Software FracPad III - iOS/Android/Mac/Win Editor for the Axe-Fx II/XL/XL+, AX8/FX8, Axe-Fx III and FM3/FM9

[Mr.X]

I don't know, but MIDI Designer doesn't need a MIDI interface to work over a WIFI network... I think the RTP protocol is in built to iOS... so would it be possible to control AxeFX via the WIFI network... I already do this for controlling my DAW from iPad.

connectivity would be
iPad -> WiFi -> Windows PC (running RTP) -> Audio I/F (with midi) -> AxeFX

the last "hop" between Audio I/F and AxeFx is plain old Midi Cabling.

Possible?

I'd be happy to test if it hasn't been done.

I think we need a thread that outlines this wireless option. Because even after reading this whole thread I'm still not 100% sure I can use this wireless with my XL or if it's just Ax8. So maybe Al you can post an exact how to on the front page. I know you gave use the wired options but I have to think if the is a wireless Bluetooth option lots of people will want that. We (I ) just need to know exactly each thing I need to buy.

Wireless midi info:
For the Axe Fx II XL you want the Yamaha MD- BT01. Been researching all day, this is the best/ most reliable I've found.

RTPMidi (MIDI over LAN/WiFi) is part of of CoreMIDI on iOS and MacOS.
I use it all the time to communicate from my iPad/iPhone to MIDI devices. The nice thing is you don't need anything attached to the iOS device, just a connection to the LAN.
I use the iConnectMIDI4+ connected to a WiFi router and it's golden. The iConnectMIDI4+ needs an app called NetMIDI running on the iOS device (not sure why, since MIDIDesigner doesn't) but that's a free app.
The Yamaha MD-BT01 uses Bluetooth to communicate so you're more limited in distance but probably not an issue for most users.

The odd thing about the Axe-FX is that the USB setup is non-standard (they don't use Class-Compliant MIDI/Audio drivers for some reason) so they bizarrely need a PC or Mac attached to them when they are powered up to "load" the correct setup into the USB circuitry. At least that's what I have been told. Therefore, you can't use the USB port for MIDI without first connecting it to a PC or Mac.

 

[Zéx]

The use of the new modifiers available by the fracpad can occupy almost 30% of the cpu in some parameters, is the behavior expected? Is there any guide on the percentage of use of each parameter?
I'm not complaining about the app in any way, it's that the plus it brings is very useful

 

[iNX]

It work with my galaxy S4 but not on CM13, I had install Nougat 7.

 

[Keg8605]

Ohhhhhh okay gotcha thanks for clearing that up it's helpful. I assume it comes with everything you need then? The midi cables etc

My post 176 detailing this exact setup below

So for the Yamaha MD BT01 to work I have to open midimttr app to connect the bluetooth device. It does not show up under bluetooth in the settings menu for (me anyhow) until I do this.

So first plug the BT01 into the back midi in/out ports of the axe fx
2) open midimttr app,
3) connect client "MD BT01" in midimttr app,
4) open FracPad and select the MD BT01 under midi in/out.

When you select the amp block you get a 1 second pause so maybe a slight bit longer than axe edit in that regard but other than I did not notice any lag. More time, more users and I'm sure Al will receive tons of wishes and suggestions as we go. But the initial design is great if you ask me. Swiping through menus sure is nice. Its got me thinking at practice how easy adjusting presets could be now even just with your phone.

Also I paid for the app on my Ipad and was able to download it free to my iphone so only one purchase.

 

[AlGrenadine]

So let me see if I have this all figured out.

We need the app of course.
Yamaha MD-BT01
The midi adaptor that Al linked on the first page the Roland ?
Some type of USB power supply like a phone charger.

Do we still need the camera lightning adaptor? And did I miss anything ?

If you only need wireless then app + yamaha MD-BT01 is enough

I'll be running out to grab an OTG adapter for my Shield K1 tomorrow and grab the app then. This is exciting!

One thing you might want to clarify on the Android product page, you say "AxeFx generation 1 are not supported." which might cause confusion for Axe FX 2 Mk 1 owners. If you re-worded it to "AxeFX Standard and Ultra are not supported." it would help eliminate the confusion.

Also, any chance of it getting on the Google Play store? I already have my payment info set up there and it would be way easier to just tap on the "buy" button.

