#inter-app audio

Is Audiobus the end-all solution for those looking to work with multiple programs on their iOS device?  With all the recent news and partnerships between app developers, it might seem so.  At the very least, it has sold users on iOS 6 making it more capable of routing audio than any other competitor on the Android side (after all iOS lovers seem to love their music apps).  Before iOS 6 was actually released, iPad users were wondering what could be done to the iPad to make it a more worthy music production platform.  There were talks of an Apple inter-audio app that never seemed to surface. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/A9CUVmeRB5w[/embed] The ability to physically route audio in and out of the device was a huge and was a necessary step in order to allow developers to take advantage of running multiple music apps.  This is one of the prime reasons Audiobus has so much potential.  It was something that had to be done, even if it was by a different developer or Apple themselves.  It’s expected that many developers and app review companies have warmed up to Audiobus so much, and why developers are now jumping on the “Bus”.  This short demo video by Sweetwater shows how they intend to use the app. http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/12/21/ios-update-vol-25-sweetwater-sound/

When gear, specifically MIDI gear, is developed for use with iOS, the developers have the option of simply creating it without their help or they can go to Apple and ask for their blessing.  The second option usually gives the better results since the manufacturer can then say that their equipment is approved by Apple.  I think we’ve all had our share of gear that was mean to be used with Apple products, yet failed horribly because there was very little research done before its development.  With the way Apple likes to make their hardware you can see why it is important to communicate with them before you try something on your own. With the software side there tends to be much more leniency.  A developer can code a program without ever needing Apple support, so long as they know what they are doing.  However, if you are building an app that digs deep into the Apple operating system, you will likely need their approval before real steps can be made.  This is what Audiobus did in order to win the support of both Apple and the other clients who allowed their apps to be tooled for Audiobus.  Apple has a core audio team specifically designed to work with audio implements.  http://createdigitalmusic.com/2013/06/inter-app-audio-in-ios-7-audiobus-think-big-plans/

The tablet and the purpose of the tablet in regular life just seem to be getting better as the days progress.  Desktop sales and laptop sales have been in the toilet for quite some time now, and the manufacturers are slowly seeing the evolution of how humans use computers.  On the software side, the focus has been almost completely targeted towards tablet users rather than desktop users.  The obvious problems with any tablet is that they devices cannot be plugged into them the same way we can with our regular desktop system – but workarounds are constantly being improved. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/K4lcgTVbu8A[/embed] Audiobus and Jack are some of the better ideas that have come along in terms of the logistical problems presented with the everyday tablet user.  We want full functionality when using our apps, but that cannot be had without some proper tweaking and playing with.  Surprisingly, the guys over at the bus are still working on adding members to their team – which probably means that they have the endorsement of the folks over at Apple.  Apple’s own inter-app audio program is likely to be lifted from whatever it is Audiobus has been creating.  They have been adding FX processor apps to their list. http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/06/19/vocalive-adds-a/

As an Android user who was once an iOS users, I can honestly say that I’m pretty jealous over what is available for most iOS users these days.  Android fans might be able to tweak a program and even used pirated software – but Apple users get the benefit of an operating system that handles music creation very well.  If you can think of any type of app out there, it probably already exists in some form or another.  Also, since the pool of developers is much larger than anything in the Android world, chances are that there is always a better version of an app just around the corner. For beat making tools that exist in sequencer form, DM1 takes the cake for being one of the most used apps out there.  It is completely integrated into dropbox, and makes use of good sampling techniques found on early drum machines.  Live musicians who need a much more stable app tend to use programs like Lemur, which allow greater connectivity of MIDI and OSC messages.  It basically allows the iPad to be programmed well beyond anything you can imagine with a less powerful program.  Finally, Audiobus is in charge of connecting audio from one app to another with great ease. http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1868

Audiobus team