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.

Hardware sampler/player vs iOS Sample player

Does anyone have any recommendations or user experience with any of the currently available sample player hardware...things like Electribe Sampler or Akai MPX16 or Volca Sample ?
I already own a circuit, but with having to use a PC to get samples onto it, have decided it would be too convoluted a workflow for realistic use.

I currently use blocs wave and a combination of Cubasis/AUM and various FX for processing and creating vocal sample stabs...I'm not talking about full vocals but snippets of vocals...I then play these stabs/loops using a Launchpad and the launchpad app. Currently I am not sequencing these.

I want to improve on what I currently have, blocs is great for me for getting snippets and mashing them up in terms of general playback, but not much use for processing with either FX or transposing a part of a phrase. It also cannot be sequenced.

I want to be able to store enough samples for playing a full set without needing to attach to a PC, or transfer samples to the unit between tracks. Having enough storage to be able to have samples on there for browsing while composing tracks would be a definite plus.

I became aware of the Akai MPX 8 which looks great for being able to trigger and sequence samples, which I could then route through my Mininova to the iPad for recording of an effected phrase....this is where i started....

The MPX 8 looks great for the money (£80), then I looked at the MPX 16 which has more pads, and more editing controls....but is twice the price (£160). Neither have step sequencing, but I have a beatstep and/or the iPad for that...the Akai's midi implementation is pretty much limited to Note on/off....there are however a lot of negative posts on the Akai forums regarding various issues with the units not saving properly, or incorrectly triggering.

This got me thinking that an on board step sequencer would be useful...so i then looked at Volca sample, seems to be fairly good...reasonable price (£100-£140) but limited to 32Khz sampling...and limited song or pattern memories meaning the step sequencer would not be able to support a full set.

This then led me onto looking at the Electribe sampler, which looks really good, has step sequencer, on board FX, good midi implementation...looks like this would solve my vocal sampling needs....but they are around the £375 price....

Price wise this compares to the Zoom R24, which could do both my vocal sampling needs AND allow me to use full audio tracks for recording live played tracks....but doesn't have any form of MIDI sync, which would then require a Korg SQ-1 (£100).....

So i started at £80 and have ended up at £450.....

All of these devices could improve on what I currently have, but would they improve it enough to warrant the cost ?
Anyone have any insight...are the cheaper units more capable than they may initially seem ?

OR

Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

Thanks in advance..

:)

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Comments

  • Secondhand MPC 500 perhaps?

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • @BlueGreenSpiral said:
    Secondhand MPC 500 perhaps?

    Hmmm, yeah, If I'm patient enough to wait for one at the right price..refurb units can be got for £320, not far off a brand new electribe. But does have the 16 track MIDI Sequencer which could be useful...

  • edited October 2017

    @d4d0ug said:
    I was about to recommend BM3 until I read....

    @AndyPlankton said:

    Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

    I've barely used my Volca Sample since BM3 was released. Personally I'm not put off by the 32Khz sample rate (I quite like it!). My main beefs with the Volca are the limited pattern / song memories also since the Caustic editor died the 32bit cull not having a decent way to transfer samples using my ipad (Voysr is a good solution on PC, but its a PC) - even then uploading takes too long compared to BM3. I do like the sample manipulation you can do, but the reverb isn't what it could be and everything's mixed into one output.

    I'd absolutely love (and there have been many posts previously) to have an AU sampler.

    Yes..it is the limited memory that is the most off putting thing with the volca

    BM3 is another option....but it would mean moving everything I currently do to BM3 to make it worthwhile.....and I'm still not convinced that BM3 would suit my workflow...
    At the moment I will start something by noodling on either BS2 or MiniNova or the circuit, or Groovebox....usually the circuit and recording MIDI into it from the keyboards....Once I have a pattern or two, I then record the MIDI iinto cubasis and go from there....
    Would BM3 suit working this way ?

  • MPC500 is a good option. If you're ok with a rack mount sampler, they're going for beans these days.

    If you're not moving to iOS 11 anytime soon, you could use Nanostudio for this quite easily. Lots of MIDI control, lots of effects, good editing, can have up to 240 samples loaded at once... I know you said 'not a part of some bigger app' but it's quick to use the sampler (not a lot of faffing about) and it runs lighter on CPU/RAM than most stand alone apps. You could also run it 'dedicated' from your phone or an older second hand iOS device that comes in cheaper than most of the other options.

