JMMidiBassPedalController v3.0

File: README.md
By: Josef Meile [email protected] @ 28.10.2020

This software translates NOTE ON/OFF messages comming from a foot controller to chords. It allows you to save several configurations in banks, which can be switched through CONTROL CHANGE messages.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Definitions
• Requirements
• Installation
• Hardware connections
  • Connecting a foot controller to a laptop or a Rasberry Pi
  • Connecting a foot and a bass pedal controllers with a laptop or a Raspberry Pi
• Setting up the hardware
  • Setting up a Behringer FCB1010 (optional)
    • Entering "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode
      • Enabling the "MERGE" function
      • Set the MIDI channel for the "CNT" function
      • Set the MIDI channel for the "NOTE" function
    • Entering "PRESET programming" mode
      • Set "NOTE" messages
      • Set "CNT" messages
• Setting up the software
• Running the software
• Automatic start during system boot
• Troubleshooting
  • Using two "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboars"
  • Using the ManualTester script together with "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard"
    • Mapping MIDI notes to computer keyboard keys on Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard
  • Use a software for intercepting MIDI messages
  • Using a sequencer software
  • Activating the verbose mode
• License

Features

• XML configuration file.
• Fully customizable parameters:
  • MIDI IN and OUT ports and channels. You can use as many MIDI OUT ports as you want, ie: sending one chord to different voices.
  • MIDI Echo function.
  • Start, Stop, and Panic commands.
  • Define multiple banks to store different pedal layouts. You can also use descriptive names to identify them.
  • Each pedal can send this messages:
    • Bass and Chord notes, which can be expressed with symbols, ie: C# or by their MIDI NOTE values, ie: 84 for C5.
    • BANK SELECT messages to set change select different banks and also an option to list them.
    • Panic messages
    • MIDI or SysEx messages. You can also define when to trigger them: either during a NOTE ON or a NOTE OFF message.
    • Reload configuration during excecution.
    • Quit the controller software.
    • Reboot or shutdown the device running the controller software. Currently supported operating systems: Windows, MACOS, and Linux.
  • Setup custom bass note and chord velocities either absolute values or relative to the current pedal controller speed. Here you can use either symbols ie: fff or its MIDI representation: 114.
  • Use different octaves for each pedal.
  • Setup semitone transpositions
  • Either setup the pedals to be either polyphonic or monophonic.
• Its flexibility allows it to be used with several foot controllers at once.

Definitions

From time to time, I use the following terms on my software:

• Bank: in my software I reffer this to be a way of grouping different settings. So, you can have for example a bank with the C Major scale chords and another bank with the C Minor scale chords. The nice thing of these groups is that you can easily switch them while playing your keyboard. This is actually an optional feature that you may use or not.

• BANK SELECT message: message used to change the active bank to another one, for example: you can navigate to the next, previous, or last banks, or you can also jump to a specific bank.

• Bass note: for me, a bass note is the note that comes when you hit a bass pedal; it is usually the root note of a chord, but since you can setup your pedals as you want, this may not be always the case.

• Bass pedal controller: to be honest, I don't know if this term is correct; I think that pedalboard may be better, but I want to emphasize that it is a foot controller that looks like those bass pedals from an old organ, for example, the studiologic MP-117:

  
  Please note that it is not necessary that you use a bass pedal controller, you can also use a foot controller like the Behringer FCB1010:

  
  However the feeling won't be the same as when you use a real bass pedal; for example the switches may be harder and so difficult to push. Another advantage of the bass pedal controller is that it may also include the force (velocity) that you use to push an specific pedal. Finally, you can also use both together, ie: the bass pedal controller for sending your chords and the foot controller to switch between banks and setup other things on your keyboard.

• CONTROL CHANGE message: this message allows you to modify several settings on a keyboard or a controller, ie: switch between banks, change modulation and pitch wheel levels, modify the main volume, set several accoustic effects, etc.. In the software, I will use this mainly to switch between banks.

