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 Store

Loopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.

What DAW (or similar core/central music app) are you using in late 2021?

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Comments

  • @McD said:
    I'm slowly converting to StaffPad which will accept Audio stems in the release that is currently in beta. There are implied improvements with MIDI/Music XML importing so finding a good tool to generate my MIDI improves will open new doors in Staffpad for a hybrid-DAW workflow.

    There has been a video demo of realtime MIDU keyboard to notation in Staffpad but it appears that feature is still under development and may require one of the newer M1-based devices to work reasonably. That's like the early days of speech to text... the first version will require a ton of editing, IMHO.

    Many will be frustrated with the resulting notations because the software might not quantize but maybe it will... we shall see.

    Anyway, StaffPad generates music that in many cases is indecipherable from most film scores to the average listener. Making such music using MIDI DAW's in just not there yet as it is on Desktop products that provide controls for switching rapidly between a menu of articulations. Staffpad can quickly navigate accents, pizzicato, marcato, indelicato and a dozen other italian cooking terms. I bought a small fortune in iSymphonic IAP packs (more than the $40 (on sale until Dec 3rd) staffpad costs and it covers the entire orchestra).

    _**But staffpad requires the purchase of an Apple Pencil to write the notes.
    **_

    I'd like to see a small contingent of Staffpad composers here but I'm not holding my breath.

    I have to use the FaceBook group and another forum to find other users and (frankly) they don't approach community the same way users do here... share a project with them and you'll get crickets... it's mostly requests for application issues and "drive-by" posting from someone with something to sell. It's a marketplace for "wanna be's" and very few generous
    colleagues that like to share their thoughts, music and experience without an agenda.

    $40! You can import Piano Motifs MIDI and make some amazing audio loops to import into your DAW of choice. It also spits out MIDI and audio "Stems" so it can feed your workflow with audio that makes all the Rom-pler product look like toys (PSP, iSymphonic, Noise, Module Pro, ThumbJam). BUT, it's not IAA, AUv3 or AudioBus and probably won't be so I can see why it's not a first class "DAW" in the ABF paradigm.

    But... try this test in your DAW.

    TL:DR. Someone should make a Hip-hop loop Staffpad Collection and maybe people will get it. You don't have to tell them you made it on an iPad. It would sound like you went crate diving in the classical aisle for some hip groove materials.

    The only thing stopping me from getting Staffpad is the real-time
    midi input and presumably it can't be used as a multi-timbral instrument.

    Still saying that,though I don't read or write music notation per se
    more than likely I will be getting Staffpad because with adjustments
    I can present my pieces for a real string section to be performed.
    At the moment it's not a priority for me as I have BeatHawk and now
    Orchestral Dreams and Solo violin from Korg as well as the factory sounds
    of iSymphonic, which in regards to latter, I barely use these days.

  • AUM 75% of the time when just playing for fun and recording ideas. Cubasis for when things get serious. It’s an ok DAW-lite, I have no real quarrel with it. But I do wish there was a better option.

    Nano Studio audio tracks, huh? What a bogus dev

  • NS2. Flexible, solid, stable. It allows me to just get stuff done and finished, easily.

  • @oat_phipps said:
    AUM 75% of the time when just playing for fun and recording ideas. Cubasis for when things get serious. It’s an ok DAW-lite, I have no real quarrel with it. But I do wish there was a better option.

    Nano Studio audio tracks, huh? What a bogus dev

    I’m not going to go into the whole story but definitely not “bogus dev”.

  • edited November 2021

    @LinearLineman said:
    I always marvel at the level of professionalism many here have. You have to be pretty damn good, I think, to outrun the resources of the top iOS DAWs available today.

    Now now, I must insist on my pre-session Tea from the Abbey Road kitchen/bakery. It’s the only tea worth its salt.

  • I normally start in AUM, Koala standalone, or the Xequence + AB + AUM combo. I finish in Auria, which I find pretty good for editing audio. There are crashes, but I back up frequently.

    I just don’t want to do this on a desktop computer, so I accept the limitations and issues.

  • edited November 2021

    @LinearLineman said:

    @Gravitas said:

    @Telefunky said:

    @LinearLineman said:
    I have produced 513 tracks over three yrs using Cubasis. Today’s iteration is hands down the best they’ve offered. But my needs are not on a professional level.

