Happy Holidays & 2022 In Review

Posted on December 20, 2022 by Admin jkhiser

Happy Holidays from Confusion Studios

During 2022, we released three major upgrades and several bug fixes

New capabilities and improvements:
– Mac M1 capability, file handling improvements
– Ableton Link integration
– Control “loopers” – adjustable length, reloop, mute
– Transparent panels
– Transparent X-Y pads
– No MIDI Send / Receive control option
– Propagate MIDI min-max changes to Display Min/Max/Ticks
– Log enhancements

More coming in 2023!

Join our conversation on Q&A, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

#communityPowered #dreamCreatePlay #iosMidi

MIDI Designer 2.9 Announced!

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Dan Rosenstark

New York, NY – May 13, 2017 — Confusion Studios announced MIDI Designer Pro 2 v2.9, which will be available for download from the Apple App Store on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

This new version brings greater maturity and stability along with new features for builders to work more efficiently during initial layout build and subsequent revisions of layouts.

NEW FEATURES

Panel Grouping and Panel Channel — Panels can now be used to group controls. This behavior is optional. Panels can also be assigned a Channel and/or CC Offset for member controls, allowing users to build and modify pages and layouts quickly in a modular fashion.

Timing Rework — In addition, Snap to Value (and Snap to Default Value) have gotten reworked to allow for smaller timings and more frequent MIDI-value sends.

More MIDI — New on the MIDI side for 2.9:

Song Select MIDI message (for interaction with Songbook)
4-byte device ID Roland Sysex Checksum (for the Roland Boss GP-10).

FIXED ISSUES

Dozens of issues — some notable, some minor — have been fixed in 2.9. See the Change Log for more information.

NEW WATERMARK

MIDI Designer Pro 2.9 is the 45th update of MIDI Designer since launch in 2012. MIDI Designer Author and Confusion Studios CEO Dan Rosenstark notes, “This release brings additional coherence and stability to an already mature platform that users trust and love. But it’s Panel Grouping and Panel Channel that are most exciting. Musicians, lighting users and others tweak and refine their layouts over months and even years. These panel features facilitate fast workflow and allow users to organize complex layouts easily. Let’s see what users do with it!”

The MIDI Designer Community provides a multitude of layouts for popular MIDI hardware and software targets. Those that have been rated by the MIDI Designer Team can be seen here.

ABOUT MIDI DESIGNER

Released by Confusion Studios LLC in 2012, the award-winning MIDI Designer Pro 2 has been lauded by Music Industry publications and used on stage and in the studio by world-class musicians, producers and DJs around the World. MD boasts a large Community of users creating and sharing virtual MIDI controllers for a multitude of different MIDI targets. Used by everyone from VJs to robotics experts, MD has also recently made inroads into television and film in both lighting design and camera control.

MIDI Designer Pro 2 will run on any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 9.3 or later. The standalone, dedicated versions of MIDI Designer all require an iPad running iOS 9.3 or better.

Visit midiDesigner.com for further details.

Confusion Studios Announces Dedicated MIDI Controllers for the Yamaha Reface DX for iPad

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Dan Rosenstark

Two new, standalone iPad editions of the award-winning professional MIDI controller platform bring MIDI control to the Reface DX

Update March 7, 2017: MDDX1 and MDDX2 are now live on the App Store.

New York, NY – February 14, 2017 – Confusion Studios announced two new MIDI controller apps for iPad, both of which will be available for download from the Apple App Store on Wednesday, March 1, 2017: MDDX1 and MDDX2.

Both of the new apps are MIDI controllers for the Yamaha Reface DX. Yamaha released the Reface DX – a portable, FM-synthesis-based keyboard – in 2015 to critical acclaim. Each of the new apps is based on a user-created layout for MIDI Designer Pro 2; each has a unique approach to controlling the Reface DX.

