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Using MIDI Features

SongBook+ can very flexibly control other devices via MIDI and can also be controlled by other devices via MIDI.

On the following pages, you will find descriptions of all MIDI features of SongBook+.

Connect iPad with MIDI

There are different ways to connect the iPad with MIDI.

Older iPads to devices with USB-MIDI connection

Many iPad models do not yet have a USB-C connection, but a Lightning or even a 32-pin connection.

Many MIDI adapters and some devices (keyboards, etc.) have a USB connection for MIDI.

Because the older iPad models do not have a USB connection by default, an adapter is needed to extend the iPad with a USB connection. Apple calls this adapter the "iPad Camera Connection Kit."

USB-MIDI adapters and USB-MIDI devices can then be connected to it, provided they are compatible with Apple.

Newer iPads to devices with USB-MIDI connection

Newer iPad models have a USB-C connection instead of the Lightning connection.

Therefore, it is no longer necessary to use an adapter to extend the iPad with a USB connection.

With a suitable cable with a USB-C connection, you can directly connect the iPad to the device.

MIDI adapters that connect directly to the iPad

Some MIDI adapters can be connected directly to older iPads without an adapter.

These include, for example:

iConnectMIDI2+ by iConnectivity
iRig MIDI Version 1+2 by IK Multimedia
ioDock by Alesis
iStudio is202 by Behringer
...

With these, the iPad can also be powered while in MIDI operation (all listed above except iRig MIDI Version 2).

There are also a few simple, small MIDI keyboards that can be directly connected to the iPad.

Wireless via Bluetooth or WLAN

There are also wireless MIDI adapters that can be connected to the iPad wirelessly via Bluetooth (Bluetooth MIDI LE) or WLAN.

These include, for example:

mi.1 by QuiccoSound (Bluetooth)
PUC wireless MIDI interface (WLAN)
Yamaha Tyros 5 Keyboard with WLAN stick
Yamaha MD-BT01
Yamaha UT-BT01
Zivix PUC+

Playing MIDI Files

SongBook+ can play standard MIDI files, but it does not have a built-in synthesizer to produce sound from them.

To produce sound from MIDI data, you need either an external hardware connected via MIDI (such as a keyboard or a sound module) or a synthesizer app from another developer that runs in the background and receives signals from SongBook via “Virtual MIDI.”

One possible app that can be used to produce sounds directly on the iPad is, for example, “bismark bs-16i.” If this app is running in the background with “Virtual MIDI” enabled, you will hear the music directly on the iPad without external hardware.

Remotely Open Song via MIDI

SongBook+ can listen for BankSelect and ProgramChange commands on the MIDI interface and then open a song. These commands are typically used to select an instrument.

A common application for this is that ProgramChange commands are sent from a MIDI style, from a played MIDI file, or from the keyboard when selecting a registration. SongBook+ then opens the corresponding text. (A MIDI style can resend the same ProgramChange command repeatedly without any issues).

SongBook+ will open a song when it receives BankSelect and ProgramChange commands as configured in the "Edit song details" window.

Please note that SongBook+ uses values from 0 to 127. If your keyboard uses values from 1 to 128 instead, you need to subtract 1 from each value to set it correctly in SongBook+.

Please use the built-in MIDI Monitor of SongBook+ to see what is actually being received on the MIDI interface if opening songs does not work as expected.

Responding to Other MIDI Commands

SongBook+ can also respond to other freely configurable MIDI commands and trigger freely configurable actions.

You can set how SongBook+ should respond to which MIDI commands in the function for MIDI foot pedals.

You can find more information on this on the page MIDI Foot Pedals.

MIDI Commands When Opening Songs

You can also have SongBook+ send MIDI commands when a song is opened.

A typical use for this is to set up external devices like a keyboard according to the selected song.

There are several ways to send MIDI commands:

Send the Configured BankSelect/ProgramChange Commands

SongBook+ sends the BankSelect and ProgramChange commands as configured in the “Edit Song Details” dialog when the “Send MIDI Command on Opening” switch is enabled.

The MIDI channel on which SongBook+ sends these commands is the same as the one set for MIDI reception.

Send Additional Configurable MIDI Commands

Using the “Actions on Opening” button in the song’s edit window, you can define any MIDI commands that will be sent when the song is opened.

Send the Same MIDI Commands for All Songs

In the MIDI settings under “MIDI” -> “MIDI Macros” -> “Macros When Handling Songs” you can select a previously defined MIDI macro that will then be sent when any song is opened. It can also be specified whether this macro should be sent even if the song already has its own “Actions on Opening”.

Send the Contents of a MIDI File When a Song is Opened

SongBook sends the contents of a MIDI file as soon as a song opens, if a .mid file with the exact same name as the .pdf file appended with “_open.mid” exists.

