Simple iphone app to send MIDI Program Change

[stoken6]

Hello all,

 

I know this subject has been discussed before, and I have searched previous threads, but haven't quite found what I'm after. I'm looking for an iphone app that displays a grid of buttons, and pressing each one sends (user-selectable) MIDI program change.

 

I already have Set List Maker, and that's kind-of-OK for this task, but it displays all the programs ("songs") in a list. That's perfect for gigging (to a predefined setlist), but at jam/open mic sessions, I'm finding it hard to pull up a dirty Wurlitzer for one song, a dual-manual organ split for a second, a rhodes with strings for a third etc. I'd really like to have say 16-24 buttons on screen, and a way to shift between banks of buttons ("single sounds", "layers", "dual-board", "splits", "LHB" etc.) I don't want to spend too much (budget $10 for the right app, with a demo mode), and want to avoid the complexity of something like Lemur.

 

Many thanks,

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AnotherScott]

Set List Maker does let you create "Shows" (which you could label "single sounds", "layers", "dual-board", "splits", "LHB" etc.)... but you'd still have the problem that that Set List Maker gives you 8 programs ("songs") on a screen, and you want 16-24.

 

I'm not sure 24 would even be possible on an iPhone, if you want the buttons to be big enough to quickly hit accurately (and the text to be easily readable at arm's length), but I could see 16 being feasible.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Maybe KeyStage would work for you? I've used it and I think it would do what you want it too. The free version can handle up to two keyboards IIRC (I've used it with one). Come to think of it, I'm not sure it works on iPhone though (I have an iPad).

[JKS111]

I use MidiPad on an iPad mini to accomplish this task. It creates a grid of colored/nameable buttons and associates midi messages with them. It"s pretty basic but it works great. I"m not sure how well it works on the iPhone but it can create a grid of 24 readable buttons on one if you keep the text simple.

[AnotherScott]

MidiPad looks like a good find, though 24 slots on an iPad and 12 on an iPhone, from the screenshots I see.

[stoken6]

MidiPad looks like what I"m looking for. I saw a screenshot with 30 buttons (6x5) as well as 12 and 6. Can it send Bank select?

 

Cheers, Mike

[JKS111]

From my experience, MidiPad allows you to send a series of note on/off with velocity, program change, or midi control values on specified midi channels per pad so you could, for instance, send three different program changes to three different midi devices with one pad press.

[stoken6]

Thanks JKS111.

 

I understand that Bank Select is a special example of MIDI Continuous Controllers (in this case CC0 and CC32). Can MidiPad send Continuous Controllers?

 

Cheers, Mike

[JKS111]

MidiPad supports cc messages 0-127 (although you have to add 1 to midi control values in the interface for some reason) so I guess it supports bank select but I"ve never tried it.

[stoken6]

Thanks JKS I might throw £3 at this app.

 

Just recovering from a BandHelper disaster this afternoon, so want to prove that out first.

 

Cheers, Mike

[miden]

MidiPad supports cc messages 0-127 (although you have to add 1 to midi control values in the interface for some reason) so I guess it supports bank select but I"ve never tried it.

 

Probably because it's been created as a "1" based system (IE 1-128) and not the original (and still valid) 0-127 system.

[miden]

Thanks JKS111.

 

I understand that Bank Select is a special example of MIDI Continuous Controllers (in this case CC0 and CC32). Can MidiPad send Continuous Controllers?

 

Cheers, Mike

 

It's actually CC = Control Change - a continuous controller is something different. So (MSB) CC 00 and (LSB) CC 32 are you controllers for bank and patch changes, along with the actual PC number as well.

[miden]

That app Midi Pad looks pretty interesting! Hook it up with a Yamaha MD-BT01 and you could control pretty much anything. For eg, I am now thinking I might get the app and use it to control my snapshots on the XR16. Good find so thanks for mentioning it JKS111!

[AnotherScott]

I got around to playing with this today... Is there a trick to getting the Program Change sliders to work reliably? The channel (1-16) and program number (1-128) are sliders, and they deem very finicky. Often they don't respond to my finger at all. If they do, I have to move very carefully (especially to navigate the 128 Program settings over the small physical space allocated), and then when I get it on the right number, the very act of lifting my finger has a good chance of changing it to something else. Quite the exercise in frustration! Is there a trick I haven't found? A pop-up number pad would be good. Even an addition of up and down buttons would be helpful. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

ETA: The lack of MSB/LSB fields for the Program Change buttons is pretty limiting, too.