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

Is Samplr the right one for me?

I intend to set up a live sample capture (from several instruments: drums, percussion, my mbira huru, reeds and whatever else ) and mangle/playback. This is for doing free improvisational music.

I have a few samplers, but none seem to specifically fit the application I want. I suppose I could MAKE them work..but I have always been interested in Samplr, and after reading a good interview with the developer, whose vision (and execution! I think) seems to tick off the boxes I am about to pull the trigger, and invest the time to learn it inside out.

So, dear massive...what do you think? I realize $30 isn't much for all that work, but i dont want another app that looks good on paper, but ends up in the "why did i get this" bin.

I am especially looking for musicians who use this the same way I am going to, not as a compositional tool (I have other apps for that, and indeed some of them are compositional tools on their own), but as a live sampler/mangler.

I have a second question about setting up a rig which will allow me to do this, using my ipad and my FocusRong iTrack dock as a hub for i/o. Will post that soon as I figure the right app to use.

Horses for courses.

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Comments

  • @johnp352 said:
    I intend to set up a live sample capture (from several instruments: drums, percussion, my mbira huru, reeds and whatever else ) and mangle/playback. This is for doing free improvisational music.

    I have a few samplers, but none seem to specifically fit the application I want. I suppose I could MAKE them work..but I have always been interested in Samplr, and after reading a good interview with the developer, whose vision (and execution! I think) seems to tick off the boxes I am about to pull the trigger, and invest the time to learn it inside out.

    So, dear massive...what do you think? I realize $30 isn't much for all that work, but i dont want another app that looks good on paper, but ends up in the "why did i get this" bin.

    I am especially looking for musicians who use this the same way I am going to, not as a compositional tool (I have other apps for that, and indeed some of them are compositional tools on their own), but as a live sampler/mangler.

    I have a second question about setting up a rig which will allow me to do this, using my ipad and my FocusRong iTrack dock as a hub for i/o. Will post that soon as I figure the right app to use.

    Horses for courses.

    Watch some of the many excellent videos and tutorials and see if the workflow is something you like. It is an amazing instrument but not everyone clicks with it -- partly because its strength is an instrument that uses samples but doesn't rehash functionality of a typical sampler. In the Audiobus forum wiki, you'll find links to some good vids.

  • Thanks. I am doing due diligence on it, reading/watching as much as I can digest. and it appears it is right..but as I've said, I still haven't come across anyone who is using it as intended by the developer, as a live musical instrument, and that's what appeals to me. On to the WIKI

  • You should check out Fleksi TV on YouTube.. He uses Samplr + Loopy for most of his tunes..
    Here’s a video of some of the stuff that @supadom (fleksi tv) does with Samplr which is a mainstay of his rig.

  • edited February 2020

    Thanks for the shout out @royor There is a guy that goes by @deltAdata but haven’t seen him here lately. He should be found on YT. Very inspirational but neither he nor I sample directly into samplr.

    I’d like to try that live but I’m always worried about noise pollution when sampling on stage aka uncontrolled environment. Also samplr used to have a bit of latency when sampling with a quantiser on, which I’m not sure has been addressed in the recent update. Especially when Link is on.

    There used to be a way too sample in loopy and quickly open in samplr which I’ve used to sample guitar solo in ‘Up Hi Yea’ (see my yt channel) but iOS 13 broke that.

    Anyways @johnp352 i know it is £30 now but if you like that kind of stuff it’s totally worth it. With all the available recorder apps I’m sure you’ll find a way to sample live and then quickly shoot it to samplr if direct capture is off sync... or you just set markers manually which might be what you’d want to do anyway.

  • Still, the real issue with sampling directly into Samplr is the lack of midi control so you can forget about playing Kalimba with both hands and triggering recording with a foot controller. It’s all fingers on screen I’m afraid.

  • @supadom said:
    Still, the real issue with sampling directly into Samplr is the lack of midi control so you can forget about playing Kalimba with both hands and triggering recording with a foot controller. It’s all fingers on screen I’m afraid.

    Well it could be possible implement the recipes trick...

  • Sampling into it is not idea for me personally , mainly because i use an apogee duet and the app doesn't let you chose a mono input so If I want to sample guitar or my Microbrute it will only sample in stereo and will come out only on one side, and I guess I could use a mixer going into the Apogee but Id love more options as far as that goes, and I wish you could actually edit the sample itself, and support for the files app would reeaalllyyy be great, but having said that it does have a lot of very cool things going on depending to your approach. Definitely a steeper learning curve than your typical sampler, when I dont use it for months I always find I need to kinda relearn a lot of functions. This guy has a really cool video though.

