Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Comments
Hi Guiness2u1 thank you for the advise. I tried it like you explained but unfortunately it is not working. I tried about 15x times with two different cables.... Nothing. With the connection kit and USB hub it is working but this makes the itrack dock useless, at least in combination with the mpk mini mk2. The focusrite support answerd me that they are going to check it out and then probably will put it on the list with not working midi controllers. Akai also answered me this: "The unit should definitely work in a class compliant manner." I must admit that I am a little disappointed as it makes no sense why mpk mk1 works but mk2 doesn't!!! Any experience or more ideas anyone???
@spaffski Sorry to hear it did not work. I also have multiple controllers that work with CCK but not the iTrack. They also work with The Focusrite 2i4. So definitely some issue with the iTrack. I did open a case with Focusrite to explain the issues and the workaround. Not sure if they will be able to provide a fix as it seems like a "closed" piece of hardware.
Hmmm ... no problems with my OP-1 here ...
This looks so great, I use the apogee jam and I'm at a point where I get maybe 40 minutes of use before battery death.
Really curious if video guy is hypothetically recording into two tracks, would be sweet.
My most questionable midi items are my Roland rd-700 piano through my edirol um-1ex and my behringer fcb1010 foot pedal. I'll come back and update if it works with them when I get it.
@thedule You can definitely record into 2 tracks at once - I've had guitar and vocals on separate tracks in Cubasis.
Update: I coudn't get the Akai MPK mini mk2 to work with the itrack dock, i even tried a second mk2 but made no difference. Today I bought the akai mpk mini (mk1) and guess what: didn't work either!!! I went to the store and tried everything the another itrack dock they had, and didn't work either,I returned everything and got money back. I am very sorry because I loved the Itrack dock. Now at home I must admit, that I totally forgot to update the akai mpk mini (mk1) with newest drivers (Me=stupid) Probably I made a mistake with giving back everything. So my question is, if anyone has tried the itrack dock with the akai mpk mini (mk1) for compatibility ???? If yes, I would consider to buy everything again, but from the other side the Itrack dock seems to be still in its baby shoes and maybe the next gen will be finally adult with no midi issues... Hard to tell, what would you do? Thanks so much!!!
Anyone have the iTrack Dock and MPC Element, I plan to buy it for plug in usb midi my Element but I want to know if works...
The focusrite is a good dock. Good audio quality. Lot of controls on front (volume, gain, direct monitoring, lights when signal detected). Regarding midi, there are no midi ports, only a USB port. The USB port works with "class compliant" keyboards that also have usb. That means the keyboard has to be plug and play, no drivers needed. I have a yamaha keyboard. No yamaha keyboard is class compliant because yamaha writes it's own drivers for all its keyboards to communicate over usb. Focusrite's website has a list of compatible keyboards. Solution is easy peasy though: get a midi to usb adapter from m-audio ($35) which is class compliant and is listed on the focusrite website. Of course there should have been midi ports on the dock to avoid this issue but the m-audio midi to usb adapter solves the problem and then you can use any keyboard with midi ports.
@anne Can you send me a link of Focusrite compatible list??
Here you go:
http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/which-usb-midi-devices-can-i-use-with-the-itrack-dock
And the full name of the adapter is:
M-Audio MIDISport Uno
@anne so why didn't work the akai mpk mini mk2 (USB Midi, and class compliant) with the itrack dock?
By the way, don't buy a used M-Audio MIDISport Uno. It has to be made after year 2011.
See this article:
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/FAQ/en404361
Akai says it's keyboard is class compliant. Focusrite tested it and says it works with their dock.
Conclusion: the one poster here who claims otherwise admits he didn't update it. (Not with drivers because it doesn't use drivers, but with the updated firmware, which is listed on the akai website.)
The akai actually looks nice for a compact controller because it is bus powered, meaning it doesn't need an a/c adapter or batteries, but instead it gets its power from the usb host (e.g. the focusrite).
Other possible user error by the poster with the akai:
Make sure the midi cable is hooked up to the correct keyboard midi port. If confused, switch it. That's called "troubleshooting".
Also make all cable connections before powering on the devices (keyboard and dock).
Also "prove" the app on the iPad works in a different setup, e.g. with a different company's dock or midi interface. More troubleshooting.
Well, I'm getting my iTrack Dock swapped on Tuesday because my Arturia Minilab doesn't work with it. It did ONCE on the very first night of use, but since then, nothing. The Minilab is powered by the Dock just fine, it just isn't sending any MIDI at all. Still works fine through a standard lightning connector, though, and Doug's video of how to set up the Dock had a Minilab connected up to it and he had no issues (and he very kindly conducted some tests for me on this matter), so it must be faulty!
Focusrite must be regretting putting in the USB port at all, it seems to have caused them no end of problems!
Another midi to usb adapter that solves the issue of connecting a midi keyboard is the iconnect mio. This was recommended by focusrite tech support and is carried by Guitar Center. It's class compliant, no drivers needed.
@anne i tried ALL of the troubleshootings. it just didn't work with the akai mpk mini mk2, and yeah, it's my fault not updating the newest firmware on the mpk mini (mk1) BUT it didn't work with the mk2, and I really tried everything a thousand times . It is USB B to USB A cable, maybe that's the problem????
The standard USB cable is type A male to type B male. The host (either a computer or an iPad) uses the A end. The device (midi keyboard) uses the B end. As part of standard troubleshooting, to "prove" the cable works, try it with it attached to a different device or host.
I bought an iConnectivity mio at Guitar Center for $35 and it works great to connect my Yamaha stage piano to the Forcusrite iTrack Dock. Love the Dock. Now I can take advantage of all the great iOS apps for keyboards.
