As of today (the day I’m posting this) Midisteps is the second app to host AU Audio Unit extensions. One advantage using AU instead of Coremidi is that with AU you can use multiple instances of an AU app for example in this case you can get up to four iSEM synths running at once!
midiSTEPs is a powerful and fun MIDI step sequencer app that sends MIDI note and CC messages to other music apps and external synthesizers. It was designed to be super easy to use in a way that’s similar to the SH-101 sequencer, where you can just quickly enter a few keyboard notes and you’re ready to hit play and hear your sequence. At the same time, it also incorporates many ideas from other classic and modern sequencers, allowing you to set control values per step, mute and skip existing steps, switch between multiple patterns and parts, sync and link patterns in various ways, and modify your sequences.
midiSTEPs was designed from the ground up as a touch-based iPad sequencer app, so it’s super easy and intuitive to enter, edit and play sequences.
What’s New in Version 1.1
New:
Set random trigger probability, per step
Set randomization of velocity and length of notes, per part
Keyboard can be limited to a major or minor scale
Keyboard goes two octaves lower
Auto-hold option for press step screen, set in Settings app
Audiobus
Bonus feature: AU Extension hosting!
Please note:
– this is an experimental feature for a new iOS 9 API, keep expectations in check
– that said, it’s a whole lot of fun…
– there is currently only one released synthesizer AU Extension, iSEM
– you can run multiple instances of iSEM within midiSTEPs, automate parameters per step, and more
– AU extension effects are not currently supported, just synths
– certain things can sometimes cause clicks with iSEM: fast runs of notes, ties with some patches, etc
– if using multiple AU parts, use the audio mixer popup to lower individual parts and overall volume to avoid clipping
– experiment with audio buffer size, other AU extensions when they’re released, recording via AB and let me know what works and what doesn’t
– this is a step towards the future but it’s not ready for your live set yet… experiment in your spare time and have fun
Legacy midiSTEPs features:
64 step sequencer based on the classic SH-101 sequencer
Set note, chord or rest per step
Set accent and tie per step
Set CC, velocity, length parameters per step
Mute and skip individual steps
Set start and end points within sequence
Edit individual steps
Transpose, loop or one shot, start and pattern sync options
Four independent sequencer parts with 16 patterns each per set
Parts can have different speeds, lengths, sync and trigger options
Pattern Mix page with clip-launcher style pattern triggering
External MIDI clock sync with clock shift adjustments and swing
Easy to set up CoreMIDI configuration and MIDI mapping
Easy to use touch interface designed specifically for iPad
midiSTEPs
