Ableton Link with iPad doesn't work.

Hi!

I decided I would try to link up some of my iPad apps with MPC live 2 and see what I could get going with that kind of setup but it's been mostly just frustrating. Everything I've read says you connect to Wifi, set your sync to "Ableton Link" and then open your iPad app and enable Ableton Link and off you go!

BUT so far the only app that I have found to work has been Flip. Everything else just "Browsing for Link Enabled apps..." and it never finds any. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Are the apps not supporting the MPC or is the MPC not supporting the apps? Is it an issue with 2.10? Anyone else having this problem?

My iPad is a 2018 iPad Pro and I'm on a MPC Live 2.

TheRoyalSloan wrote:Hi!

I decided I would try to link up some of my iPad apps with MPC live 2 and see what I could get going with that kind of setup but it's been mostly just frustrating. Everything I've read says you connect to Wifi, set your sync to "Ableton Link" and then open your iPad app and enable Ableton Link and off you go!

BUT so far the only app that I have found to work has been Flip. Everything else just "Browsing for Link Enabled apps..." and it never finds any. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Are the apps not supporting the MPC or is the MPC not supporting the apps? Is it an issue with 2.10? Anyone else having this problem?

My iPad is a 2018 iPad Pro and I'm on a MPC Live 2.

Damn,i want to do the same thing but with direct ethernet connection (from ipad to mpc one).I have also a pro 2018 and ordered a usb c hub with ethernet today (only for this purpose)

But after reading this article íˋm afraid that it will not work without the akai network driver involved…which is obviously not available on ipad

https://inmusicbrands.force.com/akaipro ... ve-Control

I had similar issues, tried over Ethernet with Ableton link and my 2020 iPad but zero joy, in the end I got it all synced with a camera kit and a cheap usb midi interface, no more frustrations.. I know. It's not wireless but it's rock solid stability wise.. oh and if the app you are using only supports Ableton sync then you can use an app called midi link sync to bridge the gap..

i have a midi interface for ipad but ìˋm especially looking at the korg apps (Gadget/Electribe Wave) and they donˋt sync very solid with midi clock and timing critical material.Itˋs better if i use it in something like AUM and Midi link sync but we are leaving the quick and dirty“one app,one cable“ approach behind that was so tempting to me with the ethernet link idea.

I tried again this morning with ethernet and iPad via WiFi, AUM still shows no connected link apps even though both the MPC and AUM both had link enabled, I'm thinking it may be a router issue, I'll try Ableton and iPad later this evening to see if that works too..

i got the usb hub now and woha….instant success.I just connected ipad and mpc directly via Ethernet,activated ableton link and done!!Nothing to setup,sync is very tight.I just had to play arround a little with the latency setting from Gadget or tick shift a little the events via TC.

fmq75 wrote:i got the usb hub now and woha….instant success.I just connected ipad and mpc directly via Ethernet,activated ableton link and done!!Nothing to setup,sync is very tight.I just had to play arround a little with the latency setting from Gadget or tick shift a little the events via TC.

Link to the hub please

Thanks

Edit : Nm I just picked up an official apple ethernet adapter super cheap on fleabay, I've already got a small usb 3 hub so that's all I need..

Probably i like it even more with midi link sync involved because of the latency compensation slider.Although that means a little app switching is needed if i want to start/stop i.e gadget

So the plot thickens, got my apple ethernet adapter today, Ableton link is found on both devices and is synced well but no start/stop messages are passed between the iPad or MPC, I've tried every setting on th both and can't get it working as it's supposed to.. weird..

I think I've figured out what's going on, there's no option to enable start stop sync in the MPC so I'm assuming that the feature isn't implemented in the current firmware which is why start stop doesn't work either way, the MPC can't respond to it from the iPad and the MPC doesn't transmit it, I know this because I tried it with Ableton proper and it still didn't work so it must be an MPC implementation thing, seems a shame really as it would be a very welcome and convenient thing to have... At least the sync is solid, I'm using the ethernet for sync and some Bluetooth adapters for note data.. works nicely..

This is correct behaviour afaik.Link doesn‘t send start stop messages,it‘s always active even when the device is stopped (you still see this small moving white line on the mpc display).The advantage is,every connected device can start/stop whenever you want.With midi only the master can start/stop the orchestra.

edit:i stand corrected,on their website they mention a“start/stop/sync“ function in Live.But yes,it must be supported.I just checked: Gadget or midi link sync does not support it as well (unfortunately) but Electribe Wave and AUM does.

Also, devices can join the session after it has started, so transport controls can kind of mess things up. I've had iPad apps connected to SeratoDJ via Link in the past, if you hit play on the one or just before, it should sync up okay and stay in phase.