Table of Contents

Many iOS DAWs that otherwise support AUv3 MIDI plugins are unable to record that MIDI to their internal sequencers. This page details workarounds for that situation.

General

The general method to work around the internal routing limitations of hosts that can't record AUv3 MIDI is to route the MIDI out of the host and then back into it. There are various helper apps that can make this possible. Among those are:

Specific Hosts

Drambo

Note

This workaround is no longer needed. As of Drambo 2.20 (December 9, 2022) AUv3 MIDI can now be recorded to the sequencer.

Routing MIDI out of Drambo and back in using a helper app is fairly straightforward, but one has to be careful not to create MIDI feedback loops. Another approach is to add an AUv3 version of Drambo inside itself, record to that, and then drag and drop the recorded MIDI onto a pattern in the host Drambo.**

StreamByter Method

This method uses the free Streambyter app to receive MIDI and then pass it back to Drambo. Streambyter is a sophisticated MIDI filter app that can do amazing things with its scripting engine. But here we don't want it to alter anything. In fact, the script must be empty.

The method here may vary according to the nature of the AUv3 MIDI Plugin. For instance, a plugin such as DrumComputer that receives as well as sends MIDI and plays sounds will create a MIDI feedback loop if it is sending out, and then receiving back as well. It's important to disconnect the MIDI input to the plugin in this case. As it's not possible to cover every scenario here, suffice to say that some thought needs to be put toward avoiding these situations. These steps and the following video describe the simple case of a MIDI plugin driving an audio only plugin.

The synth is now being driven by MIDI that goes out through the MIDI Output module to Streambyter and then back into Drambo. Since Drambo can record external MIDI, we're ready to go.

This short video may help understand this process a little better.

NanoStudio 2

[Note: Recording Output from AUv3 MIDI Plugins in NanoStudio 2 has some alternative methods for NanoStudio 2]

This method involves using an External MIDI track to send MIDI out to Streambyter and then back in to the instrument track that you want to play.