Is it possible to use iPad as midi controller for Garageband on my Mac? (they have a MIDI keyboard) bluetooth qwerty keyboard. Bluetooth mouse. About $30 (I know a mouse on ipad is kind of odd, but it seems adequate, and they're fixed on having one). Extensive Garageband iPad Tutorial. There is a lot you can do with Keyboard in GarageBand for iPad. You can begin with swiping between different Keyboard sounds. You can choose the size of keys and the number of octaves visible by tapping on the Keyboard Buttons. Use a Bluetooth MIDI device with GarageBand for iPad You can connect a compatible Bluetooth® MIDI device to your iPad, and use it to play and control Touch Instruments in GarageBand. Tap the Settings button in the control bar. Tap Advanced, then tap Bluetooth MIDI Devices. 1-16 of 188 results for 'midi keyboard garageband' Skip to main search results Amazon Prime. Eligible for Free Shipping. 25-Key Portable USB MIDI Keyboard Controller for Laptops (Mac & PC) 3.9 out of 5 stars 443. 00 $69.00 $69.00. Get it as soon as Tue, Aug 20.
- Connect Keyboard To Garageband
- Ipad Garageband Midi Input
- Midi Controller For Garageband
- Keyboard For Ipad With Mouse
- Garageband Ios Midi Controller
- Virtual Keyboard For Ipad
OK, so technically everything you do on your iPhone or iPad is “virtual” —because you aren’t using any physical hardware beyond the iOS device, the software does everything in the virtual realm. And MIDI isn’t really “real,” because it’s just the messages that devices exchange to control which events take place and when they occur.
But Virtual MIDI uses CoreMIDI that basically allows synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers to communicate with each other without needing another app to do all of the work. All you need are the apps that work together.
How apps use Virtual MIDI depends on the imagination and resourcefulness of the developers who make the app. It all depends on what features they implement.
Linking apps
Let’s pair up a drum machine and a synth to handle the bass line for some backing tracks. Both Funkbox and Thor offers some solid Virtual MIDI integration, so this example shows you how to take those apps and make Virtual MIDI magic happen.
First, open up the Thor app and select a good bass preset. Tap the keyboard and see if you like the sound — tweak the controls until you’ve got something you’re good with.
Now, open the Funkbox app and tap the Settings button. If the MIDI switch isn’t already in the On position, make sure you switch it over.
For now, leave all of the settings as they are, unless the Bass MIDI Sequence button is off. Make sure you tap that button and the red light next to that button comes on.
Next, tap the MIDI Routing tab.
Notice how Thor shows up under the CoreMIDI Outputs section. In this case, Virtual MIDI uses CoreMIDI to transmit the MIDI messages.
Navigate back to the Thor app and tap the gear icon. Select the Source button under the MIDI heading and choose Funkbox from the listed options.
All of the steps basically put Thor at the command of Funkbox, with the synth accepting note (the pitch of the note) and gate (when the note actually plays) commands from the drum machine.
Go back to the Funkbox app and tap Start/Stop to hear the results. You should hear a funky drum loop backed by a bass line coming from the Thor app. The programmed beat from Funkbox determines the notes played by Thor, and Funkbox doesn’t really provide a full-featured interface for actual notes. Instead, Thor receives the notes that match up with the notes used to trigger the Funkbox notes. It doesn’t sound bad, but it doesn’t give you the control you might want.
Adding a sequencer
A MIDI sequencer acts as the master control for all apps that accept incoming MIDI signals. Basically, the sequencer manages the song and passes along commands to all the apps listening for those commands.
The advantage of using a MIDI sequencer involves sending standard commands to all the apps and triggering them from a single source, rather than trying to decide which app controls the others and how. Every parameter about the song originates from the sequencer, and you can make any adjustment necessary from that location.
For this example, you’ll see a fairly full-featured MIDI sequencer called Genome. You can find other MIDI sequencers in the App Store, tailored both to live performance and to programmed sequences. Genome falls into the latter category, and it’s used here for a couple of reasons:
- The aforementioned fairly full functionality of MIDI controls, including the ability to lay out loops and patterns
- A good linear, visual representation of the MIDI sequence
- A track-based representation of the 16 available MIDI channels
MIDI transmits information on 16 channels — no more, no less. The MIDI specification allows for 16 channels as a standard, so you can count on that no matter which MIDI sequencer or app you use. So with our Thor and Funkbox apps already open, open Genome.