The Editor: MDDX1 by Helfried

MDDX1: Voice Editor for Yamaha Reface DX by Helfried Wildenhain highlights this user-author’s eye for design, a deep attention to detail, and a desire to push the underlying platform – MIDI Designer Pro 2 – to do new things. It allows for control of every parameter on the Reface DX and provides surprising new control vistas. The App extends the reface DX’s interface, providing a much-needed algorithms display, Master Tune, Transpose, Randomize and other new sections.

[ MDDX1: Voice Editor for Yamaha Reface DX by Helfried Wildenhain Layout for MDP2 on Community Site ]

MDDX1 will run on any iPad with iOS 9.3 or better, and will be available on March 1, 2017 for download for $9.99. The app purchase may be applied towards a bundle purchase including MIDI Designer Pro 2.

MDDX1: Voice Editor for Yamaha Reface DX by Helfried Wildenhain

Performance Tool: MDDX2 by Ibo Kai

MDDX2: Performance Tool for Reface DX by Ibo Kai is an additional, performance- focused interface for the Reface DX. As the author of the layout puts it, “This layout is pretty simple, just one page shows all the available functions. It is mainly what you find in the ‘FM’ keypad of the synth: frequencies, levels and feedback settings separately per operator plus the algorithm select.” In addition, Ibo Kai added an Amp Mode section. This auxiliary controller for the Reface DX is intended for live and studio performance, where a full-blown editor is not practical.

[ MDDX2: Performance Tool for Reface DX by Ibo Kai Layout for MDP2 on Community Site ]

MDDX2 will run on any iPad with iOS 9.3 or better, and will be available on March 1, 2017 for download for $3.99. The app purchase may be applied towards a bundle purchase including MIDI Designer Pro 2.

MDDX2: Performance Tool for Reface DX by Ibo Kai

Two New Standalone, Dedicated Apps

MIDI Designer Author and Confusion Studios CEO Dan Rosenstark notes, “Both editors show the layout authors – Helfried and Ibo Kai – flexing design muscle and pushing the MIDI Designer platform to work in new ways. Each is a dedicated tool for working with the Reface DX and each provides a surprising and useful new interface for this small keyboard. Additionally, both provide new users with an entry point into the MIDI Designer platform at a low price.”

MDDX1 and MDDX2 join the four existing standalone MIDI Designer apps for dedicated control: MIDI Designer XW: Casio XW Solo Synth Controller, MD77: Voice Editor for Yamaha SY77/TG77 by Ibo Kai, MDClav: Clavinova Controller by Craig Knudsen and MDXG: XG Sound Set Controller by Craig Knudsen.

About MIDI Designer

MIDI Designer Pro 2 will run on any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 9.3 or later. The standalone, dedicated versions of MIDI Designer all require an iPad running iOS 9.3 or better.

Visit midiDesigner.com for further details.

Post-NAMM Announcement: Confusion Studios Announces MIDI Designer Pro 2 v2.8

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Dan Rosenstark

Latest iteration of the award-winning professional MIDI controller platform brings side-by-side multitasking, pan-and-zoom and portrait mode to the iPad

Anaheim, CA – Confusion Studios announced version 2.8 of MIDI Designer Pro 2 (MDP2) will be available for download from the Apple App Store for iOS on Wednesday, February 1, 2017.

Since MIDI Designer Pro launched in 2012, MIDI Designer users have been creating and sharing layouts to control other music-making apps on iPad. Side-by-side multitasking brings this experience to the next level, allowing users to see and manipulate a controller in MDP2 alongside MIDI-target apps.

MIDI Designer Author and Confusion Studios CEO Dan Rosenstark commented, “Half the story we know about side-by-side multitasking: Users have already shared layouts for many iOS apps, including Animoog, Galileo, and Loopy HD. They will control these apps better – and make new, better controllers – thanks to side-by-side multitasking. The other half of the story is about what’s next: our users will discover and share other use-cases for side-by-side multitasking. That real-world feedback is always exciting. Also, the inclusion of portrait mode in this release fulfills one of our most-popular user requests.”

