Hi all.
I'm thinking it would be brilliant to be able to sound design patches in an iOS synth while in transit and upload these mobile patches to a corresponding VST/AU for composition at home. I haven't found any plugs that offer this integration (except perhaps Maschine but I'm not after a sequencing environ). Anyone know of any?
Last edited by syncr on Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

I know you can use Crystal patches from the vsti version to the mobile app but not if it goes the other way around (but why not?) As far as I get the FL mobile you can exhange both ways between FL Studio and FL mobile. But you need FL studio obviously. Nlog Pro is cross platform too, so it may (should) be possible.

Cheers

that's exactly what I'd like as well, however... Currently:

NLog synth has both an iPad app and an AU version (no VST I believe). Sunrizer is an iPad app, and an AU was promised, but the developer apparently is too busy to make the AU. The other way around, FAW Circle is available as AU and VST, and the developer is porting it to iOS, but it's not there yet.
So, as for now, only nlog synth. But you have to keep in mind that porting is one thing, making the interface work with the touch controls is another thing entirely, so I'm not so sure we'll see many making this transition.
If you can live with the pc interface on your iPad, you can always try a remote desktop app, or one of those apps that uses an iPad as a second monitor for your computer. Or use V-Control Pro which is a remote for your DAW but lets you open plugins in a window in the app: http://www.neyrinck.com/en/products/v-control-pro

FAW Circle would be incredible. Already own it and adore it (mostly). I'll start googling but do you have any more info on the port?

As for the others, this is good info to dig through. I like the V-Control concept and could find some use for it @home, but I don't think this really addresses the mobile problem since latency would likely kill the sound design experience.

Personally I think the current iOS offers a great sandbox. If the product works/sells well there, migrating backwards to VST/AU doesn't seem like it should be unmanageable for a skilled software developer. Moving from VST/AU to iOS on the other hand would be challenging to bring those novel touch features to a touchless UI.

Probably preaching to the choir here, but I'm pretty surprised that the 'larger' firms with premium iOS apps (Camel or Moog for example), haven't been on the forefront of tying iOS back to the workstation. Good way to grow business as noobs who learn on an iPad need workstation tools to get more serious.

Yeah, I feel the same way about Circle, love it - almost. It just needs a tiny stretch to be perfect, but hey, enjoying it as is. The info was on their Facebook page, last I've seen was a post that they had the engine running.
Your right about latency, what I didn't think of as well was the inevitable loss in audio quality.

I like the idea of a tie mobile-desktop as well, mainly for sound design. But in all fairness, from iPad to AU is also hit and miss. I can bear the interface of nlog on my iPad, but all those menus for a relatively straightforward synth on a desktop are ridiculous.

From what I heard from Beepstreet (if recalled correctly) is that the market for plugins is much harder than a few dollar iPad app. So yes, you would say that's something to think about for developers.

Due to some research I've done because of an app I wasn't aware of (brought to my attention in another thread) I found that Bleep!Box (drumsynth) also has an AU and VST available.

I've wondered if the undisclosed "amazing secret feature" of Audiobus is a way to pipeline audio from an iOS device directly into a VST wrapper on a PC (maybe even vice versa). That would be awesomely useful!

BTW: Good news!

Update: Hmmm... I must of read this before; it's too coincidental...

While I agree that streaming will be a big win that isn't really what this thread was started for. The goal here is simple modularity that segments sound design from composition. Create patches on the road, bring them into the DAW in the studio. Pretty simple, allows for full powered DAW routing and flexibility, and doesn't require wireless configuration or buffer management. Just dropbox and app/patch equality from iOS to VST.

Now I can think of other ways that streaming wins, but it exceeds the need.

Yes, I think it's just those you've mentioned.

The only other app that might do this is Alchemy Mobile. Does't seem to be mentioned in the specs though so I'm not sure??

Alex

I think you are right about Alchemy. I found these specs

http://ipadloops.com/tag/alchemy-mobile/

It says:



Nothing about the other way around though.

Cheers

Jasuto Pro? Edit Scratch that - effect only on my laptop - though I haven't updated it in a while/

Crystal. Use Crystal patch sharing to create sounds on your iPad or iPhone while away from the studio, then transfer them to the desktop Crystal when you get back to the studio to use in recording projects. Or, create banks of sounds on the desktop Crystal, then transfer them to the iPad/iPhone Crystal to use in a live performance for a truly portable rig.

http://www.greenoak.com

Thanks for confirming the Crystal speculation. I'll give it a go