Sessions Pro

What it does

An AUv3 plugin host and live performance workstation, formerly called Sessions. Channels are built by dragging instruments, effects and now MIDI FX into left-to-right chains across 12 switchable scenes, with a mixer offering sends, auxes and sidechains. Version 9 adds MIDI effect plugins, backing tracks, plugin latency compensation, multi-threading and MIDI learn for scenes and macros.

In the demo

Jade walks the app from settings through building patches. She stacks looped drum, guitar and bass backing tracks, runs Scaler 3 as a MIDI effect into Pianoteq and a synth, builds parameter widgets, maps macros, and pulls a clip out of the always-on recorder, finishing with guitar and a mic on audio inputs.

Worth knowing

It runs on iPad and Mac only, and it hosts rather than arranges, so there is no timeline for editing a song. Anyone wanting clip editing and a full mixdown in one place will still need a DAW alongside it.