Midi remote questions for Android Phone to Cakewalk

[RexRed]

Does anyone here use their Android (Galaxy s22) phone as a MIDI controller in Cakewalk?

Wired, WIFI, and Bluetooth?

How do you connect using Cakewalk?

Solutions for all three are welcome here in this discussion. 

Edited August 19, 2023 by RexRed

[user 905133]

Maybe 8-10 years ago or so, I played around with TouchDAW on an Android-based Tablet using WiFi. My tablet died.  I seem to recall trying it on an Android-based phone, but the form factor was too small for me.  I also  recall the developer had instructions to use another person's software to make the connection work (not sure which software he recommended, but I do recall having to set up stuff to get the Androids to communicate with my PC).  

My experience is old, but maybe the developer of the controller software you are using (or plan to use) has the instructions on how to do the set up.  Of course, maybe its simpler now, but maybe my experiences will be useful to you in getting connectivity happening.

UPDATE:  WOW!!! Times have changed!! I just Google TouchDAW and there are even tutorials on line now.  There was nothing like that back then.  (Maybe it It was more than 10 years ago?.)

PS: TouchDAW , Manual > Setup . Tobias Erichsen's rtpMIDI sounds like the one I probably used.

Edited August 19, 2023 by User 905133
(2) To add a PS with links that might be helpful; (1) Time frame correction. I found the receipt. It was indeed 10 years ago!

[azslow3]

TouchDAW is great in case you have a tablet. It works on phones as well, but since you can't have all controls visible, that introduce some limitations.

Another approach is to start with tunable solution: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,295.0.html

Unlike TouchDAW, OSC with AZ Controller does not require extra background service. You can tune it for your needs (well, that require some effort...) and you are not limited in the length of track/parameter names.

-----------------

It can be just wireless transport buttons is everything you need. Then check https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,288.0.html It is web based, no extras on the phone side (and so fast and free to try/use).

[RexRed]

6 hours ago, azslow3 said:

TouchDAW is great in case you have a tablet. It works on phones as well, but since you can't have all controls visible, that introduce some limitations.

Another approach is to start with tunable solution: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,295.0.html

Unlike TouchDAW, OSC with AZ Controller does not require extra background service. You can tune it for your needs (well, that require some effort...) and you are not limited in the length of track/parameter names.

-----------------

It can be just wireless transport buttons is everything you need. Then check https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,288.0.html It is web based, no extras on the phone side (and so fast and free to try/use).

Will this work if your computer has a router IP address rather than a fully dedicated IP address?

[RexRed]

15 hours ago, User 905133 said:

Maybe 8-10 years ago or so, I played around with TouchDAW on an Android-based Tablet using WiFi. My tablet died.  I seem to recall trying it on an Android-based phone, but the form factor was too small for me.  I also  recall the developer had instructions to use another person's software to make the connection work (not sure which software he recommended, but I do recall having to set up stuff to get the Androids to communicate with my PC).  

My experience is old, but maybe the developer of the controller software you are using (or plan to use) has the instructions on how to do the set up.  Of course, maybe its simpler now, but maybe my experiences will be useful to you in getting connectivity happening.

UPDATE:  WOW!!! Times have changed!! I just Google TouchDAW and there are even tutorials on line now.  There was nothing like that back then.  (Maybe it It was more than 10 years ago?.)

PS: TouchDAW , Manual > Setup . Tobias Erichsen's rtpMIDI sounds like the one I probably used.

This was not too hard to get set up and working  and it does exactly what I was looking for!

I wanted something to remotely click play record stop etc. and I wanted something so I could tap in a midi drum sequence on my phone with a light touch of my fingers.

For tom rolls, cymbals, snare, bass drum etc.

I do not think the XYpads have velocity sensitivity but that is okay, I usually set everything at 64 initially anyway.

It also works smooth as could possibly be even when Cakewalk is in play mode, and there is no perceptible lag with midi but I assume that could change once my project is proliferated with track and buss effects.

I just bought this to enter midi.

KAT Percussion KTMP1 Multipad Drum and Percussion Pad

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KTMP1--kat-percussion-ktmp1-multipad-drum-and-percussion-pad

I thought I could just use my fingers to tap in a beat but even with the sensitivity set high on the drum controller it requires a pat rather than a tap/touch.

It randomly misses a tap.

The phone app responds to even the slightest tap. 

