MIDI Layout — User Manual
iPad MIDI Controller
Version 1.0 · 2026
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1. Getting Started
Requirements
• iPad running iPadOS 17 or later
• Mac computer running Audio MIDI Setup
• A MIDI-compatible app to receive signals (e.g. GarageBand, Logic Pro, AUM)
• Wi-Fi or USB cable for connecting to a Mac
First Launch
MIDI Layout opens in Edit Mode with a blank canvas. No controls are placed by default — you build your layout from scratch. If you prefer a starting point, tap Layouts in the left sidebar to load one of the included factory templates.
Connecting to Audio MIDI Setup
MIDI Layout will connect either via cable or Wi-Fi if your iPad and Mac are on the same wireless network.
On your Mac, open Audio MIDI Setup (~/Applications/Utilities/Audio MIDI Setup) and press Command+2 to open MIDI Studio. Click the Network icon to open MIDI Network Setup. If there is nothing in "My Sessions", press the + button to create a new session. In Sessions and Directories, select "iPad" and press the Connect button. On the app, the pill in the top-left corner should indicate your networked computer's name and show a green light. If this pill says "No MIDI", please check your connections.
Edit Mode and Perform Mode
MIDI Layout has two distinct modes. It is important to understand how they differ:
Edit Mode — this is where you design your layout. You can add, move, resize, multiply, and configure controls. No MIDI is sent in Edit Mode.
Perform Mode — this activates your layout as a live MIDI controller. All editing tools are hidden and unavailable. MIDI is only sent in Perform Mode.
TIP: MIDI Layout will not send any MIDI signal until you enter Perform Mode. If your synth or DAW is not receiving anything, check that you are in Perform Mode.
Tap the PERFORM button in the top-right bar to switch to Perform Mode. Tap the EDIT button to return to Edit Mode. Your layout is preserved exactly when switching between modes.
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2. The Edit Mode Interface
Left Sidebar
The sidebar on the left contains management tools:
Layouts — browse, load, export, and delete saved layouts
Save — save the current canvas as a named layout
Import — import a .midilayout file from Files or AirDrop
Clear — remove all controls from the canvas (requires confirmation)
Undo — undo the most recent action, up to 30 steps
Redo — redo the most recent action, up to 30 steps
Help — in-app quick reference
Top Bar
The top bar shows the current layout name and the Edit / Perform mode toggle. In Edit Mode it also displays the name and type of the currently selected control.
Control Tray
The tray at the bottom of the screen contains all available control types. Drag any control from the tray onto the canvas to add it to your layout.
Canvas
The canvas is a 12-column × 8-row grid. Controls snap to grid cells when placed and moved. In Perform Mode the canvas fills the full iPad screen.
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3. Working with Controls
Adding Controls
Drag any control from the tray at the bottom of the screen onto the canvas. It will snap to the nearest available grid position.
Moving Controls
Drag a placed control to reposition it. Controls snap to grid cells and cannot overlap — if a position is blocked, the control will slide to the nearest clear position.
Resizing Controls
A resize handle appears at the bottom-right corner of most controls in Edit Mode. Drag down and to the right to resize a control. The Keyboard and Theremin are fixed size and cannot be resized.
Configuring Controls
Long-press any control to open its configuration menu:
Rename — give the control a custom label
CC / Channel — set the MIDI CC number (0–127) and MIDI channel (1–16)
Note — for note-triggering controls, set the base MIDI note
Delete — remove the control from the canvas
Undo and Redo
Undo and Redo buttons appear in the left sidebar during Edit Mode. Undo reverts the last action — including moves, additions, deletions, and resizes. Up to 30 undo steps are retained.
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4. Control Types
All controls can have their MIDI channel configured. Long-press any control in Edit Mode to access each control's unique parameters. Controls other than instruments and the XY Pad also have a Multiply feature that creates multiple copies of them across the canvas.
Knob
A rotary knob that sends a continuous MIDI CC value (0–127). Use rotary action on the screen to adjust the value in Perform Mode. Set sensitivity in the Configure menu.
