CAUSTIC audio rack for Android

[jensa]

You might want to consider including icons with a higher resolution. The look quite pixelated on the Xoom with its higher resolution.

Also, changing tempo stops the song but the play button is still lit. Maybe it's just pausing?

And pinch zoom in the sequencer please?

[SingleCell]

Nice! Looks promising.

Installed it on my Motorola Xoom and it looks great.
The keyboard only seems to accept two fingers at the same time. Or one key pressed and one knob turned. More fingers than that the sound gets stuck. If I press up or down on the octave keys to the right of the screen they stop.

Also, the latency is, as I expected, a little bit too much like on all the other audio apps I've tried for Android. I know it's not your fault and I really want Google and the smartphone manufacturers to fix this issue.

Good luck with it!

Thanks, the only devices I have to test on only support 2 fingers, so without the ability to test, it was hard to support more. Some fellow developers are looking to get a Xoom for testing soon, hopefully I'll be able to borrow it long enough to fix this for you.

I've learned to live with the latency issues on Android, and most people now are nice enough not to blame developers for it. We can only keep pressing Google to address the issue.

[ATIM]

Wow. Just...wow. I only come out of lurking for the sincerest of compliments and this is certainly deserving. I haven't had my Galaxy for long, but this is easily one of the best audio toys I've messed about with thus far, and that's probably understating it a bit. My bus ride to work this morning was nonexistent. I'm not sure how I didn't miss my stop. Latency is not an issue for me anymore since I'm more of a programmer when it comes to music these days anyway, something that grew out of necessity at one point a few years ago. The piano roll can be a bit of a pain to punch in, but who's complaining? I've thoroughly enjoyed it the one day I've had it and look forward to the paid version. The money is yours.

[Mc UB]

This is crazy shit! Absolutely fantastic! And I Saw it's on Androidpit as wel, which accepts Paypal (have no creditcard). Please be sure to put the paid version in Androidpit as wel too! (The demo shows in Androidpit App Center, but is actually on Market) I know I want it Having it on Androidpit also makes it available for those who don't have or can't use Market, so you don't have to set up an apk download.

I've been playing with it on an Archos 70 Internet Tablet (ARM8 1Ghz, 250 GB disk hehehe, can't beat that you iPad) and it performs beautifully. It plays without any hitch, and the sound is clear. The Archos has quite good speakers, the Caustic sounds great on them. The 7 inch screen is perfect for it, I think on a phone things will be a bit small, but for tablets this is great!

The basslines and the beatbox have a real Rebirth'ish feel to them, with the pattern selectors and all. They are also easy to sequence to a song in the sequencer.

The three synths sound great and have loads of options to mangle the sounds. A few questions though:
- will there be record/overdub possibilities? So I can arrange a pattern-sequence and then record tweaks of knobs over eachother? (Automation)
- In the sequencer, for the basslines and the beatbox you can string patterns behind eachother, creating a song. For the synths however there is only one pianoroll. Can you make patterns for them as well and an arranger? Now I have to program the synth over the entire song, scrolling my ass off
- In the pianoroll, for every note you add, you have to first press the 'pencil' icon. Can you make the pencil icon 'sticky' (like the multi-select-icon) so you can enter multiple notes when editing? Now it is really cumbersome to enter a full melody.
- Will it export what I tell it to? If I select one bar in a song, and solo out one instrument in the mixer, will it export just that part? So I can use them on my PC? Or will it export the entire song only? Or an option to export all tracks separately?
- Will there be midi export capabilities? Import?
- A sequencer with blocks for all instruments on one page? That would make it massively more easy to compose a song.
- Can you add a feature to prevent the screen to go dark?

And as for extra's:
- Can you put in a sampler? Perhaps a beatslicer?

But apart from the questions, I'm mighty impressed!! Over time it could be THE audio app for Android. Far better than Uloops or RD3. I'm in love allready Will Buy it the moment it is out there

[SingleCell]

This is crazy shit! Absolutely fantastic! And I Saw it's on Androidpit as wel, which accepts Paypal (have no creditcard). Please be sure to put the paid version in Androidpit as wel too! (The demo shows in Androidpit App Center, but is actually on Market) I know I want it Having it on Androidpit also makes it available for those who don't have or can't use Market, so you don't have to set up an apk download.

I haven't looked into that yet. I'll have a look.

The three synths sound great and have loads of options to mangle the sounds. A few questions though:
- will there be record/overdub possibilities? So I can arrange a pattern-sequence and then record tweaks of knobs over eachother? (Automation)

Probably, I almost had it working, but there were too many bugs with it that were holding back release, so I've chopped it for now. Hopefully it'll all get fixed and will be back.

