Audio Evolution Mobile Studio — Full Operations Manual

1. Setup & Configuration

• New Project: Create New → name the project → set sample rate (44100 Hz standard, 48000 Hz for video work) and bit depth (16-bit for basic, 24-bit for higher quality recording).
• USB MIDI: Plug in MPK Mini IV via USB-C OTG adapter → Audio Evolution detects it immediately. Keys play loaded instruments, pads can be mapped to trigger functions. Pitch and mod wheels active.
• Audio output: Settings → Audio → select output device (built-in speakers, Bluetooth headphones, USB audio interface). Set buffer size — lower for less latency, higher for stability.
• First MIDI track (important): When adding a MIDI track for the first time, Audio Evolution prompts to download the free Default Sound Set. Download it immediately — it provides a core library of instruments: grand piano, electric piano, strings (ensemble), brass (section), bass (fingered), drums (acoustic kit), woodwinds, choir. Without this, MIDI tracks have no sounds to play.

2. Soundfont & SFZ Loading — The Superpower

This is the feature that elevates Audio Evolution above every other Android DAW. Loading external sound libraries gives access to hundreds or thousands of instruments that no built-in library can match.

SF2 Soundfonts

• Add a MIDI Track → tap the instrument slot → select SF2 Player.
• Browse to a .sf2 file stored on the device → select it → the soundfont loads.
• A dropdown menu shows every instrument contained in the soundfont. A General MIDI soundfont contains 128+ instruments organized by category: Piano, Chromatic Percussion, Organ, Guitar, Bass, Strings, Ensemble, Brass, Reed, Pipe, Synth Lead, Synth Pad, Synth Effects, Ethnic, Percussive, Sound Effects, and Drum Kits.
• Select an instrument from the dropdown → play the MPK Mini IV → that instrument responds.
• Switch instruments by changing the dropdown selection. One soundfont file = an entire orchestra, band, and synth collection.

SFZ Sample Libraries

• Same process: MIDI Track → instrument slot → select SFZ Player → browse to .sfz file.
• SFZ is an open-source format used by many free instrument creators. It supports multi-sample mapping, velocity layers, round-robin, and modulation — more detailed than basic SF2 in some cases.
• Many professional-quality free SFZ libraries exist online: realistic pianos (Salamander Grand Piano), orchestral instruments (Virtual Playing Orchestra), guitars, ethnic instruments, vintage keyboards.

Where to Get Sound Libraries

• GeneralUser GS: Free General MIDI soundfont. 128 instruments + drum kits in one file. The best all-in-one starter soundfont.
• FluidR3 GM: Another excellent free GM soundfont with warm, realistic tones.
• Timbres of Heaven: High-quality GM soundfont with enhanced samples. Strings and brass are particularly good.
• Elka Rhapsody: Free from the Audio Evolution in-app shop (Digital Sound Factory). Vintage keyboard emulation with warm character.
• Default Sound Set: Free when first adding a MIDI track (auto-prompted). Core instruments for immediate use.
• Search online: "Free SF2 soundfont download" or "Free SFZ instruments" returns hundreds of options. Chiptune soundfonts, orchestral collections, ethnic instruments, synthesizer banks — the variety is enormous.

3. Recording Audio

Audio Track Recording

• Tap "+" → Add Audio Track → set input source (built-in microphone, USB audio interface mic input, USB interface line input).
• Arm the track (red record button) → tap the transport Record → perform → tap Stop.
• Recorded audio appears as a clip on the timeline. Saved as WAV in the project folder.

Non-Destructive Editing

• Trim: Drag the edges of an audio clip to shorten it. The hidden audio still exists — drag back to reveal it.
• Split: Tap the split tool → tap on a clip → it divides into two independent clips at that point.
• Fade: Drag the fade handles at the start/end of clips for smooth fade-ins and fade-outs.
• Crossfade: Overlap two clips → Audio Evolution creates an automatic crossfade between them. Smooth transitions without clicks.

Multi-Take Recording

• Record multiple passes on the same track. Each take is saved independently.
• Listen to each take → select the best one. Or comp (combine) the best sections from different takes into one perfect performance.

Sampler

• Load any WAV file into the sampler instrument → it maps across MIDI keys for chromatic playback.
• Record a single note on an instrument → load into sampler → play the recorded note at any pitch from the MPK keyboard. One sample = full melodic instrument.

