MIDI > Kemper Player

[highrisk]

Apologies in advance... I've read some of the posts regarding MIDI within the first 8 of the 17 pages on the topic here in the forum. I've also read BandHelper's tutorial of the subject, as well as watched a few videos. It seems the more I try to learn about MIDI, the more confused I get (I'm a total 56y/o midiot). My conundrum (or plan, lol) is to build a rack to be used on stage (not necessarily right behind me) for my bass signal and in-ear transmitter. I've used my FireFly page-turning pedal to change songs within BandHelper with great success for many years now, and recently tested its distance capabilities in my home. It reaches clear across my house - even around a few walls! So I'm thinking I can have the Kemper Player (which is enroute) and my iPad in my rack and use the FireFly (located near my mic stand) to change the song which would be programmed to change the patch of the Kemper. Easy enough, right? No cables to route 👍🏻. Now, since I won't have a screen to indicate a successful page turn, I thought about making a recording of me saying the song's name and saving it as a BandHelper Recording which obviously I would attach to the corresponding song, which I could program to "play" once the song changes, right? I even thought the "Recording" could contain some helpful hints in addition to the song title; as I press the AirTurn pedal I hear the song title and maybe "starts on A... wait 4 measures before coming in", etc.

So I'm pretty sure I'll be able to change the song via my wireless pedal. What I'm not fully understanding is how to connect my iPad in order to 1. Tell Kemper which patch to change to, and 2. How to send the audio ("Recording") to my in-ear transmitter. I haven't received the Player yet, but the online manual reads "The Player supports MIDI over USB, and connects easily to any universal MIDI controller device via an USB MIDI interface. Simply connect the interface to your MIDI controller's MIDI output and the Player's USB A port. Some MIDI controllers, for example Uno4Kemper, support the KEMPER bi-directional MIDI protocol, which requires the MIDI OUT jack of the interface connected to their MIDI input." So I think it has to be wired (right?). The Player has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but I think that's just to connect it to Kemper's app for setup and managing the pedal otherwise. Should I start with an Apple Lightning splitter to connect to both the Player and in-ear transmitter (via proper adapters, of course) simultaneously?

I appreciate any help I can get. Message me on the side if you think a phone call would be better. ugh!

[arlo]

Does your iPad have a headphone jack?

[highrisk]

Unfortunately not. Just the lightning jack. A headphone jack would've simplified my situation for sure, allowing me to charge the iPad at the same time. I know there are dual function adapters available to charge AND send audio separately. Perhaps get one of those AND an extra y-splitter to send a. the BandHelper's audio Recording to my in-ear transmitter (via another adapter 😵‍💫), and b. send the MIDI signal to the Kemper Player (via, you guessed it, another adapter 😩). I'm just not sure if that's proven or not.

[arlo]

So the basic question is, how to output both MIDI and audio from an iPad that has only a Lightning jack? Here are some options:

1. If the MIDI device you want to send to has MIDI DIN jacks, buy a Bluetooth USB adapter like the Widi Master and connect that to the device so your iPad can send MIDI to it via Blueooth.

2. Use a Lightning-to-USB adapter to connect a USB hub to the iPad. Then connect the MIDI device to the hub via a USB cable, and buy a USB audio interface and connect that to the hub. One possible pitfall is that the iPad might not send audio to the audio interface if a MIDI device is also connected. BandHelper's multi-route audio settings might help with that.

3. Buy a combined audio/MIDI interface and connect it directly to the iPad if it has a lightning connector, or via a Lightning-to-USB adapter if not. Then connect your MIDI device to the interface via a MIDI cable if it has a MIDI DIN jack. I think this would be the most expensive but also the most reliable option.

[highrisk]

Thank you, Arlo. Yes, I believe that is the basic question. Are interfaces necessary? Isn't the [split] Lightning jack capable of performing both tasks simultaneously? In this case, the Kemper Player has no MIDI DIN, so I guess options 1 and 3 are out.

Could I use a CME WIDI Bud Pro Bluetooth USB MIDI Dongle connected to the Player? That way the Lightning jack is free to pass the audio to the in-ear transmitter. If so, is the iPad capable of both communicating with the dongle AND receiving commands from the Firefly. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1711787-REG/cme_wb00b11_widi_bud_pro_premium.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A6879&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAq4KuBhA6EiwArMAw1AZNbKzXwfbKuk02sZHzayJFcGSAwqG18tWq5D9bBQZS4jeIDgeVdxoCw2UQAvD_BwE

Their manual states:
- Use the USB type A port to connect USB flash drives for PROFILER backups and operating system updates. Please consult the chapter Updates, Backups and Sharing Sounds for details.

- For KEMPER Rig Manager™, USB audio and USB MIDI connect the USB type B port of the PROFILER Player to either a USB type A port or a USB type C port on the PC.

- ✓The USB type A port can also be used to connect an universal MIDI foot controller or any other MIDI device with standard MIDI sockets via a USB MIDI adapter. Be aware, that there might be limitations since these adapters often don't support SysEx messages.

[arlo]

"Isn't the [split] Lightning jack capable of performing both tasks simultaneously?"

I'm not sure what you're referring to by a "split Lightning jack." I'm not aware of an adapter that splits the audio from the USB, but it might exist.

"Could I use a CME WIDI Bud Pro Bluetooth USB MIDI Dongle connected to the Player?"

I don't know if the Kemper would recognize the Widi Bud Pro as a USB MIDI interface. I would ask both Kemper and CME.

"is the iPad capable of both communicating with the dongle AND receiving commands from the Firefly"

Yes, as far as I know all phones and tablets can connect to multiple Bluetooth devices at once.