Slide Over, Split View and Portrait

Slide Over: MDP2 v2.8 lets iPad users take advantage of Slide Over. While not every app can be slid-over app, Slide Over can work with all other iPad apps. With Slide Over, users can make changes to their MIDI Designer layout without leaving another app. Slide Over works on most iPads: iPad Pro, iPad Air and later, and iPad mini 2 and later.
Split View: Split View allows for true, shared-screen multitasking with MDP2 v2.8. New controllers will be possible for music-making apps that support this feature, including Infinite Looper, Frobulator, Metarecorder, VoiceRack, and Thumbjam. By combining multiple apps in one controller, users can view one app in Split View while controlling several others (including apps that do not yet support Split View). Beyond apps for music, it can be used with compatible apps for reading, writing and communicating. Split View works on newer iPads: iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, or iPad mini 4.
Portrait Mode: MDP2 v2.8 brings the powerful two-up page to a vertical orientation. This is especially useful for use in conjunction with apps that tend to be used in a portrait mode (like forScore) and physical spaces and stands where the iPad will not fit in landscape.
Pan and Zoom: This pair gives users greater flexibility in managing their screen real estate. Zoom lets users move between several magnification modes: fit width, original and fit half-width. Four-button pan provides scrolling, which is particularly useful where part of the view is obscured by the magnification level or side-by-side multitasking.

MDP2 v2.8 + Frobulator

MDP2 v2.8 + Infinite Looper

MDP2 v2.8 + Metarecorder

MDP2 v2.8 + Frobulator

Press Contact

Dan Rosenstark, Author & CEO
Email: dan [at] midiDesigner [dot] com

About MIDI Designer

MIDI Designer Pro 2 will run on any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 9.3 or later.

Visit midiDesigner.com for further details.

MIDI Designer 2.5: More Tools

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Dan Rosenstark

Service Release MIDI Designer Pro 2 v2.5.1 is now out. It fixes two minor issues in MDP2 v2.5.
See details in the Change Log.

MIDI Designer Pro 2 v2.5 is coming this Saturday, December 10, 2016 for MDP2^*. More tools! We’re adding new features and fixes to make the best MIDI controller experience for iOS even better. It’s a medium-weight upgrade, providing more flexibility for your rig design and editor creation.

Big New Features

Movable Panels: put controls on panels, move them around, and even use “make similar.” This feature is very useful as is, and we’ve got big plans for it.

Display Zero for Knobs, Sliders and Crossfaders: now the LED ring (knobs) or LED track (sliders/crossfaders) can extend out from any point along its path. Two typical cases are pan knobs (Display Zero is 50% up) and Hammond-organ bars (Display Zero is 100% up). Requires Extra Features Pack to include in a layout; free to use for all.

Rotary action for knobs: This is useful to place knobs near the top or bottom of your pages. It also means we’re compatible with gadgets that stick on your screen and rotate, if that’s your thing. Requires Extra Features Pack to include in a layout; free to use for anybody.

Medium-Sized New Features

Pedalboards Expose Down: Now you can slide your pages down or up to expose pedalboards. And if you don’t allow pedalboards in Play Mode, they’ll snap shut when you exit Design Mode.
Default Value Experience Upgrade: Default Values work properly with Named Ticks, even if your ticks’ MIDI values are out of order (e.g., 5, 127, 2).

Xcode 8, iOS 10

Lots and lots and lots of code changed in the upgrade to iOS 10 (Swift 3 and Xcode 8). See something, say something! Please report all bugs to wtf [at] mididesigner.com

Fixes

Fixed: Now no MIDI values are sent on MIDI Designer start, layout load, page load, nor reset to default template (Config -> Actions -> New)
Fixed: Default values for named ticks
Fixed: Bluetooth popup bug for iPhone introduced in 2.4.6
Fixed: Smaller bugs, and lots of under-the-hood improvements to make MD even better.

^*For existing users of MIDI Designer Limited and MIDI Designer Lite, it’s going to be coming in the middle of next week.

