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.

What wrong with all DAWs/Apps on iOS?

Why all ios DAWs have some epic fails that kills almost all sense of making jams/music using ipad?
For example:

Beatmaker 3: no track freeze (only in epic long way) (many AUv3 synths/effect very heavy so track freeze is must have feature)

Cubasis 2: cannot stretch clips to loop them (basic feature in almost all DAWs on pc) (no clip launcher but for Cubase/Cubasis this is ok)

Stagelight 4: Almost ideal DAW but midi with AUv3 skip some notes and hang some (unusable for now at all), and we waiting for fix 3 months already

Korg Gadget 2: Good DAW. But no support of AUv3, Cannot record audio from Audiobus, No send tracks with effects (only inserts that stacks and create mud and mess)

ModStep: good daw, but no good audio recording, track freeze and seems that it abandoned.

AUM: no integrated looper (you can record and reimport but this breaks all inspiration)

Many loopers (like quantiloop): limited track numbers (seriously? on ipad with mega processor that can handle tons of cool games)

Many grooveboxes: limited number of bars (from 4 to 8 maximum). No support of AUv3 in many apps.

So for now for music sketching/jam best things:
Korg Gadget 2 and AUM + Enso looper + some sequencers like ATOM Piano roll.

For me as Bitwig user - clip launcher is the best thing for creativity. But for now there is no DAWs that work good in that way (there is some but without AUv3 support).
I don't see any sense in full music production on ipad i have pc for this thing.
I use ipad as portable sketch/inspiration device (as most of users here i think). And this is very uncomfortable for now.

Is that so hard to create DAW with:
-Live looping (clips like in bitwig/ableton)
-Clip/track freeze (to reduce CPU usage)
-AUv3 support
-Unlimited number of tracks (that limited only to your CPU)
Close to this only Stagelight that i hope will be fixed in near future.

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Comments

  • edited June 2019

    I'm a firm believer in the "work with what you got" adagio. In the 90s I had a only a fraction of what today's software can do and I never felt limited. :)

  • edited June 2019

    Why all ios DAWs have some epic fails that kills almost all sense of making jams/music using ipad?

    what brambos said. Use what works for you.

    It's very simple. It kills almost all sense for some users - and It totally fulfill all needs of other users. We are different. I'm producing music iOS-only since 2010 or 2011 (don't remember exactly) and don't feel limited in any way. I mean full production, including mastering.

    Is that so hard to create DAW with:
    -Live looping (clips like in bitwig/ableton)

    You can ask same question on desktop, becasue to my knowledge only DAW on desktop which has Ableton Live style looping is Ableton Live :)) (ok ok, and Bitwing which is basiccally Live from parallel universe with more features a bit different UI, developed by ex-Ableton devs).

    Cubasis, Logic, Studio One, Reaper, Pro Tools, Reason - any of then doesn't have kind of "Live Session View". And every one of them DO have some feature which is not present in other competitors. IT's all the time about "find what works for you and stick with it".

  • @RevenantX, what is your experience with desktop?

  • edited June 2019
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  • edited June 2019

    No app is perfect... Use some apps in tandem to get what you want... I know a lot of producers who make cool music with apps like Caustic, nanoloop.. And if they can do it then I'll have to try to get to their level, at least it can be done with those apps...
    I'm happy I've got all these powerful music apps on a device the size of an A4 sheet of paper...

  • edited June 2019

    @LinearLineman i used many desktop daws: bitwig, ableton, flstudio, cubase, reaper, studio one, lmms. Best workflows for me in Bitwig and Studio One

  • I once spent over £10000 on my home studio when it was mostly hardware (computers and software were basic back then). I make more music now on my iPad, yep, it’s still pants, but that’s down to me not the gear.

    iOS is in its early days. I remember when computers and software for making music was very poor - I’m talking even worse than any problems that exist on iOS right now. iOS is making leaps and bounds in progress and we’ve enjoyed the journey for the price of peanuts to be honest. A kid can start making complete music on iOS and even computer for a price that just wasn’t possible way back when (except maybe some of the low end tape multitrackers).