    You and your piano are an artistic unit, and your creativity extends the boundaries of the instrument into new realms. Plus melodic phantasies, unique and rarely heard before.
    You could use a 4-track cassette tape and output would be just great <3

    Agreed.

    Thank you, I appreciate the support, but bear in mind I rarely use more than 8 tracks, very little FX, not much sophisticated drums and minimal mastering. Whilst a 4 track cassette would not offer me the selection of plug in instruments, midi editing and sound quality, I imagine I could do something with it, but it would be a shadow of what iOS capability affords.

    This seems to actually be the secret to sophisticated mixes. Less.

    I never use more than 8 either and have a super simple set up, and I'm always getting asked about what my techniques are by advanced producers. I used to be honest with them but they wrote me off when I told them how simple my workflow is so now I'm just like takes drag 'you wouldn't get it'.

    If the playing is alive, the music will be alive.

  • @oat_phipps said:
    Nano Studio audio tracks, huh? What a bogus dev

    Have you ever heard the story of the "little kids running wild on the subway"...

    A man with 2 small children board a NYC subway and the man sits down immediately and ignores the children. The children do not find seats and they start running up and down the train car, laughing and playing tag.

    An irate man approaches the man and tells him to control his children... then man looks up as if from a dream state and stammers... "Sorry, My wife just died and I'm having trouble coping and understanding how I will carry on without her."

    Don't be an irate NS2 customer because it's exactly what it was when purchased. The promise of a future, feature was a misguided but unintended injury to the customers.

    It's an exceptionally well craft tool and the music made with it speaks for itself.

    Do I want to see audio tracks... sure but I don't regret buying it for what's already implemented. The reason the roadmap wasn't implemented probably has a backstory and
    (frankly) it maybe non of our business why.

    Shit happens... pray it's NOT your turn. "For whom the bell", ya-da, ya-da.

  • @sclurbs said:
    This seems to actually be the secret to sophisticated mixes. Less.

    Imho it's also the key to sophisticated DAW design. Less, but better...
    (my favorite quote from designer Dieter Rams)

  • @Telefunky said:

    @sclurbs said:
    This seems to actually be the secret to sophisticated mixes. Less.

    Imho it's also the key to sophisticated DAW design. Less, but better...
    (my favorite quote from designer Dieter Rams)

    AKA the exact opposite philosophy of almost any software update. Developers: "Sub-folders..... need more sub-folders!!!"

  • @Telefunky, nice to hear from you! Haven’t seen you posting for a while. But maybe I don’t read the tech threads enuf.

  • edited November 2021

    @McD said:

    @oat_phipps said:
    Nano Studio audio tracks, huh? What a bogus dev

    Have you ever heard the story of the "little kids running wild on the subway"...

    A man with 2 small children board a NYC subway and the man sits down immediately and ignores the children. The children do not find seats and they start running up and down the train car, laughing and playing tag.

    An irate man approaches the man and tells him to control his children... then man looks up as if from a dream state and stammers... "Sorry, My wife just died and I'm having trouble coping and understanding how I will carry on without her."

    Don't be an irate NS2 customer because it's exactly what it was when purchased. The promise of a future, feature was a misguided but unintended injury to the customers.

    It's an exceptionally well craft tool and the music made with it speaks for itself.

    Do I want to see audio tracks... sure but I don't regret buying it for what's already implemented. The reason the roadmap wasn't implemented probably has a backstory and
    (frankly) it maybe non of our business why.

    Shit happens... pray it's NOT your turn. "For whom the bell", ya-da, ya-da.

    Far from irate at this point, no longer care. But it still has a couple huge flaws with AUs that were there on release and fretted about by many. It’s still solid for what it is but there’s no harm in ribbing noone in particular about what it could’v been.

    As for your Aesop, 1) don’t let anyone tell you what to do with your kids (even if you told everyone they would behave), 2) I never heard of any tragedy, other than a day job, and d) I’m gonna go play tag with the kids now

  • edited November 2021

    @drcongo said:
    Audio Evolution is subscription so is automatically out on that basis for me, but it also has an interface from 1998.