MIDI Designer Pro 2 & MIDI Designer Player

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Dan Rosenstark

Just in time for NAMM 2016, Confusion Studios LLC is proud to announce two new apps: MIDI Designer Pro 2 and MIDI Designer Player.

MIDI Designer Pro 2.0

MIDI Designer Pro 2 is a fully customizable performance-oriented MIDI controller platform for iPad (optimized for iPad Pro), iPhone and iPod.

MIDI Designer Pro took the music-making world by storm, and Pro 2 is set to do it all over again.

MIDI Designer Pro 2.0, Features

Complete redesign of MIDI Designer Pro — all controls have been reimagined for greater clarity and a more pleasing look
New Control Type: Picker for longer lists, e.g., for program changes
New Control Type: Meter. Will work with track-volume output on most major DAWs (including Ableton, with no scripting) on Windows and Mac
New Control Type: Image Panel. Includes Image Manager functionality and powerful display controls
MIDI Designer Community In-App Browser and Upload
Preset Packs for sharing of global presets
iCloud Support
Full backwards compatibility with all existing layouts
Several more fixes, enhancements and features

MIDI Designer Pro 2.0, Pricing, Availability

Bundle-Priced for Upgrade from MIDI Designer Pro
Available for purchase as a Universal App on the App Store in Q1-2016

MIDI Designer Pro 2 is currently available for beta testing: Users who want early access should shoot us an email at mdp2beta [at] midiDesigner [dot] com.

MIDI Designer Player

First-class, ultra-low-latency MIDI controller player. Comes with several general-purpose MIDI controller layouts. Users can access Community and Professional MIDI Designer Pro layouts via in-app purchase.

Available for download from the App Store in Q1 of 2016.

MIDI Designer on Apple Homepage

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Dan Rosenstark

On August 11, 2014, fans of MIDI Designer got in touch to let us know that they had seen the App on TV. In Barcelona! In Singapore! On the Discovery Channel! In the New York Times!

Apple featured MIDI Designer on the apple.com homepage from August 11 to Sept 10, 2014, in the hands of Luke Wang of Yaoband.

The landing page mention linked to a Your Verse focus on Yaoband and their use of the iPad in music-making. We’re extremely grateful to Yaboand and our users all around the World, Apple for highlighting us in this story, and for the excellent apps that keep us company in the ad:

Akai iMPC (link)
Propellerhead Software Figure (link)
Native Instruments iMaschine (link)
Music Studio (link)

Check out the full Your Verse feature!
Article on Apple Insider

About MIDI Designer
MIDI Designer is the most advanced professional MIDI controller platform. Since its launch in the Apple App Store in 2012, the award-winning app has been lauded by Music Industry publications including Sonic Touch, Recording Magazine, Sound on Sound and DJ Tech Tools. It’s been used on stage and in the studio by well-known musicians, music producers and DJs around the World, including Todd Rundgren, POSTYR Project and Shadow Child. More recently, MIDI Designer has taken part in the production of Network TV series and sporting events.

Hundreds of thousands of users trust MIDI Designer as their go-to MIDI controller, and the App is the motor for an active and growing community which shares layouts for popular MIDI hardware and software from Casio, Korg, Roland and many more. MIDI Designer has also been chosen by Antares and Casio as their iOS MIDI controller for select hardware. The App is available on the App Store for iPad and iPhone in Chinese, English, French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

dream | create | play

Apple, what have you done!?

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Dan Rosenstark

Introduction of Swift
On June 2, 2014, Apple announced a new programming language, Swift.

This is exciting news from a developer perspective. It means we’ll be able to add new features and functionality faster. In addition, new code will more bug-free and flexible going forward.

Obsolete Devices
Swift will only be supported from iOS 7 onwards. This means that you’ll have to upgrade to an iPhone 4S or better, an iPod touch 5G or better, or an iPad 2 or better.

iPad 1 users and others running iOS 5 and iOS 6 will continue to have unrestricted access to MIDI Designer 1.6, the most powerful MIDI controller for iOS.

