iOS MIDI: Folks we have GAME CHANGING NEWS

[LoopStationZebra]

Just when I was about to give up all hope, the developers over at FINGER - creators of the very nice MoDrum and BassLine apps - have utterly changed the entire iOS MIDI game and left me little more than a whimpering pool of flesh - looking up in awe at their magnificence. What have they done? Everything.

EVERYTHING.

Where to begin? There's so much goodness:

Perfect MIDI Sync between Live and the apps.
Using nothing more than the OSX wifi network MIDI, I successfully used Ableton as the master and had both apps syncing perfectly to Live's clock. Setup was a breeze. When I changed Live's tempo, the apps changed perfectly and kept time. I've had both apps running for 15min, and the sync is ROCK SOLID. Oh, did I say both apps? YES.

For the first time ever, we can have 2 apps playing at the same time on an iOS Device.
Oh my, DAMN this is excellent. Start up MoDrum. Then switch over and start up BassLine. Press play on Live. Both start playing. You can even turn off your iPad and they keep going. Holy FUCK.

Two apps playing on the iOS device. In perfect Sync. No DAW Required.
That's right, kids. You don't need an external clock. You can use the clock from one app, and the other responds perfectly. ANOTHER NOTCH!

One app on the iPhone, the other on the iPad
Of course, this method does need a local wifi connection and the OSX MIDI network, but it worked great. Both apps perfectly in sync on the devices being slaved from Live.

Both apps are Universal, so they'll work on any iDevice. The way the LORD intended.

I can't tell you how happy I am right now. This has proven a couple of very valuable points:

1. Rock solid MIDI sync between Live and an iDevice is entirely possible.
2. OSX MIDI Networking isn't the piece of shit I thought it was in terms of sync.
3. Now that FINGER has done it, all other reasons for lack of proper sync fall in the laps of developers.

I've been hard on devs about MIDI shit; especially clock sync. I know a handful have really given it the old college try, but have fallen short. Clock has just never been that stable on any app, regardless of the connection type. FINGER has shown that it's not a CoreMIDI issue or a virtual MIDI driver issue or whatever. It's a code/implementation issue.

FINGER has just raised the bar. HIGH. I only hope that devs who are struggling with MIDI sync implementation can reach out to these guys, and that FINGER will be willing to offer assistance for the betterment of iOS MIDI as a whole.

God, I'm just sitting here listening to this wonderful sync with a smile on my face thinking "THIS is the fucking way I've imagined it being".

http://www.finger-pro.com/

EDIT: Bluetooth also works between iOS devices.

[dhilsabeck]

[LoopStationZebra]

30min.

Sync is GOING STRONG.

[LoopStationZebra]

This is me right now.

[stringtapper]

You can even turn off your iPad and they keep going.

Wait, what?

[LoopStationZebra]

You can even turn off your iPad and they keep going.

Wait, what?

Yes. YES. YES.

It's a part of iOS that allows the iPod app, or music app, to keep playing in the background. Basically ANY app can be playing or doing something relatively complex in the background. This goes against what many have said about how multiTasking works. Clearly apps don't have to just go to sleep. Even when you switch off your iDevice.

[Tarekith]

You need to get outside more and go for walks, find a girl, look at sunsets. Maybe some beer.

Wireless midi sync is really cool, but it's not THAT cool! Like Jesus just tapped you on the shoulder and said "you're my favorite you know".

[Angstrom]

I just cant get excited about the iDevices as music makers, as controllers yes, as music makers not at all. It's interesting as a novelty, but they just don't have the power to do anything good. That moDrum thing, my god. I'm trying to stay polite here, but lets just say I had a flashback to 1993. I mean really, a casio VLtone was more potent

[LoopStationZebra]

I just cant get excited about the iDevices as music makers, as controllers yes, as music makers not at all. It's interesting as a novelty, but they just don't have the power to do anything good. That moDrum thing, my god. I'm trying to stay polite here, but lets just say I had a flashback to 1993. I mean really, a casio VLtone was more potent

This is the part where I go And then add

[LoopStationZebra]

You need to get outside more and go for walks, find a girl, look at sunsets. Maybe some beer.

Wireless midi sync is really cool, but it's not THAT cool! Like Jesus just tapped you on the shoulder and said "you're my favorite you know".

HE did just that. Today.

Seriously, though, this is pure geek land stuff. Angstrom clearly doesn't get it, but I think you somewhat grasp the coolness and GEEK factor. The ability to have iDevices right next to you while performing - able to be both controllers and instruments at the same time = magical. It means having a Prophet and MS-20 and Electribe and a dozen other bits of gear at your fingertips without having to lug those fuckers to the gig. Now that we know stable sync is possible, there's no barriers left.

