Vangoa BM-A01

Started by mercury1, June 29, 2019, 04:44:40 AM

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mercury1

Does anyone have any experience with the Vangoa BM-A01 bluetooth wireless midi adapter? It has some favorable responses, but what interests me is a detachable connector between the send-return that supposedly allows you to use the send only. I thought I might try this with my Casio Mg-510 if i can internally mod the out din for power.
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

admin





Vangoa BM-A01 Bluetooth Wireless 5-PIN MIDI Adapter MIDI Cable for MIDI Keyboard Piano
by Vangoa
3.2 out of 5 stars    16 customer reviews  | 9 answered questions
Price:   $28.99 & FREE Shipping. Details & FREE Returns
No battery needed and zero delay. Nickel-plated plugs for rugged durability and efficient signal transfer.
The spring design of the cable makes long distance connection possible. Normally, MIDI IN connector should be plugged into MIDI IN jack and MIDI OUT connector should be plugged into MIDI OUT jack. But a few manufacturers seem to have MIDI input and output jacks backwards. You could plug it conversely if it doesn't work.
Connect your devices without wire to your instruments with Bluetooth and it is unnecessary to reconnect every time you play. Use music apps without cables and enjoy the freedom that wireless technology brings to your performances.
It perfectly fit for iOS and macOS devices (i Phone, i Pod Touch or i Pad ) and also most of musical APPs, such as GarageBand, Cubasis, iM1and so on.
Bluetooth MIDI can connect more instruments and devices, such as digital piano, MIDI keyboards, effectors, electronic instruments, phone or computer etc. 
Compare with similar items


https://www.amazon.com/Vangoa-Bluetooth-Wireless-Adapter-Keyboard/dp/B07LCKBN1P

mercury1

As unbelievable as it may be, the Vangoa BM-A01 actually works pretty well. I tested it with my korg kross first using fluidsynth with my android phone and it works with an acceptable amount of latency. Then I unplugged the return module and the send continued to function. So far so good, then I plugged into the Casio Mg-510 and much to my amazement, it worked! even without the power din mod. There was however, a little more latency. I don't know if that was due to the power robbing too much from the midi signal or that's due to the old tech of the casio. Either way well worth the $28
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

admin

Heres a tip for IOS users

I was about to return it, because I couldn't get my Fender Cyber Twin to connect. I saw these instructions for the Yamaha, and they worked for this one also!


Quote"There is one slight little hitch when used with my iPhone and iPad however; it's not immediately recognized as a bluetooth device by the iPhone and iPad (in Bluetooth Settings), nor by some of the apps I want to use it with. What this means is that it's necessary to connect to the "Vangoa BM-A01" via another midi bluetooth app that can find it and then let it run in the background (I use midimittr). Doing this makes it accessible to midi apps (including the iPhone and iPad) that cannot otherwise find it directly. Used in this way it works flawlessly.
"[/i]
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midimittr/id925495245

mercury1

So  I thought I would follow up. The android app I am using is Fluidsynth midi which works splendidly for midi thru bluetooth, it sees everything and seems very reliable. I cant tell any difference when loading different soundfonts though. Next I tried to use with my win 7 laptop which I runs a program called Aria I use with my ewi midi sax. Computer interfaces with bluetooth but no routing to midi software and it seems that none are available for win 7. Next I tried my Linux mint live with persistence thumb drive and linux sees bluetooth but I cant find the procedure to route thru a midi software program or which to use ( I have musescore, qsynth, audacity and some others ). I have never seen a step by step explanation of how to make qjack work or how to setup midi in linux, its always some ambiguous references that depend on you knowing a lot about linux up front. Any suggestions for things to to try other than Apple products?
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

admin

Quote from: mercury1 on July 02, 2019, 09:33:42 AM
So  I thought I would follow up. The android app I am using is Fluidsynth midi which works splendidly for midi thru bluetooth, it sees everything and seems very reliable. I cant tell any difference when loading different soundfonts though. Next I tried to use with my win 7 laptop which I runs a program called Aria I use with my ewi midi sax. Computer interfaces with bluetooth but no routing to midi software and it seems that none are available for win 7. Next I tried my Linux mint live with persistence thumb drive and linux sees bluetooth but I cant find the procedure to route thru a midi software program or which to use ( I have musescore, qsynth, audacity and some others ). I have never seen a step by step explanation of how to make qjack work or how to setup midi in linux, its always some ambiguous references that depend on you knowing a lot about linux up front. Any suggestions for things to to try other than Apple products?

basic Bluetooth "non BLE" will not work

The issue may well be you must have a Bluetooth 4.0 "BLE" compatible chips set on your Computer

I had to update the internal Wifi/Bluetooth module on my 2011 Macbook Pro to be compatible with these "BLE" (Bluetooth Low Energy) wireless MIDI adapters   

often you can simply add a small USB BLE dongle to add a compatible  (Bluetooth Low Energy) wireless adapter to your older computer

Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Micro Adapter (Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Raspberry Pi, Linux Compatible; Classic Bluetooth, and Stereo Headset Compatible)
https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_147_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZZRMD69V7KJBMT7W6CWZ


mercury1

Wow, I had no idea there was a difference. I will have to pick up one of those. Strange that it listed the device name and everything but win 7 is definitely non-compliant to le...thanks for the info.
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

cags12

Having the BTLE device only will not be enough for MIDI over Bluetooth. You need the software layer that understand MIDI over Bluetooth.

