2017
10/09
Axon 2 Drum Synthesizer
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Axon 2 is a drum synth driven by artificial intelligence. (Well, “intelligence” might be a strong word. Artificial something-or-other.) An experimental instrument, Axon uses a modified artificial neural network as a sequencer, and features seven FM-based percussion voices, that are really a single 18-operator FM voice.

If that sounds weird, you ain’t seen nothing yet. It is surprisingly intuitive once you get the knack of it, and is capable of all-new, complex rhythms that repeat in surprising ways. It often gets referenced as a “random sequence generator,” but there is nothing random in Axon; it is entirely determinative.

The sequencer features seven “neurons” that trigger a voice and send a pulse when they have received a predetermined number of pulses. You can wire the output of any neuron to the input of any other (with built-in loop detection to prevent runaway feedback), and in this manner pre-program the artificial neural network without having to go through a “learning” phase.

The seven individual drum voices, each triggered by its attendant neuron, are 2-operator FM voices in a configuration to best make percussion sounds, with additional FM and AM busses that all voices send to and receive from. Each voice has a HPF, distortion circuit, and white noise generator to provide a full range of percussion-oriented voicing individually, while interacting with each other in new and unique ways.

Features

• Artificial Neural Network sequencer features seven neurons, and is easily programmed to create strange new repeating rhythms.

• Seven FM percussion voices that also buss together to create a single monolithic complex percussion synthesizer.

• Full mixer with pan, level, mute, and solo on each voice.

• Built-in stereo delay with X/Y pad control over feedback and filter frequency, for live playability.

• MIDI input, including Bluetooth MIDI, for driving Axon from DAW and hardware sequencers, and Virtual MIDI Output (standalone only) for driving other software with the Axon sequencer.

• Inter-App Audio, including transport synchronization, in standalone mode.

• Internal transport for non-synchronized playback.

• Resizable vector-based user interface.

• Drawn reciprocation dingle arm to reduce sinusoidal depleneration.

• XML-based cross-platform, human-readable preset system, with copy/paste, for easy transferring of your own presets and third-party offerings.

Please Note: This application will work fine on an iPad Mini, but the user interface may be difficult to use due to the size.

Buy Axon 2


iOS version is the same as seen in this video

2017
09/14
Elastic Drums Sample Kit Demo
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Elastic Drums is a music app showcasing an interactive drum kit, that enables to create a huge range of rhythmic grids, ranging from classical analog drumkits up to experimental soundscapes.
It contains six channels of high quality synthesized drum sounds, a step sequencer and 4 effect channels. All important control parameters are automatable. The result: Elastic drum composition with a unique character!

Features:
– 6 synth channels with 13 different percussion synth engines (kick, snare, hihat, clap, tom, wobble, fm, fm4, square, grain, synth, drone, sampler)
– 12 parameters for each synth engine
– automation for each parameter via knob recording or velocity
– 4 send effect channels with 2×13 mono effects and 2×11 stereo effects
– automation for all of the 8 possible effect parameters via xy pad
– master effects (stutter, delay, compressor …)
– 16 step sequencer for the 6 channels, each with it’s own tempo multiplier & length
– record audio and export to Soundcloud or Audioshare
– email audio recordings and presets
– Audiobus, Audiobus Remote, Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link support
– Midi learn/Midi implementation of the most important parameters

Because all sounds get generated in realtime, the app is cpu heavy! iPhones 5 and greater can handle it with no problem, on iPhone 4s effects 3 and 4 get switched off by the engine automatically to save some cpu power. iPhone 4 and iPad1 are NOT recommended!

Video above is a sort excerpt of one of the 10 presets Bill Jobs created with using the new Bill Jobs (synthQ) sample Kit, that just got released as In-App Purchase for Elastic Drums. Bill Jobs is not only a very long time presets creator for Elastic Drums, he is also the developer of the fantastic iOS app “synthQ”. All of the samples of the kit were created by sampling sounds of the synthQ app. Million thanks to Cornelius for playing through the new presets for us!

Get Elastic Drums

2017
08/21
Ruismaker FM Ver 2 With Sequencer
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Here comes the the crazy twin-sister of Ruismaker, designed for people who want to design their own percussion sounds from scratch. Ruismaker FM’s simple, yet flexible synthesis engine lets you create anything from snaredrums, kickdrums and spacy toms to weird and unconventional percussive sounds and effects. Ruismaker FM is a unique drumsynth plugin (i.e. it does not use samples), which is coupled with a creative Euclidean sequencer when run in standalone mode.

What’s New in Version 2.0
Completely overhauled the app:
– added a cool standalone Euclidean sequencer mode (with Ableton Link, MIDI Clock, WAV export etc.)
– upgraded the synth engine
– added a preset manager to the AU plugin
– many more little touches and improvements!