As I've said before, the iPad allows you to incorporate all kinds of instruments into your set without having to use instrument plugins that tax your CPU - freeing you to instead tax your CPU with FX plugs.

I know you guys are doubters, but this is the future. In 5 years or less these big fucking laptops that we have to lug around are going to be things of the past in terms of DAW/live performance software. It's all changing, and we're at the beginning of the wave. I find that exciting as hell. The dream I have is to show up at a gig with my Stick, an iPad, an interface, my SoftStep foot controller, and a smile on my face. I use a laptop because I fucking HAVE to - not because I want to. I'm excited about this shit - not because of the iPad itself necessarily (blasphemy), but for what it represents: the desire for digital manipulation and integration using as small a fucking footprint as possible. Question is: Who wouldn't get excited about that?

[stringtapper]

I… show up at a gig with my Stick…

But does your left hand lead with the forefinger or the pinky? That's the real question.

[beats me]

I would like to kiss your wife softly on the hand. This is a point for discussion. Possibly a PM.

[seattletruth]

I would like to kiss your wife softly on the hand. This is a point for discussion. Possibly a PM.

rofl...


as for the OP... yes thats cool and all.. advancement and breakthroughs are ALWAYS good in technology, even if at the time it seems more of a novelty than anything else, because you never know what implementations of said technology might bring down the line; somethings obviously being world changing.

HOWEVER... my main beef with this is from a gigging standpoint. Even *if* your i-setup of your dreams is absolutely ROCK SOLID and 100% reliable, how would the crowd really react? By this I mean.. audiences like to see a DJ really working the HARDWARE... hitting faders.. playing keys.. tweaking knobs.

Everybody knows some DJs really "play to the crowd" and show-boat a little by tweaking knobs, even when they dont have to... NOT because they are doucheweazles (i wouldnt claim that either), but because THE CROWD LOVES IT. Yeah, people care about your music... but when ur super sloshed it all sounds good as long as its booming. What they *really* care about though is your performance.

So if a crowd sees you playing with your iPhone, are they really gonna know what exactly you're doing? They will think you're fiddling around with itunes or texting some breezy. Are they gonna feel satisfied seeing you tweak something on the ipad? As cool as it seems, the fact is that most people dont know whats going on around them, and you can't expect them to know what you're doing. All they would see is a dude making a few finger movements on his iP** and know that music is coming out. Would that be enough to really get a crowd excited and jumping? Yes, a gig with an ipad and iphone might be the pinacle of uber-nerddome to you, but to an uneducated crowd it will look like you're just an amateur DJ thats too poor to buy any real equipment playing a mix from itunes.

In my opinion hardware controllers will always have a place in the hearts of paying clubbers. They paid to see a DJ with lots of equipment, doing lots of exagerated movements and moving all around his table of gear... not a dweeb standing in place twiddling his thumbs.

That's my .02. No disrespect.

Peace

[LoopStationZebra]

lol. Yeah, I agree. Hardware has it's place, just as real instruments have their place. Personally I've abandoned all hardware in lieu of my iPad and iPhone. I can do that because the Stick is what I focus on during performances. My tactile needs are satisfied in that fashion, and the audience need to look at something is satisfied in that manner as well.

When I'm talking about iPads or tablets replacing something, I'm really just referring to laptops at gigs. There will be a time - sooner rather than later - when a DJ or any digital performer - will no longer need to have a laptop at the gig. You touch device will be your DAW/software host while at the same time be a controller or instrument.

Even now it's rather repulsive to bring both my laptop and iPad to a gig. There's something just wrong about it, ya know? You look at that iPad and think "why the fuck can't I just bring YOU? You little bastard." Then you look at the laptop with a touch of scorn, thinking "You're time is coming, mofo."

[Tarekith]

I want an iPad just so I can see for myself what I think about all this. To be honest, as much as I like using something like NanoStudio on my phone for on the go sketching, in some respects I'm with Angstrom in that I'm not sure it's really going to be something that works for me as an instrument. I'm sure the capability will be there, I just don't know if I can get over the lack of tactile response I get from hardware. And I wonder if this will just shift the whole "checking email" impression a lot of people have with laptop performers to a new device. Maybe they'll think the performer is just playing Angry Birds

But on a geek level and as an admitted Apple fan, I'm will to give it a go and see for myself before I really make up my mind. If things go well, I might be picking one up next week, so we'll see.