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 Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

iOS DAW and workflow poll 2019

To update on the data polled from just over a year ago (in which Cubasis was the most popular DAW and roughly 60% of users were IOS-only) I thought it would be interesting to see how things have changed now that StageLight and NS2 are on the scene. I've also added AUM and ApeMatrix this time around to see how the DAWless/modular workflow actually shapes up in terms of numbers.

Constructive input welcome, but let's try to keep the trolling to a minimum :)

DAWS listed in Alphabetical order

iOS DAW and Workflow poll
  1. What is your main DAW or host App on iOS178 votes
    1. ApeMatrix
        1.69%
    2. AudioBus
        3.93%
    3. AUM
      41.57%
    4. Audio Evolution Mobile
        0.56%
    5. Auria/Auria Pro
        5.62%
    6. Beatmaker 2
        0.56%
    7. Beatmaker 3
      10.11%
    8. Cubasis
      12.36%
    9. FL Studio Mobile
        1.12%
    10. Gadget
        5.62%
    11. GarageBand
        7.30%
    12. iMPC Pro
        0.00%
    13. Meteor
        0.00%
    14. MultiTrack DAW (Harmonic Dog)
        0.00%
    15. MultitrackStudio (Giel Bremmers)
        0.56%
    16. NanoStudio 2
        7.87%
    17. StageLight
        1.12%
  2. Do you mainly work in a DAW or in a more modular host such as AUM or ApeMatrix?178 votes
    1. DAW
      55.06%
    2. Modular Host
      44.94%
  3. Do you mainly mix on iOS or the desktop?178 votes
    1. iOS
      65.73%
    2. Desktop
      34.27%
«13

Comments

  • It's an interesting poll for sure.

    Although not easy for me to pick the first and third options because I create in AUM/Audiobus and apematrix and also mix on both iOS and desktop, but tend to do a final mix/edit on desktop. So things aren't always so clear cut when you work that way. :)

  • Cubasis for the au midi implementation (if NS2 gets better au midi I may switch/re-install)

  • edited April 2019

    For radio production Auria gives me pretty much all that I need as far as tools and freedom from being locked into music production.

  • Just want to make sure I understand.... a huge shift from a year ago? Thanks, Richard. Very interesting!

  • My workflow: Jam in AUM - mixing synth apps, samplers, MIDI sequencers, rhythm apps like Blocs and Egoist etc. - record a few sessions and then upload onto my desktop PC.

    Pick a few that work together, load into audio tracks in Reason and arrange, then overdub VST’s, guitar etc.

  • I’ve actually been using my iPad and Surface Tablet together a lot to get the best of both worlds. Using mySurface Pro 3 as a sound module via Bitwig into my audio interface and into AUM great for live looping using ENSO on both iPad and Surface Pro. I then master on the iPad using fab filter tools inside Auria as they are cheaper than on the desktop.

  • Mainly use Modstep, not listed.

  • edited April 2019

    mainly on desktop these days (Cubase, Ableton), iPad sketching almost only on vacation (which is bit of a shame somehow)

  • Caustic?

  • @Multicellular said:
    Mainly use Modstep, not listed.

    Can Modstep load AUv3s? That was my baseline for a host app, I don't own Modstep but I was assuming it didn't. Sorry if I got that wrong.

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • @richardyot said:

    @Multicellular said:
    Mainly use Modstep, not listed.

    Can Modstep load AUv3s? That was my baseline for a host app, I don't own Modstep but I was assuming it didn't. Sorry if I got that wrong.

    Yes audio au3s. Not midi ones.

  • AUM to BM3
    Or AEMS on the iPhone

  • You don't have to use it to benefit the developer.

    How many do you own? I own 11 of them and have purchased IAP's in 7 of them.

    That's yet another useful Marketing survey of course we need to document the Apps bought at a minimum to get a clue about sales.

    I OWN:
    ApeMatrix
    AudioBus
    AUM
    Audio Evolution Mobile
    Auria/Auria Pro
    Beatmaker 3
    Cubasis
    Gadget
    GarageBand (have it installed too)
    NanoStudio 2
    StageLight (bought the Mac version too)

    NOT YET:
    FL Studio Mobile
    iMPC Pro
    Meteor (4Pockets)
    MultiTrack DAW (Harmonic Dog)
    Meteor (4Pockets)
    MultitrackStudio (Giel Bremmers)

  • These days mostly AB3/Xequence/AUM or Gadget/Xequence

    Anything that gets finished/bounced to audio either goes to auria pro for finishing or Ableton export Desktop

    I don’t think I could just use one main host/DAW app on iOS at this point
    I own all the hosts and damn near every app now too lol
    For some reason I stopped using cubasis when I use to use it a lot
    I am loving all the options these days though for sure

  • edited April 2019

    AUM

    Live jams then use that recorded material to build tracks on desktop.

  • I would much rather a DAW be my main squeeze, but I always end up back at AUM. I feel like I wanted BM3 or NS2 to be it, but I’m still waiting on updates that feel critical to my workflow. Love them all though.