  • @AndyPlankton said:

    @d4d0ug said:
    I was about to recommend BM3 until I read....

    @AndyPlankton said:

    Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

    I've barely used my Volca Sample since BM3 was released. Personally I'm not put off by the 32Khz sample rate (I quite like it!). My main beefs with the Volca are the limited pattern / song memories also since the Caustic editor died the 32bit cull not having a decent way to transfer samples using my ipad (Voysr is a good solution on PC, but its a PC) - even then uploading takes too long compared to BM3. I do like the sample manipulation you can do, but the reverb isn't what it could be and everything's mixed into one output.

    I'd absolutely love (and there have been many posts previously) to have an AU sampler.

    Yes..it is the limited memory that is the most off putting thing with the volca

    BM3 is another option....but it would mean moving everything I currently do to BM3 to make it worthwhile.....and I'm still not convinced that BM3 would suit my workflow...
    At the moment I will start something by noodling on either BS2 or MiniNova or the circuit, or Groovebox....usually the circuit and recording MIDI into it from the keyboards....Once I have a pattern or two, I then record the MIDI iinto cubasis and go from there....
    Would BM3 suit working this way ?

    Bbeing a BM3 fanatic/nerd/cultist I would say it is likely to improve on that workflow... and mow your lawn, give you backrubs etc.

  • @syrupcore said:
    MPC500 is a good option. If you're ok with a rack mount sampler, they're going for beans these days.

    If you're not moving to iOS 11 anytime soon, you could use Nanostudio for this quite easily. Lots of MIDI control, lots of effects, good editing, can have up to 240 samples loaded at once... I know you said 'not a part of some bigger app' but it's quick to use the sampler (not a lot of faffing about) and it runs lighter on CPU/RAM than most stand alone apps. You could also run it 'dedicated' from your phone or an older second hand iOS device that comes in cheaper than most of the other options.

    Already on iOS11 ...

  • @AndyPlankton said:

    @syrupcore said:
    MPC500 is a good option. If you're ok with a rack mount sampler, they're going for beans these days.

    If you're not moving to iOS 11 anytime soon, you could use Nanostudio for this quite easily. Lots of MIDI control, lots of effects, good editing, can have up to 240 samples loaded at once... I know you said 'not a part of some bigger app' but it's quick to use the sampler (not a lot of faffing about) and it runs lighter on CPU/RAM than most stand alone apps. You could also run it 'dedicated' from your phone or an older second hand iOS device that comes in cheaper than most of the other options.

    Already on iOS11 ...

    iPad 4s go for under $150 on ebay from lots of resellers. For what you'd like to do, it would eat the shorts off of most of the items on your list, save perhaps the E2S. Volca Sample IS a lot of fun though!

    Oh, don't forget that the Volca Sample and the E2 are goofy, MIDI wise. Each track (or sample) is on its own MIDI channel. They eat an entire MIDI port quickly.

  • @AudioGus said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @d4d0ug said:
    I was about to recommend BM3 until I read....

    @AndyPlankton said:

    Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

    I've barely used my Volca Sample since BM3 was released. Personally I'm not put off by the 32Khz sample rate (I quite like it!). My main beefs with the Volca are the limited pattern / song memories also since the Caustic editor died the 32bit cull not having a decent way to transfer samples using my ipad (Voysr is a good solution on PC, but its a PC) - even then uploading takes too long compared to BM3. I do like the sample manipulation you can do, but the reverb isn't what it could be and everything's mixed into one output.

    I'd absolutely love (and there have been many posts previously) to have an AU sampler.

    Yes..it is the limited memory that is the most off putting thing with the volca

    BM3 is another option....but it would mean moving everything I currently do to BM3 to make it worthwhile.....and I'm still not convinced that BM3 would suit my workflow...
    At the moment I will start something by noodling on either BS2 or MiniNova or the circuit, or Groovebox....usually the circuit and recording MIDI into it from the keyboards....Once I have a pattern or two, I then record the MIDI iinto cubasis and go from there....
    Would BM3 suit working this way ?

    Bbeing a BM3 fanatic/nerd/cultist I would say it is likely to improve on that workflow... and mow your lawn, give you backrubs etc.