    Not saying that you are not correct. Many iOS apps have issues, but in perspective, personally I’ve spent less time sorting out iOS issues than sorting out hardware studio issues!

  • @dendy there is clip launcher also in old Cakewalk and in new Digital performer. Also there is plugin for Cockos Reaper called Playtime that doing same thing.

  • edited June 2019

    @RevenantX

    Anyway - i'm expecting HUGE boom of iOS apps market in next 2 years ... Lot lot new people will be attracted as devices are getting more and more powerful and iOS is more and more mature. In my opinion we are right on the edge of exponential market grow, grow which will bring lot more money into this market- which means lot more interest of devs, which means lot more new development.

    Maybe it looks like too big optimism, but wait one or two years. If this forum will still exist, you will find this my post and you will reply "yeah, you was true back then" :-)

    I'm expecting at least one (if not more) DAW will fulfill all your needs latest in second half of next year ;-)

  • Just to add: many of us use iPads for other purposes as well. This does not help stability. My experience with computers musically is the same - it can be problematic when using the computer for anything beyond just music making.

    Also we often use iOS in a different way than computer due to the software available. As you say, iOS DAWs can be lacking in some areas, so we work around it by using more apps, where as it’s usually one all encompassing DAW on pc / Mac, aiding stability at times.

    The upside of iOS use is that you often use more specific task oriented apps that help us stick to one task at a time. The downside is the clunky file sharing and storage.

    I think we are about to witness a major milestone in iOS music making. The new crop of powerful iPads and iPad OS imo will change the landscape. I can really see more ‘professional’ software coming to iOS, but the pricing market will change too, so get ready for higher prices to come.

  • @dendy said:

    @RevenantX

    Anyway - i'm expecting HUGE boom of iOS apps market in next 2 years ... Lot lot new people will be attracted as devices are getting more and more powerful and iOS is more and more mature. In my opinion we are right on the edge of exponential market grow, grow which will bring lot more money into this market- which means lot more interest of devs, which means lot more new development.

    Maybe it looks like too big optimism, but wait one - two year. If this forum will still exist, you will find this my post and you will reply "yeah, you was true back then" :-)

    I'm expecting at least one (if not more) DAW will fulfill all your needs latest in second half of next year ;-)

    Yep, I agree with this. I think we are going to see major leaps forward in the next two years.

  • @dendy said:
    @RevenantX

    Anyway - i'm expecting HUGE boom of iOS apps market in next 2 years ... Lot lot new people will be attracted as devices are getting more and more powerful and iOS is more and more mature. In my opinion we are right on the edge of exponential market grow, grow which will bring lot more money into this market- which means lot more interest of devs, which means lot more new development.

    Maybe it looks like too big optimism, but wait one or two years. If this forum will still exist, you will find this my post and you will reply "yeah, you was true back then" :-)

    I'm expecting at least one (if not more) DAW will fulfill all your needs latest in second half of next year ;-)

    I hope for this :smile:

  • Just look how far iOS has come in its relatively short life. It’s quite incredible what you can do with it now and it’s only getting more powerful every passing year.

    Apple is clearly pushing the iPad in a “pro” general computing direction. along with mouse, full keyboard and external storage support - I think the platform will become more attractive to big name devs in the business. I’d be surprised if a full featured desktop class DAW doesn’t show up in the next couple years.

    In the meantime, there’s plenty to appreciate about what you can do with the currently available daws and plugins.

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  • The iPad for sketching is great for creating and focusing on parts without all the bloat, distraction and scale of a desktop workflow. Your best bet is using a modular workflow on iOS, eg AUM with AUv3s. Try Modstep if you like clip launching. AU clip launchers will arrive this year probably. We've only had AUs for a few years and the technology is still maturing, it just takes time.

    For now If you want a desktop workflow use the desktop, use iOS when mobile and when you want a different kind of workflow.
    I use it mobile and also combined together with desktop, use desktop for the stuff you can't do on iOS etc :)

    Also you can't compare the game performance to the audio performance. Blame Apple for restrictions and giving priority to Graphics performance over audio.

