iPad AUv3 MIDI Plugin Template

A minimal, working template for creating iPad AUv3 MIDI effect plugins using JUCE

This template provides everything you need to get started with iPad AUv3 plugin development. It includes a complete, tested foundation that builds and runs on iPad hardware, with comprehensive documentation for customization and deployment.

🚀 Quick Start

Requirements

macOS with Xcode 14.0+
JUCE 8.0+ framework
Apple Developer Account (paid, $99/year)
iPad running iOS 15.0+ for testing

1. Get the Template

# Download or clone this template
git clone https://github.com/yourname/iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template.git
cd iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template

2. Open in Projucer

# Open the JUCE project
open iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template.jucer

3. Customize for Your Plugin

Project Settings:
- Change project name from "iPad AUv3 MIDI Template"
- Update company name, website, email
- Set unique bundle identifier: com.yourcompany.yourplugin
Plugin Information:
- Plugin name: "Your Plugin Name"
- Plugin description: Update to describe your plugin
- Plugin manufacturer code: Change from "YrCo"
- Plugin code: Change from "YrPl"
AUv3 Configuration:
- Keep AUv3 bundle ID as: com.yourcompany.yourplugin.AUv3
- Keep iOS deployment target at 15.0+
- Keep architecture as arm64

4. Generate Xcode Project

Click "Save Project and Open in IDE" in Projucer
Select your development team in Xcode signing settings
Build and run on your iPad

📁 Template Structure

iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template/
├── iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template.jucer    # JUCE project file
├── Source/                          # C++ source code
│   ├── PluginProcessor.h           # Audio processor header
│   ├── PluginProcessor.cpp         # Audio processor implementation  
│   ├── PluginEditor.h              # UI editor header
│   └── PluginEditor.cpp            # UI editor implementation
├── README.md                       # This file
├── DEPLOYMENT_GUIDE.md             # Detailed deployment instructions
└── LICENSE                         # CC0 Public Domain license

🎯 What This Template Provides

Complete AUv3 Configuration

✅ iPad-optimized project settings (iOS 15.0+, arm64)
✅ Proper bundle identifier hierarchy (prevents installation issues)
✅ AUv3-only build (no unnecessary standalone app)
✅ Touch-friendly UI sizing (44pt minimum touch targets)
✅ Responsive layout (portrait/landscape support)

Working MIDI Implementation

✅ Thread-safe MIDI processing using MidiMessageCollector
✅ Real-time audio thread safety (no blocking operations)
✅ MIDI input/output routing properly configured
✅ Example MIDI note generation (customizable)

Professional Code Quality

✅ Zero compilation warnings (Xcode 16.4+ tested)
✅ Modern C++ practices (JUCE 8.0+ compatibility)
✅ Comprehensive documentation (every function documented)
✅ Memory leak detection (JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR)
✅ iPad-specific optimizations (memory, touch, performance)

Production-Ready Features

✅ Tested on hardware (physical iPad validation)
✅ Host app compatibility (AUM, Logic Pro for iPad)
✅ Proper plugin registration (appears correctly in hosts)
✅ State save/restore (parameter persistence)
✅ Professional visual design (modern, clean interface)

🛠️ Customization Guide

1. Rename Template Classes

The template uses generic names that you should customize:

In PluginProcessor.h and PluginProcessor.cpp:

Rename TemplateAudioProcessor → YourPluginAudioProcessor

In PluginEditor.h and PluginEditor.cpp:

Rename TemplateAudioProcessorEditor → YourPluginAudioProcessorEditor

2. Add Your MIDI Logic

The template includes a simple "Send MIDI Note" example. Replace this with your plugin's logic:

// In PluginProcessor.cpp - processBlock() method
void YourPluginAudioProcessor::processBlock (juce::AudioBuffer<float>& buffer, 
                                            juce::MidiBuffer& midiMessages)
{
    buffer.clear(); // MIDI effect doesn't process audio
    
    // Add your MIDI processing logic here:
    // - Analyze incoming MIDI messages
    // - Generate new MIDI data  
    // - Transform/filter existing MIDI
    // - Apply your algorithm/effects
    
    // Get any MIDI generated by UI thread
    juce::MidiBuffer collectedMidi;
    midiCollector.removeNextBlockOfMessages (collectedMidi, buffer.getNumSamples());
    midiMessages.addEvents (collectedMidi, 0, buffer.getNumSamples(), 0);
}

3. Design Your User Interface

The template provides a foundation with iPad-optimized controls:

// In PluginEditor.cpp - customize the resized() method for your layout
void YourPluginAudioProcessorEditor::resized()
{
    auto bounds = getLocalBounds();
    bounds.reduce(20, 20);  // Touch-friendly padding
    
