Use iPad Screen to Select Track while using MIDI/IODock audio input management

kellerpj

Thanks for this wonderfully inspiring app!

Lots of good suggestions here, too.

I'd like to be able to use the iPad's touch screen to select the track on which to perform actions when using MIDI.

It seems that once I enable and use MIDI control in a session, I loose the ability to select a different track using the iPads's touch screen. Currently, I'm only using a pedal to toggle record off and on. I know I could use one of the actions that move to the next track, but I don't always want to move to the "next" track. I'd like to be able to select the track that the next action will affect by using the touch screen.

I second the suggestion to allow loopy to process input audio as a centered mono signal.

Michael

Cheers, @kellerpj!

I'll see what I can do!

Processing input audio as centered mono signal: Do you mean splitting the stereo input into two separate mono inputs, and processing them separately?

Juanjo

Excuse the intromission!
Yes, please! Let us separate the stereo input in two mono centered inputs!!

kellerpj

Thanks for considering my requests, Michael.

I'll try to better explain what I mean by "process input audio as a centered mono signal" and why I would like this feature.

My current hardware interface (Alesis IO Dock) only provides audio signal to the left channel for "guitar" input. It only has one guitar input which provides a mono signal. As such, when I record a track in Loopy HD through the guitar input, all the audio is on the left channel. Since all the audio is on the left channel, and none on the right, panning the track to the right during playback simply lowers the level of the left.

It would be nice to be able to set Loopy HD so that any signal that comes in to a track, during actions that record, on either left or right channel is "processed" into the other channel of the track. This would, in a sense, create a centered stereo signal from the input of either the left and/or right channel. Then during playback, the pan would work as expected.

By "processed into the other channel of the track" I speculate that you'd have to do something like reduce the amplitude of the input signal by half on the input channel and then sum the result into the other channel. (You probably know a lot more about that than I do, but I hope you get the idea.)

The above feature I'm describing assumes that you are doing all this during record, but it could also be done during playback. That would make it "non-destructive" in that even though a track only has audio in the left channel, it behaves as if it was recorded as a centered stereo signal.

I envision that you could do this on a track-by-track basis, or globally put Loopy HD in a mode that would do this on all tracks. My preference would be on a track-by-track basis.

Here's a UI suggestion for doing it track-by-track. You know how if you press and hold a track, you get the Share/Import/Volume/Pan selection wheel? Well, you could possibly add a section in that wheel that says "Mono". Selecting the Mono would toggle the track between stereo and mono modes. You could visually indicate the mono/stereo mode of a track in the center button area of each track.

Again, thanks for considering my requests.

Later,
Paul

Michael

Cheers for the elaboration, Paul - that's really weird that the IO dock behaves that way: Does it happen with other apps, too? It sounds like a dumb bug to me, which should be fixed by the Alexis guys (or me, if it was my messup), rather than trying to figure out how to make it a 'feature'. My preference is to fix the root issue, rather than issuing bandaids

kellerpj

Well, actually, the way the IO Dock is configured, it makes sense and as such, I don't think it's a bug in your software or in the IO Dock. Let me explain.

There are two XLR/TRS inputs on the IO Dock. One for the left channel and one for the right channel like most professional audio interfaces I've used for PCs. It turns out though, that only one of the XLR/TRS inputs, the left channel input, has the ability to switch from line level to "guitar" level (Low Z/High Z). I require a "guitar" level for my pickup to plug directly into the IO Dock so Loopy HD only gets audio in the left channel of each track that is being recorded.

I guess as a workaround, I can get some sort of hardware device to convert the signal into two line level inputs that can go into both XLR/TRS inputs at line level instead of running directly into the left XLR/TRS at "guitar" level.

Thanks for the thought anyway,
Paul

Juanjo

Currently I use a jack duplicator adapter.
Anyway, best solution and really good feature will be to use each stereo channel as separate mono input…

Michael

Ah, okay - I suppose I understand! It still doesn't sound like the 'right' way to do it (if it were me designing the hardware, I'd be providing a switch to select either input as bridged stereo, or both, one per channel), but that's just me!.

I'll see what I can do - I don't think it'll be a great idea to clutter the UI up with the requisite stuff to make it configurable, but I could add a level monitor that determines if audio is coming in only one channel, then interprets it as mono input.

kellerpj

Thanks for the consideration, Michael.

I concur with your point about adding clutter to the UI as in my suggestion. It's the innovative simplicity of the UI in Loopy HD that facilitates the creative process. A more "automatic" mechanism as you describe would seem better to me also. Great idea!

Thanks again,
Paul

Michael

Great!

abeoquendo

Michael, I use the Lexicon Omega to record into Loopy and get the same result, the sound records only in one channel, right to left.
It is not a problem of the sound card, when I record into Logic or Cubase I have no problem.
I think the problem lies in that you set up Loopy to work mainly with the iPad mic, which records stereo. When using a sound card you have to let the recording program know in advance if it should record in mono or stereo. A mic input will always be a mono signal. So you need to include a control in the circle the tells Loopy if it should record mono or stereo. To let Loopy figure it our will consume too brain power unnecessarily.
Another option would be to make the default recording option mono when detecting a sound card.
Thanks for a great looper.

Best, Abe

Michael

Hey Abe - actually, Loopy does correctly handle mono input, but it seems like these devices report that they provide stereo audio, but only use one channel. I know how to get it working, though, and will provide support for these devices shortly.
Cheers!
Michael

abeoquendo

Thanks a lot, Michael! In the meantime what I am doing is going first through a small mixing board, and then connect the two outputs of the board to the Omega, and it works great.

I am trying to set up Loopy for live performance, so I would be using a mixing board anyway.

What I need to figure out is a way start recording via a midi pedal, as I usually have my hands busy. Is there a more detailed on-line manual for Loopy? That would be a great addition.

Thanks a lot!

Abe

Michael

Ah, good idea! Nice one.

I've had "make an online manual" on my todo list for a while, but other bits and pieces have got it the way first, I'm afraid There is a manual built into Loopy, including a section on how to use MIDI - let me know if you have any further questions, though.

Rubbertoe

Hi Michael, I'm using LoopyHD for looping guitar and bass. I use a Beringher ucg102 audio interface, but I'am having the "mono only" issue, as previuosly described by others. Would you be able to suggest me a workaround for this? I cannot think of anything... All the layers of loop end on the left channel... thanks for your help. r

Michael

Hey @Rubbertoe! Yeah - like I said, this is a thing I'm definitely aware of, and the next update will support this kind of usage. There's no workaround yet, but the update's gonna drop soon. If you'd like to help, you could answer this question for me: http://forum.loopyapp.com/discussion/comment/903#Comment_903