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Oh no, not another Bluetooth MIDI Controller Thread (Solved!)
Okay, so I spent about an hour searching the forum for what Bluetooth MIDI Controllers are out there already, as well as Google, Sweetwater, and Amazon, and I really couldn't find the specific answer I'm looking for.
Last month, I purchased a Korg Nanokey Studio, and lo and behold it's unable to connect to my iPad Mini 7 without requiring a firmware update (which requires a laptop I no longer have). These are the features I'm looking for in a MIDI controller...
It does NOT require a laptop/desktop to install a firmware update in order to connect to my iPad Mini 7 on iOS 18.1.1. I want it to work right out of the box, no laptop/desktop required.
A 2-octave keyboard range is ideal. A little larger keyboard range is fine, but I'm looking for a nice range for the purpose of noodling and coming up with new music ideas, not for performing concert music.
At least 8 knobs and/or sliders.
Bonus - A rechargable battery is preferred (the Korg Nanokey Studio requires two AAA batteries, which I'm not really a fan of).
Any help is definitely appreciated. I'm not going to jump and purchase the first controller recommended but rather looking for a list of recommendations. Thanks in advance.
Comments
My recommendation.
That actually looks great.
I'm going to put that at the top of my list. I'll see what other recommendations come in, but I feel we may have a winner. Thanks mate. 
I have the mvave but you need the cubesuite app to map the CC and honestly it isn’t very flexible. I haven’t tried for a long while so i forgot the process..
Also the pads on it suck big time.
This is my trying to figure it out in the discord server.
So if you want to change the MIDI out to control different instruments in different channels in aum you have create presets for each MIDI out. Its not my thing lol i never use it for anything complicated
Dang, well that sucks. Then again I'm not necessarily looking to map the CC, just use MIDI learn and mess with the knobs that way.
That said, which controller do you use/would recommend that would work straight out of the box?
Holy smokes, well that doesn't necessarily seem all that helpful, lol.
I’m going to test it right now to see if you can even use MIDI learn. I’ll report back.
Sounds good mate. I appreciate the effort.
No problem man! OK it did let me MIDI learn the knobs in AUM with iSEM so that’s good haha.
However if you want to change MIDI channel from 1 to 2 or anything you have to create a preset and save it to the preset banks on the pads. I originally set up 8 presets, each one is just to change MIDI out channels 1-8. Once you do that with cubesuite, which is free on iOS, you are good to go.
I’m not really a keyboard player i need scaler 2 or rozeta scaler to keep me in key haha i use the this.is.noise midi controller. Its very small and is twice the price. And only has 2 knobs. So its not as big but since i travel a lot its my go to.
I think the mvave is fine for what you want, just make sure you can return it if you don’t like it’
Wait? Cubesuite is free on iOS? Well, that settles it then. M-Vave it is!
And thanks again for testing the M-Vave mate. Looks like a decent controller. Maybe the drumpads suck, but mostly using it for the keyboard and knobs.
Yup its free on iOS and connects via Bluetooth to your controller so its not a hard process!
No problem man! Happy to help another iOSer ! Its a decent controller for the price and dosent feel like it’ll fall apart or anything haha.
I think i got mine on amazon for about 40$ usd
Did you buy your NanoKEY Studio used on EBay or something? Only very old NanoKEY Studios should need a firmware update.
I'm thinking you should be able get that thing working with your Mini 7. What have you tried?
Not a bad price. Nice! Financed mine through affirm loan. It was about $89, so about $17/month for 6 months with less than 10 quid interest.
(Of course mine is new.)
I bought the NKS new from Amazon. I've tried basically everything. I reset my iPad. I tried various ways to connect with no success. I told Korg customer support my issue (I'm on iOS 18.1.1, can't connect, don't have a laptop), and their answer? "Maybe borrow a friend's laptop." Are they quite serious?
I didn't return it yet due to this time of year being extremely busy for me, but I have until 31 Jan 2025 to return it, which I do plan to do once the dust settles from the busy holiday season.
I'm reasonably sure there's a way to get it working if you care to take the time to methodically work through it in this or another thread. I really doubt it's a firmware issue. It's been years since the NKS has had needed that particular firmware update that fixed an issue from some long past iOS update.
Given that if I was going to buy a controller today, I'd go with the SMK over the NKS anyway, it's probably not worth it to bother. But the offer is there if you care to look into it.
Right, I don't think the NKS is worth the bother sad to say. The SMK I ordered hopefully will work out.
You took out a loan for $89? 😧
Regardless of how you phrase it, you still paid at least 10% in interest on that my friend.
I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread cause i too, don’t have a computer and have been keeping an eye on BT controllers similar to what you want, for months now.
It's roughly 10% interest, which isn't all that bad to be fair. Had to do it like this given it's the holiday season, meaning buying gifts for others and such. So don't have the full $89 to spare at this time.
Alrighty. I'll be reporting back once I get the M-Vave on Monday.
You did install this app right?
https://apps.apple.com/de/app/bluetooth-midi-connect/id1108321791?l=en-GB
Shouldn't be needed.
Anyway, he's moved on from the NKS.
well, I needed to install the app in order to make it work
so, I would say its needed
I actually wasn't aware of that app, and that's a method I indeed haven't tried yet. Will report back.
Holy shit! It works in NS2 and AUM?! 😱 How tf didn't I know about this utility app sooner? Man, you just saved me from having to return an otherwise solid controller mate. Thank you so much for that. (Sometimes I do need the obvious pointed out to me.)
Verdict: I'm keeping my NKS, and will keep my SMK as well. Should be nothing wrong with two controllers to be fair. One can be my "at home" controller, and the other can be my portable.
Edit: Pseudophysics - 1, Korg's "Helpful" Support - 0
I really don't understand why using that utility is necessary. I do not use it at all since eight years and three iPads later. But whatever works, works. 🤷🏼♂️
I really don't understand it either, but I tried everything else to get the NKS to connect to no avail. Unless you used a laptop to update the NKS' firmware regularly? That'd probably be the main difference. But now my NKS works on my iPad. This is a "game changier", lol.
glad, I could be of help
If it isn’t working in native mode for Gadget and Electribe Wave you are missing out on its superpowers… 👍
dunno, what you mean by that. once, the app is installed you don't need to open it or anything in order to use the controller. it just works 'natively'
I believe ZZ means it just works natively in Gadget and Electribe Wave. My issue was with the initial connection to my iPad. Now it just works like a dream!
I thought JWM was saying it was only working for him in AUM and NS2. To me the magic of the NKS is the auto-mapping in native mode with Gadget and Electribe Wave.
Great to hear you got it working. 👍
Not sure whether you use the scale feature in Gadget but that works automatically with the NKS, on top of the auto mapping of the knobs.
Thanks mate.
Beautiful! I gotta try that!
Oh those are all I tested the NKS in so far. I'm on break during my live piano gig. After I'm back home, I will mess with the NKS in other apps.