    Lawn mowing and backrubs would certainly be appreciated :D
    I'm still seeing negative reports on BM3 regarding usability and MIDI issues....I know I shouldn't believe everything I read, and you seem to have found a little slice of music making heaven with it....but I am still not sure BM3 is ready for me or me ready for it, i've lost count of the number of YouTube vids I have watched trying to convince myself otherwise

  • @syrupcore said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @syrupcore said:
    MPC500 is a good option. If you're ok with a rack mount sampler, they're going for beans these days.

    If you're not moving to iOS 11 anytime soon, you could use Nanostudio for this quite easily. Lots of MIDI control, lots of effects, good editing, can have up to 240 samples loaded at once... I know you said 'not a part of some bigger app' but it's quick to use the sampler (not a lot of faffing about) and it runs lighter on CPU/RAM than most stand alone apps. You could also run it 'dedicated' from your phone or an older second hand iOS device that comes in cheaper than most of the other options.

    Already on iOS11 ...

    iPad 4s go for under $150 on ebay from lots of resellers. For what you'd like to do, it would eat the shorts off of most of the items on your list, save perhaps the E2S. Volca Sample IS a lot of fun though!

    Oh, don't forget that the Volca Sample and the E2 are goofy, MIDI wise. Each track (or sample) is on its own MIDI channel. They eat an entire MIDI port quickly.

    Hmm, not considered another iPad....and thanks for the heads up on the MIDI goofyness...I knew the volca was like this, didn't realise the ES2 was as well...both good shouts :)

  • edited October 2017

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @AudioGus said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @d4d0ug said:
    I was about to recommend BM3 until I read....

    @AndyPlankton said:

    Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

    I've barely used my Volca Sample since BM3 was released. Personally I'm not put off by the 32Khz sample rate (I quite like it!). My main beefs with the Volca are the limited pattern / song memories also since the Caustic editor died the 32bit cull not having a decent way to transfer samples using my ipad (Voysr is a good solution on PC, but its a PC) - even then uploading takes too long compared to BM3. I do like the sample manipulation you can do, but the reverb isn't what it could be and everything's mixed into one output.

    I'd absolutely love (and there have been many posts previously) to have an AU sampler.

    Yes..it is the limited memory that is the most off putting thing with the volca

    BM3 is another option....but it would mean moving everything I currently do to BM3 to make it worthwhile.....and I'm still not convinced that BM3 would suit my workflow...
    At the moment I will start something by noodling on either BS2 or MiniNova or the circuit, or Groovebox....usually the circuit and recording MIDI into it from the keyboards....Once I have a pattern or two, I then record the MIDI iinto cubasis and go from there....
    Would BM3 suit working this way ?

    Bbeing a BM3 fanatic/nerd/cultist I would say it is likely to improve on that workflow... and mow your lawn, give you backrubs etc.

    Lawn mowing and backrubs would certainly be appreciated :D
    I'm still seeing negative reports on BM3 regarding usability and MIDI issues....I know I shouldn't believe everything I read, and you seem to have found a little slice of music making heaven with it....but I am still not sure BM3 is ready for me or me ready for it, i've lost count of the number of YouTube vids I have watched trying to convince myself otherwise

    BM3 and MIDI... ahh yes... when I try to get too fancy with it, the Benevolent and Manificent Lord BM3 simply reminds me to keep it simple stupid. Midi in from other linked Apps works great, Patterning, Future Drummer (with a niggle from Midiflow), Chordflow etc, all good. (A midi recording queue on tracks is needed though). Linking my Circuit with Link to Midi and recording it is awesome. Rudimentary midi out test to Nord worked well enough. I try to keep things one at a time though, part of the keep it simple ethic (praise Lord BM3).

    AUs work awesome, you can automate them by knob twiddles. The sampler is the high holiest of bees knees.

    The thing with BM3 is the sales estimates imply it is selling like hotcakes, the update frequency and depth has been awesome, the devs seem 100% committed and it is getting better and better all the time (next udpate: apparent piano roll amazements abound). If it doesn't do exactly what you want to do right now i believe no time is wasted by learning what it can do currently, applying/modifying your workflow accordingly and growing with it. It has won the iOS daw war. All praise Lord BM3.

