On my iPhone i could hide or show the virtual piano keyboard but on the iPad I can’t find a way of hiding it. Is there a way?

With a Bluetooth-connected keyboard. The shortcut ‘k’ makes the keyboard disappear, leaving a black band in its place.

On my iPhone i could hide or show the virtual piano keyboard but on the iPad I can’t find a way of hiding it. Is there a way?

I am running Pianoteq Pro on an iPhone 16 pro and a standard (10.9") iPad (7th gen).
I see what you are asking about, and I think the answer is no. I don't see a way.

It comes down to the different aspect ratios of the two devices. On the iPhone, there is not enough room to show both the keyboard at the bottom, and the instrument selection pane at the top. So it lets you scroll the screen down, which hides the keyboard and exposes the instrument selection bar at the top.

The iPad, which has a 4:3 aspect ration (taller, relative to the iPhone screen) has room to display both of those at once, and so does not have a need to hide the keyboard. If it allowed you to hide the keyboard, what would it put there? There isn't room, apparently, to show both the two main panels at once (tuning/voicing + microphones etc.) so you always have to switch between those.

That's my guess as to why the behavior is the way it is.

Just in case you were talking about the larger virtual keyboard, that you get by swiping from the lower left side, that always shows a Hide button for me on both iPhone and iPad (so I assume that's not the keyboard you were referring to).

I'm wondering do you get better sound quality with a direct usb-c type connection ?

Thanks

Groove On wrote:

dikrek wrote:

Why not go through the iOS device itself for sound? Are those USB sound devices offering even less latency?

I could use the iPhone sound directly, but only because the keyboard (microKey Air) supports Bluetooth MIDI. That's normally how I use that keyboard; it's a great portable rig.

But I posted the audio card+usb hub+apple adapter setup, because that works with any USB keyboard. It also has less latency vs. Bluetooth MIDI.

Hi... newbie here...

I think my set up is similar to yours... grrr cannot show images but I'm sure you're familiar with the options window:

Active Midi Inputs: ES110 Bluetooth
Device: IOS Audio
Active Output Channels: KTB USB Audio Left
Active Output Channels: KTB USB Audio Right
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
Audio Buffer Size: 128 Samples (2.7 ms)
Enable Background Audio: on

I have an IPhone 15 (no 3.5mm jack for audio) - hence I found your earlier post...

I was trying to get PTQ working a couple of years ago on PC but it was too much fiddling about so in the end I gave up.

Amazingly, the demo PTQ8 works right out of the box on my IPhone so just wondering if you can give me a few pointers to optimize the basic set up?

I mean what could I change or fiddle with to improve things?

Would getting a proper sound interface add anything?

Thanks

Now using it with the IPhone 15 + simple Apple USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone jack adapter and it's brilliant - I'm quite deaf and at it's more than loud enough for me!

Suppose I should add my Headphones are the Philips SHP9500 - impedance of 32 ohms with a sensitivity of 101 dB

No further sound interface required

dikrek wrote:

Why not go through the iOS device itself for sound? Are those USB sound devices offering even less latency?

I could use the iPhone sound directly, but only because the keyboard (microKey Air) supports Bluetooth MIDI. That's normally how I use that keyboard; it's a great portable rig.

But I posted the audio card+usb hub+apple adapter setup, because that works with any USB keyboard. It also has less latency vs. Bluetooth MIDI.

Hi... newbie here...

I think my set up is similar to yours... grrr cannot show images but I'm sure you're familiar with the options window:

Active Midi Inputs: ES110 Bluetooth
Device: IOS Audio
Active Output Channels: KTB USB Audio Left
Active Output Channels: KTB USB Audio Right
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
Audio Buffer Size: 128 Samples (2.7 ms)
Enable Background Audio: on

I have an IPhone 15 (no 3.5mm jack for audio) - hence I found your earlier post...

I was trying to get PTQ working a couple of years ago on PC but it was too much fiddling about so in the end I gave up.

Amazingly, the demo PTQ8 works right out of the box on my IPhone so just wondering if you can give me a few pointers to optimize the basic set up?

I mean what could I change or fiddle with to improve things?

Would getting a proper sound interface add anything?

Thanks

An alert!!
Apparently the just-released update iOS 16.5.0 (19 May 23) does NOT work with the Apple USB3 Camera Connector. Power is not delivered correctly to devices over the connector with the update.

Best not to update your iPhones and iPads until this bug is corrected, hopefully soon!

latest updat 16.5.1 fixes this.

lew

lew

I'm using the same powered USB hub, and apple camera connection kit for USB connection to phone.
Listening via wired headphones.

Wow.  I'm so impressed right now.

I had also been working on getting a Raspi linux pianoteq rig running, but it got put on the back burner due to other projects.  I also wonder what kind of latency I can expect on that setup.

