Using multiple midi controllers in different apps -what's possible?

SkEvolver

Hi all,

I looked for answers before deciding to make a post, but my questions are a bit multi threaded.

Theyre also not exclusively related to Audiobus but I felt ppl here would be most likely to know the answers (than any other forum I know of!) So here goes. I'll keep it short-

1) can I use multiple midi controllers to control different apps?

Scenario: I have iPad pro + a USB 3port hub. using an M-Audio 49 keyboard, I play for example, Korg Minimoog app.

I want to be and to create a drumbeat going, before I start noodling with the keyboard.

So I'm buying a small AKAI usb device with pads on it, planning to plug that in to the hub.

• are individual apps able to read the different CCs on different usb midi devices? I'm just trying to avoid a scenario where things clash.

  (Depending how CC works), I would have thought.. as long as the midi devices supply different CC numbers/values in to iOS.. there shouldn't be and clashing. Did anyone have any experience with this?

Many thanks.

wim

@SkEvolver said:
Hi all,

I looked for answers before deciding to make a post, but my questions are a bit multi threaded.

Theyre also not exclusively related to Audiobus but I felt ppl here would be most likely to know the answers (than any other forum I know of!) So here goes. I'll keep it short-

1) can I use multiple midi controllers to control different apps?

Yes. You can have multiple midi controllers connected to a iOS device. (IOS restricts you to only one audio device at a time, but doesn’t restrict midi devices.

Scenario: I have iPad pro + a USB 3port hub. using an M-Audio 49 keyboard, I play for example, Korg Minimoog app.

I want to be and to create a drumbeat going, before I start noodling with the keyboard.

So I'm buying a small AKAI usb device with pads on it, planning to plug that in to the hub.

• are individual apps able to read the different CCs on different usb midi devices? I'm just trying to avoid a scenario where things clash.

Yes. You can route devices to apps in various ways. No problem.

(Depending how CC works), I would have thought.. as long as the midi devices supply different CC numbers/values in to iOS.. there shouldn't be and clashing. Did anyone have any experience with this?

Between the various routing options and the use of midi channels pretty much anything you will want to do should be possible.

Many thanks.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people that can help with just about any challenge. The more specific the questions the better, although sometimes that can be hard when you’re not familiar with the subject. Be patient. It can all seem complicated at first, but eventually the pieces start to make sense.

uncledave

Just to add a few more details:

• If you configure your hardware to transmit on different MIDI channels, you can set your MIDI receiving apps to listen only on specific channels. No need to use exclusive CC numbers.
• If you use AudioBus, the situation is even better, because you can direct input from a specific MIDI source name to a specific app, even if they use the same channel. With AB you also have a mixer, so you can combine the audio from the different music apps. AUM has similar capabilities.

I use both these options in different situations.

SkEvolver

Hi all, thanks for the feedback. I wanted to make sure I came back and said thanks!

I don't always get time to research everything before i buy something, deals go quickly etc.

So yeah, thanks for the infos chaps.

So I've got both pad/sample midi gadgets in my possession now.

My first outing was with FunkBox. A fun machine app , I just like the interface/look of it. But it's not so configurable when it comes to CC unfortunately. Oh well, might try DM1 next.

So.. this is new territory for me.. I'm usually in to keyboards and .. even then, I'm really a drummer and bassist at heart,
..... So I have little clues 6 about sampling or loading samples on to pads.

I have a bunch of quick samples downloaded on to my Files in ipadOS

Chaps... What app could I use to simply just load them on to the pads, and maybe keep my samples organised? some kind of management & play app....

I messed around with like, 1 sample, along 3 years ago, in garage band but I don't remember having any kind of assign functionality..

wim

I suggest checking out EG Pulse and DigiStix for starters. You don’t need both. They both do similar things, but in slightly different ways. Maybe read up on them, then ask questions here if you have questions as to which would fit your needs best.

