ArpBud 2 is a MIDI arpeggiator. Hold or send it a group of MIDI notes, then use a step pattern to decide which held note is played on each beat, with per-step control over velocity, octave, gate, ratchet, randomisation, and probability.
The default pattern has eight enabled steps. A pattern can have from zero to 1,000 steps; use the add, remove, or step-count controls at the end of the fader row to change its length.
ArpBud sorts currently held input notes from low to high. In Note mode, each step stores an index into that sorted list: 1 means the lowest held note, 2 the next note, and so on. If a step asks for an index beyond the number of held notes, ArpBud uses the highest held note instead.
For example, with C4, C#4, D4, and D#4 held, a step sequence of 1, 3, 3, 2, 1, 4 produces C4, D4, D4, C#4, C4, D#4.
The Interval Index Count setting determines the number of selectable indexes (1–20). It does not limit how many notes you may hold.
The horizontal fader row is the current pattern. Each column is one step.
Use the mode buttons at left to choose what the faders edit. Changing mode never erases the other values stored in a step.
Selects the held-note index, numbered from 1. The available range follows Interval Index Count.
Sets the outgoing MIDI note velocity from 0 to 127. New steps default to 90.
Transposes the selected note from -3 to +3 octaves. MIDI pitches are kept within the legal 0–127 range.
Sets how long the generated note is held as a percentage of its step duration. A value of TIE holds the note through the following step boundary.
Repeats the step 1 to 4 times within its normal duration. Each repeat uses the step’s note choice and other settings.
Sets the chance that this step uses the global randomiser ranges instead of its own values. At 0% the step always uses its own settings; at 100% it always uses the enabled global randomisers.
Sets the chance that the step actually emits its note. At 0% it is always silent; at 100% it always plays when the step is enabled and a note is held.
Each project can contain multiple patterns. Tap a numbered pattern button to select it, or tap + to add a pattern. Long-press a pattern button to copy, paste, or delete it; a project always retains at least one pattern.
Rate is stored per pattern and determines the musical division between steps. Drag its knob for a continuous choice, or double-tap it to select an exact note value from the picker. Double-tap Swing to select an exact percentage. Swing offsets alternating steps; by default the even-numbered steps are delayed, but this can be changed in Settings.
The standalone app includes a play/stop button, a tempo control, Ableton Link support, MIDI-port management, and a built-in SoundFont sampler.
Press play to run the arpeggiator at the current tempo. In Settings, tempo can be set from 10 to 500 BPM. Ableton Link can share tempo and transport with other Link-enabled apps.
The sampler is optional. When enabled, it auditions ArpBud’s generated MIDI with its bundled piano SoundFont. Choose a sampler preset and set its volume from 0% to 100%; turn the sampler off when you only want external MIDI output.
ArpBud is a MIDI effect: connect a MIDI sender to ArpBud’s input and route ArpBud’s output to an instrument or another MIDI receiver.
In the standalone app, enable individual physical MIDI input/output ports, Bluetooth MIDI, and virtual ports in Settings. Its virtual ports are named ArpBud 2 In and ArpBud 2 Out.
Load ArpBud 2 as a MIDI processor in an AUv3-capable host. Route a MIDI source into the plug-in and route its MIDI output, named ArpBud 2 Out, to a receiving instrument. The host transport provides playback state and tempo.
The plug-in exposes three automatable parameters:
AUv3 hosts save and restore the complete ArpBud project state, including patterns and settings. The supplied factory presets create blank 3-step, 4-step, 8-step, 16-step, and 32-step projects.
The shared settings screen includes:
The standalone app adds Tempo, Sampler, Ableton Link, MIDI port, Bluetooth MIDI, and MIDI Panic controls. The AUv3 plug-in shows only the settings that apply inside a host.
From the home screen, create a named project, open an existing one, or run the in-app tutorial. Standalone projects are saved when you leave the editor and are available from the Projects list. You can delete a project from that list.
In an AUv3 host, use your host’s preset and session controls to save or recall the plug-in state.
Confirm playback is running, hold or send notes on the configured input channel, and make sure the target pattern contains enabled steps. In the standalone app, enable an output destination or turn on the sampler. In an AUv3 host, confirm the host routes the plug-in’s MIDI output to an instrument.
ArpBud always sorts held notes low to high before applying Note indexes. Check the Note-mode faders, the notes currently held, and the Interval Index Count setting. An index higher than the number of held notes resolves to the highest held note.
Send the configured CC on the configured input channel with a value above zero. The value is the 1-based pattern number, so CC value 1 selects the first pattern. Create enough patterns for the values you plan to send.
Use MIDI Panic! in the standalone app. Also check that your controller sends note-offs on ArpBud’s configured input channel. Stopping standalone playback releases active local sampler notes; host transport stops also release scheduled generated notes.
Open the relevant input and output ports in Settings, including virtual or Bluetooth ports when required. Verify that the port connection and the channel settings agree with your controller and instrument.
In standalone mode, check Tempo and Ableton Link. In an AUv3 host, start the host transport and verify the host tempo, since the plug-in follows the host transport context.