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.
thesoundtestroom..Please Help Me..And Let Me Explain Why
Hello everybody
Every now and then my health takes a turn for the worse and things get very difficult for me. Last year the community helped me and Jo out massively.
It makes me feel terrible to have to ask for help but I don't really have a choice so I have to at least try.
Me and Jo have two things we do to make a living, one is thesoundtestroom You Tube channel and making some music for Bandcamp and with me and Colin Powell.
The other is our eBay record shop.
Together both of those things take up a tremendous amount of time, especially the eBay shop for Jo, which is doing OK.
The You Tube channel makes on average between £180 and £250 a month. It doesn't matter to me because I love music and I love making the videos too. The odd thing is some people think it makes mega bucks because it has millions of views and 16,000 subscribers.
The problem is I can't go out and get another job because I can't work for health reasons. I can't drive anymore because of my eyesight, I can't walk for more than five minutes without having to stop, I'm in almost constant pain because of my Auto Immune Pancreatitis, I'm diabetic and I have malignant hypertension. Both my consultants and my Doctor tell me I am unfit for work and would end up in hospital again if I even tried.
Now at this point you'd think that maybe I could get some support from social services right. So they sent for a health assessment, what I'm about to tell you is the absolute honest to God truth. It took a young girl who was classed as medical professional, honestly she was very nice to me and was probably about 25 years old, anyway it took her 45 minutes to decide that I was fit for work because I could move my arms up and down and I could walk for five minutes and that I help Jo with the washing up and go shopping to ASDA once every few days.
Those are the things that she wrote in her report, the other thing she wrote, which was wildly upsetting to both me and Jo was that I should just get a wheelchair to get around to job interviews, seriously. My Doctors were amazed, and we are appealing. So the little bit of help we were getting just immediately stopped.
So we had no choice but to make both the eBay shop and thesoundtestroom An official business because I can't sign on the dole and I can't work. So now we are self employed, I'm actually really proud of that.
So here is the thing occasionally things do get tough and very tight and this is one of those times, I really genuinely need the support of the community to survive. I know many of you here are Patrons on Patreon which is super super cool and a huge massive help to the monthly income, so thank you all for that. Also a big thanks to Sebastian who has just become a Patron too.
So if there is anyone who isn't please consider signing up, it can be really cheap and you can opt out anytime you like. Or please buy some music music from me or Colin, that's very very cool too.
Or just please try and donate a little something, it doesn't have to be much because if enough people help all will be very cool beans, you can use the link below for that.
https://paypal.me/thesoundtestroom
Honest to God believe me when I tell you that I do really hate to ask and I feel terrible horrible and ashamed to do so.
Thanks for reading this if you got this far, I will be having a short rest for a couple days then I will be back on the trail of video making, oh one more thing before I leave you guys in peace, this is how bad things get sometimes. My Dad is 93 and we are supposed to be going to Liverpool at the end of June for a few days to see him, as it stands now we can't even afford to do that. We havn't had any kind of holiday for over three years and we never go out, but we are very happy people and eternal optimists and we do love and support each other.
I will also post this on the iPad Musicians group too.
Doug
Comments
Gee that sounds rough Doug, especially the health assessment.
I've increased my Patreon, I hope it helps in some way and best of luck with the appeal, it sounds like the doctor's opinions should trump the assessor's.
The amount of knowledge and awareness of all things new in the world of iOS music making that you spread should be worth a bit of reward. I'm sure others will pitch in likewise, absolutely no need to feel bad for asking.
@TheVimFuego thanks you, yes hopefully we will win, it just takes forever. And awesome job on the Patreon thing too
Hey Doug don
t give. Keep on struggling with the health service. I hope you have appealed against the decision! I have several experiences with this problems per week in my Job. Ill send you what remained from my last gig on Saturday. And dont stop asking the community if it isnt enough.Sorry, i don`t know what this desktop always does with my fond type ;-)
I actually counted your patrons the other day, then compared it to how much it was making you. I remember thinking to myself, "It would be great if everyone was able to contribute $5, then at least Doug would be making nearly a thousand pounds 500 pounds a month."
