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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Best way to trigger audio loops with Xequence

Hello,

I just buyed Xequence and it’s really powerful.

I have different iOS workflows, and this will allow me to sequence Gadget, Beathawk, and AU together in one and only app when I need it.

As my workflow also include audio loops I make in Blocs wave and AUM, how can I trigger them the best way? I can use Link to sync apps, but it’s not what I want to do complex arrangements, which is Xequence purpose.

Gadget’s Bilbao don’t allow for long enough samples, and Zurich is not midi.
BeatHawk should works with midi notes in Xequence, but there are only 16 pads. I can always use multiple AU.
Loopy could also works but only 12 loops and audio is AAC compressed.
AUM could do the trick, but launching via midi lot of file players nodes should not be an efficient workflow.

Another options?

I use iPhone 7 Plus.

Thanks

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Comments

  • edited January 2018

    Have you tried ReSlice? Just checked, Xequence can pilot each sample individually just like with a normal synth. What you can do is, you create a big sample with all the samples you need and then you cut it as units in ReSlice. Then you can use them individually with keys in Xequence.

  • launchpad, Looptunes, ReSlice ,KRFT, Sunvox, Caustic, Beatmaker 2 could work I think.

  • edited January 2018

    @Norbert said:
    Have you tried ReSlice? Just checked, Xequence can pilot each sample individually just like with a normal synth. What you can do is, you create a big sample with all the samples you need and then you cut it as units in ReSlice. Then you can use them individually with keys in Xequence.

    Reslice can load more than one sample? It seems to me that it can load only one, slicing it with each slice assigned to a note. This should lead me to use multiple instances, and I can easily use 20 loops in a project. I think it will be cpu intensive. Beathawk should limit that, two or three instances should be enough. What miss of course is multi output and the import process is not the fastest to my taste.

  • edited January 2018

    Yes, so as I said you can create a big sample with all the samples you need in a song then slice it. And so it happens that each of them will be then assigned to a key. If you have Auria; just put all your samples in one track, one after another, then save the track as a wave. And import it to ReSlice.

    But Launchpad might be the best option.

  • @hacked_to_pieces said:
    launchpad, Looptunes, ReSlice ,KRFT, Sunvox, Caustic, Beatmaker 2 could work I think.

    Lauchpad, looptunes, krft have no midi in, so no audio loops triggering via Xequence. Sunvox and Caustic are also synth genererators, I’m searching for something more loop oriented.

    BeatMaker could do the trick for sure, I tried it and got refunded as its workflow was not my cup of tea. But I could try again. This and Beathawk.

    Thanks.

  • edited January 2018

    @Norbert said:
    Yes, so as I said you can create a big sample with all the samples you need in a song then slice it. And so it happens that each of them will be then assigned to a key. If you have Auria; just put all your samples in one track, one after another, then save the track as a wave. And import it to ReSlice.

    But Launchpad might be the best option.

    Ok, very nice idea!!! I will try that too, I like the concept. Thanks.

    No midi input Lauchpad unfortunately.

    Edit: ok, I can use lauchpad to do the big sample!!

  • I will check tonight but I am pretty sure you can pilot Blockwave through AUM by assigning it to a midi channel and then reassign it to xequence.

  • edited January 2018

    @Norbert said:
    I will check tonight but I am pretty sure you can pilot Blockwave through AUM by assigning it to a midi channel and then reassign it to xequence.

    Blocs wave truly has no midi input, unfortunately too.

  • edited January 2018

    AUM has File Player as a Source which can be set to loop.

    MIDI Learn the Toggle Play control.

    Play the note in Xequence to start loop. Play again to stop.

    @Janosax said:
    AUM could do the trick, but launching via midi lot of file players nodes should not be an efficient workflow.

    Why not efficient. Too much trouble to set up?

  • @noisefan said:
    AUM has File Player as a Source which can be set to loop.

    MIDI Learn the Toggle Play control.

    Play the note in Xequence to start loop. Play again to stop.

    @Janosax said:
    AUM could do the trick, but launching via midi lot of file players nodes should not be an efficient workflow.

    Why not efficient. Too much trouble to set up?

    Yes I know I can do that, but more or less twenty loops means more or less twenty channels to configure and navigate though. Add to this on and off midi parts, don’t know if I will be efficient with that workflow. But you’re right and I need to test.

  • @Janosax said:

    @noisefan said:
    AUM has File Player as a Source which can be set to loop.

    MIDI Learn the Toggle Play control.

    Play the note in Xequence to start loop. Play again to stop.

    @Janosax said:
    AUM could do the trick, but launching via midi lot of file players nodes should not be an efficient workflow.

    Why not efficient. Too much trouble to set up?

    Yes I know I can do that, but more or less twenty loops means more or less twenty channels to configure and navigate though. Add to this on and off midi parts, don’t know if I will be efficient with that workflow. But you’re right and I need to test.