I also have a Raspberry Pi 4 setup running pianoteq. It has a hifiberry dac+ pro installed, and if I try to use that for output I don't get good results. Latency and a weak signal level. Instead, I use it with the Scarlett Focusrite interface and it works very well (in terms of latency), similarly to iPad or Macbook Air.

I've not found any way to get around having a good audio interface. When I'm playing live with it, it's critical to getting the signal level where I need it and maintaining quality, limiting latency, allowing monitoring through headphones, etc. The Scarletts are wonderful.

I have tried a handful of iOs audio interfaces/DACs and am not satisfied with the amount of latency I'm experiencing.  These aren't scientific tests, but I'd guess I'm feeling around 15ms latency from key press to sound with these:

Behringer UCA222 via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub
UGreen USB audio adapter via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub
Sabrent USB audio adapter via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub

I also tried an IK iRigPro both via lightning cable and via usb as above, it was perhaps slightly better, but still pretty laggy,

Finally, I tried my old RME babyface (original) but iOS doesn't see it.  On my windows 10 PC, the RME works great, and I have VERY low latency.

I did some googling and found this page at Overloud that talks about latency testing they did. https://www.overloud.com/node/325
They used a latency testing app called Latency Meter, but it doesn't work with iOS newer than v12.  https://onyx3.com/LatencyMeter/
I found 1 other latency testing app, but it also doesn't seem to work. https://superpowered.com/latency.  That said, here is the data they posted:

Audio Interface                                                    Latency (mSec)
IK Multimedia iRig HD (Lightning connection):     14.6
PreSonus AudioBox iTwo:                                     11.9
IK Multimedia Axe I/O (usb + camera kit):              9.2
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2:                                              8.9

I'm next going to try out a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or an MOTU M2 to see if that feels any better.
The M2 has some great stats under tests on windows/mac, so perhaps that will be a winner.

Obviously some actual scientific testing of round trip latency from key press to sound would be the best solution, but I don't have a rig to do that repeatably.

Does anyone else have any more conclusive experience they can share?

I had also been working on getting a Raspi linux pianoteq rig running, but it got put on the back burner due to other projects.  I also wonder what kind of latency I can expect on that setup.

I'm using 2 different Focusrite Scarlett interfaces (2i4 and 6i6) with my iPad and not having any latency issues (that I notice). I have a 2018 iPad Pro and a 2020 iPad (standard i.e. cheapest). Both work well.

Just to check on something--you don't mention how you are outputting the sound. Directly through speakers from your audio interface? Or wired headphones directly from the audio interface?  I know that if I try to use my AirPods the latency is terrible. And any headphones that are doing noise cancellation will also add latency. I find most DACs that are made for consumer purposes (for listening to recorded music) add too much latency (for example the Dragonfly DAC). They don't care about latency.

Also, MIDI should be wired (with USB or the old 5-pin DIN). I get unacceptable latency when I tried wireless. Some here have found wireless midi acceptable, maybe it depends on the specific hardware you are using. In tracking down latency I would say make sure you stick with wired until it's sorted out.

I’m wondering if it will be possible to use PTQ with that (Logic Pro) on the iPad. I know, I’m getting greedy!

I think I should follow up, to say PTQ works well on my iPad Pro 2018 running in Logic Pro for iPad. It just worked--just like on my Mac, Logic Pro found the AUv3 that PTQ includes.
Something that is nice about running in the DAW is that I can use the iPad in portrait mode, and the PTQ interface comes up with correct orientation. This allows me to switch easily between forScore (which I usually use in portrait mode) and Logic Pro/PTQ.

Behringer UCA222 via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub
UGreen USB audio adapter via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub
Sabrent USB audio adapter via Apple Camera connection kit + sabrent USB3 hub

I also tried an IK iRigPro both via lightning cable and via usb as above, it was perhaps slightly better, but still pretty laggy,

Finally, I tried my old RME babyface (original) but iOS doesn't see it.  On my windows 10 PC, the RME works great, and I have VERY low latency.

I did some googling and found this page at Overloud that talks about latency testing they did. https://www.overloud.com/node/325
They used a latency testing app called Latency Meter, but it doesn't work with iOS newer than v12.  https://onyx3.com/LatencyMeter/
I found 1 other latency testing app, but it also doesn't seem to work. https://superpowered.com/latency.  That said, here is the data they posted:

Audio Interface                                                    Latency (mSec)
IK Multimedia iRig HD (Lightning connection):     14.6
PreSonus AudioBox iTwo:                                     11.9
IK Multimedia Axe I/O (usb + camera kit):              9.2
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2:                                              8.9

I'm next going to try out a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or an MOTU M2 to see if that feels any better.
The M2 has some great stats under tests on windows/mac, so perhaps that will be a winner.

Obviously some actual scientific testing of round trip latency from key press to sound would be the best solution, but I don't have a rig to do that repeatably.

Does anyone else have any more conclusive experience they can share?

I had also been working on getting a Raspi linux pianoteq rig running, but it got put on the back burner due to other projects.  I also wonder what kind of latency I can expect on that setup.