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So, all you ROTOR folks..................
What's up with ROTOR?
How was the weekend?
Tell us about the app now that you had a minute.
Comments
I like it, with reservations. But, I'd buy it again knowing what I know now.
It can be a little buggy. Some modules will stop playing if I'm playing around to much I guess. If I drag the module off, and bring it back, it plays fine.
I don't like that you can't import your own samples without iTunes sharing. Not only that, but when you record something within the app, it gets saved to iTunes sharing too. That's the only way you can get to it.
However, they say there's an update coming very soon that will support General audiocopy and several other methods. They don't say when, but say very soon. We'll see.
In the meantime, I'm ok with loading it up into AUM, Audiobus, or AudioShare to record that way. You can also run your looped samples into Rotor using it as an output in Audiobus.
So, for v1.0. It's pretty good, but needs those updates pronto.
I've had no freezes or crashes at all.
I played a few hours and I like it a lot. Don't forget this is version 1.0 Audio import/export without iTunes will be out soon. I've been playing with Audiobus without problems so far. I think this app is robust and stable, at least for my Air1. I'm going to buy the Rotor controllers just for fun:-)
Have you seen any control you get with those controllers that you don't get by simply double-tap and drag?
The controllers look fun. If they don't get greedy with the pricing, I'll likely get a couple too.
I think they mentioned something in the manual about one extra parameter in the 2D panel but nothing else in the module?I want to see them in action:-)
Been in it a lot, kind of obsessively- loaded and unloaded and reloaded tons of wav, ogg, and wavs from the Reactable community tables (including yours @RustiK - cool one)
Built a couple sampler instruments from imported multisample instruments...the trick for saving them involves placing a User folder inside the Presets file via iTunes
Was a fan of Reactable, am a fan now of Rotor, I find the environment inspiring, productive
Where is this community tables? And can you elaborate with a tad more instruction how you did the multisample instruments, the user folder inside presets via iTunes, etc.?
I'm loving it and I think it has a lot of scope to grow so hopefully it'll do well. I'm going to get at least one or two of the puck thingies as you can use them at an angle on a stand. No need to have them always there, just use them when modulating something.
Main things I'd like to see in future (other than more import connectivity):
multiple output nodes.
Less restrictions on modules esp more sequencers
midi learn
sample trimming
A module which hosts AU instruments and similar module for effects.
I wonder, if you have Rotor is it worth also getting Reactable? (a question to those that have both)
I've got both. Obviously Rotor is much better but both have Link. I don't think it's worth, except if you want the Reactable audio linked in Kotor but you have the same in Rotor plus the 'extras'
Thanks, yeah looks as though Rotor will likely get more development from now so best stick with that anyway.
Community tables: these are from the Reactable app, not Rotor...I have the Reactable app, downloaded several community tables into it, then - in iTunes - stripped those project files with the .wav kits inside from that app and moved them into Rotor. I'm using that resource because those tables tend to include tasty interesting wavs and the loops already fit the Rotor loop rules of 4/4 time and multiples of bars...
The User folder: is required to save wav-based sampler instruments, but it's not in the file system till you put it there...you will find "Preset", and inside is "Factory", but you can't save to it...I saw in manual that the User file is required to save user instruments, and after some serial frustrations I realized the file had to be created, and placed inside "Preset" this again via iTunes. The trick, working with iTunes, is copy the Preset file out of the app to desktop, create a "User" file inside it, then move it back into the app, and iTunes will ask if you want to replace the one in the app with the new one, and you do...iTunes doesn't let you place things inside of folders...iFunbox does allow you to open and add to those sub folders.
Multi sample instruments: except for not making the steps clear about creating a User file, the manual is pretty good about how to build instruments.
The wav-based sample instrument objects are set up so that as you rotate the object, the selector on the left edge of the ring moves note by note (tiny squares around the ring) and octave by octave (second ring of curvilinear rectangles) in a clockwise progression, double tap - drag up, and around the selector goes.
Stop at a little square, and select a file from the browser, move to the next and select another file etc...once a wav is loaded the little square beomes a bigger little square.
The app automagically spreads the samples across the gaps. I built an instrument just from C samples (36, 48, 60, 72, 84) and the blend came out nice.
Same approach to building a drum kit, assign a wav (ogg works too) to each little square by rotating the object through the notes.
(the manual says you can assign any # of samples to the same little square, which sounds interesting but I haven't tried it. The app does respond to velocity info via midi, but I'm not sure if layering up different velocity samples works with that facility. Might be more for creating instruments out of diverse sounds?)
Once built go to Preset/User and save.
To remove a sample from its key assignment use the eraser icon.
Why is ROTOR much better?
It'd be tricky to do a side by side...feature by feature it would be interesting if the dev themselves did the side by side chart but I don't think they're going to.
