iOS Music Production New, Free Loops, and Hardware

Drums by Asrodot version 1.4 is here and it now supports MIDI and tempo sync’d delay! For MIDI support there are two kinds of implementation that are selectable :

note <-> sample :
Each midi note corresponds with a sample and vice versa. Keep in mind that a single drumsound in the app usually is a combination of up to 3 samples mixed together with different velocities. As a result tapping on the screen will result in up to 3 different midi note-on messages sent to the midi-out at once. If you trigger another midi drum instrument this way it would be possible to recreate the drumsample-mixing that is natural behavior to Drums by Asrodot.

note <-> screen :
The screen is divided into an 11×11 grid. Each element on this grid corresponds to a midi note. Likewise each midi note corresponds with a location on the screen. Tapping on the screen will result in only 1 midi note-on message send to midi-out. Playing from a midi keyboard it will be easier to trigger specific sample combinations. Keep in mind though that the 11×11 grid is a simplification of the actual playing possibilities of the screen.

The “note <-> screen” implementation would not make much sense on the Xilo drumkit. In “note <-> screen” mode the Xilo drumkit can be played from a midi keyboard where velocity triggers the various velocity layers. In “note <-> sample” mode each velocity layer has its own two octaves.

Ask a drummer or a percussionist what a wooden coffee table sounds like. He or she will reply that every inch of the table sounds differently. Some parts of the table will sound somewhat like a bass drum. Other parts of the table will sound more like a rimshot. Parts in-between will sound like a mixture of both.

A drummer or a percussionist placed behind a wooden coffee table will soon discover many different sounds the table has to offer and use it to create stunning rhythms. Much to the joy of the drummer/percussionist, and possibly to the annoyance of the other people sitting at the table.

The table metaphor has been used in the creation of Drums by Asrodot. Using the available space on the screen it has been made sure that every pixel sounds just a little bit different, which makes drumming on the iPad/iPhone come to life. Want to create drumrolls with subtle accents every third note? Now you can.

This does not mean that Drums by Asrodot sounds like a coffee-table. The app comes loaded with six drum kits tailored for various styles of music.

Features:
– Expressive: Quick and responsive action. Every pixel sounds just a little different. Velocity sensitive; you can add dynamics by tapping harder or softer.
– 6 Drum Kits: Cajón, Xylophone, Jazz, IDM, Drum&Bass 1 + 2.
– Loop recorder: Record drumloops and export them to iTunes, AudioCopy or Soundcloud.
– Distortion: Increase gain to add a tube-like distortion that can dramatically change the sound.
– Delay Module: With tweakable time, feedback and mix settings.
– Customizable: Designed for both right-handed and left-handed drummers.
– Inter-app audio support
– Audiobus support: You can stream live audio directly to other Audiobus-compatible apps. See http://audiob.us for more information.

Drums by Asrodot