Button
A trigger button that sends a MIDI CC value on press. Useful for mute, solo, scene launch, and on/off toggle controls.
Vertical Fader
A vertical fader that sends a continuous MIDI CC value. Drag up and down to change position in Perform Mode. Suited to channel faders, expression, breath control, and any parameter that benefits from a linear fader-style representation.
Horizontal Fader
A horizontal fader that sends a continuous MIDI CC value. Drag side to side to change position in Perform Mode. Suited to panners and DJ-style mixers.
Sustain
A standard sustain pedal that can be set to either Momentary or Latch mode.
XY Pad
A two-dimensional touch pad. The X axis sends one MIDI CC and the Y axis sends another, independently and simultaneously as you drag your finger. Well suited to simultaneous control of two related parameters such as filter cutoff and resonance, or panning and depth.
Drum Pads
A grid of drum trigger pads. Each pad sends a MIDI note-on on touch and note-off on release. Available in 4×2, 4×4, and 8×8 configurations. Assign the base MIDI note and channel via long-press.
Keyboard
A chromatic keyboard that plays MIDI notes on touch and releases them on lift. The keyboard is fixed size and always spans the full canvas width. Legato playing across adjacent keys is supported.
Transport
A set of DAW transport controls. Each button sends the corresponding MIDI Machine Control (MMC) message. Individual buttons can be shown or hidden to match your DAW and workflow.
Theremin
The centrepiece of MIDI Layout — a wide-format XY performance pad inspired by the theremin. The Y axis controls volume (MIDI CC 7 by default). The X axis controls pitch in one of the following modes:
Free Mode — pitch is continuous across the full X range using MIDI pitch bend. The root note (bend centre) is set via the key strip at the bottom. The readout shows the nearest note name and cent offset in real time (e.g. D3+18¢). Best for expressive, microtonal playing.
Chromatic Mode — the X axis is divided into semitone columns. Each column triggers a distinct MIDI note. Note names are shown along the bottom of the pad and update when you change key.
Scale Modes — the X axis is divided into slots containing only the notes of a chosen scale. Only in-scale notes are reachable, making it easy to play expressively in key. Available scales include Major, Natural Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, Phrygian, Lydian, Major Pentatonic, Minor Pentatonic, Blues, Whole Tone, and Diminished.
Theremin Root Strip
In Perform Mode, a root note selector appears below the Theremin play area. Tap any of the 12 chromatic keys to shift the entire pitch range to a new root note. Use the octave − and + buttons to move up or down by an octave. In Chromatic and Scale modes, the note labels on the play area update in real time.
TIP: In Free Mode, hold a note with one finger on the play area while tapping a new root key with your other hand to change keys mid-phrase without interrupting the sound.
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5. Layouts
Saving a Layout
Tap Save in the sidebar. Enter a name and tap Save. If a layout with that name already exists, you will be prompted to overwrite it. Factory template names cannot be overwritten — MIDI Layout will save an automatic copy instead (e.g. "Theremin Free Mode 2").
Loading a Layout
Tap Layouts in the sidebar, then tap any layout row to load it. The sheet closes and the layout is immediately active on the canvas.
Locking and Unlocking
Swipe right on any user layout row in the Layouts sheet to lock or unlock it. Locked layouts display a padlock icon and cannot be overwritten or deleted. Factory templates are permanently locked.
TIP: Lock your performance layouts before a gig to prevent accidental changes or deletion.
Deleting a Layout
Tap the trash icon on any unlocked layout row. A confirmation dialog will appear before the layout is permanently deleted.
Factory Templates
MIDI Layout includes the following built-in layouts:
12 Channel Mixer — multi-fader and knob mixing surface
Theremin Free Mode — large Theremin in free pitch-bend mode
Keyboard and Controls — keyboard with expression and modulation controls
4 x 2 Drum Machine — drum pad grid with transport controls
Factory templates can be loaded, modified, and saved under a new name. They cannot be overwritten or deleted.
