If you think about it, iOS devices are capable computers, able to fit into our pockets or assorted bags. With a variety of musical apps and sound outputs available, why not be able to use them to produce music? While apps that use the touchscreen to simulate musical instruments have been made available, there's been little in the way of support for actual musical instruments in iOS yet. Well, with the addition of support of the CoreMIDI protocol to iOS 4.2, iOS devices now support a variety of MIDI-capable musical instruments. Hooking them up to your device is the next step - enter iConnect MIDI.

This device from iConnectivity allows you to plug in MIDI devices - 2 through 5-pin DIN MIDI ports, and up to 8 through USB hubs plugged in to the USB ports, with support for output through 2 USB ports that support computers and 3rd generation and up (iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd generation) iOS devices, and 2 5-pin DIN MIDI ports. This video shot at the National Association of Music Merchants show shows several keyboards and drum pads hooked up through iConnect MIDI to an iPad and iPod touch, as an attendee and a couple of iConnectivity employees play a song together, all generated by iOS devices hooked up to iConnect MIDI.

iConnect MIDI appears to work with a variety of hardware, given the flexibility of the MIDI interface - it's just a question of the apps that support the CoreMIDI libraries, and the developers that are willing to make them. iConnect MIDI doesn't just work with music, either - as this video shows, it can work with remote control of lighting systems too:

Even as a geek whose most musical experience comes from Rock Band, I can appreciate how impressive this looks - this could mean wonders for music creation as more music apps begin to support CoreMIDI and allow for musicians to use their instruments with their iOS devices to help facilitate music creation wherever. iConnectivity have yet to announce a release date or price for iConnect MIDI, but will be showing off the device at Macworld 2011, January 27-29.

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