• Foot controller: it is basically a MIDI controller that you can manipulate with your feet. It allows you to do some common MIDI tasks, ie: send NOTE ON, NOTE OFF, PROGRAM and CONTROLLER CHANGE messages. There are some that even allow you to send SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE messages.

• MIDI and related terms: this would cost me a lot of time to write down everything here, so, I will just let you some links:

  • Summary of MIDI Messages from the MIDI association.
  • MIDI definition from Wikipedia
  • MIDI tutorial from Dominique Vandenneucker.
  • How MIDI Works, YouTube playlist from Andrew Kilpatrick.

• MIDI Echo function: this is the ability of the software to fordward other not recognized messages to the connected devices. ie: let's say that you want to send a System Exclusive message; the software won't process it, but it will send it through the MIDI OUT port.

• Log file: file where the debug information is going to be stored. It is usally named debug.log and it is located in the same folder of the main program. It is useful to help you detect possible issues that you may have with your equimpment.

• MIDI port: it is the physical connection where you connect your MIDI cables on the keyboard and your foot controllers. Please note that you can also have virtual ports, which are used inside the software to simulate a real port. You can have IN (input) and OUT (output) ports to receive and send messages comming from or to other connected devices.

• MIDI to USB cable: since modern computers don't have MIDI ports, this cable allows you to have two ports: MIDI IN and OUT connected through an USB port. Right now, I use M-Audio Uno USB cable:

  

• NOTE ON/OFF message: messages that results when hitting or releasing a note on a keyboard or a foot controller respectively. NOTE ON messages are commonly associated with at note velocity. You may also have this on a NOTE OFF message, but it is uncommon.

• Note Transposition: usually you can move notes by semitones, tones, and octaves, ie: if you have a C3 (middle C), you can transpose it by a semitone, then you get: C#3 or by an octave: C4.

• Note velocity: it is the pressure you apply to hit a key on your keyboard or bass pedal controller. It is commonly associated to the volume (see MIDI for more details).

• Raspberry Pi: think of it as a mini computer (micro controller to be exact), for example, the Raspberry Pi 4:

  
  They are really small and allow you to excecute some tasks that a computer also can do, but with the advantage that they are really small and usually after you setup them, then you don't need a keyboard or a screen to start it.

• Sequencer software: since the MIDI message are send sequentially to your keyboard, sequencer is a software that is used to catch those messages or send them. It counts with nice graphical tools, ie: message list (human readable list) and also a staff view to see the note messages.

• System Exclusive message or SysEx: this is a way of sending a manufacturer specific message to your keyboard, ie: activate a voice on the keyboard's panel.

• XML file: this is just a file where you can save the configuration of your bass foot controller.

Requirements

Before installing the requirements, please make sure that you have admin rights. Under Linux/MACOS use:

sudo <install_command>

Under Windows run a "cmd" (Command propt) as Administrator.

• For Microsoft Windows from branch 3.0, you need the Microsoft C++ Build Tools. Once you execute the installer, you only need to select: "C++ build tools"; here you can leave the standard options. No more is needed. Be aware that this will require 2 GB of free space.

• Python 3.9. After you have installed it, you need to do update some built-in packages:

  pip3 install --upgrade setuptools
  pip3 install --upgrade pip
  

• Python rtmidi module
  This can be installed as follows:

  pip3 install python-rtmidi
  

  If you have an older version, then you can upgrade it with:

  pip3 install --upgrade python-rtmidi
  

• Python Autologging module
  This can be installed as follows:

  pip3 install Autologging
  

  If you have an older version, then you can upgrade it with:

  pip3 install --upgrade Autologging
  

• Python xmlschema module
  This can be installed as follows:

  pip3 install xmlschema
  

  If you have an older version, then you can upgrade it with:

  pip3 install --upgrade xmlschema
  

• Under Windows, you may need to upgrade setuptools if you get the error:

  error: command 'cl.exe' failed: No such file or directory
  

  To do so, run this command:

  pip3 install --upgrade setuptools
  

• Alternativelly to all pip3 commands, you can also use the requirements.txt file as follows:

  pip3 install -r requirements.txt
  

  All the python dependencies will be installed automatically. Since it is an easy way of doing it, you may not get the latest versions.