  • I am considering one of these:

  • edited October 2017

    This is a great question and budget constrain.
    I check day after day second hand market for hardware sampler to complement my iPad setup and I end every single time on end road.
    There are great options out there but mostly overpriced. Also it depends of what part of sampling you enjoy most (slicing, multilayers, looping...) so in my case I check:

    • Roland Sp555 (to use it in junction with ReSlice/BM3/BH2)
    • Mc909/Mc808 (to have tr sequencer and Variphrase one-trick pony)
    • Vsynth keyboard/XT rack (but breaks my “under 400€” rule)
    • Roland Fantom keyboards... these break the rule too but almost are an entire DAW by themselves
    • Pioneer aaToRaiz (and the new Djs1000) as remix deck in-a-box...

    Then forget about all of these and start looking tr-like midi controllers like Beastep Pro/TriggerFingerPro/Mpd 232...

    to once again forget about these and look into buy more novation controllers. ATM looking for Launchpad mk2/Pro and another Launchkey mk2 for madman hacking developing purposes :sunglasses:

    I think that Launchpad app with the proper combo of controllers could be the perfect live performance sampler for me ATM. For the chop/slice madness BM3/ReSlice feeds my nostalgia quit well and Blocswave suits better my workflow (but makes me miss the rubber pads) :cry:

    Maybe new units emerge in the market now Pioneer seems interested on it. We will need to save money meanwhile...

  • Bear in mind I'm on a 16GB iPad Mini 2....and no room for upgrading that hardware in the near or even not so near future.....

    @AudioGus said:
    BM3 and MIDI... ahh yes... when I try to get too fancy with it, the Benevolent and Manificent Lord BM3 simply reminds me to keep it simple stupid.

    How fancy is too fancy ? I'd be sending midi in for recording from circuit/keyboards....then playing that midi back..
    Is there clip launching ? If so i'd want to use my LP...
    Can the mixer be controlled by LCXL ?
    Is that what you mean by fancy ?

    Midi in from other linked Apps works great, Patterning, Future Drummer (with a niggle from Midiflow), Chordflow etc, all good. (A midi recording queue on tracks is needed though). Linking my Circuit with Link to Midi and recording it is awesome. Rudimentary midi out test to Nord worked well enough. I try to keep things one at a time though, part of the keep it simple ethic (praise Lord BM3).

    This interests me.....but I'd be wanting to sync circuit while building patterns....I prefer the pads to a touch screen....and at the same time be messing with vocal samples.....then recording the midi into BM3 once I was relatively happy, with final tweaks etc done in BM3, I'd then build an arrangement in BM3, playing MIDI out to the circuit/BS2/mininova and then recording the audio into AUM/BM3 (if it can do this too) onto individual tracks for Final mixing.
    I'd also at this stage add full length audio tracks of guitar.
    Does this sound doable ?

    Once I've done all this, can I archive my project to dropbox or icould so i can free up the space on my device, but still get that project back later if i want it ?

    AUs work awesome, you can automate them by knob twiddles. The sampler is the high holiest of bees knees.

    I'm only really using AU FX these days, although i do still like a bit of Ruis' fun

    The thing with BM3 is the sales estimates imply it is selling like hotcakes, the update frequency and depth has been awesome, the devs seem 100% committed and it is getting better and better all the time (next udpate: apparent piano roll amazements abound). If it doesn't do exactly what you want to do right now i believe no time is wasted by learning what it can do currently, applying/modifying your workflow accordingly and growing with it. It has won the iOS daw war. All praise Lord BM3.

    Yeah i get the impression that the devs are committed, I dont doubt that, I am happy at the moment doing what I am save for the mess that is sample mangling, but if I have to re-learn a new workflow to get that then so be it.

  • @CracklePot said:
    I am considering one of these:

    Yes, but doesn't the cost of the bedding and feed make this a subscription :D

  • @AndyPlankton said:

    @BlueGreenSpiral said:
    Secondhand MPC 500 perhaps?

    Hmmm, yeah, If I'm patient enough to wait for one at the right price..refurb units can be got for £320, not far off a brand new electribe. But does have the 16 track MIDI Sequencer which could be useful...

    You mentioned full live sets and midi I/O, this little box sprung to mind immediately.
    The pads are proper MPC pads, very playable, note repeat, swing etc.

    I should mention its battery powered, very light but sturdy enough for the road!
    Damn now I want one myself, last time I checked second hand prices were very low, not sure if that has changed?

