Category Archives: Version 1.3

MIDI Designer 1.3.8, Virtual MIDI and iOS 6.0

Posted on by

November 1, 2012: This is no longer an issue and was fixed shortly after.

Yesterday I announced on Facebook and Twitter:

This is an overstatement. It’s actually not all of Virtual MIDI that’s broken in iOS 6 and MIDI Designer. This refers only to the Virtual MIDI ports that MIDI Designer creates, which are these two:

The reason for the break is that Apple made changes for iOS 6.0 to CoreMIDI. These are outlined in the iOS 6.0 Release Notes document. To be fair, the MIDI Designer development team should have fixed this before iOS 6.0 was officially released last week, but the ball was dropped as the team is focusing all of its attention on the iPhone version (getting very close).

So what’s the takeaway? Two points:

  1. You’re probably not affected. Most of the users that we’ve spoken with do not use MIDI Designer initiated virtual MIDI, but rather rely on the synth (or whatever) they’re talking to to provide the virtual ports.
  2. We’ve patched MIDI Designer 1.3.8 and have submitted it to the App Store.

If you are a MIDI Designer Pro user and absolutely cannot wait twelve days for the app to get approved, please get in touch with me ASAP and we’ll find a workaround.

November 1, 2012: This is no longer an issue and was fixed shortly after.

MIDI Designer 1.3 Live in App Store

Posted on by

Version 1.3 has been approved by Apple and ready for download!

MIDI Designer 1.3 adds several new and fantastically important features to the Perfect MIDI Controller. Most of these suggestions came from discussions with users.

Ground-breaking:
• Buttons Groups open up worlds of possibilities (Blog Article and Video)
• Channel-Changer Supercontrols can make any control multi-function (Blog Article and Video)
• Renaming, deleting and ordering of presets.

Enhancements:
• Tall and long-throw sliders for more accurate control
• New “Relationships” pane allows you to understand and modify a control’s relationships

And more features and enhancements! Check it all out in the Change Log.

Also check out the Feature List which describes everything.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR FEEDBACK COMING. Thanks!

Version 1.3 Submitted to Apple for Review

Posted on by

Just submitted 1.3 to the iPad App Store. Should take about seven days according to the rumor mill. Here’s the laptop on which 90% of MIDI Designer development happens. It’s faster than it looks:

The feature list for 1.3 is still in progress, but here are the highlights.

MIDI Designer users have spoken up and I listened. MIDI Designer 1.3 adds several new features to the Perfect MIDI Controller.

Ground-breaking:
• Buttons Groups open up worlds of possibilities (Blog Article and Video)
• Channel-Changer Supercontrols can make any control multi-function (Blog Article and Video)
• Renaming, deleting and ordering of presets.

Enhancements:
• Tall and long-throw sliders for more accurate control
• New “Relationships” pane allows you to understand and modify a control’s relationships

And more features and enhancements! Check it all out in the Change Log.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR FEEDBACK COMING. Thanks!

Version 1.3 Adjustments to Supercontrols

Posted on by

Both through my interactions with users (via email and Twitter, mostly), using MIDI Designer in my own rig, and the feedback from my test team, I begin to make small adjustments and improvements.

Here are two. The first came up because I control a CamelPhat instance in my own rig. When I send a program change from MIDI Designer, CamelPhat updates all of my controls in MIDI Designer, but the pedalboards were not getting updated. To compensate we have:

1. Subcontrols turned by hardware will spin supercontrols on pedalboard if their page is showing

2. Subcontrols on regular pages with supercontrols on regular pages will spin all supers that have only one child.

If you are using these advanced features of MIDI Designer and the FAQ doesn’t answer your questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Channel Changer Feature Explained

Posted on by

MIDI Designer introduces Channel Changers in version 1.3.

Make a multifunction control by using more than one MIDI channel. One knob controls the channel for its subcontrols.



Example

“Knob Q” controls “Wah Filter” on Channel 1, CC 42 and “Delay Feedback” on Channel 2, CC 42. “ChChger” is the supercontrol that makes Knob Q switch between functions. Knob Q will snap to its last value for “Wah Filter” and “Delay Feedback” when you switch the channel.

Set It Up

Make a knob, slider, or cross-fader a “channel changer.” Now it’s a supercontrol. Add some subcontrols and that’s it. Automatic and easy.

Check this Q&A answer for detailed instructions (on iPhone, but they’re the same).

Use It

Change the value on the knob to change the channel on the subcontrols. They snap to their previous value when they were last on that channel.

Extensions

This works for sysex (0-127) as of MIDI Designer 1.5.0 (Released April 15, 2013), too.

In the Manual

Check the manual entry here. Note: this feature is closely linked to “Presets for Groups”

Button Groups Feature Explained

Posted on by

May 2015: Manual Entry on Button Groups

As of June 25, 2013, Bounce Back, a new feature for Button Groups, is out. Find out more here.

What Is It?

Button groups can also be called “radio buttons.” You want a button to belong to a group of buttons. When one turns on, the others turn off.



MIDI Designer takes the radio-button concept to the next level: Momentary AND toggle buttons can participate in button groups. A knob (or slider, etc.) groups the buttons, but also lets you step through the buttons by changing the value of the knob.

Set It Up

Make a knob, slider, or cross-fader the supercontrol of two more buttons. Automatic and easy.

Use It

Press any of the buttons and the other ones in the group shut off. If they are momentary, they stay off.

Technical Details

The button that is pressed is sent LAST. Any of the buttons that does not send an off (e.g., Sysex with no “V” or Program Change Button) will only send when selected.

As of June 25, 2013, Bounce Back, a new feature for Button Groups, is out. Find out more here.