**EDIT Nevermind I see you answered the last question further on than when I posted.

Gen 1 makes confusion for nobody . Gen 1 is axefx std/ultra . PlayStore won't be used, unless you prefer paying 30-40% more

Apologies if this has already been answered, but Fractal updates AxEdit quite often, especially with firmware updates.

How would this work in that record? Would this need the same updates? If so, would this app be updated each time AxEdit is updated?

Thanks!
Brandon

Yes same updates could be needed, that's not a problem

Thanks for the great app but on my ipad 4 using an alesis iodock 2 the treshold button of the input gate does not show correctly when the parameter is off, it jumps directly to 0db but the Ax Fx 2 Mark 2 it goes correctly to the off position

Thanks i'll check that but that may be the normal behavior . 0 dB is exactly the same as off in this case.

The use of the new modifiers available by the fracpad can occupy almost 30% of the cpu in some parameters, is the behavior expected? Is there any guide on the percentage of use of each parameter?
I'm not complaining about the app in any way, it's that the plus it brings is very useful

It's been stated use of fas-unsupported modifiers can lead to unpredictable behavior . Use at your own risk

 

[lp59]

RTPMidi (MIDI over LAN/WiFi) is part of of CoreMIDI on iOS and MacOS.
I use it all the time to communicate from my iPad/iPhone to MIDI devices. The nice thing is you don't need anything attached to the iOS device, just a connection to the LAN.
I use the iConnectMIDI4+ connected to a WiFi router and it's golden. The iConnectMIDI4+ needs an app called NetMIDI running on the iOS device (not sure why, since MIDIDesigner doesn't) but that's a free app.
The Yamaha MD-BT01 uses Bluetooth to communicate so you're more limited in distance but probably not an issue for most users.

The odd thing about the Axe-FX is that the USB setup is non-standard (they don't use Class-Compliant MIDI/Audio drivers for some reason) so they bizarrely need a PC or Mac attached to them when they are powered up to "load" the correct setup into the USB circuitry. At least that's what I have been told. Therefore, you can't use the USB port for MIDI without first connecting it to a PC or Mac.

Would that mean that if I connect my XL to my Mac with USB, then powering the XL, unplugging the USB cable from the Mac and plugging it on my iPad through Camera Connection Kit, it will work with FracPad USB connected?

 

[Kylepiercemusic]

Which FAS device are you using?

Sorry, should have mentioned that in the post. I'm running an XL+, MFC and an iPad Pro. On a side note MIDI Designer is working great with the Quicco Mi.1. I'm just using it for program changes and scene selection at the moment.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Would that mean that if I connect my XL to my Mac with USB, then powering the XL, unplugging the USB cable from the Mac and plugging it on my iPad through Camera Connection Kit, it will work with FracPad USB connected?

Yes

 

[lp59]

Yes

Waouh, good news, it's the answer to my already in use midi ports! Thanks.

 

[nexus]

So for the Yamaha MD BT01 to work I have to open midimttr app to connect the bluetooth device. It does not show up under bluetooth in the settings menu for (me anyhow) until I do this.

So first plug the BT01 into the back midi in/out ports of the axe fx
2) open midimttr app,
3) connect client "MD BT01" in midimttr app,
4) open FracPad and select the MD BT01 under midi in/out.

When you select the amp block you get a 1 second pause so maybe a slight bit longer than axe edit in that regard but other than I did not notice any lag. More time, more users and I'm sure Al will receive tons of wishes and suggestions as we go. But the initial design is great if you ask me. Swiping through menus sure is nice. Its got me thinking at practice how easy adjusting presets could be now even just with your phone.

Also I paid for the app on my Ipad and was able to download it free to my iphone so only one purchase.

Thank you so much!
Just got the Yamaha MD BT01 and was struggling about the connection and here you are
So it´s testing time tonight...

 

[bwanagary]

Hi all,

It seems some of you felt there was a need for a mobile AxeEdit-like...

The good news :
- It's here !
- It's Android/iOS compatible (iOS 6+ / Android 6.0+ (CyanogenMod not supported for now))
- It's compatible with AxeFx II/XL/XL+ and AX8 (see connecting options depending on your OS and fasDevice)
- On Android it allows both USB or 3rd party MIDI interface connection (AX8 is USB only)
- On iOS it allows USB connection only for AX8 and 3rd party MIDI interface connection for AxeFx (Apple limitation, i couldn't add the same driver used on Android for the AxeFx's USB port)...