  • @Dubbylabby said:
    This is a great question and budget constrain.
    I check day after day second hand market for hardware sampler to complement my iPad setup and I end every single time on end road.
    There are great options out there but mostly overpriced. Also it depends of what part of sampling you enjoy most (slicing, multilayers, looping...) so in my case I check:

    • Roland Sp555 (to use it in junction with ReSlice/BM3/BH2)
    • Mc909/Mc808 (to have tr sequencer and Variphrase one-trick pony)
    • Vsynth keyboard/XT rack (but breaks my “under 400€” rule)
    • Roland Fantom keyboards... these break the rule too but almost are an entire DAW by themselves
    • Pioneer aaToRaiz (and the new Djs1000) as remix deck in-a-box...

    Then forget about all of these and start looking tr-like midi controllers like Beastep Pro/TriggerFingerPro/Mpd 232...

    to once again forget about these and look into buy more novation controllers. ATM looking for Launchpad mk2/Pro and another Launchkey mk2 for madman hacking developing purposes :sunglasses:

    I think that Launchpad app with the proper combo of controllers could be the perfect live performance sampler for me ATM. For the chop/slice madness BM3/ReSlice feeds my nostalgia quit well and Blocswave suits better my workflow (but makes me miss the rubber pads) :cry:

    Maybe new units emerge in the market now Pioneer seems interested on it. We will need to save money meanwhile...

    For me it seems a never ending search at the moment. :)
    For pure performance I like the LP App (combined with my LP Mk2 and LCXL), but it is getting samples to the point where this will work that I want better tools.
    I havbe a mininova with a great vocoder and pitch correction, lots of FX...but if I use the iPad to play a sample into it, I cannot then get the audio form the mininova back into the ipad and recorded....I think the stereo interface (UCA202) treats the left/right as a single input and not 2 distinctly separate channels. A multichannel interface costs as much as a half decent sampler would.

  • @BlueGreenSpiral said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @BlueGreenSpiral said:
    Secondhand MPC 500 perhaps?

    Hmmm, yeah, If I'm patient enough to wait for one at the right price..refurb units can be got for £320, not far off a brand new electribe. But does have the 16 track MIDI Sequencer which could be useful...

    You mentioned full live sets and midi I/O, this little box sprung to mind immediately.
    The pads are proper MPC pads, very playable, note repeat, swing etc.

    I should mention its battery powered, very light but sturdy enough for the road!
    Damn now I want one myself, last time I checked second hand prices were very low, not sure if that has changed?

    Yeah i have looked this up since you mentioned it and am eyeing them now.....there are a few on ebay still bidding at just under £200.....and the memory upgrade to 128Mb is only £15.....
    I'd be interested to see what the pattern/song editing is like, if it is any good, it could become the centre of my setup.

  • edited November 2017

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @Dubbylabby said:
    This is a great question and budget constrain.
    I check day after day second hand market for hardware sampler to complement my iPad setup and I end every single time on end road.
    There are great options out there but mostly overpriced. Also it depends of what part of sampling you enjoy most (slicing, multilayers, looping...) so in my case I check:

    • Roland Sp555 (to use it in junction with ReSlice/BM3/BH2)
    • Mc909/Mc808 (to have tr sequencer and Variphrase one-trick pony)
    • Vsynth keyboard/XT rack (but breaks my “under 400€” rule)
    • Roland Fantom keyboards... these break the rule too but almost are an entire DAW by themselves
    • Pioneer aaToRaiz (and the new Djs1000) as remix deck in-a-box...

    Then forget about all of these and start looking tr-like midi controllers like Beastep Pro/TriggerFingerPro/Mpd 232...

    to once again forget about these and look into buy more novation controllers. ATM looking for Launchpad mk2/Pro and another Launchkey mk2 for madman hacking developing purposes :sunglasses:

    I think that Launchpad app with the proper combo of controllers could be the perfect live performance sampler for me ATM. For the chop/slice madness BM3/ReSlice feeds my nostalgia quit well and Blocswave suits better my workflow (but makes me miss the rubber pads) :cry:

    Maybe new units emerge in the market now Pioneer seems interested on it. We will need to save money meanwhile...

    For me it seems a never ending search at the moment. :)
    For pure performance I like the LP App (combined with my LP Mk2 and LCXL), but it is getting samples to the point where this will work that I want better tools.
    I havbe a mininova with a great vocoder and pitch correction, lots of FX...but if I use the iPad to play a sample into it, I cannot then get the audio form the mininova back into the ipad and recorded....I think the stereo interface (UCA202) treats the left/right as a single input and not 2 distinctly separate channels. A multichannel interface costs as much as a half decent sampler would.