Thankfully, Win10 for the past year does support MIDI over Bluetooth LE. And Microsoft has been enhancing the support. I am even able to send/receive long SysEx messages between my Quiccosound mi.1 and Windows laptop with built in BTLE adapter.

It is not native support though but with Windows API (Windows store apps). You would need a bridge app (MIDI cables) that moves messages to a native virtual midi interface for any software to be able to use it. LoopMIDI works great.

admin

#8
Quote from: cags12 on July 02, 2019, 12:10:51 PM
Having the BTLE device only will not be enough for MIDI over Bluetooth. You need the software layer that understand MIDI over Bluetooth.

Thankfully, Win10 for the past year does support MIDI over Bluetooth LE. And Microsoft has been enhancing the support. I am even able to send/receive long SysEx messages between my Quiccosound mi.1 and Windows laptop with built in BTLE adapter.

It is not native support though but with Windows API (Windows store apps). You would need a bridge app (MIDI cables) that moves messages to a native virtual midi interface for any software to be able to use it. LoopMIDI works great.

There are MIDI BLE drivers for Win8.1, Win10
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/korg-adds-midi-bluetooth-le-support-windows-drivers/

https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/categories/201140366
https://www.korg.com/us/support/download/driver/1/305/2886/

https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/articles/207476106-Can-I-connect-to-a-Windows-PC-by-Bluetooth-

https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=125855


mercury1

Seems there is always an hurdle, so while thinking of options I downloaded another android app ( midi file player ) and plugged my usb to midi dongle up to the otg dongle and sent the midi out signal to my Roland Gr-1's multi-module and selected channel one. I played a midi file to test, then ran fluidsynth midi with bluetooth midi selected which gave me the option of routing bluetooth as a midi input on midi file player. It now sends my wireless ble midi to Gr-1 (or whatever else accepts midi input). It seems to actually track faster than using the soundfonts etc. The only bummer is I still don't have a hold button even when selecting channel 11 and using the synth module sounds as that was not implemented in the song recorder section. I could use the Korg Kross 1 as a output but it does not do hold type 2 which is what I use most often ( holding organ and string chords and playing over them with guitar ). Its too bad the Casio Mg-510 does not have a sustain or hold. I may try the Gr-33 next after my head stops spinning
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

admin

Same occurs on GR-30/ GR-33

Both work as MIDI Tone modules and accept external MIDI Note on / off messages  - but you can not use their built in "hold" or "Glide( portamento) foot switches in this mode of operation.

mercury1

Ok I finally worked up a procedure for hold function with the Gr-1 under this situation: first dip switch #1 needs to be "on" in the back of the Casio Mg-510 next  the Gr-1 settings are as follows- midi=basic 1,md poly ,local on, oct norm, rec part... p1=ch 11, p2=ch 9, p3=ch off and finally you must have a gk equipped guitar plugged up and sw2 pressed ,to put it into play mode to enable the fat/mod and hold buttons. While in play mode no patch changes are possible either through the android apps or the patch select button on the casio, but the hold and the fat/mod will actually work. If there was a sysex way to toggle the "play mode" remotely this might become more practical. Not quite a wireless gk or a fishman tripleplay but I might be able to make use of the gear I already have for a little longer
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010

mercury1

#12
Today I thought I would dust off the old Gr-33 and see what I could do with that module. If you set the midi to mono 1 ( my transmitting channel ) with the casio dip switches unchanged from the previous setting and select patch change for the s1-s2 settings on the Gr-33 it stays in play mode AND receives patch change info from the casio. This allows the use of the pitch glide, hold and arp/ctl. So I am playing the synth patches wirelessly through midi and still have all the controls. I also changed the bend on the Gr-33 to 4 which is what I have the dip switches set to on the casio and the normal setting (non-chromatic ) is actually working!  The only thing I don't have is the ability to toggle between latch and momentary with the hold. There are also more patches on the Gr-33 than there are "notes" to select patch changes on the casio but I guess the more used patches could be moved to the lower numbers. Another downside is, only 1st part can be available through midi in. Now I guess it's time to tweek my setup and action on the casio as this has just become a viable option to my regular rig.
Gr-55, Gr-33, Gr-1, Vg-88, Jamman looper, Brian More 88.13  ,/ 8.13 , Fender hm strat( gk-3 ), Hammer( int gk-2) , Behringer V-ampire Lx1200 / fcb1010