Spanning 12 years, PalmSounds is a resource for the Mobile Music World
Whilst PalmSounds is no longer being run as an active blog (if you didn’t know then check this out), it still has a lot of very useful resources and information available on it if you know where to look. But finding it isn’t too easy, that is until now anyway.
This update brings a much improved way of getting to useful historic information that you might actually find useful. You’ll find a menu option called resources that will take you to categories of information about retro systems and much more.
If you’ve seen this post at CDM today, you may be wondering what’s happening. So I think I should explain really. As you might remember, this year saw PalmSounds hit the ripe old age of 11 years, which is a long time in anyone’s book. Right from almost the very beginning of that journey Peter Kirn was really supportive, and from there we’ve stayed in touch and on occasion I’ve written for CDM.
As of now PalmSounds is moving over to CDM, bringing mobile music and app news to an already great site. You’ll be able to find everything you’d normally expect at PalmSounds at CDM, right here, and of course, if you’re not a CDM reader already you’ll find a whole lot more to read there.
Of course you might be wondering what will happen over here. That would be a good question. To answer that you have to remember that PalmSounds started as my personal discussion on mobile music. It wasn’t really a news site at all, but that’s what it became. Now that I’m moving that part of PalmSounds to CDM, this site will really go back to its roots. It’ll be more about what I’m doing personally with my own mobile music rather than acting as a news site.
So please join me over at CDM from today for everything you’ve seen at PalmSounds and a bright new chapter for CDM too.
I sort of wanted to title this post “These are not the FX apps you’re looking for”, but that probably isn’t very fair. However, I have to say that this isn’t something that I can see myself using as I’m quite happy with AUM or Audiobus. Having said that I can imagine that there would be other users out there who could find this helpful and integrate it into their own workflows. So I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s of use to you or not. Here’s the app’s description:
Like everyone, you have a number of amp and effect Apps. Amp Rack lets you line them up in one large display and switch between them with a single tap! Large buttons make it fast and easy! Spend less time tapping and more time playing!
WATCH THE VIDEO to see it in action with popular amp and effect apps!
In Amp Rack, you can:
instantly hear the difference between apps
select passthrough – no amp or effect, hear your instrument un-effected
set relative volume level for each App
mute the output with one tap, no matter which App is selected
open the amp or effect App and set parameters. Most effect apps have a single-tap return to Amp Rack
mute the input (which removes the red banner across the top of the device)
send Amp Rack’s output to Audiobus where further filtering and routing is possible
The display also shows your audio waveform live as you play so you can always see that audio is flowing!
Amp Rack works will all effect apps the support the Apple inter-app audio, including the Amplitude family, JamUp, AmpKit, and many many others!
NOTE: adding many apps can be very resource intensive and performance can suffer on older devices. Amp Rack includes an optional mode that limits resources, though with longer switching between amps – still a single tap though!
Pulse Code Inc brings their latest app to the store after updating a few of their existing stock. With this app they want you to make beats wherever you are.
Here are the app details:
Make your next big beat wherever inspiration hits!
Pulse is a must have app for electronic music producers. Pulse refines the standard audio sequencer workflow into a fluid mobile experience. On the surface is a minimal interface, thoughtfully laid out to keep your creative inspiration flowing. Explore and find a complex audio engine capable of deep manipulation.
Not light on features, Pulse has everything you need in a modern mobile music app. Play the built-in keypad or connect a MIDI device. Step edit. Undo. Erase. Record parameter automation. Manually edit parameter automation. Change key and scale at any time.Top it off with master reverb and compression.
Take control of your sound. Then take it to the next level with Pulse.
