GSi VB3m for Android!

[Baldwin Funster]

I love my VB3m on iPhone 6. I have Preset 1 edited to the classic Jimmy Smith setting and stick with that. The latency is low and not troublesome.

How about a Guido Rhodes app?

 

I've been waiting for an android Mr Ray app. And also to shave just a bit more latency off the android version of vb3m.

[AnotherScott]

And also to shave just a bit more latency off the android version of vb3m.

Does any Android MIDI app have less latency than VB3m? If not, he may be at the limits of what it's currently capable of. But maybe switching to some other android device could offer some improvement...? Not that it's necessariy justifiable just for this, but when time comes to upgrade your phone, maybe its VB3m performance would be a worthwhile selection criteria!

[Baldwin Funster]

And also to shave just a bit more latency off the android version of vb3m.

Does any Android MIDI app have less latency than VB3m? If not, he may be at the limits of what it's currently capable of. But maybe switching to some other android device could offer some improvement...? Not that it's necessariy justifiable just for this, but when time comes to upgrade your phone, maybe its VB3m performance would be a worthwhile selection criteria!

 

Synth FM has less latency. A very interesting dx7 app but with 4 OPs. Even the very faulty ilectric piano from IK is faster. So I know better results are possible.

[jpgxk3]

Hello, I'm trying to use newly purchased app with my SK-1. Hoping someone has been successful and can point me in the right direction. I am using Korg plug key via midi cable between my Ipad and SK1. I can utilize the drawbars and expression pedal on the sk, but that's about it. By trial and error I found that the knobs on the sk that control organ overdrive, effect, extra voice effect, and reverb will turn on the vb3m c/v, Leslie sim in stop as well as slow and fast. Tapping any button in the sk-1 will turn off these effects. The midi learn as well as manual selection does not happen. I think this is due to Hammonds lack of CC use. I do not understand much of midi and midi mapping, so hoping you can help me out. Maybe there is a midi merge type box that would work? If not, I can get by but it would be nice to be able to use the controller the correct way. Thanks for your time as usual.

[AnotherScott]

jpgxk3, MIDI learn is for CC only, and I believe you're right that the problem is that, other than the drawbars, many SK1 controls don't send MIDI CC (instead sending NRPN or sysex). There are tools that can convert these things to the CCs of your choice... if you're looking for a standalone box, I believe the MIDI Solutions Event Processors can do this. There are also iOS and computer apps. But this is not the easiest thing to work out for a MIDI novice. Maybe someone who has actually done it could chime in and provide some tips.

[jpgxk3]

Thanks Scott, Joe.

[GeorgeRaindog]

Hello,

I am thinking of getting VB3m for android for using it with my Yamaha P121
Yamaha P121 is an audio interface and can transfer audio/midi via USB so (hopefully) nothing else is needed for listening through pianos' speakers and/or headphone out.

 

1) So what is needed is just a USB 2.0 type-B to type-A  cable connected with OTG-adapter (to type-c or whatever the phone has?)
Has anyone tried with this or similar Yamaha board? Any issues with latency?

 

2) I can see in the sceenshots here https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=50
in Settings page that you can set split point and add pedal tones to lower manual

Can this be saved to specific program(s)? or is just a global setting (on/off for all programs)?

 

3) In case I want to use (in the future) a controller like Korg NanoKontrol, I have read that a powered USB hub is needed
Can someone explain how the connection chain would be in such a case?
I assume that every hub has an "input" (that will normally be connected to PC) and several outputs

How such a setup should be? having the usb hub, P121 piano, an android phone and nanokontrol

[AnotherScott]

2 hours ago, GeorgeRaindog said:

3) In case I want to use (in the future) a controller like Korg NanoKontrol, I have read that a powered USB hub is needed
Can someone explain how the connection chain would be in such a case?
I assume that every hub has an "input" (that will normally be connected to PC) and several outputs

How such a setup should be? having the usb hub, P121 piano, an android phone and nanokontrol

 

The phone is the host device. The hub gives it ports for multiple client devices (in this case, the piano and the nanokontrol).

[Baldwin Funster]

You dont NEED a powered hub. Your phone battery will bus power a nanokontrol for an hour or 2. At least mine does. You'll need a usb sound card stick for about 10 bucks. I cant speak about yamaha compatibility but i ran vb3m on my sam note10 from my roland ds61 just yesterday. I find vb3m on android has a small bit of latency compared to an ipad. But it not an unacceptable amount.

