Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING

Lakef
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Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 1, 2020 20:06:49 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 1, 2020 20:06:49 GMT

Hi Folks!

I really need some help!

After some long research without any result i could really grab on, because every thread/tutorial etc. around this theme I found in the WWW is always about solutions involving a PC and or external DAW for routing/networking.

The last few days, since i got my iRig Midi (1) interface, I was experimentig with the usabilty of my ipad mini 2 as a standalone midicontroller for the AE.

My main goal is to use the iPad as a midi sequencer, and to have some keys or pads or X/Y pads available at the same time to tweak the pitchbend or something like that while the programmed sequence is playing. (WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL DAW OR COMPUTER INVOLVED)

At first it was really fun but now it gets frustrating. Not because of the AE. More because of the Midirouting of ios.

There are tons of options in the Appstore and I`m starting to get overwehlmed by the information...

At the moment I got 5 apps which work partically:

-MidiWrench(Free)

Got a Keyboard that works right away and puts out gate signals but its way to small. Good for some testing but not more.

-sequencism(Free)

So far the best I´ve tryed.Setting up connection is easy. It puts out gate and clock signals and the AE can read them.

Then you have grid where you can easily put in all the notes and where you are even able to a just the number of grdparts you want to use.

There are also a lot of important parameters you can adjust, like bpm and divisions and looping.

Even tho the surface isn`t the best looking, for a free app its pretty neat.

But there is one mayor Problem I havewith this app.

If I`m trying to programm a sequence with the same notes it just sounds like there is one note played because the gate signal only triggers again if another note is played.

Of course there are ways to work around that musically but I would really prefer if I could choose if there is a retrigger or not.(For example to programm a deep monoton basesline isnt really possible like that).

-TouchOSC (5,49€)

This one is really frustrating. I already got TouchViz from Hexler and I love it because it`s so simple and effective.

But TouchOSC is totally different.

In the Appstore its advertised as midicotnroler, that could basically control everything. Also hardware synths.

So I got it. And then....I got lost...

You can design your own control layouts in a free editor, but sadly even tho the app is on the market for a pretty long time now there are not that much user created layouts to experiment with besides the standard presets of the app. And the online manual is totally condusing for me, because it doesn´t really explain anythin, it just showas what you can see in the ap/editor anyways and where to find it.

The only layout I got to work with the AE is a `keys`layout and some pitchbending controls.

The keys work nice, but the pitchbending is totally bananas...just hops from minimum to maximum range if i use it on a control.

And I can`t find a way to let it put out a clock signal....so there is no way I´m abled to design my own sequencer in the editor, butthats what i orignally bought it for.

I wanted to use this app in conjunction with AUM to also controll other apps while I`m controlling the AE. But now that it doesnt work like I thought, I´m hesitating to buy AUM or any other app...or do I need AUM to make it work like I wanted?

Did i get the field use of this app so wrong?

-MOOG Model 15 (ca.30€)

Can use the Keys and put out gate signals this way.Pitchbend wheel is also useable. But i didnt intended using this app for midi control anyways when I bought it. Just adding it for the record.

-midimittr (free)

For midi routing only....but i dont really get it I think...

This is a list of apps (1) Im considering/ (2) I already have / (3) and I like to avoid:

1.

Thesys(in favorite list)

Rozeta Sequencer Suite (in favorite list)
Mozaic Plugin Workshop (in favorite list)

modstep
Genome
Fugue Machine
Steps
StepBud
Korg Gadget
Sonic Lab (couldn`t find the page ....maybe the name is a bit different)
midiSequencer

Quantum Sequencer
Xequence2 (in favorite list)
PolyPhase

Step Sequencer

Audiobus
AUM(in favorite list)

--------------

2.

sequencism
TouchOsc
MidiWrench
MOOG Model15

midimittr

--------------

3.

Garageband

So here I am now.....I don`t know what to do to achieve what I want and its even hard to describe everything because my brain is so flooded with all this information about these control and midi routing apps.

At this point I cant make a valid decision while I got only 23€ left on my appstore account.

And I really want to avoid to buy some software i will end up not using.

Allready got the feeling that purchasing TouchOSC was the wrong decision.

Maybe some of you got expirience with iPads as standalone midi source for the AE (or other analog hardware)? Without involving a external DAW or a computer!!!

<3 fresh dildomiami

(PS:Will add some small vids later or tomorrow showing what I was already abled to achieve!!!!)

(PPS: Will add a multimidichannel module to the wish list. Would be pretty awesome to send diffrent midi data to control VCO´s etc. idependently over dirffrent channels.)

<3

NightMachines
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Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 1, 2020 20:43:21 GMT Lakef likes this

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Post by NightMachines on Mar 1, 2020 20:43:21 GMT

Regarding a few apps:

AUM: Should be on every iOS device. It’s one of the best music apps for audio and MIDI routing. Buy it

Genome: Capable sequencer, but I don’t like the interface.

