midi Keyboard/Ipad for gigs?

davros

I have exactly the same need, play guitar but some songs need a second keys part. I tried using an iPad with bluetooth Korg nano keyboard in band practice and it was a faff.

After looking around I think the Roland Go:keys will do the job. Full size keys and decent sounds. Small enough and a bit plasticky, but not a bad price.

thomasw88

davros said:

I have exactly the same need, play guitar but some songs need a second keys part. I tried using an iPad with bluetooth Korg nano keyboard in band practice and it was a faff.

After looking around I think the Roland Go:keys will do the job. Full size keys and decent sounds. Small enough and a bit plasticky, but not a bad price.

My iPad has a headphones socket so shouldn't be a problem. 

jackio

Would you mind coming back to tell us what you think of your solution @thomasw88?

thomasw88

jackio said:

Would you mind coming back to tell us what you think of your solution @thomasw88?

Yeah will do!


I'm happy to use this for stuff in the house which is why I went for it, but I'll try it at a couple of rehearsals with one of my bands and see how it plays with the iPad. 

As mentioned my iPad is 2018 model I think and has a headphones socket so don't  need to worry about Bluetooth.

thomasw88

so far...  


got the midi keyboard NI A61

Ipad camera connector says no,  "it consumes too much power"   so now need to get the newer apple camera connection kit.   Another £30...

Stratavarious

  Yep…  faff…

thomasw88

Stratavarious said:

1.3K Politics Economics

  Yep…  faff…

I think you're right..  But I've ordered a camera connection kit anyway.  Will see how that is and if it no worky well will gracefully accept defeat..   

Bizarrely I got given another midi keyboard last night an old 88  m-audio keystation 88es which does work fine with the ipad.. 

thomasw88

new camera usb 3 kit arrived.

Not working, same message.

I give up.

Stratavarious

thomasw88 said:

new camera usb 3 kit arrived.

Not working, same message.

I give up.

Sometimes the new apple hardware needs to do some update.  My power adaptor did not work first time. Then there was some firmware synch and it did.

Got Synth One?. pretty good for free.

goldtop

thomasw88 said:

new camera usb 3 kit arrived.

Not working, same message.

I give up.

There were/are two of these - one has only a single USB port, the other has both a USB port and a lightning connector.

Do you have the second type - https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MK0W2ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter - IIRC you need the charging cable to be plugged into the Lightning connector. 

monquixote

I think it's this kind of nonsense that would make me want to use a dedicated synth.

I was using mine with my laptop and it decided not to work a couple of times and then suddenly worked. Fine for home but would stress me out for a gig.

thomasw88

Stratavarious said:

thomasw88 said:

new camera usb 3 kit arrived.

Not working, same message.

I give up.

Sometimes the new apple hardware needs to do some update.  My power adaptor did not work first time. Then there was some firmware synch and it did.

Got Synth One?. pretty good for free.

yeah it did the update.  Still no worky.

can't be arsed with it tbh. 
  my ancient shite M-audio keystudio 49es works fine with the ipad and for a quick rehearsal/jam its probably good enough.
I tried it with m-audio 88 keystation and it works fine with that as well.

the ipad also works brilliantly with the Yamaha YC73 keyboard and so that could be a goer as well for some extra synth sounds.

thomasw88

Update ...  Sent the komplete kontrol back.. bought a keystation mk3 which does work with iPad..

thomasw88

Further update.. 
Keystation is decent and iPad is ok working with it but I don't think it's robust enough as a gigging solution.

Stratavarious

thomasw88 said:

Further update.. 
Keystation is decent and iPad is ok working with it but I don't think it's robust enough as a gigging solution.

It ain’t.   I gave up.

If someone made a decent weight 77 or 88 key keyboard with integrated tablet holder (or adaptor) for the all the power shenanigans and Apple made Mainstage and iOS app…. it could work.