• MIDI USB interface, for example the M-Audio Uno USB cable. Another MIDI Audio interface or cable may also work. I tested this with the M-Audio cable.

• A foot controller capable of sending NOTE ON/OFF messages, ie: a Studiologic MP-117, which looks like more as organ bass pedals, or a Behringer FCB1010, which allows you to do more things, but it doesn't give you the same feeling as the organ bass pedals, or both.

• And off course you need a keyboard with the old MIDI ports. USB MIDI may also work, but you will have to use two USB ports on your laptop or Raspberry Pi.

Installation

The easiest way of installing the software is getting it from here then decompress the zip file and put it contents wherever you want.

Alternatively, you can also clone the git repository:

git clone https://github.com/jmeile/JMMidiBassPedalController.git -b 3.0

Hardware connections

Before running the software, it is important that you make the right connections between your devices and your computer, which can be also a Raspberry Pi.

Connecting a foot controller to a laptop or a Rasberry Pi

This setup is ideal if only have a foot controller, ie: a Studiologic MP-117 (bass pedal controller) or a Behringer FCB1010 (foot controller). Do the following connections:

Explanation:

• Connect the USB-TO-MIDI cable to the USB-Port from your Laptop or the Raspberry Pi.
• Connect the MIDI end labeled with "TO MIDI OUT" to the MIDI OUT port from your foot controller.
• Connect the MIDI end labeled with "TO MIDI IN" to the MIDI IN port from your keyboard.

Connecting a foot and a bass pedal controllers with a laptop or a Raspberry Pi

If you own a foot controller (ie: a FCB1010) and a bass pedal controller (ie: a Studiologic MP-117), then you can connect them as follows:

Explanation:

• Connect the USB-TO-MIDI cable to the USB-Port from your laptop or the Raspberry Pi.
• Connect the MIDI end from the USB cable labeled with TO MIDI OUT to the MIDI OUT port from your foot controller.
• Connect the MIDI end from the USB cable labeled with TO MIDI IN to the MIDI IN port from your keyboard.
• Connect the MIDI OUT port from your pedal controller to the MIDI IN port of your foot controller.

Remarks:

• The only thing that you need to be aware of if you are using a Behringer FCB1010 is that you will have to enable the Merge function under the GLOBAL CONFIGURATION. This will fordward all messages comming from the MIDI IN to the MIDI OUT port. For more information about this process, see: Setting up a Behringer FCB1010

Setting up the hardware

In order to make this to work, you will have to do the following steps:

• Setup the MIDI OUT channel of your bass pedal controller to whatever you want to use. If you are using both: a bass pedal controller and a foot controller, then setup the same port on both devices. Since the Studiologic MP-117 I have is an old version and settings will be resseted on power off, I will leave the default MIDI channel, which is channel 1.

• Setup the NOTE ON messages on your foot or bass pedal controller:

  • For a FCB1010 or similar: you only need to setup NOTE ON messages and write down each MIDI note number that you are using.
  • For a Studiologic MP-117: the only thing you have to do is to setup the Transpose parameter; on my case, I will leave the default, which is 0 (zero), no transposition. Here you need to see write down the NOTE ON messages are comming out from your bass pedal controller (specially if you changed the transpose parameter and used semitones).

• If using both a bass pedal and a foot controller, then you can also use your foot controller to switch between banks. For this, you need to send CONTROL CHANGE messages on controller 32 (see the comments on the sample-config.xml file). Additionally, if you want to send other MIDI messages, then you can do it as well, but be aware that NOTE ON messages should use either use a different channel or use notes that you are not listenning to. Also be careful with CONTROL CHANGE messages on control 32; if you need to send something to the keyboard, then make sure to use a different channel for this message.