  • It does have support for the files app now.

  • @wim said:
    It does have support for the files app now.

    What I don’t get is import from Dropbox and export to AudioShare. I’d rather see Files app or just AS import/export within the app.

  • samplr is right for every body

  • @supadom You know what they say about assuming.. Watching some of your performances, it's difficult to tell exactly what's going on + of course, I simply assumed that you were sampling some things live into Samplr.. whoops..
    But you did share some great info on why you don't (or can't) sample live into Samplr.. very useful.. thanks for that..

  • Panning please please panning

  • @kobamoto said:
    Panning please please panning

    There is comfort in predictability in this life. The sun coming up in the east. The dog greeting me at the door when I return home. @kobamoto pleading for panning.

  • @anickt said:

    @wim said:
    It does have support for the files app now.

    What I don’t get is import from Dropbox and export to AudioShare. I’d rather see Files app or just AS import/export within the app.

    You can copy into and out of the app’s folder from the files app. You can also use open-in from the files app. Behind the times, but plenty workable.

  • @wim said:

    @anickt said:

    @wim said:
    It does have support for the files app now.

    What I don’t get is import from Dropbox and export to AudioShare. I’d rather see Files app or just AS import/export within the app.

    You can copy into and out of the app’s folder from the files app. You can also use open-in from the files app. Behind the times, but plenty workable.

    Sure but it’s nice to have that access from within the app is all I’m saying.

  • wimwim
    edited February 2020

    @anickt said:

    @wim said:

    @anickt said:

    @wim said:
    It does have support for the files app now.

    What I don’t get is import from Dropbox and export to AudioShare. I’d rather see Files app or just AS import/export within the app.

    You can copy into and out of the app’s folder from the files app. You can also use open-in from the files app. Behind the times, but plenty workable.

    Sure but it’s nice to have that access from within the app is all I’m saying.

    Agreed. I use popover mode with the files app to tide me over. I’m not a heavy samplr user though (not talented that way apparently).

  • @supadom said:
    Still, the real issue with sampling directly into Samplr is the lack of midi control so you can forget about playing Kalimba with both hands and triggering recording with a foot controller. It’s all fingers on screen I’m afraid.

    excellent points..I was going to use my blueboard w/2 expression pedals. Thanks for chiming in.

  • THANK YOu for all the responses. I still haven't found anyone here using it for what i intend to do though, which means live sampling. I have also gone down to looking at hardw, at ha, at ok you know, but I really love the ios way of doing things. so...the search continues.

  • If you are after live mangling, take a look at Moebius Lab. It’s a monster.

  • Come to think of it, so is iDensity. In stand alone you have six slots that you can sample into and then treat individually.

  • Maybe would work better to think of it moduarly. Get the best sampler/playback vehicle, and feed it through the best mangler. I realize working live you want to have as few moving parts as possible, but as there's no obvious choice for an all in one solution, maybe it's worth considering. If you can work out some flexible routing, re-sampling might even be an option.

  • @johnp352 said:
    I intend to set up a live sample capture (from several instruments: drums, percussion, my mbira huru, reeds and whatever else ) and mangle/playback. This is for doing free improvisational music.

    Imho this is covered quite well in several videos, so you may comment about your very own specific demands.

    SamplR does a lot of what traditional samplers do, but it's not obvious from 1st glance at the surface, the main difference is the exchange of midi triggers by tapping the surface.

    Simple example to replace an MPC like device
    If you play a rhythm with good timing and capture exactly one bar (lets assume 4 hits for simplicity), then you can immediately play each section (instrument) manually by tapping on the respective parts of the waveform. No need to split and distribute sections to pads.
    If you play 'without timing', you can unlock the grid lines (rightmost icon of the divisions) and move them right before each section start and the same tapping will work.
    (or remove all grid lines and enter them by manual taps, the lock you new positions)
    Setting the grid location needs only few practice, mistakes can be swept downwards within the blink of an eye... the surface is very responsive.

    Manual positioning also offers inspiring options to spice up a beat as you can place triggers wherever you like or you feel they fit.
    This would be incredibly tough on traditional samplers.
    I often have some regular pattern going in some slots, and add those manual variations.
    (which in fact needs practice... just like a regular instrument, but it's a surprising and often rewaring experience)

    If you sampled and have the regular loop mode running, you still can add manual hits of moves to alter the playback and you can record those gestures (in that 'mini sequencer')

    Add time and pitch modifications plus excellent reverb and delay sections and easy loudness control.
    The delay control is absolutely glitch-free and does feedback upto self oscillation, so your drum could turn into a synth.
    The amplitude modulator uses the same grid as the delay, but acts independant, so you can sync or displace both fx.
    (imho you can't go wrong with SamplR, chances are it will surprise you very big with things you never expected before)

  • @johnp352 said:
    I intend to set up a live sample capture (from several instruments: drums, percussion, my mbira huru, reeds and whatever else ) and mangle/playback. This is for doing free improvisational music.

