Importing MIDI files to iPad app
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
I purchased and tried out a boat-load of MIDI file player apps, and found only one that did what I wanted - Sweet MIDI.
I was looking for some very specific features - a playlist-style interface that would let me trigger the MIDI files as though I was playing an instrument/pad controller; instantly switching from one to the other, and with flexible settings so that I could make them loop or behave as one-shots. Sweet MIDI was the only app I found (scouring www.idesignsound.com and the app store) that would let me do this. It also lets me switch between playlists without interrupting the playing file, and has a real-time mixer. So I'm quite happy with it, though when I was trying to test it out I was pissed off that I had to do a substantial in-app purchase to do it. So that's my experience.
However, that was around two months ago. I haven't seen anything that looks better since, but the recently released MIDI Editor looks like it could be useful in a different way; for editing files, but it doesn't appear; from the description; to offer the option to load MIDI files,.. yet. http://idesignsound.com/midi-editor-ipad/
So yah, my recommendation is to check out Sweet MIDI; it is actually (and surprisingly) quite good if you just want to play back files; letting you organize them quite clearly, find them quickly, and trigger them in an intuitive, immediate way with options for how you can do it, and a customizable interface to boot.
https://itunes.apple.com/app/sweet-midi ... 78002?mt=8
I was looking for some very specific features - a playlist-style interface that would let me trigger the MIDI files as though I was playing an instrument/pad controller; instantly switching from one to the other, and with flexible settings so that I could make them loop or behave as one-shots. Sweet MIDI was the only app I found (scouring www.idesignsound.com and the app store) that would let me do this. It also lets me switch between playlists without interrupting the playing file, and has a real-time mixer. So I'm quite happy with it, though when I was trying to test it out I was pissed off that I had to do a substantial in-app purchase to do it. So that's my experience.
However, that was around two months ago. I haven't seen anything that looks better since, but the recently released MIDI Editor looks like it could be useful in a different way; for editing files, but it doesn't appear; from the description; to offer the option to load MIDI files,.. yet. http://idesignsound.com/midi-editor-ipad/
So yah, my recommendation is to check out Sweet MIDI; it is actually (and surprisingly) quite good if you just want to play back files; letting you organize them quite clearly, find them quickly, and trigger them in an intuitive, immediate way with options for how you can do it, and a customizable interface to boot.
https://itunes.apple.com/app/sweet-midi ... 78002?mt=8
drab
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
I've been meaning to write the developers of Sweet MIDI to let them no I think they really would benefit from adding to the Sweet MIDI feature list that you can indeed set the files to always loop, and customize their playback behaviour, because that was what I wanted, but I couldn't tell if it had the looping option until I purchased it and tried it. Pissed me off, but I guess it was likely just something they missed putting in the description. Anyway, I can assure you it has the looping feature.
I can also assure you that HyperTunes DOES NOT offer looping, there's a distinct gap (of silence) when switching between files, and I found it a bloody pain to use as a simple playback/trigger app. It may be a great option for someone looking for a unique approach to composing with pre-made MIDI files, but that's not my bag at the moment, and I'm not sure I'd want to use HyperTunes for that anyway as I found it's approach confusing, but who knows, maybe I'll rtfm one day, grok it, and use it till I die; doubt it, but I own it now, so....
I can also assure you that HyperTunes DOES NOT offer looping, there's a distinct gap (of silence) when switching between files, and I found it a bloody pain to use as a simple playback/trigger app. It may be a great option for someone looking for a unique approach to composing with pre-made MIDI files, but that's not my bag at the moment, and I'm not sure I'd want to use HyperTunes for that anyway as I found it's approach confusing, but who knows, maybe I'll rtfm one day, grok it, and use it till I die; doubt it, but I own it now, so....
drab
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
btw, I could be wrong, but I've never noticed that AudioBus was in any way needed for or capable of passing MIDI data between apps. I'm pretty sure you don't need it at all. If however, you want to do some AudioBus-LIKE MIDI effects processing; like filtering out certain messages, and splitting say, your MIDI file up by channels to send separately to different/individual synths or whatever, then you may want to consider an app like MIDIBridge http://idesignsound.com/midibridge-universal/ but for just assigning say Sweet MIDI to send the MIDI to a synth app or a sequencer you just make those assignments in the MIDI Out and MIDI In settings of your apps.
drab
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
couple more nice features about Sweet MIDI (I don't work for them I swear; just find these features useful) - automatic random playlist selection, and the ability to make crazy-ass long playlists that it can be set to automatically cycle through with customizable delay times between file playback.
drab
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
the pro update, but I don't know if it's necessary for what you want to do. You just want to load one file and play it back? Or do you want to use it as a sort of media-player / iTunes for MIDI type thing? It can do that, but I can't remember if I needed to upgrade to the pro version in order to have that functionality. I actually can't recall what all the pro version gave me, but for some reason I thought I had to upgrade to have the the customizability I wanted like the looping, but hey! - maybe I was WRONG! Wouldn't be the first time I jumped the gun on an upgrade. Try the free version and give'r a test, guess it can't hurt.
drab
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- KVRAF
- 1619 posts since 19 Aug, 2004 from Toronto
I have to say, even though I initially found it via my search for a MIDI file playlist player that could be used as an instrument, it is actually pretty great as a straight up automatic playlist ... er... player. Oh, and I have a lot of control over the font size of the playlists, so I can make the file selectors/entries huge for my stumpy fingers, or tiny for a better overview. Oh, oh, and it clearly shows the BPM of the files beside there names which is super handy for me AND the BPMs are easily adjustable by a range of 1 to 999. Plus the GUI colours are totally customizable. I like that option. AND AND the playlist entries can be dragged up and down to reorganize them. SIMPLE stuff really, but features that make me happy and I use. OK I'll shut up; actually surprised I'm going on and on about it. Guess I appreciate this app!
drab