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.

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Problem with the iPad/CCK/MIDI controller: receiving signal, not making sound

I have an iPad mini running iOS 7.0.4 and the Lightning-to-USB CCK. I also use an app called MIDI Wrench, just to make sure that the iPad is receiving MIDI and it shows that my controller is plugged in. So when I plug the controller (an M-Audio Venom, which is 9V DC-powered) into the CCK, and strike some keys, MIDI Wrench shows me that it is in fact receiving MIDI. All is normal.

When I switch to an app, like Gadget in this case, it doesn't make sound when I play. If I press directly on the keys-on-screen, it still doesn't make sound. This is true with all of my instrument apps.

If I unplug the CCK, the on-screen keyboard works; plug it back in, it doesn't. I unplugged the USB cable from the CCK, and left the CCK in the iPad - the instruments worked (via the on-screen keyboard). I plugged it back in, and they didn't. I turned off the Venom while everything was plugged in - the instruments worked (via the on-screen keyboard). I turned it back on, and they stopped making sound.

This setup has worked for me before, it's just been a few months since I've used it - Gadget sparked my interest in iPad softsynths yet again. I've had it working with all of my instrument apps before, so why not now? What is going on?

Comments

  • edited February 2014

    I wondered about the power issue, but the iPad does make sound (via the on-screen keyboard) with the iConnectMIDI2+ plugged in though. That is: iPad to iCM2+ to laptop: all is well. But in this case, I would like to bypass all of that and just take the controller right into the iPad, like I used to.

  • I don't know much about the M-Audio Venom, but just did a quick search and it seems that it is an audio/midi interface so my best guess is that when you plug it in it is acting as an audio interface as well. Try connecting something to the audio output of the keyboard and see if the ipad sounds are coming out of that.

  • It's not. The keyboard would have to send MIDI and receive audio through the same cable, which isn't possible (without iConnectivity's Audio PassThru, anyway).

  • except... it is. possible, I mean.

    google showed me this: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=362349&view=next

    Connected to my iPad 4, with the USB camera connection kit, it just works! Here is what you get with this keyboard:

    • Class compliant audio interface - 44.1khz 24-bit
    • 4 total inputs - 2 mono Mic/Instr and 1 stereo from the VA synth
    • Class compliant MIDI interface with external MIDI In/Out
    • 49-key MIDI keyboard with pitch bend/mod wheels (no aftertouch)
  • erm, I mean you're right, that synth is rubbish, send it on over to me. I'll give you $10 for shipping. ;-)

  • @plazdiquehardt said:

    It's not. The keyboard would have to send MIDI and receive audio through the same cable, which isn't possible (without iConnectivity's Audio PassThru, anyway).

    Audio and midi through a cck is totally possible. I have an audio interface and 3 midi devices going through a usb hub and into the ipad via cck for my live setup. It really sounds like your keyboard is acting as an audio interface to me. I can't be totally sure as I don't have one but that is my best guess.

  • Huh. It works. I feel like a tool. Thank you.

  • Glad you got it working! Looks like an rad midi controller.

  • Yeah, I knew it had an audio interface, I just didn't know that it behaved that way with the iPad. I bought the Venom when there wasn't a whole lot of information about it and the company (M-Audio and Psycraft) stopped supporting it. This comes as a complete surprise to me. Well, my weekend's shot. Thanks again!

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