    AE is not subscription based…at least the downloads i bought (iOS, Android)
    Maybe you mean N-Track? (They're offering both subscription and full paid version)

  • Ableton on desktop + laptop.. using it since v.4.. know it, ❤️ it..

    AUM on iPad.. fast + flexible to get ideas down NOW.. ❤️ it too..

  • I’ve bounced around a lot between AUM, Korg Gadget, GarageBand, Beatmaker 3, and Multitrack Studio. They all have their own sources of friction that have kept me from developing a “real” workflow; right now I’m trying to buckle down with Korg Gadget and Multitrack Studio.

    Gadget Pros:

    • HUGE instrument library covering just about any sound I could hope to make
    • Solid piano roll including automation
    • Stable and not overly CPU-hungry
    • Great controller integration with the NanoKey/Kontrol Studios

    Gadget Cons:

    • No resampling or audio routing
    • Generally poor playability on the touchscreen
    • The loop-based arranger works well enough for plenty of genres but really doesn’t lend itself to, for instance, guitar-based rock with vocals
    • No MIDI Clock out (although it will receive it)
    • MIDI out and Audio In are separate devices, so you can’t actually use them together in NanoKey Native mode
    • No AU support so I can’t use my beloved ReelBus, Eos 2, or Other Desert Cities.

    As for Multitrack Studio, it’s the closest thing I’ve found to my old Tascam 788 workflow. A lot of people don’t like the interface but I absolutely LOVE that it shows minimal track information by default. Also grateful for the plugin manager. I’m less enamoured with the amount of long-pressing involved in basic operations. And as for nitpicks: I’d be happy if there was an option to display CC numbers instead of General MIDI labels, and I would happily pay for basic MIDI routing (mapping controller CCs to automation destinations). Also, because there’s so much long-pressing and menu-diving, I’m not actually certain those features are unavailable!

  • Wow, just WOW! So much incredible information. This is truly one of my favorite communities anywhere - everyone is just super helpful,, knowledgeable, and friendly.

    My head is spinning as I try to learn, search, research, and generally go back and forth. From what I can tell, one of the biggest issues with not going with one of the "big" established DAWs (Auria, Cubasis, etc), is the lack of direct audio track recording in the app. And it seems that while one can easily record directly into AUM, it's a little clunkier as you don't see the track right after but it saves in the files.

    Hence the intro of apps such as Neon, MultiTrack Recorder, Auditor, etc.

    What I can't tell is if these apps are duplicates of each other or if they are used together? I've done searches and read descriptions and webposts, etc but still don't really have an answer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these.

    I've also seen a real jump in people using Koala and Drambo. And, of course, I've seen lots of posts about the upcoming Loopy Pro (though I don't have any idea of how imminent this release is). I also have the same question about these. Are Koala, Drambo, and Loopy Pro (with what is currently known since it's pre-release) duplicating features of each other or complimentary?

    It sounds like for straightforward "combining" and perhaps mixing, the NS2 is a great option that may people like, as long as it's understood that no audio track recording is available. So, which is your favorite audio track recorder? Is it one of the above? Something else?

    I can't thank you all enough for sharing and helping me learn!

  • I usually bounce back and forth between Drambo and AUM when I’m in the creative stages. If things start coming together, where I want to do some arranging in a DAW, I’ll carry it over to Cubasis.

    The DAW is usually not necessary though, as I can flesh out an entire piece in either AUM or Drambo 98% of the time.

  • edited November 2021

    In no particular order
    FLSM
    SunVox
    Beatmaker 3
    Lately, given the advent of Atom 2 (and Neon) I’m enjoying AUM a ton

    The first 2 because im usually more productive in self contained workspaces, the second two because: fun. I like to play with all the tools available on the platform, and stems from the first 2 can live on.

    If i were to add more (because im technologically promiscuous) i would add MTS, iMPC Pro 2, Cubasis 3. The truth is i cant/wont settle down because none of them do everything i want, and they all give me something (mostly unnameable) that only they have. A game, a journey to wherever, a playground, [your metaphor here]

    And Im not sure where it fits but Ive got to say it: Drambo. A world/rabbit hole unto itself, so damned open

    Short answer: what am i using? What arent i using?

  • Are people for real using Koala by itself and making finishes tracks within it or is it more of a tool for a larger workflow?