Cubasis: This is a really well made DAW which is easy to use. I’ve mastered all of my music releases with it for over a year now and I also sequenced, recorded and mastered my AETHER WAVES Vol. 1 track with that app alone and a Zoom U-24 USB audio/MIDI interface connected to my AE Modular.

MIDI Designer Pro: if you want to build your own MIDI controller then this is a great way to do it. It’s not cheap and has a learning curve, but you can create amazing touch interfaces (keyboards, sliders, dials, etc.) with it.

EDIT: Also a must-have is AudioShare for organizing, converting, trimming and sharing recordings in my opinion.

Last Edit: Mar 1, 2020 20:46:45 GMT by NightMachines

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Lakef
Junior Member

Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 1, 2020 21:36:00 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 1, 2020 21:36:00 GMT

Mar 1, 2020 20:43:21 GMT NightMachines said:

Regarding a few apps:

AUM: Should be on every iOS device. It’s one of the best music apps for audio and MIDI routing. Buy it

Genome: Capable sequencer, but I don’t like the interface.

Cubasis: This is a really well made DAW which is easy to use. I’ve mastered all of my music releases with it for over a year now and I also sequenced, recorded and mastered my AETHER WAVES Vol. 1 track with that app alone and a Zoom U-24 USB audio/MIDI interface connected to my AE Modular.

MIDI Designer Pro: if you want to build your own MIDI controller then this is a great way to do it. It’s not cheap and has a learning curve, but you can create amazing touch interfaces (keyboards, sliders, dials, etc.) with it.

EDIT: Also a must-have is AudioShare for organizing, converting, trimming and sharing recordings in my opinion.

Thanks for the reply!!!

AUM: I think youre right. I should just buy it i`ll need it anyways

. Do you think its better than Audiobus? It seems more powerful and versatile to me.

Genome: Thanks for the suggestion on this one!

Cubasis:Also read a lot about this already. Seems even more apealing now that you told me that you even used it for mastering! Respect!

Yout think it will also work with my iRig Midi (1) interface in terms of controlling the AE?

MIDI Designer Pro: Thanks! will definitly have a look at this one if I´m not abled to get further with TouchOSC.

And about Audioshare: I love this App. One of the first paid Music app I got. Its super sweet for small jam recordings, or cutting and organizing samples for the volca sample in conjunction with caustic editor for iphone.

<3

NightMachines
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Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 1, 2020 22:11:01 GMT Lakef likes this

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Post by NightMachines on Mar 1, 2020 22:11:01 GMT

I haven’t used Audiobus in years since I switched to AUM. But Audiobus definitely has also been enhanced since then, so it might be on par.

Cubasis will certainly let you MIDI sequence the AE Modular through the iRig. There’s a customizable on-screen keyboard and of course typical DAW sequencer tracks.

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101
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Posts: 464

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 2, 2020 8:00:54 GMT Lakef likes this

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Post by 101 on Mar 2, 2020 8:00:54 GMT

I've used THESYS before on PC and found it to be pretty good. It's a shame they don't make Renoise for iPad/android as that's the midi gold standard for me. I like just using a Keystep for midi trigs now though. I also use the midi sequencer on the behringer Crave, both of which the sequences can be backed up and restored to the devices with a PC.

As an aside I think ease of reconstruction after equipment failure is generally a good ethos with midi files and sequences. Not that I'm planning to play the Albert hall or anything

Lakef
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Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 2, 2020 21:40:37 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 2, 2020 21:40:37 GMT

Mar 1, 2020 22:11:01 GMT NightMachines said:

I haven’t used Audiobus in years since I switched to AUM. But Audiobus definitely has also been enhanced since then, so it might be on par.

Cubasis will certainly let you MIDI sequence the AE Modular through the iRig. There’s a customizable on-screen keyboard and of course typical DAW sequencer tracks.

Nice. Got AUM now. And found some info that its possible to control it with TouchOsc

Let‘s see where this will lead ^^

And thx for the additional info about Cubasis! I‘ll have a look at it when I got more into the other apps

<3

Lakef
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Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 2, 2020 21:52:55 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 2, 2020 21:52:55 GMT

Mar 2, 2020 8:00:54 GMT 101 said:

I've used THESYS before on PC and found it to be pretty good. It's a shame they don't make Renoise for iPad/android as that's the midi gold standard for me. I like just using a Keystep for midi trigs now though. I also use the midi sequencer on the behringer Crave, both of which the sequences can be backed up and restored to the devices with a PC.

As an aside I think ease of reconstruction after equipment failure is generally a good ethos with midi files and sequences. Not that I'm planning to play the Albert hall or anything

Ah nice, I read about Thesys that it originally was created as plugin for pc and hoped to hear something about it here

May I ask how long you habe been using it and what you like most about it?
The tweaking possibilties of running sequences sounded good in the app describtion....are they that good? also for performing or jamming?
Would be really interesting because its already on my favorite list, because i thought something that already has been around before the app era would be more reliable in terms of continuos dev support aaaand because I LOVE the look of it...reminds me somehow of the old Command&Conquer or Starcraft interfaces or something like that XD

And that sequence backup option for the crave sounds pretty neat. I dont have one. But a good friend of mine. I‘ll definitely tell him about this!!!