In the sequencer, for the basslines and the beatbox you can string patterns behind eachother, creating a song. For the synths however there is only one pianoroll. Can you make patterns for them as well and an arranger? Now I have to program the synth over the entire song, scrolling my ass off

Yeah, I've toyed with the idea a few times too. The problem with that is that it's hard to have long notes (i.e. longer than one bar). Maybe it could be an option but then your can mix both modes easily... ideas ?

- In the pianoroll, for every note you add, you have to first press the 'pencil' icon. Can you make the pencil icon 'sticky' (like the multi-select-icon) so you can enter multiple notes when editing? Now it is really cumbersome to enter a full melody.

You're the second person to ask for that, I'll try and get it in for the next version, the only problem then is scrolling around will require you to uncheck the pencil."

- Will it export what I tell it to? If I select one bar in a song, and solo out one instrument in the mixer, will it export just that part? So I can use them on my PC? Or will it export the entire song only? Or an option to export all tracks separately?

The way I've got it now (almost ready), it will export a loop or the entire song and will respect muted channels.

- Will there be midi export capabilities? Import?
- A sequencer with blocks for all instruments on one page? That would make it massively more easy to compose a song.

I want to look into MIDI import/export but no promises..

- Can you add a feature to prevent the screen to go dark?

And as for extra's:
- Can you put in a sampler? Perhaps a beatslicer?

I had the "no sleep" option in as default but there's a huge risk of draining your phone battery so I opted to leave it out of this release, I'll try and bring it back as an option

But apart from the questions, I'm mighty impressed!! Over time it could be THE audio app for Android. Far better than Uloops or RD3. I'm in love allready Will Buy it the moment it is out there

Thanks for your comments. Until the paid version is bug-free and ready to go, the best thing you can do to help is to spread the word. Oh and to be patient, I have a full-time job and only get a few hours a day to work on bugs/features.

[Mc UB]

This is crazy shit! Absolutely fantastic! And I Saw it's on Androidpit as wel, which accepts Paypal (have no creditcard). Please be sure to put the paid version in Androidpit as wel too! (The demo shows in Androidpit App Center, but is actually on Market) I know I want it Having it on Androidpit also makes it available for those who don't have or can't use Market, so you don't have to set up an apk download.

I haven't looked into that yet. I'll have a look.

Please do! Or in any case provide a possibility to buy without going to Market. My guess is it will double your market-audience. And this thing deserves to be out there

The three synths sound great and have loads of options to mangle the sounds. A few questions though:
- will there be record/overdub possibilities? So I can arrange a pattern-sequence and then record tweaks of knobs over eachother? (Automation)

Probably, I almost had it working, but there were too many bugs with it that were holding back release, so I've chopped it for now. Hopefully it'll all get fixed and will be back.

I'll keep my fingers crossed. It would take it a step further then just being fun to play with. Making it a serious scratchpad or even production aid. But if it is too much hassle, don't let it hold you back to release version 1. you can still put in in version 2

In the sequencer, for the basslines and the beatbox you can string patterns behind eachother, creating a song. For the synths however there is only one pianoroll. Can you make patterns for them as well and an arranger? Now I have to program the synth over the entire song, scrolling my ass off

Yeah, I've toyed with the idea a few times too. The problem with that is that it's hard to have long notes (i.e. longer than one bar). Maybe it could be an option but then your can mix both modes easily... ideas ?

Perhaps put in pattern controls in the pianorolls, and add an option to define the length of a pattern (4 bars, 8 bars,...) I know the stepsequencer of FL Studio has that. And then one dedicated page in the sequencer to arrange all patterns of all instruments.

- In the pianoroll, for every note you add, you have to first press the 'pencil' icon. Can you make the pencil icon 'sticky' (like the multi-select-icon) so you can enter multiple notes when editing? Now it is really cumbersome to enter a full melody.

You're the second person to ask for that, I'll try and get it in for the next version, the only problem then is scrolling around will require you to uncheck the pencil."

I think many people could live with that better then having to select the pencil for every note entry. It would make for a better workflow I think.

- Will it export what I tell it to? If I select one bar in a song, and solo out one instrument in the mixer, will it export just that part? So I can use them on my PC? Or will it export the entire song only? Or an option to export all tracks separately?

The way I've got it now (almost ready), it will export a loop or the entire song and will respect muted channels.

Excellent!! That gives me the opportunity to use the loops or samples in a DAW and refine and finish the song there. You really make me jump up and down in anticipation here

I want to look into MIDI import/export but no promises..