• Setup your keyboard to do chord detection on a specific MIDI channel. If you have an old MIDI keyboard and you can't set this up, then you need to figure out, which channel your keyboard uses; usually old keyboards have one or two voices for the right hand, and one voice for the left hand. and they use consecutive MIDI channels, so, if you have one right voice and one left voice, then the used channels would be channel 1 and channel 2 respectively.

• If you want also want to play bass notes, then setup a MIDI channel on your keyboard for doing this. If you have an old keyboard, then you can select the channel from your right or left voices.

Setting up a Behringer FCB1010 (optional)

If using this foot controller with or without another controller, then you may need to setup some parameters, for example: MIDI Merge, MIDI channel for NOTE ON/OFF or CONTROL CHANGE messages, values for NOTE ON/OFF or CONTROL CHANGE, etc.. The first thing you have to go is to go to either "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" or "PRESET programming" mode.

Entering "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode

Keep the DOWN switch pressed during power-up for about 2.5 seconds to enter "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode. Here the "DIRECT SELECT" LED in the display lights up.

Enabling the "MERGE" function

This function is needed if you want to connect two controllers: a Behringer FCB1010 and a bass pedal controller (ie: a Studiologic MP-117), see:
Connecting a foot and a bass pedal controllers with a laptop or a Raspberry Pi
This will just merge the messages from your FCB1010 with your bass pedal controller, allowing them to use the same MIDI OUT port. In order to enable this function do follow this steps:

• Go to the "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode (click here for more details.
• Use the "DOWN" or "UP" switches until you reach the "CONFIG" page.
• Press the Switch 8 until its LED is on. This will activate the MERGE function.
• You may want to setup other parameters before exiting this mode, ie: set the MIDI channel for the "CNT" function or set the MIDI channel for "NOTE" function.
• After you are done, press the "DOWN" switch for about 2.5 seconds to save changes.

Set the MIDI channel for the "CNT" function

If you are going to use the FCB1010 for sending "BANK SELECT" messages, then you will have to set the right channel for the CNT (CONTROL CHANGE) function. Here you can use two controllers CNT1 or CNT2; which one you choose is up to you. For doing this, follow this steps:

• Go to the "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode (click here for more details).
• Use the "DOWN" or "UP" switches until you reach the "SELECT MIDI FUNCTION" page. Its LED starts flashing.
• Then hit the switch 6. It will start flashing. If you want to use "CNT 2" instead, then hit the switch 7.
• Press the "UP/ENTER" switch to confirm that you want to change the MIDI channel for that function.
• Press the switches from 1 until 10 to change the channel value, which will appear on the display, ie: choose "1" for MIDI channel 1.
• Then press the "UP/ENTER" switch to go back to the "CONFIG" page and save the changes. To undo changes, hit the "DOWN/ESCAPE" switch.
• If you want, you can setup other parameters here, ie: set the MIDI channel for the "NOTE" function.
• After you are done, press the "DOWN" switch for about 2.5 seconds to save changes.

Set the MIDI channel for the "NOTE" function

If you are going to use the FCB1010 for sending "NOTE ON/OFF" messages, then you will have to set the right channel for the NOTE function. For doing this, follow this steps:

• Go to the "GLOBAL CONFIGURATION" mode (click here for more details).
• Use the "DOWN" or "UP" switches until you reach the "SELECT MIDI FUNCTION" page. Its LED starts flashing.
• Then hit the switch 10. It will start flashing.
• Press the "UP/ENTER" switch to confirm that you want to change the MIDI channel for that function.
• Press the switches from 1 until 10 to change the channel value, which will appear on the display, ie: choose "1" for MIDI channel 1.
• Then press the "UP/ENTER" switch to go back to the "CONFIG" page and save the changes. To undo changes, hit the "DOWN/ESCAPE" switch.
• If you want, you can setup other parameters here, ie: set the MIDI channel for the "CNT" function.
• After you are done, press the "DOWN" switch for about 2.5 seconds to save changes.