Any midi keyboard without midi ports and only a usb port should be plug and play (class compliant). This means it doesn't need drivers (because the industry standard usb class drivers are already built into the operating system of the host computer or iPad). It should work with the Focusrite.
If the keyboard comes with its own usb drivers, its usb port is not class compliant, its not plug and play. But if it also has midi ports, it can connect to the Focusrite via a midi to usb adapter.
Midi ports don't need drivers. Only usb ports need drivers. The issue is whether the usb ports on the midi keyboard use their own drivers or if the keyboard doesn't have usb drivers and instead relies on the built in drivers of the host (computer or iPad).
If you only have midi ports on your keyboard, or midi ports and a usb port that is not class compliant, get an iConnectivity mio or a new M-Audio MIDISport Uno. Both of these adapters will connect your keyboard to the Focusrite (midi ports to usb port), even if the keyboard's usb port is not class compliant.
Could somebody please help!
I've been asking around on forums for advice on a good interface for my 1st Gen iPad Mini, and at the moment the iTrack seems like my safest bet. But what the heck is a Lightning Connection Kit, and how does it work with my iPad and the interface. I know it's a USB hub of some sort, but that's the extent of my knowledge.
Also, are there any better interfaces out there? I will be recording drums with 3 Phantom Powered mics, and all I really need is something that will record into GarageBand with NO feedback. Any advice would be appreciated.
The iTrack Dock only has TWO mic inputs so you won'y be able to record three mics at once. You won't need the Lightning Connection Kit (I think you are referring to the Camera Connection Kit).
Anyone notice that certain apps make the connection between the dock and the ipad crap out a bit?
Several times when running Remaster in the effects slot of AB I have had the connection drop permanently with the message that the device is not supported, or for a few seconds and then reconnect.
recording drums with multiple mics, you can have as many mics as you want, but of course to use more than two at a time with the Focusrite, you'll need an outboard mic preamp or mixer, which then is fed into the Focusrite. Check out the Behringer line to get the job done on a budget.
I'm not sure about an Lightning Connection Kit helping with an older iPad with the older style connection. You just might have to forget the Focusrite because the iTrack Dock I think only works with iPads with the lightning connector.
If the app is finicky, leave feedback or review on the iOS app store and/or contact the company that made the app.
@anne said:
That is really useful info...I like the look of this interface. I have a 5pin din to USB adapter and the apple cck. With this I can connect a spare midi pair on my studio interface to the ipad and control synths etc from Cubase or use one of my hw synths to control by routing through Cubase.
The USB only MIDI was a deal breaker. Can you confirm that the Focusrite works with the adapter connected to a USB MIDI interface that is hooked up to a PC? Or have you just connected direct to a synth?
If what you say above is right, the USB interface, being driven by the PC will present class compliant midi ports to the adapter and it should all work fine.
The Focusrite cannot be connected to a computer.
http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/can-i-connect-the-itrack-dock-to-a-mac-or-pc
The reason for this is because it would be electrically dangerous. In the world of USB, both a computer and the Focusrite are "hosts". That means that both supply "bus power", meaning electricity is flowing from both to a "device", like a midi keyboard. If a Focusrite were connected directly (or though a daisy chain) to a computer via the Focusrite usb port, it could cause a fire.
Of course the audio outs of the Focusrite (good quality) can be connected to an audio interface for the Focusrite to send the audio to the computer.
Or alternatively, you can record into the iPad while docked to the Focusrite and then transfer that digital audio file to the computer when the iPad is connected on its own directly to the computer (via an apple cable)
@anne said:
Cheers for the reply and the info, but that's not quite what I want to do.
I have an esi m8u Xl which has 8 5 din midi pairs. What I'd like to do is connect the USB MIDI adapter cable to the Focusrite and then connect to a pair of MIDI ports on the esi. That way I can use Cubase to route MIDI from my hardware midi instruments on different channels and control multiple synth apps on the ipad.
I'm not looking to hook the Focusrite to the USB input on the computer. From your earlier post I'm thinking the Focusrite will just see the midi ports and it should work. Clearly, I want to be sure before I invest.
I get your point above about the Focusrite sending power, but I am slightly confused...when you hooked up your keyboard via a USB MIDI adaptor I presume you just had two 5 pin dins connected to the keyboard. They won't have sent power, would they?
The USB MIDI adaptor I picked up has a black box which has a couple of in/out LEDs between the USB and the dins. I don't think any power goes past that and into the MIDI ports,
There might be electrical problems with the esi m8u XL.
See this:
"Like most of the other 5 pin MIDI cables on our lineup, Live Wire's cables have male-to-male MIDI connectors with discrete wiring, which means that all five pins are connected. This allows you to use them to power devices with phantom power, though this can cause signal interference. If you plan to use your MIDI connectors to power your MIDI-enabled devices, you should probably choose a different brand. For simple connections, however, these cables perform equally well as the higher-quality products on our lineup."
http://midi-cable-review.toptenreviews.com/live-wire-midi-review.html
I'm not an electrician but it sounds risky.
Here's a little tip about connecting a midi keyboard to your iPad:
Make sure that all iPad apps in the "background" are closed. Double click on the "home" button to bring up all recently used apps and close them.
Why? Because when I tried to use the Garageband app piano, I was hearing synth sounds at the same time. Apparently those extra synth sounds were coming from another app that I had recently opened which was apparently still being triggered via midi even though it was in the background.
Once I closed all the recent apps, and then used the Garageband piano again, all was fine.