  • @richardyot The problem with the poll is that you can only select one item! I always use a combination of Audiobus and AUM. AB for hosting IAA apps and anything I want to control or access with the slide-over control panel or AB Remote and AUM for more flexible bussing and stem recording.

  • I’m in the AUM/modular category, but often use Xequence to send MIDI in that setup. Sometimes it’s NS2 straight up. If/when NS2 gets auv3 midi and audio tracks, it’ll be that.

  • I'm totally in between so it's hard to answer the first two questions.
    My improv-jam set up is mainly BM3 for sequencing, IAA channels routed through AUM and then back into BM3.
    If the idea gets good, I export and mix in Ableton Live. But sometimes I jam with Live using the iPad as an external device, sending midi notes via Studiomux.
    So yeah, I have no idea how to answer this.

  • wimwim
    edited April 2019

    @gleandibson said:
    I’m in the AUM/modular category, but often use Xequence to send MIDI in that setup. Sometimes it’s NS2 straight up. If/when NS2 gets auv3 midi and audio tracks, it’ll be that.

    Pretty much this here too except pretty much AudioBus or AudioBus + AUM. Xequence will always be in the picture though even when NS2 is complete with AudioBus support and audio tracks.

  • @Multicellular said:
    Mainly use Modstep, not listed.

    Can't go wrong with some mod step

  • I'm using my favorite app Xequence in combination with AUM 😊 Will maybe use Atom when the 41 bar limit is changed.

  • On the iPad it's a many different apps but on my iPhone 8 it's GarageBand and a few AUv3's.

    Still trying to find a good way to 'render' sort AudioFiles inside GB for use with LiveLoops, but the 'automatic project duplication on merge' is driving me nuts...

  • @aplourde said:
    @richardyot The problem with the poll is that you can only select one item! I always use a combination of Audiobus and AUM. AB for hosting IAA apps and anything I want to control or access with the slide-over control panel or AB Remote and AUM for more flexible bussing and stem recording.

    I know, obviously everyone uses multiple DAWs and hosts, I use AUM, GarageBand, Gadget, Cubasis and NS2 for composing/jamming/writing etc, but in the end everything ends up in Auria so for me Auria is the one app I can't do without, the others could be replaced. There isn't an option to create multiple entry polls on the forum, so I think the best thing is to pick the one app that is the most important to your workflow.

    Anyway the results so far are very interesting, and I'm curious to see how things will pan out over the next couple of days once everyone has had a chance to vote. AUM is definitely the leader (and that won't change) but I'm definitely surprised to see the results for some of the other apps.

  • Yeah, I think the AUM vote could be a little exaggerated as I ticked that, but wanted to tick apematrix and AB too, and maybe other modular users would have done the same. :)

  • You can create better polls at doodle.com

  • I use AUM to explore sounds - putting together combinations of sound sources and effects. Quite often the sounds themselves push me to come up with a piece of music and I probably wouldn’t get there without something modular like AUM. But as soon as I have a piece of music happening I transfer it to NS2 and continue it there. Most times, though, I’ll just start in NS2 so I voted for NS2.

  • edited April 2019

    I agree that the poll could possibly be oversimplifying the complex variety of users and uses, but it still reveals some interesting statistics.

    What is becoming more clear (to me at least) is that there seem to be two clear schools of iOS musicians, which I will refer to here as the Chemists and the Physicists:

    • Chemists like to experiment. They mix potions and try unusual combinations. The process is often more rewarding than the end goal. These users seem to congregate around AUM, Apematrix and Audiobus.

    • Physicists like more precision. They prefer planning and structure, and view the creation process as the necessary work required to reach the end goal of a beautifully sequenced and mastered track. These users seem to congregate around BM3, Cubasis and NS2.

    —-
    NB - if there are any real chemists and physicists reading this, I do hope you will permit me this slightly playful generalisation of your respective professions. And yes, I do realise that all the sciences require high levels of both precision and experimentation - amongst many other intellectual qualities. In short, I love you all the same ;)

  • @tk32 said:
    I agree that the poll could possibly be oversimplifying the complex variety of users and uses, but it still reveals some interesting statistics.

    What is becoming more clear (to me at least) is that there seem to be two clear schools of iOS musicians, which I will refer to here as the Chemists and the Physicists:

    • Chemists like to experiment. They mix potions and try unusual combinations. The process is often more rewarding than the end goal. These users seem to congregate around AUM, Apematrix and Audiobus.

    • Physicists like more precision. They prefer planning and structure, and view the creation process as the necessary work required to reach the end goal of a beautifully sequenced and mastered track. These users seem to congregate around BM3, Cubasis and NS2.

    —-
    NB - if there are any real chemists and physicists reading this, I do hope you will permit this slightly playful generalisation of your respective professions. And yes, I do realise that all the sciences require high levels of both precision and experimentation - amonst many other intellectual qualities. In short, I love you all the same ;)

    Yeah I'd agree with this. Although I put myself in both camps just with different platforms for the goal. I do my Physics and planning on desktop where there's much more control. And iOS for chemistry work :)

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