MIDI controller pad input

[giantmecha]

Hi,

I'm hoping to use a MIDI pad controller to control Magic, specifically for triggering sources -- i.e. hitting a particular pad/button on the controller selects one input (such as a polygon or 3D model), another pad selects another input, etc.

Ideally, the velocity of this pad hit would affect the transition speed between the inputs.

Is this possible

Thanks.

[Magic]

I'm hoping to use a MIDI pad controller to control Magic, specifically for triggering sources -- i.e. hitting a particular pad/button on the controller selects one input (such as a polygon or 3D model), another pad selects another input, etc.

There are several ways to do that -- I suggest you start with the Playlist because it's the easiest: https://magicmusicvisuals.com/downloads ... .html#MIDI

Ideally, the velocity of this pad hit would affect the transition speed between the inputs.

That's a bit more advanced; you can't do it with the Playlist (although it's a good idea ), but you could try with some of the other input-selecting modules, such as InputSelector or MultiMix: https://magicmusicvisuals.com/downloads ... l#MultiMix

[giantmecha]

Thanks so much for the help on this, Eric. Really loving Magic.

I was searching around here for sequencing abilities, but just want to double check that I'm not missing something. Is there any way for me to pay sequences of scenes via MIDI? Ideally using Ableton clips, or a MIDI hardware sequencer like the Arturia Beatstep? That would be a serious game changer IMHO.

Thanks again for this amazing piece of software.

[Magic]

I was searching around here for sequencing abilities, but just want to double check that I'm not missing something. Is there any way for me to pay sequences of scenes via MIDI? Ideally using Ableton clips, or a MIDI hardware sequencer like the Arturia Beatstep? That would be a serious game changer IMHO.

Yes of course, that's one of the principal features of the Performer edition . The Playlist Window (Window > Playlist Window) is used to build a sequence of scenes, and the sequence can be controlled by MIDI in several different ways.

For experimenting, you might want to go to Help > Open Sample Project, and load the project called "ManyScenes.magic", which comes with a pre-defined playlist sequence. Then you can fool around with using MIDI control. See the User's Guide link I posted above, which has several sections dedicated to the different MIDI control options.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks again for this amazing piece of software.

My pleasure

[giantmecha]

HMM, something's not getting into my brain

If, for instance, I have a MIDI clip playing in Ableton, how can I get Magic to trigger Scene 0 every time a certain note plays, Scene 1 every time another note plays, etc? Sorry if this is a dumb question but Note Velocity [Note Number] doesn't seem to be working, and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. :-/

[Sadler]

I'm not that familiar with Ableton but I would guess you'd have to get it to push midi to a virtual midi port (e.g. midi-yoke) and then have MMV listen to that port. Ableton can only send to midi devices and MMV can only receive from midi devices so if you want to send notes from Ableton to MMV you'll need a virtual device to mediate.

[Magic]

Yup, if you want Magic to listen to another application (as opposed to a hardware controller), you'd need an intermediate utility such as LoopBe1 (http://www.nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html). In your case, make sure LoopBe1 is set as your MIDI output device in Ableton.

[giantmecha]

Thanks so much, guys. Can you recommend a Mac alternative to LoopBe1? Or can I just use Audio-MIDI Setup?

[Magic]

Yeah sorry I assumed Windows . On Mac you can use IAC in the Audio MIDI Setup. I found this link: https://www.ableton.com/en/help/article ... uses-live/

[giantmecha]

Thanks, Eric -- still no luck, unfortunately. I'm using the Ableton Push hardware controller, and while Magic successfully recognizes hardware input (i.e. I can trigger Scenes with manual button presses), I can't get it to recognize and respond to recorded patterns of MIDI notes from Ableton.

Has anyone out there had success with this?

[giantmecha]

Just to clarify, I have "Ableton + Magic Bus 1" (as created in Audio MIDI Setup) selected at the top of my Playlist window, followed by "Note Number" and "Channel 1". Each of my Scenes below that is mapped to a MIDI note, and is triggered when I press the appropriate pad on the Push controller. When I record and playback MIDI clips in Live, however, with the track MIDI output sent to "Ableton + Magic Bus 1", these changes are not reflected in Magic as the sequence plays; instead, Magic remains on the most recent Scene triggered manually via the Push pads.

[Magic]

Hmm, well Magic doesn't know if you are using a hardware controller vs. a virtual controller -- as long as it's a MIDI device, it will work. So if your Push controller is working fine, then by process of elimination the problem must be something either with Ableton or with IAC. Did you follow the steps in that link I posted above?

Overall my guess is that Ableton isn't configured correctly to send output to IAC. Perhaps one of these links will help:
https://www.ableton.com/en/help/article ... zers-live/
https://www.ableton.com/en/help/article ... explained/

Also you might want to use some kind of a MIDI monitoring tool to make sure IAC is receiving the messages:
https://www.snoize.com/MIDIMonitor/

[giantmecha]

Hi all,

Just rekindling this as I seem to be running into a wall.

Basically trying to figure out how to trigger Ableton clips that simultaneously trigger Magic scenes. I believe the issue I'm running into is that triggering a clip in Ableton isn't recognized as a MIDI command? I'm able to receive note values when I play notes in Ableton, but for whatever reason clip triggering inputs don't seem to be something that Ableton can export as MIDI data. Magic doesn't seem to support OSC, which would otherwise seem like a potential option?

Thanks again.

[Magic]

I think what you need to do is create a MIDI track and put something like a single MIDI note at the beginning of it. That's how you would notify Magic (via IAC).

[yatessim]

using Cubase 8.5 on windows 10 .... magic performer bought today
can get magic to learn from komplete kontrol keyboard and record result as midi track in Cubase but cant get magic to hear info on playback.
any chance of a screen grab from a Cubase running with magic please.
obviously something to do with midi out in Cubase but eluding me....
cant wait to get running . looks great thanks

[Magic]

I haven't used Cubase in a long time , but I think what you need to do is install something like http://www.nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html, choose it as your MIDI output device in Cubase, and also choose it as your MIDI input device in Magic.

LoopBe1 basically just acts as a "virtual cable" between applications.

[yatessim]

yeah .... that did the trick eric ...... thanks
only output required to be loopbe1. if input is set to loopbe1 it will create a feedback loop and it will switch off.
best fun ive had with my clothes on ; )