Onwards, Upwards
This is a very exciting period for software development on iOS, and we’re looking forward to sharing what we’re able to do in Swift in Version 1.8 of MIDI Designer Pro*.

* MIDI Designer Lite and MIDI Designer 12 will continue to be updated for existing users.

MIDI Designer Lite on Vacation

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Dan Rosenstark

Note from 2014-10-07: MIDI Designer Lite is back!

As of July 20, 2014, MIDI Designer Lite—the ad-supported version of the most powerful MIDI controller platform for iOS— is officially on vacation. The other light version, MIDI Designer 12, went on vacation a week earlier.

We’ve had overwhelmingly positive reviews for Lite (92% of 300 reviews are 4-stars or above). Our last review leaves off on a high note:

Having multiple versions of the same App is confusing. Therefore, we will only be offering MIDI Designer Pro at this time.

Existing Users of MIDI Designer

MIDI Designer Lite has nearly 200,000 users who will continue to use the App, receive upgrades (simultaneously with MIDI Designer Pro), and be able to unlock to remove the Lite Bar. For existing users of Lite, your experience will not be altered in any way.

The same goes for existing users of MIDI Designer 12.

We think we’ve accommodated all of our users in this change, but you can always get in touch with us with questions, problems or encouragement.

New Users of MIDI Designer

Except by special arrangement (e.g., press inquiries, App giveaways), we will only be offering MIDI Designer Pro to new users at this time.

MIDI Designer Pro has received glowing reviews from leading industry publications (including DJ Tech Tools, Recording Magazine and Sound on Sound) and is used on stage and in the studio by professional and amateur music-makers as varied as Todd Rundgren and Shadow Child. Our first-rate Community shares layouts for top-flight gear from Roland, Yamaha, Korg, Line6 and many more.

MIDI Designer Pro
dream | create | play

Holiday Card Winter 2013-14

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Dan Rosenstark

2013 has been a huge amount of fun. We were featured in major magazines and blogs, discovered some major artists using MIDI Designer, and got a ton of love from our users on all 7 continents in a ton of different languages. We also did two partnerships (with Casio EMI for the Casio XW and with Antares for the Peavey AT-200).

We also pushed the platform forward a lot (check the Change Log!), doing over 10 releases with major features in just one year.

And we’ve had some amazing interactions with our users. One of a small group of outstanding and consistent users is Chris Gretton, who designed the JD-990 layout for MIDI Designer and a ton of other stuff (Google “popup” and “MIDI Designer”). Chris has been very influential in the design features of just about every release, but in the weeks leading up to the holidays, he really helped us to understand what “design heads” need to get from MIDI Designer. And 1.6 responds to those needs (coming soon).

From a design perspective, however, MIDI Designer is a closed Universe. It’s hard to make a Holiday Card using MIDI Designer, for instance. This did not deter Chris, however, but he might have had to resort to a bit of “shopping” (we suspect, but you never know)… Here’s the holiday message/gag he sent us today:

With all of this new Panel stuff, shapes and custom pages, I thought I would have a go at making a top of the range, photo realistic Christmas Card. Can’t be too hard surely….

1. Make blank page

2. Start putting small shapes and panels on the page roughly in the shape of a (photo realistic) Christmas scene…

3. A few minutes later, some more random shapes and panels (and a cup of tea)

Tadaa! Easy job! (Don’t believe of word of the above tutorial if I were you!) 😀

Light hearted jests aside, Merry Christmas.

Thank you Chris Gretton! Then we took the final scene, branded it a bit, and make the text i8n friendly.

A huge heartfelt thank you and happy holidays to all of our users and potential users (all living beings, basically)… we owe you a huge debt of gratitude, and we’re moving forward with MIDI Designer as fast as we can to pay that back.

And a special thanks to all of our users that have generously dedicated their intellect and time to testing and talking about MIDI Designer. One user really can make a huge difference.

THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!