A Tasty Pixel has released Loopy Pro 2.0, a major update for its powerful audio looper app, adding MIDI looping and more.
Michael Tyson’s Looper app, Loopy Pro, is a must if you want to work with loops on iOS. It combines the functionality of a hardware looper and a DAW in an intuitive, performance-optimized app.
After numerous feature updates over the past few months and years, it’s time for the app generation. Michael has released Loopy Pro 2.0, a significant update that elevates the app to a new level.
Loopy Pro 2.0
Loopy Pro is considered the holy grail of audio looping for many iPad musicians. This is because the app is very stable and can also be used for live performances. I tested it almost a year ago, and it worked flawlessly.
Until now, the app has had an exclusive focus on audio looping. With Loopy Pro 2.0, the developer has now expanded the engine with MIDI looping, opening new horizons for the app.
The new extended looper engine allows you to record, edit, and play back MIDI directly in the app. You can use it to sequence melodies/notes or beats. You can input MIDI via the new on-screen dockable virtual MIDI keyboard or a hardware MIDI controller.
There are new MIDI sources that can be mapped to internal audio units or external MIDI devices. Once you have recorded a clip, you can edit it in the new MIDI sequencer
MIDI Parameter Automation
Another highlight of the new Loopy Pro 2.0 update is the all-new MIDI parameter automation functionality. You can apply these to both audio and MIDI loops. Very exciting is that you can not only record parameters in the classic way, but also other movements.
In a new dedicated sub-menu, you can choose from various MIDI actions, including press, press/release, swipe, and more. With the canvas editor, you can create custom layouts with MIDI parameter loopers.
This functionality massively expands the creative possibilities as well as supercharges the performance factor of the app.
Polyphonic Clip Playback & Better Routing
The new enhanced MIDI engine brings even more. You can also now play loops or one-shot samples with MIDI, turning Loopy Pro 2.0 into a sampler and any clip into a playable polyphonic instrument.
You can work with three distinct playback modes: pitched notes, transient slices, and even slices. Plus, you can modify them in detail, like the fade in/fade out in the transition, to get a more natural decay, and more.
They can be played from any MIDI source, including hardware MIDI controllers, built-in keyboard, and more. You can even play them with widgets, which allows you to create your own performance instruments.
Then, the new update also expands the audio routing capabilities of the app. You can now route audio between buses for advanced mixing setups and custom FX chains—a significant advancement, enabling the audio engine to be more customizable.
It also introduces a revised mixer with a new collapse groups option, and better overview over the signal sources.
Loopy Pro 2.0 also introduces groove quantization called warp. You can now quantize audio and MIDI clips to swing, randomness or to your own groove. This is also a neat update, and there is more news to highlight:
- pin plugin windows to screen edges to keep your workspace clean
- new rotary encoder widget
- better canvas editing with select, move, and scaling of multiple inputs
- improved widget controls: radio buttons, dials, retriggering
- latency compensation for MIDI controllers
- plugin preset import/export
- 128 parameter save/restore slots
- support for the APC Mini Mk2 and APC Key 25 Mk2
According to Michael Tyson, Loopy Pro 2.0 also has many changes under the hood, bringing faster performances with reduced CPU usage and power consumption. And much more.
Loopy Pro 2.0 First Impression
So far, I’ve only scratched the surface of Loopy Pro’s features during my performance last Summer. Even before 2.0, the app had tremendous depth. Not to forget the DAW functionality.
Now, with Loopy Pro 2.0, everything has been massively expanded. Adding MIDI looping to the app is a logical next step that fits perfectly with it. But as with V1, you have to invest time to set up everything, as it offers tons of functionality.
Congrats to Michael of A Tasty Pixel. This looks like a fantastic update.
Loopy Pro 2.0 is available now as a free download for iOS (iPhone and iPad). A macOS version is in development.
You can unlock the app after a trial for $29,99/34,99€ and get 12 months of free updates. You can extend the update coverage for $14,99. Bugfixes are free of charge forever. If you cancel the subscription, you can still use the app, but you won’t get new features.
More information here: A Tasty Pixel
COOL! is it someting like this for Android?
Not I know and the Android operation system is not optimized for real-time audio tasks. Every Android phone has its own drivers and so each app behaves differently on the audio drivers side.
yeah, there is no low latency driver at all i think. iOS is really the best for this. i always recommend just to get old iphone or ipad to try out the ecosystem
yes exactly, just a cheap even the new generation low-budget iPads are great for mobile music production.
I’ve been beta testing this version for a few months now, its fantastic
Absolutely awesome and powerful. Saved me from buying an Octatrack buy just using quantized looping and AuV3 effects and saved me from buying the Torso S4 with multiple very cool grain plugins.