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Re-visiting an iPad Live Rig


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The Hammond emulation in Korg Module Pro is not good enough for my purposes. But it's better than most romplers and good enough to pass muster for most non-organ centric gigging situations.

 

Same for me. I have a 3-tiered ranking system for organ sound authenticity:

 

1. Good enough for organ trio

2. Good enough for band gigs where I'll be taking organ solos

3. Good enough to get through "Any Way You Want It" on a cover gig

 

The Module organs are a solid 3.

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The Hammond emulation in Korg Module Pro is not good enough for my purposes. But it's better than most romplers and good enough to pass muster for most non-organ centric gigging situations.

 

Same for me. I have a 3-tiered ranking system for organ sound authenticity:

 

1. Good enough for organ trio

2. Good enough for band gigs where I'll be taking organ solos

3. Good enough to get through "Any Way You Want It" on a cover gig

 

The Module organs are a solid 3.

I have the exact same ranking system for "how sober do I need to be to play this gig." :wink:

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I decided to give up on a live performance rig on iPad. The iOS VSTs are amazing and work pretty well, but I'm not thrilled with the sounds or playability of most apps and even if I do like the sound/playability - I feel like the performance is too close to the red line (B-3X and NeoSoul I'm looking at you). Also I never really clicked with any of the acoustic pianos. It's kinda frustrating because the iPad is almost there, but it's kind like MP3 players before the iPod, or cell phones before the iPhone - if you know what I mean.

 

As for the drum machine apps I'm thrilled with DrumPerfect Pro and Luis Martinez's assortment of Lumbeat Drum Machines. So the iPad will continue as my drum machine. With pianos, organs, e.pianos, synths covered by my hardware and also running in MainStage on the MacBook.

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So I decided to give up on a live performance rig on iPad. The iOS VSTs are amazing and work pretty well, but I'm not thrilled with the sounds or playability of most apps and even if I do like the sound/playability - I feel like the performance is too close to the red line (B-3X and NeoSoul I'm looking at you). Also I never really clicked with any of the acoustic pianos. It's kinda frustrating because the iPad is almost there, but it's kind like MP3 players before the iPod, or cell phones before the iPhone - if you know what I mean.
This is what made me step away from the iPad and switch to MacBook/Mainstage early in 2019 (though I never gave up on Model D and continued to use my iPad as an external sound source with Mainstage purely for that app). My goal for now is to see if I can get set up with a purely iPad rig for my R&B/soul cover band, since those gigs (whenever the hell there are gigs again) are the ones that are most about money and efficiency, and least about dragging out cool gear and my most artistically satisfying software sounds. I figure as long as I can get the set lists worked out in a clean way in KeyStage, and not overload the memory when playing, say, piano and lead synth (even if that means using a mediocre piano patch), the time and space I save will make the gigs more satisfying than having more fiddling to do. It also helps that my controller for those gigs is a Mojo, so I don't have to worry about simultaneously running iOS piano AND organ; why wouldn't I use the hardware organ?

 

But I do harbor a secret hope that lowering the stakes will help me figure out how I can run some of my more complicated original-band rigs on the iPad as well. Even in the year and a half since my last attempt to use it as a core sound bank, the system has jumped ahead significantly. Now if only iOS would let you create an aggregate audio device...

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Semi-early adopter here.

 

I had an outdoor pop-up gig a few years back which required a decent jazz organ with almost no setup space. In the crunch I opted for the Garage Band organ...in my iphone via irig and it worked a charm. Graduating to ipad and with my new love for ios I am now on the search for the best headless mac-mini config so that I can run mainstage on the mini from an ipad along with all the other delicious ipad goodies (B3x, AUM, etc.). Keystage is close but not quite there yet IMHO.

 

Any suggestions here for the best ipad/mac mini (NON-CATALINA) interface for musician purposes?

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So I decided to give up on a live performance rig on iPad. The iOS VSTs are amazing and work pretty well, but I'm not thrilled with the sounds or playability of most apps and even if I do like the sound/playability - I feel like the performance is too close to the red line (B-3X and NeoSoul I'm looking at you). Also I never really clicked with any of the acoustic pianos. It's kinda frustrating because the iPad is almost there, but it's kind like MP3 players before the iPod, or cell phones before the iPhone - if you know what I mean.

