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Using a MIDI controller with Affinity Photo


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8 hours ago, itias said:

I'm using Behringer Xtouch mini

Well then, this should make you happy. Everything you need, although if you're on a Mac the MIDI translator program I use isn't free.

 

Windows 11 Pro, XP-Pen Deco 03, AP, AD & APub

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Musical Instrument Digital Interface for photo editing!?

That's a new one.

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

These are not my own words but I sure like this quote.

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13 hours ago, AffinityJules said:

Musical Instrument Digital Interface for photo editing!?

That's a new one.

It's pretty amazing how much a MIDI controller can speed up things that have nothing to do with music. MIDI controllers are now so inexpensive (I got my used X-Touch Mini in like-new condition for $47 from Adorama) and add so much convenience I'm surprised more folks aren't using them.

Oh, and as it turns out, it's not a new one (although it was to me until recently). Turns out LR users discovered them long ago, perhaps because LR offers much better integration via an API. But you can make them work with any app that has keyboard shortcuts.

Windows 11 Pro, XP-Pen Deco 03, AP, AD & APub

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17 minutes ago, casterle said:

It's pretty amazing how much a MIDI controller can speed up things that have nothing to do with music. MIDI controllers are now so inexpensive (I got my used X-Touch Mini in like-new condition for $47 from Adorama) and add so much convenience I'm surprised more folks aren't using them.

Oh, and as it turns out, it's not a new one (although it was to me until recently). Turns out LR users discovered them long ago, perhaps because LR offers much better integration via an API. But you can make them work with any app that has keyboard shortcuts.

Yes, so it would seem. I guess the key word here is interface and the digital age we live in now provides many possibilities in communication.

I used to use a MIDI controller (can't recall the make or model - late 70's early 80's) for "Sound ducking" when using compressors in my studio, they were really handy for that. But in the end I ditched automation for the "hands on" approach.

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

These are not my own words but I sure like this quote.

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15 hours ago, casterle said:

Well then, this should make you happy. Everything you need, although if you're on a Mac the MIDI translator program I use isn't free.

[...]

Hi casterle, looks promising, quick question though. I see that in the proposed solution one can use knobs to send a 'key' to the AP, so turning a knob by 3 clicks can actually send 3 keystrokes. But without API exposed by AP you can't actually send values, if I understood you correctly. In other words I can't modify exposure or shadows or tint etc by turning the knob like I'm able to do with LR, can I?

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4 hours ago, itias said:

Hi casterle, looks promising, quick question though. I see that in the proposed solution one can use knobs to send a 'key' to the AP, so turning a knob by 3 clicks can actually send 3 keystrokes. But without API exposed by AP you can't actually send values, if I understood you correctly. In other words I can't modify exposure or shadows or tint etc by turning the knob like I'm able to do with LR, can I?

Exactly. From my research (I've never used LR) it appears that LR exposes an API that supports reading/writing values. MIDI2LR (https://rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/) takes advantage of this and provides direct adjustment of values via MIDI encoders. 

The X-Touch Mini has a light ring around each encoder knob which can be configured in various ways. My understanding is that MIDI2LR can be configured to update these rings when the associated value is changed in LR.

image.png.6931997b814d9039dd109ceed1b1611e.png

The X-Touch Mini also has 2 'layers' so that you can switch between, changing the function of the various controls and providing 16 encoder knob functions. I don't know if this can be supported via MIDI2LR, but 8 encoders and 16 buttons is still pretty awesome.

Windows 11 Pro, XP-Pen Deco 03, AP, AD & APub

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5 hours ago, AffinityJules said:

Yes, so it would seem. I guess the key word here is interface and the digital age we live in now provides many possibilities in communication.

I've still got an old Ensoniq SQ-80 from my playing with MIDI programming days in the mid-80's. I've probably got the old MIDI card and cables lying around as well.

Things have changed and I think USB has been the catalyst for MIDI growth outside the music world. Being able to use a cheap MIDI controller easily (no special hardware or cables) makes all the difference. Now I've got a quality graphics tablet with 9 knobs and 22 buttons (counting those on the tablet itself) for under $150.

I've spent the last week or two playing with the new Blender UI and am teetering on the edge of a very deep dive. I imagine the X-Touch Mini will be useful there as well, especially with the sequencer.

Windows 11 Pro, XP-Pen Deco 03, AP, AD & APub

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  • 2 years later...
On 11/9/2016 at 1:02 AM, MattP said:

Hmmm.... this is interesting... we approached another company that made specific controllers for photo-editing software a while ago and nothing came of it, maybe we could do something ourselves to enable MIDI controllers instead?... We'll have a chat in the office about it when we get a minute - thank you! :)

Any update on this? Some sort of SDK/API would be useful in general (surprised there isn't one already) -- even if we have to use some other method to interface with the MIDI controller itself. I don't want to leave Affinity for Lightroom but I might.

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I’m using Photo in iPadOS.

If you don’t already have a MIDI controller to test this out, I would recommend Korg’s NanoKontrol Studio. It has a wide range of buttons, knobs and faders that could be mapped to various actions and parameters.

https://www.korg.com/us/products/computergear/nanokontrol_studio/

 

 

3C8370C7-6B82-48B0-ADAD-C645D930DBD5.jpeg

Edited by Tjvigil66
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/27/2021 at 7:26 PM, JP_ said:

Any update on this? Some sort of SDK/API would be useful in general (surprised there isn't one already) -- even if we have to use some other method to interface with the MIDI controller itself. I don't want to leave Affinity for Lightroom but I might.

An SDK that allows getting and setting values for key Affinity controls (ie brush size, exposure, contrast, etc.) would accommodate both MIDI controllers and more purpose-built controllers (see feature request threads 1, 2, 3) alike.

MIDI offers access to a ton of inexpensive controllers, but the standard itself is just an okay interface for photo/video applications. By setting up a proper SDK, however, Serif can accommodate both MIDI as well as custom implementations (ie Monogram, Tangent, etc.) or other standards like OSC for example.

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  • 2 months later...

You might also  be interested in the following from sidesshowfx. They have icon packs for Affinity Photo, Designer and a host of other programs I personally use an android tablet with Touch Portal to control Capture One, 

LINKS:

Touch Portal 

https://www.touch-portal.com/

SideshowFX 

https://www.sideshowfx.net/buy

https://www.sideshowfx.net/umc-stream-deck

https://www.sideshowfx.net/whats-new

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/20/2021 at 10:29 AM, Andy Hayes said:

An SDK that allows getting and setting values for key Affinity controls (ie brush size, exposure, contrast, etc.) would accommodate both MIDI controllers and more purpose-built controllers (see feature request threads 1, 2, 3) alike.

MIDI offers access to a ton of inexpensive controllers, but the standard itself is just an okay interface for photo/video applications. By setting up a proper SDK, however, Serif can accommodate both MIDI as well as custom implementations (ie Monogram, Tangent, etc.) or other standards like OSC for example.

This would be so welcome!

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