NS2 forum is going OFF in few days.

dendy

Just info for everybody, officialn NS2 forum is going OFF in few days, permanently

R.I.P.

https://www.blipinteractive.co.uk/community/discussion/3486/this-forum-will-close-on-17th-march-2025

Just out of curiosity, one poll :

busaudio

The option 0 is missing.

LeeB

Loads! 😉

pricklyrobot

I only discovered it in the past 2 years or so, but it’s by far my favorite iOS sequencer/song composition app. Thinking I might stop updating my current iPad so I can keep using it as long as possible.

Hopefully it’ll last until Grooverider 2 gets MIDI out, or I learn to like Cubasis

jwmmakerofmusic

I'd say at least 50 productions if not more.

@pricklyrobot said:
I only discovered it in the past 2 years or so, but it’s by far my favorite iOS sequencer/song composition app. Thinking I might stop updating my current iPad so I can keep using it as long as possible.

Hopefully it’ll last until Grooverider 2 gets MIDI out, or I learn to like Cubasis

Lol! I tried all the other DAWs on iOS last year, and I settled on Cubasis in January this year for at least producing Ambient. Ambient since I didn't know what to use as a drum module since Cubasis doesn't have an advanced solution for drums (I wish it had Groove Agent! 😂 )

Turns out Koala is currently the best solution for drums in Cubasis for me personally (OneShot for "acoustic" round-robin drums). Reason is that Koala has an EQ per sample, simple time stretching of samples, the buss mixer, is multi-out, the samples are saved in the Koala instance rather than referenced/"streamed from disk", etc.

Another thing is...Cubasis' lowpass filter doesn't cut out all the high end (and leaves a lot of low end), but you know which of Cubasis' plugins does the job better? Studio EQ (more specifically, automating band 4 in lowpass mode).

Those were a couple of things I found novel solutions for. Perhaps this is what you had some issues with? (If not, perhaps I can give advice to help you to move to Cubasis 3 since it took me a couple months to get used to CB3 from NS2.)

I will say, Cubasis' Halion IAP, NeoFM IAP, and FM Classics IAP rendered most of my romplers obsolete (except for Beathawk), at least in my workflow. I freed up 100+gb by deleting Pure Synth Platinum 2. If you don't have those three IAPs, I highly recommend them.

senhorlampada

I voted 11-20.
It was less than 10 in NS2, but NS1 was way more still have it in an older idevice and windows

SevenSystems

I haven't made any tracks in it, but did use it as a comprehensive sound source for 2 of my tracks ("Journey" and "White Hole"). Amazing synth and drum samples, acceptable FX! 👌

Slam_Cut

All of them! Def over 50.
Back in the early NS1 days, I forced myself to make one in Garage Band, which was painful, and a handful of “tests” in MusicStudio, which was less painful. I made several albums worth of tracks in NS1, and close to that in NS2. Like many people I had previously given up on music due to a busy life and not enough room or time to deal with hardware. NS1 & NS2 allowed me to get back into making music again and for that I am eternally grateful. I have no intent to stop using NS2.

peanut_gallery

I've got close to 100 tracks up on Sound Cloud (I think) and all but 4 or 5 of them were done in either NS1 or NS2.

NS2 will still likely be my go-to to noodle in AUV3 plugin only apps, but as I'm trying ("trying" being somewhat optimistic) to do more with hardware synths, Logic Pro on my Mac or Cubases3 on my iPad will slowly take its place.

For me, the workflow in NS2 remains unparalleled to this day. It has spoiled me for life. Or at the very least, set the bar to which all other DAW software should aspire to (or surpass) for workflow.

Hypervox

I decided once I heard about NS2 that I wouldn't go down the software route again - bought an akai mpc one+ instead

Strizbiz

Haven't used it in a couple of years tbh..I did about 43 tracks, most unfinished since it doesn't have audio tracks, which is why I stopped using it, once I realized we were never going to get audio tracks I moved on. Its still great for what it is but it was always half of a daw for me personally

kitejan

In celebration of the end of an era of both Nanostudio and the Blip Interactive forums I dusted off a recent album made in Nanostudio 1 from back in 2022/2023 and uploaded it to Bandcamp (it was a bit of a work lunchtime project). Going back to my 2011 roots and very much in my style back then :-)

https://acollectionofnotes.bandcamp.com/album/last-flowers-of-autumn-free-download

McD

@busaudio said:
The option 0 is missing.

.

But I did buy all the IAP’s to support the developer.

Slam_Cut

I wish there had been regular additions to the IAP store, but there just wasn’t enough support. Also too bad the Converb FX wasn’t released as an IAP. That thing was sweet!

dendy

@Slam_Cut said:
I wish there had been regular additions to the IAP store, but there just wasn’t enough support. Also too bad the Converb FX wasn’t released as an IAP. That thing was sweet!

Oh.. totally forgot this thing. What a shame. It was most CPU efficient convolution reverb i ever saw in my life ...

busaudio

@McD said:

@busaudio said:
The option 0 is missing.

