IOS Midi Management ...? MidiBridge? Others?

[Tusker]

There are a number of threads about hardware MIDI connections between IOS devices and the outside world. This thread is about software connections (apps) within an IOS device. Anybody find some useful tools to recommend? How are you using them?

 

I want to trigger some Ipad synths from a keyboard in a live situation. The hardware connections are fine, but most of the good sounding apps (Animoog, Imini, Ipolysix, Thor, etc.) don't seem to have the layer of midi management to make them useful ... (set up splits and layers, select presets, adjust relative volumes quickly, toggle sounds on and off) ... the way a poly timbral synth does in "Performance Mode" (aka mix mode, multi mode, etc)

 

I ran across a tool called MidiBridge which seems to have some of these tools. It seems like a relatively dense programming interface, so I wanted to check in before attempting a deep dive. Does anybody have any experience with it? Are there other alternatives to route and control midi inside an IOS device?

 

Thanks in advance. MidiBridge video below ...

 

[video:youtube]Od_jBlsAHzc

[AnotherScott]

I think that the two tools available for routing incoming MIDI to different apps are MIDIBridge and Jack. I have only tinkered with MIDBridge a little bit myself...

 

[miden]

afaik, inter app MIDI is built in to iOS 7 (or is coming), along with inter-app audio so these apps will become a bit redundant.

 

However that said, the apps you want to use with MIDIbridge, JACK et al, need to be "enabled" at the app side to actually run with them. So just because one buys MIDIbridge for eg, does not mean every MIDI app on the iPad will work with it.

[AnotherScott]

afaik, inter app MIDI is built in to iOS 7 (or is coming), along with inter-app audio so these apps will become a bit redundant.

 

However that said, the apps you want to use with MIDIbridge, JACK et al, need to be "enabled" at the app side to actually run with them. So just because one buys MIDIbridge for eg, does not mean every MIDI app on the iPad will work with it.

Apps do not need to be specially "enabled" for MIDIbridge, but they do have to have certain characteristics. If they support virtual MIDI, they will work.

 

http://www.iosmusician.com/app-lists/virtual-midi

 

There are also some tricks that can enable other apps to work, but that gets a bit more complicated.

[GovernorSilver]

There are a number of threads about hardware MIDI connections between IOS devices and the outside world. This thread is about software connections (apps) within an IOS device. Anybody find some useful tools to recommend? How are you using them?

 

I've been lucky in that most of the apps I want to use together, MIDI-wise, support Virtual MIDI. As a result I have not needed MIDIBridge - which seems to be more the domain of users who want to control iPad apps from hardware controllers with key splits and the like.

 

For diagnosing MIDI problems, MIDI Wrench and MIDI Monitor have been recommended to me as useful tools. Both are free.

[miden]

afaik, inter app MIDI is built in to iOS 7 (or is coming), along with inter-app audio so these apps will become a bit redundant.

 

However that said, the apps you want to use with MIDIbridge, JACK et al, need to be "enabled" at the app side to actually run with them. So just because one buys MIDIbridge for eg, does not mean every MIDI app on the iPad will work with it.

Apps do not need to be specially "enabled" for MIDIbridge, but they do have to have certain characteristics. If they support virtual MIDI, they will work.

 

http://www.iosmusician.com/app-lists/virtual-midi

 

There are also some tricks that can enable other apps to work, but that gets a bit more complicated.

 

hmmm...I have JACK and without an app (non core) being enabled for it, they don't get recognised. I had a look a MIDIbridge (without buying it) and as I read it, it too needed apps to be enabled for it (via virtual midi), but you say not, so I might have another look. Although with it being a core operation of iOS 7, I repeat these apps may indeed become redundant perhaps.

[Tusker]

Thanks guys. Good information here.

 

Not sure when IOS will come marching to the rescue. If nothing new shows up in the next few weeks. I'll give Midibridge a shot and report back.

 

Maybe that FORTRAN programming class will finally prove useful.

[MortenL]

I am not familiar enough with neither midi nor iOS to understand your demands completely - therefore please forgive any ignorance on my part - but have you had a look at iMidiPatchbay? There is a lite version to try out before buying, and there is a pretty extensive demo on Youtube. (I am, I should say, using it simply to trigger sounds from my Nord Electro and app sounds in layers or in splits). Good luck!

 

All best,

Morten

 

Edit: typo

 

[Tusker]

Imidipatchbay has a nice looking interface.

 

Morten, would you please share how you have your devices connected up? (Apple CCK, something else? Are you using a powered USB hub?)

 

Are you able to route midi to specific Ipad apps from the electro. Would you please describe?

[MortenL]

Would you please describe?

 

Sure, I will try:

 

The setup is pretty simple. My Electro 3 is connected to my iPad2 via a not so new usb midi connector (MIDI in + out -> usb) and the Apple CCK. No powered usb hub.

