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Numerology 2 Documentation

App Integration

This chapter describes various ways that you can integrate Numerology into your studio, both in terms of synchronizing with other apps, and sharing MIDI and Audio. No one solution suits everyone, and often you will want to choose a different solution based on the phase of your workflow. For instance, it is very likely that you would choose a different option for studio improvisation or the early phases of composition, than you would for final arrangement and mixing of a track.

Integration typically boils down to these capabilities:

  • Sending MIDI to other programs or devices.
  • Sharing Audio between Numerology and other applications.
  • Synchronization.

Sharing MIDI

This one is easy: When Numerology starts up, it creates four virtual MIDI input ports and four virtual MIDI output ports. You can use these ports to send MIDI to Numerology from other apps, and from other apps to Numerology. You can also use the Audio MIDI Setup utility that comes with OS X to create IAC busses for transferring MIDI. IAC Busses are nice because they stay around even when an app quits. A slight disadvantage of them relative to Numerology's virtual MIDI ports is that it can be easy to accidentally setup a MIDI loop, which can cause odd behavior, such as "too many note", or incorrect sync tempo.

One thing to keep in mind when sending MIDI notes from one app to another, is that there will always be a short delay before the other app processes those notes. This situation is no different from using MIDI to control external synthesizers, or using plugins that introduce a short delay. The best way to compensate for this is to use very short delays on tracks that need them so that all tracks line up properly.

Sharing Audio

ReWire

When you run Numerology in ReWire mode, you can stream up to 32 channels of audio to the ReWire host. Since you can also run all your audio units in ReWire mode, this makes for a very easy way to stream your stacks into another program for further editing and processing.

External Audio Loop

If you have a multi-channel audio interface (or multiple audio interfaces), you can easily setup an external audio loop that takes output from Numerology and feed it into an input that another program uses. If you are working with a setup that involves multiple hardware instruments and/or band members, this option works well as it means that all of your audio sources come in on the same device. It also gives you the option to mix and process the signal while it is in the hardware environment.

Internal Audio Routing With Soundflower

Soundflower is an app-to-app audio driver from Cycling74, you can download it here. It can run in either a 2-channel or 16-channel mode, and is quite easy to use: Just pick it as the audio output for Numerology, then pick it as an audio input within any other audio app. It comes with an app called Soundflowerbed that allows you to tap the audio traveling through soundflower and send it to a physical audio output. Internal Audio Routing With Jack OS X Like Soundflower, Jack is an audio driver designed for sharing audio between applications. You can get it here.

Non-Synchronized Methods

Running Standalone

Believe it or not, but this can be a very effective way of working with other apps. Think of it as the 'sketchpad' method: You use Numerology as a compositional tool: working up ideas, focusing on compositional building blocks: patterns, textures and effects. When you are ready to share some of that work, you then have several options for getting it into another program:

  • You can use Numerology's audio recording feature to save your patterns as audio clips, and then load them into another app for arrangement or further processing. This is ideal when you have been performing lots of audio processing and modulation on your sounds, and want to be certain those sounds are preserved.

  • You can use Numerology's virtual MIDI ports to pipe MIDI playback into another program, either with or without sync involved. This is the best approach when you just want to share the note patterns, and are not worried about specific sounds.

  • You can use one of the audio sharing options listed above to transfer audio from Numerology to another program. This approach works very well for the earliest stages of composition, when you are focused on coming up with new ideas.

    Tape-Deck Mode

    This working method is much like the previous one, but involves the use of another app to capture audio and/or MIDI in real time. Here Numerology again serves as the compositional tool, while the other program acts as a multi-track tape recorder. This approach is best for free-form improv or live performance: when you want to focus your intention on music-making, but also want to make sure you have a document of the session. This is especially true when live performers are involved.

    Synchronized methods

    The next chapter covers the details of Numerology's three synchronization options, this chapter covers them in relation to an overall studio strategy.

    Sync Via ReWire

    This is the easiest way to get Numerology synchronized to another application. ReWire is officially supported for Apple Logic, MOTU Digital Performer, Ableton Live, and Steinberg Cubase, but also works for many other ReWire hosts. This is by far the easiest way to synchronize Numerology with another program. In addition to sync, you get shared transport controls and 32 channels of streaming audio.

    The greatest advantage of ReWire is that there is very little configuration involved: just make sure to install the Numerology ReWire Driver when you install Numerology, then start the host app first. When you start Numerology, it will open in ReWire mode and be automatically synchronized with the host. To ensure that Numerology is getting render calls from the host, create an extra track in the host program with Numerology as its audio input. For more details, see the next chapter.

    Sync Via MIDI

    Numerology offers two protocols for sync via MIDI: MIDI Clock and MTC. For details on how to set these up, see the next chapter. Although these methods require some setup, particularly in the case of MTC, they are very reliable once running, and the setup becomes second nature once you get the hang of it. Usually it is just a matter of re-using your previous settings and turning sync on and off. A big advantage of MIDI sync is that it can be used to synchronize apps across computers, as well as MIDI hardware.

    When synchronized via MIDI, Numerology can happily host Audio Unit plugins, including easy modulation of their parameters via ParamMod. Add in one of the app-to-app audio streaming solutions described above, and you have a very flexible balance of features and integration.


    Next : Synchronization & ReWire

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