Wired midi Vs Bluetooth remote

DollyDooDah

Hiya all!

One of the functions I want to start using is the ability to trigger my intro track from off stage. I purchased a digit 3 Bluetooth remote and tried using it for the first time last night. Well, I accidentally left it at the venue and it will cost more to travel back there to get it than to just buy a new one.

Between sound check and my actual stage time the Bluetooth connection dropped out, and I ended up having to trigger the track onstage via my iPad anyway (hence no big entrance for Dolly Parton!). The hour before I go on stage is spent doing makeup/wigs/costumes etc. and I don’t have the opportunity to go an re check the Bluetooth connection without turning up half dressed/made-up. Being a one-woman show can be very complicated.

It’s got me thinking that perhaps it would be better to wire up a trigger pedal (that doesn’t rely on Bluetooth) somewhere off stage instead.

I need to leave my iPad locked (so that drunk partygoers can’t mess with stuff while I’m not on stage). Will a wired midi pedal be able to trigger my intro track while the iPad is locked?

peter

If you lock your iPad, iOS triggers all sorts of battery saving features. If you leave your Digit 3 turned on it should stay connected though. You might try to enable the network hosting feature as this tries to keep the app active even when the screen is locked. Of course this will eat up your battery a bit more than in normal locked state.

I'm not sure if a wired MIDI pedal will help if your iPad is in locked state. The best solution would be to not lock the iPad. That would also work with the Digit 3.

peter

I tried out what happens when you have a wired midi devices connected and the iPad is locked. The USB device is shut down by iOS after a short time. So your only option is to keep the iPad unlocked.