This madness! Mazetools Soniface

skiphunt

@mazetools said:
@Telefunky : thank you, we'll do our best to get things more clear with more details about the app and the concept and with a online/offline manual on our website.

@Carnbot, @Trueyorky and @MonzoPro : the basic connectivity like midi/osc and the in/outputs like samples/audio/video will be available soon as possible depending on the certification and validation stuff. Our aim to get it ableton-linked and able to get wired with the audiobus is also planned for this year. I think our upcoming free-version will also be a cool thing to see how it works and i'm really lookin forward to get your feedback.

What i missed to say is, to get further help about parameters, menus or functions inside of the app, you can press the "?" button, even if it is already activated, or press the "tour" button in start menu.

Have a nice day and keep it up

I dig all of your art pieces and I'm definitely interested. If the internal recording or IAA and/or AB won't be added until later in the year, I may wait awhile. But, if at least recording internally with export to AudioShare and/or IAA was going to make it into the next update, I might just buy this now.

Any estimate on when basic internal recording with export to AudioShare (NOT iTunes filesharing Please!!!) and IAA might make it into the app? I know you said AudioBus might be later in the year, but what about the other recording features?

Trueyorky

OK I'm on it and 30 minutes in I seem to be finding my way around quite well. A little trial and error the menus seem fairly logical and I appreciate the potential on offer. Several 'sets' available to load to get you going and each one can contain lots of patterns so you can switch between to create a performance on the fly. Adding and copying patterns is easy and the examples show a good sonic range. Within each pattern you can have several things going on at once so sound / rythmn individually set in each with lots of automation etc., So far so good

mazetools

@skiphunt
We'll do our best to get it connected to the essential tools. First of all there will be MIDI/OSC and a recording function. Thank you, we really appreciate your constructive feedback.

@Trueyorky
Really glad about your impressions by testing Soniface. There's an update coming next days including following Improvements:

• corrected beat sync (that will also be used for midi-sync), solved sync problem by cloning patterns and loading sets/mazes
• improved rendering process for better performance - there will be a further update for this issue, which improves the whole render infrastructure.
• reduced noise and clicks

Thank you for sharing your impressions and your helpful thoughts

[Deleted User]

@mazetools , thanks for all your videos, feedback and especially for a new kind of app...

Question for you: is it possible to record automation in the drum part (for example, or any part) of your app, and how long time can be recorded?
It would create variations in a loop, making it sound like more loops or a non repetitive loop.
Thanks

mazetools

@soundklinik
this is a really good question, because in the current version you can automate the mazecontrollers by short tab on it. There you can draw an automation curve, you can randomize it, invert it, clear it. But this automation is just one dimension of the 2D controller. Our plan is to add the other dimension and the loop-recording function for the maze controllers, the gestures and the simple maze position.

Thank you for your nice feedback

sincopatyc

@mazetools

Today Bought it! but always crash!please solve the problem! i have ipad air 2 10.3.2 thanks....

Trueyorky

@sincopatyc my iPad Air 2 is on 10.3.1 and I have also had crashes but not enough to dampen my enjoyment of this app. I'm using my time to explore it and to build my skills ready for future updates. I've created some great sounding sets from scratch and look forward to recording my audio output

Carnbot

I'm into this app. Yes it has some bugs and needs Link, connectivity etc. But it already can produce great results. The synth is deeper than at first looks. I think the first 10 minutes with the app were a bit confusing but after 1/2 an hour to an hour it's pretty intuitive.

Separate outs for the rhythm part and synth part would be nice. Can't wait for the sample import/midi, Link etc.
It's not going to be for everyone but it works for me.

Haven't quite figured all the gestures yet. I can see why this better suited for larger displays like the surface and ipad pro 12 inch.

Trueyorky

@Carnbot a big find for me was the different gestures and control available depending how many fingers you use to swipe and rotate around the screen. Try it - 2, 3, 4 etc give different results triggering controls like reverb, vibrato. My music leans away from drone and cinematic towards a harder edge so I pushed this app and was impressed with the results. You can set different tempos for each sound, rythmn and automation

Carnbot

@Trueyorky said:
@Carnbot a big find for me was the different gestures and control available depending how many fingers you use to swipe and rotate around the screen. Try it - 2, 3, 4 etc give different results triggering controls like reverb, vibrato. My music leans away from drone and cinematic towards a harder edge so I pushed this app and was impressed with the results. You can set different tempos for each sound, rythmn and automation

I'll try that, thanks. I like it has a kind of song mode, where you can play your different scenes in sequence. But have you found out how to arrange the scenes? Or are they stuck in the order you create them in the set?