First, let’s set up a pattern for Funkbox on MIDI channel 10. Why channel 10? The MIDI standard for drums and associated percussion uses channel 10. You could use other channels, but more than likely, any drum app or external drum machine you use will accept MIDI commands on channel 10.
![Virtual Virtual](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125663283/495892073.jpg)
On track 10 in Genome, tap the plus sign to add a pattern for that channel. Then tap the pencil icon for channel 10.
You can tap on each square to play a drum or percussion hit. In this case, C3 triggers the bass drum, D3 triggers the snare drum, and F#3 triggers a closed hi-hat sound. Tap a quick pattern out for a standard rock beat or just input whatever you want.
The pattern entered commands any app listening for instructions on MIDI channel 10 to play those notes at the specified time. Tap Back to go to the main Genome sequence screen, then tap the pattern to activate it. Now, let’s move on to a bass line.
Move over to the Thor app and tap the gear icon. In this case, tap Source and set it to Genome. Then tap the plus icon under Source until it says channel 1. If you haven’t tired your fingers out yet, go back to Genome and tap the plus sign for channel 1. Here’s a simple bass line to go along with the extremely simple drum pattern.
Go back to the main sequence screen in Genome and tap the pattern in channel 1 to activate that pattern. Then hit the play button in the upper-left corner to hear the final product.
You may hear the pattern coming from Funkbox in addition to the drum hits you programmed in Genome. Turn down the master fader (labeled MST) to take the programmed pattern out of the sound produced by Funkbox.
Okay, so the example is pretty basic. The magic from here involves the additional patterns you can program. Just keep tapping the plus sign and adding new patterns.
Here in North America the NHL playoffs are now in full swing and perhaps you're inspired to play some rocking organ! With GB on the iPad we get some great keyboard sounds with nifty screen controls! N
Here in North America the NHL playoffs are now in full swing and perhaps you’re inspired to play some rocking organ! With GarageBand for iPad we get some great keyboard sounds with nifty screen controls! Not only can we use these keys in our songs that we’re recording, but as I explained in a recent tutorial, live use is also a possibility!
Setup and Equipment Needed
There are a few things we need.
- Controller Keyboard with power supply - There are many to choose from and I use an Axiom Pro 61. You will definitely need the power supply as the iPad does not provide power through it’s dock port. If you want to use the Korg Nano series, you will need a USB hub with power supply.
- Camera Connection Kit - Our keyboard controller communicates with GB through this device.
Axiom Pro 61
Apple's Camera Connection Kit
Controls
Each instrument has it’s own layout (organ with drawbars, synths with filter controls) but also there are some functions just above the keyboard and these will vary with the instrument selected. For example, “Sustain” will be on piano but not organ, organ will have the “Rotary” switch for the Leslie, all depending on the instrument.
Although we’re going to be using a keyboard controller, if you want to use the onscreen keyboard, you get different controls for how your screen keyboard responds. On the far left is an “Octave” plus and minus. A middle button for “Glissando”, “Scroll”, “Pitch” which vary again depending on the instrument selected and the right side has a “Scale”, “Arpeggiator” and “Keyboard Layout”.
“Glissando” lets you slide across the keys like a real keyboard would. Think of the piano player using the back of his hand and sliding up or down the keys.
“Scroll” allows you to play a note and while holding it, slide the keyboard up or down. Useful if you need to get into different octaves of the on screen keyboard quickly.
“Pitch” is a like a pitch bend wheel but lets you pitch up or down between notes simply by sliding your finger. Great for the vintage synths!
“Scale” is great for solos if you want to try different sounding scales in a piece of music. Once you pick the scale you want to use, the keyboard becomes more like a single row marimba minus the #/b keys. If you use a kb controller, you will still have all the notes available but you can learn what notes are used by playing them on the iPad and matching them on your keyboard. You’ll soon be playing “Klezmer” with ease!
“Arpeggiator” is your freedom to play multiple notes with one chord held down. You can choose note order, rate, and octave range. Great for dance tunes or your version of “Teenage Wasteland”! Unfortunately, the arpeggiator does not work with a KB Controller.
“Keyboard Layout/Velocity/Key Controls” - You can choose how you would like the onscreen keyboard to be set up with choices for one or two keyboards and octave range.
“Velocity” on and off is simple enough but you also can control the velocity range depending on the instrument (no velocity for organ since there is none!) left to the middle of the screen.
