Soundbox by Audiomodern (Released on iOS)

Jumpercollins

@EdZAB said:

@Jumpercollins said:

@EdZAB said:

@deadpoetlive said:
Might be daft question but can the Xinematix soundpacks be loaded into soundbox (it is unlocked)?

I can't resist responding to this, although @Gavinski has already answered. However, just because I enjoy a challenge, there is theoretically at least one way to get some of the sounds from Xinematix into Soundbox, but it would be pretty much the same for any instrument or sample source. It's an interesting exercise. If you have both Xinematix and Audiolayer, I believe you can load up Xinematix instruments into Audiolayer and then get direct access to the samples and the mappings, and then use the export feature in Audiolayer to export out the samples for each key range and velocity range and get them into a folder. I've done it for instruments that I've created myself. The other way to get the samples out would be to load up Audiolayer and Xinematix in a host like AUM and use the Auto-sampling feature to generate a custom instrument in Audiolayer using your own choices of key ranges for each sample and varying velocity levels. Once you have a set of samples across a key range and velocity range, you can then import the samples into a custom preset in Soundbox (if you have it unlocked). It's actually pretty easy to do, if you know the tricks to navigating the preset editor in Soundbox. It might look something like the below when done. In this example, the key range is C2-B4, with samples space out 4 semitones each, and 3 velocity levels. Of course there are a number of fine points to this process, which I'm going to gloss over such as setting the levels correctly, shaping the samples and setting loop points and fade points, etc. but you can still get some rough version of the instrument created in Soundbox in this way.

So to sum up, @Gavinski has the correct answer. Is it possible to approximate importing the instrument in some very rough and dirty way? Yes. But mainly my point is that creating an instrument/preset in Soundbox is actually not that difficult if you have the right tools and little bit of knowledge, although making it sound really good and usable will probably require some expertise. Nevertheless, it's great fun to play around with and see what you can do. After some practice, I was able to import some samples that I created using Audiolayer and BeatHawk into Soundbox and create a custom preset in about 10 minutes.

@EdZAB What does “select sound from midi” do inside the Soundbox sample tool window ? Does Soundbox have an auto sampler as yet ?

@Jumpercollins - To your first question, it's a good one. Let's see if anyone here has an answer - I do not. If not I'll inquire over at Audiomodern and see if I can find out. To the second question, there does not appear to be an auto sampler on the mobile version - if there is, it's hidden really well. I haven't used the desktop version very much yet, so can't speak to that.

Edit - Figured it out - the "Select sound from MIDI" will select one of the sound samples from the set above the keyboard when enabled. So when enabled, and a MIDI note is received or the built-in keyboard is used, it will highlight the sample based on the key and velocity, and the waveform and it's properties will appear in the upper half of the screen. When it is not enabled, the sample will play, but it will not be selected. I could see it being useful when you want to edit a sample without taking the chance that tapping on it might modify it by unintentional finger movement, for example (the pads are very responsive to adjustment).

Also, note that you can select multiple samples by tapping and dragging in a blank area and then move them around together, or collectively edit the properties of the whole set such as velocity range, root note and so forth, but you would not see anything in the waveform view.

@EdZAB Ok thanks for that comprehensive answer that makes things clearer.

Jumpercollins

ninobeatz

https://komposeaudio.com/products/kompose-audio-glacium

ninobeatz

https://www.cinematicalpha.com/cinepads-v2-for-soundbox

richardyot

Shame all these soundpacks sound so samey. There is no reason every 3rd-party pack has to be ambient pads...

Samu

@richardyot said:
Shame all these soundpacks sound so samey. There is no reason every 3rd-party pack has to be ambient pads...

That's the way things seem to work these days, grab cash from people who are too lazy to design their own sounds

EdZAB

I know that Soundbox can do amazing things with even simple sounds, and it's potential has not been tapped yet. I created a test soundpack in less than an hour and it's nothing special, but it's pretty impressive what Soundbox do with some random stuff thrown at it (see below). I know there's some people out there that can make packs that would be amazing.

I posted a link to a video and a free test pack in another thread a while back:
https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/63372/free-audiomodern-soundbox-sound-pack-ed-z-test-pack-1#latest

skiphunt

@EdZAB said:
I know that Soundbox can do amazing things with even simple sounds, and it's potential has not been tapped yet. I created a test soundpack in less than an hour and it's nothing special, but it's pretty impressive what Soundbox do with some random stuff thrown at it (see below). I know there's some people out there that can make packs that would be amazing.

