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.
Comments
I'm not sure how Cubasis (or Logic) would work in a live performance environment, controlled by a pedal keyboard. Loopy Pro seems much better suited.
I'd say both Logic and Cubasis 3 to be honest. Logic's internal effects far exceed most of Cubasis' internal effects, but Cubasis has the aforementioned Halion instruments IAP which can cover pretty much everything you need to make a backing track with. Logic also has AI Mastering Assistant, so you don't have to pay someone to master your tracks nor pay Waves $5/track for their AI Mastering services, lol.
In my personal usage, I use Logic strictly for mastering my music. I know $5/month just to use a DAW for mastering may seem like a waste of a subscription to many, but the way I see it, Logic masters my tracks consistently across any genre I throw at it, from any app or combination of apps I throw at it. Well hell, Logic even pairs up flawlessly to my OP-1 Field to record directly from the OP-1 Field onto my iPad, and I imagine Logic will instantly recognise any soundcard you throw at it.
For Cubasis 3, I strictly use it for recording and processing my vocals to add to a backing track I make elsewhere. Then again, Cubasis 3 can also be used to create baller backing tracks. Logic as well, although I found myself preferring the sounds from my plugins such as Pure Synth Platinum 2, Korg Module Pro, Beathawk, etc to those that come within Logic. I've invested so much money into the iOS ecosystem, probably thousands over the course of 12-13 years. And these are just my tastes personally.
And in case you may wonder @JustDave , I often use FL Studio Mobile, Koala Sampler, and Nanostudio 2 to create my backing tracks. Again, this is just me personally, and one size does not fit all, especially in music production.
If you need, I can produce examples of anything on iOS you wish to hear. For example, I can't play guitar, but I can sample a guitar in a sampler app like Koala. The backing track for this...
...was created in Koala Sampler, and the vocals recorded and processed in Cubasis 3, all on my iPhone in this case. I sampled RedShrike for the bass, Korg Santa Ana for the BG guitars, and I forgot what for the pads. The kinda lame guitar solo at the end is from Garageband.
Now, here is an example of a track I produced in Logic back when Logic was first released...
...and I mastered it with my old method since the AI Mastering Assistant was not introduced to Logic Pro at the time. (And, let's just overlook the fact that the title is Japanese but the music is Chinese-sounding. 🫣 Yeah, I kinda had a Western white person moment there last year. 😂 ) I used Beathawk for much of the sounds if I recall correctly.
Anything you need a demo of, just let me know Dave. And, welcome to our humble forum.
+1, listen to this guy, he knows what he’s talking about
Loopy pro is a fair contender too, good point
Right on. So it sounds like at this point you primarily want to trigger chords one at a time (not a sequence), and that you're programming this with your hardware?
And if I'm getting this right, it also sounds like your big issue is that you didn't like the Garageband sounds, but you were able to get Garageband to trigger notes you wanted it to?
If I have it right, since you already know how to program and send the chords you want using your hardware, it sounds like you need 1. The sounds/patches that actually sound good to you, and 2. A way to switch to those sounds/patches without too much hassle.
Sounds
Before buying anything, check out some free auv3s.
As people have suggested, Decent Sampler and Numa Player are both free and have a bunch of sounds you can check out... But be aware that past versions of Decent Sampler have been crashy. World Piano is also free and has some good sounds. These should get you going for some string sounds. The basic (I think free) Korg Module has basic piano, electric piano, clav, synth, and string sounds.
If you need synth sounds, check out Primer/Primer 2 (powerful but basic polyphonic flexible synth with inboard fx), Viking (phat monophonic minimoog clone synth), Apolyvoks (gritty monophonic classic Soviet synth clone), and King of FM (fantastic polyphonic rompler with lots of classic FM synth sounds, especially but not just 80s). Synth One (powerful polyphonic synth with lots of presets) is also worth getting but it's IAA only, which might make it a little bit more work/clunky to integrate into your setup, depending on the host you use and your preference (auv3 is most streamlined).
