

However, using your phone as a MIDI controller is a great way to introduce yourself to making digital music. It’s a recognizable way to translate music visually, so many MIDI apps for smartphones use the image of a keyboard as their interface.įor professional recordings or performances, you’re better off using a regular MIDI keyboard or device. When you use your phone as a MIDI controller, it’ll most likely use a keyboard shape as well. If you press a key harder on a keyboard, that translates to a louder sound, for example. They’re also responsive to pressure and rhythm. Keyboards are a useful shape for a MIDI controller because they lay out musical notes in a logical way that’s easily translated between musical instruments. MIDI controllers often look like keyboards. Essentially, you’re playing music on your MIDI controller, and the controller is translating that music into digital data that you can then record or play from your DAW. You use a MIDI to input musical data into your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. The first step to understanding how to use your phone as a MIDI controller is to understand what a MIDI controller is and its functions in digital music. How Do You Use a Phone as a MIDI Controller?


Drawbacks of Using Your Phone as a MIDI Controller.Benefits of Using Your Phone as a MIDI Controller.Hooking Up Your Phone as a MIDI Controller.How Do You Use a Phone as a MIDI Controller?.Most DAWswould be able to detect the MIDI inputs on your computer automatically, but if it doesn’t, you can check your MIDI inputs settings and select your USB to MIDI adapter as the input.Īnd that’s really all to it. Once your computer has successfully recognized the USB to MIDI adapter, launch your MIDI software or DAW next. If it doesn’t and Windows reports it to be an unrecognizable USB device, chances are you received a faulty cable adapter. The USB adapter will normally be installed automatically on your Windows or Mac computer. At this point, you can hit the keys on your keyboard and check the indicator on the adapter, checking to see if any MIDI signal is being sent. Connect the USB end to an available USB port on your computer. What you’ll have to do is to connect the MIDI in of the cable to the MIDI out of your keyboard. The USB to MIDI adapter cable would have USB on one end and three MIDI ports (MIDI in, MIDI out & MIDI thru) on the other. A midi software or DAW on your PC or Mac.I’ve tested them and the cheaper cables are usually very low quality & sometimes don’t work) A USB to MIDI adapter cable (Don’t be cheap and get the cheapest one.An electronic music keyboard with MIDI out.

This is what you should look for on your keyboard, the MIDI out