Entering "PRESET programming" mode

In order to change the messages sent by each switch, you will have to follow this steps:

• Turn on the FCB1010
• Hit the switch you want to change.
• Press the "DOWN" switch for about 2.5 seconds until the SWITCH 1/SWITCH 2 LED starts flashing.
• Press the "UP/ENTER" switch to enter the programming mode.
• Here you may set "NOTE" or "CNT" messages.
• Finally save changes, by pressing the "DOWN" swich for a few seconds.

Set "NOTE" messages

For sending bass notes and chords with the FCB1010, you will have to set "NOTE" messages. For doing this, follow this steps:

• Go to the "PRESET programming" mode (click here for more details).
• Press the switch 10 for a few seconds until its LED is on.
• Hit it again. It will start flashing.
• Confirm the selection by pressing the "UP/ENTER" switch.
• Enter the note you want to send by pressing the switchs from 1 until 10.
• Confirm the entered value by pressing the "UP/ENTER" switch or cancel it by pressing "DOWN/ESCAPE".
• At this point, you may select a different function and setup its value, ie: Set "CNT" messages.
• To save changes, press the "DOWN" swich for a few seconds.

Set "CNT" messages

For sending BANK SELECT messages with the FCB1010, you will have to either set "CNT1" or "CNT2" messages; this choice is up to you. In order to setup this messages, follow this steps:

• Go to the "PRESET programming" mode (click here for more details).
• Press the switch 6 (CNT1) or 7 (CNT2) for a few seconds until its LED is on.
• Hit it again. It will start flashing.
• Confirm the selection by pressing the "UP/ENTER" switch.
• Enter the controller you want to use for "BANK SELECT" messages (usually 32; depending on your xml configuration file) by pressing the switchs from 1 until 10.
• Confirm the entered value by pressing the "UP/ENTER" switch or cancel it by pressing "DOWN/ESCAPE".
• Then enter the "BANK SELECT" message you want to sent:
  • Value from 0 until 120 for selecting banks from 1 until 121 respectively.
  • 121 will go to the previous bank.
  • 122 will go to the next bank.
  • 123 will go to the last bank.
  • 124 will cause the controller software to quit.
  • 125 will cause the controller software to restart and reread the xml configuration file.
  • 126 will cause the computer running the controller software to reboot.
  • 127 will cause the computer running the controller software to shutdown.
• Confirm the entered value by pressing the "UP/ENTER" switch or cancel it by pressing "DOWN/ESCAPE".
• At this point, you may select a different function and setup its value, ie: Set "NOTE" messages.
• To save changes, press the "DOWN" swich for a few seconds.

Setting up the software

• First figure out how the ports used by your USB-TO-MIDI cable are called. If your MIDI setup isn't going to change, then the port number should be also enough. In order to figure this out, run the software as follows:

  python3 FootController.py --list
  

  If using an M-Audio USB UNO cable, then the ports should be named similar to:

  • 1: USB Uno MIDI Interface

  where:

  • The first part is the port number and the last part the port name.

• After you have done this, open either the file: sample-config.xml , an XML configuration file with lots of comments documenting what to do, or: bass-pedal-config.xml , simple configuration with a bass pedal controller and save it as: config.xml or any other meaningful name.

• Open that file and modify it as you wish by filling your parameters, ie: MIDI IN port, MIDI IN and OUT channels, NOTE ON messages, etc..