Reactable synths are 2 Osc., Rotor are 4 Osc. but with the IAP you can have 4 synths on the table in Reactable...Reactable has a global tempo and harmony facility, but I'm pretty sure Rotor's way with those factors is deeper and more sophisticated...what's interesting, the manual in Rotor is helping me understand Reactable better..
All this features are only in Rotor and I'm sure there're more:
I start with the UI. They improve the graphics with some visual feedback, overall I prefer this one so far. The effects has more modes (delay and filter) and there're a reverb and a limiter in the master plus the new beat repeat. There're 3 loops modes and the Tonalizer. I didn't try the Tonalizer with my own material yet. With the including content sounds good to my ears. Rotor has midi in and there's record button in the polyohonic sequencer:-) Only two oscillator modules in Kotor but 5 oscillator each! Is it possible to save your own presets. The monophonic sequencer can store 8 different sequences and it's an additional setting to automatically jump from one to the other.They added a new Random sequencer.As I say in the begining of the post, I'm sure there're more.
That's what's weird, and what I meant about Rotor teaching me more about Reactable. Reactable also has midi in, the monophonic sequencer also can store 8 seq. and has the auto advance function, random function, record function for both mono and poly sequencers. (The controls and icons are different, or located in different places, but the functionality is there).
Before Rotor I didn't know Reactable could do all that, the manual was weak and I just didn't understand all the icons. One example, "record" in Reactables sequencer is a "writing pen" icon, and in Rotor its the trad red button. Another example, the midi-in selection is in the sequencer in Reactable, and in the instrument nodes in Rotor.
Rotor is most definitely a Reactable upgrade, in a bunch of areas, but I found I didn't know what I had already in Reactable. Curious about the hardware component..
It's become my go-to environment outside of the full-on (conventional?) production workflow I'm using w/modstep and Auria Pro, and PCs
@Littlewoodg - thanks for the folder lowdown. Prompted me to add a user folder and bunch of hits and loops in sub folders via ifunbox. Now happily slicing beats and making bleepy bloopy shtuff:)
Is this for making loops or songs?
Or what are you doing with it?
Glad to pass it on
Well I'll be ding danged. I had no idea that reactable did all that. Thx @Littlewoodg !
@RustiK
Trying to use its tendencies to make song/long-form stuff. It's a fun way to compose, via planning then performance, live hands on loops, parameters, and instruments...
Thanks for breaking it down for me too. Appreciated.
I was wrestling with it and losing my cool, "Save Dammit, Save! Save! Save!", and wrote the dev, (a hopefully not-too-pissy email)...
...then figured it out as soon as I sent the email. Sharing it here made me feel a little less stupid and selfish, so my thanks to y'all, lol.
@Littlewoodg Thanks for your comments. I din't know and this honesly surprise me
It surprised me too. Rotor, and the manual, and then your post above sent me back to Reactable...trying to figure out the overlaps and differences is kind of a mind f#%k.
I've been bouncing back and forth between the two to see which one does the stuff I want to do and it's not clear cut at all. One thing that surprised me, I thought they both had record function for their monophonic sequencers, but it's actually only Reactable that has record for both polyphonic and monophonic sequencers (I thought the reverse was the case.).
The online manual looks stunning... http://reactable.com/rotor/manual/
Also, it looks like an official comparison is in the way soon.
I'm quite tempted by Reactable now too, so interested in the comparison.
How much are the little knobs to buy?
They didn't say anything about the price yet.
ROTOR 1.0 vs. Reactable Mobile 2.4.1 feature comparison
ROTOR and Reactable Mobile are both based in a similar modular approach, inherited from their tabletop mother, the reactable. That said, ROTOR presents many improvements from the Reactable Mobile version. These can be summarized as:
• Support for tangible ROTOR controllers.
• Redesigned User Interaction and User Interface optimized for the iPad, that result in a faster and more intuitive workflow, allowing to change any setting, control any parameter, etc., without interrupting the performance and the creative flow.
• ROTOR provides real-time automatic tonality detection features not available in any other iOS app. ROTOR analyses loops on the fly for extracting their key/tonality, and combines with its time-stretching/pitch shifting capabilities, for guaranteeing that all simultaneous loops and wavefiles will always in sync and in key between them.
• While both apps are specially designed for live performance, ROTOR new synchronization and recording features are specially tailored for the fast and seamless creation of loops, to be further imported into any other music application.
• Improved MIDI, Ableton Link and Audiobus support, makes it easier to run it in parallel with other music apps, on the same device or on other iPads/laptops.
• Improved sound generators and effects, plus new ones such as Beat Repeat.
• ROTOR comes with 100+ of high-quality loops by professional EDM producers.
• Contextual help, extensive interactive documentation and abundant demo material, that makes ROTOR much easy to learn and master.
Interesting, on the table it says no midi in for Reactable, yet apparently there is. So even they can't find it and they made it
Thanks