Developer
Alexandernaut (Arpeggionome, Fugue Machiune) has released Link to MIDI – a free iOS app that lets you use Ableton Link to sync MIDI Clock on hardware MIDI devices.
Link to MIDI connects Ableton Link to musical devices that support MIDI Clock Sync. Simply join a Link session, connect your MIDI device, and that’s it. Your MIDI device is now Link-enabled.
Link to MIDI makes a connected MIDI device behave like a Link-enabled device.
More specifically, using Link to MIDI’s Play button, you can start and stop the connected device at any time, and the device will start playing, in phase, at the next quantization tick — set by the Launch Quantization parameter on the main interface.
Link to Midi features launch quantization, ‘incredibly stable clock output’, and a fine offset control (±250 ms) to line up the receiving MIDI device’s playback.
Note: Link to MIDI is only recommended for use with hardware MIDI devices. Connecting to apps is possible, but may lead to a poor user experience due to software challenges in synchronizing to MIDI Clock. Ableton Link fixes this.
Here’s the official video preview:
LINK-to MIDI is a free download from the App Store.
If you’ve used LINK to MIDI, leave a comment and share how it works for you!
Hey, developer of the app here. First off, thanks so much for the post. Always so great to see something I built on this site :]
One thing I want to clarify is that that title makes it seems like I’m offering Incredible Stable MIDI Clock “Over WiFi”! And to be super clear, I do not recommend sending MIDI clock over Wifi.
As I’m sure many know already, Ableton Link is connected over WiFi. And Link to MIDI is designed to connect to that session (over Wifi like any other Link-enabled device), but then send out MIDI Clock through a CoreMIDI hardware interface to your external MIDI gear. In this configuration, MIDI Clock is stable.
Other configurations are possible (to apps or over network), but not recommended.
All the best,
Alexander
Alexander
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback! You are right, the original headline could create confusions, so I updated it.
Awesome. Thanks synthhead :]
It’s so awesome to see the developer talking with the webmaster in the comment section.
Dope site.
App looks useful AF.
Cheers both of you 😀
It’s awesome to see people of the community talk directly to both the developer and the webmaster on the site.
It’s awesome to see readers comment on people of the community talking directly to the developer and the webmaster.
The midi cable connection is also with Loopy HD or Audiobus possible… Why I need this app? I dont want hate but maybe I have missed the point…
“Link to MIDI – a free iOS app”
I’d much rather the development effort had gone on multiple MIDI channels for the Fugue engine – or maybe this turned out to be a pre-requisite?
so this app into my iconnectmidi = midi domination.
@ Max4life
As the author stated in his text this app is not recommended for app use but for hardware.
the problem with midi clock is that if it is generated with a computer and a daw (like live for example) there is lots of jitter which leads to timing issues of hardware syncing to the signal (synthesizers with sequencers, drum machines etc).
there are hardware options like the rem multi clock and others but these are extremely pricey considering they “just” deliver jitter free midi clock.
Now as the link implementation in live isn’t there yet I didn’t have any chance to test it but it is very unlikely that machines synced with link and machines synced with midi clock generated from live will run in sync. so if there is a way to get a stable midi clock signal out of the link signal and you don’t have to pay for that it is a very cool thing. also i could now sync my electron stuff to your ipad without the need for a computer. so this app really rocks (in case the midi clock is as stable as stated). I have no idea of programming but I guess this app could get extremely successful if there will be some more things included that relate to generating midi clock. appartenly the clock is stable – something which a computer doesn’t seem to mange. if you can get a stable clock out of a link signal you might get it out of an audio signal (which can be liveried from any daw where audio is sample precise. So… a multi clock goes for about 450 Euros and there are even more expensive options (acme for example).
Great app. Didn’t test yet but if it does what the author says it is something many people will need.
hello, this is the solution i´ve been waiting for, thank you so much!!!!!! Tested it yesterday with an Iphone 6, my Ipad 3 and my TB3, Akai Rhythm Wolf, Alesis SR 18, Microbrute and it works GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!! Simple and perfect GUI, and yes it has a super stable timing! With the button BAR i was able to start my hardware machines on the 1st beat of the next measure, so all machines run in perfect synchronicity. I have tried to sync my IOS Apps to my midi hardware sequencers and drumboxes for more than two years, it was such a frustrating mess! So many great and wonderful apps like DM1, iMPC, THOR, iElectribe, Cubasis – none of them were able to sync with a stable midi clock to my hardware! Now at least iMPCpro and iElectribe work and i hope that the other apps will support ableton link very soon…
Indeed, after MONTHS of trying to sync DAW / Hardware / iPad apps I tried Ableton Live with Link and it worked! Quite astonishing! Thanks
hi!
sorry the thread is a bit old but i think the Problem isn’t just having a jitter free clock but having several of them. as most Hardware has different Offsets one stable clock ist just going to make you happy using one Piece of Hardware. if you ever plan an update maybe it would be cool to add Support for different midi Interfaces and allow for different clocks to be sent which allow different offesets
Hi guys, I have a silly/novice question. How to “connect your MIDI device” ? How do I connect my Roland TR-8 to the midi session of the Link2Midi that my ipad plays? What are the exact steps? does the TR-8 need to be connected with cables? My set up :
TR-8 connected to Roland MX1 via USB mixer, MX1 connected to powered USB that is connected to my Macbook. I don’t understand how the MIDI enabled hardware can “see” Link2Midi and Ipad . Do I need to mess with the settings of the L2M?
Thank you all in advance
Manos