    Totally agree about neverending story... and even more to portability (and don’t take in mind revenue vs risk or you will going with just the iPhone to certain gigs...)
    I’m also researching cheapo audio interfaces and ended with uca-like and similar. In my area presonus has some interesting ones. Multiple io is scarlett field (or akai eie but a bit bulky). Another great interface is Novation Audiohub, not multiple output but included hub like eie...

    I have a personal approach which consist in recycle old iDevices and use them as standalone with its proper controllers and audio interface. Atm I should attach definetly an old 4s (alchemy and so) to my keytar and I my 5s should be a vocal fx unit or standalone sampler (BH2, ReSlice) or dedicated looper... but I found myself simplifying the most as I can so maybe with just Launchpad app and the proper controllers will suit my priorities.

  • @AndyPlankton said:

    @BlueGreenSpiral said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @BlueGreenSpiral said:
    Secondhand MPC 500 perhaps?

    Hmmm, yeah, If I'm patient enough to wait for one at the right price..refurb units can be got for £320, not far off a brand new electribe. But does have the 16 track MIDI Sequencer which could be useful...

    You mentioned full live sets and midi I/O, this little box sprung to mind immediately.
    The pads are proper MPC pads, very playable, note repeat, swing etc.

    I should mention its battery powered, very light but sturdy enough for the road!
    Damn now I want one myself, last time I checked second hand prices were very low, not sure if that has changed?

    Yeah i have looked this up since you mentioned it and am eyeing them now.....there are a few on ebay still bidding at just under £200.....and the memory upgrade to 128Mb is only £15.....
    I'd be interested to see what the pattern/song editing is like, if it is any good, it could become the centre of my setup.

    It was very easy to create patterns/songs and there is something to be said for not having a screen full of stuff to look at. Pretty sure that you can do a seamless live set, no awkward silences, but it has been about a decade since I had one so you should double check!

    The only drawback is if you want to load in large samples and chop them in the mpc, then you miss having the screen. If you have sounds ready to go or don't mind using something else to edit them it's a great little device imho..

  • Think you're in GB. 16 samples at once only via floppy but hello 12 bit glory! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/akai-x7000/152764877931?hash=item23917f0c6b:g:7H4AAOSw5dlZ9klv

    This is a lot of sampler. Again, direct sampling or floppy only (unless you buy one of the upgrades out there) but yeah, a lot of sampler. Especially for the price of the MPX 16. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akai-S5000-v2-14-with-136Mb-ram/162702849282

    Not as feature rich as the S5000 but still a lot of sampler for the price: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESI-2000-DIGITAL-SAMPLER-EMU-MODEL-6230-E-MU-ENSONIQ-RACKMOUNT-4MB-ITEM-CODE-A84/253208144177?epid=20003187097

    And one from left field: It's sorta like a pad sampler, but BIG pads. :) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roland-Spd-S-sampling-pad/182855810232?hash=item2a930e3cb8:g:YaQAAOSwVqlZ5lKb I have one and they're really fun to bang on. Everything can be controlled via MIDI as well so it can function as a sample brain. 6 pads + 2 inputs on the back (kick+hats for a drummer) can have two samples assigned, velocity switched with independent level control of each. So you can fairly easily use a sequencer to get 19 samples going at once (2x8 + the three thinner barlike pads up top which only take a single sample each). Has fun effects (global but can be turned on/off per pad IIRC). Can load loooooong samples. Can resample. CF card reader by default. All of the editing is through a shitty one line LCD.

  • One simple advantage software samplers have over hardware, is that the pads or buttons can be labled with the sample name.

    Using a Dr. Sample in bands, it was a problem, that only presented itself in use, remembering which button did which one of the 32 samples.

  • I think an old ipad with plenty storage and BM2 would be the perfect sample player.
    For hardware samplers a used roland sp-404sx would be great because it doesn't load the samples into ram but plays them from the card directly (but no true pitch-shift ,plus its expensive even as a second hand)
    I mention the sx ,because it plays wav files directly without the need of convertion like 404og,555

  • edited October 2017

    If you didn’t mind lugging a laptop along as well, Maschine does sampling, pad launching, drumbox, synths, DAW, the lot. The Mikro I use is still supported and I’ve seen them on eBay for £90.