4. Quantize

• MIDI quantize: Select notes in the MIDI editor → Quantize function → choose grid resolution (1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32). Notes snap to the nearest grid position.
• Snap grid: Enable snap in the editor → all note placement and movement operations align to the grid. The grid resolution determines how tightly things align.
• Audio quantize: Audio Evolution doesn't have automatic audio quantize (transient detection + warp). For audio timing correction: manually split clips at desired points → move the resulting clips to grid positions with snap enabled. A hands-on approach but effective for fixing individual timing issues.

5. Transpose

• MIDI: Select notes in the piano roll → drag up/down to transpose in semitones. Or select all → Transpose function → enter exact semitone value.
• Audio pitch shift: In the audio clip editor, use the Pitch Shift function to change the pitch of recorded audio without changing its speed. Adjust in semitones and cents.
• Soundfont transpose: In the SF2/SFZ Player settings, adjust the base tuning parameter. This transposes the entire loaded soundfont up or down without changing the MIDI data. Non-destructive and reversible.

6. MIDI File Import & Workflow — My Way

Audio Evolution Mobile has the most sophisticated MIDI handling of any Android DAW I've used — and almost nobody teaches it properly. The app respects MIDI Type 0 vs Type 1 distinctions, splits channels into individual tracks automatically, lets you convert MIDI tracks into drum-pattern tracks and back, and supports the Audio Evolution Portal for Android 11+ scoped-storage workflows. Here's how I move MIDI in and out of this app in real production.

Three Ways to Import MIDI Into Audio Evolution

Audio Evolution gives you three legitimate import paths. They each fit a different situation. Use the right one for the right context.

Method 1 — In-App File Browser (The Default)

This is the workflow when you're already inside the app and you know where the MIDI file lives on your device.

• From the Arranger Screen, tap the Project button.
• In the Options panel, select Import audio/MIDI file at the top of the list.
• Audio Evolution opens its built-in file browser. Navigate using the directory-up button to your MIDI file's location.
• Tap the file to import single. Or tap the checkboxes on multiple files and tap one selected file to bulk import — each file lands on its own track.
• The current project stays open. The MIDI track is added to your timeline at the playhead position by default.

Method 2 — "Open With" From Another App (Send-To Workflow)

This is the workflow when the MIDI file is in Google Drive, Dropbox, email, your file manager, or any other app. You send the file TO Audio Evolution from outside.

• Open the source app (Drive, file browser, email).
• Long-press the MIDI file → tap Open with, Send to, or Share with.
• Select Audio Evolution Mobile from the list.
• If Audio Evolution is already running with a project open, the MIDI file is imported into THAT project. Your current work is preserved.
• If Audio Evolution isn't open, the app launches and imports the MIDI into a new project automatically.

This is how I bring in MIDI from cloud storage. I keep a Drive folder of MIDI melodies, drums, and chord progressions. When I'm working on a beat and want to drop one in, I open Drive → share → Audio Evolution. The current project absorbs the MIDI without skipping a beat.

Method 3 — Music Database Browser (For Beginners)

If you're not comfortable with file-browsers, Audio Evolution offers a media-player-style interface for finding MIDI files on your device.

• Project → Import → select Import Song from Music Database.
• The app uses Android's system media database (the same one your phone's music player uses) to show all MIDI files on your device organized by album/folder.
• Browse, preview, and import without dealing with file paths or folder structures.
• Caveat: this only finds MIDI files that Android's media scanner has indexed. Files you just copied over USB might not show up until the system rescans (usually within an hour, or after a reboot).

The Audio Evolution Portal — Android 11+ Critical Knowledge

Android 11 and up enforce "scoped storage" — apps can't freely access folders outside their own sandbox. Audio Evolution solved this elegantly with the Audio Evolution Portal, a folder you grant access to once and use as a permanent import/export hub.

• First time you try to use Portal import/export, the app prompts you to choose a folder location. I recommend Documents (it's pre-selected, and it survives app uninstalls).
• The app creates an AudioEvolutionPortal folder there with two subfolders — Import and Export.
• Drop any MIDI files into AudioEvolutionPortal/Import/MIDI Files (or the appropriate category subfolder) via your phone's file manager.
• Inside Audio Evolution: Project → Portal import → you see everything you placed in the Import folder, ready to drop into projects.
• This permission is granted once. Forever after, your portal is a permanent two-way bridge for MIDI, audio, presets, drum-name files, project templates, and Flowtones synth presets.

