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What is the Easiest Sequencer on IOS to control Hardware?
Hi all, What is the Easiest Sequencer on IOS to control Hardware?
I have 13 hardware synths and a drum machine
I have an iPad Pro 2nd gen 12.9”
I have a powered 10 port usb hub
I have a usb to 5 pin din midi converter and an 8 port midi router for my older non usb gear and Roland gear because it is not class compliant (why Roland?Why?)
And I have a master midi controller
I want the IPad the BE The sequencer
Ideally I would play a riff or complete track into the sequencer and then do any minor fixes, move a wrong note, delete a double hit. The sequencer would play that on midi channel 1 to synth number 1 etc.
I would be able to repeat this up to 8 times on 8 midi channels (I rarely sequence more than 7 at the same time) I often send the same sequence to different synths on different midi channels stacking the sounds
Right now I am using an old hardware sequencer that saves to 3.5 floppy and the work flow is archaic. It takes a long time.
I am looking for something very simple, not too many bells and whistles . I am not a computer guy. I am an old leftover trying to find joy making music.
What do you recommend?
Comments
Xequence 2
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xequence-2/id1464669442
Welcome to the fun world of iOS music making.
How about Korg Gadget and the Taipei (their Midi Module) module or Cubasis?
I suggest these so you can make music in a DAW like environment when you’re with the iPad outside the studio.
What’s nice about both of these apps is that they are Midi based so you could then reroute what you saved to them to your setup when you wanted to use the hardware.
Create and audition away from the studio, then use that Midi you saved to sequence your gear. Heck depending on what you have hardware wise, maybe you have a bunch of Korg gear which Gadget replicates 😉
Note: both apps offer a free LE version if you want to test things out as well to see how the workflow is. Cubasis may let you have access to Midi Out as well in the LE Version so check them out.
I think you're asking the wrong question. What you're sequencing is irrelevant. The sequencer that is most comfortable for you to use is the best sequencer for your hardware.
Are you comfortable with any sequencers?
Without knowing anything about your workflow preferences, it's difficult to make meaningful recommendations.
What do you picture when you picture a sequencer? A groovebox? A piano roll? A midi clip launcher (somewhat like Ableton Live can be)? A DAW? A thingy with sliders that you set midi notes on? ?? There are so many flavors of sequencers.
What you're pointing it at makes very little difference if you ask me.
I use Drambo for this. Super flexible, easy to set up and save a template, and the best sequencer I have used on any platform.
I was going to suggest Drambo but i thought it might be too deep. 🤪
Drambo is my guess at the best choice. It can be dead simple if all you're doing is midi sequencing. But without any idea of what workflow the OP is used to, that's just a wild-ass guess.
Exactly this. Depending on the answers, I would say Xequence if you like the piano roll, or Drambo if the groove box is more your thing ( both run in standalone, so you can use you iPad solely for that purpose without the overhead of running it within an iPad DAW) and there is always the combined approach working with AUM where you can use both
Personally, I would mix and match and depends on the composition.
Maybe add a interface first, where you can hook up you devices.
There are several that works with an iOS device, like this one:
https://www.iconnectivity.com/products/midi/iconnectmidi4plus
Then you need a study how to configure the ports
If you want to record notes, maybe a DAW might be suitable.
By the way, what’s the floppy-based sequencer you referred to?
(Interested because I’ve spent chrsmaas sending midi from Logic Pro to my ancient Yamaha QY700)
(Found a floppy disk to save it on by the way!)
Drambo
Xynthesizr is also pretty amazing for controlling a lot of hardware synths.
It’s entirely subjective - I would recommend trying a few and seeing what works for you.
Apart from the sequencer choice, if you plan to sequence more than 2 or 3 hardware synths, you might consider getting a multi-port USB MIDI interface for your iDevice, otherwise you might run into latencies added by hardware MIDI.
This is especially true if you're working with enough pitch bend and controller data to automate sound variations on the hardware synths.
31.25 kbaud on hw MIDI isn't too much. With 10 bits per transmitted value, you get a maximum of 3125 values per second.
Playing a Cmaj7 chord with octaved bass notes would take 6 x 3 = 18 values, requiring 1 / 3125 x 18 = 5.7 milliseconds latency until the last note message is transmitted. That's usually more than enough for controlling one synth only. But you seem to have a lot more.
