iPad MIDI

[Gil]

Just got an iPad a week ago, and really loving it!

I downloaded a bunch of synths and straight away started making music, it's lots of fun and incredibly intuitive and inspiring. Exactly as any good instrument should be.

I want to integrate the iPad into my live rig, but I'm kind of at a dillema as to which way to go for MIDI. The Line 6 mobilizer looks cool, but most apps don't support it (yet?), including Korg's iMS-20 which is my favourite.

On the other hand, the MIDI via camera connector kit doesn't work with any of the keyboards I own, which means buying another controller and lugging it around to gigs, which would kind of beat the purpose of having such a portable synth in the first place. Most apps do support it though.

So what do you guys suggest? Does anyone know if the iMS-20 will add support for the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer? Or if the CoreMIDI will work with more keyboards in a future update?

[Artemiy]

Congratulations, Gil!

I would put my bet on CoreMIDI, this is a standard feature and thus every iPad user has it, so music app makers will definitely start supporting it. But it depends on each individual manufacturer. In any case, I think there will be more apps out there that support CoreMIDI than those that support the midi mobilizer. The latter, though, has an advantage of connecting to any MIDI gear via normal cables, whereas CoreMIDI needs a USB-capable keyboard that is USB class compliant, i.e. requires no driver. So most Roland keyboards are not in this list.

I'd say, wait and see where your most used apps go.

Good news is that Akai LPK-25 works with CoreMIDI. It's only $70 or so and fits into any bag. Not that great for live performance though, but very useful for sketching on the go.

[Gil]

Hi Art,

Thanks for the advice. Do you have the Akai LPK25?
On the iOS MIDI website there is a list of devices that work with CoreMIDI, and on the list it says "Akai LPK25 (has power issues)".

http://iosmidi.com/devices/

I'm scared of buying something that may or may not work, if you know that it works well for sure then it might be a good solution until there are better options available.

Also, this is listed as a supported device:

http://www.roland.com/products/en/UM-1EX/

Wouldn't that allow me to connect any keyboard to the iPad?

[Artemiy]

Yes I have the LPK-25 but didn't yet get the camera connection kit. I did assume that LPK could have power issues, since iPad's dock might not feed enough into it, and it can't run on batteries.

UM-1EX seems an interesting alternative to Line6 MM, although you have to see which of them, if not both, your desired app supports.

I don't know myself yet, I am waiting for MIDI updates for my most used apps which are iMS-20 and Jasuto Pro. Would ideally prefer to have a battery-powered keyboard connected via USB camera kit, rather than having a more bulky and perhaps to-be-obsolete Line6 MM.

[Gil]

Well, since the UM-1EX would connect to the camera connection kit, I'm assuming it would work with any app that supports CoreMIDI. Am I wrong?

[Artemiy]

Yes, exactly. UM-1EX is USB class compliant, so will work with CoreMIDI.

[kgingeri]

Just for the record (and anyone searching for an answer) I have the LPK25 AKAI, camera kit USB adapter and an iPad running iOS 4.2. This keyboard works great - NO POWER ISSUES so far . It doesn't even seem to draw the battery down too badly.