Running the software

Now you are ready to go. Go to the src folder, then type:

python3 FootController.py

Alternativelly, you can also setup another name for your configuration file, ie: my-config.xml. Under Windows, run the sofware as follows:

python3 FootController.py --config "C:\file\path\my-config.xml"

or under Linux:

python3 FootController.py --config "/file/path/my-config.xml"

If your file is saved on the same folder as FootController.py, then this should be enough:

python3 FootController.py --config "my-config.xml"

Automatic start during system boot

If you are planning to use the software, but you don't want to always start it manually, then you have several alternatives according to your operating system.

You will find the needed files on the Automation folder. See the README.md file located there or access an online version here.

Troubleshooting

If your equipment is not reacting as expected, then you can proceed as follows.

The most common problem would be that you get:

'python3' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file

under Windows. This is because on Windows, there is no python3, so, you will have to use either "python" or the full path to it, ie: "C:\Program Files\Python37\python.exe"

Similarly, under Linux you may get: -bash: python3: command not found

This is because python is not installed or your default python is already python3. On the first case, install python3, on a debian like distro this can be accomplished as follows: sudo apt install python3

On the second case, then try to just run: python. Please make sure that it is a 3.x version.

Before going in detail through the following options, if you are under Windows, then you may need a software to create virtual midi ports:

• loopMIDI.

Under Linux and MACOS, you don't need any additional software. You can create virtual ports by setting them on the configuration file, ie:

InPort="Virtual:MIDI IN" OutPort="Virtual:MIDI OUT"

where:

• The string after the keyword: "Virtual:" is the name you want to give to the port.

Under Linux, it is also possible to create virtual ports as follows:

sudo modprobe snd-virmidi snd_index=1

However, I didn't manage to make the MIDI connections working with those ports, so, I used rtmidi virtual ports instead.

Alternativelly, on MACOS you can use the "Audio MIDI Setup" app:

• Open the Finder and go to: Applications > Utilities
• Click on: "Audio MIDI Setup.app"
• On the "Window" menu, choose: "Show MIDI Studio"
• Double click the "IAC Driver" icon
• Enable the: "Device is online" checkbox
• Under "Ports" you can add new ports by clicking on the '+' sign.
• If you want to rename the port name, then click on it and write the new name.
• You can change the base name of your MIDI ports by setting a new "Device Name".
• Finally click the "Apply" button.
• Note: the virtual ports created here won't be seen by a "sudo" shell. It will only work with normal user rigths.

For seeing the available MIDI ports, you can run:

python3 FootController.py --list

Using two "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboars"

• First create two virtual ports: MIDI In and MIDI Out

• Then start the controller software and start it as follows:

  python FootController.py --config=conf\virtual-midi-keyboards.xml --verbose
  

  That configuration configuration file will use the ports MIDI In and Out for receiving messages from the pedal controller and sending the respective bass and chord notes to the keyboard respectively.

• Next start two "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboards"

• The first instance will emulate the pedal board, here setup the following parameters:

  • Channel: 1
  • Base Octave: 3
  • Transpose: 0
  • Velocity: set whatever you want; this will determine the volume of your notes.
  • Then Go to "Edit > MIDI Connections" and setup this:
    • Enable MIDI Input: disabled
    • MIDI OUT Driver: Windors MM
    • Output MIDI Connection: MIDI In
  • Go to: "Edit > Preferences" and do this:
    • Press: "Restore Defaults"
    • Set "Note highlight color" to: "MIDI Channels"
  • Optionally, if you want to see what happens when pressing two or more bass notes simultaneously, then you can load the keyboard map located in the assets folder. For achieving this, do the following:
    • Go to: "Edit > Keyboard Map"
    • Press "Open"
    • Go to the assets folder and choose: "Virtual_Keyboard_Map.xml"
    • Hit "OK" This will file will map the computer keyboard keys to the MIDI notes. You can find the keyboard map file equivalences here

• The second instance will emulate the bass and left hand voices, here setup the following parameters:

  • Go to: "Edit > MIDI Connections" and setup this:
    • Enable MIDI Input: enabled
    • MIDI Omni Mode: enabled -> this will allow the software to process several MIDI channels at the same time
    • MIDI IN Driver: Windors MM
    • Input MIDI Connection: MIDI OUT
    • Enable MIDI Thru on MIDI Output: enabled
    • MIDI OUT Driver: Windors MM
    • Output MIDI Connection:
      • On Microsoft Windows: Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
      • On other operating systems: choose the software MIDI syntheziser offered by your operating system
    • Go to: "Edit > Preferences" and do this:
      • Press: "Restore Defaults"
      • Set "Note highlight color" to: "MIDI Channels"
  • On the main interface set this:
    • Base Octave: 3
    • Transpose: 0
    • Velocity: this value doesn't really matter; it will be set by the software
    • Change channel to 2 and under Bank set:
      • Bank: General MIDI
      • Program: Set the voice you want to hear for the bass pedals
      • Do the same for channel 3, which is where the chords will be played

• Finally play the first octave notes of the first Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard instance. If every is ok, then you should see the bass pedals in color blue and the chord notes in color green at the second Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard; you should also hear the voices you setup.

Using the ManualTester script together with "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard"

• First create two virtual ports.
• Then setup the ports as follows:
  • In Port (xml file): Virtual Port 1; you may use another name, ie: MIDI In
  • Out Port (xml file): Virtual Port 2; you may use another name, ie: MIDI Out
• Finally run the script:

  python3 ManualTester.py
  

  and setup this parameters:
  • In Port: choose Virtual Port 2
  • Out Port: choose Virtual Port 1
  • MIDI IN channel and Bank select controller used by controller: use the ones defined on your config file
  • Default velocity for NOTE ON messages: here you can use whatever you want
  • Start sending NOTE ON/OFF, BANK SELECT, CONTROL CHANGE, raw MIDI, or SysEx messages.

For visualizing the notes, you can optionally use Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard . It can run parallelly to the ManualTester script; just start it and setup it as follows:

• Open the menu: "Edit > MIDI Connections" and set the dialog as follows:

  • Check: "Enable MIDI Input"
  • Check: "MIDI Omni Mode" -> With this setting, you will see everything comming out from the FootController software
  • On "MIDI IN Driver" choose: "Windows MM"
  • On "Input MIDI Connection" choose: "Virtual Port 2"
  • Uncheck: "Enable MIDI Thru on MIDI Output" -> If you don't do this, then your NOTE messages will be sent in an infinite loop
  • On "MIDI OUT Driver" choose: "Windows MM"
  • On "Output MIDI Connection" choose: "Virtual Port 1"
  • Uncheck: "Show Advanced Connections" -> Not needed

• Open the menu: "Edit > Preferences" and set it as follows:

  • Number of keys: here you are free to choose what ever you want. Normally you will see: 61. The maximum is 121. This depends on how many octaves you are going to use.
  • Starting Key: C
  • Note highlight color: MIDI Channels -> different colors will be used for each MIDI channel
  • Instruments file: leave the default, which is: "gmgsxg.ins". I think this doesn't really matter
  • Instrument: General MIDI
  • Keyboard Map: load the map: Virtual_Keyboard_Map.xml located on the assets folder
  • Raw Keyboard Map: default. I think this also doesn't matter
  • Drums Channel: 10
  • Uncheck: "MIDI channel state consistency" -> I don't know what this is supposed to do
  • Check: "Translate MIDI velocity to key pressed color tint"
  • Check: "Always On Top"
  • Set whatever you want under: "Enable Computer Keyboard Input" and "Raw Computer Keyboard".
  • Check: "Enable Mouse Input"
  • Set whatever you want under: "Enable Touch Screen Input"

• On the main interface, set this parameters:

  • Channel: 1
  • Base Octave: 3
  • Transpose: 0
  • Velocity: set whatever you want

  With those parameters, the first key on that keyboard will be 36 = C1. You can find the keyboard map file equivalences here

  You may change other settings to fit your needs.