    If you’ll need 20 or so loops wouldn’t you have to setup 20 or so "things" anyway?

  • tjatja
    edited January 2018

    20 pads in one App may be less work than setting up 20 file players, as he wrote ;)
    And then add MIDI learn to this.

    In other Apps those 20 pads may even be loaded in one step, as whole bank or something.

    And this was his question. Just re-read the original posting.

    @hacked_to_pieces did answer with a list. Cannot realy comment on his list, but sounds reasonable. SunVox does not cost much ;)

  • edited January 2018

    To me there are now 4 solutions: BeatHawk, Reslice, AUM, bm2.
    One important thing is workflow. I tried bm2 and sunvox but didn’t like workflow and get refunded. Reslice need to make a long loop with another app, and to place markers with precision which is hard to do on a iPhone and will not be as precise as normal audio loops made with Link. But it’s convenient to have lot of loops in one and only app. AUM will need note on and off, and midi learn, but it can be nice to have loops there to keep simple setup and add effects. Also, on iPhone you can see only one channel at a time, so it’s a lot of swipe in perspective which is not good. BeatHawk is faster that I thinked to import loops, and all 16 pads are affected to 16 midi channels. It’s also AU so you can have several instances, and there is midi learn for automations in Xequence. I already use BH for it’s nice iaps content, and workflow is fast and easy. I will try with BH, and also AUM and Reslice, and perhaps BM2 (should be better to try BM3 directly, but have to wait). I will keep you informed of results.

  • edited January 2018

    @Janosax: if you want to use multiple long audio samples / recordings throughout a song, it is probably best to sync an app that actually has audio tracks to Xequence via MIDI Sync. Not sure if you've tried this yet.

    For example, Beatmaker 2 supports this quite well. In its settings, enable "Clock Recv". Then in Xequence, add an instrument, select "Beatmaker 2" as the destination, enable "Send Sync" and set it to "Absolute".

    Beatmaker 2 will now perfectly sync to Xequence, including Play/Stop, Tempo, AND song position. You could now record / place samples to Beatmaker 2's timeline, and it would pretty much be the same as if you had audio tracks inside Xequence directly :)

  • @SevenSystems said:
    @Janosax: if you want to use multiple long audio samples / recordings throughout a song, it is probably best to sync an app that actually has audio tracks to Xequence via MIDI Sync. Not sure if you've tried this yet.

    For example, Beatmaker 2 supports this quite well. In its settings, enable "Clock Recv". Then in Xequence, add an instrument, select "Beatmaker 2" as the destination, enable "Send Sync" and set it to "Absolute".

    Beatmaker 2 will now perfectly sync to Xequence, including Play/Stop, Tempo, AND song position. You could now record / place samples to Beatmaker 2's timeline, and it would pretty much be the same as if you had audio tracks inside Xequence directly :)

    How fantastic :) :) :)

  • I just bought LooptunesDJ and Quantiloop, but did not do nothing with them so far.

    Anybody has experience with them?
    Could they too be an option?

    Otherwise, I finally would need to get BM2 :o

  • edited January 2018

    Nobody mentioned it, so I will:
    LP-5 can do all that, even record loops from inside the app, trigger loops via MIDI notes, also supports compact mp3 and AAC files, Midi Clock Sync Master/Slave, IAA FX support, LINK...
    It requires a considerable 10,99 In-app purchase however. Without that, you cannot even load samples. But at least you can try it for free.

    Isn't this even more fantastic? o:)

  • @rs2000 said:
    Nobody mentioned it, so I will:
    LP-5 can do all that, even record loops from inside the app, trigger loops via MIDI notes, also supports compact mp3 and AAC files, Midi Clock Sync Master/Slave, IAA FX support, LINK...
    It requires a considerable 10,99 In-app purchase however. Without that, you cannot even load samples. But at least you can try it for free.

    Isn't this even more fantastic? o:)

    Downloaded, but not yet bought the IAP

  • So I’m confused. Is BM2 a typo? Or can not BM3 do this?

  • @Chaztrip said:
    So I’m confused. Is BM2 a typo? Or can not BM3 do this?

    I am not sure.
    But it is not available on iPhone yet.

  • @Chaztrip @tja no typo... I haven't actually tried with BM3, but considering it is the successor to BM2, what worked in BM2 should certainly work in BM3 (at least in theory ;))

    Maybe I'll make a little video later showing how to sync up Xequence and BM2.

  • @tja said:
    Downloaded, but not yet bought the IAP

    Me neither, half the price would be more appropriate imho.

  • @SevenSystems said:
    @Chaztrip @tja no typo... I haven't actually tried with BM3, but considering it is the successor to BM2, what worked in BM2 should certainly work in BM3 (at least in theory ;))

    Be careful, BM3 does not have all MIDI features of BM2.