 

As for the drum machine apps I'm thrilled with DrumPerfect Pro and Luis Martinez's assortment of Lumbeat Drum Machines. So the iPad will continue as my drum machine. With pianos, organs, e.pianos, synths covered by my hardware and also running in MainStage on the MacBook.

 

I think if you updated your iPad to even a basic modern model you'd find a remarkable difference, but that would take some commitment. Right now it seems to me that you're blaming the wrong things.

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Rod

Here for the gear.

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Semi-early adopter here.

 

I had an outdoor pop-up gig a few years back which required a decent jazz organ with almost no setup space. In the crunch I opted for the Garage Band organ...in my iphone via irig and it worked a charm. Graduating to ipad and with my new love for ios I am now on the search for the best headless mac-mini config so that I can run mainstage on the mini from an ipad along with all the other delicious ipad goodies (B3x, AUM, etc.). Keystage is close but not quite there yet IMHO.

 

Any suggestions here for the best ipad/mac mini (NON-CATALINA) interface for musician purposes?

 

Do you mean something like using an iConnectAudio2+ and AirPlay to see your Mainstage on the iPad screen? Maybe I'm not understanding what you're getting at here...

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Rod

Here for the gear.

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Semi-early adopter here.

 

I had an outdoor pop-up gig a few years back which required a decent jazz organ with almost no setup space. In the crunch I opted for the Garage Band organ...in my iphone via irig and it worked a charm. Graduating to ipad and with my new love for ios I am now on the search for the best headless mac-mini config so that I can run mainstage on the mini from an ipad along with all the other delicious ipad goodies (B3x, AUM, etc.). Keystage is close but not quite there yet IMHO.

 

Any suggestions here for the best ipad/mac mini (NON-CATALINA) interface for musician purposes?

 

Do you mean something like using an iConnectAudio2+ and AirPlay to see your Mainstage on the iPad screen? Maybe I'm not understanding what you're getting at here...

 

 

Yes, exactly that! And in my case an iconnectaudio4+. Bury the mini in the rack and control it with the ipad. No monitor,keyboard, or mouse.

I took a look at Airplay but it appears to be more focused toward mirroring media playback instead of remote control. Still looking at it though.

 

(I've had cluttered rigs before and sweet though they may be I will never gig with a laptop again. Too distracting from the keys. ipad seems just right IMHO.)

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Any suggestions here for the best ipad/mac mini (NON-CATALINA) interface for musician purposes?

Worth a look:

1. Logic Remote to control Maintage.

2. TouchOSC or Lemur to control Mainstage

3. Inter-Device Audio MIDI (IDAM) on the Mac.

 

I'm still exploring these setups. They work great in-studio, but I'm not sure if I trust them yet for live performance. Looking for plug-and-play reliability.

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Definitely interested in this too, I'm currently running an Ipad 11 Pro, which is pretty good to be honest, but limited with what apps are available. I'd be interested in Ipad Pro running the mini idea though, although wouldn't want an over complicated setup playing live, it looks like you can use a luna display adaptor to go wireless. A newish mac mini with 64gb of RAM I'm sure would run a good amount of VST's at the same time? I really like the Roland Cloud instruments but they are too hard on CPU to really use live.
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  • 1 month later...

I'd never really tried to task the iPad, i've just used it here and there, but tonight's covid project was to try to give it bit of a workout.

 

I split my keyboard into 4 non-overlapping zones, transmitting on channels 5, 6, 7, and 8. I put Korg Module's Rhodes on channel 5, the B-3X organ on channel 6, Moog's Model D on channel 7, and CMP Grand piano on channel 8, all set to enable background processing so everything would keep working if I switched the display to a different app. I also called up a harpsichord sound over the entire keyboard from the board's internal sounds, which I chose because it was percussive like my 4 other sounds but in a clearly different audio spectrum so it would always sound distinct regardless of which of those other sounds it was paired with. I wanted to see if I could sense any "disconnect" between the simultaneous playing of the internal harpsichord sound and each of the layered external iPad sounds.

 

Even with all 4 apps running, and triggering different combinations simultaneously (depending on where my hands were playing), I could not discern any latency, and I had no audible stutters.

