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Soliciting Suggestions for Sequencer on iPhone (5)
Hi, I'm still playing catch-up here, there's a bewildering array of possible apps!
I'm pretty happy that my iPad is now a fully featured workstation, though I'm tempted to throw in genome and/or modstep, cream to complete the picture. However my iPhone is lacking a (normalish) sequencer to drive the lovely synths I've put on.
I'm not sure what to pick here, Xynthesizer and MidiStep both look like they might fit the bill.
I'd value any opinions people could share.
Thanks!
Comments
Beat Maker 2 or Yamaha Music Mobile Sequencer
Xynthesizr.
You will not be sorry.
You use iPhone, midiSequencer is a good choice.
If you use iPad, you really need to look whether you are manual driving the arp, in which the StepPolyArp and Arpegist are yours. If you want an mechanical auto designing, you need to look around the Start/Stop playhead to synch well with. I think you can not find any thing beteer than what you mentioned already, except the Fugue Machine which should be on top of your list.
My experiences told me, whatever chosen by you, you just need to find a comfortable one for you. There is nothing better than the one you like. They all have characters, so no one is so much better than others.
+1 for full multitrack MIDI arrangements.
+1 or midiSequencer or Little MIDI Machine for single track tasks (though xynthesizer can actually send to multiple devices at once). Note that funkbox has a midi out track (calls it bass). Funkbox and miniSynth are a mean combo.
Thanks for the suggestions!
BM2 and YMMS both seem a bit more full featured than I need, and certainly larger. I only have a16Gb phone so I'm trying to keep the lid on my app sizes - I've already discarded Garage Band, FL Studio HD and Caustic 3 on the phone because they're too big, and I didn't really get on with them anyway. I guess I'll reconsider if I can't find anything else.
I've tried Xynthesizr now, and I kinda like it; managed to route into multiple instruments without too much trouble (the AB bar doesn't seem to work on DXi and Sunrizer.). Pretty cool, I'll probably keep it around, but I find the single pattern workflow is a bit too restrictive in general. I'd did like live-tweaking the patterns into a recording, but I'd prefer to chain a few patterns together instead.
Little MIDI machine does nothing but crash as far as I can tell, so that's out.
It looks like midiSequencer is a single pattern solution too, though it seems we have "snapshots" to store variations?
Are there any other apps I should look at?
Also, on iPad I have Cubasis for multitrack recording, what are good lightweight alternatives on the phone? multitrackDAW?
Thanks in advance for any further insights.
There's Arpeggionome for iPhone. Not exactly a sequencer, but you can have it play continuously. Same thing with Gestrument, though it's an app that is really designed to be played.
If you're talking controller and not sequencer, ChordPolyPad is essential as far as I'm concerned.
One other app that comes to mind is Magellan Jr, a synth with a sequencer that also has MIDI out.
Bassline using midi out
Oscilab
6 simultaneous channels with great control and a pattern feature PLUS great internal instruments.
That is a good suggestion, but I have never been able to rig a way to silence Bassline's own audio output when using it as a sequencer.
I think N-Track does MIDI out.
Music Studio. It ain't small, but it's easier to use (IMO) than Beatmaker 2, and you can sequence external synths with a pretty good piano roll.
Music Studio by Alexander Gross
https://appsto.re/us/BSILt.i
Just turn Bassline's amplifier volume (in the FX page) down to zero.
Thanks, Matt_!
Cool idea about Bassline. I don't own it and never realized it had 4 tracks. That and Funkbox would get you 5 tracks. Funkbox doesn't have a song mode but you can have it play multiple patterns in order (up to the 16 in the bank). It will also change patterns via MIDI though if I recall correctly it's via MIDI note messages vs program changes.
You might then be able to use something like midiSequencer to just send program changes/notes to both apps in order to build a full song. midiSequencer will allow you to repeat any step so you can emulate 'sections' with that. I haven't tried this so I'll expect a full report, thx.
And yes, looks like N-Track does MIDI out but hard to tell if it's IAA only from the app store.
