n00b ipad user questions (live music related)

[Stokely]

Greetings,

I've been reworking my live keyboard rig and am considering using my ipad (newest version) as a sound source.

My current rig consists of a Kurzweil pc361 and a weighted Studiologic controller. The controller does not have usb (which is likely relevant here); I connect it to the pc361 via midi and trigger piano and other sounds. The pc361 has a Setup mode that allows its own keyboard to play different sounds--this works very well but I don't like two things about it: 1. takes more pre-programming than I like and you have to make sure to progam in any possible control that would be there in Program mode (let's say reverb level on a slider or leslie controls); 2. all my sounds are coming from one place, I like to have backup in case of problems.

I'm wondering how well the ipad would work playing just the piano if nothing else on the weighted controller. Whether this would be Garage Band or iGrand or ? I don't know. This is a live rock setting so it doesn't have to be the most subtle piano out there, but it does have to be reliable and low-latency.

To connect the controller to the ipad I'd need midi-to-lightning. At home I use an M-audio UNO midi interface to usb. I've read that this has worked for people: connecting it to the ipad via the "camera connection kit" . This surprises me a bit as I needed drivers for windows and iirc for OSX as well (I could be mistaken). Unfortunately I can't test this without buying the newer lightning-to-usb cable, and I don't know if the UNO will work with it. Anyone done this? I suppose if best buy or other stores allow me to return it I could take a chance, and perhaps I could use the cable anyway...

Then of course I'd have to get the audio from the ipad. My concern is that I guess this would have to come from the 1/8" headphone jack so I'd need an adapter to go into my mixer. I try to avoid this kind of thing as ultimately they get loose and cause audio issues but I don't see any alternative. On the plus side I"d be velcroing everything to the controller (ipad case, cables) so there would be much to get jerked around.

Anyway I welcome any thoughts on this. If I was a pro that could justify spending more on tools for my trade I'd likely just get another board with sounds in it for simplicity's sake...but I"m a weekend warrior that already owns a weighted controller and ipad so it's worth checking into! (I also could use software synths from a macbook pro--but I see the advantage of the ipad in that I could have it set securely on my controller and not have to worry about it on another stand. It would be about the same as far as connections and hassle except for this. I may still go this route).

[Aural Chaos]

There are apparently many versions of the UNO out there, some work as a class compliant device with no drivers, others (including mine) do not. I ended up using a generic USB MIDI adapter from Amazon that cost 6 bucks ( with the CCK of course).

[Stokely]

Well that's good to hear if I need to pick up a different midi interface. I read for sure that the "Midiman" version of the UNO won't work. Mine is a blue M-Audio version but it's quite old so I don't know.

We'll see as I picked up the lightning-to-usb cable today during lunch

Any thoughts on garageband vs sampletank vs igrand vs ??? for rock piano (live through a PA)? I play nothing live that requires subtlety that you'd need for jazz and classical. I'll probably pick up garageband anyway so that me and the kids can mess with it so that's another "we'll see"

[iPlogger]

For me, iGrand is the winner for piano. GarageBand is a nice app for various sounds, but it has really limited polyphony, limiting it for live piano. I really enjoy the organ sounds on GB. But it is also fun to just jam around with. I do recommend GB to people as it offers quite a bit for $5. SampleTank covers a wide variety of sounds, but I found the pianos to be what I stayed with. iGrand (same company) has similar pianos, but with more samples, more pianos/variety and more polyphony. I set the iPad on my Korg and program a patch to the iGrand MIDI channel when I want to play it.

I use the iConnectMIDI to hook up MIDI/USB/iPad to each other and it works great. I highly recommend it. Otherwise, if you have a single MIDI requirement, you can get something like iRig MIDI (with a lightning to 30-pin adapter). I also use the Camera Connection Kit with a USB keyboard controller as a completely portable solution. I have it at work right now as I had hoped to get some practicing, but that hasn't happened.

I hook up the 1'8" output to my mixer which then goes out through a DI box. Due to the bezel on the iPad, I actually had to shave down my 1/8" cable so the end would fit in properly. It sound good through the 1/8", but I am still looking at a direct connection through the lightning connector for better sound quality.

One thing nice, if you get an iPad cover with the sleep/wake feature, it contains a magnet in it. When I have the cover folded flat, it feels fairly secure, as long as your keyboard is metal.

[Stokely]

Thanks very nice info!

I tried the UNO and no go. I went to try a hub but don't have a single a to a male USB cable out of about 30. I ordered the cheap class compliant midi interface from iOSmidi listings along with a USB cable Wondering how I'd ever get audio from lightning as long as the midi adapter is hogging it.....guess that would call for a dual interface of some kind.