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.

Audio Interface advice

Hello..I'm sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section.
I'm looking for some advice regarding audio interfaces. I use an Ipad for audio apps (synth apps and effects) and I also use some old analogue synths which I plan to record into the Ipad and also sometimes Ableton on the PC (I use a Zoom r24 but it's very noisy on certain inputs). I don't connect any microphones as my music is all electronic. I think a MIDI in/out would be good so that I can use the Ipad to sequence some of my old gear. I was looking at the Focusrite 4i4 although not sure if this would be overkill for me. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Cheers.

Comments

  • I'm using a 3rd gen Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 and it works flawlessly with my Ipad Pro 2017. When I set up a new session in AU it picks it up instantly without any need to configure any settings. I record vocals and my old synths straight into Garage band or Cubasis 2. You can also hook up the midi from your old gear and run sequences from within AU.

    I think it's better, if your budget allows, to get an audio interface with more inputs as there is nothing worse they trying to get by in the long run and running out of inputs as you find your studio synth collection grows! B)

    I sis also look at the Behringer audio interfaces and was seriously considering getting one of those but decided on the Focusrite instead.

    Hope that helps.

  • Thanks for that. I do have a small 8 input mixer which I could use to connect to the audio interface. I'm hoping to not buy any more actual synths as I really do have enough (yeah right!) I've only recently started using Ios synths and effects and must say I'm astounded by them.

  • Are you planing on recording more than 2 external devices (synths, drum machines) at the same time? If not this is a good buy.

  • @bmoo said:
    Thanks for that. I do have a small 8 input mixer which I could use to connect to the audio interface. I'm hoping to not buy any more actual synths as I really do have enough (yeah right!) I've only recently started using Ios synths and effects and must say I'm astounded by them.

    Me too. I have only been using an Ipad for about a year so I am truly delighted with the quality of the effects, synths ,daws etc. Got rid of a lot of hardware and now only have a few bits that I would never sell but for the most part I do everything in IOS now.

    Good luck.

  • I use an iConnect Audio4+ and very content with it. You can hook up an iPad and PC at the same time and transfer anything between them. It also has 4 mono inputs.

  • @ecou said:
    Are you planing on recording more than 2 external devices (synths, drum machines) at the same time? If not this is a good buy.

    Possibly although mostly I record a part at a time. I was thinking of hooking all my synths up to my Mackie mixer and then having the output of the mixer going to the inputs of the audio interface (to save plugging and unplugging stuff). I
    could then hook my monitor speakers up to the mixer for monitoring ( I think that would work). Probably looking to spend up to £200 on the interface.

  • I have the Audient Evo and I like that a lot. Audient makes some really quality interfaces

  • @bmoo said:

    @ecou said:
    Are you planing on recording more than 2 external devices (synths, drum machines) at the same time? If not this is a good buy.

    Possibly although mostly I record a part at a time. I was thinking of hooking all my synths up to my Mackie mixer and then having the output of the mixer going to the inputs of the audio interface (to save plugging and unplugging stuff). I
    could then hook my monitor speakers up to the mixer for monitoring ( I think that would work). Probably looking to spend up to £200 on the interface.

    The problem with hooking a mixer up to your audio interface is there is the potential of adding unwanted noise into the signal chain,

  • Maybe also check if your recording app works well with your interface.
    I used this list when I was doing my research recently.

    http://auriaapp.com/Support/auria-audio-interfaces.

    There are even more threads about interfaces on the auria/cubasis forums.

    In the end I got a Steinberg UR 44.

  • Ah great, thanks for the comments everyone. I'm glad I asked the question on here..some good advice so far. Yeah maybe I'll leave the mixer out of the equation and use AUM along with the interface. I already have a CCK usb adapter and a powered usb hub ready. I'll check out that auriaa site.

  • edited May 2020

    I need a HUGE advice or even guide. Basically, I want to record my Mac synths INTO my iPad. I need an audio interface for sure. I want to be able to send midi to my Mac too. In other words, I want to use my Mac as instrument. But how can I do that? I am really struggling trying to know how. Thank you guys.

  • edited May 2020

    I have a zoom U24 which is good. For professional work i have a tascam us2020. Works perfect with iPad. They also have a 4x4 in/out with Ultra-HDDA mic preamps which provides pristine audio quality. Also midi in/out. XLR/TRS jacks.

  • @Yalexein I suggest you give this some hard thought. The D/A audio output from the computer is a near-perfect replica of the internal digital data. But A/D conversion in the audio interface inherently adds noise, because the sampling is not synced with the original digital signal. Hard to say how much, but it could be a real problem. Much better to keep the data in digital form until it's ready to be heard.

  • edited May 2020

    @uncledave said:
    @Yalexein I suggest you give this some hard thought. The D/A audio output from the computer is a near-perfect replica of the internal digital data. But A/D conversion in the audio interface inherently adds noise, because the sampling is not synced with the original digital signal. Hard to say how much, but it could be a real problem. Much better to keep the data in digital form until it's ready to be heard.

