Re: [LAU] MIDI Input of LAU Applications

Crypto wrote:
> Hi @LAU people,
>
> I would like to open a discussion about the MIDI capabilities of LAU
> applications here.
>
> There is quite a number of great LAU software of course and we have seen
> frequent announcements of new versions or even complete new applications.
>
> But from a particular point of view their use sometimes is a bit limited.
>
> I have found that most applications require the user to work (record, program,
> finetune etc.) from behind the computer on which the application runs. But that
> limits the usability in case someone is actually playing an instrument with
> MIDI interface, especially in a live playing environment, and needs something
> more convenient to handle parameters etc.
>
> I have seen few applications that allow for using MIDI commands let alone
> allow me to enter a custom made (be it SYS EX message or any controller
> message) MIDI message to trigger a particular action within the application.
>
> There have been a number of hardware controllers available for some time that
> come with numerous drawbars, pushbuttons and similar stuff to ease controlling
> mixer applications, drum applications or anything else, so having a flexible
> MIDI input interface (software) seems to me to be a really great idea.
>
> At the moment things I would like to do force me to use a MIDI programming
> language instead of using all these new fancy GUI applications with much more
> and much better options apart from their MIDI support than the simple
> programming environment has. I have to program nearly everything on my own.
> And I find myself running against walls because there are just too many things
> that simply do not work.
>
> I wonder if noone else has a MIDI "Start/Stop" feature on their wishlist for
> their favourite drum computer program, or "Fill
> 1/Fill2/Ending1/Ending2/Variation" etc. (which applications like hydrogen do
> not yet have but they are on their way).
>
> I wonder if noone else prefers a real hardware turning knob over a GUI mouse
> slider (which cannot be moved from keyboard, as there is no MIDI controller
> input for the slider...).
>
> What do You think? Anything worth adding for You here? Is better MIDI input of
> applications worth asking for?
>
> Would like to learn more...

In my particular case, as the developer of Jackbeat, MIDI support has been
postponed until I get a clear idea on how to do it right. I would like to
achieve something as user-friendly as possible, but that can still be adapted to
various hardware.

So, I need ideas and feedback, and yours would be appreciated as new tickets or
by commenting the relevant ones:

http://jackbeat.samalyse.org/ticket/20
http://jackbeat.samalyse.org/ticket/21
http://jackbeat.samalyse.org/ticket/19

Here are the questions that come to my mind:
- what would be the best MIDI configuration system in Jackbeat?
- how to achieve *both* easy and flexible bindings with a control surface?
- should a hw knob control a fixed track and/or the current GUI active track?
- what hardware do/would you use, and what are their peculiarities?

--
  Olivier
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