Even the better stone age hardware sequencers had more than one MIDI port for that reason
You can only make one sequence to send to all the synths though, right? Not like you have multiple lanes of midi to send out?
For which one? Both Drambo and Xynthesizr support multi-channel midi.
My vote is Drambo as well. Covers all the bases. You can use it standalone and route audio in. Or use it in AUM and route midi out and audio into AUM.
Xynthesizer.... So you can program different midi lanes and send that all out from one app? I always though xynthesizer just had one sequence, not multiple sequences. Maybe I need to get it if I'm wrong about my assumptions
Hmm maybe @BroCoast was referring to Xequence?
It's one sequence per se, but it is possible to output multiple midi channels to control multiple synths.
Everyone already covered a lot of ground. I would just add my 2 cents.
My main sequencers:
Then consider all the specific use cases of side sequencers, like cycle, polybeat, quantum, xynthesizr, octachron, navichord, cality, step poly arp, rozeta, etc
They can feed and/or jam along with the main sequencers
Drambo basic features are super simple, stop scaring people xD
Nanostudio 2 worth to mention too.. Less feature rich than Xequence but sometimes simpler is better (judging based on few my friend who are HW oriented and were searching for simpler sequener with piano rool to send notes and CC’s to HW gear)
Also Korg Gadget has MIDI out device, so for clip-based workflow it’s pretty neat
Can you (or anyone for that matter!) point me to a good tutorial explaining how to sequence external stuff with Drambo please?
Add this to each track and set the output interface and MIDI channel to match the receive channel of your hardware synth:
Thank you for the response but a daw is much more complicated than a stand alone sequencer. Too many bells and whistles which is exactly what I do not want. I am not looking to make music in the box, just a very basic, simple sequencer to control hardware please.
Cool! Thanks. Look forward to trying this
Not maybe with the level of control you're looking for, but both sqsl Temp and Latch are very interesting (non-AUv3) sequencers that will scratch any ambient / experimental itches, and output on a lot of channels. No preset saving is a pain in the arse, hopefully that's coming soon, but if using an ipad as a controller, and if you appreciate a beautiful and well-thought-out UI, worth a look
I definitely have my sights set on those two when I replenish my funds a bit. They both look really interesting to play with
Your opening post is a little vague about a "sequencer".
A sequencer is a tool where notes are played in a repeatable way. You mentioned that you want to play a riff or complet track and record/alter it. That has nothing to do with sequencing, but more like recording on a timeline. In that case you are stuck to a DAW, or use a tool that record midi-notes that you can alter and playback in a timeline fashion, and even loop it.
DAW: Xequence
Modular, in my opinion: AUM and Atom Piano roll (you can use multiple instances, and loopable), and you can add an actual sequencer (And there are LOT's of them)
I think stating that my request for recommendations for simple iOS sequencer as a wrong question misses the mark of the original post.
Yes, I have used sequencers. The sequencers in both the Korg M1 and The Korg Triton both 8 track hardware sequencers and now I am using a Yamaha QX3 16 track linear sequencer.
I have protools from before they went subscription based. I recorded midi into their piano roll but even finding how to make the hidden piano roll window pop up on the midi track is a pain because it is hidden and I could not tell you how to do it
Am I comfortable with them, no. I find them too frustrating to use for what I need. Just tying to adjust a note or rest in the hardware sequencers are multiple window diving steps on a tiny 2 line lcd screen. Then the routing is multiple windows and step,s in fact every is. It just takes so long to get one finished track much less 8
What I picture, I guess would a type of 8 track midi sequencer that I could set a time signature and tempo either before or after.
It would have a click. I play my master controller on midi channel 1 into the sequencer it is set to capture midi data on midi channel 1. It would simultaneously send that midi data to a selected midi channel out, say midi channel 2 to my DX7 so I could hear the performance while I play. I could then make some corrections, move a wrong note, delete a double hit either in a piano roll or music staff
It could save that sequence and play it back
A step sequencer track would be nice for the drum machine.
I definitely do not want a daw, no sliders I would input via midi keyboard and pads
Just a bare bones simple sequencer
If you're used to linear sequencing (assumption based on your floppy disk reference), Xequence or NanoStudio 2 should fit the bill nicely.