The plugin is fully AUv3 (Audio Unit Extension) compatible:
– Audio Unit Instrument: making music on iOS doesn’t get more convenient
– Each sound is modeled using authentic analog and FM algorithms;
– Comes with dozens of unique customizable models
– Does not use any samples; all sounds are synthesized in realtime, on the fly
– Light on the CPU, so you can run lots of Ruismaker FMs simultaneously
– Fully automatable parameters (requires host support) and MIDI CC controllable
– Has its own preset manager

The standalone sequencer is refreshingly different:
– Program patterns using Euclidean algorithms
– Powerful random feature and mutation probability settings per channel
– Syncs with Ableton Link or MIDI Clock
– Exports WAV and MIDI
– Compatible with Audiobus 3 (including MIDI IN/OUT mode)

Get Ruismaker FM

2017
08/21
Ruismaker Ver 2 Includes Sequencer
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Ruismaker is a unique drumsynth plugin (i.e. it does not use samples), which is coupled with a creative Euclidean sequencer when run in standalone mode.

What’s New in Version 2.0
Completely overhauled the app:
– added a cool standalone Euclidean sequencer mode (with Ableton Link, MIDI Clock, WAV export etc.)
– upgraded the synth engine
– added a preset manager to the AU plugin
– many more little touches and improvements!

The plugin is fully AUv3 (Audio Unit Extension) compatible:
– Audio Unit Instrument: making music on iOS doesn’t get more convenient
– Each sound is modeled using authentic analog and FM algorithms;
– Comes with dozens of unique customizable models
– Does not use any samples; all sounds are synthesized in realtime, on the fly
– Emulates analog components, introducing subtle, natural fluctuations in the sound
– Light on the CPU, so you can run lots of Ruismakers simultaneously
– Fully automatable parameters (requires host support) and MIDI CC controllable
– Has its own preset manager

The standalone sequencer is refreshingly different:
– Program patterns using Euclidean algorithms
– Powerful random feature and mutation probability settings per channel
– Syncs with Ableton Link or MIDI Clock
– Exports WAV and MIDI
– Compatible with Audiobus 3 (including MIDI IN/OUT mode)

Get Ruismaker

2017
08/17
DM2 Update Adds Drone Machine
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DM2 is a synthesis-based drum machine with a dedicated graphic editor, for the creation and manipulation of sound. DM2 is fully MIDI-mappable with more than 130 assignable parameters that can be controlled by an external MIDI controller.

What’s New in Version 1.6
Introducing the “DRONE MACHINE”. With the brand new “Drone Machine” mode DM2 turns into an instant Ambient machine. All 9 tracks play continuously regardless of what the sequencer plays. Switch it on and drive a powerful Dream Machine at the tips of your fingers. Extremely versatile when used with a MIDI controller and MIDI Learn mode. Dark Ambient admirers, Space Rock lovers, Dream Music adorers, Minimal fetishist are welcome.

** AMENDED**
+ AUDIO ENGINE : Improved CPU management when idle in the background
+ Faster loading time

A BIG, BIG STEP SEQUENCER. 16 or 32 step patterns. Or why not 7 or 25 steps? Or even polymetric tracks (poly what? no worries, just a fancy word for complex rhythms, yet super easy to make). And while we are at it, steps can also be singles, duplets, triplets or quadruplets for even sophisticated rhythms. Again it is all about drawing funny objects to make funky beats.

THE DRUMS PAGE. Where the sonic magic happens. Six touchable graphs to create sounds. Oscillators, LFOs, filters, noise generators, all the usual suspects in a drawable interface. This may look a tiny bit daunting at first, but the beauty is that whatever you touch, you’re not going to break anything. So give everything a whirl, and get experimental. And if you need some inspiration, DM2 contains plenty of ready-made sounds too.

THE PADS PAGE. Maybe you prefer finger-drumming? Sure, go ahead. Press REC and record your rhythms. Of course, there is an automatic quantize function, so that you’ll never miss a beat again.

THE MIXER PAGE. Big and beautiful, it will transform your iPad into a professional mixing desk for the price of a magazine.

THE FX SECTION. A powerful Effect processor. Just switch everything on and see where it takes you.

THE SONG PAGE. Last but not least, put all your hard work in the previous pages together in a shiny song.

Get DM2

  • iPad Loops is an iOS music production blog dedicated to exposing the best iPad apps musicians, producers, and Djs. This is not a database of every app. It is, however, one of useful recommendations from someone with many years in music production. I try to update it on a daily basis (ok sometimes every two days) and I do my best to post useful apps only. My name is Jason Donnelly (Dj Puzzle). You might know me from my royalty free loop packs and sound design. Some of the apps that contain my sounds are Synth One, EG Segments, Hammerhead, Retronyms AudioCopy, Audio Evolution Mobile, LP-5, iPRO.DJSAMPLER, Looptastic. My work is published by Roland, Antares, Magix, Soundtrack Loops, Sample Logic, Acoustica, Loopmasters and many more. Subscribe to our RSS feed below to get updated when new apps are posted.
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