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.
Frustrating state of iOS DAWs closing out 2025
I’ve been frustrated for a while now trying to find a DAW to tick all my “features requirements” boxes.
My desired DAW supports:
Timeline w/ audio and MIDI recording tracks
AUv3 plugin hosting - instrument, effect, and MIDI
Multi-out plugin support (instruments and effects)
MIDI routing between tracks
MPE
Piano roll
Mixer
Out of the DAWs I have:
Logic Pro mostly covers everything, but doesn’t have AUv3 effect multi-out (only instrument). It’s a bit menu heavy in terms of workflow but otherwise I like it.
Cubasis also doesn’t have multi-out effects. MIDI routing between tracks isn’t great.
Audio Evolution I just recently picked this up so it may fit the bill, but no MIDI between tracks from my understanding.
GarageBand is lacking on being much outside of a sketch pad/jam space. Though I’ve honestly made more “completed” tracks here than any other DAW.
AUM isn’t a DAW but damn if the MIDI and audio routing isn’t flawless. I’m tempted to set up Cubasis + AUM using IAA but I feel that almost defeats having a DAW in the mix. Being limited to 8 tracks isn’t huge but is a limitation.
I’m sure Loopy and Drambo can make this happen - but I just want a DAW out of the box to have a feature set of AUM without resorting to plugins like Helium, MIDI Mixer, etc.
Comments
I’m in the Cubasis camp, and like you said, when I hit a wall with multi out and MIDI I just do what I need in AUM and then IAA record it into Cubasis. It’s by no means an enjoyable workflow but it gets the job done. I’ve stuck with Cubasis mainly cause I like the auv3 parameter automation it can do (I think it’s called p lock in drambo? 🤷🏻♂️) and I don’t like the idea of having to do the whole subscription thing for Logic.
It’s a pipe dream for sure, but I can still hold out hope that Bitwig might one day come to ios… it looks lovely to work in
Loopy Pro doesn't support multi-out plugins at this time.
Drambo doesn't have a timeline in the sense that you're thinking of it.
I relate to the op, I've never found the iOS DAW I need.
Logic is out because of the subscription model, Audio Evolution is pretty good but I find the pages irritating and the workflow not optimal for me.
Most iOS DAWs don't have pdc and that's an issue for me. I record in AUM for now, it works for fun things but I need a timeline and vocal editing features.
My iPad has nice instruments on it but recording music on my iPad feels like going back in time 20 years.
Dang, those two always seem to be the answer. We truly are lost.
Using Logic on a Mac vs on an iPad is a vastly better experience. AUM is great for fun, and in tandem with the Mac and IDAM it does a good job bringing those nice iPad instruments into a desktop environment.
Does anyone have experience with Auria Pro, Multitrack DAW, or N-track studio?
I feel the same. There’s nothing that isn’t annoying in some way. I love AUM, but for recording anything I just use Ableton.
@FizzyLizzy27 :Why do you say Logic Pro on a Mac is “vastly” better than on iPad?
I want multi threaded xequence with obsidian and the logic audio plugins built in. I will even pay a subscription if it doesn’t crash several times a day or corrupt files like logic does. Where can I buy this?
Yeah but combine them by using one inside the other, and you’ll have it all.
I really like Auria Pro but has been a bit instable in IOS26. I haven’t had time to test latest Pop Drummer update. I hope it fixes the garbled fonts and AU disconnects while playing.
Maybe vastly is a bit hyperbolic - I honestly like a desktop environment more in general and that could play into it. Pop out windows for plugins, better mouse and keyboard support, seems more robust.
Logic Pro on iPad seems like they ported the Mac version over instead of designing it to be touch centric and so it feels like a clunky experience.
I feel like I get crashes and glitches a lot in Logic Pro and Cubasis. In Cubasis audio will stop until I close and reopen the app, and I’ve had a few random crashes in both. It’s not like I’ve been loading 100+ tracks or anything.
i think loopy pro can do it all… it has a timeline, im not very experienced using it like a daw yet
It's missing some of the OP's requirements. Plus you can't really record on to the timeline, except to record a looping performance (i.e. there's not a way I'm aware of to record an audio track onto the timeline, you'd have to record a very long one-shot "loop"). It totally counts as a DAW in my book at this point, but it doesn't tick all of OP's boxes.
Somehow Auria Pro is still working - mostly. I encounter the odd gremlin, but I can get a mix done within it. BM3 is still remarkably chugging along as well. There is still the odd glitch, but for the most part I can get a mix done in there as well.
It is still a faster and easier experience to mix on the desktop. Screen space and the ability to keep multiple large windows open is useful. If you have a Mac you can you use the screen sharing option with the iPad to open and drag and drop plug in windows onto the iPad screen. I’ve done this with multiple iPads connected. Also, Logic Remote works nicely as well.
You aren’t restricted to recording looping performances in the timeline.
Also, you can set clips not to loop whether in the timeline or not. They can be as long as you want.
