By Lampdog
Fri Sep 06, 2013 6:11 pm
I was digging inside of audio bus, Beatmaker 2 and Magellan, I always saw it but haven't used it yet. Using Magellan as an effect in Audiobus with Beatmaker 2 being input and SPEAKER as output. Magellan is a powerhouse effects rack.
iPad Music App Tutorial: 5 Quick Tips For Using Magellan In The Audiobus Effect Slot
by chip on June 7, 2013
One of the most interesting parts of Audiobus is certainly the effects slot, where you can insert an app between a sound source and a recording app to completely manipulate your sound. The other pieces of Audiobus were definitely revolutionary – the idea of moving audio between apps in real time was the missing piece of the iOS music puzzle. The ability to venture into completely new sonic territories with an effects app was a whole new way of thinking about iOS music though; it was akin to having a plug-in that you could add onto any app. While we all thought about the potential of stand-along effect apps, we started to realize that we already had some apps with powerful effects already built into them. On its own, Magellan is an incredibly powerful synth that just happens to have a pretty extensive effects section. Used in the Audiobus effects slot, Magellan is pure sonic magic that can absolutely change the shape of your compositions. With this very potent combination in mind, we’ve come up with five quick tips that will help you make the most of Magellan in the Audiobus effects slot!
1. Adjust The Signal Chain Freely
Magellan has a pretty extensive selection of effects built into its framework, and when you put them all together, you’re actually building a miniature signal chain within the greater flow of Audiobus. You can’t simply just add multiple effects onto your primary sound at the same time; the audio has to travel through the effects on an individual basis. When the audio first move from the Audiobus input slot to the effects slot, it will hit all of the individual effects in succession; if you’ve activated them then effects will be applied. By default, the audio starts with the Purple Boost, moves through the Bit Mistress, the VC-90 Compressor, the HEX EQ, the Phased ‘N Confused unit, the Chorus Star, the Flanger Danger, the Echoplasm DLX, the Big Be-Verb, and finally the XPander. This order creates a specific sound based upon the changes that each successive effect makes upon the audio coming through it; it’s a pretty potent combination, but you could get just as effective alterations using a different order.
Fortunately, you’re not locked into the default signal chain, and you can really multiply the power of the Magellan FX units by changing the flow of effects through Magellan. On the FX2 page, you’ll find the FX Signal Flow unit sitting to the right of the VC-93 Compressor, which consists of ten small red boxes, each with the name of a different effect and a number inside of it. You can change the flow of the audio through the effects by simply dragging a box to a different place in the signal chain; it moves numerically, so the audio enters at the first box and leaves after the tenth box. Honestly, it feels like a pretty minor change when you’re sliding a box from one position to another, but the sonic impact can be massive. A Phaser followed by Flanger and then Reverb sounds much different than a flanger followed by reverb and then a phaser – it’s a simple change, but a powerful result. Take some time to experiment with the difference between various signal chains and you’ll open yourself to a whole new world of sound design.
2. Watch Your Gain With Caution
When you’re working with Magellan as an Audiobus effect, it’s important to remember that its one piece of a greater signal chain, sitting between your input slot app and your output slot app. In this role, Magellan’s task lies in the manipulation of sound, which may come through effects like Flanger, Chorus, Phaser, Echo, and more. At the same time, you can also adjust the sound by pumping up the gain within Magellan itself. While this process would generally be something that you do in either your primary input app or the destination app, there’s nothing stopping you from taking advantage of Magellan’s ability to increase gain. In fact, it can thicken up your sound in an otherwise impossible way, helping you discover new sonic possibilities. Since Magellan is only one piece of the puzzle here though, it’s important to apply gain increases with caution.
The danger in the gain increase within Magellan comes from the multiple possibilities to pump up the volume across several different effects. When you activate the “PURPLEBoost” in the upper left hand corner of FX1, you can increase your volume through both the “GAIN” and “VOL” knobs. In the FX2 panel, the HEXEQ provides lots of filter and equalization options, but it also has a gain control, which comes alive through the far left slider. This can provide quite a dramatic increase or decrease in volume, changing the shape of your whole mix. The VC-93 Valve Compressor is also on the FX2 panel and it includes a “OUT GAIN” knob that will also provide significant gains. All of this comes in addition to Magellan’s master volume, which will also send the levels into the ceiling if you desire. You’ve got some tools to help you out – the XY Pad on the left hand side of the screen can be a handy tool in gauging your volume, as you can actually see the waveform increase in size. When used in combination, these different gain possibilities can overload your sound and result in a distorted recording, so use them cautiously; don’t get discouraged though – when used sparingly, these different gain options can really boost your output and effect your sound in a positive way.