I suggest gravitating away from those older apps like FunkBox and DM1. There’s nothing really wrong with them, they’re great apps. But they’re based on outdated technology (Inter-App Audio) that is on it’s way out. Look for apps that support the AUv3 standard. They’ll give you less problems in the long run.

wim

As for organizing your samples. That’s a bit of a grey area on iOS. AudioShare used to be the de-facto standard library for audio related files. That’s not as critical now that iOS has the Files app. You can almost as well just create a folder there and organize your samples there. You end up needing to import them into every app anyway. However, AudioShare does offer better preview of your files and has a recorder and handy basic audio editor. I still use it as my main audio file repository.

(BTW, even though you have to import files into every app separately, they don’t take up more space due to the way iOS handles file storage. The imported files are simply pointers to the original file unless you actually change the file in some permanent way.)

SkEvolver

Hiya, first off, thanks for such a detailed reply. From last to first .. I'm glad to hear the way iOS handles sampling (pointers not duplicates) is a thing! No-one needs dupes!

I hear you on FunkBox.. I used it for a bit, maybe a year ago, then life happened, and only just returning to it. DM1 I bought as it seemed versatile back when I bought it, lots of supplied samples was the attraction for me.

These other 2 you mentioned look pretty well pre-loaded too which is nice to see.

I bought Audioshare when I was getting started a couple years ago but my workflows just didn't use it very much but hey hopefully now I can get some use out of it.

I see a lot of high profile YouTube creators using Beatmaker. And while I'm definitely tempted... It is quite a pricey app for me.

Those 2 apps do look good and I'm drawn by the number of samples they come with, plus it looks like they can assign to the pads I've got.

--i bought an Orca 48pad midi usb device, by a company called Worlde.

-also bought a smaller pad box, AKAI LDP8, which has just 8pads, but hopefully will still have it's uses, the pads areas are bigger than on the Worlde unit, and I think they feel a bit better to play as well.

Before i go and buy one of those 2 apps I will do a little reading is there anything out there just a little more basic, just something only got assigning samples to pads?
Because as cool as these apps look, I have spent rather a lot of money lately!

And, in the process of upgrading to the iPad pro, I sold my old Air1, only to be returned to me the next day a it turns out the Bluetooth doesn't work :-(

audiblevideo

--i bought an Orca 48pad midi usb device, by a company called Worlde

If the controllers midi or pads aren’t up to snuff for you take a look at a similarly priced and buttoned
AkiaMPD218. iOS compatible and bus powered. The Chinese knockoff stuff has some spotty quality control.

https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPD218-Controller-Software/dp/B0116X17JW

wim

@SkEvolver said:
Those 2 apps do look good and I'm drawn by the number of samples they come with, plus it looks like they can assign to the pads I've got.
...
Before i go and buy one of those 2 apps I will do a little reading is there anything out there just a little more basic, just something only got assigning samples to pads?
Because as cool as these apps look, I have spent rather a lot of money lately!

I think there are some apps like that but I don't know which to recommend. You might want to start a separate thread with that question in the title to get a wider response.

SkEvolver

I tell you what would be amazing... A sample app which.. you can point it at your imported samples... And have it randomly assigned samples to pads upon taking a randomiser button.

Imagine how experimental that could be.... You could come across things and combinations of sounds you never expected would work together..

wim

@SkEvolver said:
I tell you what would be amazing... A sample app which.. you can point it at your imported samples... And have it randomly assigned samples to pads upon taking a randomiser button.

Imagine how experimental that could be.... You could come across things and combinations of sounds you never expected would work together..

You might get a kick (pun intended) out of Fractal Bits.

Paulinko

@SkEvolver said:
I tell you what would be amazing... A sample app which.. you can point it at your imported samples... And have it randomly assigned samples to pads upon taking a randomiser button.

Imagine how experimental that could be.... You could come across things and combinations of sounds you never expected would work together..

Look into the blocs wave app as you can store your samples in there and combine them.

SkEvolver

Thanks for all the help guys. I realise I’d gone quiet and forgot to reply to say thanks.