iPad to BB1 song selection

BeatBuddy Help, Questions and Bugs
1

Hello forum,
I’m ready to step it up to live performances but it is awfully embarrassing to have to pause, bend down to reach my BB and select my next song. I know I can arrange a setlist in the BB and just tap/scroll to next song but this takes the spontaneity out of the equation. And forget about requests.
I run an iPad (7th generation) with ForScore as my song list organizer. I can create setlists in ForScore too. But here’s my question:

Is there some way to use my iPad to select the song in ForScore and have it pull up the song in BB?

Thanks in advance
Cheg

2

Hi Cheg

I wrote an app that you can use to drive your BeatBuddy from your iPad. It’s called BBFF and you can see more info at https://bbff.rocks

I’m about to release a new version so for a limited time you can try it out, see this thread: BBFF 2.0 Beta (for BB 2.0)

3

Hi Cheg,

Sorry, I can’t help with ForScore, but a quick Google search says Forescore can send MIDI. I use SongBook (by LinkeSoft) which can send MIDI commands, but when I say SongBook, you think ForScore. Here is my setup:

  1. SongBook on a Windows Surface Pro (but it works on iPad and Android as well), remember ForeScore can handle MIDI, so no reason why you won’t be able to get that working.
  2. CME H4MIDI WC (just a hub for the MIDI) and takes Bluetooth signal from the Surface Pro and sends it to the BeatBuddy, and vice-versa. I think you will need some form of Bluetooth MIDI device, CME makes great stuff. I use the H4MIDI WC because I have 5 MIDI devices hooked up.
  3. BeatBuddy.
  4. I have other MIDI devices, like a Quad Cortex and MC6 Pro, but for your purposes I won’t discuss them, unless you ask, and they are all hooked up via MIDI cables and USB cables to the H4MIDI WC.

When I select a song in SongBook, it sends the MIDI commands to the BeatBuddy, via Bluetooth, to select the Song I want, a Tempo, a Volume, and a Drum Kit. After that, everything becomes foot controlled, leaving my hands for my guitar.

I tap the start on the BeatBuddy which sends a START MIDI command back to SongBook and it starts scrolling the song as it starts the BeatBuddy track/song. I use OPB’s so I don’t need to tap dance on the BeatBuddy and I can play my guitar and sing the song.

Do yourself a favour, research the ForScore MIDI capabilities, you won’t look back.

4

Hey there Andrew, long time no speak. I need to thank you for getting me onto BBFF, and for all the tips and tricks you shared with me back then. I hope you don’t mind that I shared some of them with the forum over time.

Really hope your Apple app version is a success, what you did with BBFF was amazing.

Stay in touch, I’d love to continue to pick your brain :wink:

Graham

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5

Thanks Andrew. I’ll check it out!

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6

Thanks Graham. That’s a nice setup you have. I may just need this one bluetooth to MIDI connector from Quicco mi.1since I’m just connecting one MIDI device- the BB. Unless that CME H4 can connect to my old loop recorder- a Digitech JamMan Solo XT lol.

7

Andrew, I thought BBFF became BBMO, correct? I paid for a BBFF app just a month before it became BBMO.
I have BBMO.
Are they different now?
What features does the FF have over the MO?
Thanks!

8

I wrote BBFF (the app) first as a mobile app that controls the BeatBuddy live

BBFF (the editor) came later to help with editing and creating songs (a replacement for BBM, the desktop app, that become BBMO)

Wow that’s a lot of BB’s :wink:

The BBFF app runs on your phone or tablet and contains a full overview of the song library on the pedal. You can then navigate and control the pedal from your device. You can search for songs, load and play them, start from or switch to specific parts, control tempo, and change kits. The new version also follows the pedal better so it will change songs and parts as they are changed on the pedal so you know where you are.

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