Grab some of the great free auv3 fx. Nembrini has free solid fx (chorus, delay, distortion, amp sims). Baby Audio has Pitch Drift (vibrato) and Magic Dice (kind of a chorus delay). Neon Silicon has some great free EQs and funky fx like Gyrovibe (vibrato chorus filter), Spirangle (funky delay), PhaseDelayArray (funky reverb delay). Audio Damage's RoughRider 3 is a powerful, free compressor.
Once you try these great free options, you can see if you need to buy anything. We can talk about that more if you want, but that's like, most of this forum ☺. There are a lot of great synths that can make whatever sounds you want, but If you want lots of presets and a powerful synth, you can't go wrong with Sunrizer and Synthmaster 1/2. So many presets and if you want to make your own patches, you'll have the tools. Other synths can offer different features but I can't think of any that have the number of presets these do. Like I said, if you want to talk more about instruments to buy, we can definitely go there lol.
Host/Patch-switching
It sounds like AUM will be perfect for you. You can route chords from your pedal to any of the instruments mentioned above. You can also send midi messages from it to the AUM midi control to choose instruments (like setting up 3 instruments in AUM for a set and having a midi msg that cycles between between them / mutes or unmutes them depending on what you want to do). You can also send midi to choose a patch/preset of a given instrument that you have saved in AUM (save the preset in AUM and set that preset to trigger on a note value or program change, for example).
I'm not sure if this is starting to give you ideas or if this clarifies anything. Let me know!
I'm also a bit of a verbose windbag who overexplains the bejesus out of everything. 😂
Decent Sampler is free. Download free samples. Connect your pedal.
That’s great, so you’re ahead of the curve then. I wasn’t sure how far along you were in your journey. Cheers and welcome to the fold.
I would add as well that if this is for live playing then the headphone out jack on the iPad should be more than sufficient for quality audio in that environment. Just plug straight out of the audio out to the DI and away you go. I would look at keeping your connections as simple as possible and also it means you don’t need to invest in a whole pile of extra hardware when the iPad will give you what you need naturally.
Damn! You guys are making my brain hurt
Looks like I have some homework to do. I'll make some time this weekend to go through all of this and see what I come up with. Gotta get my hub first.
Thank you so much for all the input!
Just to be clear, the Lightning USB adapter you showed here is not a USB hub, it is just an adapter. A USB hub has one host port, usually with a hard-wired cable, and several USB A sockets. It lets you connect multiple USB devices to one adapter. Amazingly, iOS will recognize those different devices and allow you to use them all (but remember, only one audio interface).
Yea must plug hub into wall for power.
Korg Module Pro has everything what you need
Question is, what exactly limits YOU in GB ? What are features you are missing in GB ?
Cause this may be very subjective. Definitely avoid to following others who are trying to convince you some other app is best for you. It is important that you put together your own personal list of crucial features you need and only then make decision based on this list, not based on prefferences of somebody else
This forum is group of people with very different approaches to music and many of them may be completely wrong for you ...
If you want to avoid painful, long and costly way of trying many and many apps to find what is best for you, try to specify as much in detail as possible what exactly you want to achieve on iPad... then we can suggest you collection of apps which covers your needs.
Also be prepared on fact that EVERYTHING on iOS is about compromises and tradeoffs.. you never get "that perfect app".
Drambo
That’s where I would start.
Ok, I have the camera adapter (waiting on other equipment but it's enough to get me going) My 12Step is plugged in and works and I've plugged in a Q49 keyboard to use for figuring out chords and it's working. So far, I've just been trying GB. I can play notes on either device and sound comes out and I can see the on screen keyboard for AUM lights up when i press keys. Out of the gate the one thing that I can't figure out (and I haven't gone thru the AUM tutorial vid you posted) is GB doesn't show in any input source. Is this something that is gone over in the tutorial?
Progress is happening!
I have not seen anything about how you are going to keep the band in sync with what your trigger from your iPad. If it’s just pads you are triggering it’s no problem. Anything else will require the drummer to play to a click.
Not all drummers will be happy to do so.
You are correct! My drummer would not like that one bit. So, I'll play any sounds/patches myself.