  Now you can send notes and bank select commands through the ManualTester script and you will see the results on the "Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard". You may also use the virtual keyboard to send note messages; however, with a normal mouse, you can only push a note at a time. I guess on a touch screen you should be able to push more than one, but I'm not sure. You can simulate simultaneous key press by pressing simultaneous letters from your computer keyboard, ie: pressing and holding Q and W will send NOTE ON for: C1 and C#1; when releasing them, then the NOTE OFF messages will be sent.

Mapping MIDI notes to computer keyboard keys on Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard

Inside this project, you will find a file called: Virtual_Keyboard_Map.xml, which setups the following equivalences:

Number	Note	Keyboard key
0	C1	C
1	C#1	V
2	D1	D
3	D#1	W
4	E1	E
5	F1	F
6	F#1	R
7	G1	G
8	G#1	H
9	A1	A
10	A#1	S
11	B1	B
12	C2	M
13	C#2	M
14	D2	J
15	D#2	K
16	E2	L

If you want to have your own map, then open that file and change the respective key mappings.

Use a software for intercepting MIDI messages

You can debug your system by watching the MIDI messages comming out from your laptop or the Raspberry Pi. For doing this, you can use the following software:

• Under Windows:

  • Bome Send SX.

• Under Ubuntu Linux/MACOS:

  • MIOS Studio 2.

Then setup your system as follows:

• Create two virtual ports

Then setup the ports as follows:

• In Port (xml file): Virtual Port 1
• Out Port (xml file): Virtual Port 2
• In Port (Bome Send SX / MIOS Studio 2): Virtual Port 2
• Out Port (Bome Send SX / MIOS Studio 2): Virtual Port 1
• Then begin to send NOTE IN, NOTE ON, and CC messages, ie:
  • 80 0F 00 -> Sends a NOTE OFF on channel 1, whith note = 15 (0x0F)
  • 90 0F 40 -> Sends a NOTE ON on channel 1, whith note = 15 (0x0F), and velocity = 64 (0x40)
  • B0 20 01 -> Send a CONTROL CHANGE message on channel 1, with controller = 32 (0x20) and value = 01, which will select bank 2.

If you sent notes that are defined on your XML configuration file, then you should see the resulting messages on the output of Bome Send SX or MIOS Studio 2.

Other option would be to connect your foot controller to Bome Send SX or MIOS Studio 2. Here you will need the USB-TO-MIDI cable, then setup the system as follows:

• Connect the USB-TO-MIDI to your laptop or Raspberry Pi USB port.
• The part labeled with "TO MIDI OUT" connect it to your Foot Controller
• Then on Bome Send SX or MIOS Studio 2 setup MIDI IN to: "USB Uno MIDI Interface"
• Start pressing the pedals or switches, then you should see the output either in Bome Send SX or MIOS Studio 2.

Using a sequencer software

Alternativelly you could also use a sequencer software, ie: under Windows: Aria Maestosa, Anvil Studio, KaraKEYoke Karaoke; under Linux: Aria Maestosa , or any other sequencer you know. The idea would be to route the USB Uno MIDI Interface to that software and start looking at the MIDI data comming. You have there several views: staff view (you will see the notes) or message list (you will see the MIDI messages on a human-readable format).

Activating the verbose mode

Finally you can activate the debug mode as follows:

python3 FootController.py --config "my-config.xml" --verbose

Then check the log file, which should be called: debug.log and it should be stored in the same folder of FootController.py. Please enable this mode only if you are experiencing problems; it may decrease the performance of your system.

I may also help you, but you need to create a new issue here . Please include the following information:

• Screenshot or text of the error message
• If there isn't an error message, then explain exactly what's the issue
• If relevant, also include:
  • Your XML configuration file
  • The file: debug.log, which is located on the same folder of the main script.

Since this is a hobby, I may not have many time to solve the issue, so, do not expected me to fix it quickly.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License