Hello,
First time poster here, so thanks for the opportunity benefit from the expertise here. I'm just starting to get into the midi space. I come from this very basic trajectory: '80s - 90's guitar into amp guy' > 'got into HW based guitar amp modeling and multiFX' > Discovered the world of software modeling, ie Amplitube, BiasFX, Animoog, SynthOne, etc. So now that I'm starting to learn about using my iPad to compose (yeah just Garageband for now), I'm experimenting more with keyboard/synth apps just to record some basic loops to compliment my guitar composition. So obviously I need a keyboard midi controller so I'm not playing a keyboard on an iOS screen. Things are getting more complex and more exciting now - I'm going to buy a Keystep most likey since it has a midi in and midi out, as well as some type of drum machine / beatmaker like a Korg Volca beats or Alesis SR-16. The Korg has midi in only, the Alesis a mid in and midi out.
Here's a very key point: Right now the only processing hardward I have is an iPad Pro. I don't have a good PC to do it right yet, with a full blown DAW, etc. Maybe later this year. So I suspect that I'm very soon going to run into limitations of trying to get a guitar, midi keyboard and beat maker to play well together in an iPad Pro environment. I need my guitar to interact with Amplitube and my midi controller to interact primarily with Synth model apps and of course control other apps like a Looper for example. Add to that a HW beatmaker creating its own signal so of course I need the Ketstep to control the beatmaker.
So this is where I'm starting to run into the confusion, and maybe where something like the iRig stomp might help. First use case for the iRig of course is to allow me to switch through Amplitube / BiasFX patches with a footswitch rather than taping on the iPad. But my worry is that with the iPad connected via USB/Lightning to the iRig that I lose the ability to have my Keystep connect to that same iPad to control my keyboarding apps.
The Keystep has a midi in and midi out and the iRig Stomp also has a mid in and midi out. Wondering if I can connect the Keystep to the iRig Stomp (which also happens to be an I/O interface I can use with a computer when I get one) such that I can have both Amplitube and a Synth modeler running at the same time on the iPad. So I'd love to be playing guitar, trigger another loop (Loopy HD) at the same time I switch to the Keystep to lay down a keyboard melody. Not sure if this means the Keystep mid controller is controlling another midi controller (is that even possible?) ie Keystep is controlling the iRig which is then controlling the iPad. Or maybe the iRig functions as a hub for the guitar to send a signal to Amplitube and output to my speakers and also functions as a hub for the Keystep to control its own keyboard/synth app. Of course since the Keystep is far more powerful as a midi controller vs the iRig, maybe its the Keystep connected to the iPad and also facilitating the connection for the iRig to control Amplitube?
At the end of the day I don't want to invest in anything if I can't get it to play well together without disconnect and reconnecting my iPad.
...layer onto all that another piece of hardware like a synth-based beat maker like a Korg Volca Beats or Arturia MicroFreak.
I'm sure I'm thinking about this all wrong. Any and all bits of advice no matter how big or small sincerely appreciated!
