MIDI Mouse


This is a MacOS/OMS utility for sending MIDI Control Change messages based on the mouse position (basically a mix between a software version of the Korg Kaoss Pad and a program for the PC called ReMorph). It was designed for the excellent ReBirth and Reason programs from Propellerheads but it can be used just as well with sequencers and external MIDI hardware.


What is it for?
The main use of this program would be for exploring the interaction between synth parameters without the limitation of being able to change only one at a time. With MIDI-Mouse it is possible to change up to four parameters at once just with the mouse, and up to eight (!) with an external controller as well. A good example is to vary filter frequency and resonance simultaneously, making it easy to find the critical point for each note.

What does it do?
The program drives up to four MIDI controllers according to the mouse position when clicking in the control square. The control changes can respond to the mouse position following a range of simple mathematical relations. A simple example would be generating a cross-fade with two channel levels by setting one controller to increase with the mouse horizontal position and another to decrease. To extend further its use, there is a MIDI mixer/translator facility which allows up to four more controllers to follow incoming MIDI messages.

For more information, and some screen shots, read the web manual.

The program is Freeware, although I would really like to hear any music that it helps to create (I'd love to receive a CD, or at least a link to an mp3 somewhere). See the README file for my e-mail address.

Download version 1.0.1 of the program
The program requires OMS, with IAC installed (you must use the custom install option in the OMS installer). Make sure that Run MIDI In Background is enabled in OMS MIDI Setup. Just one warning. If you need to install OMS for the first time, follow the instructions but also be sure to restart the computer a second time after running the OMS Setup application. I believe that OMS Setup has a problem with creating a new studio setup document when there are no hardware interfaces present, but after the restart everything should be Ok.

21 July 2001 Just found out about the competition :) If my program doesn't do it for you, there's a shareware one called MiMi which is much prettier to look at and with a number of extra features. Have a look here

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