for. Neither of those mics work with an iPhone or iPad
Hamburger is working, just a little tricky on an iPhone XR or XS. We've got an update coming for that. Tap at it and it'll work
It's a whole mess of things in there.
Thank you! Much appreciated We've got some cool updates/features coming.
Thanks @garygary. I will be using an audio interface. Can't I connect a mic to the iPad thru that?
As long as your interface is compatible with the iPad. MicSwap pro works with any device compatible mic or interface. 👍
@garygary, I have been experimenting with MicSwap. 1/the volume is very hot. Any way to attenuate?
2/There are no controls on the AUv3 screen. What is the best way to record to Cubasis from MicSwap?
You probably should be controlling mic attenuation via your audio
Interface's pre-amp. Also, be forewarned that mic simulators work best if you start with a decent mic.
Yep. Adjust the gain. See the pic. The gain is right under the mic. To the left of the gain is a monitor button if you want to hear yourself or not.
You can use MicSwap Pro as an input or effect. Just swipe left or right for different mics to get different sounds. If you're using it as an input source in Cubasis, I'd add it as an IAA so you can adjust the gain and swap mics.
Let me know if we can help with anything else. Feel free to contact us through the side menu too.
Thanks @garygary... I noticed the gain but didn’t put it together. Duh!
So let us say I want to add a vocal to a prerecorded track in Cubasis... can you walk me thru the steps to accomplish this? Forgive my ineptitude, please. I am 70, if that is any excuse.
Thanks, @espiegel123. Well taken.