3. Use FX Sources #1 & #2 For Quick Changes During Recording
It may not be evident from a simple glance, but Magellan is actually two synths that can work separately or in conjunction with each other. You’ve got two synthesizers, each with its own collection of oscillators, filters, and LFO options. You can actually move between the two synths with a switch labeled Synth #1 and #2 in the upper right hand corner of the screen. On the same token, you’ve got two distinct FX sources; these are not the two FX pages accessed through the buttons at the top of the screen, instead, they’re changed with the FX Source #1 and #2 switch in the upper right hand corner. While the two synths can be linked through a “Synth Couple” button, the two FX sources actually work independently of each other and can to applied to either synth. This gives you some wide and powerful sonic options.
While you can’t use the “Synth Couple” feature to double the impact of your effects with FX Source #1 & #2, you can utilize these two sources to your creative advantage in your Audiobus recording. If you’re running a longer piece of pre-recorded audio through Magellan to add some sonic variation, you may want to alter the effects drastically at one point. Let the audio run, set the FX Source to #1 and then play with your effects until you find a good setting for that effects channel. Repeat the process, but this time, have the FX source set to #2 and find a different effects configuration to provide a drastically different sound. Once you’ve established two distinct effect settings, get prepared to record. As your audio runs through Magellan into your output source, switch the FX Source between #1 and #2 to change the sonic texture of your recording. When you’re looking for contrast in your overall sound, this can be a powerful way to mix things up.
4. Adjust The Master BPM on Magellan To Sync Effect Settings
When you’ve got Magellan in the effects slot on Audiobus, you’re going most likely going to be working on a greater song, running an input source through Magellan into a DAW app. Whether you’re starting from scratch of you’re in the middle of the creative process, you’ve probably got a tempo selected already. You’ve got that tempo programmed into your DAW app, and whatever you’re recording through the input slot is going to be based around that tempo. Most songs come alive through a sense of rhythmic unity and it would make sense that you would want any changes that you make by going through Magellan to sit within that collective tempo that you’ve already established.
The Echoplasm DLX gives you the option to sync the rate of your echo to Magellan’s master tempo; it’s important to remember though, that the echo is being synced to the tempo in Magellan. The Audiobus effects slot doesn’t do anything to connect parameters like tempo, it simply runs an audio signal through Magellan. If you want to have the Echoplasm DLX sync to the correct tempo, you’ve go to change the tempo within Magellan. If that tempo is different than the tempo that you have established in your overall song, things aren’t going to be in complete sync. You might like the idea of your echo running at a slightly different tempo than your whole song; this can be an interesting effect that can create an open and spacious feel in your music. It should be a choice that you make consciously though, so just be aware that if you want to sync your echo, you’ve got to change the tempo in Magellan.
5. Play Along With Your Recording
One of the things that Audiobus does very well is define a signal flow as audio moves between different apps, something that gives you a strong sense of clarity. The signal starts with the initial sound source app placed at the input slot; that’s the primary sound that you want to be recorded by the end of the process. The sound then moves through the effects slot, where sound can be altered, shaped, and mangled by whatever app you’ve chosen to place there. The audio from the first app runs directly through this app; it doesn’t stop here, just passes through and then makes its way forward. The audio eventually finds its way into the app that you’ve placed in the output slot, which is the end of the line. In most cases, this is a DAW app or some kind of audio recorder, giving you the option of capturing the sound that you created at the start of the chain. It all seems straight-forward and linear, but things can get interesting when you dig a little bit deeper.
In most cases, there’s always more than meets the eye; when you place Magellan in the effects slot of Audiobus, you’ve got more options than simply manipulating the effects as audio passes through the app. Magellan sits in the middle of the signal chain, which mean that any audio you trigger within that app will find its way into your output app. If you’re using an app that triggers a looped figure within your input slot and using Magellan to add effects, then you could also play something in Magellan. You won’t get any separation between the two sounds; they’ll be bound together in a single track within your output app. If you’re running a drum track from your input app, you probably wouldn’t want to use Magellan to record a synth pad on top of that – you’d want those two sounds on different tracks in your final mix. If you’ve got some kind of synth looping through your input app though, it might make for a nice layer to add some Magellan synth sounds onto the final recording. It’s definitely an idea that you want to use sparingly, but when applying effectively, you can make some beautifully layered sounds.
