Noob help connecting MIDI controller
Hi all, I’ve searched the forums but no joy. I have a midi keyboard (AKAI MPK mini play), connected via CCK to iPhone loopy HD app. I have selected the MPK Mini play in control inputs (so the app recognises the midi and you can also assign keybinds) but when trying to record or start a session/loop, it only recognises and records from the microphone of the iPhone and not the midi, can anyone help? Research is showing I may need an ‘audio interface’ but if loopy can see and connect to the AKAI controller, then I’m hoping not? Not sure if I can turn the mic off on the iPhone it will record the controller as second choice? Who knows. If I need yet another piece of kit (audio interface) then can you get an app on iPhone? Such as ‘audiobus’ (but perhaps a free one, after buying the midi, CCK, then the app, etc etc, just wondering how much £ I’ll have to spend until I can simply create some loops, it seems to be never ending). Thanks in advance for any help. Cheers all
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Not sure if it’s worth noting that I have access to GarageBand (if this can be used as the audio interface if it is needed)? And also that my midi keyboard is the MPK play (has sounds built in) and so not sure if this makes a difference.. thanks so much for any help anyone can give to me.
Hi there, did you manage to sort this?
I have just registered to ask the exact same thing.
I have Alesis V25 into Garageband on MacBook. I also have an iPad with Loopy HD.
Was hoping to connect the macbook to the ipad to as audio in to use the sounds on loopy. Will that work??
Hi Motty, no unfortunately no one answered the query
basically I want my MPK mini play (which has sounds built in, irrelevant I think) to connect to loopy and crate loops. Loopy recognises the MPK mini and can select it as a source, create keybinds, etc, but loopy will not take notice of it no matter what I do, and it just records from the iPad microphone even though the MPK is connected via the camera connection kit. First question is do I need an ‘audio interface’ even though loopy seems to recognise the MPK, and if yes, can you use GarageBand as said interface. Presume you’re having same issues. I know there’s audiobus but not sure if I want to buy yet another app in order to do it if it’s not needed. 
let me know if you manage to sort something please! It is doing my swede and I can’t get help anywhere! Cheers
Sorry, @DDCC6, I missed this somehow. Yeah, the MPK is just a midi controller as far as connections are concerned, so all Loopy is able to see are the midi messages coming in, no audio. You can use Audiobus to connect it up to a sound module app (of which there are hundreds), which you can then pipe into Loopy. Or if the MPK has an audio out line, you could buy an audio interface to run the audio into your iOS device.
@MottyT - you should be able to run audio from your Mac into an iOS device via the USB connection, using IDAM (Google for details). Note that is a two way connection, so you will also need something on your Mac to output the sound coming back from Loopy.
Thanks Michael. So you mean that I would need an app like audiobus, plus ANOTHER app (sound module app eg GarageBand) to make loopy work with controller? So GarageBand, audiobus, and loopy in order to make loops with my midi controller? The fact that my controller has sounds built in is irrelevant then? Thanks for your help
Well, if you want to record the sound from the MPK, assuming it has an audio out, then you can run it into your iPad via an audio interface to record the audio. This isn't a Loopy limitation - this is just the nature of MIDI vs audio. MIDI is just the note info, not the sound.
I just registered to ask this same question. I also have the MPK mini play, which does have a headphone jack and audio output. I used an Aux cable to connect it to my iphone with Loopy and it still just records from the phone microphone.
I am also confused on what i need to do so the phone/app will pick up the sounds playing on the MPK mini play directly and not background noise (if this is even possible)
I think you need to connect a audio interface. Then take the audio out from your MPK and insert into the audio interface.
I use a Apogee jam to input sound to my iPad. I have a KORG nanoKEY2 that Loopy will also recognize but it will just see the keys as midi messages that can be used to trigger preset commands.
But if I wanted to play sound from my nanoKEY2 I would have to run it into a midi synth app or anything that converts midi commands to sound then route that sound to Loopy with Audiobus.
I just started using the app last night and that’s what I have figured out so far.
I Don’t know for sure but I read that GarageBand doesn’t let you route its audio through audiobus and into Loopy for some reason. I haven’t tried yet so I don’t know if that’s true yet. I run my guitar into my Apogee then into the AmpKit app.
I also use a old Looptimus Midi foot pedal that gives me 6 foot switches and 20 banks. So I could basically bind 120 commands to the foot switches. But I have to figure out the best way to lay that all out so I can remember what command is on what switch. I think I may even be able to do three times that using long press and switch off. But I don’t want to make it that complicated. I think I will only probably wind up using two or three banks and be able to do a good amount.