Fair enough You can also consider it for version 2 or three, It's not a big deal for the initial release imho

Thanks for your comments. Until the paid version is bug-free and ready to go, the best thing you can do to help is to spread the word. Oh and to be patient, I have a full-time job and only get a few hours a day to work on bugs/features.

No problem man! I've got a fulltime job too, please take your time. Doing it right is more important then having it out fast. For me, what I hope you manage to do for the first release is the sequencer (pianoroll and that) and the sticky pencil, and if possible automation/overdub. The rest can wait for version two, which I'm sure will follow Reason wasn't built in one day as well

Gonna go by train to a party (performing as MC) this afternoon. You don't have to guess what I'll be playing with on the train And I'll let some dj's have a look at it too. Seriously dude, you rock!

[RPH]

Running fine on my Samsung Galaxy S i9000 ( Android 2.2.1 ).

I really like this app, got many music apps already ( paid/free ) but this one is already ( after a few minutes ) at the top of my list.
Keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Rob.

[RPH]

You're the second person to ask for that, I'll try and get it in for the next version, the only problem then is scrolling around will require you to uncheck the pencil."

have a pencil and mouse pointer icon, so you can switch between them easily.

[Mc UB]

Had a bunch of fun with this yesterday! And discovered one omission in the package Would it be possible to put in panning controls in the mixer? It would be nice if I could for instance pan both PCM synths a bit to the left and right.

respect!

[SingleCell]

Would it be possible to put in panning controls in the mixer? It would be nice if I could for instance pan both PCM synths a bit to the left and right.

The app is mono right, for latency reasons. I'm thinking of allowing pan control in the mixer, but that would unfortunately mean double the latency (that's just the way audio works on Android). I'm torn because I know latency sucks on Android anyway, and the keyboards are just there to preview/design sounds, but a lot of people don't get that and I'm afraid I'd get hammered in reviews if the latency got any worse...

That's future work anyway. I've thought quite a bit about your other ideas and I think I have a plan to implement most of them, but not all in the first version; I want that one out as soon as it's bug-free to see if there's enough money in this to justify the time I'm spending

[Mc UB]

Hi SingleCell,

Fair enough! I'm not at all familiar with the technical limitations of Android. Perhaps that too will change when Android evolves.

I totally respect your wishes to get out a stable and bug-free version 1 as soon as possible. And I will be sure to help put out the message once it does. By the looks of it I really think you have a good chance of getting perhaps even a lot of revenue of it to continue development.

I think putting it up at AdroidPit is an easy process, I've looked it up for you. On the homepage of Androidpit.com go to the footer of the page, and click the link 'info for developers'. There you can just create a developersaccount and upload the app. That way everybody can buy it, not depending only on Market and having to use creditcards. I'll keep my Paypal login standby and my sleepingbag at the frontdoor of Androidpit

I'll stop nagging you and leave you to finishing the first release Am greatly looking forward to it!

[Baconman]

This is the app I've been waiting for. It's what I'd wanted Mikrosonic's R3D to evolve into. Good work!

As soon as you've added the export function and the ability to load your own samples I think it's ready for commercial release.

Not that there's room for improvement though, but that can be done with updates. Better to get it out there as soon as it's stable.

I do have a few suggestions for updated/added features:

• There's quite a bit of aliasing in the Subsynth. Not a dealbreaker, but it wouldn't hurt to see what can be done about it.
• Pulse width modulation for the Pulse waveform in the Subsynth. There's a second LFO just waiting to be used for this
• A pet peeve of mine with a lot of software: the closed hihat in the drum machine doesn't cut off the open hihat. This makes it impossible to program realistic drum patterns. Could perhaps be fixed with some kind of "mute groups" where you can group two (or more) sounds that will share a sound channel.
• As someone above suggested, stereo sound/panning in the mixer wouldn't hurt. The latency doesn't bother me that much since this app is mainly meant to be step-programmed.
• Amplitude envelope for the sample players.
• The same filter section for the sample players as for the Subsynth.

Some of these suggestions would probably eat a lot of CPU cycles. Perhaps there could be a choice which features you want activated in the settings?

Edit: Note that on a high end phone like my LG Optimus 2X the Caustic CPU meter only goes up to the second or third mark with the drum machine, the Subsynth, and both basslines running. Lots of CPU cycles to spare!

[nikolatesla20]

Wow nice app SingleCell. I feel like you are going to put me out of business (I'm the dev of Electrum Drum Machine)! Although my app is more specialized to drums anyway so hopefully I'll still have customers lol. Well competition never hurts the consumers

Hey do you mind if I ask you a question about the OpenGL? How do you code the "controls" - do you basically have to then check touch points and handle everything yourself I'm assuming? That must take a lot of code!