 

The iPad is a first generation (2015) iPad Pro 12.9, which has 4 GB RAM. My MIDI connection was USB out of the keyboard into the Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. My audio connection was simply the iPad's 1/8" headphone out with a breakout cable to two 1/4" connectors into my mixer. (Of note: I also tried using the keyboard's audio-over-USB connection, and that introduced a lag, I could hear the harpsichord slightly before the iPad sound.)

 

I realize some people are more sensitive to small amounts of latency than others, so I'm going to try to record an audio demo tomorrow... while listening may not be the same as playing with your fingers, the comparison with the simultaneous harpsichord--which played with the immediacy one expects of internal sounds--will still demonstrate how small the latency is.

 

BTW, I tried Ravenscroft before CMP, and it didn't work (I think it knocked out B-3X, IIRC). I didn't try to see if I could get it to work, I just moved on to trying a different piano program. SampleTank as a 4th app was also problematic. So I'm not saying that this by any means proves you could get any 4 apps to simply cooperate, but this was a useful 4-app combo that worked easily. And since the keyboard allows me to create presets that send my desired Program Changes to channels 5, 6, 7, and 8 (along with their desired volumes, split points, and so forth), I should be able to freely mix and match the sounds of these 4 apps (along with the internal sounds of the board).

 

I guess the next step would be to use something like Keystage, Camelot Pro, iMidiPatchbay, or AUM (assuming these apps worth with those "hosts" -- I still don't have a handle on the possibilities of different compatibilities among them)... the idea being to free me from having to create presets on my board to call up the iPad sound combinations I want, so I could plug the iPad into anything and have all my setups, rather than having it tied to a particular board.

 

Anyway, I wanted to pass along that experience... and also ask, for those who have complained about latency even when running just one or two apps, how does your rig differ from mine as described here, which might explain the difference in latency? Different MIDI connection from the board to the iPad? Different audio out? Less powerful iPad (slower processor and/or less RAM)? Were you running with one of those "host" apps I mentioned? I wonder even if different host keyboards could make a difference, if some are introducing some latency on their MIDI outs...? But I've proven--to my own satisfaction at least--that the iPad is not inherently latency-stricken.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I have an iPad 6th Generation (A10 Quad Core,128GB, 2GB RAM). Interface is Korg Plugkey, controller at the moment is Korg Grandstage 73. Running Ravenscroft, NeoSoul Keys Studio 2, B-3X, Pure Synth Platinum, iSymphonic mostly. My host of choice is AUM which to me has the most comprehensive MIDI implementation as well as its own Fx apps all wrapped in a mixer-like, beautiful and efficient GUI. Unlike Camelot, it will load IAA, and I've found that Camelot, as much as it's improved, still crashes a lot.

 

I do notice latency using Korg Module but hardly ever go to it, given the individually better options and no latency with a la carte. The only issues I ever contend with are the occasional bombs loading Neo Soul Keys Studio 2 and Pure Synth Platinum in the same 'session'. I offload apps I've bought and don't use, (Soft Drummer, Colossus, Camelot Pro) no sense in keeping them around but easy to re-download in a pinch.

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Rod

Here for the gear.

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Does anyone have any links on improving iPad performance for audio that they can share? I have the new Pro but am still running into latency & hiccups. 2 of the main apps I'm trying to run are B-3X & Neo-Soul and I know from past reading they seem to be problematic in this regard but even things like Synth One sounds like the attack has been turned to slower. I was participating in a quarantine recoding project a few weeks ago & was trying to use Neo-Soul for Rhodes but its sputtering was so bad I ended up using the internal Rhodes on the Roland FA-07. My present setup uses the Yamaha wireless MIDI and a USB-C to 1/8" adapter since Apple in their "infinite wisdom" decided to eliminate the audio out. Before that I was running a MIDI cord to the Alesis Control Hub and using the audio outs from that. Any advice, tips, links or help otherwise will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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My present setup uses the Yamaha wireless MIDI and a USB-C to 1/8" adapter since Apple in their "infinite wisdom" decided to eliminate the audio out. Before that I was running a MIDI cord to the Alesis Control Hub and using the audio outs from that.

Did you notice any difference between your current method and your previous method?