I posted a link to a video and a free test pack in another thread a while back:
https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/63372/free-audiomodern-soundbox-sound-pack-ed-z-test-pack-1#latest

Thanks! Just downloaded. Haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it'll come in handy to mix in with all the other samey "pad" paks

NeuM

@Samu said:

@richardyot said:
Shame all these soundpacks sound so samey. There is no reason every 3rd-party pack has to be ambient pads...

That's the way things seem to work these days, grab cash from people who are too lazy to design their own sounds

Hey, if people are buying them (I'm not one of them) they must be worth whatever they're paying.

eylvy

5 short demos of several IAP's and stock sounds

EdZAB

I don't think this post is worthy of a separate thread, but let me know:

I've been using Soundbox with some additional sound packs and using external storage, and it works great, but it's had to be repaired/reinstalled a couple times now due to errors "the following audio samples are missing or invalid." I've seen the same problem on Playbeat 3. The last time this happened, I reinstalled and redownloaded the packs. This time, I was able to perform a workaround, which I got from Jade Starr and which I suggested to a person in the Audiomodern forum who reported the same issue and it worked:

• Make sure Soundbox is closed
• Copy the contents of the folder where Soundbox currently points, to a new folder, with a different name
• Open Soundbox and in settings change the Sample Library Location to the new folder
• Say "No" to transferring the contents
• Try browsing the packs and the presets again and playing the sounds. Give it a few seconds to load each preset after you select it, especially if you're storage is not super fast. Also try closing and opening Soundbox if needed.

This worked immediately to restore Mechania, Kromium, the Demo pack to operation. I had a custom pack that I created myself, and that one still didn't work initially, but after disconnecting the drive and restarting Soundbox, that one worked too, so everything was restored to full working order.

I'm not sure if this problem is happening on all external drives and how often. I'm using a fast SDXC card in a USB card reader, so it's not terribly fast, but it seems to work well most of the time.

MrSmileZ

I just don’t get this sampler and the hype around it…
I keep saying “am i missing something here?”

What exactly does this do that Beatmaker 3 doesn’t do better? This thing really isn’t offering me anything that I am amazed by at all unless there’s a hidden menu with powerful features or something? I just want to understand the innovation that this brought to the table that I am missing …I bought a pack, it’s ok…but I feel that AudioLayer does more?

The user interface is a negative to me…it’s tiny even on the iPad Pro. I’m not knocking the app, if it’s your cup of tea than drink up! But the praise level exceeds the product in my eyes. AudioLayer with XinematiX is superior in my book.

hes

@MrSmileZ said:
I just don’t get this sampler and the hype around it…
I keep saying “am i missing something here?”

I am similarly confused, I think, but on a different issue. Seems to me like Soundbox is very similar to Decent Sampler, but Decent Sampler has many freely available sound packs. I figure I must be misunderstanding something, since I don't think Decent Sampler has even been mentioned in this now very long thread.

Goldiblockz

@hes said:

@MrSmileZ said:
I just don’t get this sampler and the hype around it…
I keep saying “am i missing something here?”

I am similarly confused, I think, but on a different issue. Seems to me like Soundbox is very similar to Decent Sampler, but Decent Sampler has many freely available sound packs. I figure I must be misunderstanding something, since I don't think Decent Sampler has even been mentioned in this now very long thread.

Decent Sampler on iOS/iPad OS is a buggy nightmare in my experience.

hes

@Goldiblockz said:

@hes said:

@MrSmileZ said:
I just don’t get this sampler and the hype around it…
I keep saying “am i missing something here?”

I am similarly confused, I think, but on a different issue. Seems to me like Soundbox is very similar to Decent Sampler, but Decent Sampler has many freely available sound packs. I figure I must be misunderstanding something, since I don't think Decent Sampler has even been mentioned in this now very long thread.

Decent Sampler on iOS/iPad OS is a buggy nightmare in my experience.

I'm aware of that, although some reports seem to indicate it's improved on that front.

However, that's not my question. I'm just wondering if Soundbox is in fact quite similar to Decent Sampler. And if it's different, how it's different. For example, can soundpacks that work in Decent Sampler be loaded into Soundbox, and if not directly is there some way to convert them so they are loadable in Soundbox? Or are the two apps so different the question doesn't even make sense?

andowrites

@Samu said:

@richardyot said:
Shame all these soundpacks sound so samey. There is no reason every 3rd-party pack has to be ambient pads...

