Midi keyboard plugged into Android phone

[X-53mph]

I wonder if anyone can help. 

I'm going camping next week in the wilderness, and wanted to take a keyboard to make music on. After browsing all the cool portable keyboards I got to wondering whether I could use my old M-Audio Oxygen 8 midi controller with my phone.

After doing some googling, I realised all I'd need was a USB-C to USB adapter to plug straight into to the phone, so I bought one, downloaded an app called Midi piano, and...viola... I've got a working piano triggers by the midi controller.

Now, my question: does anyone know of any cool android apps that work with midi controllers for making music. I've downloaded Caustic, but it's quite old. Anything cool and recent?

Cheers guys.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Philip G Hunt

[abacab]

4 minutes ago, Philip G Hunt said:

I wonder if anyone can help. 

I'm going camping next week in the wilderness, and wanted to take a keyboard to make music on. After browsing all the cool portable keyboards I got to wondering whether I could use my old M-Audio Oxygen 8 midi controller with my phone.

After doing some googling, I realised all I'd need was a USB-C to USB adapter to plug straight into to the phone, so I bought one, downloaded an app called Midi piano, and...viola... I've got a working piano triggers by the midi controller.

Now, my question: does anyone know if any cool android apps that work with midi controllers for making music. I've downloaded Caustic, but it's quite old. Anything cool and recent?

Cheers guys.

I've actually been thinking about acquiring a used or refurb older model of iPad for that purpose. All of the cool music apps are written for iOS. That appears to be where the mobile music market is happening today.

I believe I once heard a developer mention that there are still some issues with audio on the Android so that many have been shying away from that platform for mobile audio development.

[X-53mph]

I'm trying out lots of different apps.

ZenBeats owned by Roland seems like a fun and easy workstation in the style of the old Yamaha portable music makers (I used to have one... Wish I still had it).

There is also Fruity Loops for €20.

I don't think iOS is the only option anymore, it just had more options. ?

[abacab]

3 minutes ago, Philip G Hunt said:

I  don't think iOS is the only option anymore, it just had more options. ?

Maybe not, but it seems to be where all the cool kids hang out. ?

[Bill Phillips]

On 8/2/2020 at 5:20 PM, abacab said:

Maybe not, but it seems to be where all the cool kids hang out. ?

Sounds like an Apple add.?

[abacab]

3 hours ago, Bill Phillips said:

Sounds like an Apple add.?

Not really an Apple fan here, except for an iPod that I bought 10 years ago...haven't used it in years, since Android smartphones have taken their place. But there's no denying that the music app market is leaning toward iOS.

[Bill Phillips]

14 hours ago, abacab said:

Not really an Apple fan here, except for an iPod that I bought 10 years ago...haven't used it in years, since Android smartphones have taken their place. But there's no denying that the music app market is leaning toward iOS.

It looks that way. The monolithic hardware & claims that apple users are more willing to pay for apps probably make apple products more attractive to developers. 

[Glenn Stanton]

there are a few decent paid (and some free) android-based keyboard apps and synths. oneimportant aspect - getting a good quality USB adapter which can provide the power to the keyboard (some adapters do not) - i've been using my Keystation 49 and Samsung Note 8, and a CANZ speaker (using the direct audio output to avoid bluetooth latency), and it seems to work fine.

[Starship Krupa]

How about BandLab?

I mean, the DAW that runs on Android and iOS phones and tablets. BandLab had years of developing and marketing their other DAW's before they picked up SONAR and dusted it off.

A friend of mine bought an iPad and Apple app-blocked him from installing Garbage Band because his iPad could only take iOS 12, so I mentioned BandLab, and he's loving it.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Starship Krupa

[TheMaartian]

For a mobile Android DAW with an available high quality USB audio driver, check out Audio Evolution Mobile (trial version available). Another great choice is G-Stomper Studio. Neither is free, but both are inexpensive. I recall spending about $14 for the AEM DAW and their audio interface driver combo. And I vaguely recall G-Stomper being about $10. Since I own both, I don't see prices anymore. ?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.aemobile&hl=en_US

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.planeth.gstomper&hl=en_US

[YaBoY Steve T]

On 8/2/2020 at 4:53 PM, Philip G Hunt said:

I wonder if anyone can help. 