.

But I did buy all the IAP’s to support the developer.

Me too.

Michael_R_Grant

Is the app still available in the App Store? I really want my 12 year old son to download it!

FizzyLizzy27

@pricklyrobot said:
I only discovered it in the past 2 years or so, but it’s by far my favorite iOS sequencer/song composition app. Thinking I might stop updating my current iPad so I can keep using it as long as possible.

Hopefully it’ll last until Grooverider 2 gets MIDI out, or I learn to like Cubasis

I only discovered it in the past few months or so…oops.

I’ve been hesitant to put much more time into learning NS2. What are best practices for keeping an app like this backed up as securely as possible? Whenever I try to turn off anything Apple wants to automate they manage to slip updates past me. I have two old iPad Minis - a 4 and 5 - and would like to keep one of them in its current state for as long as I can. What do I need to keep in mind when trying to freeze this environment? How do I make sure things don’t happen like turning on automatic updates with one iPad syncs settings like that across all of them?

I’ve seen iMazing mentioned as a solution to back up apps in their current state.

dendy

@Michael_R_Grant said:
Is the app still available in the App Store? I really want my 12 year old son to download it!

yup, still there

Slam_Cut

@FizzyLizzy27 said:

@pricklyrobot said:
I only discovered it in the past 2 years or so, but it’s by far my favorite iOS sequencer/song composition app. Thinking I might stop updating my current iPad so I can keep using it as long as possible.

Hopefully it’ll last until Grooverider 2 gets MIDI out, or I learn to like Cubasis

I only discovered it in the past few months or so…oops.

I’ve been hesitant to put much more time into learning NS2. What are best practices for keeping an app like this backed up as securely as possible? Whenever I try to turn off anything Apple wants to automate they manage to slip updates past me. I have two old iPad Minis - a 4 and 5 - and would like to keep one of them in its current state for as long as I can. What do I need to keep in mind when trying to freeze this environment? How do I make sure things don’t happen like turning on automatic updates with one iPad syncs settings like that across all of them?

I’ve seen iMazing mentioned as a solution to back up apps in their current state.

NS2 was really efficiently coded and without updates has been working just fine for years. Itshiuld keep going for a long time.

The first thing I would do is turn off automatic updates. Apple will still download the update, but iPhones & iPad will keep asking you to manually update. Look online for the procedure, but basically it is finding the iOS update (sort of a zip file that hasn’t been installed) and deleting it. Pretty easy once you follow the instructions - no coding experience required.

Then download iMazing. The free version should work well enough, but I found it useful and purchased it. Back up NS2 (and any other app you want to preserve) to multiple laptops or hard drives. It’s also great to just back-up all your apps in one go, but it does take some time. Inside NS2, make sure to regularly archive projects and export them to a hard drive to preserve them. NS2 almost never crashes and I haven’t lost any projects, but in case anything happens (broken, lost, stolen iDevice) it’s nice to have projects safely “in the bank.” Like other people, I plan to keep some iDevices free from iOS updates as dedicated music production environments.

Slam_Cut

@dendy said:

Oh.. totally forgot this thing. What a shame. It was most CPU efficient convolution reverb i ever saw in my life ...

Even as an IAP, I think it would have sold well, but as separate AUv3 it would have been really popular. Oh well. Some things in life just don’t work out.

pricklyrobot

@jwmmakerofmusic said:
… Those were a couple of things I found novel solutions for. Perhaps this is what you had some issues with? (If not, perhaps I can give advice to help you to move to Cubasis 3 since it took me a couple months to get used to CB3 from NS2.)…

Thanks for the offer, I may hit you up with a question sometime:)
Mostly though, there’s nothing specific I can’t figure out in Cubasis. I think it does everything I want, and then some.

It’s more that NS2 has an especially intuitive and streamlined interface, that easily shows me everything I need to see, and nothing I don’t. The first time I used it I was able to figure out all the basics right off, without having to look at the manual.

My usual way of working is to sketch out some tracks in NS2 (using Slate, Obsidian, and assorted Auv3’s), then I’ll copy some to External MIDI tracks and audition those parts on various hardware synths and decide if I like that better or not. Or I might record a new part in live from a hardware keyboard. Finished product usually ends up a mix of hardware and iOS instruments. So NS2 is mainly functioning as a really flexible MIDI sequencer, which is really its strongest suit, I think.

Cubasis just seems a tiny bit clunky and overloaded (for my specific uses) by comparison;)

No reason to switch just yet though, as others have pointed out. Just making a vague future plan…

jwmmakerofmusic

@pricklyrobot said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:
… Those were a couple of things I found novel solutions for. Perhaps this is what you had some issues with? (If not, perhaps I can give advice to help you to move to Cubasis 3 since it took me a couple months to get used to CB3 from NS2.)…

Thanks for the offer, I may hit you up with a question sometime:)
Mostly though, there’s nothing specific I can’t figure out in Cubasis. I think it does everything I want, and then some.