Now I'm thinking out loud. Best wishes to you and your family, Doug.
EDIT: had to fix my morning math ...
Thank you and we are appealing again, they really don't get it, they have this point system were you have to score x amount of points, this guy phoned me up and told me I had scored 0, he had all my medical details in front of him and he actually sounded embarrassed to talk to me.
I told him that if they stop my benefit I'll probably end up homeless, he said, no no, I just have to sign on for universal credit and get my wheelchair and go look for work, I actually tried to call for help with universal credit, but because I am married we don't qualify for universal credit in this part of the UK yet....honestly... so they gave me another number for Job Seekers allowance, that did not even exist...so I then tried on-line and that told me I needed Universal Credit line...go figure.
It's insane, the hoops they make you jump through when you really need support. I can relate. After two years of very little work due to my own disability, I finally get to appeal their initial decision of "NO!" tomorrow morning. I'm sure they'll say "NO!" again, to my face this time, now that I finally found work as a part time freelancer (temporarily) for the first time in ages.
I hope someone with some sense gets a hold of your case and steers it onto the right course ASAP.
You know it's all mad, the system, I think they like people like me exactly were we are because I'm not unemployed, so eventually it all goes towards the stats. All I want to do is make my videos and music and just get by, that's all, it's not a lot to ask, I don't want to need any benefits but unfortunately I do. I am lucky that I have so many things wrong with ( not luck in that I'm pleased I'm ill) but luck that at least my prescriptions are free, that would be impossible to manage because here in the UK we do have an amazing health service in the NHS but each separate item on a prescription is I think £8.40 and I have about 12 different drugs and things I need each month. But I have a medical exemption card.
Hi Doug - sorry to hear about this. I've just increased my patreon pledge for you. Fingers crossed that next week's election delivers a shock and this horrible system gets overhauled. Best of luck to you and Jo (and Watson)
Thanks Ian, yes you never know
Hi Doug. I'm sorry to hear all of this. Especially what your diagnosis was from the. Young health professional. Can you get a second opinion?
Regarding financial help, do you use paypal? I need to check my next paycheck, but I should be able to help/donate.
We are appealing the decision so fingers crossed, just takes ages. And yes that link in the main post at the top is for our PayPal account but I'll stick it here, many thanks. I think the problem is that they don't look at the individual case, they just have this crazy point system that literally does send people back to work who die on the job..so to speak, it's all very confusing and a little odd
https://paypal.me/thesoundtestroom
It's an evil system. My mate, suffering from a brain tumour, paralysed, and with an eye being pushed out of its socket by the growth behind, spent the last three weeks of his life fighting social services as they suddenly stopped his benefits and he was being threatened with eviction from his flat. This was a man that had fought for his country, and in his free time driven aid convoys across the Serbian war zone.
How anyone can vote for this nasty government is beyond me.
Hope you get your payments sorted Doug. I've had no work at all this year so eating into savings, but will try and contribute when things pick up.
Which, sadly, won't change regardless of government, 'cause all of them lie.
>
Ditto, due to serious illness and major surgery. Will help when I can, Doug.
Thanks to everyone who has helped so far and for the kind words and understanding, I was really scared to even ask again
"Honest to God believe me when I tell you that I do really hate to ask and I feel terrible horrible and ashamed to do so."
"Thanks to everyone who has helped so far and for the kind words and understanding, I was really scared to even ask again."
I don't think you need to be scared to ask nor feel ashamed to do so. See, unlike the loafers who sit around and do nothing, you provide a great service to us all. You've always been a straight shooter who doesn't have his hand out constantly nor comes up with thin excuses like "my dog died today, so gimme money". I can't believe that broad with little to no experience was thick enough to tell you that you're able to work when you know your own body better than she does. Hopefully the appeals process will work. Just remember, get a pro bono lawyer who specializes in these cases if you need to.
In the meantime, here's what I'm gonna do for you buddy. I'll gather up some cash and Paypal it your way in the next couple of days. Meantime, I'll help spread the word. Time to get you back on your feet 5 minutes at a time in no time.