  • @db909 said:
    Are people for real using Koala by itself and making finishes tracks within it or is it more of a tool for a larger workflow?

    Yes. It fits both approaches.

    Lot's of videos of the "by itself" folks to pick up tips and tricks. They do tend to be folks that also use OP-1's, and other fixed function hardware music makers. Koala on an iPhone or
    iPad is just another fixed function device that keeps getting software updates.

    Very few videos of the larger workflow users because those guys don't expect anyone to want to emulate their confusing methodology but there are a few "screen capture" creators that show how to do what they do and the tools involved change a lot.

  • 110% Drambo for me and my workflow.

  • wimwim
    edited November 2021

    Just reading the OP literally: "fairly general purpose" I'd have to say Cubasis 3. To me it's the most middle of the road, easy to get your head around, and has enough capability to get by.

    That is: if you don't need time signature or tempo changes. If you do then I think NS2, with the understanding that you have to jump through some hoops (IMO) to work with audio.

    A few years back, Auria Pro proved itself hands down the one that could do everything in one place for me, but I've lost interest in it.

    Zenbeats currently gets the most use by me because it neatly combines looping and timeline mentality. But what fits for me isn't necessarily what I'd recommend for others.

    (Loopy Pro beta is getting exclusive attention from me right now. I'm starting to think it + Drambo may end up being the center of my workflow at some point. But we'll see.)

  • @echoopera said:
    110% Drambo for me and my workflow.

    110% violates the Drambo warranty. It can also make you sterile and stop most biological
    "flows". But the music is appreciated. Thank you for your service.

  • edited November 2021

    @drcongo said:
    Audio Evolution is subscription so is automatically out on that basis for me

    Audio Evolution (Mobile) went subscription? My version works fine with no subscription

  • edited November 2021

    Roland Zenbeats for me. I am into music creation and production for fun iOS only, and I have found ZB to be a very solid contender for general purpose needs. I also like the fact that it is an all-in-one-solution including audio tracks. And, it is steadily developed by a major company which I find reassuring. And…I am a Roland fanboy. Not a fanatic but still😊. But, if you are just after basic functions all the major DAW apps in iOS will serve you well.

    As always, it is all a matter of taste and needs so go for the one you get the best “feel” for and have fun. Learning it, you will eventually find out what functions and workflow suits you the most.

    Best of luck!

    /DMfan🇸🇪

  • @OnfraySin said:
    Aum on iPad.

    Ableton on Desktop.

    Win-Win

    Same here … 👍

  • edited November 2021

    @McD said:

    @echoopera said:
    110% Drambo for me and my workflow.

    110% violates the Drambo warranty. It can also make you sterile and stop most biological
    "flows". But the music is appreciated. Thank you for your service.

    There’s a loophole in the Warranty…but it requires a mystical devotion only suitable for a monk/nun like existence 🙏🏼💕

  • @echoopera said:
    the Drambo Warranty loophole requires a mystical devotion only suitable for a monk/nun like existence 🙏🏼💕

    It makes sense you'd live a Monk/Nun existence... that's how you get so deep into the Mystic.

  • @lifereinspired said:
    From what I can tell, one of the biggest issues with not going with one of the "big" established DAWs (Auria, Cubasis, etc), is the lack of direct audio track recording in the app.

    Auria can definitely do direct recording of audio from loaded plugins. It has a flexible routing system that lets you bus the audio from a MIDI track to an audio track, so you can for example play the Animoog Z keyboard live on a MIDI track and then record that onto an audio track as a live performance, just like in AUM.

    Auria suffers from stability issues, which I think is the main reason it has a bad reputation, but in terms of features it's still way ahead of the other DAWs. For what it's worth I use it every day as my central music hub and personally I love it. I know I'm in the minority though.

  • I would add that AUM is great for jamming, having fun, and testing new apps, but unless you are recording a live performance or an ambient jam, it's not an app you can use to create finished tracks.

    It's probably the most stable and solid host, and was early to implement AUv3, MIDI plugins, and multi-routing, which I think accounts for its popularity. It's a great app which I use a lot, but again mostly for jamming and experimenting.

    Trying to finish something in a mixer app with no timeline isn't really viable. There are workarounds, such as using 4pockets Multitrack recorder, but they are way more clunky than just using a DAW such as Cubasis or Auria.

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