Connect iPad app v1.0.18 is now available from the App Store

Started by FishmanSoftware, January 10, 2023, 11:35:38 AM

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FishmanSoftware

A new version of the Connect iPad app v1.0.18 (which of course works with both the wired and wireless versions of TriplePlay) is now available from the App Store for download!!

As many folks requested, and we previously hinted, it now supports hosting AUV3 plugins and SoundFont libraries.

You can mix and match built-in sounds with these two new supported sound formats, meaning that for example, sound 1 could be AUV3 while sound 2 could be SoundFont or whatever.

Getting the SoundFont libraries installed can be a little bit confusing, but we are close to releasing a video or two that explain the steps; I'll provide a link once they are available.

This update also fixes a small number of bugs, such as a battery drain issue.

The number one request over the years from you has been to expand the sounds available, and this is the way that we have chosen to do it.

Now there are hundreds of choices! And you can still add audio effects and MIDI effects to any of those sounds, even if they already have effects built in.

Obviously we could not test every AUV3 plugin and SoundFont library, so please report any problems (and successes!) here.

If you don't have any AUV3 plugins and you want to try a simple free one, I suggest starting with SynthMaster Player.

Most SoundFonts are free, and some are quite good, but you need to pay for many of the better AUV3 plugins. I hope that folks here will discuss which ones work and sound best etc.

Note that the SoundFont sounds will fully support TriplePlay features, thus should work without adjustment, while for AUV3, you may need to experiment with settings in the Connect app or in the plugin.

For example, if you want to use pitch bend with an AUV3 plugin, the plugin needs to be set to 12 semitones bend range or it won't bend correctly, and it might need to support multi-channel operation. In general, if you can't get an AUV3 to bend properly, then the workaround is to use "Trigger" mode in the Connect app.

I will be happy to help with whatever might come up. Keep in mind that it is impossible for our app to guarantee performance due to using someone else's plugin or library, but you should be able to get most synths to work.

Happy New Year to all!!


gumtown

Great stuff, I have been a SoundFont supporter for many (30) years, a great and very under-rated format.
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FishmanSoftware

In case you want to try SoundFonts and don't want to wait for the video, here is a brief summary:

Locate and download some SoundFont libraries to your computer. The format is .sf2 (and .sfz is not supported).

Use a search engine such as google to find them. Folks here might suggest ones that they recommend.
On Windows you need to use the iTunes app. On Mac you can use iTunes, or in modern Mac OS versions normal Finder File Sharing.

You need to drop the SoundFont libraries into the TriplePlay folder "My Files" using Apple "File Sharing" features.

Apple won't allow us to drop directly into the folder, so you need to drag the TriplePlay folder "My Files" from the iPad onto your computer, then copy the SoundFont file(s) into that folder on your computer, then drag the folder back to the TriplePlay location on the iPad and replace. Apple has help available on file sharing with iPad apps.

Now you should see the libraries showing up in the Connect app under the "Sounds" selection area on the left, in the folder way at the bottom of the list called "My Sounds" (scroll down to find it!).

After touching "My Sounds", you will see your SoundFont libraries in the "Instruments" panel. Choose one by touching it. Now you can choose sounds within that library (some only contain one sound, but most contain many sounds) by touching the icon that looks like 3 faders and you will see a list.

If it won't allow you to select the sounds but you can see them, touch something else in the UI then touch the 3 faders button again.

Hope this gets you started!

Vaultnaemsae

#4
Hi, Longtime FTP dabbler here (not FTP Connect). Am I missing something with the iOS app? I can't see any way to set PB range for the FTP. Is it a hidden setting? It is a very very important setting to be sure. I guess I'll just stick to using the desktop version but it would be handy to be able to edit key FTP settings with an iPad.

Another thing... it's possible to do some tricky MIDI routing in MacOS and allow the FTP USB receiver to be detected even when it's connected to a USB host device/audio/MIDI interface. (Actually, it's more reliable than a direct connection). But I can't see any such way to do that with iOS. That is to say, if I rename the USB host MIDI ports on my MIDI interface to match the ports that the FTP establishes when connected directly to an iPad the app can't detect anything! They can however be detected in macOS. Would it be possible to somehow allow such connection at a software level in a future update?
Vaultnaemsae's SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/vaultnaemsae

FishmanSoftware

Quote from: Vaultnaemsae on January 11, 2023, 06:08:53 AMHi, Longtime FTP dabbler here (not FTP Connect). Am I missing something with the iOS app? I can't see any way to set PB range for the FTP. Is it a hidden setting? It is a very very important setting to be sure. I guess I'll just stick to using the desktop version but it would be handy to be able to edit key FTP settings with an iPad.
Currently the Connect app doesn't allow you to set the bend range, so it is always 12 semitones. It also doesn't allow you to set the mono/poly setting, so it is always in mono mode (i.e. each string on a separate channel). All of the built-in sounds are designed to work with these settings, and the new SoundFont support also directly supports these settings. But as I stated in the release notes, for using AUV3 plugins, the requirement (currently) is that you set the receiving synth's bend range to 12 semitones to match TriplePlay, unless you are using "Trigger" bend mode. And if the receiving synth only supports Omni receive mode, then as you probably already know, then any  bends will be messed up. So best to use AUV3 plugins that support multi-channel operation (like SynthMaster and many others) and set the bend range in the hosted synth to 12, <or> use Trigger mode with other AUV3s.
Having said all of that, your request is quite sensible...maybe we can add these two settings some time in the future. Thanks for your specific feedback!

