I want to compose and record a new solo piano CD using iGrand Piano or one in SampleTank and have a sequencer app record the natural performance(not step or pattern). I just bought Genome but it's not good for real-time natural performances but creating step and pattern sequences instead.
Here's my signal flow:
StudioLogic SL-880 > iRig Midi > iPad 3 > Sequencer(?) > iGrand Piano or SampleTank.
I don't necessarily need any sounds or instruments in the app but want to be able to easily edit notes, velocities, sustain pedal data etc. while playing other apps via virtual midi. It would also be nice to be able to just stop my recording mid-song and then continue it seamlessly as I'm composing.
I can do this using Nuendo on my DAW but I want something that keeps it all within my iPad for mobility when I'm away from my studio.
Would NanoStudio or BeatMaker 2 excel at this or is there something else that's better for this purpose?
Thank you!
Best Real-time Performance Sequencer for iPad 3
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- KVRAF
- 2097 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from Nearish Detroit, MI
I would look at either Beatmaker 2 ($20) or Meteor ($20 + $15 for the MIDI add-on) for this purpose. Probably Beatmaker 2 would be your best bet. You may need to look into picking up MIDI Bridge if you haven't already, as I'm not sure how well Beatmaker 2 works with iGrand Piano.
GLHF! (Gandalf Lives, Hobbits Forever!)
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
Thank you for that recommendation. I've been looking at tutorials of BM2 and it looks like the best bet, but I'll be prepared to buy MidiBridge as well if there's a problem.
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- KVRian
- 812 posts since 27 Oct, 2011 from Pacific Northwest
> I just bought Genome but it's not good for real-time natural
> performances but creating step and pattern sequences instead.
It seems to me, you can do what you want with Genome. You should set the number of measures in the pattern to something long and then record. You should still be able to record real-time and not worry about it being a pattern. It will just be a pattern that happens to be the entire song.
> performances but creating step and pattern sequences instead.
It seems to me, you can do what you want with Genome. You should set the number of measures in the pattern to something long and then record. You should still be able to record real-time and not worry about it being a pattern. It will just be a pattern that happens to be the entire song.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
Okay, I bought BM 2 and MidiBridge (just now) and trying to figure out how to configure it and then the proper order to start everything up...
iPlogger, I'm sure you're right but I think the editor will be easier and faster to work with in BM 2, plus I like having the waveform editor as well
Hope it works!
iPlogger, I'm sure you're right but I think the editor will be easier and faster to work with in BM 2, plus I like having the waveform editor as well
Hope it works!
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
Got BeatMaker to drive SampleTank without MidiBridge but it's full of crackling and distortion. All other apps are legitimately closed and I did a hard reboot. Nothing changed.
BM2's Global Midi Setup page:
Midi latency: 50 ms
Inputs: none
Outputs: SampleTank only
What other settings can I change?
BM2's Global Midi Setup page:
Midi latency: 50 ms
Inputs: none
Outputs: SampleTank only
What other settings can I change?
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
Okay, here it is from Nic at MidiBridge...
"I'm afraid SampleTank cannot co-exist with BeatMaker at the same time as
their audio engines conflict. What you will get is nasty crackling in
SampleTank. I don't know of any way to switch off Beatmaker 2's audio
engine, so fundamentally these two apps will not work together, no matter
what.
You need a MIDI sequencer app that has no audio engine or can be used
with its audio engine off, like genome. Then you can play from your
SL-880 into the iPad and have the events sent to genome and SampleTank
(you cannot tell sampletank to not act on events from the iRig which
can be problematic depending upon what you are doing.)."
End of story.
"I'm afraid SampleTank cannot co-exist with BeatMaker at the same time as
their audio engines conflict. What you will get is nasty crackling in
SampleTank. I don't know of any way to switch off Beatmaker 2's audio
engine, so fundamentally these two apps will not work together, no matter
what.
You need a MIDI sequencer app that has no audio engine or can be used
with its audio engine off, like genome. Then you can play from your
SL-880 into the iPad and have the events sent to genome and SampleTank
(you cannot tell sampletank to not act on events from the iRig which
can be problematic depending upon what you are doing.)."
End of story.
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- KVRian
- 812 posts since 27 Oct, 2011 from Pacific Northwest
Ohhhh...bummer!
I do know Genome works. I've laid down some drum patterns in Genome driving SampleTank. But I realize Genome may not be what you want.
