Interview with Michael Tyson, Creator of the Audio Mixing App "Loopy"

Michael Tyson (Profile) is the creator of “Loopy,” a very cool audio mixing application. Highlights from this interview include:

From UIView to OpenGL: the seven different implementations it took to finalize its unique — and Best App Ever award-nominated — UI.

From audio-queues to Remote IO: the four different architectural approaches he tried before finalizing audio subsystems.

The travails of trying to implement echo cancelation.

The business of making a living off of a $10 app.

You can listen using the Flash player below, download the MP3, or subscribe to the iPhone Developer Podcast using the instructions at the bottom of this post.

For easy scanning of the interview, here is what was covered and when:

• 1:45 Inspiration for the app
• 2:15 User interface
• 5:30 Multi-touch UI: controlling mix recording, loop recording, volume from one “pad”
• 8:30 Implementing gestures for multi-touch
• 10:00 Seven UI implementations
• 12:00 Simulating motion by masking a single image
• 15:15 Drag-and-drop, overlaying UIViews over OpenGL
• 17:45 Four audio implementation
• 18:15 Audio queue audio system, limitations
• 20:00 The mysterious, not-quite-documented Remote IO audio system
• 22:30 Echo cancellation
• 12:00 Simulating motion by masking a single image
• 27:45 Loop synchronization
• 30:00 What’s next for the app / pricing / making a living on a $10 app

Background

I decided to interview Michael after reading three posts on his blog:

1. Happy Birthday, Loopy (Thanks, Apple)
2. https://michael.tyson.id.au/2009/02/09/developing-loopy-part-1-interface/
3. Developing Loopy, Part 2: Implementation

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