I'm hoping to connect my iPad pro to the PC and control Kontakt hosted VST instruments (guitar, keyboard, drums, etc.
Is there a way, wired midi or wireless, to do this?
I've tried so many google searches, but my wording must not be correct, because I can't find anything that really matches up to want I want (save for acting as a mandolin/accordion 'only' interface. Close, but but no accordions for me!) If i'm needing special hardware/software/Apps, that's totally cool! I just need to know how to go about it, if its possible.


Hardware I actually have:
iPad pro 10.5 w/IOS 11.4 w/newer camera kit
Windows based PC running 10 & latest updates (high end PC. not worrying cpu\ram)
More USB ports than I can shake a stick at (14 USB ports, 8 via 2 add on USB controller cards running their own bus.)
Nektar LX49+ w/ sustain petal
Behringer XENYX Q902 USB mixer

Software:
BitWig Studio
Kontakt 5.8

I'm sorry is this isn't worded correctly, if I haven't given enough info, or if this is a well known conundrum. Google is only as powerful as the search I give it, and I'm sure I'm just not giving it the right keywords to end my search. :/

Thank you!
Mac

 

I used Thumbjam in IOS into rtpMIDI to do midi over wifi through Reaper into a vsti with some success. Thumbjam is pretty awesome as a midi controller. some latency, but the Zendrix preset was pretty sweet to side by side the audio out n midi out. bends by tilting the device as you play.

OH and I'm fairly certain Loopbe was in between there somewhere, also, though I'm not certain where.

 

Last edited: Aug 23, 2018

edited: sorry studiomux is not what you need the easiest way to do this is use duet
ok kind of confused as to what you want so third edit

studiomux is if you want to send midi from/to ipad to daw
duet mirrors/extends your screen on your computer to your ipad so you can use your ipad as a touch monitor
third is vcontrol pro 1
gives you faders and vst/vsti control.

 

Please be more specific what you mean with "mandolin/accordion 'only' interface". This can be all and nothing.

 

liine Lemur is the most configurable but you really need to spend time learning the syntax if you want to use it to it’s fullest potential and not just the user created templates. If you know HTML, you can make some really interactive controls. This is a MIDI/OSC controller.

Composer Tools Pro is simpler to use and has awesome keyswitching capabilities if you’re going to be using Kontakt. It doesn’t have the range of Lemur but you may not need all that. It’s default templates access your DAW’s controls right out of the box (something you’d have to configure yourself in Lemur).

Metagrid isn’t just for audio production but it is MIDI capable and has some interesting functions like macros and virtual hot keys for keyboard shortcuts.

I usually use Lemur and Composer Tools Pro on separate iPads but they play surprisingly well with each other. If you can and it’s supported by your software/hardware, use OSC over MIDI.

TC-Data is more experimental and insanely configurable. With a little setup you can do some cool things with Kontakt instruments and this. Check out the Configuration Settings screens on their website to see the abundance of config options.This is a MIDI/OSC controller. Almost as powerful as Lemur but without needing to script anything.

All these can be used wired or wireless and simultaneously depending on your host and iOS setup.

You know, I googled your thread title verbatim and got relevant results.

 

what exactly do you want to do? what is the DAW in question?

there are different approaches to this,
you can build your own interface, or use pre-made ones that simulates all kinds of controllers that are available on the market.
with the same limitations as the real ones. (integration wise)

the usual suspects are Lemur, and TouchOSC.

theres also this new kid on the block: Open Stage Control


then there are dedicated apps which are the best solution, but dunno what your daw is.

or use it just as an additional touchscreen monitor with Duet

 

so its bitwig, then Open stage control is the best bet:

he makes the template and script for bitwig and explains everything step by step in 3 videos.
the best part, its all free

you basically run a software on your pc and then insert a specific ip address in your iPad browser.

Open Stage control

the scripts

 

Thank you everyone for your replies!! I'll get a chance to look at them later when off work! I'm excited to your thoughts and ideas!!

Apologies. This is via an app called trapezoid midi.

You notice that he is playing the Kontakt based instrument with his iPad. I would like to do similar, except for guitars, drums, etc. Essentially using the iPad as a midi keyboard, or drum pad, or or or...

Edit... Also, trapezoid midi isn't even being found by me in the app store. I'm guessing it hasn't been updated yet, and apple is hiding it for 11.x users. :/

 

Listen, I really appreciate your trying to help, but that's not what I'm looking for. So as I said, my wording was incorrect in seqrching,.
I'm not looking for a tool extension. I'm wanting to use the iPad as an instrument. To strum. Drum. Etc. I hope to find a way for it to interact with Kontact as my midi keyboard does. I'm hoping the YouTube link above shines a brighter light on it.
But I really appreciate your taking the time to look things up and post them. Really!
My best,
Mac.

