While BeatScratch is passable for jotting musical ideas down with the touch screen anywhere, refining your
work is best done with a MIDI controller.
BeatScratch is designed to be accessible for everyone. As such, it supports using pretty much
any standard MIDI controller with your macOS, iOS or Android device. All you need is the appropriate
USB cable for USB/USB-C devices (generally macOS, Android, or ChromeOS), along with the appropriate dongle for Lightning devices (iOS devices
excluding the 2020 iPad Pro).
The most important function for working in BeatScratch is the tap-in to play/record function. As such,
both the sustain pedal and pitch wheel map to tap-in. While a keys-only MIDI controller is better than
no controller, a sustain pedal or pitch wheel is recommended.
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Bluetooth Instruments
Skip the wires entirely with these!
USB-C Instruments
Great for USB-C devices because you can use any USB-C cable, like your power cable, to connect
your instrument.
Most Roland, Korg, Yamaha, etc. digital keyboards from the last 10-20 years have a USB-B port. Your printer
may use the same port type.
Sustain Pedals
USB-B to USB-C Cables
USB-B to USB Cables
Mini USB Instruments
Mini (not micro) USB is used by many smaller, more portable MIDI controllers. Micro USB and USB-C have
replaced most other uses of this port type.
Mini USB to USB-C Cables
Mini USB to USB Cables
USB to Lightning Dongles
Connect these with the appropriate Mini USB to USB or USB-B to USB cable above to use a MIDI controller with your
iPhone or iPad (except 2020 iPad Pro, which can just use the appropriate USB-C cable).
Legacy MIDI to USB Adapters
Instruments dating back to the 80s have had MIDI ports that exchange the exact same bytes as today's
music apps. One of these dongles will let you use those instruments with BeatScratch. These adapters generally
have their own CPU on board decoding MIDI messages. Older and/or poorly-built adapters may exhibit input lag
not seen with direct cable connections.