———-
There’s a lot of power in Magellan that can be applied to the Audiobus effect slot, certainly giving you a world of different sonic options. Have you used Magellan as an effect in your Audiobus recordings? What have you found to be the most effective way to manipulate Magellan for this purpose? Do you find that Magellan doesn’t get the job done? Or would you rather use another app for effects? LEAVE A COMMENT and let us know what you think of Magellan as an effect in the Audiobus signal chain
iPad Music App Tutorial: 5 Quick Tips For Using Magellan In The Audiobus Effect Slot
by chip on June 7, 2013
One of the most interesting parts of Audiobus is certainly the effects slot, where you can insert an app between a sound source and a recording app to completely manipulate your sound. The other pieces of Audiobus were definitely revolutionary – the idea of moving audio between apps in real time was the missing piece of the iOS music puzzle. The ability to venture into completely new sonic territories with an effects app was a whole new way of thinking about iOS music though; it was akin to having a plug-in that you could add onto any app. While we all thought about the potential of stand-along effect apps, we started to realize that we already had some apps with powerful effects already built into them. On its own, Magellan is an incredibly powerful synth that just happens to have a pretty extensive effects section. Used in the Audiobus effects slot, Magellan is pure sonic magic that can absolutely change the shape of your compositions. With this very potent combination in mind, we’ve come up with five quick tips that will help you make the most of Magellan in the Audiobus effects slot!
1. Adjust The Signal Chain Freely
Magellan has a pretty extensive selection of effects built into its framework, and when you put them all together, you’re actually building a miniature signal chain within the greater flow of Audiobus. You can’t simply just add multiple effects onto your primary sound at the same time; the audio has to travel through the effects on an individual basis. When the audio first move from the Audiobus input slot to the effects slot, it will hit all of the individual effects in succession; if you’ve activated them then effects will be applied. By default, the audio starts with the Purple Boost, moves through the Bit Mistress, the VC-90 Compressor, the HEX EQ, the Phased ‘N Confused unit, the Chorus Star, the Flanger Danger, the Echoplasm DLX, the Big Be-Verb, and finally the XPander. This order creates a specific sound based upon the changes that each successive effect makes upon the audio coming through it; it’s a pretty potent combination, but you could get just as effective alterations using a different order.
Fortunately, you’re not locked into the default signal chain, and you can really multiply the power of the Magellan FX units by changing the flow of effects through Magellan. On the FX2 page, you’ll find the FX Signal Flow unit sitting to the right of the VC-93 Compressor, which consists of ten small red boxes, each with the name of a different effect and a number inside of it. You can change the flow of the audio through the effects by simply dragging a box to a different place in the signal chain; it moves numerically, so the audio enters at the first box and leaves after the tenth box. Honestly, it feels like a pretty minor change when you’re sliding a box from one position to another, but the sonic impact can be massive. A Phaser followed by Flanger and then Reverb sounds much different than a flanger followed by reverb and then a phaser – it’s a simple change, but a powerful result. Take some time to experiment with the difference between various signal chains and you’ll open yourself to a whole new world of sound design.
2. Watch Your Gain With Caution
When you’re working with Magellan as an Audiobus effect, it’s important to remember that its one piece of a greater signal chain, sitting between your input slot app and your output slot app. In this role, Magellan’s task lies in the manipulation of sound, which may come through effects like Flanger, Chorus, Phaser, Echo, and more. At the same time, you can also adjust the sound by pumping up the gain within Magellan itself. While this process would generally be something that you do in either your primary input app or the destination app, there’s nothing stopping you from taking advantage of Magellan’s ability to increase gain. In fact, it can thicken up your sound in an otherwise impossible way, helping you discover new sonic possibilities. Since Magellan is only one piece of the puzzle here though, it’s important to apply gain increases with caution.
The danger in the gain increase within Magellan comes from the multiple possibilities to pump up the volume across several different effects. When you activate the “PURPLEBoost” in the upper left hand corner of FX1, you can increase your volume through both the “GAIN” and “VOL” knobs. In the FX2 panel, the HEXEQ provides lots of filter and equalization options, but it also has a gain control, which comes alive through the far left slider. This can provide quite a dramatic increase or decrease in volume, changing the shape of your whole mix. The VC-93 Valve Compressor is also on the FX2 panel and it includes a “OUT GAIN” knob that will also provide significant gains. All of this comes in addition to Magellan’s master volume, which will also send the levels into the ceiling if you desire. You’ve got some tools to help you out – the XY Pad on the left hand side of the screen can be a handy tool in gauging your volume, as you can actually see the waveform increase in size. When used in combination, these different gain possibilities can overload your sound and result in a distorted recording, so use them cautiously; don’t get discouraged though – when used sparingly, these different gain options can really boost your output and effect your sound in a positive way.