Highlights:
Three ways to make your beat: Play notes – Draw notes – Use MIDI
Tweak sound parameters and record the changes
Manually edit everything to make it perfect
Export loops or bounce them back into your song
Create complex timing with the dynamic quantizer
Stay in tune with key and scales
Connect to other MIDI apps and devices
Share your music and collaborate
General Specifications:
32 bit Audio Engine
Full Stereo Signal Path (All FX and Channels)
Sound Channels: 16
Polyphony: Unlimited
Background Audio Support
MIDI: In / Out
Dynamic Key and Scale (31 Scales)
Quantizer Engine (60-240 ppm, 2-32 steps, and 50-75% swing)
Master Reverb
Undo
Sound Channel Specifications:
3 Octave Range
Waveform
Amplifier
Filter(LPF, HPF, or BPF)
Wave Shaping FX (Distortion, Lo-Fi, or Foldback)
Time FX (Delay Flanger, or Chorus)
Dynamics (Pump or Choke)
Reverb Send
Mixer (Pan, Volume, Mute, and Solo)
Full automation on any sound channel parameter!
I/O Specifications:
Import sound files via AudioShare
Export audio song file via AudioShare
Export loops via AudioShare
Bounce loop back into Pulse
Record and transmit MIDI data
Import / Export audio files via email
Import / Export song files via email
Compatibility:
Audiobus 2
AudioShare
AUM
CoreMIDI
Inter-App Audio
Pulse is ON SALE NOW 50% OFF! $4.99 (normal price $9.99):
From the maker of jgEffects and many more apps besides comes jgBassEffects, a multi FX app just for bass players. The app itself is free, but has a bunch of in app purchases to it which also appear to be free at the moment as well, but I’d check before you go buying anything it.
Here’s the app’s description:
Hi, Everyone in the bass players!
A multi-effects processor for electric bass guitar was born. Simply connect the electric base guitar to iPhone / iPad, you can enjoy unique sound effect like no other!
Compatible audio interfaces are Apogee JAM, iRig, iRigHD, TASCAM iXZ.
the app supports “Inter-App Audio” which works together with applications such as GarageBand.
“When it gets stuck with recording”, “When getting tired of the usual sound”, please try using fantastic jgBassEffects. It realizes low latency and real time output, and it corresponds to any electric bass guitar!
++ Effector Details ++
Up to three effectors can be used simultaneously.
We are planning to add a new effect.
+ Noize Gate +
Reduce noise.
Control: Sens, Press
+ B Fuzz +
Sweet tone but intense fuzz.
Control: Blend, Gain, Hunny, Color
+Bass Delay +
A standard delay is also available.
Control: Blend, Time, Feedback
+ Bass Reverb +
Simple reverb is also available.
Control: Strength
+ Ring Mix +
Overdrive, characterized by ring modulation.
Control: Blend, Gain, Tone
+ Auto Revolving Wah B +
Auto Rotation Filter Wah.
Control: Color, Speed, Q
+ Mod x Flanger +
Strong flanger by modulation.
Control: Blend, Depth, Range
From the developer who brought us RunloopSound, Csound for iOS, comes Plectrum, a classic emulation of plucked string instruments. It is impossible not to fall in love with its deep and complex sonority. Plectrum supports USB and Bluetooth MIDI devices and works both as a standalone application, and as an Audio Unit plugin for GarageBand and many other hosts.
Ferrite Recording Studio is a solid audio recorder that’s been around for almost two years now. It’s a great tool and not just for music, but for any kind of audio. It can, and has been used for podcasting, radio journalism, or other professional voice production like lectures, speeches, and voiceovers. So it’s a pretty versatile app.
But whatever you use Ferrite Recording Studio and whether or not you’re a paying customer there’s something good in version 1.6.
New for all customers:
Shortcut key browser, built-in & searchable.
Import multiple audio files at once into existing projects, either on separate tracks or one after another on the same track.
Zoom tracks vertically.
Crop/zoom imported images when adding them to cover artwork or chapters.
Reliability and user-experience fixes.
New for paying customers:
Export to .MP3 files.
Add chapters to .MP3 projects.
Select alternative keyboard shortcut schemes or customise the keybinds to your liking.
The video’s description only says “An demonstration video of upcoming Vatanator AU extension for iOS. All sounds created by Vatanator AU, hosted in GarageBand.
Made by Backpullver.”
You’ll remember Vatanator and Vatanator SX. Here’s the description for Vatanator itself.