[ChazKeys]

Update!!

 

New in version 1.2.1

- Added option for controlling Rotary Slow/Fast from CC# 64 (sustain pedal) in both toggle or momentary mode

- Fixed issue with Pedalboard not keeping the correct Midi Channel

- Simplified Preset Store process

- Reduced CPU load even more (draws less current from battery)

- Improved interactions with AUv3 hosts

- Now presets are shared between stand-alone App and AUv3 plugin

 

Save your Presets and Controller Maps before you update as these are reset when you update. 

 

Thanks for the update!

[AnotherScott]

14 hours ago, ChazKeys said:

Save your Presets and Controller Maps before you update as these are reset when you update. 

This is a problem with Apple's default "auto update everything" approach... if an auto-update you didn't even know you were getting hoses your presets, that could suck.

[GeorgeRaindog]

Well I bought it today for playing around with my Yamaha P121 (it has USB Audio, so I just used an OTG cable)

I installed it on my android phone (Samsung A52s 5G). I started to play around, sounds great for me (no high expectations anyway), not noticeable latency, everything fine BUT:

After some minutes sound stops... it seems that app needs restarting (if I open it again, sound is back on and it works again)

- I first checked "Enable background Audio" - it works as expected, when screen goes off, app still works. But after some minutes (5-10) regardless if I am playing or not, sounds is off.

- Then I increased my phone screen timeout to 10 minutes, but issue still here: again after some minutes (even if screen is still on) sound goes off...

Could it be something with my phone? some setting of it? Or my P121? I read all posts on the thread, didn't find anything related

Any suggestions?
 

[Baldwin Funster]

I know you addressed the screen timeout issue. But you might try an app called something like "no screen off". It helped me. 

[Stokely]

On 1/10/2022 at 2:20 PM, AnotherScott said:

jpgxk3, MIDI learn is for CC only, and I believe you're right that the problem is that, other than the drawbars, many SK1 controls don't send MIDI CC (instead sending NRPN or sysex). There are tools that can convert these things to the CCs of your choice... if you're looking for a standalone box, I believe the MIDI Solutions Event Processors can do this. There are also iOS and computer apps. But this is not the easiest thing to work out for a MIDI novice. Maybe someone who has actually done it could chime in and provide some tips.

This is one reason I ruled out Hammond products when looking at some organ options.  Any waterfall keyboard I buy is going to also be used to play software, and there's no reason under the sun that they couldn't simply send ccs.  It's ridiculous.  No worries though, other companies are willing to do it.   I'm not going to buy some 3rd party solution to make their product work for me, ymmv.

[GeorgeRaindog]

1 hour ago, Jr. Deluxe said:

I know you addressed the screen timeout issue. But you might try an app called something like "no screen off". It helped me. 

thanks for the suggestion, maybe I will try one app but it doesn't make much sense since the issue still persists even if the screen is on...

I have tried some more up to now with no success...

- From Battery -> Background usage limits -> I added Vbm3m to "never sleeping apps"

--I went to App info for Vbm3m and set -> Battery -> Unrestricted 

By the way the phone runs android 12 (and One UI 4.1)
 

[Baldwin Funster]

Android 11. One UI 3.1 here. I'd report it as a bug to Guido at GSI. If it is related to the version of Android then he's going to have to sort it out or get increased complaints. 

[GeorgeRaindog]

On 8/29/2022 at 6:26 PM, GeorgeRaindog said:

Well I bought it today for playing around with my Yamaha P121 (it has USB Audio, so I just used an OTG cable)

I installed it on my android phone (Samsung A52s 5G). I started to play around, sounds great for me (no high expectations anyway), not noticeable latency, everything fine BUT:

After some minutes sound stops... it seems that app needs restarting (if I open it again, sound is back on and it works again)

- I first checked "Enable background Audio" - it works as expected, when screen goes off, app still works. But after some minutes (5-10) regardless if I am playing or not, sounds is off.

- Then I increased my phone screen timeout to 10 minutes, but issue still here: again after some minutes (even if screen is still on) sound goes off...

Could it be something with my phone? some setting of it? Or my P121? I read all posts on the thread, didn't find anything related

Any suggestions?
 

 

An update about this:

 

After doing various tests and talking with Guido, the outcome is that the issue has nothing to do with Vbm3m.