  • @Carnbot modstep is cool, but doesnt have track freeze feature - so cpu resources exhausted very quickly

  • @RevenantX said:
    @Carnbot modstep is cool, but doesnt have track freeze feature - so cpu resources exhausted very quickly

    Yeah, I'm hoping a V2 will arrive later this year but they have been busy with Touchable Pro I think.

  • The developers probably don’t make much money off the apps. So it’s hard to devote themselves full time to making and improving the apps.
    But there is a ton of potential here. I prefer iOS over desktop for this purpose

  • Combine iOS with desktop, that's my approach...
    I can sit down with my iPad and create all day and have fun... Getting patches created and sequences going, and really it's fun and fulfilling... When I need something extra I plug my iPads into ableton and expand on what I'm doing... Running my AUM jams into clips, sequencing synths in Ableton with iOS sequencers... It opens up a whole world of things, so many sequencers and synths right in this super thin tablet...
    And now using touchable pro on my iPad's to create and control in Ableton...

    Imo the biggest piece missing from iOS are more complicated synths, don't get me wrong there are some iOS synths that are doing it especially in the granular realm, but synths like pigments, serum, rounds, blocks, equator, uvi falcon, massive, arturia v collection, carbon electra.... And more.... IOS needs synths like this...

    We have some big ones, factory, model 15, nave, to name a couple, and some great things like spacecraft (coming to desktop!!) Mitosynth, tardigrain, noir, electribe wave, synthone, samplr, layr, ripplemaker,audulus, Aparillo.... Great great things.....

    But I still hope to see some synths like those mentioned above...

    My fav thing right now about iOS is the sequencers tho and other midi controllers...so fast to set up and get going and even run into desktop... IOS shines bright here! Steppolyarp, gesturement pro, atom , aphelian,fugue machine, rozeta, stepbud, modstep, senode, krft, xequence, stepbud, and more..

    Use it for where it shines for you and don't ignore your desktop DAW and plug ins!! It all works well combined

  • Thanks, @RevenantX.... could you post a piece you are happy with that you did on desktop and the things you can’t do on iOS that you did there? I am sure you would get some insight from forum members as to how to accomplish the same (if possible) on iOS. It would give us all a chance to be more specific when talking about your disappointment. I am relatively new, so I won’t have much to say, but I am very curious about your experience. 🙏

  • edited June 2019

    @LinearLineman all things i already covered in first post. For me must have things - track freeze, clip recording (midi and audio), AUv3 support and "send" channels

  • Why not use the desktop machine then?
    If I had expected desktop-level apps on a tablet I would probably have purchased a Windows tablet and Bitwig, not an iPad.
    Most big DAW developers have decided to not release on iOS, and I'm sure they have considered and discussed it in the past.

  • BlocsWave into Ableton export or Garageband (it has live looping and session view...) to name 2 ways to accomplish that.
    Each app has its pro and cons but live looping isn't a regular DAW feature. In fact it was the difference from Live to everything else when it came...
    Mainstage/Logic have loopback recorder and I expect garageband/Mainstage/Logic getting clip view now Digital Performer has got it...

  • Newsflash: nothing

  • @rs2000 i already have desktop and laptop, and portable hardware synths. But when i decide what to pick for portable setup (Synthstrom Deluge or ipad) i selected ipad for AUv3 and many DAWs. Bad thing - that most limitations of some DAWs you can reveal only after buying that app.

  • @TheDubbyLabby i know that live looping isn't regular DAW feature for DESKTOP daws.
    But portable ipad (without mouse(i know about IOS13) and keyboard hotkeys) - another thing. Look at popularity of Korg Gadget 2 or similar live looping apps. Portable devices with limitations need specific solutions.

  • @reasOne said:
    Combine iOS with desktop, that's my approach...
    I can sit down with my iPad and create all day and have fun... Getting patches created and sequences going, and really it's fun and fulfilling... When I need something extra I plug my iPads into ableton and expand on what I'm doing... Running my AUM jams into clips, sequencing synths in Ableton with iOS sequencers... It opens up a whole world of things, so many sequencers and synths right in this super thin tablet...
    And now using touchable pro on my iPad's to create and control in Ableton...

