MIDI controllers and the iPhone 5?
March 25, 2013 2:44 PM   Subscribe

Is it possible to hook up an Akai LPK25 controller to an iPhone 5?

I recently (okay, a year or so ago) came into possession of an Akai LPK25 keyboard MIDI controller. I haven't done much with it since I haven't played for a long time and, frankly, PC DAWs scare the shit out of me. Since then, I've picked up GarageBand on my iPhone, and found its an ideal way for me to get my feet wet sketching out simple melodies and drum patterns and generally screwing around. But I'm starting to get a little frustrated with the on-screen keyboard, and I'm wondering if there's any combination of inexpensive adapters/cables that will let me control GarageBand with my LPK25. I know it's possible on an iPad with the camera connector (or at least it used to be; there are worrying reports of a recent firmware update making it impossible to use certain USB devices) but I have no idea if it can be done with the iPhone. Difficulty: this is an iPhone 5 with the newer Lightning connector, not the older 30-pin model.
posted by Merzbau to Technology (4 answers total)
 
IK Multimedia says yes, if you get the adapter.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:51 PM on March 25, 2013


Response by poster: It's good to see its theoretically possible, but I'm not sure their iRig Midi would work- the LPK can only connect via USB.
posted by Merzbau at 2:57 PM on March 25, 2013


Ah, sorry. I thought it had a MIDI output. You might look into one of these, but for the expense you may as well get an Oxygen or another controller with a true MIDI output.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:02 PM on March 25, 2013


I've connected a USB music keyboard to an iPhone 4S with the Camera Connection Kit, if that helps. Not that recently, but it has been done.
posted by Grangousier at 4:03 PM on March 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


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