(e.g., MySong.pdf -> MySong_open.mid)

Only MIDI files of type 0 (single track) are allowed. All commands are sent at once without considering the timing. Therefore, no music can be sent this way, only commands to configure the environment.

MIDI Commands When Starting Songs

Send MIDI Start When a Song is Started

In the SongBook+ settings, you can configure whether a MIDI Start should be sent when a song is started.

Send Other Configurable MIDI Commands

With the "Actions on Start" button in the song's editing window, you can define any MIDI commands that should be sent when the song starts.

Send the Same MIDI Commands for All Songs

In the MIDI settings under "MIDI" -> "MIDI Macros" -> "Macros When Operating Songs," you can select a previously defined MIDI macro that will be sent when any song starts. Below, you can also specify whether it should be sent even if the song already has its own "Actions on Start."

Send the Contents of a MIDI File When a Song Starts

SongBook sends the contents of a MIDI file as soon as a song starts, if a .mid file with the same name as the .pdf file, extended with "_start.mid," exists.

(e.g., MySong.pdf -> MySong_start.mid)

Only type 0 MIDI files (single track) are allowed. All commands are sent at once without considering timing. Thus, music cannot be sent, only commands to configure the environment.

MIDI Commands When Closing Songs

Send MIDI Stop When a Song Is Stopped

In the SongBook+ settings, you can configure whether to send MIDI Stop when a song is stopped.

Send Additional Configurable MIDI Commands

With the "Actions on Stop" button in the song's editing window, you can define any MIDI commands that should be sent when the song is stopped.

Send the Same MIDI Commands for All Songs

In the MIDI settings under "MIDI" -> "MIDI Macros" -> "Macros for Handling Songs," you can select a predefined MIDI macro that will be sent when stopping any song. It can also be set whether this macro should be sent even if the song already has its own "Actions on Stop."

Sending the Content of a MIDI File When a Song Is Stopped

SongBook sends the content of a MIDI file as soon as a song is stopped, if a .mid file with the same name as the .pdf file, appended with "_stop.mid" exists.

(e.g., MySong.pdf -> MySong_stop.mid)

Only MIDI files of type 0 (single track) are allowed. All commands are sent at once without considering the timing. Therefore, no music can be sent, only commands to configure the environment.

MIDI Commands When Closing Songs

Sending Configurable MIDI Commands

With the "Actions on Close" button in the song's edit window, you can define arbitrary MIDI commands that are sent when the song stops.

Sending the Same MIDI Commands for All Songs

In the MIDI settings under "MIDI" -> "MIDI Macros" -> "Macros for Song Operations," you can select a predefined MIDI macro that will be sent when closing every song. Below that, you can also specify whether it should be sent even if the song already has its own "Actions on Close."

Send MIDI Commands at the Push of a Button

With the special annotation "Action Button," you can also send freely configurable MIDI commands at the push of a button from the lyrics or sheet music.

How to insert and configure such an action button annotation can be found on the page Functional Button Annotations.

MIDI Controller with Slider

With the special annotation "Function Button," you can adjust the value of a specific MIDI controller on a specific MIDI channel using a slider, triggered by pressing a button in the song lyrics or music notes.

How to insert and configure such a function button annotation can be found on the page Function Annotations for MIDI Controllers.

MIDI Macros

MIDI macros are a very powerful MIDI feature of SongBook+.

This allows you to define a sequence of MIDI commands, which can then be used in many different places in SongBook+:

As an action in foot pedal settings
As an action in gesture control
As an action in functional buttons
As an action within a MIDI macro (nested macros)
As an action in the songs during actions for opening/starting/stopping/closing
As a global action when opening/starting/stopping/closing songs
Macros marked as favorites appear in the MIDI button on the toolbar

This way, you can define frequently used MIDI sequences, for example for turning certain effects on or off, once and then use them across many songs, instead of entering the same sequence everywhere. This also has the advantage that you can later adjust this sequence centrally in one place.

You can create or modify MIDI macros here in the settings:

MIDI -> MIDI-Makros

Tip:

With a MIDI macro as an action in the settings of the MIDI foot pedal, it is even possible for SongBook+ to react to a configurable MIDI command and then send out other MIDI commands.

For example, it could react as a translator to a MIDI command from the keyboard and then trigger something in another MIDI-capable device.

Tip:

If you export a song that contains MIDI macros (in actions when opening or in functional buttons) as a .sbk file, the MIDI macros used within it are also exported into this .sbk file, so that the macros are also present on the other device after importing this .sbk file.

In this way, you can also consciously transfer MIDI macros from one device to another by creating a song, then inserting the macros in, for example, "actions when starting" or in a functional button, and then exporting this song.

If the device on which the .sbk file is being imported already has macros with the same name but different content, you will be asked whether the existing macros should be replaced or not.