MIDI controller and editing

[jeremy_wakefield]

Hi

 

I am very keen to use a midi controller to make adjustments in and capture one and Affinity.

 

Has anyone any firsthand experience of setting this up and can anyone point me to simple tutorials which are helpful. I did have a look at a few on YouTube but to be honest I must be incredibly dense because I couldn’t fallow them and it sounded very complex. I switched off after a few minutes. If you can help I would really appreciate that.

 

I know there’s a pal letter gear set that fire it but it’s very expensive so I’m just looking for a way to set up a regular controller.

 

Thank you very much

[rodeo_joe1]

MIDI controller? As in 'Musical Instrument Digital Interface'?

 

Are you sure you don't mean a pressure-sensitive graphics tablet?

 

Usually they're pretty much plug'n'play. You just need to find the menu item in the image editor that makes it tablet aware.

 

I know there’s a pal letter gear set that fire it..

Que?

[jeremy_wakefield]

Hah! Disadvantages of phone typing and spellchecker. Apologies. I meant "I know there's a Pallette Gear set that is pretty easy to set up".

 

Yes I mean that MIDI controller - used with DAWs to make music - but capable of allowing you to use actual buttons, sliders, and dials to control image editing software too.

[mikemorrell]

Interesting, Jeremy, I'd never heard of this. So, being curious, I browsed through this article which describes the basic process. I'm not found anything that contradicts this via Google

 

If I understand the article correctly, you first need to install 'midi-mapping' software on your PC. This software allows you to set up 'translations' from keystrokes( depress/ hold/ release) on a midi device to equivalent keystrokes on a normal keyboard. So you first set up one or more application-specific translations. For example one for CaptureOne, one for Affinity, etc.).

 

For example, for every CaptureOne command/action that you want to initiate from your midi device, you need to 'program the translation' from the normal CaptureOne keystroke on a standard keyboard to an equivalent keystroke on your midi-device.

 

I assume that when you run the midi-mapping software and select a translation (for example CaptureOne but it could just as well be Lightroom, Word, or Paint), the midi-mapping software responds to any input from programmed midi keystrokes by translating them in real time into their equivalent (normal) keystrokes from a keyboard or mouse. So CaptureOne "thinks" that it's getting keystrokes from a normal keyboard and mouse when in fact these keystrokes have been translated from midi device keystrokes.

 

I have no practical experience with midi-controllers but I assume that you can also program "macros" whereby one midi keystroke is translated into multiple 'normal' keystrokes. Depending on your midi-device, you may also be able to translate 'wheel values' into equivalent mouse values.

 

My guess is that the learning curve will take some time (and investment of your time). That may be a downside since there's probably no 'off the shelf solution' for the apps you mention. On the upside, just 1 app and 1 or 2 midi-initiated actions are enough to learn on and show 'proof of concept'. From there, you can add actions per app and new apps as and when you have time.

 

There well be users who already use midi-devices as PC-controllers for other apps. So my suggestion is to websearch for midi-devices used as PC controllers.

 

Good luck! I'd be interested to read about how you get on.

 

Mike