What Happens When MIDI Imports — Type 0 vs Type 1

This is the part most tutorials skip and it matters for serious work. Standard MIDI files come in two formats:

• MIDI Type 1 — multi-track. Each MIDI channel has its own track inside the file. Audio Evolution imports this as multiple tracks on the timeline, one per channel. Drums on track 1, bass on track 2, melody on track 3, etc. — automatic separation. This is what you almost always want.
• MIDI Type 0 — single-track merged. All MIDI channels are merged into one track, though each channel's data is preserved internally. Audio Evolution imports this as a single clip on a single track. Looks like everything is one part.

The Split MIDI Channels Trick

When you import a Type 0 file and want it broken into separate tracks (drums on their own track, bass on their own track), Audio Evolution has a one-tap solution:

• Long-press the imported MIDI clip → select Split MIDI channels.
• Each MIDI channel in the original clip becomes its own track on the timeline.
• Now you can edit each channel independently — same workflow as if it had been a Type 1 file all along.
• This is also useful if you record live MIDI from a hardware sequencer (which usually outputs Type 0) and want to separate the parts after recording.

Convert MIDI Track → Drum Pattern Track

Audio Evolution has a unique trick: any MIDI track can be converted into a Drum Pattern track for grid-based drum editing, then converted back to a MIDI track later for fine note-level editing.

• Imported a drum MIDI file? Long-press the clip → Convert to drum pattern track → now it appears in the drum pattern sequencer for quick grid editing.
• Audio Evolution uses General MIDI drum mapping for this conversion. As long as your MIDI uses GM standard notes (kick = C1 / MIDI 36, snare = D1 / MIDI 38, hi-hat closed = F#1 / MIDI 42, etc.), the conversion places each drum on the correct row.
• Need finer timing control? Convert back: long-press → Convert to instrument track → opens in piano roll for precise editing.
• Move freely between the two views. Drum pattern for quick programming, MIDI piano roll for off-grid timing tweaks.

Quantize Imported MIDI

• Long-press an imported MIDI clip → Quantize.
• Choose a grid resolution — 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32.
• Audio Evolution snaps the notes to grid positions. Useful for cleaning up MIDI captured from real-time playing or fixing slightly-loose imported MIDI.
• The Quantize dialog also has more sophisticated options — quantize strength (50% pulls notes halfway to the grid, preserving feel), swing percentages, and start-only vs start-and-length.

Replace the Default Instrument After Import

Imported MIDI plays through whatever instrument the original file specified (or the Audio Evolution default if unspecified). Almost always you'll want to swap that instrument for one of your loaded soundfonts or SFZs:

• Tap the imported MIDI track's instrument slot.
• Select a different soundfont/SFZ from your loaded library, or load a new one.
• Notes stay; sound changes. The melody plays through your chosen sound instantly.

Exporting MIDI Back Out

Audio Evolution exports MIDI just as easily as it imports. Useful for moving work to desktop DAWs or sharing patterns with collaborators.

• Project → Export MIDI file.
• Audio Evolution exports a single .mid file containing every MIDI track in your project as separate channels (Type 1 format).
• Name it, choose the destination folder (Project folder, Music folder, Download folder, or Documents folder on Android 11+).
• Now that .mid file is ready to import into Cubase, Ableton, FL, or share back to anyone working in MIDI.

My Real Production Workflow

• Chord progressions: I write the chord MIDI in Cubase on desktop (because the piano roll there is faster for chord voicings). Export the MIDI. Drop into Drive. On the phone, share to Audio Evolution. Replace the default sound with my Hammond B3 soundfont. Chord scaffolding done in 60 seconds.
• Drum MIDI packs: I keep a folder of go-to drum MIDI patterns in my Portal Import folder. Genre-organized — trap, drill, R&B, synthwave. Start any beat → portal import → drag the right pattern in → convert to drum pattern track → tweak in the sequencer.
• Phone melodies → desktop finalizing: Write a melody on Audio Evolution on the phone (because that's where inspiration usually hits — walking around Indiana, in transit). Export the project's MIDI. Move to Cubase on the laptop later. Original idea preserved exactly; final production happens with full plugins.

7. Looping — Every Scenario

Transport Loop

• Drag the green loop markers on the timeline ruler to define a loop region → tap the Loop button on the transport bar.
• Playback repeats between the markers. All tracks loop together within this region.

Clip Duplication

• Long-press a clip → Copy → tap the target position on the timeline → Paste. Repeat to build loops from duplicated clips.
• Place copies back-to-back for seamless repetition. A 4-bar drum clip copied 8 times = 32 bars of drums.

