Some BM3 MIDI Controller Testing...
Just some quick testing of various MIDI Controllers with BM3.
FYI, I’m using an iPad Pro 12” (1st Gen) running iOS 11 PB2 (which may explain some oddities here - it’s a Beta...). All connections made with Apple's Camera Connection Kit with both Lightning for charging and USB A for data.
IK Multimedia iRig Pads:
Pros: Solid ‘MPC-ish’ pads. Comes with Lightning connection cable. Assignable slider, 2 knobs, and 2 buttons. 16 Pad Banks. Has usable Computer editor software, and can be programmed standalone. Pad selected in BM3 can be pitched with keyboard.
Cons: Pads only - no keyboard. Limited number of physical controllers.
Korg NanoKey Studio:
Pros: Bluetooth MIDI (which works really well). 2-octave keyboard with octave up/down control. 8 pads. 8 Controller knobs. XY Pad. 8 Scenes for Pads and Knobs. Battery powered and very portable. Has usable Computer editor software (and needs it for programming the NanoKey). XY Pad doubles as Pitch/Mod controls. Pad selected in BM3 can be pitched with keyboard.
Cons: Weird issue with hitting anything below it’s lowest E key - those first four keys will disengage the chosen Pad and you’ll have to reselect what you want to play - octave buttons do not change this behavior. No Transport Controls.
Arturia MINILAB MkII:
Pros: 2-octave keyboard with octave up/down control. 16 pads (8 physical Pads, but has button to make them 1-8 or 9-16). 16 Controller knobs. 16 Scenes for Pads and Knobs. Battery powered and very portable. Has usable Computer editor software (and needs it for programming the MINILAB). Pad selected in BM3 can be pitched with keyboard (with no issues like NanoKey above).
Cons: In the Bindings, the MINILAB shows as . Requires Camera Connection Kit to connect via USB. No Transport Controls.
Arturia Beatstep Pro:
*Have to save this for another time. Direct USB connection (via Camera Kit) requires too much power, and I can’t find the little ‘Y’ adaptor that will power it... 
Mathieu Garcia has a quick test running here.
Pros: TBD
Cons: TBD
Arturia Spark LE Controller:
Pros: Might be a useful Controller... 8 pads (not sure if this can be expanded in MIDI Mode). Multiple buttons. The 16 ‘Step’ Select buttons can work as MIDI Notes (keyboard). 8 knobs. Transport Control.
Cons: Could not get it’s MIDI Mode to stick from Arturia’s (required software) MIDI Control Center, so all the Pads and Step Selects stayed in Toggle Mode - which is completely useless... Needs Camera Connection Kit for USB.
Novation Launchkey 25 Mk2:
Pros: 2-octave keyboard with octave up/down control. 16 pads. 8 Controller knobs. Pad selected in BM3 can be pitched with keyboard. Has Transport Controls.
Cons: The first one I tried said it requires too much power. Plugged in another one and it worked fine - Caveat Emptor! Requires Camera Connection Kit for USB.
Novation Launchkey Mini:
Pros: 2-octave keyboard with octave up/down control. 16 pads. 8 Controller knobs. Pad selected in BM3 can be pitched with keyboard.
Cons: Mini Keys (not a big deal, but some hate them...) Requires Camera Connection Kit for USB.
Bonus (just for fun):
iConnect MIDI Interface:
Pros: Can connect via USB or Lightning, Cross-Platform, Class Complient USB. Works with anything with standard 5-pin DIN MIDI jacks.
Cons: None, but it’s just an interface - you need an external MIDI Controller to work with it.
Will add to this in the future. Feel free to add your own thoughts as well.
Cheers!
Comments
Good idea to list controllers that work...
Akai MPK Mini 2 (via USB hub)
Pros: Small. Keyboard and pads. Pads can be easily set up to trigger pads in BM3. Keyboard also works fine.
Cons: It's small (two octaves). Mini keys.
Novation Circuit (as midi input)
Pros: None
Cons: It doesn't work with BM3, even though the input is listed in midi settings.
Yamaha P35 digital piano
Pros: Nice Piano. Strong: can physically support a large sleeping cat.
Cons: It doesn't work with BM3, even though the input is listed in midi settings.
Interface - iRig Midi
Pros: Works with every app except BM3.
Cons: Works with every app except BM3. Listed in midi settings but no response.
(I should emphasise I really like BM3, but I'm a little concern that there hasn't been a meaningful response on this issue, if only to say it's being investigated and will be corrected in the future. Midi is VERY important.)
If you test a Novation Launchpad mini or full size our be interested how you found it. Thanks for all the above good stuff.
Just found one of the Launchpads - will update in a bit.
Update: Says it requires too much power. It's the full-size mk2, FYI.
Just tested a brand new Launchpad Mini. It works right out of the box.
ps: I tried it on the keys. Will do more testing later today.
Is there a way I can get the Novation Launchpad Pro to map out to the sampler pads for one shots?
I put the Launchpad Pro into DRUM MODE and mapped all the pads via the auto-learn function in BM3, but that didnt seem to work and mostly it seems to just be doing very weird stuff.... lol
Anybody got this working?
Update; downloaded the 3.0.1 beta and this midi thing below is fixed on it and so fix for this shouldnt take long for the non beta version either.
Midi seems to be buggy. I cant get anything to send to bm3(it worked a few days ago with some gear, but suddenly stopped working again), and keeps sending midi to my minibrute(connected via usb) even after i selected output to something else.
