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.

Roli just Leveled Up BIG time.

edited November 2019 in Other

Pardon if I’m late but I hadn’t used my Roli products much. Moved on to Sensel than sold that and went back to traditional controllers on desktop.

In fact, I donated a Seaboard Block to one of our great ABF Local Devs TL further MPE development in his amazing apps and sold a another bundle of Roli blocks along with a Morph to another member.

Extremely glad I kept 3 lightpads and a live pad because Roli has released new software that EXPONENTIALLY enhanced Blocks.

Roli Connect, Roli Studio and Roli Drums along with firmware updates that GREATLY improved finger tracking, bluetooth and usb stability enhancements, midi optimizations and more.

All Roli sounds in one place!!!

Free Studio download includes MPE sounds from ROLI’s Equator, Cypher2, and Strobe2 sound engines that are now browsable in a unified desktop VST/AU plugin: ROLI Studio Player. Includes cutting-edge audio effects and macros.

Plus My FAV new game-changing way to play drums in Logic/Bitwig:

ROLI Studio Drums according to them, the world’s first MPE drums plugin. So dope!!!

From the site: Bend drum sounds and create grooves on the surface of the Lightpad Block. This expression has never been possible before via desktop software.
(Controllable arp, note repeats and grooves depending on slide direction, pressure, etc SO SWEET)

New songwriting tools: ROLI Studio Player features new songwriting tools like Smart Chords, which speeds up songwriting by suggesting chord progressions per note. The Multi-Layered Arpeggiator lets producers creative interactive rhythmic patterns. (Control all parameters from device)

Deeper integration of BLOCKS and ROLI software: ROLI Studio integrates BLOCKS more deeply with sounds and production tools that were spread across ROLI synths. Lightpad modes deepen the integration further on the Lightpad Block.

Easier DAW integration: ROLI Studio Player and ROLI Studio Drums both work as plugins with all leading DAWs. It’s never been easier to produce with BLOCKS and ROLI sounds inside of Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, Bitwig, and other DAWs.

I can confirm my Blocks have improved dramatically across the board. No more missed triggers with much better finger tracking, MPE expression outputs I can control 16 seperate drum channels in Logic as soon as I add a Roli Drum AU to a track, and multi-Block connectivity works like a dream.

These new developments are so amazing I’m going to buy a new used Seaboard for those expressive melodies. The Plugins are amazing and the Sounds unrivaled imo. The Price is steep no doubt although I buy my blocks and most of my gear used and blocks are cheap on the resell market I think because people were disappointed. I know I was. The drops, missed triggers and inconsistent pressure/slide/finger tracking was terrible at one point.

The new Free Studio Software has put Roli on a different level and significantly raised the stakes. The Studio Plugins work like Akai’s amazing VIP software except designed much better, low cpu and Roli doesn’t charge you for it. The store and Roli Synths (Cypher2, Strobe, Equator) offer the best and most MpE sounds available.

I expect Noise app for iOS will receive an update soon if it hasn’t been updated already. Wouldn’t know I literally hadn’t used it or Blocks in ages before happening past all of this today.

I do know that the third party Roli Dashboard like app for IOS is set to release a new update any day per another thread I saw around here.

For more on the new Roli Studio software check these videos out here:

https://roli.com/stories/watch-blocks-and-roli-studio-in-action

Comments

  • What about battery replacement in a 2nd hand Roli? Has that situation improved?

  • @TheOriginalPaulB said:
    What about battery replacement in a 2nd hand Roli? Has that situation improved?

    Wow that sucks. I got a dud second hand once also. Update won’t address that one. Does it work connected to USB?

    That’s the downside of buying used devices with non removable batteries. Same applies to iPhones, iPads, etc.

  • I didn’t get caught, I just heard about it and it put me off the idea of getting a 2nd hand Roli.

  • @TheOriginalPaulB said:
    I didn’t get caught, I just heard about it and it put me off the idea of getting a 2nd hand Roli.

    I see. Well it sucked for me once but I just chalked it up to one of the risks of buying second hand. Now I know how to test for weak or damaged batteries.

  • Roli's Blocks has only won a single award ... - not from the music industry but from a dodgy global marketing outfit - for Roli's imaginative (and somewhat effective) use of hired "influencers" on social media to change the dud initial reaction from actual musicians.