Also, MIDI requires the Pro Version or a $3 IAP on the standard version ($11 total). https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/n-track-studio-multitrack/id423520070?mt=8
Bonus: only 85mb. I tried it years ago and wasn't a fan. Sounds like it would fit the bill though (presuming it's not IAA only). I have enough space to suffer Beatmaker so I just use that for multi-track stuff. Definitely not ideal but it works.
I didn't realize until this thread that Auxy for iPhone didn't do MIDI Out. A shame.
I'd send the dev a message about LMM crashing. He's very responsive.
Thanks for the additional ideas folks! I'll probably try a couple more of these.
I'm finding Bassline almost useable, and kind of fun in it's own right. I have funkbox already too, but I haven't tried its midi feature yet. I will do so ASAP.
I have Oscilab already, and I bloody love it, I get totally wrapped up when I'm using it. It's an awesome way to ignore long bus journeys. Alas it doesn't let me draw in my own notes directly just adjust the waves. (as far as I can tell, am I missing an important mode of operation?).
I think Auxy's interface is brilliant, though possibly a little too slimmed, but as noted it doesn't do live MIDI out (though the export works now - yay!). I'm finding the Auxy sounds a bit too familiar now, though this may be my own fault for not messing with the tweaks enough, but everything I make with it is sounding a bit same-y to my ears.
There seems to be a gap in the market here for a no frills multitrack pattern based MIDI sequencer on the phone.
I am giving serious consideration to writing one myself.
Agree. @midiSequencer's developer is working on a multi-track version of the app with a song mode. Not positive but think he mentioned the recent port of the mS app to iPhone was partly in preparation for new one being Universal.
I tried to make it a whole thread without mentioning but I can't. If you already own NanoStudio, remember that you can sample external synths into Eden via Audiobus and then just use its sequencer. They wont sound the same (eden mono and modulations from the original will out of time) but it's good stuff sequencing wise. Plus, you can add modulation back via Eden's own controls. Caveat: I heard AB wasn't working with NS in iOS 9 (I'm still on 8 so can't verify). So if you've upgraded to 9, double check before you bother purchasing it. You can, of course, sample into something like AudioShare or Loopy and then copy and paste into NS but that's a bit more workflowy.
Also Midi Editor ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/midi-editor-music-sketchpad/id718065823?mt=8 ) for 5 bucks
I can make a song in Auxy copy it one part at a time into midi editor and play (also one part at a time)
ALSO alternatively:
Save Auxy composition to Dropbox
Open in AudioShare (midi repository and can hold multiple voices)
Send to Sunvox and assign midi channels as wanted to each voice
To clarify @syurpcore - Bassline doesn't have 4 tracks, just 1. It has 4 pattern slots.
Thanks! Almost bought it and woulda been sad.
I've decided to write my own sequencer then, since nothing's quite fitting the bill. This will likely take some time...
I have more years experience than I'd care to admit writing software and a current apple dev account.
I know how to use google and stack overflow, but if anyone can offer up additional links to help me get up to speed, that would be very cool. I have programmed plenty audio in years past, but no MIDI except for some simple file parsing.
Go, man.
Benjamin Disraeli: "When I want to read a good book, I write one."
@JiggyWig
If you could get it to perform sub-pattern loops (and then return to the main pattern in sync) like the remix pad in either Genome or Bleep!box (same dev) you'd be a hero.
.
For me it's all about being able to mix up basic patterns (multi track ideally) on a performance screen (ideally with midi cc manipulation on the same page too).
I can certainly consider such additional madness when I have the basics together. :-)
I think Audeonic's MidiBus SDK (free) is still good to go.Takes a lot of mystery in MIDI low level handling out of the equation for you. midiSequencer for example uses it.
Sweet. The more midi controllers the better, and yeah iPhone midi controllers are lacking.
I love u man
Thanks for that tip @dwarman
If Lumur got Link then it might be possible to build in that. Lumur has sequencer templates but the problem is the reliability of the clock apparently.
Also for now, little midi machine has sequencing for 2 tracks. And is iPhone compatable.
I find the interface hard though, cos doesn't show the note names.
You've also got some more crazy stuff like Rhythm Neckless, TNR-e (MidiOut I think) and Poly.
And I believe Yammaha Mibile Music Studio is on iPhone.