This app stays connected all the time I only need to open it on my phone and as long as the midi track is selected in my DAW this controls it.

I would like to return the drum controller to Sweetwater but I think it is cool and it could come in handy someday.

It did not cost too much either and it is really easy to use.

I could have used my midi synth controller for this but it also seems less responsive than the glass surface of my Samsung Galaxy s22 phone.

Thank you for this suggestion.

I have a complete electronic drum kit I bought about a year ago that I am still paying for on my credit card, for this purpose and never used sitting in my spare room all set up and covered with a cloth. 

I seem to find out these solutions shortly after I buy something that does not quite work.

And the solution to this problem was about 5 dollars for the TouchDAW app.

Edited August 19, 2023 by RexRed

[user 905133]

Glad to hear it meets your needs!

[RexRed]

3 hours ago, User 905133 said:

Glad to hear it meets your needs!

I bought a Samsung Galaxy S9+ today bought it from Samsung and picked it up same day at BestBuy (my poor credit card). Came with a free slim keyboard cover. TouchDAW looks really nice on it!

Yes, it is overkill but still very nice. Have you all looked into wireless MIDI? Roland has a very nice offering.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WM1--roland-wm-1-wireless-midi-interface

 

Edited August 20, 2023 by RexRed

[RexRed]

Samsung Galaxy S9+  running TouchDAW Cakewalk tablet controller.

Edited August 20, 2023 by RexRed

[Starship Krupa]

On 8/19/2023 at 10:03 PM, RexRed said:

Samsung Galaxy S9+  running TouchDAW Cakewalk tablet controller.

Wow, that looks amazing! Well done, and thanks for sharing the results.

[RexRed]

1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

Wow, that looks amazing! Well done, and thanks for sharing the results.

This works very well over WIFI with no perceptible lag so far.

I haven't tried this yet with a project full of oversampling and tons of effects yet.

I tried deleting a track in Cakewalk with this connected to it and it crashed Cakewalk.

So, the conclusion is to only use this when you are recording and would like some distance between you and your PC keyboard.

It is not an editing solution but where it shines is as a midi input device.

The square pads are very nice

I need to find a better solution for the paint cans under my speakers. ?

There is a hole in the wall under the table, my wiring goes through there, and my computer towers are in the room on the other side of the back wall. 

When I close the door to the right, my studio is fan free and silent.

Edited August 22, 2023 by RexRed

[Starship Krupa]

Lovely setup. I messed about a bit with TouchDAW a few years ago, this makes me want to revisit it.

I have a couple of iPad Minis, so enough screen real estate to do it.

[RexRed]

1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

Lovely setup. I messed about a bit with TouchDAW a few years ago, this makes me want to revisit it.

I have a couple of iPad Minis, so enough screen real estate to do it.

Yea, even my phone is enough real-estate to do it.

I plan to use the Samsung tablet for live performance. 

It is just big enough to read words from.

It would be nice if the new Cakewalk Sonar had a tablet app for performance... ?

Edited August 23, 2023 by RexRed

[Starship Krupa]

11 hours ago, RexRed said:

It would be nice if the new Cakewalk Sonar had a tablet app

Me too!. The DAW I used before Cakewalk by BandLab, Mixcraft comes with a simple app that just controls the transport, and it really helped sell the DAW for me.

I play drums, and wow, just able to kick in and out of record without getting up from the kit is huge.

I finally just went with using a long cable on my Korg nanoKontrol II, but that of course adds another cable, and behind a drum kit that's being recorded is a lot of cables.

I suggested a transport remote for Cakewalk years ago and the first reply in the forum said that such a thing would be "useless" to the person unless it had the ability to set levels and mute and solo individual tracks....I mean, really, a mobile app transport would be "useless?"  But it clued me in to how much feature creep would be demanded from such a thing.

I'll settle for the folks at Cakewalk/BandLab doing more to make the software play nice with controllers in general.

[John Vere]

On the almost free side is me using my wireless computer keyboard. 
Tablet control of live sound mixers is almost universal now. 
With our Behringer x18 everyone can access the mixer and that’s using Apple/ Android/Windows devices.  
If I could add to that control if Cakewalks transport I might consider using it instead of WinAmp for playback of backing tracks. 
Because the X18 is also a ASIO interface Cakewalk can stream multi track mixes. 
I’ll be checking thisTouch DAW  App out today. Thanks for sharing.