 

Just in general, I'd be surprised if wireless was ever the way to achieve lowest latency.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I"ve been using a quicco mi.1 but dropped it in favour of PlugKey. MIDI Bluetooth was adding more latency than I can deal with but going back to wired, I don"t notice it. Still, even wired, Module has more noticeable latency than any other app in my toolbox. I"m hoping the new CME WIDI will be a step forward generally.

 

If you"re having issues - most others say - turn everything automatic or running in the background off ie location services, Bluetooth, email, find my iPad, cellular data, automated updates. Airplane mode works well as a catch-all. Use an interface that will charge your iPad while in use. Restart your iPad every so often.

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Rod

Here for the gear.

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Quick comment on Module -

 

I seem to remember (non-scientifically) discovering that the latency problem with Module was not so much Module itself, but when using it with AUM (AUM is a super-cool virtual mixer that lets you run several iOS music apps in their own channels).

 

In fact, if I recall, several of my apps showed more latency using AUM.

 

Not knocking AUM, as it is super-cool (see above) - just that for reducing latency, try running your app directly.

 

Kinda sucks, but makes sense, as AUM has to obviously do some translating as it is sitting between your keyboard trigger and the sound-producing app (AUM also routes the MIDI, so maybe that is where the latency is coming from?)

 

Anyway, nowadays I just use Module alone, and find the latency acceptable. While Module is not perfect, it does offer a lot of different sound options, and the set-list feature is super cool, and you can even map the different sounds in the set-list to buttons on your controller. Having said all of that, this "solo" approach does suck in the sense that you are not leveraging all of the other super-cool apps out there by not using the super-cool AUM.

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Having said all of that, this "solo" approach does suck in the sense that you are not leveraging all of the other super-cool apps out there by not using the super-cool AUM.

In terms of latency, I don't know if AUM is any better or worse than other multi-app controlling environments (Keystage, iMidiPatchbay, Camelot Pro), but in my example above, I did run Module and three other apps simultaneously without using any such environment, just by setting them to listen to different channels. This might be the highest performance approach, but it does depend on your using a controller that handles zoning (for splits/layers) and teh sending of MIDI Program Changes.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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So at the risk of taking this off topic, with Apple announcing the switch from Intel to ARM for Macs, does that foreshadow a version of MainStage that's cross platform for Mac/iPad? It seems like making an app cross platform between IOS/iPadOS and MacOS was a selling point they were touting in their WWDC keynote yesterday.
"If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit."
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My guess is yes. Apple made it a point to say their pro apps would be running native on Apple's SoC's (systems on a chip), and showed Final Cut Pro running native during the demo. If I were a betting man, I'd say Logic Pro stays at its current version with no more paid upgraded versions on Intel, and when it does comes out as native on "Apple Silicon" it will still be available for a while on Intel Macs a Universal2 app. Those video editors who spend $30K+ on the new Mac Pro are still going to be able to want to run their pro apps for a while...

 

Still, I'd expect Logic, MainStage, and GarageBand all to be available on day 1 as native Mac apps. Probably cheaper as well.

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My present setup uses the Yamaha wireless MIDI and a USB-C to 1/8" adapter since Apple in their "infinite wisdom" decided to eliminate the audio out. Before that I was running a MIDI cord to the Alesis Control Hub and using the audio outs from that. Any advice, tips, links or help otherwise will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Are you able to use the Alexis Control Hub with a simple USB-C to USB-mini adapter? Might be faster and more reliable.

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Thanks for the replies. I've been wondering if using Bluetooth instead of straight wired MIDI might be affecting things & plan to experiment a little tomorrow, if I have the right cords handy. If I have to jury rig a bunch of adapters it might end up being even worse. SInce I'm planning on using the iPad for music production only it won't be a problem turning off all the other things. Thanks again!
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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought I was set on the Roland VR-09b as my portable 61-key all-arounder. Figured it would be a nice match with the iPad, especially the drawbars for the Hammond B-3X.

 

But I visited a music store today and the staff reminded me that the Korg Kross 61 has a built-in usb audio interface. It was such a clean iPad setup:

- one cable for audio+MIDI

- edge-to-edge keys (no side panel)

 

So now I"m on the fence again ... urgh ....

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Yep, that is a great feature if ipad is a consideration.

 

I have a modx7 and am considering trade with a friend (with some cash on his part) for his moxf8 since my old weighted controller died, and I don't see gigs coming any time soon. In both cases the ipad integration was very easy.