I'm still in the trying stuff phase. The camera adapter I purchased is, apparently, not a certified Apple product and it won't charge my iPad while in use. My 12 Step and the headphone out does work but, of course, the battery won't last, they whole gig. I did see a bunch of posts about iOS 16.5+ not supporting the camera adapter for charging but nothing for sure. I'm going to Best Buy with it to get one that works in the store before buying it. (or at least that's what I'm going to try)
I also purchased a 6' lightning cord to go from the camera adapter, which I was planning to mount on my pedal board, to the iPad but that isn't working either. Gotta say I'm not a fan of Apple products. I have 2 remaining openings on my 1spot power supply that I thought would work for powering the camera adapter, but it didn't work either.
As far as the AUM software learning is going, I'd say so so. I finally got the synth program that came with it to actually load, it has some pretty cool stuff in it. I have a sequenced part (about 16 notes) that I may use since I can control the tempo.
I didn't think this was going to fall into place super easy but, it's like going down the rabbit hole, isn't it? You can lose so much time with this stuff.
Youhave to feed the Lightning power port with 5 Vdc from a USB adapter. That limits the current for safety, as well as supplying the correct voltage. Your guitar pedal power supply likely doesn't have that.
I'm surprised that you say your camera adapter cannot charge/power the iPad while it's running. That's long-established basic technology. My adapters (Apple and 3rd-party) both work with both iOS 12 (older iPad Air), and current iPadOS !7.4.1, supplying power and USB connection.
A long Lightning extension cable, which you described, is generally not recommended. Better to use a long-ish USB cable. I guess the USB drivers in the adapter are better suited for the long run. You'd likely also need a long USB/Lightning cable to supply power.
This is the camera adapter I purchased. The ad said it was Apple certified. Fist time using it, it worked perfectly. Hasn't worked once since then. Apple support won't help because it's, technically, not their product. Went to Best Buy to see what they knew and if they could help. I'm trying a different hub but it doesn't work at all. Won't even power my 12Step. At least I can take that back. Can someone share a link to one they have that works? I can power my 12Step and use the software but, I cannot get the power to charge the ipad and, since the first time, the headphone plug doesn't work.
I'm about ready to pitch the iPad for something else. Not a fan of Apple. I have a 9th gen with lightning connections. Maybe I need to update to a 10th gen that has USB-C connections. Would certainly be easier to find cables.
With that said, I'm starting to figure out how the AUM software works. I've downloaded a few free programs, and they now show in the AUM menus. I think this is going to be a bit longer process than I originally thought but, I'll get there.
I'm surprised that you cannot get the power you need. Are you using the 12-watt charger that came with your iPad, or another one that supplies at least 2.4 Amps? Typical phone chargers are not sufficient.
Please stop using the term "hub" for a Lightning USB adapter. That is certain to confuse anyone in this forum. Here is a powered USB hub. You connect it to a Lightning USB adapter when you need more ports, and when the ports need more power. The separate power supply allows it to provide the maximum USB power to each port. You probably don't need a hub at the moment.
Edit: Since your iPad has the headphone jack, you could use it for audio output, and get the standard Apple USB-3 Camera Adapter for power and your USB MIDI controller. The 3rd-party adapter will not have "better" audio output, and you will not be able to use both audio ports, because iOS limits you to one audio device at a time.
Hello, @JustDave.
I found the following product through a Google search.
https://truetone.com/1-spot-accessories/
Disclaimer:
I have no idea if this product will work for charging your iPad as I’m clueless about the relationship between electric power (Volt, Ampere, Watt, Ohm) and hardware.
So I have no intention to recommend the above product to you. Please consider my post as merely a report.
Note: This post of mine is not directly related to the current topic (= @JustDave ’s hardware connectivity issues) of this thread.
@JustDave
By the way, I had a little concern after reading 12 STEP manual, so I write about it below just in case.
-If your 12 STEP product is 12 STEP2 (2024), you do not need to read this post of mine.
-Sorry if you already know about the information I write below. If so, please ignore this post of mine.