Vatanator is a unique drum machine with advanced MIDI functionality. It features 140 built-in presets emulating every classic vintage hardware.
It is aimed for simplicity and instant rhythm creation.
Vatanator features:
iOS 7.1 and up compatible, iPad retina graphics
Record patterns in real-time with quantization, MIDI assignable
16/32 steps sequencer with advanced MIDI options
Fast loading of presets on the fly
Full MIDI implementation, Bluetooth MIDI
Background audio
Audiobus, Audiobus Remote, Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link support
Ability to import samples via AudioShare, AudioCopy, Dropbox or iTunes Share
Real-time effects with envelope follower and XY pads, MIDI assignable
Song arranger, ability to store a sequence of patterns and play them in order
8 channel mixer with volume control and mute/solo for any individual instrument
So when Vatanator comes as an AU it’ll be pretty cool, wherever you decide to use it. For now you might want to check out Vatanator and Vatanator SX on the app store.
One of those things that maybe you were wondering why AB3 didn’t support Remote, well now it’s fixed, and what’s more, there’s more too. Here’s all that’s new in the Audiobus world …
AUDIOBUS 3 NOW SUPPORTS AUDIOBUS REMOTE. Use Audiobus Remote to improve your live performance workflow. Audiobus Remote makes it possible to switch seamlessly between Audio Unit Extension instances and ordinary apps. Be sure to update to the latest version of Audiobus Remote also.
Whilst I haven’t tried out LayR as yet, it describes itself as a massively polyphonic, multi-timbral synthesizer for iPad and iPhone, which sounds pretty awesome doesn’t it. It’s optimized for modern 64 bit devices delivering up to 256 voices of rich, multi-layered and textured sounds. So all in all worth a look. In version 1.0.4 there are a lot of new things and a lot of fixes too. Here’s all that’s new:
Features
Cinematic: A full new bank of wonderfully evocative Performance presets by Brice.
Ableton Link for arpeggiator. Link can be enabled/disabled in settings.
MIDI Output port: Enabled with an option in settings, defaults to off.
MIDI Virtual Destination Chooser: To send MIDI to other apps. Only available when the MIDI out port is enabled.
MIDI Controller Templates: Tap the new MIDI icon at the top of the Layer Editor view.
Sends MIDI controller from assigned dials when MIDI Out is enabled, (on the Instrument channel).
“Pickup” Mode for MIDI controllers. Option in settings.
Channel Pressure added to the list of assignable MIDI controllers.
AudioBus 3: Audio and MIDI.
Settings has an option to stop Master Tempo being set when Performances are loaded.
Manually loading a performance or instrument makes that bank current for MIDI program select.
Group and assign on iPad is now high enough to accommodate 8 rows instead of 7
New Shortcut: Double tapping on a dot in the link/assign view selects or deselects the entire column.
New Shortcut: In Preset Selector Views, long press on bank names to rename banks.
Bug Fixes
Fixed: Crash when starting mono-legato voices in 64 voice mode.
Fixed: Potential crash when rapidly changing presets via MIDI Program Change.
Fixed: Preset Files stored on iCloud Drive can now be loaded by tapping on them or selecting “Open In…”
Fixed: Layer volume sliders now show MIDI icon when assigned to a MIDI controller.
Fixed: MIDI controller assignations no longer seem to disappear after deleting another instrument.
Fixed: Possible crash caused by corrupt UI after launching from an IAA host.
Fixed: Layer strip name label resizes font to t width.
Fixed: MIDI Assign view rendered incorrectly if a layer has a really long name.
Fixed: Tempo was not always correctly set when loading a performance.
Fixed: Arpeggiator stops if IAA host doesn’t provide beat clock.
Fixed: It’s now possible to select LayR as a MIDI destination from inside other apps.
Fixed: Issue with jittery response with dials and sliders when moving very slowly.
Fixed an envelope bug that could cause loud clicks with some settings.
Improved voice stealing in attempt to reduce clicks when max polyphony is exceeded.
Changed the wording of the “Import” button to “Append” in the Load Performance view.
PalmSounds 