I would urge everyone who can to deeply consider a time when you've been helped by another, and then try to pay it forward! Doug and Jo are both really great people and don't deserve to be homeless!
I personally think this thread deserves a good 12-24 hours of goodwill "bumps" without complaint.
If anyone disagrees, please say so exactly two hours from ... now.
Doug,
I am sorry to hear about this situation again.
Let me see what I can do for you.
RUSTiK
Just sent. Happy to help out. Sending good your way!!
If it were me, I'd make it 48 hours at least. Doug has been an anchor for the community, and deserves at least that long.
Thank you everybody again, this is all very very awesome
Agreed, agreed, just, y'know ... not my forum and all, plus respect for dissenting opinions (every two hours on the hour), etc.
I know how you feel man. My tax return is due in 3 weeks, then I'm gonna become a patron of the Soundtestroom, which is one of my favourite sites on YouTube. It's pleasant to listen to Doug. I really mean it. You have almost become a household person, via my screen
I used to be a classical guitarist, and a rock guitarist. I even played with Nazareth on a tour... but at about 50 I got severe arthritis and muscle dystrophy, rendering me incapable of playing. I worked as a DJ for a while... but fell into depression. I still don't know if it was the disco or my illness.
That's when I discovered the iPad music community. Hallelujah! I write scores from my mind, without any instrument, thanx to early education. I'm educated at the institute for music science, University of Trondheim, Norway. I remember the giant modular Roland Synth we had at the acoustics department. It costed a fortune and was fun to play with. It's now at the Musical History Museum of Norway
My favourite apps are Notion, Symphony Pro and Cubasis, but I have to admit I buy almost everything. If a new app comes out, my OCD pops into high gear
Last summer I bought the iPad Pro 12.9" with the pencil. Revolution #9.
It's super easy to write stuff using traditional notation and transfer it as midi to the app you want. You should hear my Wagner orchestration with synths and iSymphonic... ach, my neighbors are frustrated, I know. I like it loud.
To further get around, I got the idea to make my own Trans Europe Express. I bought what the Germans call a used WohnWagen. 6 beds, a cool fridge, telly and all that... In the living compartment I put a Yamaha Tyros 4, a Mac with Pro Tools and the Digi 003 mixer, a PC for soft synths, telly out - monitors in. Now I can drive to my friends, invite them in for a beer, jam, compose, whatever... without really lifting my ass.
My motto is, never give up. The show must go on. We're here to make music
Will help with some paypal.
In the meantime maybe this could help you.
Have heard that time-restricted eating could help with diabetes.
Also try to drink 3 liters of water per day. Unsweetened and without gas.
These are pretty big changes. It´s like a reprograming at a core level.
Habits are so hard to change. Show your body and mind that you can do it, it´s for your good.
All the best. :-)
@dreamrobe : Do Not give this advise to everybody! If someone has a Weak Heart with low ejection after years of high blood Pressure 3 l of water per day could kill After a few days. I know what I' m Talking about! Better give me an advice how manage Fabfilter pro Q2 ;-)
Georg
Yeah, the big problem with my diebetes is that it has a lot to do with my pancreas problems they tell me, my diet is very good but my sugars are still always high, even though I inject insulin daily, take Metformin and Gliclazide, it too over 12 months to my meds balance right. For the Auto Immune Pancreatitis I take a drug called Mycophenolate which is drug they give to transplant patients, it's really good and is the best one they have tried so far for managing that, the only downer is that I take two a day, one in the morning and the other in the evening and they are like massive. The others they tried were a chemotherapy drug and another called Aizothiaprine or something like that, that last one made me violently sick every time I took it.
Just donated. I also intend to keep bumping this thread over the next week
Without Doug, I wouldn't be where I am in terms of IOS music - and I wouldn't be getting all the joy I get from it.
Come on, Korg! Give this man the R&D/testing job he's so evidently qualified for.
I have no complaints with bumping this for a week!
Love Doug's vids. His YT channel over the years has become an invaluable compendium
of iOS music app reviews.
Not really sure of the formula the big G uses to compensate content creators like Doug-- but subscribing to and liking his vids may help as well..