Midi is somewhat unreliable here too, sometime I go to midi setting and my midi controllers are there and selected but still dont work, sometimes restarting the app works, other time it doesnt. It works with my IK Multimedia Irig keys probably 90% of the time, same with using an Apogee Duets for IOS with an Axiom 61. It doesnt work at all with my Arturia Microbrute ( which I really want to use ). I can see the Microbrute in the midi setting but it still doesnt work. My Microbrute works with all my other IOS synths and DAWs, just not with BM3.
deaf to my emx2. emx receives tho, which is not really any use at mo. sadness covers the sky lol
Akai mpd226 and Behringer BCR2000 are working very well and even better when BM3 will use relative value for controllers
Does the apple camera kit have some magic that a straight up USB to lightning cable doesn't offer?
I purchased the mpd226, I pressed the up arrow to go into iOS mode...nothing, didn't even come on.
I purchased a wall wart for the akai mpd226, but even plugged in the apple screen says not enough power?
I don't want to spend 30 more dollars on purchasing a camera connection kit if it isn't going to work.
Apparently the wall wart does power the MPd unit, but the iPhone 7 or the iPad Pro doesn't care.
What a pain in the ars!
With no Focus Action active, the Launchpad Mini sends its odd default MIDI note setup out to the selected pad as in "Keys" mode, even if "Keys" is not selected.
I created a Focus Action mapping the 64 keys to the 64 on-screen pads and it will play whatever sample is on the on-screen pad, or if you select a pad and put it in "Keys" mode it plays that pad chromatically.
Update 3.0.1 has an option to enable or disable MIDI 'OMNI', that is, you will be able to choose whatever happens to incoming MIDI messages and how they are routed internally:
We also have some improvements around focus action learning. I realised it was easy to accidentally press a focus action, thus making the app waiting for a MIDI key/CC to be sent. If you closed the browser or switched tab, then it would lead to some random behavior.
Channel-less MIDI messages (MMC, SysEx, etc.) had a parsing bug in it too, rendering the MIDI core pretty much irresponsive.
Small things, but adding all up, it can lead to some unexpected results as quite a bunch of people were reporting.
Cheers!
Mathieu.
Great! Could you tell us when we can expect the update?
Tried Beatstep. It works great but it stops working when you press playbutton, wich sets of the built in sequencer, on the device.
Im building a dedicated iphone docking midi controller from the beatstep with lasercut layers of black dyed MDF. Hoping the iphone app drops soon
http://www.99musik.se/attachment.php?attachmentid=76110&d=1501078111
Hey jcurtis, nice to see we have some gear in common. I haven't tried the iConnect MIDI yet, but I did run into issues mapping the Minilab MKII controls. Using the default scene, pads 1-8, but pressing pads 9-16 caused BM3 to jump to the next control and seemed to map a CC instead. Did you experience that by any chance? Just trying to get a fix on the cause. Cheers!
I didn't - switching to the new pad bank just triggered the next set of pads... Are you on the latest firmware? Everything set up in MIDI Control Center correctly? (you know, the usual troubleshooting questions...)
Good questions! So, I believe I have the latest firmware: 1.0.9.83. I had the MKII plugged directly into the iPad via the iTsBeenRenamedSoOftenConnectionThing also known as the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. You? Or did you have the MKII connected to mac rerouting to the iPad via Snoizes MIDI Monitor or something similar?
UPDATE
So, after more research, looks like I had modified the default assignments in the factory defaults, so pads 9-16 were outputting CC's rather than NOTE events. Pulled up a new set of assignments with pads putting out notes this time.... and Auto Learn worked fine (previously, once a CC was input, it would skip over that assignment to another....). Thats it - MKII working fine with BM3 - thanks for getting back to me @jcurtis!
Is anyone here using a Zivix puc+ bluetooth MIDI interface, especially together with an Akai MPD controller? I interested in using my MPD218 with a puc+, but I'm wondering if the 300 mA USB output from the puc+ will be sufficient or if there are any other issues with this setup in general with MPD in iOs and BM3.
I am using MPD 226 and am having issues. I can only seem to get some focus actions to work. I can map the pads, but any time I try and map anything else, like a fader or something, it either doesn't work or all the connectivity stops working. I've tried to map the Play button, and now if I press it while using BM3 all the midi stops working completely. Not sure what the deal is but I think others have had issues with the MPD as well, but not everyone. It's working fine with my other apps so its definitely messed up on the BM3 side.
Yep - that one got me as well until I modded it in the the MIDI Control Center. Good troubleshooting.
Hi,
has someone experience with mapping the MPC Element Controller ?
When connecting via USB Camera Adapter, BM3 shows following under Midi Input and Midi Output:
Finally it works just under MPC Element Public !
What are the others for/ differences ?
Now, I can map the pads, play, stop, etc. so basic function via the Focus Action Editor manually or via Auto Learn. So far so good.
However, I am missing some functionallity not offered in the focus action list:
Sure, those more specifically made for the impc or impc pro app, but BM3 has similar functions, too.
Any chance to get this added to the focus action list or configured manually ?
Last but not least, is it possible to change the pads touch sensitivity or turn it off ?
Thx in advance for your feedback
I dont think mpc element send midi cc when you tap this switch (tap tempo, full level, etc...) it is "internal " to the mpc element
For the pad sensibility : look at your parameter maybe this feature is implemented
Hello,
I have a question. I‘m trying to map the Novation Launchpad Mini MK2 and i have the issue that even when i map the 64pads accordingly in focus actions and have Midi Omni „on“ the mapping seems buggy. Is there a way to „reset“ the Launchpad Mini?
Best regards.
Sedat
Send screenshot of focus actions. Turn midi Omni off, midi restart and midi panic.
I did this already. Same issue there. I have no screenshots and i‘m at work now. Maybe i can send at the weekend. I read in another post in the forum that there could be some cc actions assigned in the controller itself... Maybe someone with a launchpad mini mk2 can answer, if there is a way to overwrite or reassign the midi actions on the ipad itself or the Mac?