iPad Midi USB-C Roland SPD-SX

[gema]

Hello everyone,
Unfortunately I haven't found the right solution in this forum yet and am therefore asking for help.
Sorry for my bad English. I'll let Google translate it...

Initial situation:
- MacBook
- iPad pro 2022
- Roland SPD-SX sample pad
- USB-C cable
- Apple USB-C multiport

I have a Roland SPD-SX sample pad here. The goal is to display the setlist in Bandhelper and when I click on the next song, the next song is also set in SPD-SX. I can also switch the song selection in Bandhelper forward or backward by pressing the pad on the SPD-SX.

Now to my problem:
- The whole thing works wonderfully with the USB-C cable and the MacBook. The corresponding presets etc. have been created. The MIDI menu in Bandhelper also shows the SPD-SX by name and recognizes this.

I made all the settings on the iPad exactly as on the MacBook and I also select the same layout. I first use the USB-C cable as the plug connection. Bandhelper on the iPad does not recognize the SPD-SX. I then connected the Apple USB-C multiport with external power supply in between, restarted the app, but the SPD-SX is not recognized again. If I now use the last option and plug it into the MacBook, the SPD-SX is recognized immediately and everything works perfectly. Back to the iPad, it doesn't work...

Please help me. I'm desperate...

Best regards, Matthias

[arlo]

When you say "not recognized" do you mean the SPD-SX doesn't appear in the list of Connected Ports in the MIDI Status window?

[gema]

Hello Arlo,
yes, exactly. It is displayed on the MacBook, but not on the iPad. Only the standard values ��network session 1 input and output.

[arlo]

This will only work if the MIDI interface on the SPD-SX is USB class compliant. I did a quick web search and found conflicting info on that, so you'll have to do a deeper search or contact Roland.

If it's not class compliant, you will need a USB MIDI interface between the iPad and the SPD-SX.

[gema]

Hello Arlo,
I found this information too. I have an iPad Pro from 2022 and a MacBook Pro from 2023. The year of manufacture of the Roland SPD-SX is much older. But how can it be that it works immediately with the MacBook and not with the iPad? I also suspect iOS as the problem, but it works on many videos on YouTube. So I suspect a setting issue either in BandHelper or a driver is missing on the iPad. The latter is not possible, however, as the iPads all support Midi USB...

...so that we understand each other correctly, I use USB Midi. I have a USB A to USB B cable for this and alternatively a USB C to USB B cable.

I also have a MIDI interface cable from Roland, but it doesn't work at all with the MacBook and iPad. You probably need to make additional settings for this..

[gema]

Hello Arlo,
your post gave me another idea and I found the solution!

On the Roland SPD-SX sample pad, you have to set whether USB MIDI is used in the settings (Menu - Setup - Midi - USB-Midi I/F).

SO:
The Macbook can handle all variants - Midi USB and a USB to Midi cable. It is important that the above setting is set in the sample pad settings.

The iPad can only handle the Roland cable (USB MIDI INTERFACE UM-ONE). To do this, the button on the side of the interface must be set to "Tab". The above setting must then be made in the SPD-SX - (USB-MIDI I/F - OFF). You can then either connect the interface cable directly to the iPad or put a dongle for external power supply in between.

It's been a long journey : )

I'll soon write a guide on how to connect Bandhelper and iPad to a Roland SPD-SX and make it skip forward and backward on the setlist, turn tempo on and off and so on.

This question comes up very often. It was a lot of work and after more than six weeks I can now successfully complete this project and look forward to the new setup!

Thanks Arlo, you gave me the idea.

[arlo]

It sounds like the SPD-SX is not class compliant, so you do need a USB MIDI interface to use it with a tablet. And this also requires changing a setting on the SPD-SX, and changing a switch on the Roland UM-ONE if that's your MIDI interface. I'm glad you figured that out.