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6. Export and Import
Exporting a Layout
In the Layouts sheet, tap the share icon on any layout row to export it as a .midilayout file. The iOS share sheet opens — send via AirDrop, save to Files, share via Mail or Messages, or use any method your iPad supports.
Importing a Layout
Tap Import in the sidebar. The Files picker opens — navigate to your .midilayout file and tap it. The layout is added to your saved list and loaded immediately. If a layout with the same name already exists, a number suffix is appended automatically.
TIP: AirDrop is the fastest way to share layouts between iPads. Exported .midilayout files are plain JSON and can be inspected or edited in any text editor.
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7. MIDI Setup
Important: MIDI Only Sends in Perform Mode
MIDI Layout does not send any MIDI signal while in Edit Mode. Switch to Perform Mode using the button in the top bar before expecting your controls to trigger sounds in a connected app or device.
Connecting to a Mac (Wi-Fi)
Ensure your iPad and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network. On your Mac, open Audio MIDI Setup (found in Applications > Utilities), click the Network icon in MIDI Studio, and connect to the MIDI Layout session when it appears. MIDI Layout will then be available as a MIDI input in your DAW.
Connecting to a Mac (USB)
Connect your iPad to your Mac with a USB cable. Open Audio MIDI Setup (Applications > Utilities) and press Command+2 to open MIDI Studio. Your iPad will appear as a device — enable it there, and it will become available as a MIDI input in your DAW.
Note: MIDI Layout currently supports Mac connectivity only. PC compatibility will be provided in a future update.
MIDI Channels and CC Numbers
Every control has an independently configurable MIDI channel (1–16) and CC number (0–127). Long-press any control in Edit Mode to access these settings. Using different channels per control group lets you drive multiple instruments simultaneously from a single layout.
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8. Tips and Best Practices
• No MIDI is sent until you are in Perform Mode. All editing is locked out in Perform Mode.
• Set the Theremin's pitch bend range to match your synth's pitch bend range setting. The default is ±12 semitones (24 total).
• In Theremin Scale Mode, Major Pentatonic is very forgiving — every position on the X axis plays a musically safe note.
• Lock your performance layouts before a show to prevent accidental edits or deletion.
• Use different MIDI channels per section of your layout to drive multiple instruments at once.
• Export your key layouts to iCloud Drive as a backup before a gig.
• The large ghost note on the Theremin shows the nearest pitch in real time — useful for learning your position on the pad.
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9. Troubleshooting
No MIDI signal reaching my app
• Check that you are in Perform Mode — MIDI Layout does not send MIDI in Edit Mode.
• Confirm both apps are open on the same device, or that the network/USB connection is active.
• Check the MIDI channel on your control matches the channel your synth or DAW is listening on.
• Try closing and reopening the receiving app to refresh MIDI port discovery.
Import doesn't show my file
• Confirm the file has a .midilayout extension.
• Try saving the file to "On My iPad" in Files first, then import from there.
Theremin pitch sounds off
Check that your synth's pitch bend range matches the Theremin's pitch bend range setting. Long-press the Theremin in Edit Mode to adjust this value.
Layout won't save or overwrite
• The layout may be locked. Swipe right in the Layouts sheet to unlock it first.
• Factory template names always create a numbered copy — they cannot be overwritten.
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10. Specifications
Platform
iPadOS 17 or later
MIDI Connectivity
Network MIDI (RTP-MIDI) over Wi-Fi, USB MIDI to Mac
Controls
Knob, Button, Vertical Fader, Horizontal Fader, Sustain, XY Pad, Drum Pads (4×2, 4×4, and 8×8), Keyboard, Transport, Theremin
Theremin Pitch Modes
Free (pitch bend), Chromatic, Major, Natural Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, Phrygian, Lydian, Major Pentatonic, Minor Pentatonic, Blues, Whole Tone, Diminished
Canvas
12 columns × 8 rows, 96pt grid cells
Layout File Format
.midilayout (JSON)
Storage
Local on-device (iPad Documents directory). Exportable to Files, iCloud Drive, AirDrop, Mail.
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MIDI Layout — Designed and built for musicians.