Looking for an Android midi player for Biab

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 4 Jul 2014 12:15 pm

Would just like to use on the tablet instead of using the laptop all the time. Tried a couple but they don't really do the job.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 5 Jul 2014 3:04 pm

IMHO Currently the midi devices for Android suffer from terrible samples which make them pretty much hopeless for playing midi backup tracks to any degree of quality. The MP3 re-production is also pretty ordinary. I guess you get what you pay for.
Unlike MS windows which has reasonable samples available. In XP you could pick your own samples (you loaded eg. Roland ones). In their later OS's you can't - you're pretty much stuck with those in the OS (Operating System) - but they're OK.
Apple OS is fine - sort of - as long as you want their system - there are no options.
So, I can't recommend anything at this stage. I assume you want to play midis generated by BIAB - to play BIAB files you need BIAB loaded/running. Your post is not totally clear - sorry.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 5 Jul 2014 3:19 pm

Just looking for something to play midi tracks to practice to, and I found one. Livemidi. Cost $5 and works great. Render my biab tracks to midi, copy to my tablet and it works great. Quite acceptable sounds for practicing to and very easy to change tempo or key. Also does karaoke if you want.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 5 Jul 2014 6:05 pm

Michael
These Android apps are like mushrooms - new ones springing up all the time. I must get/try the one you have found as it gives us another option if it's OK.

There is certainly no reason why they can't be perfectly good provided the sampling is quality. I think the 'free' ones probably can't/won't pay for the licences to the good midi samples hence the crappy ones.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 5 Jul 2014 6:11 pm

For my use it seems to work quite well. There's a free demo you can try, only plays for 30 seconds. I tried it and was sold. I'm just making basic playalong practice tracks on BIAB. This app will work on an Android phone also. The sample sound is quite nice, even the percussion. The main advantage for me is the tempo controls. Uses numbers, not just a slider bar.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 5 Jul 2014 8:36 pm

Downloaded and tried it (LiveMidi).
It is certainly a big improvement and has some good features - pitch change, speed change and a mixer for the samples.
The final output would be OK for practice but I doubt I'd use it 'out'. The cymbals guitar and organ samples are still pretty ordinary but at least you can mix them down. Bass samples are OK.
Some of this would no doubt due to the lack of sound module output options (EQ and effects) in Android as yet - but OK for practice. But what if your phone rings during a number like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEMA4Eb7Jas

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 27 Jul 2014 6:34 pm

I just tried "MIDI Loops & Karaoke" for android. It's available for free test from Google Play store. The samples are better than others I tried, and it has a mixer and other gizmos.

I save biab to midi file and then transfer to tablet. The samples sound pretty good through my recording system.

I haven't bought the full app yet, but probably will have by the time anyone reads this.

I'm using this on an Acer tablet. The full app is $3.42