I'm going camping next week in the wilderness, and wanted to take a keyboard to make music on. After browsing all the cool portable keyboards I got to wondering whether I could use my old M-Audio Oxygen 8 midi controller with my phone.

After doing some googling, I realised all I'd need was a USB-C to USB adapter to plug straight into to the phone, so I bought one, downloaded an app called Midi piano, and...viola... I've got a working piano triggers by the midi controller.

Now, my question: does anyone know of any cool android apps that work with midi controllers for making music. I've downloaded Caustic, but it's quite old. Anything cool and recent?

Cheers guys.

Where did you find drivers? I just bought usbc to usb adapter off sweetwater in hopes to make it work. Did you use USB cord or midi to usb to the adapter? Any drivers? I'm lost, thought it would plug and play but it's not via usb cable, any help would be appreciated! 

[Glenn Stanton]

the adapter is key - i used a type-c to type-a "smart adapter" ('cause it also does hdmi and charging) and plugged an M-Audio Keystation 49 and voila! (e.g. https://smile.amazon.com/Adapter-Charging-Multiport-Projector-Monitor（Gray）/dp/B07R7PD8TR)

it worked when you have the right programs - like the midi piano, caustic, and there are some midi "controller"/"converter" type out there as well, however, in trying a bunch of free ones, they did no controlling or converting ? i did this experiment to get my daughter set up with her phone and tablet. so it's mainly:

1) get the right adapter - a powered one is better because it will supply the keyboard power rather than draining the phone - if you're planning on being in the wilderness - perhaps a solar charger is in order ? 

2) you'll have to play with different software products to see which ones work. there is not a lot of free ones that do a good job, and i didn't feel compelled to spend money on something that was really just trying to see if i could get it to work...

[X-53mph]

On 11/26/2021 at 8:49 PM, YaBoY Steve T said:

Where did you find drivers? I just bought usbc to usb adapter off sweetwater in hopes to make it work. Did you use USB cord or midi to usb to the adapter? Any drivers? I'm lost, thought it would plug and play but it's not via usb cable, any help would be appreciated! 

I got a very cheap usb-c (male) to USB (female) adapter. I'm using a battery powered keyboard. If you power the keyboard from the phone, you'll kill your phone's battery very quickly.

As for software: Caustic worked but it's a very old program and I suspect it was sapping my phone battery. There are hundreds of piano apps on Android. Try some out and see what works.

A question: what phone do you have? 

[Eric Liu]

On 8/2/2020 at 4:53 PM, Philip G Hunt said:

 

Now, my question: does anyone know of any cool android apps that work with midi controllers for making music. I've downloaded Caustic, but it's quite old. Anything cool and recent?

 

Bandlab. Best mobile music making app for Android. Haven't tried n-Track Studio but it's free. Caustic 3 and FM Synthesizer are free options too.

[tabraider]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:53 PM, Philip G Hunt said:

I wonder if anyone can help. 

I'm going camping next week in the wilderness, and wanted to take a keyboard to make music on. After browsing all the cool portable keyboards I got to wondering whether I could use my old M-Audio Oxygen 8 midi controller with my phone.

After doing some googling, I realised all I'd need was a USB-C to USB adapter to plug straight into to the phone, so I bought one, downloaded an app called Midi piano, and...viola... I've got a working piano triggers by the midi controller.

Now, my question: does anyone know of any cool android apps that work with midi controllers for making music. I've downloaded Caustic, but it's quite old. Anything cool and recent?

Cheers guys.

Hello.

I'm trying to use my Midiman Oxygen 8 MIDI keyboard -which is the same as the M-Audio- to play some piano app in my Android smartphone, a Samsung Galaxy A12. But it's not working at all.

I have a USB OTG cable, which works perfect with USB memory sticks, and also with an USB mouse, connected to the Galaxy A12. So, I guess the USB OTG is not the problem.

Of course, the Oxygen 8 keyboard also works with my computer, with different software (like Cakewalk or Kontakt).

When I connect the keyboard to the phone using the USB OTG cable, the keyboard receives current and turns on. I know it's better to use an external 9V power adapter, but now I want to see that both devices interact in some way. 

I've installed two piano apps, but none of them "see" the keyboard. I also have installed a USB MIDI Monitor app, and it doesn't detect any kind of MIDI data when I play some keys, or use the fader or any knob.