“Key Controls” simply turns on and off the view of the middle button for “Glissando”, etc.
There is also a hidden feature that is very cool and similar to an aftertouch on a KB controller. Load in the “Vintage Lead” preset under “Synth Lead” and strike a note. Now move your finger up and down that note... instant filter sweep!
Keyboard Controller
Plug your keyboard into your Camera Connection Kit and make sure it’s secure as I find it can pop out easily. If it does, you may need to restart your iPad to get control again. Open up GB and navigate to the “Keyboard” instrument. Once this opens you can then select from pianos,organs, synths, etc. by tapping on the instrument in the middle of the screen. You can even store your own presets.
Again, think of the iPad screen as the controls for the organs drawbars or synths filters. Unfortunately GB won’t record this data during recording. Pitch bend and Mod wheels will respond on your controller as will velocity and after touch. Also, there are no ways to assign a KB controller’s sliders or knobs to say, organ drawbars or synth knobs, although I did find my “master” slider with MIDI CC#7 controlled instrument volume.
Using “Smart Instruments”
One feature I wish GB would allow is the use of “autoplay” but controlled via the KB controller. But there are some interesting ideas you can do by combining the “autoplay” feature and your keyboard. For example, select “Smart Keyboard” and choose one of the 4 “autoplay” modes. You then will see 3 bars with a chord on the top bar. The bar with the chord plays both left and right hand accompaniments, the middle bar is right hand only and the bottom is left hand bass. If you hit the top bar, you could solo on the KB controller. The middle bar could allow you to try bass combinations such as G-G/F-G/E or perhaps a piano bass line with a distinctive melody. Be careful though as the sustain is used most likely and can mush up your sound in the bass line. Using the bottom bar would allow you again more right hand solos or your own accompaniment.
If you want any electric or acoustic bass instruments, you will need to use “Smart Bass”. Using the acoustic bass gives a feature that is hard to emulate on the KB controller unless you get good with the pitch bend wheel... sliding your finger along a fretless neck. Simply select Acoustic Bass, switch the “Chords” to “Notes” and tap on the screen. It adds some realism to the bass line and with some practice, can give some convincing results. Further editing can be done on GB on your Mac.
Connect Keyboard To Garageband
“Smart Guitar” is very similar to the smart keyboard and bass features with one additional feature. If you use your KB Controller, you can strike chords on your keys!Now you can use the “autoplay” feature for arpeggiated chords and “strum” chords on your keyboard. Great too for having ostinato picking patterns with multiple chord changes.
Ipad Garageband Midi Input
Midi Controller For Garageband
Recording Tips
Keyboard For Ipad With Mouse
First and foremost... PRACTICE! Yes... I said that again as I did in the last tutorial. GB on the iPad does not allow editing like GB on a Mac . Not even MIDI editing for wrong notes. Maybe in version 2... BUT... you can slow down the tempo, unlike the Guitar/Audio recording section, and speed it up after. If needed later, you can open up the song on your Mac and edit it there. You also can save time by recording repetitive parts and then looping them. Simply record your part, double tap on the track region and select “Loop”.
Garageband Ios Midi Controller
If your timing is not that great or you need to tighten up a section, “Quantization” will help. Simply tap on the top right “Mixer” in the Track view and select your quantization value. Use the fastest value you played. For example, if a lead synth line played as fast as 16th notes, use the 1/16 Note value. Quantization will also affect all of the tracks regions in a section! But... you can have different quantization on each section if a part gets moved from one section to another. Confused? Yeah... me too at first. If you quantize a part in Section A to 1/8 notes but then move it to Section B that is quantized to 1/16 notes, the new part will show “Multiple”. This is something I seriously hope Apple fixes as it’s frustrating if you need multiple quantizations within a section.
Virtual Keyboard For Ipad
Also, don’t be afraid to record a part and try different instruments as your song may take on a whole new flavor choosing a clav instead of a piano for example. Try duplicating the track with a similar synth but with a different filter cutoff and panned hard left and right. Or use two totally different synths. Bass lines can get really fat with this idea! Slow your song down and play in your own idea of an arpeggiated pattern... speed up and loop!
Stay tuned for more GarageBand for iPad tips and tutorials. Till next time...don’t drive your neighbors nuts with the Minimoog playing Axel F or Tom Sawyer synth leads.