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Workflow problems. Please help!!
I am having some issues with getting used to a different type of workflow creating electronic music on iOS. My main problem is that I have been using FLStudio on a PC for the last 10+ years so I have become (without realising) very very used to how that works! I am talking about having step sequencers for drums, piano rolls for various synths and samples etc. all on the same screen (pattern screen) and then being able to just go from pattern 1 to pattern 2 with one click.
I know I can't exactly replicate how FLStudio works on my iPad but I must be able to get close using Audiobus. I would be glad to hear any suggestions that might get me close.
I am only going to be using Audiobus, Beathawk, Zedsynth, Thor and Auria until I get myself sorted. I really don't want to become disillusioned with this as I feel that making music on iOS has enormous potential. Saying that I am getting closer and closer to buying a new laptop........!
Comments
some good comments here...
http://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/114295/
Hi Jarmin,
Firstly, don't give up and buy a laptop. Yet, at least.
There's no piano roll in any of the software you mention. Or indeed any pattern based ('gird') drum sequencing. So that's probably where you are struggling.
Until the new (midi / pianoroll enabled version of Auria comes out much later this year) you could see yourself having 2 ways to go (both involve buying another app i'm afraid):
Route 1 "All in one app approach": Buy Korg Gadget (quite expensive but in my opinion worth every penny) and one or both of the sampler IAPs. Use the internal synths and drum machines inside Gadget for the mainstay and structure of your tracks and just bring in little bits (sounds and phrases under 5 seconds unless you splice them together to make them longer) of Beathawk, Zedsynth and Thor as audio samples. Export the stems of your track to Auria for final effects/mixing/mastering. This is basically how I work and I like it because Gadget is a breeze to compose in and has some great synths and sound libraries built in. Plus the samplers are great and so is the automation. A slight alternative (1b) might be to create the mainstay of your track in Gadget, then export to Auria, and then record (via audiobus) or paste bits of Beathawk, Zedsynth and Thor into Auria (allowing for any length of sample) to add to your track. You'll need to play these synths live unless you also buy a midi sequencer with a piano roll (or similar) (see route 2)
[Note, route 1 could also be done with NanoStudio or Caustic instead of Gadget - but I personally prefer Gadget]
Route 2 "Lots of apps and the midi + audiobus approach": For this I think you need to add a midi sequencer / piano roll app to your set-up to compose in and drive Beathawk, Zedsynth and Thor. The basic principle is chaining as follows: Piano roll [midi>] Synth App [audiobus>] Auria. This can also be achieved using 'Inter App Audio' instead of audiobus (just a matter of preference really). Many people use Cubasis (quite expensive) for this approach and sometimes record into Cubasis itself rather than Auria. Alternatively you could use a cheaper, slimmer, more loop based piano roll app like: Pro Midi (new and has some issues but I like it) or Auxy with the Midi Out IAP (could be a nice simple option) (or more of a step sequencer/programmer like MidiSequencer, StepPolyArp, Xynthersizer etc... - they all do slightly different things). As well as the synths, you should be able to drive drums in Beathawk with these apps using, I believe, notes from C2 upwards for the 16 drum pads. This approach has the advantage of being more flexible for using 3rd party synths and apps like Beathawk, Zedsynth and Thor - but be warned - it can involve a fair bit of trial and error working out midi connections and setting up these chains of apps to work successfully. It's also more processor hungry I think. You'll need to work out your own workflow here - often people record (commit to audio) a part at a time rather than trying to chain everything together with different IAA/Midi/audiobus connections that can get complicated and cause performance issues (especially now on iOS8).
My personal advice would be something more like route one if you;re missing having everything all in one place like in FLStudio on a computer. But others make route 2 work very well. Or you could try a bit of a mix of both.
Hope that makes some sense and doesn't confuse you even more. There's no perfect, right, workflow and it's the one area of iOS music that is its biggest downside I think. Other than that it's basically all upsides
. There is a hope that once Auria 2 (which you'll be able to upgrade to for less that buying it from scratch) comes out with a full Midi piano roll and a kick-ass internal synth - this might be the silver bullet. (Cubasis is probably the nearest to this for the route 2 approach at the moment - but I never got on with Cubasis personally).
Based on your experience I think you are looking more for an all-in-one app. My preference is Caustic. The workflow suits me. The only thing missing is stereo sampling which will be in the next update. I use my other ios music apps to make loops and samples and then arrange in Caustic. Best bang for buck on iOS at $10.
You can do the same in Nanostudio which does have stereo sampling. I used to love Nanostudio except for the fact that (for me) the workflow was clunky.
Gadget is OK but over-rated IMHO.
Trying to use individual iOS apps to "build up" a DAW experience just doesn't work. Talk about clunky!
When Auria gets MIDI it would be worth looking at and Cubasis too.
There was a post here recently that ascribed looking at the various available apps in IOS like modules of a synth. I think that helps a lot. Coming from a Roland DAW, I personally, find the work-arounds far from limiting.
Incredibly generous and patient post.
Although to be fair, so am I most of the time
Think differently. It works.
Thanks @JohnnyGoodyear . My guess is a lot of us have to spend a long time figuring out a workflow that actually works on iOS - so it's nice to think we can save a bit of time for someone else trying to figure this stuff out.
Definitely don't give up yet @Jarmin !
Thank you @Matt_Fletcher_2000 for your post. Much appreciated.
I definitely won't be chucking the iPad just yet.....!
Very helpful to hear a couple of solid options that I actually understand. I think I suffered a short but heavy app/synth/drums addiction coupled with FL withdrawal and got a bit squiffy mashing them all together!!
I'll be doing a mixture of route 1 and 1b for now (I already have Nanostudio) but having looked at route 2 it looks a lot less scary than I thought especially when the new Auria is released. I guess I just needed to see it written down in front of me. I hadn't even thought of looking for a piano roll/step sequencer app!
My problem is having to force myself to go to my desktop to more easily structure everything in FL, but as I am in the honeymoon stage w/ this ipad I'm just not bothering to really finish anything. At least my son will inherit millions of megabytes of wav files that he can sell for food/firewood/etc
Gadget is a revelation!!! @Matt_Fletcher_2000 @JohnnyGoodyear
I had been playing about with Nanostudio for a bit after your suggestions but couldn't resist a look at Gadget. Read a few reviews first but inevitably dropped the money on it!! Expensive but dam it is good. Really has helped aiding the transition from PC to iPad.
Yep. Gadget rocks.