Helix as Audio and MIDI interface in combination with Presonus Studio One and an Ipad

[Marhof45]

Hi all,

 

I don't know if there is an article about the Helix as an audio AND MIDI interface in combination with an Ipad, but this is my story.

I have an Ipad, a StudioLive 64S mixer (connected via USB to my DAW) , a Helix and Studio One. I bought the Helix some months ago, and I was wondering if I could use the Helix as an audio and MIDI interface at the same time. So no audio or MIDI over bluetooth with the Ipad. Today I received the camera connection kit for the Ipad. Connected the USB cable from the Helix to the camera connection kit. My Helix is connected with XLR  cables to my 64S. I just opened a synth app on the Ipad played it, and voila, perfect sound from the Ipad through my Helix to the 64S. But I wanted to play the synth app on the Ipad from Studio One. No problem at all. BTW I have two ESI M8U XL MIDI interfaces hooked up to my computer. What I did first was, connected one unused MIDI out  ports (in my case port 8 second interface) of one of the ESI's to the MIDI in port on the Helix. In the Helix Global settings / MIDI Tempo, I did the following. MIDI thru on, receive MIDI clock auto, on the next page, MIDI over USB on, MIDI PC receive = MIDI+USB, MIDI PC send = MIDI+USB and duplicate PC send = On. In Studio One I created a new external instrument, in my case Ipad.  MIDI send to second interface port8, send MIDI clock  ON, I don't use MIDI receive  because I don't play from the Ipad screen. And that's it! I already had setup a stereo input channel for the Helix in Studio One. So I loaded a MIDI file, Studio one sends the MIDI data to the Helix MIDI in port, the Helix is sending the MIDI data through the USB cable to the IPAD, the synth app is responding on the incoming MIDI data, and sending the audio back through USB to the Helix, the Helix through XLR to the 64S and the 64S through USB to Studio One. 

 

So If there is anyone who want's to use a Helix as an audio and MIDI interface for an Ipad, this is my setup. This should work in any DAW setup . And ofcourse, you can't use the HELIX USB to DAW connection, because you'll need this connection to connect to the Ipad. So you need another audio interface to connect your Helix.

 

Regards,

 

Mark Hofland

[DunedinDragon]

That's probably not much of a surprise to those of us that have been using the Helix in a MIDI environment for a while now.  However the Helix isn't really doing much with the MIDI in your case other than passing it through to the iPad and responding normally to an external audio input.  I think most of us have been using the MIDI command features of the Helix to control external devices such as a BeatBuddy or starting a track playing in the DAW which was what I was doing for a while.  I've since abandoned that kind of setup and use my DAW itself to coordinate the actions of the Helix (select presets or snapshots), or stage lighting changes with embedded MIDI commands in conjunction with the tracks that are being played in a live setting.  I don't depend on any external MIDI instruments as those would all be separate plugins in my DAW so I only mix the Helix audio output and the DAW audio output as separate channels on the mixer.

In my studio I have a separate Helix floor unit that simply serves as an audio interface for guitar work, vocal work or keyboard work to my DAW, but all MIDI work from either my traditional keyboard or MIDI controller keyboard is done through direct USB connections to the DAW.