How To Connect A MIDI Controller To Your iPad or iPhone

This video, via Higher HZ, demonstrates how you can connect a MIDI controller to your iPad or iPhone, for use with MIDI-compatible music software.

The video demonstrates two approaches:

  • Connecting a USB controller via the Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter. This approach is demonstrated using an Arturia MicroLab, but is useful if you have any USB MIDI controller with a USB-A connector. This is the oldest and most common type of USB connector.
  • Connecting a DIN MIDI device (the traditional MIDI connector), using a combination of the Camera Adapter and a DIN MIDI to USB-A adapter.

These are the two most commonly used options for connecting MIDI devices to iOS devices, but there are other types of adapters available and even some wireless options. The same general approach can be used for both using MIDI controllers with an iOS device (MIDI IN) and for using a iOS device to control MIDI hardware (MIDI Out).

Got a different way of connecting MIDI gear to your iOS device? Share what you’re doing in the comments!

6 thoughts on “How To Connect A MIDI Controller To Your iPad or iPhone

    1. Yeah, I use a similar cable to connect my Lightning equipped ipad and phone with USB MIDI devices. No issues whatsoever.

      I also have an iPad Pro with USB Type C. I use an iConnectivity mioXC to add a 1×1 MIDI interface to it. Works like a charm.

  1. hooked up my iPad to an external rack mount hard drive and now that files is enabled on ipad it opened everything up pretty nicely.

  2. I was fortunate enough to get a Sensel Morph when they came out last year and I’ve never looked back! Bluetooth midi is just too wonderful.

    There are a ton of devices that can do this nowadays, even if they don’t have the haptic mpe capability that the Morph does.

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