3. Use FX Sources #1 & #2 For Quick Changes During Recording
It may not be evident from a simple glance, but Magellan is actually two synths that can work separately or in conjunction with each other. You’ve got two synthesizers, each with its own collection of oscillators, filters, and LFO options. You can actually move between the two synths with a switch labeled Synth #1 and #2 in the upper right hand corner of the screen. On the same token, you’ve got two distinct FX sources; these are not the two FX pages accessed through the buttons at the top of the screen, instead, they’re changed with the FX Source #1 and #2 switch in the upper right hand corner. While the two synths can be linked through a “Synth Couple” button, the two FX sources actually work independently of each other and can to applied to either synth. This gives you some wide and powerful sonic options.
While you can’t use the “Synth Couple” feature to double the impact of your effects with FX Source #1 & #2, you can utilize these two sources to your creative advantage in your Audiobus recording. If you’re running a longer piece of pre-recorded audio through Magellan to add some sonic variation, you may want to alter the effects drastically at one point. Let the audio run, set the FX Source to #1 and then play with your effects until you find a good setting for that effects channel. Repeat the process, but this time, have the FX source set to #2 and find a different effects configuration to provide a drastically different sound. Once you’ve established two distinct effect settings, get prepared to record. As your audio runs through Magellan into your output source, switch the FX Source between #1 and #2 to change the sonic texture of your recording. When you’re looking for contrast in your overall sound, this can be a powerful way to mix things up.
4. Adjust The Master BPM on Magellan To Sync Effect Settings
When you’ve got Magellan in the effects slot on Audiobus, you’re going most likely going to be working on a greater song, running an input source through Magellan into a DAW app. Whether you’re starting from scratch of you’re in the middle of the creative process, you’ve probably got a tempo selected already. You’ve got that tempo programmed into your DAW app, and whatever you’re recording through the input slot is going to be based around that tempo. Most songs come alive through a sense of rhythmic unity and it would make sense that you would want any changes that you make by going through Magellan to sit within that collective tempo that you’ve already established.
The Echoplasm DLX gives you the option to sync the rate of your echo to Magellan’s master tempo; it’s important to remember though, that the echo is being synced to the tempo in Magellan. The Audiobus effects slot doesn’t do anything to connect parameters like tempo, it simply runs an audio signal through Magellan. If you want to have the Echoplasm DLX sync to the correct tempo, you’ve go to change the tempo within Magellan. If that tempo is different than the tempo that you have established in your overall song, things aren’t going to be in complete sync. You might like the idea of your echo running at a slightly different tempo than your whole song; this can be an interesting effect that can create an open and spacious feel in your music. It should be a choice that you make consciously though, so just be aware that if you want to sync your echo, you’ve got to change the tempo in Magellan.
5. Play Along With Your Recording
One of the things that Audiobus does very well is define a signal flow as audio moves between different apps, something that gives you a strong sense of clarity. The signal starts with the initial sound source app placed at the input slot; that’s the primary sound that you want to be recorded by the end of the process. The sound then moves through the effects slot, where sound can be altered, shaped, and mangled by whatever app you’ve chosen to place there. The audio from the first app runs directly through this app; it doesn’t stop here, just passes through and then makes its way forward. The audio eventually finds its way into the app that you’ve placed in the output slot, which is the end of the line. In most cases, this is a DAW app or some kind of audio recorder, giving you the option of capturing the sound that you created at the start of the chain. It all seems straight-forward and linear, but things can get interesting when you dig a little bit deeper.
In most cases, there’s always more than meets the eye; when you place Magellan in the effects slot of Audiobus, you’ve got more options than simply manipulating the effects as audio passes through the app. Magellan sits in the middle of the signal chain, which mean that any audio you trigger within that app will find its way into your output app. If you’re using an app that triggers a looped figure within your input slot and using Magellan to add effects, then you could also play something in Magellan. You won’t get any separation between the two sounds; they’ll be bound together in a single track within your output app. If you’re running a drum track from your input app, you probably wouldn’t want to use Magellan to record a synth pad on top of that – you’d want those two sounds on different tracks in your final mix. If you’ve got some kind of synth looping through your input app though, it might make for a nice layer to add some Magellan synth sounds onto the final recording. It’s definitely an idea that you want to use sparingly, but when applying effectively, you can make some beautifully layered sounds.
———-
There’s a lot of power in Magellan that can be applied to the Audiobus effect slot, certainly giving you a world of different sonic options. Have you used Magellan as an effect in your Audiobus recordings? What have you found to be the most effective way to manipulate Magellan for this purpose? Do you find that Magellan doesn’t get the job done? Or would you rather use another app for effects? LEAVE A COMMENT and let us know what you think of Magellan as an effect in the Audiobus signal chain
Stop getting automatically offended when you see gold letters!
wish i had an ios device still:( oh well, hey, fl on my old android phone aint that bad, the latency has improved, its no bm2 though..
