Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.
What is Loopy Pro? — Loopy Pro is a powerful, flexible, and intuitive live looper, sampler, clip launcher and DAW for iPhone and iPad. At its core, it allows you to record and layer sounds in real-time to create complex musical arrangements. But it doesn’t stop there—Loopy Pro offers advanced tools to customize your workflow, build dynamic performance setups, and create a seamless connection between instruments, effects, and external gear.
Use it for live looping, sequencing, arranging, mixing, and much more. Whether you're a live performer, a producer, or just experimenting with sound, Loopy Pro helps you take control of your creative process.
Download on the App StoreLoopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.
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I know nobody can talk about 1.5 but can you suggest a controller that would work great with it? Any in particular that stand out
These two comments sum up my dilemma nicely. I’ve owned Drambo for a while, and it’s impressive. I really like it. It’s just incredible, really. But I get way more inspired, and deep into a creative groove, with hardware. Maybe it’s just the way my brain works. I certainly wish it was the other way around—it would be a lot cheaper!
I spent a while this afternoon with the OP-Z and Drambo together, and I started to get somewhere, although in the middle of it I came up with the bones of a new song on just the OP-Z.
Tomorrow I’ll try to set it up as an Octatrack clone, with samplers on a few tracks, and see how I can use if for live looping. That’s probably going to be the decider. Nothing comes close to the Octatrack for live looping and chopping up the results.
Still undecided though. And there’s a very nice one on sale in my neighborhood…
As of now, there aren’t any significant additions to Drambo controller support compared to previous version.
My guess is, in the future when this area will be worked on, the latest Novation pad controllers will likely be the first to get support, but generally the idea is to make it accessible for all.
Agreed, at this point in time recreating the workflow of Octotrack on the iPad + controller is not possible simply because there is no communication between steps on Drambo and steps on a controller. So all of the Elektron p - locking or step input without touching the screen is currently out of the question.
I’m not sure how it’s going to be done but communication between the controller and Drambo needs to be in both directions, first to send the message to the step to insert the desired note, then back to the controller to light up the led to show that the note is active. I’m not sure what are other ways to achieve that but it will certainly require quite a bit of considering and testing before it appears on the AppStore.
So It is coming but is not there at the moment nor will be in the next update.
My comments were mostly referring to achieving groovebox style results but admittedly via live input as opposed to step and using automation (motion recording like on electribes) as opposed to p locks.
I have managed to create
step input using an LP X.
It did take some effort I must say.
The 16 step version is up on Patchstorage
the only problem is that it’s device specific.
The midi outs to send the messages for
the LP X have to be changed individually.
That’s a lot of modules.
I’m going to see about simplifying it
as I also have a 32 step version.
Both are a joy to use.
Simply hit play.
Press pads.
Rhythm and visual feedback.
I’ve added 3 tempo’s.
Half time, normal time and double time.
There’s a load of other stuff as well.
Stutter effects per channel, delay with buffer rescan that does interesting things including pitch shifting.
Crazy stuff.
Nice one @Gravitas
I sold my LPX and ended up getting Circuit Tracks, which scratches my scales and step input itches even if I hardly ever use the latter.
It’s good to hear there is some workaround for others though.
I am missing a proper keyboard at the moment I must say.
I've had a look at the Circuit Tracks and it seems really cool.
How is it for performing?
Live looping audio with Drambo is not really possible yet, I mean it is... but not in a simple way.
I like it a lot. It has the same pads as LPX but with a choice of scales for mindless tapping. It’s very immediate and pairs up with Drambo pretty neatly.
Until today I used it’s sequencer to drive Drambo but this afternoon I started using it purely as a controller and it works surprisingly well although I lost 5 buttons on my LCXL to mutes which isn’t ideal.
I think I’ll end up pairing both sequencers and use Circuit for drums (step input with individual drum mutes) and Drambo’s sequencer for everything else including Turnado and Impaktor. I’ll be delving into samples in the next few days. Tiny bells layered with clockwork samples driven by arps and triggered by Circuit’s one button chord feature. Sounds like a recipe. Yum
.
The big knob that works as a LP/HP combo filter on Circuit works great hooked up to the morph slider!
I’m discovering new things every day. There’s a lot to be excited about.
This sounds like fun.
Looking forward to hearing this one.
Agreed.
@mistercharlie check out the monotrack instrument on patch storage, it’s a per track OT clone. Give it a spin. The beauty is you can add and change whatever you feel like to make it yours
https://patchstorage.com/monotrack-2/
Wise words!
If "Replicating Octatrack" means building a 1:1 clone then the answer must be "No".