I do know Genome works. I've laid down some drum patterns in Genome driving SampleTank. But I realize Genome may not be what you want.
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peanut_gallery peanut_gallery https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=272241
- KVRist
- 44 posts since 6 Jan, 2012
Wow, I'm glad I just saw this. I've been using Genome to drive SampleTank, and though it's alright, Genome feels rather clunky for MIDI editing (compared to NanoStudio or GarageBand). Maybe it's just the learning curve, though. In any event, I was seriously thinking about dropping $20 on BeatMaker 2 just to find a better MIDI sequencer to drive SampleTank. Looks like I'm better off digging deeper into Genome and getting used to its MIDI editing.timbres wrote: "I'm afraid SampleTank cannot co-exist with BeatMaker at the same time as
their audio engines conflict.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
I'm glad you saw this too before buying it. I'm trying to get a refund through iTunes now (first time to do that). I wasted most of yesterday wrestling with it; so glad I heard back from Nic before I did it again today!
I still want to find a sequencer app that will work and make it easy to edit. I'll check into Genome again as well.
Until I find another way within iPad, I'm going back to my workaround of connecting to my DAW via iRig Midi and triggering SampleTank through Nuendo's sequencer and record and perform all my edits there.
Let's keep in touch on this so we can solve it for ourselves and for others.
I still want to find a sequencer app that will work and make it easy to edit. I'll check into Genome again as well.
Until I find another way within iPad, I'm going back to my workaround of connecting to my DAW via iRig Midi and triggering SampleTank through Nuendo's sequencer and record and perform all my edits there.
Let's keep in touch on this so we can solve it for ourselves and for others.
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- KVRist
- 169 posts since 12 Jun, 2007
Sorry to hear ST doesn't work with BM2, u cud try contacting IK Support to see if they can offer a fix.
Another option is to use Xewton Music Studio as a sequencer. U'll need - 2 iOS devices, 2 irig midis, 1 female-female midi adapter. In MS go to the Setup page, Hardware tab, then Configure button, check midi out, & set the Channel to Tracks. Works v.nicely.
Also, while BM2 is really great, I still prefer MS for midi recording, sequencing, & editing.
EDIT: MS has been recently updated with background audio, so u might be able to do all this on 1 device! I don't have any of IKs stuff, but there's a free version of MS. Turn BA on in MS by going to Setup, General. All the best <3
Another option is to use Xewton Music Studio as a sequencer. U'll need - 2 iOS devices, 2 irig midis, 1 female-female midi adapter. In MS go to the Setup page, Hardware tab, then Configure button, check midi out, & set the Channel to Tracks. Works v.nicely.
Also, while BM2 is really great, I still prefer MS for midi recording, sequencing, & editing.
EDIT: MS has been recently updated with background audio, so u might be able to do all this on 1 device! I don't have any of IKs stuff, but there's a free version of MS. Turn BA on in MS by going to Setup, General. All the best <3
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 18 posts since 1 Jul, 2010
Thanks for the suggestion. Apparently, any app with an audio engine that can't be turned off will conflict with BM2 so I don't think I'll even experiment with MS at this point. If I have to go out of my iPad at all, I'd prefer to use Nuendo since all the tools are there and the screen size make editing so easy.
I did use Genome again last night and found that I can probably use it for my entire project, just as iPlogger first suggested. I just have to disable Snap (default is on), extend the length of bars to the max at 32 under Pattern Info and then slowing the pattern tempo to a crawl should give me even more time for each song. I'll let you all know how much time that actually translates to...
The downside is that you can't pause and then start it again at some point in the song, it always starts at the beginning again. It also won't auto scroll so you can't see where you're at past the first screen.
I did use Genome again last night and found that I can probably use it for my entire project, just as iPlogger first suggested. I just have to disable Snap (default is on), extend the length of bars to the max at 32 under Pattern Info and then slowing the pattern tempo to a crawl should give me even more time for each song. I'll let you all know how much time that actually translates to...
The downside is that you can't pause and then start it again at some point in the song, it always starts at the beginning again. It also won't auto scroll so you can't see where you're at past the first screen.
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- KVRAF
- 4420 posts since 7 Nov, 2005 from Florida
I believe there is a sequencer called Brainwave Sequencer that looks AMAZING. I've been wanting to buy it for a while. It sounds perfect for your needs.
Mike
Mike