DM1 Drum Machine or something else as Midi Controller?

MoonWolf

@paulyboy69, your story is very inspiring. This community is so full of amazing people, all over the world. I scanned this thread pretty quickly, but wanted to mention Genome Midi Sequencer as a possible option. You can use the piano roll to sequence any app that has decent midi implementation. I'm currently using it with NoisePad, Sunrizer and Thor. Works pretty smoothly.

JamMaestro

@paulyboy69 glad its useful!

@moonwolf I have been waiting FOREVER for that app to go on sale, dying to try it out but its just a bit expensive for a 'try' for me. Have heard mixed reports that it has a few bugs, do you find the same?

alexbuga

There's a very nice sequencer from Nord, designed for Nord drum, but it works with any midi instrument.

It also has velocit sensitive pads

PhilW

I have quickly scanned this thread - kudos to JamMaestro for his gesture. But I'd also recommend Gadget as being very easy to enter tunes, beats and patterns using the grid, as well as in real time using the scale keyboard. Unless there is an overriding physical reason that portrait mode cannot be used, I think you'd get a lot out of it.

supadom

@Paulyboy69 said:

So far StepPolyArp and/or Thunbjam seem like the best options for me. Although Thunbjam doesn't seem like it has a sequencer like DM1 does unless I'm missing something? But what does seem possible is using StepPolyArp as a MIDI input and Thunbjam, with all of its great sounding instruments, as a Midi output. If I can easily build patterns in StepPolyArp as easily as I can in DM1 it would seem like I could build a pattern for all kinds of different Instruments (not just synthesizers) using Thunbjam as a MIDI output?

So does this seem correct? I don't want to drop $20 on both of these apps and find out that's not the case. Although I suppose I could just get Ste0PolyArp first and try using it as a controller for some of the apps I already have which have a fair amount of instruments and sounds of their own.

Thanks again everybody for all of your help.

Hi @Paulboy69 welcome to the forum!

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned it but there are 2 apps that you may find very good for what you need. They're not too expensive either. One is Chordion and the other Xynthesizer. Chord ion has chord pads and keys and a little programmable drum machine. It can be used to trigger other instruments via virtual midi and works very well but also internal sounds are not bad and fairly customizable with fx etc. Xynthesizer just had a major update so I'm not sure if it works well as a controller but it certainly has it on the feature list. Actually the internal synth engine is very good. Hope this helps. Both these apps are really intuitive and fun to play. Enjoy.

Tritonman2

He already is using xsynth.

supadom

@Tritonman2 said:

He already is using xsynth.

Haha, my intuition was right, I new he'd get along with it. The updated version is also way more usable.

MoonWolf

@jammaestro, I have faced some challenges getting Genome to produce predictable results with some apps and presets. It could be the usually suspect midi implementation of most iOS apps or my noob status when it comes to sequencing, etc. With some experimentation, though, I've gotten what I need from it. There was rumored to be a v2 in beta, but I haven't heard anything more for quite a while.

Tritonman2

@supadom said:

@Tritonman2 said:

He already is using xsynth.

Haha, my intuition was right, I new he'd get along with it. The updated version is also way more usable.

Yes I love this app since yesterdays update! It is fun right off the bat and I agree the internal sounds are pretty good as well but it runs my other apps so nicely also. +100 for XSynth!

daveproper

Genome definitely works, but there are some challenges with the workflow and UI strangeness. I'm on an iPad 3 and I have difficulty sequencing more than one app at a time without something crashing.

I have BM2 as well and I usually end up just using that because it seems more stable. The UI and workflow have their own issues, I just find them less difficult to get through than Genome.

Paulyboy69

@MoonWolf said:

@paulyboy69, your story is very inspiring. This community is so full of amazing people, all over the world. I scanned this thread pretty quickly, but wanted to mention Genome Midi Sequencer as a possible option. You can use the piano roll to sequence any app that has decent midi implementation. I'm currently using it with NoisePad, Sunrizer and Thor. Works pretty smoothly. <

Thank you for your suggestions @MoonWolf and your kind comments. :-)

Paulyboy69

@alexbuga said:

There's a very nice sequencer from Nord, designed for Nord drum, but it works with any midi instrument.