But I don't think that was the point of the original question, as @mistercharlie referred to sampling/looping/sample-chopping duties. And these can be done extensively using Drambo, or, to be more precise, the Flexi Sampler.
Now that it can be fully controlled over MIDI (except placing slices which is better done on the touch screen anyway), it's quite straightforward to build a hardware style looper, controlled by MIDI notes or a mini Launchpad etc.
This is cool video, here Ezbot explains how he uses Octatrack in his live sets .. very good example how much powerfull machine it is..
he has lot other great videos about octatrack (and other elektron gear) - both live sets and such explanatory vides and tutorials.. one of best YT channels if you wan to learn more in depth about Elektron machines
exactly !
This kind of videos would make a lot of sense as a basis for discussions IMHO - Picking only a certain choice of functionalities and building these with iOS apps.
I made a list of what I want to do:
So far, these can all be done on OP-1, sequenced by OP-Z, although without any recording/sampling trigs.
I have to agree with this. Countless times I’ve reached to things like Mozaic to get something to work with something else. “Ok, great, with this modified Mozaic patch A is now communicating with B and through hack X I can finally record the output… “. Good luck when you need it next time!. These workarounds are a huge waste of energy and IMO provide very limited gratification.
I do wish someone made a dedicated App/Controller combo, like Beapstreet releasing a dedicated controller for Drambo. Where you could control sequencer, scenes, premapped stuff, etc.
I would not be at all surprised if at some point in time Drambo gets a dedicated and fully customizable 'performance layout'. ie. use the current layout when designing and editing the patches and use another layout for performing with it.
Call me crazy but I prefer to use the iPad as a 'stand-alone' device hooked to an audio-interface / headphones, controllers mostly just steal away my focus. I do get the charm of MPC One, Machine+ and things like that, but for controlling more advanced apps I really do prefer the touch-screen any day.
Imagine using the display on the MPC One or Machine+ as a 'remote' for the apps on the iPad?
Now that would be something as it would allow full undistracted focus!
I do like the Launchpad Pro Mk3 integration with Atom 2 which is something I use quite often.
But I'm not so sure about how many apps will have or get full support for all the LPP3 features...
Cheers!
I had the same idea some time ago, but then I realized that being good at writing software is far away from being good at building a hardware
An that's especially true when you're an indie one-man-show developer. Even some big name companies had failed with their attempts to introduce hardware and then rather partnered with established hardware-oriented brands.
I think the way is rather making the app adjusted to MIDI mapping. I have a lot of experience with DJing apps on both desktop and iOS and mapping any controller is usually possible to let's say 99% of the hardware potential, which is more than good enough. The rest 1% is usually some specific feature that is only possible with specific combo of hardware and software, usually from a single vendor like Native Instruments Traktor series or Pioneer with Rekordbox. But not a big deal since you can use most of it.
Also, when it comes to desktop, Ableton Live or Bitwig are both pretty far with mapping controllers - you can dynamically change which "section" of tracks and scenes you're controlling, match e.g. button colors of the controller with clip colors on the screen etc... I am a bit out of the desktop for quite some years, but I believe many other desktop DAWs can do similar stuff (I know there's e.g. dedicated controller for FL Studio and they provide also extensive MIDI mapping).
Unfortunately, I am not aware of any iOS app that would be able to e.g. send MIDI back to sync e.g. LED encoders with the state on the screen, which is pretty basic prerequisite for meaningful integration of a MIDI controller. Only iOS DJing apps can do this, but no DAW, synth or so.
Good news is, Drambo developer is aware of this, so he plans to provide support for "control surfaces" which would enable communication in both directions + should give some flexibility on what area you're currently "focused" on. That would be definitely a huge improvement and may unlock what the OP desire for: control Drambo similarly as you'd control a hardware groovebox. Which is something I believe a lot of as dream of every day
Very well said
More doesn't inevitably mean better. Many people are asking wrong questions - "has this app / hw more features ?" .. "is it more capable ?" .. etc.. but actually what should one ask is "does this device inspire me to create music" ? Because if answer is Yes, then even lack of some features and need of compromises doesn't stop you making music with it. Which more important than sheer sum of features.
And don't want to start discussion about fact that limitations and needs of workarounds works like true creativity booster - in case there IS some basic creativity and will ;-)
Haha, well, exactly this but in both directions! Restrictions (guitar + voice) vs full software orchestra mean nothing if you cannot harness their potential. This is why, if you’re a demanding individual who likes doing things in a certain way you’ll always feel restricted in hardware more than in software. This is especially true with Drambo and its very responsive developer to whom you pretty much have a direct line. We all wish to have a direct line to hardware firmware guys but we don’t.