    I have a few samplers, but none seem to specifically fit the application I want. I suppose I could MAKE them work..but I have always been interested in Samplr, and after reading a good interview with the developer, whose vision (and execution! I think) seems to tick off the boxes I am about to pull the trigger, and invest the time to learn it inside out.

    So, dear massive...what do you think? I realize $30 isn't much for all that work, but i dont want another app that looks good on paper, but ends up in the "why did i get this" bin.

    I am especially looking for musicians who use this the same way I am going to, not as a compositional tool (I have other apps for that, and indeed some of them are compositional tools on their own), but as a live sampler/mangler.

    I have a second question about setting up a rig which will allow me to do this, using my ipad and my FocusRong iTrack dock as a hub for i/o. Will post that soon as I figure the right app to use.

    Horses for courses.

    Samplr is even better than the hype suggests, imo. it’s genuinely what I’d consider a masterpiece performance sampler. It was also recently updated to fix issues with importing sounds, so it’s now in great shape for the latest iPads/iOS.

    also, if you like mangling sounds - Jammpro might also be up your alley. It’s intended for audio tracks that you’ve already recorded - not for making anything from scratch. It’s a great tool for bringing new life to your tracks or for live performance.

  • seconded 100%

  • @Eschatone said:

    also, if you like mangling sounds - Jammpro might also be up your alley. It’s intended for audio tracks that you’ve already recorded - not for making anything from scratch. It’s a great tool for bringing new life to your tracks or for live performance.

    howdy, could you expand a bit on the mangling aspects of jammpro?

  • Actually. Open in from loopy doesn’t work and that was the most immediate way to capture, then shoot to samplr. The second fastest way is to use audio copy and then just paste into samplr. It’s not that bad but probably not ideal when you do a lot of live capture to sample.

    @Eschatone I’m interested why you say that it is not intended making anything from scratch. Do you mean it doesn’t work well or just that that’s not the intended use by the developer?

  • @johnp352 It might be hard to find someone who uses Samplr in just the way you intend to. But our feedback might speak to your needs more directly if you described your use case a bit more.

    You mention that your current samplers aren't quite doing what you want. What are they, and what are you missing from them?

    What kind of sample manipulation are you looking for?

    Examples of approaches to live sampling that are in the ballpark you're looking for (with other tools) might help too.

  • @kobamoto said:

    @Eschatone said:

    also, if you like mangling sounds - Jammpro might also be up your alley. It’s intended for audio tracks that you’ve already recorded - not for making anything from scratch. It’s a great tool for bringing new life to your tracks or for live performance.

    howdy, could you expand a bit on the mangling aspects of jammpro?

    Havent used loads but each sample ( up to 8 bar loop ) has a glitch effect on the pad. Reverbs.delays. Loads of other effects. Slicer sequencers. Modulation. For instance you can automate clip changes. You would get a choppy mix of the 8 bar loops. Quite a few sequencers that can sequence pitch, delay, reverb etc. Plus easy pitch adjustment ( live ) Plus stabs, which is like another channel of audio samples that can have effects added. You could use it just for random glitch of a mix of channels. Maybe add it to reslice if it has midi. Its good for sort of djing. Making music whilst you sort of dj ( switch, mix tracks ) Effects on stems on a single interface. Its 8 bars though I think. I started sampling in, whilst programming external drum song mode and gain an extra track but obviously it was work trying to produce a live set ( didnt save it properly ) Did part inspire a track though. Might just continue same method. Not be to clinical just add loads of samples either with drum samples also or gain the extra track. Drum machine dosent have a good stutter effect but has probabilty.

  • Dont know much about sampling or anything but for me. I guess additional apps might be able to sample external gear and play it across keys. So maybe something like chameleon.

    A sampler for speech like fieldscaper.

    I can get enough glitch stuff with midi sequencing and effects.

    I guess Ninjajam might be like samplr but not sure what the key element needed is. Pitch?

    I think the modulating sequencing of loops might be something samplr dosent have and ninja is a mixing groovebox ( 8 bars )

    If it was a hardware unit with its functions would it be pretty mad? Sure.

  • I actually read what I write and its glitchy.

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