It doesn’t yet have multi-out AU support —which is coming soon-ish. It doesn’t have standard tracking editing tools.
Have you updated? I used to get the but they fixed it !
Yah I find BM3 on my M1 is pretty fantastic. It really was pushing hardware limits when it came out and stability was rough but with modern hardware it hums along sweet and the last few tweaks it got (being able to split/merge patterns and retain automation) really tied a nice bow on it for me. I don 't use heavy quotes "DAW"s on iPad much but I am very glad it is still around for the occasional road trip.
Sadly does not tick the OP boxes
@FizzyLizzy27 :Good points, thanks …
@boomer Im with, Xequence with hosted instruments would be good. I’d like audio too but then it surpasses midi sequence.
@SevenSystems I was wondering do you know perhaps if it is possible to lease or get free audio rec software to slap in to a DAW?
Question for everyone: What presicely are the audio routing limitations in Cubasis? Can you send Audio to 1 Group specifically and notthing else? I agree for the first time, the prospect of building a specific pipe through AUM for each setup In cubasis does not sound like fun.
@espiegel123
He said you can’t record on the timeline in loopy.
When looping, transitions between clips is problematic. Loopy is the best looper, not a mastering tool, no?
Lately I am setting up to use Drambo as the sequencer for Cubasis in standalone. I’m doing automation and step editing in Drambo and loading instruments + effects in cubasis. A hotkey on a keyboard switches between two windows. Using applePen with Automation in Drambo looks promising you know?
What I have yet to test is recording instruments(cubasis) at the same time.
I think I will record the software instruments in Cubasis only once (to avoid double automation), when something is semi finished.
-I’m not sure if the Timeline Transport Between them will play nice if I put instruments here and there in Cubasis. There are some hotkeys, but maybe not timeline markers? Maybe I’ll just loop sections and move the audio around later.
You can record in the timeline.
In what way?
On a somewhat related note:
I see my iPad music making as a chaotic playground. My Ipad takes me physically and mentally to places that I can't take my computer / many controllers set up. It is a place that is less organised and less refined. It can be chaotic, frustrating and lacks the conformity of flow my Comp setup has, but can also be more emotive and lead to fresh avenues of musical fun.
My Comp / Many Controller set up has help reign in some of my more chaotic urges. It helps me make music quicker and in a much more organanised manner. It helps me use time well. It is comfortable and controllable to a degree I've just never personally found making music on the ios platform. It can however lead to more 'safe' musical endeavors and can lack the excitement metaphorical excitement found within the 'lack of safety net high wire act' of ios music making.
I've not found costs to be that different. Ios tends to be a lots of apps cheap as opposed to the Comps higher cost software and hardware, but less purchases on the whole - both are quite costly for most people on realistic budgets I imagine.
My perspective is from purely that of a hobbyist with no desire to bring any financial motivations into any of my hobbies.
@espiegel123 you mean you can record a loops while in timeline view using a controller or a button? Normally recording in Loopy is done in loop view and arranging is done in horizontal view. Then you can switch back to loop view and see it, but the point is they are still loops. They cut off even if made well. If you want to add effects between transitions or record the whole song of a band I would find it limiting to be stuck within the world of loops, this is known. I know most of the ingredients are there but it’s not what I record the demo.
It is however what I perform and make songs in, it’s good enough
It would feel like I’m being a lot more fussy about the whole thing if Logic Pro at least had all the functionality I listed. The fact that the flagship DAW from Apple doesn’t have all the features available just baffles me.
When I first got an iPad and AUM, I tried real hard to avoid picking up an actual DAW (for some reason haha, probably me being frugal). So I got 4 pockets Multitrack recorder to give me a timeline environment in AUM. Worked great, but for some reason it never got comfortable for me personally to work in, so I bought Cubasis. I figured I’d bring it up just in case it might be someone else’s answer to the one thing they’re missing for their dream DAW. I also have learned much more about AUM since then, so maybe I’m due for a revisit as well! 🤙
So you’ve successfully made the switch to Cubasis? I think the clunky MIDI handling is the big barrier to entry for me and Cubasis.
Ya I’d say so! Pretty comfy in the Cubasis environment (I have 2 not 3) and if there’s something I can’t do I set it up in AUM, route it to an audio track in C2, and record. Others have stated they are trying to avoid that workflow, but it works for me. Just like Multitrack might work for someone else and the way they work. Diff strokes diff folks!
You can do all recording in timeline view. No controller or button needed.
Not necessarily.
Not necessarily. You can think of them as segments of linear audio or as audio events. You don’t have to treat them as loops.
That really depends on how you set it up.
You don’t have to treat recordings as loops. You can record any length of audio
People have different preferences as to how to work. Loopy Pro’s DAW-like aspects won’t suit everyone’s workflow. But it is quite more flexible /caoanle in this regard than I think you are aware.
Probably! But I'm not sure exactly how you are planning to do it.