 

And yes, the midi data from the Electro is routed to the different apps via iMIDIPatchBay (one channel per app with separate preferences for each "Extern", as they are called), and also back into the Electro - which is set to local off. This enables splits (defined in IMIDIPatchBay) with for instance a Nord EP in the left hand and a Magellan synth patch or the Galileo organ in the right hand. Or an iLectric piano from the iPad in the left hand and a Nord sample in the right hand - or whichever combination you want. I have not yet tried three-zone splits. I do not combine app sounds with the Electros organ, however, because of the lack of velocity sensitivity.

 

This is still very new to me, I should say, and I am from time to time experiencing held notes, for instance, which I suspect has to do with the hardware Im using (the midi connector?) or the lack of some piece of hardware that that I should have but do not know of. I hope to be able to use the programming features in iMIDIPatchBay more and, for instance, send program changes to my Electro when choosing a preset in iMIDIPatchBay - I am not yet sure if that will work.

 

That said, I still very much prefer to have my CP33 below the Electro for the keybed, the APs, lower manual organ, the pitch wheel and much more. But integrating the iPad in this way has drastically downsized my rig for rehearsals (dont have drag the extra, heavy (!) stage piano and my K&M two-tier stand when I'm not in the mood).

 

All best,

Morten

 

[Tusker]

Got the lite version. Trying it out. Thanks.

 

PS: I wonder if your stuck notes are related to note-offs not being sent by IMidipatchbay (or not being understood by receiving app) when changing channels?

 

 

 

[Tusker]

And yes, the midi data from the Electro is routed to the different apps via iMIDIPatchBay (one channel per app with separate preferences for each "Extern", as they are called), and also back into the Electro - which is set to local off.

 

Morten, a bit of a newbie question here.

 

Am I doing something wrong? (Trying out my process on the lite version before spending the $30 bucks.)

 

1) My controller can send MIDI ok to Thor and Animoog so the hardware is not the problem and core midi is working. In order to accomplish this I set the receive setting in each of the synth apps to the controller. And I get sound. So now lets get Imidpatchbay involved....

 

2) Within Imidi patchbay I am able to select my controller (Roland Digital Piano) as Master 1. Then I go to Extern 1 and set it to Thor or Animoog as the case may be. (So far so good.) I get back to Thor or Animoog and expect to find Imidipatchbay lite as one of the possible sources. Nothing there. Just the Roland Digital Piano, Session 1 and All. Same result with both synth apps. Am I missing a step? Thanks for any advice you might offer.

 

Jerry

[MortenL]

Hi Jerry,

 

Here's how I matched the different sound sources (at length - helps me remember the details ;-)):

 

1) In each virtual instrument app:

a) You need to enable "Background audio" in to enable them to play while you fiddle with the IMIDIPatchBay interface

b) Set an input channel. If you want to make splits with unique sounds: Choose a unique channel - i.e. one which is not used for output from your master keyboard or set as input channel in other apps.

 

2) In IMIDIPatchBay:

a) In the "Setup" menu, Master 1 Input: Select your input midi device ("Device") and set the channel no. ("Channel") corresponding to the output channel you have set in your controller keyboard (e.g. channel 1); Select "Run in background" to enable the app to work while you finetune your synth patches, for instance

b) Under each "Extern" (= each app you want to be able to control), midi settings (= midi connector button): Select your output "Device" (say "Magellan" in my case; the app has to be open in order to be able to choose it), and choose the channel you selected as input channel in the app (should be different from the one that you use for your Master, could for instance be ch. 2).

 

3) To create a split in iMIDIPatchBay (which is what I needed):

a) define two (or three) zones for your master keyboard by holding down button "2" (under "Zones of Master 1") and pressing the key where you want the split point on your keyboard (="LO point" of zone 2). The split point should change on the interface. Do this with button 3 as well if you need three zones

b) Under each sound source (Master, Extern 1, Extern 2 etc.), select which zone you want it to respond to by pressing and holding the "On" button at the bottom and releasing it when the corresponding LED(s) are lit.

 

The channel part is important. I found that selecting "Input device" ("Session 1" is IMidiPatchBay, I think) in the individual apps did not matter much as long as you got the channels right and set up things properly in iMIDIPatchBay. But I'm by no means a midi expert - I hope I got it right.

 

The long YouTube demo helped me at lot (just search "iMIDIPatchBay"). It is, alas, in German - I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that. But the video may be helpful even without speech.

 

I hope this will get you started - good luck!

 

All best, Morten

 

 

 

[Tusker]

Thanks Morten.

[GovernorSilver]

iMIDIPatchBay has dropped in price to $9.99, down from almost $30.

 

http://www.palmsounds.net/2014/03/a-detailed-look-at-imidipatchbay-14.html

[Six-string-man]

iMIDIPatchBay has dropped in price to $9.99, down from almost $30.

 

http://www.palmsounds.net/2014/03/a-detailed-look-at-imidipatchbay-14.html

 

 

Thanks for this GS, that's a big difference! Just snapped it up.

 

 

SSM

[Tusker]

Thanks Guv'nor! I just picked it up!

[GovernorSilver]

Glad to be of help. Took me a while to decide between this and Midibridge. Went with iMIDIPatchBay because it's specifically designed for live performance while Midibridge is more of a power user's tool.