Any ideas of what else can I try?

Thank you.

[X-53mph]

4 hours ago, tabraider said:

Hello.

I'm trying to use my Midiman Oxygen 8 MIDI keyboard -which is the same as the M-Audio- to play some piano app in my Android smartphone, a Samsung Galaxy A12. But it's not working at all.

I have a USB OTG cable, which works perfect with USB memory sticks, and also with an USB mouse, connected to the Galaxy A12. So, I guess the USB OTG is not the problem.

Of course, the Oxygen 8 keyboard also works with my computer, with different software (like Cakewalk or Kontakt).

When I connect the keyboard to the phone using the USB OTG cable, the keyboard receives current and turns on. I know it's better to use an external 9V power adapter, but now I want to see that both devices interact in some way. 

I've installed two piano apps, but none of them "see" the keyboard. I also have installed a USB MIDI Monitor app, and it doesn't detect any kind of MIDI data when I play some keys, or use the fader or any knob.

Any ideas of what else can I try?

Thank you.

Try with a 9v battery. You won't get enough juice from your phone to run the keyboard.

[tabraider]

22 hours ago, Philip G Hunt said:

Try with a 9v battery. You won't get enough juice from your phone to run the keyboard.

Hi.

I've tried with a 9V adapter, and it's still not working. Otherwise, when I use the USB power the keyboard turns ON, and I can see the numbers on the display when I touch the fader or the knobs.

I also have tried the same things with a Samsung Galaxy Tab, with the same results. The USB MIDI Monitor app says something like "no MIDI found" or "no MIDI connection". It's like the keyboard is not sending MIDI, but when I use this keyboard with Cakewalk in my computer, everything goes perfect.

I'm still trying to figure out if the problem is in the keyboard or in the phone (or tablet).

 

[X-53mph]

12 hours ago, tabraider said:

Hi.

I've tried with a 9V adapter, and it's still not working. Otherwise, when I use the USB power the keyboard turns ON, and I can see the numbers on the display when I touch the fader or the knobs.

I also have tried the same things with a Samsung Galaxy Tab, with the same results. The USB MIDI Monitor app says something like "no MIDI found" or "no MIDI connection". It's like the keyboard is not sending MIDI, but when I use this keyboard with Cakewalk in my computer, everything goes perfect.

I'm still trying to figure out if the problem is in the keyboard or in the phone (or tablet).

 

Have you tried downloading Caustic?  If that works, then the issue might be the apps you're using.

Have you also tried USB-C (male) to USB (female) adapter? That way you can test if it is the cable or not.

I remember when I was experimenting I found that I needed to insert the USB C cable in one particular way otherwise it wouldn't work.  Try turning the USB C cable going into the phone around and see if that works. 

Good luck!

[tabraider]

7 hours ago, Philip G Hunt said:

Have you tried downloading Caustic?  If that works, then the issue might be the apps you're using.

Have you also tried USB-C (male) to USB (female) adapter? That way you can test if it is the cable or not.

I remember when I was experimenting I found that I needed to insert the USB C cable in one particular way otherwise it wouldn't work.  Try turning the USB C cable going into the phone around and see if that works. 

Good luck!

Hi.

I've tried Caustic and the MIDI connection is not working. Caustic works, of course, but just touching notes on the phone screen, not the MIDI keyboard.

I've also tried to insert the USB C in both possible ways, but there's no MIDI connection anyway. I have no other cable to try. But my OTG cable works fine with any other thing I use it for (p.e. connecting a USB memory stick).

I've sent emails to Samsung and M-Audio. Maybe some of them will know how to make this work. Maybe I have to change something in my phone config, or maybe some driver is needed.

Thank you very much for your atention.

[X-53mph]

2 hours ago, tabraider said:

Hi.

I've tried Caustic and the MIDI connection is not working. Caustic works, of course, but just touching notes on the phone screen, not the MIDI keyboard.

I've also tried to insert the USB C in both possible ways, but there's no MIDI connection anyway. I have no other cable to try. But my OTG cable works fine with any other thing I use it for (p.e. connecting a USB memory stick).

I've sent emails to Samsung and M-Audio. Maybe some of them will know how to make this work. Maybe I have to change something in my phone config, or maybe some driver is needed.

Thank you very much for your atention.

Found this on the Samsung community site.

Maybe give it a try.