<3

<3

rodney
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Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 3, 2020 10:17:04 GMT Lakef likes this

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Post by rodney on Mar 3, 2020 10:17:04 GMT

Now my kid has started high-school and has his own phone and laptop, suddenly I get to see my iPad pro sitting unused again! Soooooo... I will probably head down this rabbit-hole again very soon.

I was using Audiobus a lot a year or two ago. I'll see what it does these days and report back. I think I have the Phaedra sequencer somewhere. with a name like that, it must be good, right?

MIDI routing is my first problem to solve too. I have a little Roland USB audio and MIDI box that works with the ipad. Nice thing about it is that it can take two AA batteries so it doesn't need USB power from the iPad (not gonna happen) and it works via the iPad Camera Connection Kit (USB to Lightning).

anyway, I'll let you know what I find as I go.

I should probably be asleep

101
Senior Member

Posts: 464

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 5, 2020 15:00:14 GMT Lakef likes this

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Post by 101 on Mar 5, 2020 15:00:14 GMT

Mar 2, 2020 21:52:55 GMT Lakef said:

Mar 2, 2020 8:00:54 GMT 101 said:

I've used THESYS before on PC and found it to be pretty good. It's a shame they don't make Renoise for iPad/android as that's the midi gold standard for me. I like just using a Keystep for midi trigs now though. I also use the midi sequencer on the behringer Crave, both of which the sequences can be backed up and restored to the devices with a PC.

As an aside I think ease of reconstruction after equipment failure is generally a good ethos with midi files and sequences. Not that I'm planning to play the Albert hall or anything

Ah nice, I read about Thesys that it originally was created as plugin for pc and hoped to hear something about it here

May I ask how long you habe been using it and what you like most about it?
The tweaking possibilties of running sequences sounded good in the app describtion....are they that good? also for performing or jamming?
Would be really interesting because its already on my favorite list, because i thought something that already has been around before the app era would be more reliable in terms of continuos dev support aaaand because I LOVE the look of it...reminds me somehow of the old Command&Conquer or Starcraft interfaces or something like that XD

And that sequence backup option for the crave sounds pretty neat. I dont have one. But a good friend of mine. I‘ll definitely tell him about this!!!

<3

Re: THESYS - I still have it on my PC. I used to use it with AudioMulch when I was looking for a VST midi sequencer. It's pretty good. You can use it to chain patterns together as well, for a kind of song mode. I'd recommend it definitely. Much better than pushing squares to make midi sequences. If you could get it working on an ipad it's a very powerful tool. I think the newer version has multi channel midi support.

Lakef
Junior Member

Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 5, 2020 21:16:57 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 5, 2020 21:16:57 GMT

Thank you for all these suggestions already!

I‘m making babysteps but i think I‘m getting in the right direction.

One mayor thing I achieved is, that I found a way to retrigger steps ,send from sequencism, which have the same note!
Just sended a signal from the step10 (which I drive with the bus gate while feeding in midi) trigger or trigger invert out to the sync in of the VCO and BAMM there i got my bassline

But if I‘m trying to do the same trick with one of the osc‘s on the 2osc module it wont work.... no retrigger on same notes.
I‘ll continue to fiddle and see if its possible to up some vids of it this weekend!

<3

Lakef
Junior Member

Posts: 64

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 5, 2020 21:18:36 GMT

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Post by Lakef on Mar 5, 2020 21:18:36 GMT

Mar 3, 2020 10:17:04 GMT rodney said:

Now my kid has started high-school and has his own phone and laptop, suddenly I get to see my iPad pro sitting unused again! Soooooo... I will probably head down this rabbit-hole again very soon.

I was using Audiobus a lot a year or two ago. I'll see what it does these days and report back. I think I have the Phaedra sequencer somewhere. with a name like that, it must be good, right?

MIDI routing is my first problem to solve too. I have a little Roland USB audio and MIDI box that works with the ipad. Nice thing about it is that it can take two AA batteries so it doesn't need USB power from the iPad (not gonna happen) and it works via the iPad Camera Connection Kit (USB to Lightning).

anyway, I'll let you know what I find as I go.

Nice looking forward to hear about your experiences!

<3

persy
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Posts: 24

Midi from iPad into AE WITHOUTexternal DAW OR PC NETWORKING Mar 6, 2020 7:31:02 GMT via mobile

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Post by persy on Mar 6, 2020 7:31:02 GMT

ape matrix and aum are the 2 best imo. dont bother with audiobus.

i've used beat maker 3 and patterning 2. both can both be used to sequence external hardware. choosing a sequencing app can also depend on what type of music you are going to be making.