 

A summary: 
- What I wanted is to play my Yamaha P121 (that transmits Audio via USB) connected to my phone (running Vbm3m) and hear the sound through piano's speakers (or headphone out)
- While doing this, it was fine in the beginning but sound would stop coming out from Piano speakers after some minutes (5 to 10 mins). A restart in the app would temporarily fix this.
- My phone is Samsung A52s 5G (Android 12)

 

I did lots of tests:
- Without being connected to the piano, Vbm3m  runs without any issues for longer duration.
- I used another android app (mini piano lite) and I had the same issue again... sound would stop after some minutes.
- With Vb3m, if I use phone's headphones out (instead of getting sound out of piano's speakers, ) no issues even after 20 minutes. I guess that if I use phone's headphones out, no sound is sent to the piano via USB
- And a final test: I just tried simple sound reproduction from my phone (spotify) connected to my Yamaha P121 via USB (sound coming from piano speakers). After some minutes sound just stops... I did same test with another android phone (Xiaomi ) with same same results!
- I have no similar issues when playing music from my Windows PC (using P121 as sound interface) and listening through piano's speakers.

 

Conclusion: 
- the issue is in the communcation between android phones and my Yamaha P121 (I have tried 2 phones) - this is what Guido said first...
- I don't know what will happen if a use an apple device - don't have any

 

I guess I need to ask this in another thread but I am curious if anybody else has similar issues with P121 or any other Yamaha piano...

 

Its a shame that I cannot use Vbm3 the way I wanted (don't want to use phone's headphone out) ... I could't imagine that I would have such an issue...

[Baldwin Funster]

An audio adapter should work. Works for me for hours, for years. Android, windows, iOs and probably Mac but I don't have one to test.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=asc_df_B00IRVQ0F8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312824707815&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17336989613380397707&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014208&hvtargid=pla-563309581845&psc=1

[bfields]

38 minutes ago, Jr. Deluxe said:

An audio adapter should work. Works for me for hours, for years. Android, windows, iOs and probably Mac but I don't have one to test.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=asc_df_B00IRVQ0F8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312824707815&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17336989613380397707&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014208&hvtargid=pla-563309581845&psc=1

GeorgeRaindog's phone already has a headphone out, so that adapter wouldn't add much.

 

The problem is on the Yamaha P121 side--it doesn't have an analog aux in (as far as I can tell).  So the only way to play external sound through its speakers is by USB.  I guess you could try plugging that adapter into the P121 instead, but I doubt that works.

[GeorgeRaindog]

8 hours ago, bfields said:

GeorgeRaindog's phone already has a headphone out, so that adapter wouldn't add much.

 

The problem is on the Yamaha P121 side--it doesn't have an analog aux in (as far as I can tell).  So the only way to play external sound through its speakers is by USB.  I guess you could try plugging that adapter into the P121 instead, but I doubt that works.

yes, you are correct, problem is on the Yamaha P121 side. For some reason audio via USB does not work as expected with android phones, I will post in another thread for this

[davinwv]

Has anyone gotten a Bluetooth MIDI controller to work with VB3m on Android?

[Keyman57]

Hey friends , I’d like to have one of the Nanokontrol2 buttons to also change the Leslie speed . I’m using a volume pedal fading in the organ I can’t keep jumping to a sustain pedal to change the Leslie speed and be standing. Anyone get the Leslie fast slow assignable on vb3m.? Thanks !

[D. Gauss]

39 minutes ago, Keyman57 said:

Hey friends , I’d like to have one of the Nanokontrol2 buttons to also change the Leslie speed . I’m using a volume pedal fading in the organ I can’t keep jumping to a sustain pedal to change the Leslie speed and be standing. Anyone get the Leslie fast slow assignable on vb3m.? Thanks !

yup. easy peasy.  go to midi in vb3 and assign it to whatever cc you want. don't have a nano2 but i did it on the orginal nano v1 along with pretty much every vb3 control there is (vibrato, distortion, percussion, verb etc)

[Baldwin Funster]

57 minutes ago, D. Gauss said:

yup. easy peasy.  go to midi in vb3 and assign it to whatever cc you want. don't have a nano2 but i did it on the orginal nano v1 along with pretty much every vb3 control there is (vibrato, distortion, percussion, verb etc)

Korg has an editor so you can also set the midi assignments from the korg side. I do it this way so all my controllers and organ apps are the same and follow the GSI map. So much easier when all your organ stuff follows the same map. If a controller dies I just grab another and I'm on my way in a few minutes.