Independent Track Lengths

• Each track's clips are independent. Place clips only where sound is wanted. No clips = silence on that track.
• Drums can span 32 bars. Melody runs 16 bars (clips only on bars 1-16). Bass enters at bar 8 (clips from bar 8 onward). Pad appears only in the chorus (clips at bars 16-24). Full arrangement control through clip placement.

Sample-Level Loop

• SF2/SFZ instruments with built-in loop points sustain naturally while a key is held. A string ensemble soundfont sustains as long as the MIDI note is held because the sample loops internally.
• For the built-in sampler: enable Loop mode on loaded samples → sustained playback while the key is pressed.

Making Tracks Stop

• Simply don't place clips beyond the stop point. Drums run 32 bars but hi-hat should stop at bar 16? Only place 16 bars of hi-hat clips.
• Use fade-outs: drag the fade handle at the end of the last clip for a smooth stop instead of a hard cut.

Export Control

• Mute tracks that shouldn't be in the export → only unmuted tracks render.
• Solo a specific track → export → only that track renders. Repeat for each track to create stems.

8. Mixing & Effects

Per-Track Effects Chain

• Tap the FX button on any track to open its effects chain. Effects process audio in order from top to bottom.
• Available effects:
  • Parametric EQ: Cut/boost specific frequency bands. Remove low-end rumble, boost vocal presence, carve space between instruments.
  • Compressor: Tame dynamic peaks, add sustain, bring up quiet details. Threshold, ratio, attack, release.
  • Reverb: Add space — room, hall, plate algorithms. Mix control for wet/dry balance. Use on vocals, snares, and instruments that need depth.
  • Delay: Echo effect with time, feedback, and mix controls. Sync to tempo for rhythmic echoes.
  • Chorus: Thickens sounds by adding slightly detuned copies. Good for guitars, synth pads, and thin vocals.
  • Flanger: Metallic sweeping effect. Dramatic on drums, subtle on pads.
  • Phaser: Sweeping phase cancellation. Smooth, swirling movement.
  • Noise Gate: Silences audio below a threshold. Removes background noise between vocal phrases or between drum hits.
  • Limiter: Prevents audio from exceeding a set ceiling. Essential on the master bus before export.

Master Bus

• The master channel has its own effects chain. Add a limiter here to prevent clipping in the final export.
• Master EQ for overall tonal shaping — gentle high-shelf boost for "air," low-cut below 30 Hz to remove sub-rumble.

Effect Order Matters

• Signal flows top to bottom through the effects chain. EQ before compressor = compress the shaped tone. Compressor before EQ = shape the compressed signal. Both are valid — they produce different results. Experiment with ordering.

9. Exporting

• Mixdown: Export → choose format: WAV (lossless, recommended), MP3 (compressed, smaller file), OGG (open-source compressed), FLAC (lossless compressed).
• Quality settings: Set sample rate (match project setting) and bit depth (16-bit for streaming, 24-bit for masters/archives).
• Stems: Solo individual tracks → export each as a separate file. Import into a desktop DAW (Cubase, Ableton, Cakewalk) for professional mixing with better tools and larger screen.
• Sharing: Share exported files directly to cloud storage, messaging apps, email, or social platforms from the export screen.

10. Keyboard Shortcuts (Touch Gestures)

11. Pro Tips — The Kokumo Method

• Soundfonts are the key to everything. Audio Evolution without soundfonts is a basic recorder. Audio Evolution WITH good soundfonts is a studio with hundreds of instruments. Download 2-3 quality GM soundfonts and the app transforms.
• SFZ libraries for specific instruments. Need a realistic piano? Download Salamander Grand Piano (free SFZ). Need orchestral strings? Virtual Playing Orchestra (free SFZ). Each specialized SFZ library is higher quality than any GM soundfont's equivalent instrument.
• The Default Sound Set is not optional. Download it the first time the app prompts. Without it, MIDI tracks have no instruments. It's free and provides the essential core library.
• Elka Rhapsody is hidden treasure. Check the in-app shop → Digital Sound Factory → free vintage keyboard soundfont. Warm, characterful tones for lo-fi, retro, and soul production.
• Non-destructive editing protects recordings. Trim, split, fade — none of these alter the original audio file. The source WAV is always intact. If an edit goes wrong, the original is recoverable.
• Multi-take comping for vocals. Record 5 takes of a vocal → pick the best phrase from each take → combine them into one perfect performance. Professional vocal production technique available on a phone.
• Export stems for desktop mixing. Sketch on mobile, export stems, import into Cubase or Ableton for proper EQ, compression, reverb, and mastering. The two-platform workflow: mobile for ideas, desktop for polish.