That's the way things seem to work these days, grab cash from people who are too lazy to design their own sounds

That's like suggesting all instrumentalists should make their own instruments. Unnecessary to say the least.

Some have the talents of making instruments, some have the talents of making music. Some, very few are blessed to have the skill to create their own instruments and their own music. No need to criticise either the instrument makers, or the musicians. It serves no one to do so.

We don't have to redesign the wheel from the ground up to make a better wheel either. Let us stand on the shoulders of others in order for us all to be raised up, each helping the other. We are all the better for such sharing and lifting up.

rs2000

@andowrites I don't think that's what @samu meant.

The instruments already exist and nobody needs to build their own like in a modular synthesizer except when they love the challenge and enjoy the process.

Speaking of synth presets, I find it hard to make general assumptions though - some offer presets that indeed sound very similar to what we've heard again and again before but some are quite innovative and explore rather new ground, mainly in synths that offer more than just the classic subtractive architecture that has been replicated so often.

Edward_Alexander

@andowrites

Yeah @Samu did imply “cash” grab (I assume he meant by the companies selling these sample players that are dressed up as “instruments”)..

Not an “instrument grab” by instrumentalists and/or musicians who just want to make music. As @rs2000 mentioned, instruments already exist.

I’ve been playing guitar since my early teens, and have owned many guitars over the years (I’m 55 now) and have now what I consider my “keepers” , and yet, here I am looking at guitars online and thinking about buying another one!

In all those years though, I’ve never built a single one. I do however think it would be interesting to see it done in person (and I’ve seen all the YouTube videos of Gibson and Fender custom shop builds etc., and of course the Rob Scallon “I made a guitar” with the help of a professional luthier videos.)

So as a musician/instrumentalist, when I feel the urge to create music, I’ll usually reach for established instruments. Most of the time, when I have something in my head, I can find a well known synth preset that will suit my mood. (That’s if it’s not an electric or acoustic guitar tone, piano, EP, Rhodes etc).

Other times, as I’ve learned more about sound design in my later years (with the help of modular synth environments like Drambo) I like to dabble in sounds and tweak elements that will sometimes inspire me, and a piece of music might emerge from that. Either way, it’s my music, and my choice.

I forget where I was going with all this, so I’ll just end by saying that the controls and text in these Audiomodern apps are waaaay to tiny to see any use by me. Maybe I’ll just sample some of the sounds I like from YouTube.. or maybe I won’t haha
Let’s face it, none of us are ever going to get famous or earn millions by twiddling synth knobs. Maybe, you might/could earn a living selling preset or sample packs, or like Audiomodern above here, selling a new sample playing app?

No, the only way to really make it, is by either writing a great song, grabbing your guitar and getting your ass up there in front of the microphone and singing your heart out, or by having some sketchy back story, like you’re a recovered drug addict who just got out of prison (aka the Jelly Roll approach)

I might have had too much eggnog…….

EdZAB

@EdZAB said:
I don't think this post is worthy of a separate thread, but let me know:

I've been using Soundbox with some additional sound packs and using external storage, and it works great, but it's had to be repaired/reinstalled a couple times now due to errors "the following audio samples are missing or invalid." I've seen the same problem on Playbeat 3. The last time this happened, I reinstalled and redownloaded the packs. This time, I was able to perform a workaround, which I got from Jade Starr and which I suggested to a person in the Audiomodern forum who reported the same issue and it worked:

• Make sure Soundbox is closed
• Copy the contents of the folder where Soundbox currently points, to a new folder, with a different name
• Open Soundbox and in settings change the Sample Library Location to the new folder
• Say "No" to transferring the contents
• Try browsing the packs and the presets again and playing the sounds. Give it a few seconds to load each preset after you select it, especially if you're storage is not super fast. Also try closing and opening Soundbox if needed.

This worked immediately to restore Mechania, Kromium, the Demo pack to operation. I had a custom pack that I created myself, and that one still didn't work initially, but after disconnecting the drive and restarting Soundbox, that one worked too, so everything was restored to full working order.

I'm not sure if this problem is happening on all external drives and how often. I'm using a fast SDXC card in a USB card reader, so it's not terribly fast, but it seems to work well most of the time.

*Update - Audiomodern has replied to a post in their forum and indicated that a fix for this issue is coming soon.