Best Way to Get Midi Out From the iPad Air?

[Kalamata Kid]

Hello,

I am a PC guy. Just got the Ipad Air. This is my first contact with an Apple product. Now I am a green apple guy.

I will primarily be using the iPad as a midi keyboard controller. I want the most robust way with minimal latency to output Midi from the Ipad Air and at the same time to power the Ipad.

The Ipad Air came with a Lightning to USB adaptor with I assume can be plugged in to my Windows 7 PC or to a powered USB HUB so that the hub can keep the Ipad charged. I can then connect the USB to my PC. Is there an iPad app that connects the internal iPad Midi app(s) and then outputs Port and Channels through the Lightning connector?

I have the MOTU Midi Express 128, Midi Patchbay which connects to the PC by USB cable. My computer already can see midi ports and channels.

The Ipad Air has two Wi-Fi antennas. Does this change anything for Midi to Wi-Fi communication?

Yes I have read some of the threads but got me confused. My requirements or minimal only involving midi out from the Ipad.

[oldlibmike]

Hello,

I am a PC guy. Just got the Ipad Air. This is my first contact with an Apple product. Now I am a green apple guy.

I will primarily be using the iPad as a midi keyboard controller. I want the most robust way with minimal latency to output Midi from the Ipad Air and at the same time to power the Ipad.

The Ipad Air came with a Lightning to USB adaptor with I assume can be plugged in to my Windows 7 PC or to a powered USB HUB so that the hub can keep the Ipad charged. I can then connect the USB to my PC. Is there an iPad app that connects the internal iPad Midi app(s) and then outputs Port and Channels through the Lightning connector?

I have the MOTU Midi Express 128, Midi Patchbay which connects to the PC by USB cable. My computer already can see midi ports and channels.

The Ipad Air has two Wi-Fi antennas. Does this change anything for Midi to Wi-Fi communication?

Yes I have read some of the threads but got me confused. My requirements or minimal only involving midi out from the Ipad.

I would highly recommend the iConnectMidi2. Wired solution, does bidirectional audio and MIDI over USB or MIDI connectors and with optional power supply, charges iPad while using it.

[Kalamata Kid]

Oldlibmike,

Thanks for your suggestion.

iConnect can output a Midi stream to the PC. Why cannot the iPad do likewise with a specialized app? The iPad has the capability to send any type of digital information, why not midi and avoid additional equipment? Does this make sense?

For the record here is the link to iConnect:
http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

[ZenPunkHippy]

On Windows you can receive MIDI over the network using rptMIDI:

http://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/rtpmidi.html

Peace,
Andy.

[oldlibmike]

Oldlibmike,

Thanks for your suggestion.

iConnect can output a Midi stream to the PC. Why cannot the iPad do likewise with a specialized app? The iPad has the capability to send any type of digital information, why not midi and avoid additional equipment? Does this make sense?

For the record here is the link to iConnect:
http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

It certainly can wirelessly with the software mentioned, but there is some latency with the wireless. You can setup an ad-hoc wireless connection to help, but I much prefer wired. The iconnectmidi also passes audio in real time avoiding the noisy headphone jack. Lots of ways to do it though. I'm on an iMac myself, btw.

[Kalamata Kid]

Perhaps I should ask this way:
Is there an app that streams midi to the lightning port? The iPad Air came with a lighting to USB converter cable. I can ignore this cable and instead use the Lightning Cable with 3 USB Ports http://tinyurl.com/nzcvpv8 The USB loose end goes to the 120volt to low DC voltage to charge the Pad. Now I have three USB2 ports to connect to the PC. This is the wired and preferred solution recommended by some of the KVR elite.

Now I need the details and in the end if no app is found to accomplish this then I will spend the $$$ to get the iConnectmidi. I am old school I suppose so wired is at least at this juncture also my preferred method.

I believe Windows 7 sees any USB midi port going into the PC. Is this correct?

I am looking for the most robust and fastest wired solution. Let me add, it has to be easy enough that even I can do.

On concern is the the iConnectmidi uses the "old" DIN cables. Is there a USB midi out? Does the iConnectmidi have 16 ports or to number them as required? I already am using 7 ports on my MOTU Midi Express 128, Midi Patchbay which connects to the PC by USB cable. My computer already sees the 1-8 midi ports.

[oldlibmike]

Perhaps I should ask this way:
Is there an app that streams midi to the lightning port? The iPad Air came with a lighting to USB converter cable. I can ignore this cable and instead use the Lightning Cable with 3 USB Ports http://tinyurl.com/nzcvpv8 The USB loose end goes to the 120volt to low DC voltage to charge the Pad. Now I have three USB2 ports to connect to the PC. This is the wired and preferred solution recommended by some of the KVR elite.

