ShowOne works great with 3rd party interfaces.  It will pass audio to any iOS audio interface that supports Core Audio (this is just about all of them).  The Apogee Duet/Quartet, Focusrite iTrack Solo, and Novation AudioHub 2X4 are just a few that integrate with ShowOne.  Having an interface provides higher quality converters, more versatility with outputs, and tactile control.  See our compatibility chart for the list of interfaces we’ve tested with ShowOne and important notes about some of them.

NOTE: Even if you don’t see your interface on our chart, try it.  It will most likely work.  If it doesn’t please drop us a note at our support email and let us know so we can work toward compatibility.

Connect your interface as instructed by the interface’s manufacturer. iOS is a very simple system, so usually this means simply plugging in your device to the interface with the included cable. Note that some interfaces require external power. With the interface connected, play a track from ShowOne, and the audio should play out the interface’s stereo output, Cue and Main channels out their respective sides.  Most interfaces we tested don’t even require any additional apps or setups from the company that made the interface; simply plug and play. If there’s an onboard volume knob or dial, make sure it is turned up.

NOTE: In this manner, the interface is simply acting as a higher quality converter for your audio – you won’t gain any more functionality than you would have if you were splitting out of the headphone jack. In other words, you still need to use ShowOne in 2-channel mode. However some interfaces have dedicated left and right outputs, so you may not need the stereo breakout cable.

Simply connect the Cue side output to your earphones or monitor mixer (to be fed to the musicians in-ear monitors), and connect the Main side to the “house” or PA. Depending on the venue, interface, and available connectors, certain adapters may be required in order to connect your interface’s output to the necessary inputs.

In just about any live music situation, your interface’s Main Out will need to plug into the “stage box”, which is a bank of XLR (microphone) inputs that feed the house system and monitors. Most venues will have appropriate connectors but familiarize yourself with your interface’s outputs so you know what they’ll be getting.

If you have an interface with more than 2 dedicated outputs, you can use ShowOne in 4 channel mode (available as in-app purchase in the Shop)! ShowOne takes a nice step up here in versatility, as you now have the ability to send your tracks full stereo to the audience (not just mono like in 2-channel mode), while still having your click and countoffs go to the musicians that need them. You can even split the click and countoffs into separate, independent channels in this mode.

Connect your iOS device to the interface with the included cable.

IMPORTANT: The newer Apogee Duet for iPad and Mac does not include a cable with the unit to connect to iOS devices. It must be purchased separately from Apogee or through other dealers. MAKE SURE you get the right cable for your device as there are different cables for Lightning or 30-pin devices! CLICK HERE FOR THE APOGEE CABLE PAGE

TIP: The Apogee Duet is a great unit but has a quirk or two. See the separate “Tip and Trick” for some helpful info (coming soon).

Put ShowOne into 4-Channel mode in Settings -> Outputs. The audio from your tracks will now play in stereo out of the interface’s “Main” output, while the click and count-offs along with the track audio will play through the “Headphone” or secondary output.

Connect the stereo Main output to the PA or mixer for the audience, and connect the stereo Headphone output either to a monitor board or directly to a pair of headphones or in-ear monitors for the key musician (often the drummer) to monitor through. If monitoring directly from the interface with headphones, the click and countoff will play “up the middle” out of both headphones along with your track in stereo.

If you or your band/group uses an in-ear monitoring system like many do today, you’ll probably want to connect all four outputs of your interface into separate inputs on the monitor board for maximum versatility. This way, the onstage musicians can receive any amount of the desired channels playing from ShowOne. The Main stereo pair would be sent along to the front of house (audience) mix. “Countoff Split” mode, as found in Settings, is meant to be used in this configuration.

When in “Countoff Split” mode, the voice count-off plays only through channel 3 (i.e. the “left” side of the “Headphone” or Cue output), and the click plays only through channel 4 (i.e. the “right” side of the “Headphone” or Cue output). Route these signals into their own channels on the monitor board, and you now have completely independent control of the click and the voice countoff for each musician right from the monitor desk.

In a typical scenario, you would then feed the click track to only the drummer, while everyone in the band would receive the voice counts. This way guitarists/keyboardists/singers etc wouldn’t be forced to hear the click track unnecessarily playing throughout every song, but would still be able to hear the important voice counts at the beginning of songs.

TIP: When using ShowOne in conjunction with an in-ear monitor system, it is best to turn the Cue Track Volume all the way down in Settings, and monitor the track audio from the Main output channels through the in-ears. This way everything is kept independent and you don’t have track audio playing through the click or countoff channels.