Power from Midi Out/Thru

  • Looking at getting one of the new Bluetooth midi dongles but they require a small amount of power from the midi out. Any idea if they'd work on the Kemper like they would on say a keyboard?

  • What other device are you planning to use the Bluetooth midi dongle with?
    i ask because i've just bought a Yamaha MD-BT01 to control an ipad app from a midi device.
    its not what I expected in terms of operation and this wasn't explained clearly in any documentation i've seen. Seems it's not like connecting a regular Bluetooth device. Weirdly, you turn on Bluetooth and the device doesn't appear until the app "calls" for it. You don't have to associate it or permit it connection. As far as I can make out, not all apps are designed to work with Bluetooth LE. However my workaround was to fire up an app that does use/recognise the device (there's some free apps out there) and then go to the "other" iOS app which then "sees" the midi connection.


    what device have you got your eye on?

  • Just to clarify, we are talking a tiny amount of power here, not 9-12V. It all depends if all pins are wired or just the 3 for midi data and then if any power passes through them.

  • Just to clarify, we are talking a tiny amount of power here, not 9-12V. It all depends if all pins are wired or just the 3 for midi data and then if any power passes through them.


    There is enough current from the midi terminals to drive the bluetooth LE device. The device was designed to work like this with most midi ports.
    See this little video i knocked up controlling the Kemper from an ipad. I didn't have an ipad app at hand that sends program-change data (only CC data) but it will give you an idea of what is possible.

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  • I recently updated the video to combat those moaning about the lack of commentary

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  • I ended up buying a few of these to cut down on cabling and they are great a piece of kit. My kemper’s housed in a rack and I have no problem communicating with my Kemper from the iPad on my mic stand. As I use a performance per song method I saves a lot of searching/tapping on the remote and I can even give the iPad to the drummer so it’s totally seemless. A bit of a faff to connect them but in you soon get used to that and it’s well worth overcoming!

  • Anyone have had more experience with this MD bt01 with kemper? Apps to control performace mode changes?

    I haven’t used this Yamaha adapter, nor tried to connect via MIDI yet to the Kemper, but I would think the most comprehensive MIDI app for iPad is “MIDI Designer Pro 2”. I bought this a few years ago to control a Blackstar amp I had and it worked very well. You do have to design your setup though - add and configure each button, slider, switch etc. It’s a blank canvas to start with, but very powerful under the hood. It’s also not cheap! but does occasionally go on sale...