    Imo the biggest piece missing from iOS are more complicated synths, don't get me wrong there are some iOS synths that are doing it especially in the granular realm, but synths like pigments, serum, rounds, blocks, equator, uvi falcon, massive, arturia v collection, carbon electra.... And more.... IOS needs synths like this...

    We have some big ones, factory, model 15, nave, to name a couple, and some great things like spacecraft (coming to desktop!!) Mitosynth, tardigrain, noir, electribe wave, synthone, samplr, layr, ripplemaker,audulus, Aparillo.... Great great things.....

    But I still hope to see some synths like those mentioned above...

    My fav thing right now about iOS is the sequencers tho and other midi controllers...so fast to set up and get going and even run into desktop... IOS shines bright here! Steppolyarp, gesturement pro, atom , aphelian,fugue machine, rozeta, stepbud, modstep, senode, krft, xequence, stepbud, and more..

    Use it for where it shines for you and don't ignore your desktop DAW and plug ins!! It all works well combined

    Don’t forget Synthmaster One. Probably the closest thing to Serum or Massive on iOS. I just started getting heavily into iOS a couple years ago and no longer really feel like I’m missing all that much on the synth front; it’s been non-stop flood of great instruments , my wallet needs a break ;) About the only thing I’m really yearning for is a full featured modular — Fingers crossed that VCV iOS port works out. :)

  • edited June 2019

    @brambos said:
    I'm a firm believer in the "work with what you got" adagio. In the 90s I had a only a fraction of what today's software can do and I never felt limited. :)

    and when I got my hands on hammeread ....ooohhh boooy <3

  • We need an IOS version of Ableton.

  • edited June 2019

    I completely feel you and reading this forums I can see we're not the only ones :smile: The clip launcher is very underestimated paradigm in iOS world, only Modstep and BM3 integrated it, but unfortunately, both of them have their own issues and the future does not seem very bright... :disappointed:

    I also understand the point of "use what you already have", but well... This is what we actually do anyway ;)
    I believe it's not wrong to point out the missing links in the iOS world. Given how many music making apps for iOS are released every day that are just yet another instrument/effect/MIDI generator we have already seen many times and bring nothing new, I think many developers just want to sail in the safe waters and copy what others do and then they're frustrated they're apps are not selling that well. The main reason for iOS music making market being not so attractive is that, there are no hosts which are at least comparable to the desktop world. Either they're closed systems (this is more psychological issue, but people get bored or feel limited if they can't use 3rd party plugins) like Gadget, or unstable like BM3, or too complicated to setup to perform basic tasks and very hard to write whole songs like AUM or AB3.
    I believe if there is one solid DAW I can recommend to the current desktop users without hesitation, I believe there will be a massive switch to iOS and also a massive increase in plugin sales.

    And it does not have to be extremely feature rich, rather the opposite. Actually, I believe that the perfect iOS DAW should be mainly focused on carefully thought sampling workflow, as this is currently hard to substitute by plugins, due to the memory limit of AUv3s. Of course, then also good plugin hosting and management (still no one have beaten AUM floating AU windows).
    It may not even need a piano roll, if you can make a clever UI that will make it smooth to use existing AUv3s piano rolls and easy to save and load the material into clips. More important would be easy resampling / track freeze combined with "slice to pads" feature that is very useful to keep some control over audio material (e.g. sliced drums or single notes of a synths).
    The point here is - thinking about the workflow people should use, not to just add features that are currently present in other DAWs. Ableton did this perfectly and this is why they became extremely popular - they were able to think out of the box and show musicians a new way how they can be creative. Clip launcher, drum racks, time-stretching... Probably none of these ideas were new, but they put them together into a meaningful set. I still believe there is a huge room for improvement. But we need courageous developers (investors?) who would understand the modern music making and squeeze out the potential of the iOS platform by making use of it's strengths and focus on overcoming the weaknesses and completely forget about copying what was already seen elsewhere...

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