Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
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steger
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:41 am

Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by steger » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Hi there,

My first post! :)

I love the way you can play the keyboard on Garageband on the iPad App.

Is there any way to connect the iPad to Ableton Live - and play and record the keyboard notes through the iPad?

That would be awesome!

/Jonas
Ableton Live 8. Echo audiofire 4. iPad 2. Windows 7 (64bit, 8gb ram, SDD, CPU i5-2500k 3.3ghz.)

Slightlydelic
Posts: 776
Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 1:42 pm

Re: Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by Slightlydelic » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:56 pm

pianist pro, poly chord and steppolyarp will give you some good options.

misa
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by misa » Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:03 pm

The answer is yes, but there are a few ways of going about it.

If what you want is the actual sounds that the iPad app is producing, then it is a matter of getting the audio out of the iPad either through the headphone jack, the dock connection, or by saving an audio file and transferring it to your computer. There are lots of options for this and I recommend you study what an audio interface is and the limits of using the built in sound card on your computer.

If you just want to play the keyboard on the iPad but have Ableton produce the actual sounds, then it is a matter of getting MIDI data out of the iPad. You can do this through the dock connection utilizing the USB camera kit made by Apple, a USB to MIDI cable, and a MIDI interface for your computer. There are some audio interfaces that include a MIDI connection, so this type of equipment allows you to do both Audio and MIDI transfer to your computer. Also possible is to have that MIDI data be transferred through your WiFi wireless network from iPad to computer. Different apps will have different implementations of this system you'll have to research.

steger
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:41 am

Re: Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by steger » Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:50 pm

Wow. Thanks for the answers! Will check it out.

Will be back when i research more.

The usb to midi cable sounds like my first choice.

Cheers. :)
Ableton Live 8. Echo audiofire 4. iPad 2. Windows 7 (64bit, 8gb ram, SDD, CPU i5-2500k 3.3ghz.)

steger
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:41 am

Re: Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by steger » Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:28 pm

A question...

Is it possible to play something on ipad garageband and get both the sound and midi recordedon ableton?

I have an audiofire 4 soundcard.

Cheers!
Ableton Live 8. Echo audiofire 4. iPad 2. Windows 7 (64bit, 8gb ram, SDD, CPU i5-2500k 3.3ghz.)

steger
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:41 am

Re: Anyway to use an iPad as a keyboard with Ableton Live?

Post by steger » Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:59 pm

Sorry to ask so much but I am a noob at this.

If I buy the camera/midi kit fram Apple - I need a program on the iPad to get midi to Ableton Live, right?

If yes - which iPad program is the simplest/best?

Cheers
Ableton Live 8. Echo audiofire 4. iPad 2. Windows 7 (64bit, 8gb ram, SDD, CPU i5-2500k 3.3ghz.)

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