Looking for Recommendations to Achieve Fully Wireless MIDI Rig

[tonygardner]

Hi Everyone.

I believe that I'm very close to having an entirely wireless MIDI rig, and need some advice and/or recommendations on how to get the MIDI routing setup correctly.

Here's a list of what's in my rig:

• Arturia KeyLab 88 MIDI controller
• Yamaha Motif Rack XS
• Two (2) Yamaha BT-01 wireless MIDI units
• iPad 4 running BandHelper

The BT-01's are plugged into the KL88 and the Rack XS.

BandHelper successfully connects to both BT-01's.

MIDI events from both devices are recognized by BandHelper. Specifically, BH can successfully send program changes to the Rack XS, and the KL88 can successfully send CC commands to BH. I can also see this activity using an app called MIDI Wrench.

My fantasy is that it is possible for either BandHelper or another app on the iPad to act as a MIDI router so note data, etc. is received from the KL88 and passed on to the Rack XS (KL88 -> iPad -> Rack XS). Any recommendations on a simple app that will act as a relay between the two wireless signals would be awesome.

BTW, I thought perhaps the MIDI Through option under BH's MIDI Settings might do the trick, but so far I have not had success with this.

Has anyone ever successfully implemented anything like this?

[Kazbah]

You can check this app:
https://www.midiflow.com

[arlo]

When you tried the MIDI Thru option, was BandHelper in the background or foreground? If it was in the background, did you try turning on Settings > Audio & MIDI > MIDI Options > Receive MIDI In Background? Also, what appeared in the MIDI activity log when you tried sending messages from the other app?

[tonygardner]

My apologies, Arlo. This has happened before, but I didn't connect the dots until just now.

Basically, if I connect BOTH BT-01's, BandHelper hangs, and I cannot click Done on the MIDI connection dialogue.

To be honest, I was cheerfully surprised by your inquiry. Do you believe that this should theoretically work without additional apps?

If this capability should be within the scope of BandHelper, perhaps I should log this as a support request rather than continuing this thread.

Let me know...

[arlo]

Yes, you can theoretically send messages from either BandHelper or another source via MIDI Thru to the same destination. However, there will probably be some delay, so this might not work well for live note data.

I don't know about connecting to MD-BT01's at the same time. I only have one to test with (and I'm using pairing functionality provided by iOS, so that's beyond my control anyway). I would ask Yamaha about this and see if they say it should work or if it's a known limitation.

[tonygardner]

As always, you're dead on correct Arlo. 

My "solution" to the BH hanging was to remove the IN port of the BT-01 attached to my keyboard.

I was able to generate note data, but there was noticeable loss, so we'll just have to wait a while longer until they figure out how to make it as fast as wired.

I do own a MIDI Solutions Router, so I'm going to try that out tonight to see if I can find a happy medium.

The idea would be to remove the BT-01 altogether from the MIDI controller, and run a standard 5-pin DIN MIDI cable to the MS Router's powered IN1 port, then plug the BT-01's OUT to the Motif Rack XS and the IN to the MS Router's IN2 port. The router would be programmed to only send Program Change and CC data on Port 2. That way, I should still be able to change programs via BandHelper which is the main thing I really need. I was using two of the programmable buttons on the Arturia KeyLab 88 to change pages, but I also own a BlueBoard and can easily program it to do the same thing and just set that on my keyboard.

[tonygardner]

This solution is so simple and elegant! Here it is:
1. Connect standard 5-pin DIN MIDI cable to Arturia KeyLab 88 MIDI OUT.
2. Attach 5-pin DIN MIDI coupler (female to female). I used the Monster brand.
3. Attach the Out end of the BT-01 to the coupler.
4. Connect the In end to the Yamaha Motif Rack XS MIDI IN port.
5. Start my set list in BandHelper, and connect the BT-01

This solution does not have any problems with MIDI data loss.

Wireless data goes between iPad and Motif, so MIDI controller buttons do not talk to BandHelper, which I can live with since I also have a BlueBoard.

[arlo]

I'm not sure what this is doing because normally you would connect the Out of one device to the In of another, and you're describing connecting Out to Out and In to In. My MD-BT01 doesn't literally say "out" and "in" on the plugs, so maybe you're misinterpreting that. I interpret the arrow the points toward the little connector cord as "in" and the arrow that points away from the little connector cord as "out."