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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New Song - Home Again

I confess that this little ditty was not written or performed on an iPad, but I never would be playing music at all if it wasn't for the people in this forum. I owe you all a great debt. Thank you.

I play every day, but unlike so many of you, I rarely take anything to a finish. It's fun to play, but when I try and do a mix--I remember I don't hear very well these days. Too many years standing too close to big amps.

I'm not going to stress over this. I think after all my futzing the accordion is probably too loud, but the hell with it. I'm just going to see if you like the tune. :)

Comments

  • @Reid Very accomplished and smoothly rough (or maybe roughly smooth, but a compliment either way around). Don't think your accordion's too loud, but made me realize that at this level I expect the piece to be French, odd. Would -of course- like some Shane MacGowan rambling on it if you've got his number...I wonder, viz finishing, if folks who work largely on voiceless pieces find it harder. Look, it's hard for us all mostly, but at least when I have some words I have a map of where at least I imagine the end might be found....

  • Most enjoyable Mr @Reid
    Listened on my iPhone and agree with our Johnny, that it has the feel of a very singable affair. A popular rousing chorus in the back bar. I know a certain @Bluepunk whose voice would be a shoe-in if you ever wanted to to try this out and were both sailing in the same direction.

  • edited February 2018

    Enjoying your melancholy playing, especially the guitar and violin work. The addition of accordion does give it an Irish pub feeling. As is often the case with lovely tunes like this, I very much want to hear a wistful vocal, telling me the tale that the music is suggesting.

  • You all have it right. This was meant to be a song with lyrics. I roughed out the arrangement and then added the violin so I wouldn't forget the melody the next day. The violin was a first take. I liked the sound of the virtual violin so much that I forgot about writing lyrics and spent a few days polishing up the MIDI and velocity. Then I experimented with adding all kinds of instrumentation to add to it--piano, trumpet/euphonium, cello, accordion, much more drums. It got pretty BIG by the end. But as I listened to it, I found it got better the more instruments I removed. It's a simple piece.

    Based on your reactions I realize I probably should write some lyrics for it.

    I am aware that a lot of my songs sound Irish (or French). I had a bodhran in there at one point.

    Thank you all for listening. :)

  • Nice. Seems like it could be even greater if there were vocals, lyrics.

    One way to help solve the strings and accordions stepping on each other is panning. I would try panning the accordion hard to one side, and the violin (or whatever it is) slightly to the other side. Both instruments also seem to occupy similar frequency range, so maybe some careful EQing, if even more definition is needed.

  • Don't do it @Reid. ;) It's great as an instrumental. The mix does need a bit of love, however. I like lady apt's suggestions.

  • Very nice. :) I do agree the accordion should come
    Down. And maybe cut it’s highs a bit. I don’t need lyrics though , plenty is being said.

  • Thanks, everybody. I really appreciate your comments.

    @Lady_App_titude I will take your advice about the panning and move the accordion to one side. However, at this point, I think the "violin" (the Bohemian Violin virtual instrument) is the "vocalist" and I want it in the center. But there could be a vocal on this someday (I'm considering it), so if that happens, I would move the violin to the other side.

    I will definitely work on EQ and volume. But believe me, I have already worked on that quite a bit. It was worse before.

    I will also experiment with swapping the accordion track with a different accordion virtual instrument in a higher register, like a musette.

    But I think the real issue is not solely limited to EQ or the range of the accordion. It's that the violin usually plays low but occasionally plays very high. If you solo the violin, those are the emotional high points, but in the mix, you don't hear it as well, as the accordion gets in the way. I could use automation to change EQ at those times, but what I'm going to try is pull the notes that the accordion plays at those moments down in the scale. I think it's maybe better (and easier) to fix the overlaps musically rather than the EQ.

    The truth is I have very little experience mixing because the next day I think of a new thing and record that instead of taking anything to a finish. I need to be more disciplined and try to finish things, and I need to gain more experience using plugins. I admire the members of the SOTM club a lot.

  • edited February 2018

    Here's my remix, with many changes in the notes of the accordion track, plus changes in volume, panning, EQ, and compression.

    If any of you have the time to listen to it, let me know what you think.
    Thanks for all your help.

  • Nice Tune @Reid. Very relaxing. Loved it mate. ;)

  • @Reid said:
    Here's my remix, with many changes in the notes of the accordion track, plus changes in volume, panning, EQ, and compression.

    If any of you have the time to listen to it, let me know what you think.
    Thanks for all your help.

    It's beautiful, man. Much better mix, methinks. I kinda want to hear the accordion on the other side, but I'm not sure why. ;)

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