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.

Pause in music when switching apps?

Hi, I started another thread with some basic questions, as I am new to iOS music recording using audio interfaces and keyboards (I’ve only just used GarageBand on my phone with my thumbs). Now, I’ve got my guitar and novation keyboard plugged in and making good music, but I’m wondering…

how can I switch between apps without laggy pauses in the music? For example, if I get a drumbeat going in GarageBand and then switch over to Ampify’s Groovebox to play keyboards, the music glitches and stops for a split second until Groovebox pulls up on the screen. Even between two Ampify apps (Groovebox and Blocs Wave) it does that too.

Note:

  • for now, I am using my iPhone X. I haven’t got a brand new clean iPad to try this on. Maybe my phone is slowing it down, even though it is a new phone?
  • I also haven’t bought or installed audio bus. Part of my reason for posting this here is… I’m wondering whether I need that to be able to switch back-and-forth between musical instrument apps and recording/looping apps without any lag or pause.

Comments

  • Best way is to avoid using multiple standalone apps and use Audio Unit plugins inside a host instead. That way you don’t have to juggle with multiple apps.

  • edited April 2020

    I just filmed a little screen recording that shows what happens. I play the song in Groovebox and can completely minimize Groovebox and surf around my phone with no problems, still hearing the music in the background. But the moment I go to another music app, you hear the glitch in the music.

  • @brambos thanks, but like I said, I’m totally new to this, and I don’t understand what you were talking about at all. could you explain?

    For example, let’s say I’m using the L7 looper and want to build live performances. How would I play a synthesizer sound from one app, and then a guitar sound from another app, and then a drumbeat from another app… Without switching apps?

  • @Nolefinity said:
    @brambos thanks, but like I said, I’m totally new to this, and I don’t understand what you were talking about at all. could you explain?

    For example, let’s say I’m using the L7 looper and want to build live performances. How would I play a synthesizer sound from one app, and then a guitar sound from another app, and then a drumbeat from another app… Without switching apps?

    Get a host like AUM. You host all of the plug ins in AUM and you aren't switching or closing apps when you move between looper, synth etc. There are other options besides AUM but AUM is very popular and great choice if you mainly using it for live jamming

  • @rms13 OK, thanks for the recommendation.

    I’m a bit confused. What is audio bus? I assumed AUM was like a competitor. And even if I get AUM, i’m not sure what you mean by “you aren’t switching or closing apps“… Because wouldn’t I have to go to my synth app to play synth? Then my guitar app to play guitar? Maybe you are saying that AUM runs in the background and connects everything, and then I can switch from app to app without the sound cutting out.

  • When you have a host- like Audiobus or AUM- this will allow you to play your apps seamlessly together. You will need to appreciate the difference between Audio Units and Inter App Audio. You are given the option to open either when launching in AUM/ Audiobus etc. Both are types of apps. The ones you (and very many others) like at the moment- like Blocs Wave and Groovebox are Inter App Audio apps- otherwise referred to as ‘standalone’ apps. They are termed ‘standalone’ because within the host you can only use one instance of them each, and they tend to be CPU hungry- so you might have only three or four running in your host before you get crackles signalling overload- depending on how new your device is.
    On the other hand Audio Units are lightweight in terms of CPU and you can run multiple versions of the same app and other Audio Units without taxing your iPad too much. What generally tends to happen is you end up needing a sequencer to play your Audio Unit as opposed to being synth/sequencer contained within the one app- which doesn’t really suit me- there are a few exceptions however.
    Have you tried Korg Gadget yet?

  • @Nolefinity said:
    @rms13 OK, thanks for the recommendation.

    I’m a bit confused. What is audio bus? I assumed AUM was like a competitor. And even if I get AUM, i’m not sure what you mean by “you aren’t switching or closing apps“… Because wouldn’t I have to go to my synth app to play synth? Then my guitar app to play guitar? Maybe you are saying that AUM runs in the background and connects everything, and then I can switch from app to app without the sound cutting out.

