Can I control stop /start function with midi foot controller

I have an ipad mini and an irig midi interface. I want to sequence drums using the impc drum sounds then be able to play them back live while playing guitar. Can I assign the start and stop button to a midi foot pedal so I can trigger them with my feet?

I use an Alesis I/O for my iOS MIDI needs, so I'm trying to visualize your particular setup.

I can tell you for certain that iMPC will not allow MIDI control used on it's own. It has to be loaded in Retronym's TableTop in order to map any MIDI. Hosted in Tabletop the iMPC will not have transport controls on the GUI as it will follow the main transport of Tabletop.

Looking at it right now it seems the Tabletop transport bar isn't mappable. Since they added MIDI learn to the app they haven't updated the manual so no help there. So no way to check if the transport would respond to a MIDI Machine Control (MMC) message being sent.

The Tabletop app supports iOS WIST sync. But then you would need two iOS devices. (I was thinking find a WIST compatible that will let you map the transport to the pedal and have that app send the start/stop messages to the Tabletop/iMPC.)

Maybe I'm overlooking something, but this may be a case of wanting to do a very simple thing being way harder than it should be, or even not feasible.

There is likely another app aside from iMPC that can allow the pedal to transport you need. I'll let you know if I figure out what app or apps that may be.

Thanks for the reply! I'm a newbie to midi and drum machines but I'm a little shocked that this is proving to be so difficult. I have an old ace tone rhythm ace that I play along with and was thinking it'd be great to be able to sample it's sounds, do my own patterns and not have to lug it around to gigs. Is there any drum machine or sampling app that can offer this simple function? I was also considering using garage band, record and sequence my beats into it and setting it to loop play, but even then I'm not sure if transport control is midi mappable! Is transport mappable in general in most software?

Christytiger wrote:I have an old ace tone rhythm ace that I play along with and was thinking it'd be great to be able to sample it's sounds, do my own patterns and not have to lug it around to gigs.

Is there any drum machine or sampling app that can offer this simple function?

You could definitely record the ace tone and transfer via iTunes, then chop in iMPC, but from what I read, I'd recommend Fingerlab's DM1 (for iPad) has quality drum sounds and easy to use; some of the kits are based on vintage drum machines.

Dom wrote:

Christytiger wrote:I have an old ace tone rhythm ace that I play along with and was thinking it'd be great to be able to sample it's sounds, do my own patterns and not have to lug it around to gigs.

Is there any drum machine or sampling app that can offer this simple function?

You could definitely record the ace tone and transfer via iTunes, then chop in iMPC, but from what I read, I'd recommend Fingerlab's DM1 (for iPad) has quality drum sounds and easy to use; some of the kits are based on vintage drum machines.

DM1 is dope (iPhone version was even free for a week last month). The vintage sounds are excellent but the iPad version actually has sample import where the iPhone does not. You can put 8 sounds per user kit in the iTunes shared folder and they show up in DM1.

For a more full featured app that is in an MPC vein check these out. (more expensive but the value is evident, these are full blown sequencing/sampling apps)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beatmak ... 20234?mt=8

http://blipinteractive.co.uk/

Christytiger, I'm still mulling over your pedal question and will let you know if I have a "eureka" moment on that. Does the iRig allow the 1/4" pedal plug to plug direct? I just realized my Alesis has a foot switch jack, so I could have it send to apps, but again that issue of no MIDI in standalone iMPC and likely no transport mapping in a Tabletop iMPC hosting situation.

I'll look and see of the other apps I mentioned can do it, I'm sure I've seen vids of people using apps with a foot switch to start and stop, but they have been amp simulators where the developers very much had pedals in mind knowing the potential users common methods.

Does the Dm1 drum app allow to midi map the transport controls?

The irig is only midi in and out. So I guess all of it's capabilities are directly dependant on the software I use

I just realized my Alesis has a foot switch jack, so I could have it send to apps,

you mean the alesis ipad dock? do they make that for the ipad mini? if that setup works i'll try and return the irig and invest in the dock. then i'd have audio inputs too
I was trying to avoid the pricier hardware as I'm a newbie, but sometimes it's better to shell out the cash for the long run I guess...

No just full size iPads and the newer ones need a plastic spacer piece to fit right.

But I'm sure that as mini's sell more (and how will they not? So many are more inclined to buy at the lower price, they will sell tons) I'm sure you'll see a mini dock from Alesis or another firm. I hear on not wanted to go to overboard as you just get started but that's cool that you can already visualize the benefits as far as having audio/MIDI I/O in one box. And if your at home a lot doing this stuff the dock is less messy than the more portable solution and the nest of wires your table becomes.

I'll get back to you in a little bit on DM1's MIDI (probably test some other apps). I use software DAWS as a "virtual MIDI patch bay" to route the MIDI to the dock when I don't have two standard MIDI cables. (It can get MIDI over USB from the computer).

I'll let you know what I find soon.

Christytiger wrote:Does the Dm1 drum app allow to midi map the transport controls?

The irig is only midi in and out. So I guess all of it's capabilities are directly dependant on the software I use

I just realized my Alesis has a foot switch jack, so I could have it send to apps,

you mean the alesis ipad dock? do they make that for the ipad mini? if that setup works i'll try and return the irig and invest in the dock. then i'd have audio inputs too
I was trying to avoid the pricier hardware as I'm a newbie, but sometimes it's better to shell out the cash for the long run I guess...

You could probably use the Alesis IO dock with the Ipad Mini by using a Lightning to 30-pin connector that also acts as an extender.

Yeah what Coolderb suggested would work I would think, might look a little ugly though. But as each generation of iPads get released the older ones drop in resale value significantly, so over the next few years there will will some very cheap used full size models out there. So maybe the dock is still worth a look.

I suppose with the NAMM show just past and we didn't see any iPad mini docks maybe it will be a while yet.

looks like a no on transport control on DM1 and it doesn't record either, I'm guessing you might want that functionality too. But if it's only drum/percussion accompaniment you need that increases the chances of finding a easy alternative here.

I will return again after testing some more apps. (I have a couple 100 so we'll find something that fits the bill, and I dug out a switch pedal too )

wow thanks everyone. i look forward to any new findings!

It's getting late so I'll pick it up again tomorrow. But like I said I have most of the good drum/sequencing apps so one of them is going to work. After that it should just be a matter of figuring out how to use the foot switch with iRig.

Will definitely be back to try and finish sorting out some options.