Trueyorky

@Carnbot said:

@Trueyorky said:
@Carnbot a big find for me was the different gestures and control available depending how many fingers you use to swipe and rotate around the screen. Try it - 2, 3, 4 etc give different results triggering controls like reverb, vibrato. My music leans away from drone and cinematic towards a harder edge so I pushed this app and was impressed with the results. You can set different tempos for each sound, rythmn and automation

I'll try that, thanks. I like it has a kind of song mode, where you can play your different scenes in sequence. But have you found out how to arrange the scenes? Or are they stuck in the order you create them in the set?

I did see this tweet from Mazetools...
Workin on the pattern mechanics, to make it easier to arrange sets. A further update is on the… instagram.com/p/BU9yS-Igu1Z/

Trueyorky

@Carnbot a quick test I would say the + sign adds a pattern before whichever one you are currently on.

Carnbot

@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

skiphunt

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

+1 for this.

Interested in Mazetools too, but so far most of the sounds are a bit samey. Is there not much room to customize the sound engine characteristics?

Trueyorky

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

That's what TC data is for isn't it ?

Trueyorky

@skiphunt said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

+1 for this.

Interested in Mazetools too, but so far most of the sounds are a bit samey. Is there not much room to customize the sound engine characteristics?

You can choose the basic wave - sine, saw etc. then draw and modulate it, you can layer each sound with its own automatable LFO, animation, movement, tone, ADSR, sequence etc. so yes lots of sound sculpting options

Carnbot

@Trueyorky said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

That's what TC data is for isn't it ?

I mean with the TC-11 synth which probably has wider range than Soniface as a synth right now, plus you always have to be touching the surface with TC-11/data. With this you can set stuff up and then jump in and change it as you go along.

Trueyorky

@Carnbot said:

@Trueyorky said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

That's what TC data is for isn't it ?

I mean with the TC-11 synth which probably has wider range than Soniface as a synth right now, plus you always have to be touching the surface with TC-11/data. With this you can set stuff up and then jump in and change it as you go along.

I sort of did this with the MIDI out of TC data to drive a few other synths but I agree that Soniface is very good for getting several things going at once. I think the more we understand this app the more we will be blown away by it

Carnbot

@skiphunt said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

+1 for this.

Interested in Mazetools too, but so far most of the sounds are a bit samey. Is there not much room to customize the sound engine characteristics?

You can change a fair bit, not as much as a dedicated synth app perhaps. But I like the sounds you can get from it.

skiphunt

@Carnbot said:

@skiphunt said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

+1 for this.

Interested in Mazetools too, but so far most of the sounds are a bit samey. Is there not much room to customize the sound engine characteristics?

You can change a fair bit, not as much as a dedicated synth app perhaps. But I like the sounds you can get from it.

I like them too, but it's just that everything I've heard so far sounds very similar... including the @brice quicky sampling.

I've also noticed that most (if not all) of the Soniface demos appear to be on a very large touch surface using both hands. How does that translate to a standard 9.7in iPad screen's real estate?

Carnbot

@skiphunt said:

@Carnbot said:

@skiphunt said:

@Carnbot said:
@Trueyorky This is the sort of thing I wish that TC-11 would add to it's toolset too, the ability to sequence and add automated modulation which you can then manipulate in real time.

+1 for this.

Interested in Mazetools too, but so far most of the sounds are a bit samey. Is there not much room to customize the sound engine characteristics?

You can change a fair bit, not as much as a dedicated synth app perhaps. But I like the sounds you can get from it.

I like them too, but it's just that everything I've heard so far sounds very similar... including the @brice quicky sampling.

I've also noticed that most (if not all) of the Soniface demos appear to be on a very large touch surface using both hands. How does that translate to a standard 9.7in iPad screen's real estate?

it's totally useable on a 9.7 but I'd prefer it on a larger device. I am probably getting a new Pro at some point when money allows. Some of the gestures feel a bit "sticky" on an Air2 and there are a few performance issues which are getting updates but I'm having a lot of fun with this.

skiphunt

I bought this last night. Wow! This is right up my ally. I think I tend to gravitate to many of these unconventional interfaces because I'm not a traditional musician, and really more of a sound designer. It didn't take more than about an hour to get a very good grip on what most of the app does.

Although it's cool that it also runs on an iPhone, on a little SE screen it's kind of amusing.

The dev @mazetools mentioned on their instagram feed that they've got sound recording working in beta. I'm not sure if that's just for the Windows install, Android, etc. but I hope it makes it to iOS with the next update too. And, fingers crossed they support export out to AudioShare!

