MG/iOS for live use

iOS
1

Hi, I am considering adding MG to my guitar rig for live use. Before I make the plunge into this, I’ve been researching some things and had a few questions that I’m hoping can be answered here. I am fairly new to the world of MIDI so bear with me. I have also been playing around with the MG demo on a MacBook Pro and got it to wok with my current guitar set up, so I am familiar with the basics of getting everything to work.

My current set up involves a Line 6 HX Effects into a tube amp. The HX Effects has the ability to send MIDI PC messages. Right now I have a Behringer UM2 connected to the send/return jacks of my HX Effects. The UM2 then connects to the macbook via USB. The HX Effects (serving as the midi controller here) connects to the macbook via USB also. So I can configure the HX to send pc messages and it works great. The ability to change patches is paramount for me. I need to be able to automate patch changes quickly since I’ll be using this for live/gigging use. So my “proof of concept” has worked, now I’m looking to swap a few pieces to make this “gig” friendly. I want to replace the macbook with either an iphone or ipad and the behringer audio interface with either an iRig or OMEC Teleport interface. Basically i want smaller, pedal board friendly alternatives.

So here are my questions:

  1. Will the iRig Pro and Orange OMEC Teleport interfaces pass midi PC messages originating from the HX Effects on to the iphone or pad device? In the set up i have now, my HX is connected directly to the macbook for the midi messaging.
  2. If I went the iPhone/OMEC teleport route, does the lightning camera adapter also charge the phone? If not, how do you change the phone since the lightening port is already being used to connect to the audio interface?
  3. Lastly, iRig Pro vs Orange OMEC Teleport. One better than the other?

Thanks in advance!

2

teleport has no midi pedals, so you can not compare them as such.
if you use apple’s camera connection kit (a small adaptor), you can load your iOS device and use he lightning port at the same time.

3

I’ve been getting great results using the Xsonic Xtone pedal

4

I found the best solution for a live rig is to have a guitar FX / amp modeler that is also a class-compliant USB audio interface. For most of these you can tap the unprocessed signal from the USB - port to use in MIDI Guitar. That way you only have the modeler and an iPad connected via USB and nothing else. My old Boss GT Pro works like a charm that way.

I also have it working with an Avid Eleven Rack but that is not USB class compliant (i.e. it needs a driver) and thus only works with a MacBook and not with an iPad. Still, it’s just that one USB connection. The synth sounds automatically come out of the same ports as the modelers guitar sound. :slight_smile:

Edit: And at home next to my couch I have a Yamaha THR-10X set up the same way, connected via USB to my MacBook where MIDI Guitar is running so I hear the synth sounds directly from the THR, if needed mixed with the amp sounds from the THR.