    So, in the end, I cannot record Mac audio into iPad without losing some quality. Ok, but can I send midi data from iPad to Mac while recording, even at costs of a bit of quality? The other way around would be to use the macbook as DAW and the iPad as an audio device. However, I have some many good apps on the iPad that would be a real pity.

  • edited May 2020

    To record Mac Audio into IOS (or vice versa) the iConnectAudio4+ is a (near) perfect solution.
    It's not restricted to the physical ports of the interface but provides 5 stereo busses that do low latency interchange between apps and DAW or whatever.
    The iCA4+ serves both Mac and iPad simultanously (2 interfaces in 1 case) - and it has Midi, too (with same routing capabilities).
    Just do a check if it fits your current OS versions (I use mine in IOS-9 and High Sierra).

  • @Yalexein said:
    I need a HUGE advice or even guide. Basically, I want to record my Mac synths INTO my iPad. I need an audio interface for sure. I want to be able to send midi to my Mac too. In other words, I want to use my Mac as instrument. But how can I do that? I am really struggling trying to know how. Thank you guys.

    Maybe check out studiomux and midimux

    https://apps.apple.com/de/app/studiomux/id966554837?l=en

    https://apps.apple.com/de/app/midimux/id963133945?l=en

    I tried studiomux years ago and it was easy to use. Recorded something from samplr into ableton. Not sure if it works with all mac osXs and ios versions. Also hasn't been updated in a while. Maybe there are similar newer apps?

    As for external hardware:
    If you want to record audio between mac and ipad in professional/high quality you would basically need 2 audiointerfaces . Or you use the built in output of the mac/ipad. I'd say that for many cases even the internal output is good enough quality so that you'd need only one audio interface. For midi you would definitely need two midi interfaces.

    Maybe you could also record your mac synth on the mac and then just send the recording to the ipad? Not really sure what your setup is and what exactly you want to do. Hope that helps a bit.

  • I have just been looking at the iconnectAUDIO2+ seems very versatile for about £180, anybody used these?

  • The iCA4+ comes with powersupply and a $40 charging cable included, so the the price difference to the iCA2+ is less dramatic than it may seem at first glance. ;)

  • Ok thanks, I hadn't looked at the 4+

  • If you find an IC4+ buy it quick. There is nothing else out there like it, and according to info elsewhere on this forum, is currently not being made due to a lack of parts. I know for sure that it has become impossible to source in shops here in the UK. I left it too long and the store that promised they could supply one ending up refunding my money.

  • edited May 2020

    Motu M4 has loopback so you can record iOS system output to any app. I bought its big brother the 828es because I couldn't find an M4 and also needed micpres and inputs for my hardware synths. I couldn't be happier amazing sound quility dead quiet pres and clean powerful headphone amps. I use it for my macbook and iPad. on the ipad i can route itunes, youtube or any system audio to any ios app that records. The M4 is even better because loop playback is an actual feature with no routing needed.
    Also has midi

  • @Svetlovska Most of the uk dealers on the iconnectivity website seem to have them available to order but not in stock. Even iconnectivity themselves have them as out of stock on their own website.

    There are some on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00UAD1NY4?pf_rd_r=GA72TW56S5NW31HY0QK9&pf_rd_p=e632fea2-678f-4848-9a97-bcecda59cb4e

    whether its really available or not I don't know but it says it could be delivered by June.

  • used 1st gen focusrite 6i6 is best imo if you dont want to spend much more than 100€. 4i4 in my eyes is kinda like you should get 6i6 instead, or just 2i2, or some steinberg or roland or same price range as 2i2.

    Its good to buy used since audio interfaces dont usually break easily. Especially good brand ones. And the low end ones are usually from people who bought them new, didnt like to make music and now wants to sell it, or likes music and wants to upgrade to something bigger. Either way good brand cheaper audio interfaces are worth buying used. Especially since you can get something like the 1st gen 6i6 a bit cheaper than a new 2i2. Those new generation 2i2 or 4i4 dont have anything special over the 1st gen 6i6.

  • edited May 2020

    @kin - yep, chasing down the order I placed and ultimately got refunded from ABC Music, I had a direct response from Iconnect themselves where they told me it was withdrawn, and tried to up sell me on one of their regular audio interfaces, which isn’t the same thing at all. You can order them , and I suppose there might be a couple sitting somewhere in a middlemans’s warehouse somewhere, but at this stage in the UK I’d be amazed if you actually succeeded in buying one, new at least.

    @kin : ok, update, following your post, I checked back with Bax Music, one of the suppliers who had previously shown it on order only, to find they are showing two actually in stock available for shipping. That is now one, so fingers crossed it actually shows up! Thanks for the tip, I’d given it up as a lost cause. Gotta love this forum. :)

  • Thanks for the advice everyone...I ended up with a Focusrite 4i4....really liking it, can now sequence my Moog Mother 32 via midi port using drambo and feed the output back in using AUM for processing. Sounds great. Have tried it out with Ableton too and works really well.

  • @Svetlovska , great I hope it turns up for you.

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