 

One thing I don't *think* I can do (on the moxf8 at least) is to integrate the ipad sounds into Performances,that appears to be internal sounds only. From reading the manual, looks like if I want to do a split (eg. internal piano on the left, an ipad synth or organ on the right) I'd probably use Master mode. The left side would be midi transmit off, local on, with the piano assigned. The right would be midi transmit on, local off. As far as transposing octaves so that the splits play as intended, if the Moxf8 won't do it on transmit I'd have to do it in the ipad app's patches.

 

Bottom line, seems quite doable. If I end up gigging with just the moxf8--putting aside the weighted aspect--for organ I'd probably get b3x unless something else comes along that is way cheaper and pretty good. The moxf organs are as bad as the motif ones (they may be the same). The modx7 organs sound better to me. I'd still like to use the ipad for some synth sounds, I got Model D when it was free and I have Zeeon and Model 15--those synths sound incredible and better than anything in the modx for old-school "analog" to my ear.

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I thought I was set on the Roland VR-09b as my portable 61-key all-arounder. Figured it would be a nice match with the iPad, especially the drawbars for the Hammond B-3X.

 

But I visited a music store today and the staff reminded me that the Korg Kross 61 has a built-in usb audio interface. It was such a clean iPad setup:

- one cable for audio+MIDI

- edge-to-edge keys (no side panel)

 

So now I"m on the fence again ... urgh ....

 

I"m not sure where using a keyboard with baked in sounds became preferred as a controller, but if I were to go there, I might look at a YC61. You get the best tactile stuff but can then replace the Yamaha Electone-wheels and faux Rhodes with iOS apps. Or if you just want to go hardware alone, it"s good enough.

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Rod

Here for the gear.

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I thought I was set on the Roland VR-09b as my portable 61-key all-arounder. Figured it would be a nice match with the iPad, especially the drawbars for the Hammond B-3X.

 

But I visited a music store today and the staff reminded me that the Korg Kross 61 has a built-in usb audio interface. It was such a clean iPad setup:

- one cable for audio+MIDI

- edge-to-edge keys (no side panel)

 

So now I"m on the fence again ... urgh ....

 

I"m not sure where using a keyboard with baked in sounds became preferred as a controller, but if I were to go there, I might look at a YC61. You get the best tactile stuff but can then replace the Yamaha Electone-wheels and faux Rhodes with iOS apps. Or if you just want to go hardware alone, it"s good enough.

 

My YC61 has worked well with ios integration. A big chunk of change compared to the VR09 or Korg Kross, but it has a much better keybed and the internal sounds are more gig worthy. I still have trouble with B3X occasionally crashing, which bums me out immensely because I would like nothing better than to use it on gigs. But using the YC, recovery is quick and simple -- just set it up so that you only have to turn up the volume on the internal organ.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I'd still like to use the ipad for some synth sounds, I got Model D when it was free and I have Zeeon and Model 15--those synths sound incredible and better than anything in the modx for old-school "analog" to my ear.

 

The Model D does sound good. The OB-Xd is pretty decent for some things... fun to tweak once you assign physical knobs and faders to it.

 

I recently went on a binge and downloaded a couple dozen free synths and FX, thanks to this post at Audiobus forums:

 

https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/39570/sales-or-free-ios-universal-auv3-apps-only

 

The free Viking synth is pretty good, some useful rezzy stuff to augment the MODX synths... but it's only in AU.

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I thought I was set on the Roland VR-09b as my portable 61-key all-arounder. Figured it would be a nice match with the iPad, especially the drawbars for the Hammond B-3X.

 

But I visited a music store today and the staff reminded me that the Korg Kross 61 has a built-in usb audio interface. It was such a clean iPad setup:

- one cable for audio+MIDI

- edge-to-edge keys (no side panel)

 

Yeah, as with pretty much everything else, no single board ever seems to have everything you'd like. The obvious big trade-off of the Kross approach is no drawbar control, which is okay if you only call up presets.

 

I actually like the idea of a Casio XW-P1 rather than VR-09 for this purpose...

