A good MIDI sequencer for iPAD

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 4:35 pm

So I've been looking for a good, decent midi sequencer for the ipad....dont really need anything fancy - just something that has a good UI (easy to hit/input notes on a simple grid ((think of the Korg DS10, for instance)) ), velocity, and of course the ability to create a string of patterns.

I found these two:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/koushio ... 54249?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/steppol ... 84905?mt=8

If you've used either, would you please comment on the pros/cons.

There's also this one but I wonder if its overpriced?
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/genome- ... 75494?mt=8

THanks, all.

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:48 am

I haven't tried the Steppolyarp, but heard good things about it.

I wouldn't get Koushion one as it is still limited.

I have Genome and it can do a ton of stuff, but I find the midi editing a little weird for me, but others swear by it.

I have MIDI Pattern Sequencer and it works really well, and can do a bunch of stuff as well, but I find it slow to put in notes. It reminds me of editing on the Electribe, but I find it slower to get what I want.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/midi-pa ... 08906?mt=8

The one I use the most for sending, editing, and recording MIDI sequences is Beat Maker 2. It is a full music making program, so you can use it for a lot more things. It has a ton of options for MIDI control.
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/beatmak ... 20234?mt=8

FL Studio HD is pretty good at sequencing as well, but not as many options in that department as Beat Maker 2.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fl-stud ... 50619?mt=8

The new one that just came out Thesys looks really cool, but need to do more research.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thesys/ ... mpt=uo%3D2

Just my two cents.

csteen · Post by **csteen** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:42 am

I have the stepolyarp and it is pretty good I think.
I almost purchased the genome midi sequencer just tonigt in fact but I have been trying to only purchase Audiobus supported apps lately and Genome is not Audiobus supported/
How do you record into a daw like cubasis controlling other apps using Genome?

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:18 pm

csteen wrote: How do you record into a daw like cubasis controlling other apps using Genome?

Since Genome doesn't make any noise itself, you would have Genome controlling synths or instruments that have audiobus. Those synths or instruments are put in the input of audiobus and then you would put your DAW at the output.

Hope that helps.

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 7:37 pm

You got me thinking about Genome again and I broke it out to play with the Thor synth and I can see they changed and fixed a bunch of things since I last used it.

I am going to have to give it a fresh look as I was able to quickly throw a tune together with it just now.

csteen · Post by **csteen** » Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:46 am

Thanks Telengard. I am definitely going to give genome a further look. I am still not sure however how I trigger record from genome without audiobus? Do i have to edit everything played by genome into cubasis in order to record in time or is there a way to choose the start recording option from within genome without audiobus support?

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Sun Jun 30, 2013 1:03 pm

csteen wrote:I am still not sure however how I trigger record from genome without audiobus? Do i have to edit everything played by genome into cubasis in order to record in time or is there a way to choose the start recording option from within genome without audiobus support?

I don't have Cubasis, but this is the way I tested it with MultiTrack DAW and SampleTank. I added SampleTank to the input of audiobus, and added MultiTrack DAW to the output of audiobus. I connected Genome to SampleTank via MIDI. What I would do is start record in MultiTrack DAW and then switch over to Genome and hit play. Then you have to just cut off the front and back of the recording to get your timing reset. Does that make sense?

csteen · Post by **csteen** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:19 am

That is pretty much what i thought. I will wait for geonome to get on the audiobus before purchasing. It is too bad it has not gotten more consideration by the developer. It seems like such a waste to not get it done after all of this time. If not for such a severe limitation I would already have purchased this app and no doubt will if they ever finish getting their act together.

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:09 am

csteen wrote:That is pretty much what i thought. I will wait for geonome to get on the audiobus before purchasing. It is too bad it has not gotten more consideration by the developer. It seems like such a waste to not get it done after all of this time. If not for such a severe limitation I would already have purchased this app and no doubt will if they ever finish getting their act together.

I know what you mean about having Audiobus.

It would all be easier if all the iOS DAWs would have threshold recording (start recording when it receives audio) to make timing quicker and require less adjustments.

Genome does let you set MIDI actions for Global Play/Stop, each pattern start/stop, etc. You might be able to have it trigger when you hit record on Cubasis if it sends that info out via MIDI. Genome has midi learn for a lot of things. I will have to give it a try sometime.

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:50 pm

Telengard wrote:I haven't tried the Steppolyarp, but heard good things about it.

I wouldn't get Koushion one as it is still limited.

I have Genome and it can do a ton of stuff, but I find the midi editing a little weird for me, but others swear by it.

I have MIDI Pattern Sequencer and it works really well, and can do a bunch of stuff as well, but I find it slow to put in notes. It reminds me of editing on the Electribe, but I find it slower to get what I want.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/midi-pa ... 08906?mt=8

The one I use the most for sending, editing, and recording MIDI sequences is Beat Maker 2. It is a full music making program, so you can use it for a lot more things. It has a ton of options for MIDI control.
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/beatmak ... 20234?mt=8

FL Studio HD is pretty good at sequencing as well, but not as many options in that department as Beat Maker 2.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fl-stud ... 50619?mt=8

The new one that just came out Thesys looks really cool, but need to do more research.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thesys/ ... mpt=uo%3D2

Just my two cents.

So Beat Maker 2 definitely features MIDI out? I'm hoping to sequence my minibrute with it. I 've been using an electribe but inputing notes is just too slow...

Telengard · Post by **Telengard** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:55 pm

roblabs wrote:So Beat Maker 2 definitely features MIDI out? I'm hoping to sequence my minibrute with it. I 've been using an electribe but inputing notes is just too slow...

Yes, and it is very configurable. You need a MIDI adapter for your iOS device. You can use (as I do) the Camera Connection Kit (CCK) or a iOS MIDI adapter for an iPAD, but for an iPhone or iPod you can't use the CCK, although there is a jailbreak hack that makes it work with a few devices.