BeatBuddy Wireless MIDI Controller - Premium MIDI Layout for MIDI Designer Pro (IOS)

If only the XSonic had a display/scribble strips to allow for lot of banks of settings.

I’m very new to this, but I own a blueboard (used with quantiloop) - and a beatbuddy. I just ordered the aeros looper and and curious about the best set up to use my blueboard while looping? I see the integration that you’ve built @Ed_Saxman- but it seems specific to the beatbuddy. Will there be another set up for aeros? Sorry if this is a rookie question but I’m trying to use what I’ve got to get more control while performing.

At least 2 of us started work on a Midi Design Pro layout for Aeros, but the current Aeros midi implementation needs more functionality to make a layout useful. Long story short: midi controllers besides Midi Maestro don’t allow you fully control the Aeros, yet.

Thank you! Makes sense- so right now controlling the beatbuddy (as master) through blueboard works. Is this via Bluetooth or does it need to be connected to my iPad?

Are you saying the MM can do more than what is in the public midi docs for the Aeros? Is there any reason why any other midi controller cannot duplicate the MM setup?

I don’t have a Midi Maestro, so I can’t compare. As far as I know, all Aeros midi commands are documented here: Aeros firmware 3.1.x

Some issues I ran into might just be me mis-understanding the commands. As far as I understand, I can record a new track with CC:41, value 0; but I don’t see how to stop a track while recording it. I think I tried Sysex stop with bad results. I hope that ‘stop record’ isn’t the same CC and value, but I didn’t think to try it. And there doesn’t seem to be any way to select a track and overdub.

Another problem I ran into was syncing what is happening on the Aeros with what the controller thinks is happening. Some Aeros midi commands use the a single CC and number as a toggle, instead of using a CC and distinct numbers for ‘on’ or ‘off’. For instance, mute for track 1 is CC38 #1. Un-mute for track 1 is also CC38 #1. My controller can’t be sure whether a track on Aeros is muted or not, so buttons can’t be type ‘toggle’; all must be ‘momentary’ and my cool color-coded buttons don’t get to change. :laughing: I assume the Midi Maestro is in closer communication with the Aeros to know when a track is really muted, even when a track is muted via button on the Aeros, or a different preset is selected in Midi Maestro.

According to the first post, the layout provides:

I use MDP via bluetooth to change instruments on Logic Pro, but I don’t have a Beat Buddy.

I strongly doubt that the MM is using some undocumented midi commands (and if it were this would be easy to sniff out and reproduce). I suspect that the MM has taken one approach to controlling the Aeros which you could duplicate … but you prefer another approach which is not (yet) supported. Pretty sure the MM to Aeros is only one way (not in and out).

Hey just wanted to throw in that the Aeros works with any MIDI controller just as it does with the MM

Hello, this looks exactly what I’ve been getting ready to learn (the long way). I’m no longer a gigging musician, but play with friends regularly. I have around 500 songs in OnSong and have purchased a Beatbuddy Pedal for the drums and bass. I have created backing tracks from midi in Cakewalk (with midi and Kontakt plugins) for these 500 but would now like to transfer into OnSong.
While I appreciate BeatBuddy won’t play ‘backing tracks’ I’m interested to learn about Bluetooth from OnSong to BeatBuddy. I have the 2020 library and would like to store the midi detail into my songs to play BeatBuddy without fiddling around.
As a midi user I understand the different folder/file names methods and can work with that Alphabetical A-Z with song files embedded within those 26 alphabetical subfolders by using numbers 1-26 with 99 songs max in each folder.
My question is this, once I have added the necessary play/stop commands and saved them into each OnSong song file, is it permanent? Do I do this only once, so that when I call up the song via OnSong, the BeatBuddy will change right away to my chosen song - not having to create as a setlist- As I choose all my songs at random when sitting round a group of friends

Yes. That’s how it will work.

I purchased this and downloaded on my iMac and iPad Pro. I can’t seem to load the app on the iPad. I see the files and can view the pdf screen shots but don’t know how to find or install the app to use it on the iPad

This is a layout for Midi Designer Pro. https://mididesigner.com

You need Midi Designer Pro (available in app store) to use this layout.

Are you saying I need the Midi Designer Pro (available in app store) to use Ed Saxman’s app which if I understand now is not an app but a layout I should open in the Midi Designer Pro?.

That’s exactly what he’s saying. Go to the first post at the top of this page where the requirements were stated.

2 Likes

I just loaded MIDI Designer Pro 2 and opened Ed Saxman’s Beatbuddy Midi Controller Version 1.3 I connect to MIDI and it looked the same showing connected but I can’t get any response. Where do I go next to look for problems? All my Apple OS is updated as well.
BY THE WAY the MIDI works from my Forescore or OnSong app to change the drum programs so I know it’s working. I use the Yahmaha MBT01 MIDI interface as mentioned earlier and it shows connected. I also have updated the BB firmware to 3.8 so wondered it there was an issue?

I don’t use BB, so I can’t help troubleshoot. I suggest that you contact the developer, https://forum.singularsound.com/u/Ed_Saxman

For me, it works only when I have OnSong turned off. When OnSong is enabled, MIDI Designer Pro 2 will not connect Yahmaha MBT01 (inactive - grayed out). Am I doing something wrong? I am dissatisfied.

Do you have your iPad connected directly to the Yamaha MBT01? Or do you have a midi interface between iPad and MBT01?

My ipad connects via MIDI SOLUTIONS - THRU V2 from Yamaha MBT01 to BB, I don’t know if it matters. I no longer use MIDI Designer Pro 2.