You’re probably doing something wrong.
I have great experience with any Android app and Gig Performer.
You can try some of these, we have blog articles:
OSCAR - Gig Performer | Use your mobile phone to control your guitar or keyboard effects
G-Stomper Rhythm - Gig Performer | How to synchronize Gig Performer's tempo to an external MIDI clock or Link-enabled products
… and many more, such as MIDI Keyboard that I use to send MIDI over the USB cable (there will probably also be a blog article for that at some point).
P.S.
There’s a demo of each of these features to make it clearer – music by Constantine Christodoulou
I’ve been even in touch with this guy from the description of this application. This is Constantin “Costas” Christodoulou - see him in Action with Gig Performer!.