Gamepad controller workflows

ohwell

Hey all,

I can’t find a one stop list of resources on workflows for using gamepad controllers with iOS music apps. So I figured I’d start a thread. I’d love suggestions and ideas in the following categories:

• AUv3 hosts that natively support gamepads.
• Auv3s that can add game pad support to hosts.
• Other apps that support gamepad controllers for music use.

In the other category, I can confirm that touchosc has gamepad support.

FizzyLizzy27

I’ve been looking into this as well. So far I’ve found these three.

Musikraken:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/musikraken/id1538781007

Miditrol:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/miditrol/id1504524252

TouchOSC:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/touchosc/id1569996730

I picked up Musikraken and got my Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad sending MIDI via button presses. It was easy to set that much up with the node graphs to map commands. Haven’t had time to test much beyond that, but that got me more giddy than it should have

Have you tried touchosc? I’d be interested in swapping notes.

rs2000

Drambo has Bluetooth Gamepad support too.

I don't think that an AUv3 is allowed to connect to Bluetooth devices.

PapaBPoppin

The 8bitdo Micro controller has 3 input modes. D (direct), S (switch), and K (keyboard emulator)

The keyboard emulator can be setup thru the mobile app

And this dude uses it for his guitar playing

I'm throwing around the idea of using it for additional physical Undo/Rec and select next/last donut for when using launchpad for keys

Ideally, I want an 8bitdo NES keyboard that comes with giant A/B macro buttons. Big undo and record buttons would be dope lol

MonkeyDrummer

This is an interesting topic to me. I’ve always found it interesting that there’s not been more music apps that allowed people to jam out original music like they were playing a game. Where the software took the inputs as sort of a “conductor” as to the performance’s intent, direction, etc. and then the software made it work within a chosen music-theory framework.

What gets me thinking this way is when I’m spending hours tweaking synth and fx sounds… more the sound design side of things…

And then I’ll play video games hours on end, producing nothing of value, but I’ll find myself in the same flow state as the musical one…

I just wish there was something that combined the two… Like the ability to play a game like Lost Souls or Diablo, but the output is a “cool” music jam… And not that canned “beat” crap in Launchpad or the like that use “clips” and “samples”…

It’s too bad Tim’s endless didn’t pan out, but I could see pretty early on it was kinda doomed, mainly because it was too inwardly looking to the musician side of things and less to the “game” side of things.

I guess that’s why I’ve built the WankOTron out of my edrums. It’s as close as I can get.

rototom

@rs2000 said:
Drambo has Bluetooth Gamepad support too.

did you try?
and if, which gamepad did you use?

rs2000

@rototom said:

@rs2000 said:
Drambo has Bluetooth Gamepad support too.

did you try?
and if, which gamepad did you use?

Sure, I have a few of these super cheap chinese ones with joystick and 8 buttons.
I've only tried keyboard emulation mode and that worked instantly in MIDI mapping.
I've also used it on my motorcycle btw, to scroll through the navigation map and zoom in/out with gloves on...

PapaBPoppin

@rs2000 said:

@rototom said:

@rs2000 said:
Drambo has Bluetooth Gamepad support too.

did you try?
and if, which gamepad did you use?

Sure, I have a few of these super cheap chinese ones with joystick and 8 buttons.
I've only tried keyboard emulation mode and that worked instantly in MIDI mapping.
I've also used it on my motorcycle btw, to scroll through the navigation map and zoom in/out with gloves on...

Ooooo!! I hadn't thought of this for midi control!!

I bought one in hopes of using it for bullet-heaven (vampire survivors-like) games on android. Downside, keyboard emulation (setting the stick to keyboard arrows or wasd) doesn't do a continuous hold! It just presses the key and releases, so walking was like an 8-bit grid based RPG. Hit a direction, move a square and stop. Very weird feeling for a game with free movement (aaaaand practically unplayable 😐)

Youay have given life to this $5 piece of dust collecting hardware 😅

rs2000

@PapaBPoppin said:

@rs2000 said:

@rototom said:

@rs2000 said:
Drambo has Bluetooth Gamepad support too.

did you try?
and if, which gamepad did you use?

Sure, I have a few of these super cheap chinese ones with joystick and 8 buttons.
I've only tried keyboard emulation mode and that worked instantly in MIDI mapping.
I've also used it on my motorcycle btw, to scroll through the navigation map and zoom in/out with gloves on...

Ooooo!! I hadn't thought of this for midi control!!

I bought one in hopes of using it for bullet-heaven (vampire survivors-like) games on android. Downside, keyboard emulation (setting the stick to keyboard arrows or wasd) doesn't do a continuous hold! It just presses the key and releases, so walking was like an 8-bit grid based RPG. Hit a direction, move a square and stop. Very weird feeling for a game with free movement (aaaaand practically unplayable 😐)

Youay have given life to this $5 piece of dust collecting hardware 😅

Nice!

FizzyLizzy27

Splatoon 2 set me off on this rabbit hole. In the lobby for matchmaking, there’s a song that plays and the game allows you to control pitch, add sound effects, and change timing by using the triggers, sticks, and buttons. Trying to get a similar jam going using a Joy Con, Pro Controller, or PS4 controller.

Speaking of, I have a Dualshock 4 I want to use but I’m pretty sure I need to do a firmware update on the gamepad. Does anyone know how to do so without a Playstation system? I tried downloading and running the Playstation accessories app, but it seems to only work for Dualsense controllers.

rototom

@rs2000 and @PapaBPoppin
where did you set the gamepad to keyboard emulation mode?
in system settings?

pigdog237

This is interesting. I've got an 8bitDo - might have to give it a try!

What I would really like to do, is get my old Beatles Rock Band drumkit working with my iPad. Is that possible!?

FizzyLizzy27

@pigdog237 said:
This is interesting. I've got an 8bitDo - might have to give it a try!

What I would really like to do, is get my old Beatles Rock Band drumkit working with my iPad. Is that possible!?

The original guitar hero trilogy controllers were just gamepads in the shape of a guitar. You can use it as a normal controller outside of the game and vice versa. I’d imagine the drums for RB work the same.

FizzyLizzy27

I have the following controllers to test:
DualShock 3
DualShock 4
DualSense [currently broken]
Xbox Series
OG Xbox Slim*
Xbox 360
8bitdo N30 Pro
Switch Pro Controllers
Nintendo Joy Cons
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! Drum Set*
Wiimote
Wii Classic Controller
Steam Controller

• USB connection only

I’m sure some won’t work without some serious legwork or jailbreaking. I’ll test a few and report back.

rs2000

@rototom said:
@rs2000 and @PapaBPoppin
where did you set the gamepad to keyboard emulation mode?
in system settings?

Here's the manual of the little bugger. It's a button combo.
Not sure which one worked, it's a while ago, but you'll find out 😊

rototom

thanks @rs2000
i got this here:

for my iphone 6s and i got touchosc and it seems to work.
but then, i found the thing covers the headphone jack:)

tyslothrop1

@rototom said:
thanks @rs2000
i got this here:

for my iphone 6s and i got touchosc and it seems to work.
but then, i found the thing covers the headphone jack:)

Is it one of those telescope-controllers? Maybe rotate the phone?

rototom

yes, it is.
and it hooks on the lightning port.
so it's landscape only, i'm afraid.

tyslothrop1

It says universal controller... Is there an optional Bluetooth mode maybe?

Edit: Ah sorry universal for iPhone...