 

Forgive me and my smart-ass nature. I don’t realize it’s happening until I get called out on it.
Looks like he renamed them. The one in the video, I believe, is now called: D550 MIDI – Hammered Dulcimer MIDI Controller
Check out his site: http://AppCordions.com

Edit - That’s not it. It’s this one: Trapezoid - Hammered Dulcimer by Michael Eskin
I’m on iOS 11.4

 

Last edited: Aug 23, 2018

basically this thing shown in the video is a midi controller.

not sure if the Trapezoid works as a midi controller, theres nothing in the description that states that.
(maybe it was back then)
but the d550 is and will work with any instrument since its ordinary midi.
maybe send him a mail and ask before spending money.

there are ways to use this wired or wireless, on macs you can use the normal charging cable, i guess this is also possible on windows.

if you can't find the app maybe you have your search results set to iPhone only ?

just type in the developers name (Michael Eskin), then in the list of iPad apps scroll till you find it.

lemur and touchOSC have some basic layouts included with drumpads, keys and the like, and of course you can make your own.
there are strum layouts in the user library of lemur, but a dedicated app for strums probably runs better.

 

OK. So the most powerful solution is Liine Lemur. You can define all kinds of tap- and slide-sensitive shapes and add intelligence by writing scripts.
Advantage: Very powerful
Disadvantage: You need some time to learn writing those scripts and understanding how everything works.
The main sources of information are the manual and the many free creations from the user library that you can "reverse-engineer" to learn from them.
Download the user manual and read some .jzml files (which is an XML variant) that you can download after registering with www.liine.net.

Another nice solution is TBMidiStuff (http://www.thiburce.com/TBStuff). Not as deep as Lemur but powerful nonetheless, with tapping and sliding gestures available too.
A great advantage of TBMidiStuff is that you can import your own graphics for a UI, making it a potential platform for creating a controller like the one you've linked to for yourself.
It's easier to learn than Lemur and there's a library of free user creations available too.
It's much cheaper than Lemur too.
Advantage/Disadvantage: Works best on an old iPad 1 or iPad 2. Running it on later iOS versions than v10.x seems somewhat unstable, as Apple has again changed a lot of stuff in iOS11.

There's also a number of free control apps on the appstore:
- n-Keyboards by n-Track: A virtual keyboard with pitch bend, modwheel etc.
- MIDIMan by Felix Nievelstein
- expressionPad MIDI/Synth
- Control (OSC+MIDI)
- Launch Buttons (Live Control)
- Midi Controller Free
- And not the least the free MobMuPlat which lets you import graphics and define buttons/knobs/sliders above them, see the included examples.

If you want to build a rather intelligent strumming engine that acts just the way you want it to, I guess you'll end up with Lemur eventually.

 

Last edited: Aug 23, 2018

You are correct, though the D550 Looks more up to the task. I bought it and will try it later this evening and let you know.
And no worries on anything... I can be a smart ass as well. ;) I just don't want one thinking that I didn't perform my due diligence before asking anyone else for help. That will burn my proverbial bridges quickly! ;)

Thank you again!!

 

Thanks very much! I will absolutely read up on it! I didn't even know of is existence. I really appreciate your taking the time!!

EDIT: Actually, I bought it as well. Best way to learn is to do, amiright? ;)

 

Last edited: Aug 23, 2018

Not what I was looking for, but very intriguing find, nevertheless!! Thank you!

 

on mac we have direct connection via the usb. cable, but for pc i would suggest or. studiomux and studiomidi. or. buy a Iconnect midi 2. device. (80ish euro). and problem solved

 

Yes, and don't give up, it's not easy as Lemur always expects you to follow the scripting language syntax exactly, but it's an insanely powerful system supporting multiple pages and even custom redraws of the UI.
Be sure to check out some creations from the user library first, to get an impression about what's possible.
Good examples: The blofeld DT 2015 editor, STRUM, PADMA, TONNETZ, MINIKEYS_AND_NOTEGEN, KEYPAD, FLAPPY LEMUR! ...

 

If timing is not too critical, one can try rtpMIDI over WiFi first. Free and no cables involved

 

There’s lots of ways to do this.
I prefer Midi Designer for just midi controls.
But the most advanced option is Liine Lemur, that does midi and osc.
Then there is other osc and midi option Touch OSC. There’s Osculatur. Some Kontakt instruments actually come with an OSC layout.
Just go on the iOS App Store and search midi controller. There’s lots of them. I think midi designer is the easiest to design your own custom layout.

 

@nobodyspecial I've raved about studiomux/MIDI before. It's capable of so much but for me, the ability to use my iPad as a pseudo-hardware, touch-screen FX unit with multiple channels (for audio and MIDI) is indispensable.
With studiomux I can use my iPads as touch-enabled send/return busses and mixers. I also have an iPad dedicated to sequencing running modstep. This is, IMHO, the greatest software MIDI sequencer ever created. Unless you count actual DAWs.