Intua has announced BeatMaker 3, a major update to its iOS digital audio workstation.

BeatMaker 3 is expected to be available in Q2, but Intua has shared details on what users can expect:

Key Features:

• Compose with high quality instruments & loops, integrated in a powerful and streamlined DAW
• Design your own instruments using a state of the art sampling engine with unmatched modularity (multi-layer, live slice mode, realtime time-stretching/pitch-shifting, Audio Units V3/IAA, full modulation system, …)
• Powerful integration of MIDI hardware to control the app and its instruments in a unique way (MIDI actions, parameter macros, …)
• Arrange songs with instruments & audio tracks
• Play live, remix or sketch ideas with a powerful scene mode
• Export, share, and expand your library with soundpacks designed by the best sound design companies

Specifications

BeatMaker 3 has eight banks of 128 pads. Each pad is now a full-fledged instrument running a state of the art multi-layered sampler engine, with additional IAA/Audio Unit V3 hosting. Additionally, audio tracks and can be added to the mix, for recording and playback of audio clips. Up to eight aux tracks can be added for even more complex routing.

Per Pad

• Multi-layered sampler
• Optional Audio Unit (AUv3/IAA), used simultaneously with the sampler
• Mixer channel, with volume, pan, mute, solo and eight sends
• Unlimited number of effects
• Link & choke groups
• Audio output routing
• Swing mode

Per Bank

• Hosts up to 128 pads, with 16/64 pads mode
• Sequencer track
• Mixer channel, with volume, pan, mute, solo and eight sends
• Unlimited number of effects
• Output to the main mix or a specific audio hardware output
• Up 16 macro controls with additional X/Y controller
• MIDI input / output
• Swing mode

The sampler

• Multi-layered sampler
• Per layer up to 4 voice effects
• Per layer modulation of parameters, with ratio. Available modulators:  AHDSR, LFO, MIDI, Random S&H, 64-steps mod, and more to come
• Per layer trigger mode: one-shot, hold, on release
• Per sample loop type: none / forward / alternated
• Sample cross-fading with bending control
• Per layer 64 voices polyphony, with optional mono & polyphonic portamento;
• Sample Disk streaming support
• Live time-stretch & pitch-shift with Elastique v3 algorithm
• Tempo detection
• Slice mode for live chopping of samples, with transient detection, split, divide, different play modes, slice fading in & out
• Reverse playback, semitone & fine-tune controls;
• Gain, pan, saturation;
• Full fledged sample editor
• Intuitive mapping editor to create your own instruments
• Host an external Audio Unit plugin simultaneously with the sampling engine;
• inline recorder that can record from any external audio inputs or from any BM3 internal buses (outputs, banks, pads, audio tracks, AUX tracks…), bringing easy and quick resampling.
• Slicing exports to layers or pads (up to 128);
• Internal recorder and resampler

Macros

Sixteen macros are bound to each track inside BM3. This means each bank, output, audio & aux track has its own set of 16 macros. This is particularly interesting for Banks because this means bank presets can be saved with a chain of effects and macros as well. Macros can control multiple parameters at once from banks, pads, layers, effects, etc

Focus actions

BeatMaker 3 can be controlled in an unique way by one or multiple MIDI controllers, using MIDI notes and CC’s.

Available actions

• Trigger pad 1-16 (or 64 with optional 64 pads device mode);
• Pad modes switching: select, scene, mute, solo, keys
• Macro control 1-16
• Bank select, prev / next switching
• Octave up, octave down, page up, page down for pads pages, scenes, etc.
• Transport play / pause / stop / record / backward / forward / loop / metronome;
• Repeat mode

Focus actions templates can be saved, loaded and shared easily.

Sequencer

You will find the traditional, timeline based sequencer, exactly like BM2 with an improved workflow and set of tools. To extend the creation capabilities, we’ve added a “scene” mode, where you can quickly create, assemble and play with patterns. A scene hosts multiple track patterns that can be triggered at once, using a specified quantization. It is also possible to individually trigger a pattern from outside the currently playing scene.

The combination of both SONG and SCENE mode is pretty powerful and opens up possibilities for live performances and more traditional sequencing.

Effects

Access the effect chain of any track by simply selecting the track (bank, output, aux, pad…) from the user interface or by manually selecting it. If you want to lock the selection on a specific track, toggle the “lock” icon.

You can insert any number of effects on a track. Remember  that you can  use macro controls to bind multiple parameters at once, from the effects, mixer, or even the sampler.

Effects presets load/save. Move effect up/down the chain.

Available effects

• external Audio Unit plugin (IAA, AUv3);
• bit crusher;
• filtered delay with optional sync mode;
• dynamics processor (compressor/limiter/expander) with side-chaining;
• one-band SV filter;
• six-band (parametric) SV filter;
• modulation delay (flanger/chorus/vibrato);
• overdrive;
• two reverbs;
• slicer;
• stereo delay with filter and optional sync modes;
• stereo widener.

Audio export

• Single or multi-track export
• WAVE/ACC
• 16, 24 or 32bits
• Normalization

Sharing

• Sharing to other iOS apps like Mail, Airdrop, Google Drive, iCloud and other compatible applications. You can even select multiple files and BeatMaker 3 will archive them for you.
• Music library import, iTunes USB transfer.
• Dropbox browser.
• BeatMaker 3 files (ZIP files, sessions, bank presets, samples, MIDI files, etc.) can be opened from other apps.