*
In conclusion, when using 12 STEP with a USB camera adapter that has a port for a Lightning cable for charging, it would/might be safer not to use Expand port of 12 STEP, to avoid malfunctions or other problems with 12 STEP. (In other words, please don’t use mini USB port of 12 STEP.)
*
Context/Background/Reason
The above quote from 12 STEP manual and the below quotes from 12 STEP manual and FAQ web page may seem to contradict what they are saying……
……But I don’t guess they are contradictory. Because I guess the ‘12_Step_Manual_V2.0, page 16 and the FAQ’ is not referring to a "USB camera adapter with a port for a Lightning cable for charging".
*
I guessed that the above ‘12_Step_Manual_V2.0, page 16 and the FAQ web page’ was made at a time when ‘USB camera adapter with a port for a Lightning cable for charging’ did not yet exist in the world.
For example, neither of the 2 Apple camera adapters noted in the 12 STEP manual screenshot below have a port for plugging in a Lightning cable.
So, when using 12 STEP with a USB camera adapter that has a port for a Lightning cable for charging, it would/might be safer not to use Expand port of 12 STEP, to avoid malfunctions or other problems with 12 STEP. (In other words, please don’t use mini USB port of 12 STEP.)
-In this case, a self-powered USB hub (it was already explained by @uncledave on this thread) could be used to provide stable power to the 12 STEP. Of course, this self-powered USB hub will be connected to the main port of 12 STEP. And in this case, nothing is connected to 12 STEP’s Expand port.
-A self-powered USB hub with sufficient power and multiple ports would have another advantage: it could connect and use multiple MIDI hardwares other than the 12 STEP at the same time.
But, I say again, I’m not sure about it because I’m clueless about the relationship between electric power (Volt, Ampere, Watt, Ohm) and hardware. So if you want to know more about the Expand port of 12 STEP, you would be better off asking KMI.
That might be useful, but it's just a specialized Y-connector for AC. The picture shows a tiny phone charger plugged into it. The OP could use it with a 12W iPad charger.
Hi, @uncledave. Thank you so much for the correction and additional clarification!
What you said is very important information.
(⬆️ Not only does this mean that it is important for the OP and readers of this thread, but it is also very helpful for my mental stability. Because I find it very stressful that I directly/indirectly recommend connectors, USB chargers, USB hubs and etc. from internet forums to all the people of this planet. I'm afraid of all trouble I/they/we could get into because of my posting of incorrect information).
I actually have that plug. That's not where the problem is. But thank you for the suggestion. As of now I'm limited to using my original USB to lightning camera adapter. It works perfectly but does not allow me to charge my ipad and I still need to also use the headphone out on the ipad to my DI. I'll keep looking around for an adapter that will work. I'm really just getting started with the AUM program so I don't have a ton of questions yet. I'll be sure to stop back here when I do though.
Again, thank you for the support.
This is the Apple USB Camera Adapter you need. It does allow charging the iPad. It is what we tried to suggest from the beginning. Since you have the headphone jack, I don't see the advantage of the dongle you showed. I do not believe you'll be able to use a long Lightning extension cable to allow placing the USB adapter on the floor.
Hi, @JustDave.
Note:
The content of this post of mine may be hard to understand due to my poor explanation. So I will split my post into two separate posts. Both 1 and 2 below relate to charging your iPad.
1: Question and Request
2: Information and Suggestions
Note:
All of the following are merely questions and requests based on my personal interest and curiosity.
And I don’t know if you would benefit from answering my question and request.
So, if you don’t/couldn’t answer or reply my questions and requests, neither you nor I have any problem at all.
*
1: Question and Request
Question:
I read your report that your iPad could not be charged in your hardware routing.
Which does your report mean, A or B?
A: The lightning bolt icon (like ⚡️ or ⚡︎) appears above(?) the battery level icon in the upper right corner of iPad screen. However, the charging speed is very slow.
B: The lightning bolt icon (like ⚡️ or ⚡︎) does not appear above(?) the battery level icon in the upper right corner of iPad screen.