    Instead of fixing a catastrophic conceptual failure, Roli bought on-line opinions in bulk, while they scrambled to patch up this half-baked, over-hyped gadgetry. Pretended to be responsive, in fact. But basically Blocks initial release didn't work as described - couldn't.

    There are very solid reasons why reputable companies do not beta test hardware on the open market - unlike software, "stuff" in the hand" involves recalls, compensation and replacing gadgets for disappointed customers... costs serious money. Roli did not accept any of that responsibility with the initial release of Blocks. Particularly egregious given the enthusiastic kids they were pitching this junk at exclusively. Easy pickings and lots of keen kids were burnt. A triumph of marketing.

    Much as I love my Seaboard Rise and Equator, truly spectacular and brilliant - no amount of tinkering and improvement with software and connectivity will overcome this fundamental ethical failing in the company's corporate management ... Blocks was throttled in the cot. And Roli's management was revealed as predatory and unethical.

    There is only one way to fix that. And it's a bit more awkward than a software update.

  • @Soundscaper said:
    Roli's Blocks has only won a single award ... - not from the music industry but from a dodgy global marketing outfit - for Roli's imaginative (and somewhat effective) use of hired "influencers" on social media to change the dud initial reaction from actual musicians.

    Instead of fixing a catastrophic conceptual failure, Roli bought on-line opinions in bulk, while they scrambled to patch up this half-baked, over-hyped gadgetry. Pretended to be responsive, in fact. But basically Blocks initial release didn't work as described - couldn't.

    There are very solid reasons why reputable companies do not beta test hardware on the open market - unlike software, "stuff" in the hand" involves recalls, compensation and replacing gadgets for disappointed customers... costs serious money. Roli did not accept any of that responsibility with the initial release of Blocks. Particularly egregious given the enthusiastic kids they were pitching this junk at exclusively. Easy pickings and lots of keen kids were burnt. A triumph of marketing.

    Much as I love my Seaboard Rise and Equator, truly spectacular and brilliant - no amount of tinkering and improvement with software and connectivity will overcome this fundamental ethical failing in the company's corporate management ... Blocks was throttled in the cot. And Roli's management was revealed as predatory and unethical.

    There is only one way to fix that. And it's a bit more awkward than a software update.

    Don’t disagree with any of that. But if you’re a Roli user...don’t let any of that distract you from an amazing update that GREATLY enhances your investment.

    Apple had antenna gate, wifi gate, a bunch of other gates and most recently...my brand spanking new IPad Pro launched with all sorts of productivity breaking issues many still remain for millions of users. Is what it is. Price of early adopting cutting edge tech.

    Solution? Don’t buy it. Issue over.

    I am not defending these hardware manufacturers (Apple, Roli, Novation, Akai, etc too many to list) who release expensive tools for us to beta test in the wild until they get them right.

    I’m saying the power is with the consumer always. Make the most informed purchases you can and live with the results.

    That said, iPad OS is slowly addressing many issues I have with my iPad as Roli updates are addressing and delivering on many initial promises. Better late than never.

  • I regret buying a seaboard block. They haven’t done anything for iOS users since I bought mine.

  • @klattgalvin said:
    I regret buying a seaboard block. They haven’t done anything for iOS users since I bought mine.

    Sold mine for the same reason. I’m back to using Desktop in addition to iOS so now this update has me considering another. Used of course. I wouldn’t ever pay more than $100 for a lightpad or $150 for a Seaboard.

  • Since revisiting my blocks with this update, I hopped back into iOS with it to see if the firmware update made a difference.

    I’ve had no Bluetooth drops in 4+ hours of use (used to have several an hour) and also found the native integration with Zenbeats, Cubasis and Garagband to be significantly improved.

    I seriously have no remaining issues with these blocks.

    If any Roli users happen past this and want to discuss the new update or have productive tips and tricks for Blocks please @ me.

  • edited April 2020

    I picked up Roli Studio Player for free this morning as I owed Novation hardware in the past and registered well, worth a look. All the sound packs I brought for Noise app show up which is great.

    _ https://novationmusic.com/en/news/sound-collective-roli

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