    // Add your custom UI layout here
    // Remember: minimum 44pt touch targets for iPad
    
    // Example: Custom control layout
    mySlider.setBounds(bounds.removeFromTop(60));
    myButton.setBounds(bounds.removeFromTop(44).withSizeKeepingCentre(200, 44));
    myLabel.setBounds(bounds.removeFromTop(30));
}

4. Configure Plugin Parameters

Add any parameters your plugin needs:

// In PluginProcessor.h - add parameter declarations
private:
    juce::AudioParameterFloat* gainParameter;
    juce::AudioParameterChoice* modeParameter;

// In PluginProcessor.cpp constructor - add parameters
TemplateAudioProcessor::TemplateAudioProcessor()
{
    addParameter(gainParameter = new juce::AudioParameterFloat(
        juce::ParameterID("gain", 1), "Gain", 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.5f));
    
    addParameter(modeParameter = new juce::AudioParameterChoice(
        juce::ParameterID("mode", 1), "Mode", 
        juce::StringArray{"Mode A", "Mode B", "Mode C"}, 0));
}

📱 Building and Testing

1. Build Configuration

Configuration: Use "Release" for final testing
Destination: Select your physical iPad (not simulator)
Signing: Ensure development team is selected

2. Installation Process

Build → Xcode will install to your iPad automatically
Trust Profile → Settings → General → VPN & Device Management
Test in Host → Open AUM, Logic Pro, or other AUv3 host
Verify Function → Load plugin and test MIDI functionality

3. Troubleshooting

See DEPLOYMENT_GUIDE.md for detailed troubleshooting steps covering:

Bundle identifier issues
Code signing problems
Plugin not appearing in hosts
Development profile setup
Common build failures

🧪 Testing Checklist

Before releasing your plugin, verify:

📚 Advanced Topics

Adding Complex MIDI Processing

// Example: MIDI message analysis and transformation
for (const auto metadata : midiMessages)
{
    auto message = metadata.getMessage();
    
    if (message.isNoteOn())
    {
        // Transform note-on messages
        auto newNote = transformNote(message.getNoteNumber());
        auto newVelocity = transformVelocity(message.getVelocity());
        
        midiMessages.addEvent(juce::MidiMessage::noteOn(
            message.getChannel(), newNote, newVelocity), 
            metadata.samplePosition);
    }
}

Implementing Custom Graphics

// In PluginEditor.cpp - paint() method for custom drawing
void YourPluginAudioProcessorEditor::paint (juce::Graphics& g)
{
    // Custom background
    g.fillAll(juce::Colours::black);
    
    // Custom graphics for your plugin's visual feedback
    // Use iPad-appropriate sizes and colors
    
    g.setColour(juce::Colours::white);
    g.drawText("Your Plugin", getLocalBounds(), 
               juce::Justification::centred, true);
}

Adding Animation and Real-time Feedback

// Use Timer for smooth UI updates
class YourPluginAudioProcessorEditor : public juce::AudioProcessorEditor,
                                      private juce::Timer
{
private:
    void timerCallback() override
    {
        // Update UI based on processor state
        // Repaint only what's necessary for performance
        repaint();
    }
};

🌍 Community and Support

Getting Help

JUCE Forum: https://forum.juce.com/ - Active community support
Apple Developer Forums: iOS-specific AUv3 questions
Stack Overflow: Tag questions with juce, auv3, ios-audio

Contributing

This template is in the public domain (CC0 license). Feel free to:

Submit improvements via pull requests
Create variations for specific use cases
Share your plugins built with this template
Help other developers in the community

Sharing Your Plugin

When you've built something with this template:

Submit to App Store for wide distribution
Share on forums (JUCE, iOS audio communities)
Create tutorials to help other developers
Open source your plugin to contribute back

📄 License

This template is released under CC0 1.0 Universal (Public Domain).

You can use this template for any purpose, including commercial projects, without attribution. However, attribution is appreciated if you'd like to help others discover this resource.

🙏 Acknowledgments

Built with:

JUCE Framework - Cross-platform audio framework
Apple iOS SDK - AUv3 and Core Audio frameworks
Community Feedback - From iOS audio developer community

Special thanks to the JUCE team and iOS audio development community for their support and knowledge sharing.

Ready to build your iPad AUv3 MIDI plugin? 🎵

Start with this template and focus on your unique audio processing algorithms rather than setup complexities. The foundation is solid - now make it your own!

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 1 Commit
Source		Source
.DS_Store		.DS_Store
DEPLOYMENT_GUIDE.md		DEPLOYMENT_GUIDE.md
GITHUB_REPOSITORY_GUIDE.md		GITHUB_REPOSITORY_GUIDE.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template.jucer		iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template.jucer

License

Enkerli/iPad-AUv3-MIDI-Template

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation