A MIDI Keyboard with an iPad

How to connect a USB MIDI Keyboard to an iPad using GarageBand. Can it be done? YES.

What you'll need:
iPad (Both models work.).
GarageBand (for iPad).
iPad Camera Connection Kit.
Powered USB Hub
USB MIDI Keyboard/Piano.


Pro Tip: If GarageBand doesn't appear to be recognizing your keyboard, try restarting your iPad by holding down the home button and the lock button simultaneously on the iPad until you see a black screen with an Apple logo. Open GarageBand, assign an instrument (like drums, keyboard, etc.) and it should work.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• iPad
• MIDI
• Keyboard
• USB
• Music
• Sound
• GarageBand
• Apple
• Electronic
• Audio
• Tracks
• Recording
• Live
• Experimental
• Rihanna
• Cover
• Song
• Singing
• Sampling
• Fun
• Instrument
• Piano
• Drums
• Instrumental
• How
• Make
• Connecting
• Connect
• Engineering
• Power
• Hub
• Toby
• Ryan

[Dattdudebadd1]

How to get the sound as load as yours.

[tobyryanmusic]

@Dattdudebadd1 Are you referring to sampling an audio file? In GarageBand for iPad there is Sampler instrument that lets you record your own sounds and play them on keyboard.

[Wawasaki]

Hi, I've seen that the piano effect of the iPad does actually respond to velocity (from piano to forte), but does the drum also respond to this? Because I am looking forward to buy the camera connection kit and I am a drummer, so I really need the dynamics on my songs. Thanks! Nice video by the way

[tobyryanmusic]

@Wawasaki Yes the velocity works using a MIDI keyboard and the software drum kits in GarageBand for iPad. It's pretty much all MIDI, so velocity, pitch bends and even modulation wheels (if you keyboard has that extra feature) all work in GB for iPad. Plus I recently tried the AKAI MPD18 drum pad using this same method and it too would register velocity. Pretty sick for a mobile device. Hope that helps.

[TheSoundDoctors]

how do you assign samples like a kick drum that you downloaded off a website to your midi keyboard? i use garageband imac

[tobyryanmusic]

@TheSoundDoctors Hey! That's inside the "Musical Typing" area. It's one of those really awesome things GarageBand can do that very few know about for some reason. Made a little tutorial for you if you'd like to check it out on my channel. Let me know if that helps!

[stratomaster134]

lol, u were using the floor tom as the kick u noob

[TheJayThomas]

hi, do you think the ipad would work with an electronic drum kit? the kit module does have a midi output....would i be able to just plug and play?

[XboxAM]

Can I also use my Ipod?

[livbit]

you will not need a power adapter if you use 25-key midi controllers. for 61key, 88key it is a different story though.