It also has velocit sensitive pads

Thanks so much for the suggestion @alexbuga and it's free! I will definitely check this out. My music creation app collection seems to be growing sequentially every day!

Paulyboy69

@PhilW said:

I have quickly scanned this thread - kudos to JamMaestro for his gesture. But I'd also recommend Gadget as being very easy to enter tunes, beats and patterns using the grid, as well as in real time using the scale keyboard. Unless there is an overriding physical reason that portrait mode cannot be used, I think you'd get a lot out of it.

I kind of have to use my iPad in landscape mode but even so I'm not against using apps that only work in portrait mode. As far as Gadget goes I already have more of these apps than I know what to do with,and I'm just essentially a beginner, so I intend to first see what I can do with what I already have before investing in such a pricey app.

Nevertheless Gadget is on my WishList so if I can take this "hobby" to the next level then it's going to be one of the first things I look at.

Thanks for the suggestion though @PhilW!

Paulyboy69

@supadom said:

Hi @Paulboy69 welcome to the forum!

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned it but there are 2 apps that you may find very good for what you need. They're not too expensive either. One is Chordion and the other Xynthesizer. Chord ion has chord pads and keys and a little programmable drum machine. It can be used to trigger other instruments via virtual midi and works very well but also internal sounds are not bad and fairly customizable with fx etc. Xynthesizer just had a major update so I'm not sure if it works well as a controller but it certainly has it on the feature list. Actually the internal synth engine is very good. Hope this helps. Both these apps are really intuitive and fun to play. Enjoy.

I actually already use both of these excellent apps although I don't think I mentioned Chordion before. Great stuff! Thanks!

Christan

Hey, just checking out the discussion. Had a few midi controller recommendations you might consider if you haven't already - I would say definitely look into Gestrument, there are 2 versions but I recommend the full version as that will give you midi control. It allows you to set scale and interval parameters (among many other things) to up to 8 different instruments (apps if you prefer). The internal sounds are great by the way, in my opinion. You are able to control the entire orchestration with one finger, so I think you would really like this. There are multiple presets included and you can create your own. There is also Jam Synth, which still should be free for the basic version. It allows you to sing, or enter other live input, and translates it into midi output to other apps. You can also use its internal synth to play, which has some customizable options. Midimorphosis is also a great audio to midi converter. Another recommendation would be Nodebeat. You can great some great and creative sounds by using its internal sounds or as a midi controller. Other ones I would check out: Arpeggionome (I have the iPhone version and I like it), Arpist, Synthmate, Amos, Fugue, Midi Designer ( there is a free version to check out). I would also say look into Thesys for midi sequencing (it has some internal synth sounds and quite a few presets). Every now and then it's on sale. Good luck and have fun!

Paulyboy69

@Christan said:

Hey, just checking out the discussion. Had a few midi controller recommendations you might consider if you haven't already - I would say definitely look into Gestrument, there are 2 versions but I recommend the full version as that will give you midi control. It allows you to set scale and interval parameters (among many other things) to up to 8 different instruments (apps if you prefer). The internal sounds are great by the way, in my opinion. You are able to control the entire orchestration with one finger, so I think you would really like this. There are multiple presets included and you can create your own. There is also Jam Synth, which still should be free for the basic version. It allows you to sing, or enter other live input, and translates it into midi output to other apps. You can also use its internal synth to play, which has some customizable options. Midimorphosis is also a great audio to midi converter. Another recommendation would be Nodebeat. You can great some great and creative sounds by using its internal sounds or as a midi controller. Other ones I would check out: Arpeggionome (I have the iPhone version and I like it), Arpist, Synthmate, Amos, Fugue, Midi Designer ( there is a free version to check out). I would also say look into Thesys for midi sequencing (it has some internal synth sounds and quite a few presets). Every now and then it's on sale. Good luck and have fun!

I hadn't checked this thread in a while but I'm glad I did now! Thank you so much for the suggestions. I'm going to take a closer look at some of these!