What are REAL BENEFITS of AUDIO UNITS?(vs.apps)

thelongrays

I've been running several instances of iSEM in GarageBand, and the difference is incredible.
Not having to fiddle around with external apps, deciding on which should be loaded first.
And the sounds !!! Oh the sounds, SO much better than the stuff provided as standard.
I can now see a point in the not-so-far-off-future where I can drop the desktop almost completely.
AU in Cubasis or Aria Pro is the ideal.
I can write, edit, share, collaborate, master all on a pad in my hand.
If I think about the power of the iPad Pro, the extra screen estate and the pencil, my head swims.

AudioGus

@RustiK said:
I must commend myself for another stellar thread testing the knowledge and creative thinking of such very impressive forum members.

hehe, they do seem to get a reaction. your thread titles and initial text sometimes read like Inside Edition news blasts. i often imagine swooshes and explosions when I read them.

j_liljedahl

@Cinebient said:

@j_liljedahl said:

@PhilW said:
In addition to good points already mentioned, there shouldn't be any sync issues, anything syncable should automatically sync to the host.

Yes, but actually this synch mechanism is exactly equal to the one that already came with Inter-App Audio. It just seems a lot of devs either don't bother to implement it, or do it wrong.

Since you are here..... where are the AU versions of your apps! If there are apps needed as AU, then yours!

I haven't even found time to start on that, much bigger projects to deal with first

chisel316

My analogy is this: With AB or IAA, iOS apps are used like outboard gear. You can only run one instance and you must bounce to audio before adding another track (unless the app is multi-timbral). With AU, apps are like using a VST. You can have multiple instances and the presets are saved with the DAW project. I didn't even realize I had an AU plug-in until I got the update to GarageBand which added AU support and iSEM showed up in the list. I can still run iSEM stand-alone or with AB or IAA, but if I load it as an AU plug-in in GB, then I can have multiple tracks with instances of iSEM and the presets are saved with the GB project, just like my desktop DAW running VSTs. I don't see any difference in the UI on my iPad mini 4 when running iSEM standalone vs. as an AU plug-in in GB. I think it's great!

Peace \/
chisel316

RUST( i )K

@AudioGus said:

@RustiK said:
I must commend myself for another stellar thread testing the knowledge and creative thinking of such very impressive forum members.

hehe, they do seem to get a reaction. your thread titles and initial text sometimes read like Inside Edition news blasts. i often imagine swooshes and explosions when I read them.

Love it.

Thanks, my intent exactly.

Sebastian

@RustiK said:
I must commend myself for another stellar thread testing the knowledge and creative thinking of such very impressive forum members.

I'm trying really hard to keep the general tone on the forum different from conversations on Facebook, Youtube or some major blogs. Creating a headline that reads similar to a buzzfeed headline isn't too hard and it'll create a discussion, but it might also create a heated argument with people yelling at each other. I'd love to see you stop using caps in your headlines while pitting one thing against another or (in)directly insulting developers or companies.

This forum is not a competition of who gets the most replies or who gets more people to disagree with each other. Please keep that in mind, since it'll ensure we're going to keep having a civil discourse here.

Sebastian

@rickwaugh said:
That is the only incentive any dev has to implement it.

And as we can see, that's not enough for the massive majority of developers to jump on the bandwagon. Summer last year we actively decided against doing an update with AU support until the ram limitations have been clarified or improved. And I'm following the discussion of other developers struggling with implementing it (it still has issues).

The GarageBand update did next to nothing to boost the one app that was compatible with it the day it launched and Apple is doing absolutely nothing to promote the technology. Apple has no means to do it at all.

rickwaugh

And to be honest, between audiobus and the plugins in Auria, I'm pretty damned happy. I have spent the money, I'm not ready to spend it all over. I think at some point in the future it may happen, but if it never does, I'm in a better spot recording wise than I have been, oh, pretty much ever.

theconnactic

I'd like more AUs, but that will come in due time - the technology is superior to IAA, and the bottleneck is the OS. For now, it's like @rickwaugh said: if you have AudioBus and a few Auria Pro plugs, you're good.

richardyot

Apple will probably ditch IAA, then find a way to cripple Audiobus, and then everyone will be forced to go with AU.

AndyPlankton

Personally, as long as I can press a key or pad on my controller and get a sound coming out that i can record and mess around with afterwards, I don't really care what makes that possible, just that it is possible, and huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to making that possible, and who continue to try and make it as smooth as it can be

Sebastian

@richardyot said:
Apple will probably ditch IAA, then find a way to cripple Audiobus, and then everyone will be forced to go with AU.

Yeah that's not going to happen. Apple is interested in not destroying this creative music market that distinguishes them from Android/Google.

AU is not a replacement for IAA because IAA works for full screen apps that work in standalone mode, which is the only feasible option to launch an app. AU is an afterthought after that is accomplished.

And it only works for synthesizers or simple effects apps.

richardyot

@Sebastian said:
Yeah that's not going to happen. Apple is interested in not destroying this creative music market that distinguishes them from Android/Google.

I really hope you're right, it's just that my experience with Apple on both desktop and mobile has been very disruptive over the years. They are ruthless when it comes to ditching old APIs in the name of progress, and the yearly iOS updates are even more disruptive.

It's interesting that you believe that they care about iOS music, and again I really hope you're right about that, because they break things an awful lot with iOS updates (for example many audio interfaces with 9.2). Perhaps it's just the lack of communication from them that makes it look as if they don't care.

Sebastian

It would be a PR disaster. Apple is very worried about their public image. Especially the one about Indy developers being able to make a living on their platforms.

iOS is supposed to be this creative platform, not just consumptive. Makes for great advertisement.

AQ808

I think if Apple doesn't get a filesystem in iOS soon (this year or next), the iPad and the "Pro" mythology will go completely belly up.

But, I also think their "closed ecosystem" will have to be retreated from within 5 years.