Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

The i2M musicport™ MIDI Converter & Hi-Z USB Audio Interface

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exliontamer
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Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 10:31 am

Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by exliontamer »

I don't really know what I'm doing wrong with my technique. I get that you have to mute the heavier strings but I think I do that naturally when playing guitar anyway. I took it to a friend's house and tried different guitars and using garageband on a MacBook and an ipad. Tracking seemed faster on the MacBook. Superior hardware I suppose.

So I'm meant to be muting all strings bar the one I want to play? Do you mute the lighter strings with your fretting hand and heavier strings with your picking hand? Is there a specific technique I can use? Maybe another video link?

I've tried a pretty simple bassline (Transmission by Joy Division) and it seemed like several notes just weren't picked up. What's more is that the riff is only played on one string so no need to change the strings I'm muting.

I have watched several other videos of the product and it seems everyone else seems to play fluidly; I can't see a difference between the way they play the guitar or the MIDI parts. I wouldn't say I was the greatest guitarist ever, but I'm also no slouch. The tracking on the MS20 video is unreal but I'm just not getting that level of tracking. There is one video of a guy using an ipad mini and he plays a very simple light rock song (i.e. no shredding). I would think that type of song doesn't need you to be rigid with your technique so if I can't play along to that, I think I can rule out lack of technique. I'll be back tonight with a verdict.
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james
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by james »

In terms of what you connect the i2M to (Macbook, iPad, etc), the only different you will notice is latency purely because of any differences in audio processing (i.e., what buffer sizes are being used on the computer). All the MIDI tracking is done inside the i2M itself so there is no change there.

A quick test you can do....

(1) Choose one string, and mute the others (tie some fabric across the other strings to really damp them to ensure they can't make any sound).

(2) play a single note with a pick. Use the pick closer to the neck than the bridge. Try open and fretted notes.

(3) use the neck pickup.

You should be able to go from no note (i.e., the string is stationary) to playing one note without problems. And you should be able to do this repeatedly: play a note, stop the string, play a note, etc.

Any problems here and it could be excessive harmonics being excited when you pick (hence to pick closer to the neck).

Once you are happy with this, try playing different notes on the single un-muted string. Sometimes slightly muting the string you are playing helps too, particularly just before you pluck the new note, because it makes the change from the old note to the new note more obvious and the i2M is optimised to look for these changes for best tracking.
exliontamer
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 10:31 am

Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by exliontamer »

Thanks for your help James,

I gave it another shot last night and I'm happy to say that I get it now; you don't play electric guitar, you play MIDI guitar. It's like the difference between playing on a classical guitar and electric, you can't just translate your technique from one to the other. I realized it was a completely different technique and you're not aiming to make physical sounds from the strings. Once I understood that I needed to make a distinctive change between notes, it became much more obvious how to play. In a way it's like when you first learn guitar in that you pick every note before you learn hammer-ons and the like.

I have bought a buznut to help as well. Can't harm to have all the help I can get.

Thanks again

James
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james
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by james »

Great!

You have provided a perfect description: you need to think like MIDI guitar, not electric guitar. Also, thinking like the instrument sound you are playing helps too -- sax, cello, synth, etc... it helps with playing technique, and also helps to get the most realistic MIDI sounds.
exliontamer
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by exliontamer »

Is it possible to get an ebow to work with the i2m? Or am I getting ahead of myself?
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james
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by james »

An Ebow will work.

Like using a proper bow, tracking of note notes will be slower because the notes swell-in, rather than being plucked. But you're not using an eBow for fast-tracking.

You can also send "breath controller" messages (you can configure which MIDI controller is actually used), that will follow the loudness of what you play with the eBow.
twalker
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Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:14 pm

Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by twalker »

Hope no-one minds me "bumping" this thread ;) I'm eyeing up the i2M, having found the G2M iOS app to be the most impressive of the iDevices' pitch-MIDI apps that I've tried (and also as I'd like a compact guitar-MIDI hardware unit that doubles as a digital guitar audio interface - funnily enough... :D )

I understand that the i2M works fine with the iPad (and probably the iPhone) if you use the Apple USB-Lightning connector (which I already do). I just wanted to check that the i2M does not need a powered USB hub as well? Its just that I own an iPad Air, which I believe outputs a lower current over the Lightning port than its predecessors (and therefore sometimes can't power connected devices which worked fine with pre-Air iPads).

Many thanks for any advice on this - much appreciated.

Tim
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james
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by james »

Hi Tim,

The i2M doesn't need a powered hub, it doesn't take much current, so it should be fine with the iPad air. We don't have an Air here to confirm, but it does work fine with the iPad Mini Retina (lightning). We've not heard of anyone having problems.

You'll like the i2M. Compared to the G2M iOS app, the latency is even lower because all the processing is done in the i2M hardware. It makes things feel just that bit snappier.
twalker
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:14 pm

Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by twalker »

Thanks James :) I'm definitely considering the i2M to add to my "mobile studio" setup (particularly since I discovered the rather attractive price on it in the Sonuus online store...). The i2M's size, MIDI conversion and audio interface option, seem to add up to a "multiple birds with one stone" option for me.

In passing: I wrote - actually, "griped" a bit! - on my blog a couple of months ago, about my quest for an affordable, competent and easily-stowable MIDI guitar solution, and how the few options I could think of at the time I wrote it, didn't really give me everything I was after. I should add that I hadn't really considered the i2M at that point, and I'm now a bit less "lukewarm" on the G2M app than I perhaps was back then...

Anyway, I think the i2M could turn out to be what I've been looking for - will let you know :)

Tim
giame
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Re: Compatibility with iPad MIDI / Audio

Post by giame »

I've just bought a i2M but I'm not able to connect it to my iPad Air2. When I connect it to the Lightning Camera Connection Kit the i2M light turns red, and the iPad doesn't receive MIDI messages... Can you please help ??...
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