*
Request:
I would like to know the product name and number (note: not the serial number) of the USB charger you are using. Plus the URL of the web page with the product specs. If you know them, I would appreciate it if you could post them in this thread.
Note: Priority of information I need to know
If you post the 1st information, I don’t need the 2nd and 3rd information.
If you post the 2nd information, I don’t need the 3rd information.
1st information: The product name and product number (note: not the serial number!) of your USB charger
2nd information: URL of the web page with the specs of your USB charger
3rd information: Pictures of your USB charger specs
Note: If you take a picture of your USB charger and upload it to this thread
-Please do not include the serial number of your product.
-Please do not include any digital metadata(?) in the photo file, such as the GPS/location(?) where the photo was taken, and etc.
2: Information & Suggestions
Information:
I have a feeling that the USB camera adapter product linked URL below is similar to the USB camera adapter you mentioned/posted on this thread. However, I have no idea if it is an OEM, a copy product or a totally unrelated product.
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Headphone-Charger-Splitter-Keyboard/dp/B0CC5QJKXP
The following is my screenshot of a photo attached to a user review of the product at the URL above.
The meanings of ✔️ and ✖︎ and "Match" in the screenshot above are probably the following.
USB-A port: Cannot be used for charging. Cannot be used for calling. Can be used for Music.
3.5mm port: Cannot be used for charging. Cannot be used for calling. Can be used for Music.
Lightning port: Can be used for charging. Cannot be used for calling. Cannot be used for Music.
Match:
USB-A port and 3.5mm port cannot be used at the same time.
USB-A port and Lightning port can be used at the same time.
3.5mm port and Lightning port can be used at the same time.
USB-A port and 3.5mm port and Lightning port cannot be used at the same time.
*
Suggestions:
Maybe your USB camera adapter also has exclusive specifications, like "Match:" above.
-In this case, you may be able to charge your iPad using only the USB-A port and Lightning port of your USB camera adapter.
(Edited)
-In this case, please connect your USB charger to the Lightning port of the USB camera adapter.
-In this case, please connect your 12 STEP to the USB-A port of the USB camera adapter.
(/Edited)
-In this case, do not use the 3.5mm port of the USB camera adapter. Use the 3.5mm port on your iPad itself.
Note:
-I suggest that you do not connect a 6feet Lightning extension cable in this test.
-I’ve read several user reviews of third-party products with a Lightning connector (e.g., Lightning/USB-A cables) that reported that they worked when connected with the Lightning connector front and back turned upside down. So, you may want to try the method when connecting your USB camera adapter’s Lightning connector to your iPad’s Lightning port.
*
(Edited)
Note:
-The screenshot above may/might be of a different product than the one in the Amazon URL above.
-In other words, the Amazon reviewer/customer may/might have posted a photo of a box of another product in the user review of the Amazon URL product, in order to write a review comparing the above Amazon URL product to the other product.
(I’m not confident I can explain this thing well. But I’m confident that you are all geniuses and can fully understand what I’m trying to say.)
(/Edited)
This is the item I purchased from Amazon.
It said it was a 'certified' item for Apple. I'm guessing it is not actually. After digging some more, turns out that Apple doesn't make an adapter like this. I think I'm going to try the one that UncleDave suggested.
https://forum.audiob.us/profile/uncledave
On another note, I am totally loving the AUM software! It's doing exactly what I want and is pretty easy to setup.
Thanks again to everyone for their input.
Just happened to notice this thread after logging in.
I haven't read the other comments, but I use Cubasis for everything.
I have never encountered any limitations that I couldn't work around.
Life is, after all, just one big workaround.
Occasionally, apps will just crash for no apparent reason.
I guess it's just an "Apple-thing" and I have gotten used to it.
Fortunately, most apps have very good state-saving features so you can usually resume where you left off.
I have a ton of synths and effects that I love to experiment with.
I love these things and they only cost a few bucks.
I use only an iPad Pro, with no external hardware except for a stylus and headphones.
Feel free to post anything at any time.
You will meet a lot of cool people that are happy to help you.
Have a good one!