  • This is exactly what I need too. I want to record a long sample with different Guitar strums where a different key will trigger the sample at various locations and sound like I’m playing the guitar itself. So say I wanna do this in Key of G the have a long sample with all the chords in the Key of G. Now does it matter how long each section of he sample is?

    @Norbert said:
    Yes, so as I said you can create a big sample with all the samples you need in a song then slice it. And so it happens that each of them will be then assigned to a key. If you have Auria; just put all your samples in one track, one after another, then save the track as a wave. And import it to ReSlice.

    But Launchpad might be the best option.

  • @MusicMan4Christ said:
    This is exactly what I need too. I want to record a long sample with different Guitar strums where a different key will trigger the sample at various locations and sound like I’m playing the guitar itself. So say I wanna do this in Key of G the have a long sample with all the chords in the Key of G. Now does it matter how long each section of he sample is?

    @Norbert said:
    Yes, so as I said you can create a big sample with all the samples you need in a song then slice it. And so it happens that each of them will be then assigned to a key. If you have Auria; just put all your samples in one track, one after another, then save the track as a wave. And import it to ReSlice.

    But Launchpad might be the best option.

    No it doesn't matter I think. Because if you look at some default samples in Reslice, some have long and small chunks.

  • edited January 2018

    Tried with BeatHawk but midi is not that well implemented in this app. Some issues for control each pad with each midi Chanel, available in iaa but not AU, and this works only in AUM via AUM midi destination in Xequence. I need something more simple, will try Reslice. I want to edit arrangement in one and only window, so not sure bm2 is the way to go, always switching between apps and refer to timeline is workflow killer IMO.

  • edited January 2018

    Ok, I’ve found a nice way to do things, using Loopy. With midi learn, I can use note on to mute/play loop and note off to mute/stop loop. This allow to use only one note in Xequence to play the loop, the moment the note stop it will stop the loop, no need to write two notes in the part. As iPhone has universal and iPhone only versions, I can use Loopy hd and Loopy at the time, this gives 24 loops. Xequence can use one track for each loopy/12 loops, or a track for each note/loop for easier arrangement though copy/paste of parts. Add to this the Loopy multi output capabilities for AU fx per loop in AUM if needed. All I have to do is create triggering templates in Loopy HD and Loopy. I already use both apps for live setups with AB/AUM, for my saxophone with Bluebaord pedalboard, or with AB remote for triggering both apps loops in the same window. Loopy is so easy to work with for creating audio loops, or even importing them through AudioShare.

    BeatHawk will work with a channel per pad when launched in iaa mode though AUM midi destination. Gadget is straight forward with Xequence, as other iaa synths. When using AU synths like Zeeon, I can use midiflow adapter to create more midi devices in AUM/Xequence. Concerning long audio solo parts, I can use AUM file players/midi triggering with AU effects, or Gadget with Zurich and midi sync with Xequence.

    I don’t like BM2 workflow and UI, and don’t want to buy/learn it now if BM3 comes on iPhone later in the year. Perhaps I will like it better.

    That midi sequencer setup takes form, all in one window edition is nice for more complex projects. It’s a complex setup, but I will not use it all the time as my main workflows use AUM/AB live capabilities, Loopy, Gadget and Blocs wave, almost always in different creations contexts/processes/stages. This is iOS music, multiple workflows in a virtual studio. Will see how to use AB in that setup for proper state saving of all apps, using app switching toolbar is so nice too.

    Perhaps Sevensystems can add AB3 midi implementation, just for that state saving/app switching toolbar option?

  • edited January 2018

    As an alternative, this works perfectly with AUM files players too. Can be nice when I don’t have too much loops. Midi learn on file player « play enable » has to be set « toggle » off, and file player setting must be with loop on and sync off. This works as intended, a long note in Xequence will play the loop continuously, and when the note is off it will stops. Nice to see that now we have AUM/Xequence as a perfect combo, almost daw-like!!

  • @Janosax: Yes, Audiobus integration has been on our todo list from the start... can't give an exact timeline yet though. BTW, nice setup with Loopy! :)

  • edited January 2018

    @SevenSystems said:
    @Janosax: Yes, Audiobus integration has been on our todo list from the start... can't give an exact timeline yet though. BTW, nice setup with Loopy! :)

    Thanks!! Glad to read it’s on your todo :smiley:

    There is difference between loops content I create at early production stage, with different apps, and instrument audio recording while doing arrangement. So all I have to do now is to find a way to record longer solo audio parts using the timeline. AUM is bit hard for that, as you can’t chose easily the timeline moment you want, and you need to import recording in file player, not a fast workflow. I can use Gadget Zurich instead and export/import in AUM file player at later stage, or use Loopy with long loop count, but it uses AAC compression even if acceptable with sax sections. Blocs wave can do this too, with wav format but no midi triggering, so imports in AUM should be necessary at some stage for proper use of Xequence. Whole song sax solo performance is more easy to manage with AUM, I do this all the time. Loopy master edition when it will comes can be interesting if it uses no audio compression.

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