The bad news (for you ^^) :
- It's not free. It took me a lot of time to develop, and also money for Apple Developer account etc...
- The price is not the same on Android and iOS. Apple forces developpers to use their AppStore and charges a 30% fee on every sale. While the Android version is directly available from the store.
- Maybe some of you will feel the price is high : €39.99 on iOS / €29.99 on Android. I'm not gonna discuss it here but to synthetize, i've considered the price of some FAS software and the time i used to create it and it seems a good deal for all of us...

The not so bad news ^^ :
- For a direct USB connection (Android AxeFx/AX8 or iOS AX8 only) you'll need an USB adapter. It's called USB OTG adapter on Android devices and "USB camera adapter" for Apple.
- For a 3rd party MIDI connection i've been successfully testing the iRig2 MIDI interface and also the Roland UM-One (in conjunction with camera USB adapter). Most USB MIDI interfaces should work in conjunction with the Apple USB Camera adapter, but i'm not responsible if one doesn't...

Examples of adapters :
- For Android : on Amazon
- For iOS and AX8 : on Amazon
- For iOS and AxeFx : Use the same adapter used for the AX8, plus this MIDI interface : on Amazon

Here is a video demo :




You can buy the Android version here : http://www.e-junkie.com/fracpad

The iOS version is available on the Appstore : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fracpad/id1154402237?l=fr&ls=1&mt=8

Stay tuned on the facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/fracpad/


A BIG THANKS to all of you helped me during the betatestings and a special thanks to @Admin M@ and strateux (Jean-Yves) for their icon sets


ANSWER TO THE PRICE CONTROVERSY ON FACEBOOK :
- a Cab Pack is at least $30 while it requires 3x less time in building and is 10x simpler to do
- a Preset Pack from some famous forum members is $49
- some sell 1 preset for $15 !!!
- the MFCEdit app is $25, and it's far lot simpler to do
- on the $39.99 Apple charges you, i only get $23 !!! What a steal ! Buy an Android, FracPad is cheaper on it and everything is...
- You buy Apple phones at $800 and say a very specific app made for a very specific need, probably not sold 1000 times at $40 bucks, is high priced... Think again
- I talked with CyberFerret who is the creator of former AxePad app and he said users complained when his AxePad app was $12... Want it for free ? Ask FAS to make one


DISCLAIMER :
USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! This is NOT a Fractal Audio Systems product. It is neither endorsed by nor supported by Fractal Audio Systems. Should you require support after loading presets created by this program, Fractal Audio Systems has asked us to warn you that they may require you to erase your presets and reset system settings before providing any type of official support.

This software is provided "as is" with no performance guarantees. Any damages incurred as a result of its use are the sole responsibility of the end user, i.e., YOU.

"Axe-Fx" and "AX8" are trademarks of Fractal Audio Systems, and are in no way associated or affiliated with FracPad.

As the author of MFC-Edit I want to support Algrenadine. It is important to not lose sight of the fact that for many years he has created fantastic FREE tools for the FAS community. He also has to support those tools and he is not compensated for his time. His new "FracPad" is a great tool that will be welcomed by many. I can personally attest to the effort that development of such a tool requires. The ongoing support and enhancement all take time and cost money. When you buy a "mobile app" for just a few dollars, it typically sells in the millions but an app for such a niche market, that requires so much knowledge of the target, well beyond "just programming" skills, that will sell relatively only a few (thousands) of copies, the sale price must at least subsidize the effort. Algrenadine isn't going to make a bunch of money off this product - he only wishes to defray the costs of development and maintenance.

There are some, that at first blush might think that FracPad should be free - well, no software is really free. The cost of Axe-Edit/AX8-Edit/Fractal Bot are built into the hardware price for example. Kudos to you, Algrenadine - for a long time you have provided fantastic value and utility to the FAS community and I for one am delighted to see you be financially recognized for that value.

 

[AlGrenadine]

As the author of MFC-Edit I want to support Algrenadine. It is important to not lose sight of the fact that for many years he has created fantastic FREE tools for the FAS community. He also has to support those tools and he is not compensated for his time. His new "FracPad" is a great tool that will be welcomed by many. I can personally attest to the effort that development of such a tool requires. The ongoing support and enhancement all take time and cost money. When you buy a "mobile app" for just a few dollars, it typically sells in the millions but an app for such a niche market, that requires so much knowledge of the target, well beyond "just programming" skills, that will sell relatively only a few (thousands) of copies, the sale price must at least subsidize the effort. Algrenadine isn't going to make a bunch of money off this product - he only wishes to defray the costs of development and maintenance.