Quote from: Vaultnaemsae on January 11, 2023, 06:08:53 AMAnother thing... it's possible to do some tricky MIDI routing in MacOS and allow the FTP USB receiver to be detected even when it's connected to a USB host device/audio/MIDI interface. (Actually, it's more reliable than a direct connection). But I can't see any such way to do that with iOS. That is to say, if I rename the USB host MIDI ports on my MIDI interface to match the ports that the FTP establishes when connected directly to an iPadOS the iPad can't detect anything! They can however be detected in MacOS. Would it be possible to somehow allow such connection at a software level in a future update?
Maybe we can fix this in the future. If you find that using a "USB host device/audio/MIDI interface" connection is more reliable than a direct connection, I suggest you simply try a USB extension cable, to get the wireless receiver dongle farther away from the computer or other host; it is all about RF interference.
I can't say that fixing this problem is the highest priority, but it is clearly a real problem, and we will consider trying to fix it. I think that (for example) adding bend range and mono/poly setting to the Connect iPad app would be more useful for a larger group of users.

Thanks for letting us know what you want, and feel free to provide more details!!

kevorkian

Another vote here for allowing us to set the pitchbend range from the iOS app. I have been looking for this to be added as well but forgetting to put in a feature request (because we also have the macOS app to fall back on). Thanks

FishmanSoftware

Quote from: kevorkian on January 11, 2023, 09:46:03 AMAnother vote here for allowing us to set the pitchbend range from the iOS app. I have been looking for this to be added as well but forgetting to put in a feature request (because we also have the macOS app to fall back on). Thanks
I can totally understand the desire to adjust the bend range by you and Vaultnaemsae, but would be helpful for us if you both could explain exactly why *you* might want to adjust it.

There are various reasons that you might want this, such as:
1) You want to use the controller without the Connect app, and maybe if you could set the bend range in the Connect app that would be remembered by the controller for use elsewhere. This kind of thing really might be best served by allowing you to edit/create so-called hardware patches, which the Connect app does not provide.
2) You want to use the Connect app sounds, but you want to bend more than 12 semitones (or maybe less??)
3) You are using AUV3 plugins (or in the past AudioBus 3) and you want to match the TriplePlay MIDI output to align with the capability of a connected synth, maybe because the connected synth doesn't allow you to adjust the bend range.
4) ??? something else, some variation of the above, or possibly all of the above

I'm interested in your exact uses case(s) so we can better understand what is really needed, and why. Thanks in advance for any additional info you can provide.

kevorkian

Quote from: FishmanSoftware on January 11, 2023, 11:16:16 AM1) You want to use the controller without the Connect app, and maybe if you could set the bend range in the Connect app that would be remembered by the controller for use elsewhere. This kind of thing really might be best served by allowing you to edit/create so-called hardware patches, which the Connect app does not provide.

The ability to create hardware patches using the Connect app would be ideal. There are not that many top level settings that go into the creation of hardware patches so I keep hoping that this will make it into the Connect app at some point. Pitchbend range is actually the most important of these settings in my view.

Quote from: FishmanSoftware on January 11, 2023, 11:16:16 AM2) You want to use the Connect app sounds, but you want to bend more than 12 semitones (or maybe less??)

This is the most immediate reason that I look for pitchbend in the Connect app as I'm not used to having a pitch range constraint from synth controller products. It's not a huge issue, of course.

Quote from: FishmanSoftware on January 11, 2023, 11:16:16 AM3) You are using AUV3 plugins (or in the past AudioBus 3) and you want to match the TriplePlay MIDI output to align with the capability of a connected synth, maybe because the connected synth doesn't allow you to adjust the bend range.

This is another important reason and concern.

Quote from: FishmanSoftware on January 11, 2023, 11:16:16 AM4) ??? something else, some variation of the above, or possibly all of the above

All of the above is correct. I think it's also that the omission of these lower level settings and features from the Connect app makes me feel like iOS is a less serious/dependable environment vs the desktop app so I tend to favor it less and that's not because of any bias against using iOS but rather the omission of deeper levels of configurability. 

Vaultnaemsae

Been meaning to reply to this...but basically everything Kevorkian said is spot on.

Basically, I'd like full control of the hardware so as to not need to worry about the desktop version. While I'd like to use all synths on +/-12 semitones PBR some softsynths only do +/-2 st.

Though for me, as it stands, this is all moot if you can't connect to the app via a host. I use an iCA4+ audio interface+MIDI host/interface. I have to connect MIDI devices via the interface's ports but they can't be routed to the app as is.
Vaultnaemsae's SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/vaultnaemsae