VirSyn has introduced AudioLayer, a full-featured, open-standard audio multi-sampler for iOS.
Features:
- Streaming Sample Engine – – The ultra efficient Streaming Sample Engine (SSE) is capable of playing hundreds of voices of big multi-sampled instruments, even in resource-limited applications, like using multiple instances of AudioLayer in AudioUnit host environments. Features like Sub Sample Looping for perfect loops even in the audible range extend the range of applications even further.
- iCloud integration – Sample recordings and Instrument designs made with AudioLayer are seamlessly available across all your devices and desktop. This also opens up new forms of collaborations with musicians all around the world to share your creations and work together.
- Multi Scope Editing – To support the creation of complex multi-sampled instruments, AudioLayer allows you to use a hierarchical structure of Layers and Zones, each with it’s own sound manipulation parameters. A unique element of AudioLayer is the possibility to decide for each Zone at which Scope level your editing apply: For the all Zones in the Instrument, for the Layer only or individually for this Zone only. For sound manipulation, you can use a full set of Filters, Envelopes and LFOs to shape the pitch, timbre and level of the sound of each Zone.
- SIS – Seamless Instrument Switching – The architecture of the Streaming Sample Engine allows for instant loading of even complex instruments and lets you switch from one Instrument to the next without cutting off the sound. This also includes different effect settings.
- Design Workflow – The built-in audio sample recorder let you create Instruments on the fly. The Music Effect AudioUnit / Audiobus effect plugin of AudioLayer let you record multi-samples semi-automatically, directly inside your preferred host and create an Instrument with the help of several Auto mapping options. This includes file name-based mapping of key ranges and velocities and automatic pitch detection.
Integration options:
- Stand-alone App
- AUv3 AudioUnit Instrument and Music Effect
- Inter App Audio
- Audiobus 3 Input/Effect with state saving support.
- Audio recorder with share function.
- Ableton Link compatible.
Here’s an unofficial video demo, via the SoundTestRoom:
Pricing and Availability:
AudioLayer is available now for US $14.99.
This is huge!
It’s a very smart move by VirSyn to fill this important role for iOS music making!
They “borrowed” two elegantly logical concepts from the Ensoniq EPS samplers of the late 80s. First, Pitch, Amp, and Filter are your basic parameters, all with their own tab. Secondly, you can apply edits to the zone (sample), layer, or whole instrument.
AudioLayer runs on 32-bit devices, and has both audiobus and AUv3 compatibility.
Pros:
Intuitive and efficient GUI
Easy access to samples/files on iCloud across multiple devices
Sample editor works well.
Effects are decent, and can be reordered. The “COMMON” effect unit acts like a global on/off, wet/dry, and level for all the effects.
Cons:
Modulation is not very full featured, no mod matrix.
Envelopes are straight vector ADSR, with no additional break points. Simple, but limited.
Imports samples, but not more complete keymaps (like soundfonts, EXS24, S1000, etc).
No vertical zooming in the zone editor, so if you want tight velocity ranges, they might be difficult to select.
No vertical zooming in the sample editor, so you might not be able to see waveforms to loop near the end of a decay.
No velocity with on-screen keyboard. Vertical tap position velocity would have been helpful.
On-screen keyboard range is changed in steps, not draggable.
There are lots of typos and mistakes in the “Comic Sans” contextual help.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This closes a big gap in iOS music making. It isn’t multi-timbral instrument, so if you want to run on multiple MIDI channels, those will have to be separate AU3 instances– which will give you some more flexibility with effects. App needs a little more tightening in the next update. But this is a very promising start!!
I hope this sells well and VirSyn gives it some more advanced touches, or creates a “pro” version later on. It’s early days though, so we’ll see how it goes.
I wish I could get excited about sampling… Since I’m a beatmaker 3 user… what does this sampler give me over BM3’s integrated one?
If you aren’t missing it, you probably don’t need it. Especially as a BM3 user, you have it all rolled in there. For people using other apps, or playing live who need a proper sample player without launching a whole DAW, this is the only option.
There’s a soundfont player, but SoundFonts famously lose the attach portion of ALL samples.
There’s SampleTank, but no user samples, and well, it’s IK.
Right, agree. Always nice to see new Auv3 apps but I won’t be needing this one. I do have the other virsyn synths and some of their FX though.
Amazing app! It’s a huge leap for iPad music making.
If it gets Mainstage like automated sampling, nothing else will be able to compete. Would love to sample my hardware synths in an automated way to my iPad. It’s a bit manual now, but still slick.
Revolutionary app! Love how AUs are pushing iOS forward.
All of the Virsyn stuff has a “chiffy sheen” on it that I don’t really like, and I hear it on this app as well. Must be something in the core audio processing that they keep using.
When you say “chiffy sheen” is that a poem that means a “boost in high frequencies”.
If this is a sample player, I expect it would just play the samples with the core player and not “enhance”.
I never noticed the boost in highs with VirSyn apps before, but my hearing kind of rolls off at about 15K.
All Virsyn stuff I’ve used has had the same (or very similar) suite of built in effects, and they do give off sort of a distinctive sound. I reckon that’s what you’re hearing, and if so it shouldn’t be an issue if you just use your own effects.
More wonderful iOS awesomeness appage.
Thank you.
Noooo! Don’t push me ever closer to buying an iPad!!! I like my old mouse-&-squint paradigm!!! I’d have to see an iPad as an added instrument, as I’m committed to Logic Pro X, but I’m more impressed lately. In typical Apple style, you pay Mo’ Money for the hardware, but it holds up well and the software is laughably inexpensive. I could eventually enjoy having an Oberheim SEM and a few other oddities as the iPad team. Now all people have to do is make capital-A “Art” with it, right? 😀
No mention of being able to control anything with MIDI. Even layer enabling or instrument switching. Anyone know about that?
I wish they would give their PC synths like Tera sone love instead
I’m hoping that their file format has plenty of room for updates. I don’t like the idea of putting the necessary effort into mapping samples and then having to repeat that work if they improve this.
This is a concern because as I’ve spent more time with the app, it just seems a bit half-hearted– especially when compared to their other more full-featured synths.
It’s a bit of a catch-22, if they put in to much of their resources and it doesn’t sell well, they lose. If their initial release doesn’t create much “buzz” they don’t sell well, they lose. Would love to know if they have plans to put more muscle on that skeleton.
you know, i used to be really into the iOS music apps, but Apple’s continued insistence on locking down everything and removing headphone ports really turned me off it. its cool as a self-contained music making device but integrating it with anything that doesnt require what i consider unreliable wireless protocols is almost a non-starter. really wish they would do some more research into getting it to play nicely with real instruments and studio devices that dont require compromises like the inability to charge the device and have a wired midi connection at the same time, without buying additional hardware that is a pain to integrate smoothly.
I’m wondering if each layer had separate asdr envelopes. It seems like when I change one layer it also affects instrument layer