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I just bought a PX-850. Overall, I'm happy with it, but I'm trying to hook it up to my iPad to use midi-enabled apps. I got an iRig midi adaptor, only to find that that the thing works ONLY with midi ports and not with USB.

How do you hook up a keyboard that has only a USB midi port (like the PX-850) to an iPad?

Thanks,

Dan.

Camera connection kit should do it.

Buddha,

Many, many thanks! It worked perfectly!!!

It turns out that I bought a camera kit when I bought the iPad, but never used it to connect my camera. It was in a plastic baggie with iPad cables. Found it. Plugged it in. Voila!

I bought the iRig thinking that it would do what I wanted with the 850. My bad. The iRig people never mention in their marketing hype that it works ONLY with midi ports and NOT with midi USB ports. Grrrrr. I'm going on Amazon to give them a "wonderful" review.

Thanks again for making my day.

Dan.

I actually don't blame the iRig people for that. It is pretty clear from the specs (
"3 MIDI ports: IN/OUT/THRU" and that it includes "MIDI 5-pin DIN cables") as well as the pictures (looking at the ones on Amazon) that it is for standard MIDI, not for USB. Companies generally tell you what their products are for, they don't usually tell you what they're not for. ;-)

Scott,

Each to his/her own opinion, but I do blame the iRig people for not being more clear. You apparently understand midi in-depth. Therefore, their marketing blurbs are clear to you because you already understand those details. However...

Nothing you wrote above precludes the iRig from being used with a standard USB midi port. That they include "midi 5-pin DIN cables" is fine. And that they do NOT include a standard USB midi cable is a bit frustrating, but I'll fork over the extra money for one of those. That is, IF I could buy one. AFAIK, these cables are NOT available.

Further they do say that the included USB cable can be used to charge the device while in use. Great. So you can connect the USB cable to your DP and charge the iPad while in use. And of course use that cable for midi. Well, uhmm... No. (They conveniently forgot to mention that.)

Finally, I've read several reviews describing the iRig as superior to the other devices. NONE of them mention that the iRig has a major limitation - no connection to USB midi.

I'm not going to write a negative review about the iRig because it's a bad product. I don't know that because I can't use it. I'm writing a negative review about the company not being clear about what the product can NOT do - at least in a notation.

While "let the buyer beware" is a standard concept, the question is when does failure to clearly describe a product's limitations cross the line. Obviously, you think they clearly described their product and they were not making misleading statements. I think the opposite. Of course, I'm the one who forked over money for a product that I can't use. That affects my opinion a bit.

Dan.

The competing devices (Yamaha i-MX1, Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer) don't work with USB midi either. The main thing that makes the iRig superior to those is that you can charge the iPad at the same time.

I understand that you're new to MIDI and were confused about the purpose of this device, but not only are you correct that none of the other reviewers complained about this (which might tell you something?), also none of the reviewers for those other similar products complained about this either. I'm not saying it might not be helpful to someone for you to leave that review, other people new to MIDI may be confused as well, but I don't think it's really fair to say that the manufacturer misrepresented the product.

For a little history... Apple's Camera Kit came out early on, and as of iOS 4-point-something, provided a cheap, reliable solution for connecting USB MIDI devices to the iPad. But people with pro music gear were stuck, because that gear usually has standard MIDI ports, and Apple provided no way to connect them. These devices served to fill that need.

There are actually devices that do both, but they are much more expensive. I think the only ones are the iConnectMIDI and the Alesis IO Dock. But these usually sell for in the $150-$200 range.


And of course, the great thing about Amazon is, if you ordered the wrong thing, you can return it.

Scott,

Thanks. Good info. Yes, you're right - it would probably be a bit strong to write that iRig misrepresented their product. That said, IMO their product positioning isn't clear - at least to me.

To be fair to them, I'll focus my comments on the products key limitation - no USB midi.

Regards,

Dan.

Did you ever find a program for USB MIDI for iPad?

Michael,

I'm using the Apple camera kit for the iPad to PX-850 hardware connection. Works perfectly.

For software, I finally settled on Zenph Home Concert Extreme for iPad. I also have the PC version. Both work well, although the PC version with a 19" monitor is much nicer. But the iPad version is portable - I can take it over to my son's house to plug into my grandson's PX-350. Overall, both work well.

Regards,

Dan.

Dan,

Re: Home Concert Extreme - This software's capabilities sound very similar to a (I think) discontinued product from Cakewalk caled "In Concert" - in that it accompanies you (based on your tempo etc) as you play on the keyboard. I enjoyed using "In Concert" years ago, but have since misplaced it and HCX sounds like it might "fit the bill" in replacing it.

However, one of the reviews on the APP store said that many (most?) downloadable MIDI files are NOT compatible with HCX. Have you found that to be true? If so, where do you get your MIDI files from that are compatible? (FWIW, my musical tastes are mostly pop ballads and/or blues).

I have my laptop connected to my DP full time, so would be leaning towards the PC version (although I do own an iPad as well). What are some of the advantages of the Windows version over the iPad version?

Thanks!