There are some, that at first blush might think that FracPad should be free - well, no software is really free. The cost of Axe-Edit/AX8-Edit/Fractal Bot are built into the hardware price for example. Kudos to you, Algrenadine - for a long time you have provided fantastic value and utility to the FAS community and I for one am delighted to see you be financially recognized for that value.

Thanks mate, appreciated

 

[AlGrenadine]

So for the Yamaha MD BT01 to work I have to open midimttr app to connect the bluetooth device. It does not show up under bluetooth in the settings menu for (me anyhow) until I do this.

So first plug the BT01 into the back midi in/out ports of the axe fx
2) open midimttr app,
3) connect client "MD BT01" in midimttr app,
4) open FracPad and select the MD BT01 under midi in/out.

When you select the amp block you get a 1 second pause so maybe a slight bit longer than axe edit in that regard but other than I did not notice any lag. More time, more users and I'm sure Al will receive tons of wishes and suggestions as we go. But the initial design is great if you ask me. Swiping through menus sure is nice. Its got me thinking at practice how easy adjusting presets could be now even just with your phone.

Also I paid for the app on my Ipad and was able to download it free to my iphone so only one purchase.

So what is happening if you don't open the midimttr app ? Do you see the midi device in fracpad list ?

 

[Smittefar]

Sorry, should have mentioned that in the post. I'm running an XL+, MFC and an iPad Pro. On a side note MIDI Designer is working great with the Quicco Mi.1. I'm just using it for program changes and scene selection at the moment.

That sucks, one would hope, it worked (it really should, since the Yamahas are working)

 

[nexus]

So what is happening if you don't open the midimttr app ? Do you see the mifi device in fracpad list ?

Yep, you don´t see it until you connect the midimittr app first.
And this is for newer iOS devices, not sure where the bluetooth changed but my old iPad2 is not working.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Yep, you don´t see it until you connect the midimittr app first.
And this is for newer iOS devices, not sure where the bluetooth changed but my old iPad2 is not working.

Saw something like ios8 for ble midi but don't remember where

 

[AlGrenadine]

So wouldn't midimittr work with quicco mi1 too ?

 

[spx90]

As the author of MFC-Edit I want to support Algrenadine. It is important to not lose sight of the fact that for many years he has created fantastic FREE tools for the FAS community. He also has to support those tools and he is not compensated for his time. His new "FracPad" is a great tool that will be welcomed by many. I can personally attest to the effort that development of such a tool requires. The ongoing support and enhancement all take time and cost money. When you buy a "mobile app" for just a few dollars, it typically sells in the millions but an app for such a niche market, that requires so much knowledge of the target, well beyond "just programming" skills, that will sell relatively only a few (thousands) of copies, the sale price must at least subsidize the effort. Algrenadine isn't going to make a bunch of money off this product - he only wishes to defray the costs of development and maintenance.

There are some, that at first blush might think that FracPad should be free - well, no software is really free. The cost of Axe-Edit/AX8-Edit/Fractal Bot are built into the hardware price for example. Kudos to you, Algrenadine - for a long time you have provided fantastic value and utility to the FAS community and I for one am delighted to see you be financially recognized for that value.

You're right @bwanagary
I'd like to see a SUB-FORUM dedicated to him
for all that he has produced, "all" should thank

• Sub-Forum - FracTool
• Sub-Forum - FracPad
• Sub-Forum - Fx Unit RAC12

Also help him with, + "visibility"
He deserves it

 

[AlGrenadine]

And other exciting functionalities i can't disclose yet

 

[Smittefar]

I just watched the intro video. You have chosen to use the 'real' names for things rather than the Fractal name. For example you use Vox Ac15 rather than class a 15. That is a big problem for me. Could you make an option to use the Fractal names instead. The other thing makes my head spin.

Full disclosure, I will probably not buy anyway. I already have a tablet running AX8edit for when I am on the road. It works, but I hardly ever use it. So the few times, I do use it, I want it to work just like my computer at home.