Now I need the details and in the end if no app is found to accomplish this then I will spend the $$$ to get the iConnectmidi. I am old school I suppose so wired is at least at this juncture also my preferred method.

I believe Windows 7 sees any USB midi port going into the PC. Is this correct?

I am looking for the most robust and fastest wired solution. Let me add, it has to be easy enough that even I can do.

On concern is the the iConnectmidi uses the "old" DIN cables. Is there a USB midi out? Does the iConnectmidi have 16 ports or to number them as required? I already am using 7 ports on my MOTU Midi Express 128, Midi Patchbay which connects to the PC by USB cable. My computer already sees the 1-8 midi ports.

Hi,
Can't comment on the lightning to multi-usb option - never tried it. The iConnectMidi2 does have 2 DIN and 2 USB midi ports. The usb ports are the "square" side of the USB cable with full usb connectors (not mini or micro). It does support 16 channels and you can configure them pretty much any way you want with the software.

It does, however, require the lightning adapter since its usb to iPad connector is only the 30 pin type. Works fine with the adapter however, but that was another expense. Also, if you want to charge the device, the charger is sold separately and is, in my opinion, a bit overpriced. Its a bit of a weird voltage so I went ahead and bought it.

Once configured, though, I can do things like use the iPad as a sound device for my DAWs (just like an external synth). I can send MIDI to the iPad. I can use a keyboard attached to my computer as a MIDI device on the iPad or I can do almost any combination.

There is also recently a MIDI over bluetooth app out that supposedly works with OSX, but I don't think it has a Windows version yet.

I'll be interested to see what you come up with. I do like using the iPad as part of my overall music setup.

[jc_vt]

If all you want is to send midi to the computer a camera connection kit will do this

Oldlibmike,

Thanks for your suggestion.

iConnect can output a Midi stream to the PC. Why cannot the iPad do likewise with a specialized app? The iPad has the capability to send any type of digital information, why not midi and avoid additional equipment? Does this make sense?

For the record here is the link to iConnect:
http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

[Kalamata Kid]

If all you want is to send midi to the computer a camera connection kit will do this

The iPad Air has the camera Connection Kit, the lightning to USB cable. Correct?
Please explain what I should do to get midi from the iPad to the Windows 7 PC.

[BiancaNeve]

How do you get midi into the Motu?

If it's a standard 5 pin din connection, then you can connect the ipad via the camera connection kit to a normal usb to midi cable like this one

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/alesis-usb-to ... aign=N38NK&

Though this won't power the ipad.

Alternatively you could get a 30 pin to lightning adaptor and something like the irig midi.

[aMUSEd]

If all you want is to send midi to the computer a camera connection kit will do this

How?

[bigcraigie_1]

Interesting topic. I too would like to be able to plug my iPad straight into my PC with the cable that comes with the iPad and use apps such as AC 7 Core to control my DAW and ChordPloyPad to control my VSTi's.

My laptop is configured to have all networking services disabled as I'm sure many of us have of optimal performance, so wireless is not really an option. Why the need for extra hardware?

[Aural Chaos]

If all you want is to send midi to the computer a camera connection kit will do this

Oldlibmike,

Thanks for your suggestion.

iConnect can output a Midi stream to the PC. Why cannot the iPad do likewise with a specialized app? The iPad has the capability to send any type of digital information, why not midi and avoid additional equipment? Does this make sense?

For the record here is the link to iConnect:
http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

That's not going to work- you need a MIDI interface- you can't just connect the iPad to a computer with a USB cable and expect it to transmit MIDI.

[Kalamata Kid]

From what I gather here is that the iPad can transmit just about anything through the Lightning port but not midi. Why is midi excluded? There are no apps that can convert whatever needs to be converted to a midi stream? From there to the provided lighting to USB connector? Just wondering.

I know the answering will be very embarrassing to me.

[Kalamata Kid]

How do you get midi into the Motu?

If it's a standard 5 pin din connection, then you can connect the ipad via the camera connection kit to a normal usb to midi cable like this one

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/alesis-usb-to ... aign=N38NK&

Though this won't power the ipad.

Alternatively you could get a 30 pin to lightning adaptor and something like the irig midi.

I do not want to use the MOTU Midi Express 128, Midi Patchbay along with the Pad. I just used the Midi Express 128 as an example.

Also want to point out that I am using 7 of the eight Midi Ports in my PC but still have 8 to 16 available

I want to connect the iPad to my PC preferably without any hardware in between.