* the 9 sliders send MIDI CC instead of sysex so configuration is simpler (for B3X or any other apps you may want to integrate)

* it has a place to actually put the iPad

* it has much more flexible splits and layers

* its 100 user setups can all be selected with buttons (on the VR09, only the first 16 are directly selectable, the rest require scrolling)

* its 100 user setups can be recalled via MIDI Program Change

* it functions as a 4-zone MIDI controller (VR09 is basically single zone MIDI, in terms of its internal capabilities)

* its internal sounds can be panned to one output or the other (IIRC)

* it's much lower priced (though unfortunately now discontinued so you'd have to look for a used one)

* it has a regular mod wheel that doesn't spring back (my personal preference, though the Roland lever is kinda cool for rotary control)

* synth editing can be done on-board (instead of only via external app)

* action may be better... the Casio action seems to vary somewhat from unit to unit, but I think many will find it superior to the VR09

* it's even a hair lighter (about a quarter pound)

 

The big trade-off? While it's strong on synth tones, its acoustic instrument tones (pianos/EPs, strings, horns, winds, etc.) are generally not nearly as good as those in a VR09 (or Kross). So one one hand, I think it's a better iPad mate than the VR09 is, but the flip side of that is that you actually NEED the iPad to get comparable quality for some of these bread and butter sounds. Also, as I recently mentioned in another thread, the Roland has more pleasing aesthetics/ergonomics... e.g. drawbars instead of small sliders, more modern display, button sizing/layout/labeling that is a bit more "musical instrument" and a bit less "computer".

 

Another alternative to consider is the Vox Continental. It also has a place to put the iPad, and 9-drawbar control via its LED strips, and would have the best action of the bunch. Weaknesses: very limited internal split functions, minimal patch editing, no MIDI zoning, no sound panning. Though at least its 64 user setups are recallable via MIDI and direct button selection. So... different trade-offs. My conclusion in another thread was that, personally, I'd lean toward the Vox over the Roland if using it as a bottom board, but the Roland over the Vox as a top. But I also talked about what may be a particular advantage of the Continental as a B3X controller at https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3052225/re-super-light-2-board-rigs#Post3052225

 

The YC61 mentioned by others could also be worth a look, I haven't seen one of those in the flesh yet. But kind of mirroring your VR09 vs Kross eval, if you don't actually need an internal organ angine and 9-drawbar control, for less money than the YC61, you can get the far more capable MODX6 or MODX7, which--apart from the organ--should sound as good or better than the YC61, and is far more flexible overall, and the really nice Live Set screens for touch-panel named patch recall. Though you do trade-off some easy real-time tweaking (e.g. for effects and split/layer manipulation), and possibly a nicer action. The MODX7 also provides the advantage of a place to put the iPad (though the MODX6 might be able to work for that okay too, if you don't mind a bit of overhang), and the Kross feature you like of handling audio over USB. The Kross does have a few advantages over a MODX... full sequencer, trigger pads, 16-zone MIDI control instead of 8, the ability to assign any of 16 parts to any MIDI channel, light weight/small size, lower price... but MODX has seamless sound switching, more real-time controls, touchscreen interface, FM sound engine, 1 GB of use sample memory, and personally I prefer its sounds and action.

 

One thing I don't *think* I can do (on the moxf8 at least) is to integrate the ipad sounds into Performances,that appears to be internal sounds only. From reading the manual, looks like if I want to do a split (eg. internal piano on the left, an ipad synth or organ on the right) I'd probably use Master mode.

That's exactly what Master Mode is for (well, I guess one of the two things Master mode is for). Copy your Performance into a Master location, and now you have the identical Performance except with the added function of 4-zone MIDI control.

 

The left side would be midi transmit off, local on, with the piano assigned. The right would be midi transmit on, local off.

Just to be a little picky about the vernacular, no, you're not using local on or off, which is a specific MIDI function, and not restricted by key range or channel. But I know what you're getting at. What you'd be doing is just a matter of whether you do or do not assign an internal sound to a specific region of keys in that Performance.

 

I got Model D when it was free and I have Zeeon and Model 15--those synths sound incredible and better than anything in the modx for old-school "analog" to my ear.
Yeah, the MODX does not have a virtual analog engine.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Can the XW-P1 the one-cable MIDI-OUT-and-audio-in-over-USB trick of the Kross and MODX (and other boards like NC2X?)

Unfortunately no, and that's still kind of hard to find even on more recent boards, much less a board that was released circa 2012.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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