Building a remote with MIDI Touch for iPad (or TouchOSC and MAX)

[haven]

Has anyone built a remote for the their H8000/H7600 with MIDI Touch for iPad? TouchOSC combined with MAX seems like another alternative based on my troubles with 14bit controllers.

I am in the process of building one and had two questions. 

1) Is is possible to control the 4 soft keys beneath the screen with MIDI? I want to be able to page through parameters with my remote.

2) Using MIDI Group in the Setup menu and using mode: MIDI Double have you had success sending 14bit controllers from MIDI touch? It seems like it only sends 7bit even when swithed to 14bit. Has anyone had success using 14bit controllers for the MIDI group? If so what hardware or software did you use?

[Doug Wellington]

I don't use an iPad, but I have built a remote controller for the Harmonizers.  I can't help you with your second question, but in answer to your first question, check out Eventide's Technical Note 98.  It has the codes for the buttons…

Technical Note #98

As for MAX, do you know if it can talk to a serial port, or is it only MIDI-based?  If it only communicates via MIDI, I think you'll be frustrated with the slow performance…

[haven]

MAX used to talk directly to serial ports and probably still does on the PC version. Although I am not sure since most of my MAX plus hardware days were before OS X and a lot of objects that adressed hardware directly were then abandoned. My thought of using MAX had more to do with using it to generate 14bit MIDI messages out of OSC data since the only high resolution controller for iPad seems to be TouchOSC.

I don't need the Harmonizer screen to show up on the iPad since I will use them next to each other. I more just want to use the iPad as a physical controller. So far I can control the on screen parameters and the 8 external controllers and two triggers via a single screen on the iPad. 

Thanks for that link! MIDI Touch supports Sysex so it looks like I can put all those buttons on the iPad as well. 

[Doug Wellington]

I've been mildly intrigued with MAX for some time.  I went cheap and started using PD a while ago instead, but now that MAX works inside Live, and with the new lower price, I'm starting to rethink that.  I'll download the demo and see if I can get it to talk to my H8000FW…

Let me know how you get on with TouchOSC.  I forget who I was interacting with recently, but they were having a problem with 14 bit stuff on the iPad.  It may have been a NRPN issue though…

[haven]

Thanks for your help!

I still have not done the 14bit thing yet but I do have a working editor using TouchOSC and MAX at this point. Once it is more presentable I will offer it to the public. TouchOSC allows for encoders so that combined with the sysex you so kindly provided means the data wheel can be put on the ipad for fine tuning.

There are two functions I was wondering how to do that are not in that tech note.

1-How to send a command that is the same as holding down the Parameter button? This is for setting up modulation routes. Is there more undocumented sysex strings? Or can this be done by sending the Parameter button string several times with a certain timing?

2-is there any way to select one of the 8 on screen parameters? right now the only way I see is to send its current value which then selects it. 

[Doug Wellington]

1) I'm not aware of any sysex string that provides a press and hold function.

2) Have you tried sending the sysex strings for the arrow buttons?  Does that do what you want?

[haven]

I have got the arrow buttons working as well as all the other front panel buttons. The only buttons I have not tried are the ones called USER1 and USER2. Also since I have the H7600 I can test the MACHINE A/B button but I put it on there for others.  

The arrow buttons just navigate around the screen, is there some way to set up modulation I am missing?

I really really want to be able to set up modulation with the remote. I am hoping someone from Eventide will reveal a secret sysex string soon…

attached is my current editor. more tabs will contain faders and XY pads for sending to the 8 external controllers as well as the two trigs. I will also try out the Racks bank and put in some buttons to send the appropriate CC's to change the presets.

Once it is presentable and easy to use I will put it all online somewhere. If anyone wants to beta test let me know. You will need TouchOSC on a iPad, a modern Mac (maybe PC) and a MIDI interface for it to work. No need for a MAX license. But if you did have MAX you could improve on my patch and add extras like modulation step sequencers etc.

[stevendwayne]

I am aware of that idea, but I don't know how to configure it, Id rather be innocent than put everything at risk.

[stevendwayne]

Can someone also help me figure this out, seems not working.

[Author]

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