Killer iPad app

[posssu]

Hearyee iPhone/iPad developers out there. What you need to do now is this:

Since Ableton Live's GUI is pretty straightforward, there's no need to build a custom interface for Ableton Live remote controlling. Instead, why not just build a client for video streaming the and a layer to convert the touch gestures into mouse movements on the main-computer Ableton Live? This means the Ableton Live would run on the main computer and iPad would stream the GUI directly from the computer and you could do everything on the iPad.

This app would work over WIFI and would provice COMPLETE access to Ableton Live running on the computer (including all the plugin GUIs), no need to cripple it in any way. The client should also stream audio so that one could for example take iPad to another room in studio and still hear what kind of signal is coming to computer.

Imagine the possibilities of this: you could have iPad on the stage and completely control your set with fingers from the other side of the stage, launch samples, control your virtual guitar rig or vocal effects. Even in studio, you could sit down on your sofa and go on with your mix. You could walk around in the studio room and still keep on dragging the EQ-curve or any custom plugin with the original plugin GUI. Or when making a soundcheck, you could go to the audience, listen to the band and tweak the EQ or compressor...

Complete remote control for Ableton Live as an iPad app. Pleaaaase you guys who know how to do this - DO IT!

[anamexis]

this kind of thing is nothing new, there's already a protocol for it called VNC for screen sharing, and there are already iphone apps that do this, so i'm sure it will be on the ipad very quickly.

[delicioso]

posssu, this is already possible on the iPad by just using one of the VNC apps already available, as anamexis mentioned. The only thing I'm not sure about is streaming the audio from Live into the iPad itself. But as far as viewing and controlling everything in Live from the iPad itself, yes, this is already possible.

To reiterate, this means ABLETON LIVE INSIDE IPAD! I only just realized this too and I'm sure many others here are not aware of this yet either. This is also really big for the visual arts community as this also means the iPad is also a portable wireless Wacom Cintiq.

[kramerica]

I'm told that VNC and/or its associated apps are super laggy, which would make it pointless for live use. Any truth to this?

[MartinOM28V]

I'm seeing something slightly different that doesn't require VNC or wireless operation:

1) Download a special version of Ableton Live for iPad
2) Connect iPad to laptop via USB port.
3) Open Live on the laptop, select "Ableton Live for iPad" as a Control Surface. This automatically opens the iPad app and the arrangement view pops up on your iPad by default with the Device Browser on your laptop.
4) Whatever screen is on the iPad is fully controlled by touch. Launch clips just like a Launchpad, or control instruments just like a ReMOTE.
5) Configure the screens between iPad and laptop any way you want--any or all windows can be viewed from iPad.
6) Basically the iPad functions as both a second screen and a touch controller, depending on how you set it up.
7) The iPad doesn't process audio, so no latency issues to worry about. It's running on USB power so no wireless or battery issues.

Now I would be all over that.

[delicioso]

I'm told that VNC and/or its associated apps are super laggy, which would make it pointless for live use. Any truth to this?

Not according to a user on the Logic forum who uses VNC on the iPhone:
http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.p ... 862#270862

I use Jaadu thru my iPhone already for tracking when I'm in the booth alone and no one is around the studio. It works great and isn't buggy like ProRemote.

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.p ... 049#271049

Oh, and to the poster who mentioned slow responses using VNC... running Jaadu through Vine really helped a great deal with the initial sluggish responses and update speeds I found..

So I don't foresee speed being an issue seeing that people are having no problems using VNC on the iphone. iPad performace should be much faster.

[sidownes]

I use VNC on my iPhone and yes it is VERY laggy. Also with the iPhone screen there isn't a way to drag items around, you can only click on them. Another issue is that VNC only mirrors the current desktop at the same resolution, you can zoom in and out but it isn't very usable for something like Live.

[delicioso]

sidownes, which VNC app are you using? The post on the Logic forum mentioned that the speed of your wireless network also should be a factor. Also, having looked at the Jaadu VNC app, it says there's a few different ways for its VNC method, one of them being much faster. I'm going to try out a few apps on my iphone and I'll report back here.

Also, the feature list for the Jaadu VNC app (the full version) seems to offer full mouse support and seems to indicate you can drag stuff around and pretty much do everything else.

[kramerica]

Someone could also just create a custom interface which send commands over regular wifi or bluetooth. That way there could be a custom built interface, which wouldn't just mirror the standard Live GUI (assuming you dont' want all that).

[telekom]

I'm seeing something slightly different that doesn't require VNC or wireless operation:

1) Download a special version of Ableton Live for iPad
2) Connect iPad to laptop via USB port.
3) Open Live on the laptop, select "Ableton Live for iPad" as a Control Surface. This automatically opens the iPad app and the arrangement view pops up on your iPad by default with the Device Browser on your laptop.
4) Whatever screen is on the iPad is fully controlled by touch. Launch clips just like a Launchpad, or control instruments just like a ReMOTE.
5) Configure the screens between iPad and laptop any way you want--any or all windows can be viewed from iPad.
6) Basically the iPad functions as both a second screen and a touch controller, depending on how you set it up.
7) The iPad doesn't process audio, so no latency issues to worry about. It's running on USB power so no wireless or battery issues.

Now I would be all over that.

Nice description Martin. Even just having a simple split between the Session view on the iPad and Arrangement view on the Laptop would be great.

[posssu]

I'm seeing something slightly different that doesn't require VNC or wireless operation:

1) Download a special version of Ableton Live for iPad
2) Connect iPad to laptop via USB port.
3) Open Live on the laptop, select "Ableton Live for iPad" as a Control Surface. This automatically opens the iPad app and the arrangement view pops up on your iPad by default with the Device Browser on your laptop.
4) Whatever screen is on the iPad is fully controlled by touch. Launch clips just like a Launchpad, or control instruments just like a ReMOTE.
5) Configure the screens between iPad and laptop any way you want--any or all windows can be viewed from iPad.
6) Basically the iPad functions as both a second screen and a touch controller, depending on how you set it up.
7) The iPad doesn't process audio, so no latency issues to worry about. It's running on USB power so no wireless or battery issues.

Now I would be all over that.

Nice description Martin. Even just having a simple split between the Session view on the iPad and Arrangement view on the Laptop would be great.

Yes, this is basically what I'm after too, but only wirelessly. If the information is not graphical information, then it's not a problem over WIFI either and even the latency won't be a problem when transferring data.

I only suggested VLC-kind of approach so that it would be easier starting point to implement (video streaming) instead of creating a completely new app/GUI for the iPad - if the GUI isn't created by Ableton, I don't think it's an easy job for a 3rd party. Streaming would be an easies solution for any 3rd party developer.

But yes! However its done, please someone do this (working both via USB and WIFI).

Also, slightly OT, I think Jazzmutant might launch their version of Lemur for iPad too... they must know that if they won't do it, someone else will do it much cheaper and then it's too late for them.

[EddieJ]

I would get a iPad if something like that existed. However, I would prefer USB or Bluetooth connectivity since my audio card (MOTU 828 mkII FW) glitches if I don't disable the computer's wifi.

[kramerica]

FYI, the iPad doesn't have a USB port.

[delicioso]

FYI, the iPad doesn't have a USB port.

It does have usb capability so that point is kinda moot.

[posssu]

FYI, the iPad doesn't have a USB port.

The loading/syncing cable is usb at the other end. Like iPhone.