It’s more that NS2 has an especially intuitive and streamlined interface, that easily shows me everything I need to see, and nothing I don’t. The first time I used it I was able to figure out all the basics right off, without having to look at the manual.

My usual way of working is to sketch out some tracks in NS2 (using Slate, Obsidian, and assorted Auv3’s), then I’ll copy some to External MIDI tracks and audition those parts on various hardware synths and decide if I like that better or not. Or I might record a new part in live from a hardware keyboard. Finished product usually ends up a mix of hardware and iOS instruments. So NS2 is mainly functioning as a really flexible MIDI sequencer, which is really its strongest suit, I think.

Cubasis just seems a tiny bit clunky and overloaded (for my specific uses) by comparison;)

No reason to switch just yet though, as others have pointed out. Just making a vague future plan…

Fair enough mate. I agree that Cubasis is clunky in some spots, but for me personally the pros outweigh the cons.

wim

@Slam_Cut said:
The first thing I would do is turn off automatic updates. Apple will still download the update, but iPhones & iPad will keep asking you to manually update. Look online for the procedure, but basically it is finding the iOS update (sort of a zip file that hasn’t been installed) and deleting it. Pretty easy once you follow the instructions - no coding experience required.

We now have the option to disable the automatic downloads too. But not the stupid nagging notifications.

wim

@FizzyLizzy27 said:

@pricklyrobot said:
I only discovered it in the past 2 years or so, but it’s by far my favorite iOS sequencer/song composition app. Thinking I might stop updating my current iPad so I can keep using it as long as possible.

Hopefully it’ll last until Grooverider 2 gets MIDI out, or I learn to like Cubasis

I only discovered it in the past few months or so…oops.

I’ve been hesitant to put much more time into learning NS2. What are best practices for keeping an app like this backed up as securely as possible? Whenever I try to turn off anything Apple wants to automate they manage to slip updates past me. I have two old iPad Minis - a 4 and 5 - and would like to keep one of them in its current state for as long as I can. What do I need to keep in mind when trying to freeze this environment? How do I make sure things don’t happen like turning on automatic updates with one iPad syncs settings like that across all of them?

iOS/iPadOS Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates > Updates:OFF, Security Responses & System Files:OFF, Automatically Download Updates:OFF

Settings > App Store > Automatic App Downloads:OFF, Automatic App Updates:OFF, Offload Unused Apps:OFF

I’ve seen iMazing mentioned as a solution to back up apps in their current state.

https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/comment/1363346/#Comment_1363346

That whole thread is useful: https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/63143/best-practices-for-managing-on-ios-ipados-limitations

wim

I'm not saying to never update iOS/iPadOS for a device that you use for anything else, especially if you use it on the Internet. But waiting until you're sure that there's no adverse effect on apps you care about is wise in my opinion.

If you're super serious about preserving something like NS2 forever if possible then disconnect from WiFi and be done with anything you don't want updating it.

Slam_Cut

@wim said:
I'm not saying to never update iOS/iPadOS for a device that you use for anything else, especially if you use it on the Internet. But waiting until you're sure that there's no adverse effect on apps you care about is wise in my opinion.

If you're super serious about preserving something like NS2 forever if possible then disconnect from WiFi and be done with anything you don't want updating it.

@wim is right (I find this is often the case), but while I keep an iPad that is not connected to WiFi (usually) for NS2 safe environment, and keep an iPhone with a more current iOS that is the canary in my coal mine. If there is a problem on my iPhone, I can quarantine my iPad. So far I haven’t had to do this, and it seems like NS2 is pretty stable dealing with new iOS. But like @wim advocates, wait on updating iOS until you are sure you can do so without any problems.

Slam_Cut

There was one post in the final days of the NS2 forum about a crashing issue under iOS 18.3.2 that seemed wasn’t fixed by updating to iOS 18.3.2. It may not have been a problem with the iOS. Generally NS2 crashes are caused by other things like AUv3, but it would be a good idea, I think, to keep track of any problems as iOS is updated, so that we (those who use NS2) can avoid updates if problems are detected. If anyone is interested…

wim

A "NS2 Post-Discontinuation Issues" thread seems like it might not be a idea if you want to start one. There are plenty of long threads about NS2, but it feels like the discussion will take on a different light now that it's going away. If nothing else, there won't be any more space taken up asking for audio tracks. 😎

anickt

@wim said:
A "NS2 Post-Discontinuation Issues" thread seems like it might not be a idea if you want to start one. There are plenty of long threads about NS2, but it feels like the discussion will take on a different light now that it's going away. If nothing else, there won't be any more space taken up asking for audio tracks. 😎

Never say ‘never’! 🫣

wim

@anickt said:

@wim said:
A "NS2 Post-Discontinuation Issues" thread seems like it might not be a idea if you want to start one. There are plenty of long threads about NS2, but it feels like the discussion will take on a different light now that it's going away. If nothing else, there won't be any more space taken up asking for audio tracks. 😎

Never say ‘never’! 🫣

I guess you're right.

Elvis Lives!