    AUM is a virtual mixer. You run that app and then you can run all of your other AUv3, Audiobus and interapp audio apps and effects within AUM and all the audio is routed to the mixer in AUM so it's a great app. There are a ton of videos on YouTube for AUM that you can check out and get a better idea of how it works

  • @Nolefinity said:
    @rms13 OK, thanks for the recommendation.

    I’m a bit confused. What is audio bus? I assumed AUM was like a competitor.

    In the IOS beginning (not so long ago) there were just a few music apps, but they only worked Individually (and that was impressive in itself). Then Audiobus came as a pipework to connect different apps together, that changed everything. Apple was impressed enough to develop Inter App Audio (IAA). This worked both in and independently of Audiobus to allow you to use one app within another, but IAA was/is not without headaches, especially with syncing - a fair bit of setup required every time to determine which app is dictating tempo.

    AUM entered the scene, a beautiful and fluid mixer to host other apps. AUM overlaps with Audiobus, you can use one or the other or use both together to perform complementary tasks (noteably Loopy in Audiobus connected to AUM). Audio Units then emerged (AU3), with many advantages over IAA apps, a lot less plumbing required and the ability to run more than one instance of an App and generally more stable and less processor hungry. Another key development was Ableton Link, Ableton’s only gift to iOS (so far) - essentially a time keeper between Apps, between devices and between devices and computers over wireless.

    If I’ve got any of that wrong I’m sure someone will correct me. The important thing to realise is that this is not a mature ecosystem. It is amazing, but lots of things do not always work smoothly, partly because things are developing so rapidly. This forum is instrumental in navigating and driving that development, but many of us have been scratching our heads for years, so don’t rush your learning curve.

    If you were asking me where to start, I would say buy Audiobus and buy Loopy HD (excellent for guitar based looping). Play with them for a while. Buy AUM and an AU3 synth, fire them up and slowly start working out how to plumb things together. Then try to resist buying all the other apps... then give in and don’t feel bad about it.

    Specific to your posts, Groovebox is IAA only, which is becoming a limitation. I don’t use it much, but I do regularly use the related BlocsWave for it’s sample and slice ability. As IAA’s go it’s pretty solid and plays very nicely in both AUM and Audiobus. GarageBand has its place, but ultimately it doesn’t fit in too well to a multi-app workflow. I either use it on its own or not at all (occasionally I use the drummer in Audiobus because he’s a much better drummer than me). If you want to use Groovebox I’d park GB and head into the land of AB and AUM.

    Finally, I’m aware I’m developing a ‘late night long post after wine’ habit... apologies if I’m rambling on, this is when I should be getting lost in my headphones. Anyone else see a train of satellites in the night sky tonight? Freaked me out so much I had to come and hide here (now I’ve discovered it’s SpaceX, which hasn’t particularly soothed my anxiety).

  • I think you can even use GarageBand, as demo'd here:

  • Awesome comments, everyone! This is really informative and educational. Super helpful.

    I’ll probably post a question or two here or there, but hopefully some success stories as well. Until then, I’ll be watching more videos and testing.

    Thanks!

  • edited April 2020

    Enjoy! This forum itself almost makes up for the instability and glitchiness of ios music making. Such a great bunch of friendly, funny, knowledgeable people here, big hug / elbow bump to all of you.

  • Try to stay away from this forum or you will purchase far too many apps :D

  • Hahaha ... thanks!

    And I had some good luck with a few apps today.

    Stay tuned ...

  • edited May 2020

    Hey everyone, just wanted to say a big thanks for all of your good comments on this and my other questions last week.

    As I noted, I had some great success. I ended up just plugging my Fender mustang amp into my iPad via USB hub. Made my first live looping video using the “group the loop“ looper app and Groovebox.

    I bought audiobus on my iPad, but this video didn’t need it.

    Anyway, it’s great to know I’ve got a big group of people who can’t really guide me through all my next questions as I get going with iOS recording.

    Thank you!

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