Carnbot

@skiphunt said:
I bought this last night. Wow! This is right up my ally. I think I tend to gravitate to many of these unconventional interfaces because I'm not a traditional musician, and really more of a sound designer. It didn't take more than about an hour to get a very good grip on what most of the app does.

Although it's cool that it also runs on an iPhone, on a little SE screen it's kind of amusing.

The dev @mazetools mentioned on their instagram feed that they've got sound recording working in beta. I'm not sure if that's just for the Windows install, Android, etc. but I hope it makes it to iOS with the next update too. And, fingers crossed they support export out to AudioShare!

Yep I thought you'd like this one
I think it's great and look forward to when it's easier to record stuff with Link but so far have been recording into my computer with nice results.

brice

@skiphunt said:
I bought this last night. Wow! This is right up my ally. I think I tend to gravitate to many of these unconventional interfaces because I'm not a traditional musician, and really more of a sound designer. It didn't take more than about an hour to get a very good grip on what most of the app does.

Although it's cool that it also runs on an iPhone, on a little SE screen it's kind of amusing.

The dev @mazetools mentioned on their instagram feed that they've got sound recording working in beta. I'm not sure if that's just for the Windows install, Android, etc. but I hope it makes it to iOS with the next update too. And, fingers crossed they support export out to AudioShare!

Great to hear that! I've finally warmed up to it after a few stubborn sessions. Only gripes are with the somewhat limited sound palette, and it tends to crash a fair amount when pushed hard. Really hoping they get that squared away and that they'll also implement sample import. And of course the whole IAA, Link, AB thing. A lot of potential in this one.

brice

@Carnbot said:

@skiphunt said:
I bought this last night. Wow! This is right up my ally. I think I tend to gravitate to many of these unconventional interfaces because I'm not a traditional musician, and really more of a sound designer. It didn't take more than about an hour to get a very good grip on what most of the app does.

Although it's cool that it also runs on an iPhone, on a little SE screen it's kind of amusing.

The dev @mazetools mentioned on their instagram feed that they've got sound recording working in beta. I'm not sure if that's just for the Windows install, Android, etc. but I hope it makes it to iOS with the next update too. And, fingers crossed they support export out to AudioShare!

Yep I thought you'd like this one
I think it's great and look forward to when it's easier to record stuff with Link but so far have been recording into my computer with nice results.

Would love to hear some of your recordings....if you're up for sharing.

Telefunky

@brice don't mind the crashes too much, I can do that with any Apesoft/Amazing Noises app - or rather whenever really sick parameters are 'allowed'
no risk - no fun

JohnnyGoodyear

@brice said:

@skiphunt said:
I bought this last night. Wow! This is right up my ally. I think I tend to gravitate to many of these unconventional interfaces because I'm not a traditional musician, and really more of a sound designer. It didn't take more than about an hour to get a very good grip on what most of the app does.

Although it's cool that it also runs on an iPhone, on a little SE screen it's kind of amusing.

The dev @mazetools mentioned on their instagram feed that they've got sound recording working in beta. I'm not sure if that's just for the Windows install, Android, etc. but I hope it makes it to iOS with the next update too. And, fingers crossed they support export out to AudioShare!

Great to hear that! I've finally warmed up to it after a few stubborn sessions. Only gripes are with the somewhat limited sound palette, and it tends to crash a fair amount when pushed hard. Really hoping they get that squared away and that they'll also implement sample import. And of course the whole IAA, Link, AB thing. A lot of potential in this one.

Word for word.

Trueyorky

Latest post from dev...

mazetoolsUPDATE 1.03 IS ON THE WAY
we added a record function that records directly into WAV files. I already recorded whole songs with my small moto Phone. We re still improving the accessibility of the saved files and will add midi/osc In/out in the further updates. C U

Mayo

I'm LOVING this app!

idexis

@Carnbot said:

@Trueyorky said:
@Carnbot a big find for me was the different gestures and control available depending how many fingers you use to swipe and rotate around the screen. Try it - 2, 3, 4 etc give different results triggering controls like reverb, vibrato. My music leans away from drone and cinematic towards a harder edge so I pushed this app and was impressed with the results. You can set different tempos for each sound, rythmn and automation

I'll try that, thanks. I like it has a kind of song mode, where you can play your different scenes in sequence. But have you found out how to arrange the scenes? Or are they stuck in the order you create them in the set?

@Trueyorky and @Carnbot
After following your discussion I got Mazetools. It's very interesting and will only get better when better integration is ready. Fun to dive in and see what happens and gradually learn to handle the instrument. Thanks for focusing on what's in the app so I could decide.