Quantum Sequencer vs ARGate

Quantum is a performance midi sequencer which approaches music composition with an interactive creation processes - sometimes referred to as 'noodling'. Where pattern or piano-role sequencers are good for music forms (intro/verse/chorus etc) or grid entry, Quantum's approach is built around the idea of a step being the focus - think of the step as a single note or chord written on a music sheet then add a lot of extra notation (like probability of playing or ornamentation say). These highly detailed steps are then aligned into sequences (think melodies) that loop. You can have any length up to 64, but these can be further split into 4 sub-sequences that have their own set of sequencer parameters (like tempo, play direction, transpose etc). To enter step parameters such as note pitch, velocity, gated length etc, 16 general faders are available which allow you to draw, drag, select copy/paste, inc/dec & link together to edit values. These are also midi learnable (midi cc or nrpn) to allow you to use control surfaces or midi controllers. To aid you with faster control Quantum has loop actions which you can program in to carry out tasks when a sequence loops - e.g. transpose, randomise, start or load another sequence etc. With up to 24 sequences playing Quantum introduces a mixer page allowing you to blend midi velocities. Built on the MidiSequencer engine, midi FX, devices & Controllers are now possible per sequence. So why would Quantum be good for your setup? There are many midi enabled IOS & hardware synths that produce exotic timbres if you send them fast & varied midi controls that you just would not hear with keyboard playing or slow tempo tunes. Also, Quantum, embraces experimentation in melody creation and by copy/pasting allowing quick setup of arpeggios & counterpoint tunes that you can create & manipulate on the fly! note : This app sends midi information - you need to use it in conjunction with any midi enabled iOS synth app (e.g. Sunrizer) to hear sounds

ARGate Attack / Release Gate Plugin (AUv3) ARGate is an audio effect plugin that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host application such as Logic Pro or GarageBand. Overview - more than just a noise gate... ARGate is an audio gate utility with a few twists, with the addition of attack and hold times, plus support for hysteresis. At its core, ARGate uses an AHR (attack-hold-release) envelope to control gain adjustment of an incoming audio signal, with support for different threshold values to open and close the gate (hysteresis). ARGate can function as a noise gate for instrument or vocal audio tracks, but can also be used as an "auto-swell" effect on instruments such as electric guitar so you can leave that bulky volume pedal at home! ARGate can even be used to "tighten-up" drum and percussion loops by gating out the quieter elements. A G R Indicators Above the view selector are 3 indicators to show what state the gate is in: Attack, Gate (open) and Release. Each indicator will light when in that particular state. Please note these are not interactive buttons that you click on, even though they share the same fabulous color scheme :-) Note - if you see the R indicator flickering a lot, please consider increasing the Hold time slightly, as described below. Controls Active - Toggles the effect On or Off. Threshold - Sets the dB level of the signal required to open the gate. At its lowest setting, the gate will let pretty much everything through, and at the highest setting, none shall pass! For background noise reduction, set the Threshold to minimum, then slowly increase it until you see that the G indicator is not opening when there is only background noise in the input. Hysteresis - This sets the difference between the open gate and close gate threshold which is useful when you want to hear more of the decay sound once the gate has been triggered. The default of -6dB is a good place to start - this means that the close threshold will be 6dB less than the threshold to open the gate. This feature tends to avoid the "fluttering" effect you sometimes get with more basic noise gates. Reduction - Sets the amount of gain reduction applied when the gate is closed. At its lowest setting, this is effectively silence and is probably the setting you want to use in most applications. Alternatively, you might just want to attenuate background noise by a certain amount so the result doesn't sound obviously gated. Attack - Choose between a linear or exponential attack curve, then set an attack time. At zero, the gate will open as soon as the Threshold is hit. For auto-swell type effects, a long attack time around 1000ms and an exponential curve can work well. Hold - Sets a variable hold time which can also be useful for avoiding gate "fluttering" and works in tandem with the Hysteresis control. This time is essentially how long the input level has to remain below the close threshold (open threshold + hysteresis) before going into release mode. If the input level goes above the close threshold, then the hold timer is reset. This feature is especially useful for vocal and instrument gating, but can also be used to achieve some interesting rhythmic effects on drum loops and the like. Release - Chose between linear or exponential release curve, then set a release time. An exponential release curve might work better on percussive sounds if you need the gate to really "snap" shut. The minimum release time of 10ms is there to avoid pops or clicks when the gate closes. For more info and support please visit: www.waverley-instruments.com/robjackson