This is a great app, I am very impressed. I knew for a fact that it had to be all native code (I use native code in ReLoop for max speed). Electrum is mono too for speed/latency reasons just like you mentioned.

It definitely looks like reason. In fact my Electrum app is modeled a lot from Redrum in reason also. I like the "rack" and that you have plenty of synths. The only thing I don't understand is how to program "patterns" for the synths. The sequencer doesn't appear to be "recordable" for example, play the synth while recording, so other than just manually putting in the notes I don't know how to program the synths - is there a different way as well?

Thanks man! Great to see some other people are not afraid to do some audio apps. Most devs simply complain about latency but I have told them over and over just code the app anyway especially if you can sequence, you won't have to worry about latency.

And insert effects too? Awesome.

-nikotwenty

[SingleCell]

This is the app I've been waiting for. It's what I'd wanted Mikrosonic's R3D to evolve into. Good work!

As soon as you've added the export function and the ability to load your own samples I think it's ready for commercial release.

Not that there's room for improvement though, but that can be done with updates. Better to get it out there as soon as it's stable.

I do have a few suggestions for updated/added features:

• There's quite a bit of aliasing in the Subsynth. Not a dealbreaker, but it wouldn't hurt to see what can be done about it.

Yeah, I'm using wavetables right now, and linear interpolation, hence the aliasing. I never set out to have a HQ synth, but I might try different options (like cubic interp) and offer them to those with high-end phones.

• Pulse width modulation for the Pulse waveform in the Subsynth. There's a second LFO just waiting to be used for this

PWM is hard because I'm using wavetables, you can always get that PWM sound with two sawtooths and detuned them slightly, or by assigning an LFO to the phase.

• A pet peeve of mine with a lot of software: the closed hihat in the drum machine doesn't cut off the open hihat. This makes it impossible to program realistic drum patterns. Could perhaps be fixed with some kind of "mute groups" where you can group two (or more) sounds that will share a sound channel.

I had never thought of that, but it makes sense (I'm not a power user of these things, I just play around). I'll see if I can add mute groups in a future version.

• Amplitude envelope for the sample players.
• The same filter section for the sample players as for the Subsynth.

Some of these suggestions would probably eat a lot of CPU cycles. Perhaps there could be a choice which features you want activated in the settings?

Edit: Note that on a high end phone like my LG Optimus 2X the Caustic CPU meter only goes up to the second or third mark with the drum machine, the Subsynth, and both basslines running. Lots of CPU cycles to spare!

I plan on improving the PCM synth to include most of the controls available to the subsynth, I honestly just neglected it because my priority shifted from making the absolute perfect app I've always dreamed of, to actually shipping something. It's pretty typical for me to lose focus. But those features will come

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate the feedback.

[SingleCell]

Wow nice app SingleCell. I feel like you are going to put me out of business (I'm the dev of Electrum Drum Machine)! Although my app is more specialized to drums anyway so hopefully I'll still have customers lol. Well competition never hurts the consumers

Ahhh, great to meet you Mr. NikoTwenty, I've read a lot of your posts on the google mailing lists . And congrats on Electrum, looks like it's doing quite well on the market.

Hey do you mind if I ask you a question about the OpenGL? How do you code the "controls" - do you basically have to then check touch points and handle everything yourself I'm assuming? That must take a lot of code!

I'll reply to your PM with more details, but the basic idea is everything is just a quad. Some have multiple quads layered with transparency. Using OpenGL was easier for me as I've been fiddling with it for many years, my background is console games.

The only thing I don't understand is how to program "patterns" for the synths. The sequencer doesn't appear to be "recordable" for example, play the synth while recording, so other than just manually putting in the notes I don't know how to program the synths - is there a different way as well?

This is the biggest sore point of my app right now... I think, following McUB's suggestions above, I'll be shifting its focus from live to sequenced even more to remove any confusion there. (No, there's no way to record, you must drop notes manually) That will mean including pattern editors for all instruments. The full length piano roll will likely still stay around for those who prefer it, but I really want to focus my app on sequencing in the future.

Thanks man! Great to see some other people are not afraid to do some audio apps. Most devs simply complain about latency but I have told them over and over just code the app anyway especially if you can sequence, you won't have to worry about latency.

-nikotwenty

Thanks man, I'll send you my email via PM, I'd really like to keep in touch with "the competition" (I'm not that competitive ) I think it's win-win-win for you, me and our customers if our products get better.

Oh, looks like you don't allow PMs, I'll find you !

-Rej