Anyway, there’s those who prefer to be guided by a workflow and those who feel restricted by it. Nothing wrong with either but if you’re a person who wakes up in the middle of the night with an idea of trying out hard syncing 20 pulse oscillators just to see what happens you’re out of luck with OT but will need to call in sick if you have Drambo.
This was an extreme example but it’s a bit like when you’ve ever tasted being self employed you will find it very hard to go back to being under a boss. Yes it gives you more responsibility of how things are done but you’re in control.
This is not even a debate since we all want different things.
Absolutely. Only you know what suits you personally. If your favourite device is somebody else's worst thing ever, who cares? It doesn't diminish how you feel about it.
As an example, I have a Roland JD-Xi which inter web people love to criticise and you see forum posts everywhere with people saying why it's so bad and why they either sold it or would never buy it. But for my circumstances it's (almost) perfect. It's a standalone keyboard with which I can quickly and easily (and enjoyably) actually play and make music with the minimum of friction. And then it's easy to plug it into a laptop and use the built in audio and midi interface to build up the ideas and record live vocoder. The fact that it's yet another device I own that has been featured on the bad audio gear youtube channel just makes me like it even more.
If you're confident in what you like, the opinion of others should never take away from that.
And if you start going down the rabbit hole of how much better an iPad loaded with apps and controllers is, then you will always be trumped by a laptop running (insert choice of super-DAW here) with a cool controller. Because it simply delivers more :-)
love that channel :-) That guy is doing really great job ...
edit: Hm, ok i watched his JD-Xi review and now i want it too
sorry for off topic but this discussion reminded me this awesome video, that song is still meowing in my head
That's a great list!
1 to 4 can all be done in Drambo already, 5 as well if you're OK to place one Flexi at the end of each track (or on the last track, whichever you prefer).
What I’m missing is not functionality, since I already know that Drambo can do it all if you’re ready to swipe around, but the immediacy of control in hardware like the Electrons (mind you, I’ve never held one in my hands so perhaps don’t know what I’m talking about). I like that you can control the entire device with six encoders or so, which change functionality depending on what page you’re on.
The real game changer for me would be if Drambo could use macro parameters (already sort of implemented in the mapping interfaces for the AUs), but especially that the macros work only on the selected track and can be quickly mapped. That is, that I can control all the tracks with just six encoders. The main hurdle for this is as far as I know is relative mapping, which Drambo manages quite well. To my knowledge, only GR-16 has gotten this right and that’s why I’m so drawn to it lately, since it interfaces quite seamlessly with the Minilab.
The macro functionality I’d like to have in Drambo is implemented in Ableton: the first six encoders of the Minilab are pre-mapped to the macro parameters depending on the track you’re using, so you can build complex racks and assign the macros as you like. The others are premapped to track sends, volume, panning and allow you to scroll through tracks and through the launch grid. If this worked out, the Korg nanokey studio would get you as close to an octatrack as it could be desired.
To the insiders: is there anything like this coming in Drambo 1.5? I would be the happiest cat in the block if so.
Currently a track can receive midi: always on a specified channel or if the track is selected. This means you could have a pad or button assigned to select a track and then use the upcoming morph module (macro) to modulate whatever parameter you wish, including ones without the triangle next to them.
I’m not sure how it works on mini lab but launchkey mini can be set so each pad selects a separate track and then the 8 knobs will be possible to assign to 8 morph/macro knobs giving you a lot of control for each track.
I got my DT and DN yesterday and they're surprisingly smaller than I expected. I hadn't done any mock visualizations from dimensions, but just my impression from videos was that they were larger. It's a nice surprise as it makes one-hand button chords with the function key easy, and they're more portable.
OT got delayed and won't be here until Monday so I can't play with the whole trio, but I've got MORE than enough to keep me busy over the weekend.
I LOVE Drambo and it really helps me get use out of the tons of iOS apps and effects I have, but the Elektron workflow just works. But then I've always been a hardware and tactile interface guy.
Thanks! So it sounds like the morph module might fit the bill for macros and for simplifying super long patches. The minilab also has 16 pads and I have them mapped to those in Drambo, so it’s easy to select them, trigger them, mute them, etc. However, the current catch, which I realize I didn’t make clear before, is that if you map one knob to one control in one track you cannot map the same knob in another track since the knob is identified only as CC XX. The morph module would have to be smart about this. Fingers crossed!
LOL this was like an episode of Drunk History but with music. Awesome lol.....