    You could put together a whole gig, and flip between instruments and patterns on the fly.

  • @AudioGus said:

    @AndyPlankton said:

    @d4d0ug said:
    I was about to recommend BM3 until I read....

    @AndyPlankton said:

    Is there an iOS app that will give me what i want.....I am not looking for something that is part of a bigger app, Cubasis MiniSampler for example , but something that will run as a stand alone app, preferrable AU.

    I've barely used my Volca Sample since BM3 was released. Personally I'm not put off by the 32Khz sample rate (I quite like it!). My main beefs with the Volca are the limited pattern / song memories also since the Caustic editor died the 32bit cull not having a decent way to transfer samples using my ipad (Voysr is a good solution on PC, but its a PC) - even then uploading takes too long compared to BM3. I do like the sample manipulation you can do, but the reverb isn't what it could be and everything's mixed into one output.

    I'd absolutely love (and there have been many posts previously) to have an AU sampler.

    Yes..it is the limited memory that is the most off putting thing with the volca

    BM3 is another option....but it would mean moving everything I currently do to BM3 to make it worthwhile.....and I'm still not convinced that BM3 would suit my workflow...
    At the moment I will start something by noodling on either BS2 or MiniNova or the circuit, or Groovebox....usually the circuit and recording MIDI into it from the keyboards....Once I have a pattern or two, I then record the MIDI iinto cubasis and go from there....
    Would BM3 suit working this way ?

    Bbeing a BM3 fanatic/nerd/cultist I would say it is likely to improve on that workflow... and mow your lawn, give you backrubs etc.

    I certainly hope the lawnmower option comes before next summer. My house is surrounded by weed.

  • edited October 2017

    f course theer's also the Novation Circuit in which you also can put your samples. The Circuit is regular update. You can find long threads about it on AB forum.

  • @syrupcore I always dreamt of an akai sampler back then and before :)...what puts me off these now is the size and that it may be difficult for repairs...the spd thing looks interesting though, that particular one ends too soon for me on this occasion, having the pads would mean i’d get the sticks out and bang out a beat or two instead of drawing, stepping or finger drumming, dual purpose :)

    @Processaurus This is a very good point,

    @MonzoPro Yeah I did look into maschine and like it a lot....I do already have some windows vst’s including Halion, as well as fl studio so would probably go with that and my midi controllers if I went back to a laptop as I could essentially do it for free, I guess i’m just being stubborn about doing it without a laptop :)

    @mannix I have circuit already and am using it in the setup, currently i’m Using the sample tracks for drums which it is perfect for, also need to use a pc to swap samples onto it so it’s not ideal for spontaneous sampling.

    I’m being made to think differently about what choices I have

  • if you're ok without waveform editing and editing the samples by ears and numbers on the screen, then the mpc 500 will be a lil slice of heaven... the sequencer which you can download the manual and see kicks ass.... and it's battery powered, and the pads and the performance features like the pad muting etc.... but these days you can even find mpc 1000 for almost the same price as the 500 on craigslist

  • One thing I find with all of the boxes I've used since using software: it's fucking tedious to build drum kits compared to using a computer or even iOS. Just having full screen file lists and basic searching (or hitting "s" taking you to the files starting with "s"). And forget about dropping an entire folder of sounds onto a VST UI or other such modern niceties. But then again, I guess I'm an especially ornery case when it comes to this—I built the TRG Maker because even Nanaostudio TRG building felt tedious. And NS is a glorious warm milk bath compared to most every hardware sampler ever. Plus, it took way longer than building 1000 kits on a hardware sampler. :D So, grain of salt, etc.

  • Also, surely same with most any gear but I've found it particularly true with hardware samplers: if you're patient, you can find great deals. Other than the x7000, I actually own the hardware I recommended. I got the SPD-S for a little more than the 2 or 3 up there on ebay.uk right now (looking at sold listings, they seem to go for less over there in general). But, I got the s5000, with the CF card reader for $50 and the Emu with two ZIP drives (one USB and one SCSI) for $60. All via craigslist though.

    Not trying to press any of these ideas. Just reminding that if you can be patient, someone out there wants to provide you a way to get more for your sampling dollar.

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