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Old 03-04-2021, 03:47 PM   #1
robgb
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Default Virtual Keyboard Respond to Midi Keyboard?

Is there a way to get the virtual keyboard to respond to my midi controller instead of my computer keyboard? I can't seem to find it, if there is.
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Old 03-04-2021, 05:07 PM   #2
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Can you explain why you'd want to do this? The point of the virtual MIDI keyboard is for situations where you don't have an actual keyboard. If you've got one then you'd just use that for MIDI input, surely?
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Old 03-04-2021, 07:37 PM   #3
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I would like to question also if there is a way to make the virtual keyboard respond to midi that comes from some tracks.

Sometimes I am looking to some advanced harmonies and would be much faster to see in a horizontal piano instead of the vertical one
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Old 03-04-2021, 09:51 PM   #4
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You need to connect your MIDI controller to your computer.

This involves three stages:

1. A hardware connection (MIDI controller to computer or to Audio Interface), and
2. A software set up, i.e., enabling Reaper and the MIDI controller driver to connect - this is done in Reaper
3. Setting up your Reaper Track(s)' inputs to make MIDI data recordable

1. HARDWARE CONNECTION OF MIDI CONTROLLER TO COMPUTER OR AUDIO INTERFACE
This is usually accomplished by either (1) using a USB cable, going from the USB output on your MIDI controller, into your computer's USB, or (2) by going from a MIDI 5 Pin DIN output on your MIDI controller, into the 5 Pin DIN input on an audio interface.

Note: If you are using a USB to connect to your computer, and you also have an audio interface (because you have a microphone or other instrument plugged into it), there will be 2 USB's going into your computer - one from the MIDI controller to your computer, and the second connecting your audio interface and your computer.

2. ENABLING MIDI DEVICES (SOFTWARE CONNECTION TO MIDI CONTROLLER, DONE IN REAPER
See p. 22 of the Reaper User Guide to explain this (Section 1.15 'Setting Up for MIDI')

You can download the Reaper User Guide (free) here:
https://www.reaper.fm/userguide.php

3. SETTING UP TRACKS TO MAKE MIDI DATA RECORDABLE
Once you have done 2. and 3., create a track by choosing:
(a) INSERT (from the menu bar at the top of the screen)
then choose
(b) VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT ON NEW TRACK
then choose
(c) the VST through which you will be playing your MIDI controller (e.g., a piano VST)
then
(d) Press ALT-B to get the Virtual MIDI Keyboard (VMK) to display on-screen.

It is crucial to get the VMK on screen because, even though you will not be using it to play the notes (because you will be using your MIDI keyboard), and for reasons I do not understand, having the VMK on screen acts as a conduit for the MIDI data to be recorded on the track; even if there is a keyboard that comes up as part of your (in my example) piano VST and even though you can 'play' the notes of that keyboard and hear them, you will not be able to record MIDI data successfully unless you have the VMC on screen.

It took me a while to get the hang of this because at first it seems like there are a million options, and it can be confusing, but you will get there in the end.

Tips
(a) Make sure you have the correct driver for your MIDI controller

(b) Consult your MIDI controller's manual in order to make sure you have set it up to transmit MIDI.

Get back to us here if you still have problems once you have done the above.

Good luck.
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Last edited by gvdv; 03-04-2021 at 10:00 PM.
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Old 03-05-2021, 12:18 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daniellumertz View Post
I would like to question also if there is a way to make the virtual keyboard respond to midi that comes from some tracks.
You can use VST or JS plugin for this.
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Old 03-05-2021, 08:04 AM   #6
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Add this as an Input FX



https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=136351
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Old 03-06-2021, 03:22 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by domzy View Post
Can you explain why you'd want to do this? The point of the virtual MIDI keyboard is for situations where you don't have an actual keyboard. If you've got one then you'd just use that for MIDI input, surely?
I want to do this for video demonstration purposes. To show the viewers the keys I'm playing.

Last edited by robgb; 03-06-2021 at 03:36 AM.
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Old 03-06-2021, 03:33 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gvdv View Post
You need to connect your MIDI controller to your computer.

This involves three stages:

1. A hardware connection (MIDI controller to computer or to Audio Interface), and
2. A software set up, i.e., enabling Reaper and the MIDI controller driver to connect - this is done in Reaper
3. Setting up your Reaper Track(s)' inputs to make MIDI data recordable

1. HARDWARE CONNECTION OF MIDI CONTROLLER TO COMPUTER OR AUDIO INTERFACE
This is usually accomplished by either (1) using a USB cable, going from the USB output on your MIDI controller, into your computer's USB, or (2) by going from a MIDI 5 Pin DIN output on your MIDI controller, into the 5 Pin DIN input on an audio interface.

Note: If you are using a USB to connect to your computer, and you also have an audio interface (because you have a microphone or other instrument plugged into it), there will be 2 USB's going into your computer - one from the MIDI controller to your computer, and the second connecting your audio interface and your computer.

2. ENABLING MIDI DEVICES (SOFTWARE CONNECTION TO MIDI CONTROLLER, DONE IN REAPER
See p. 22 of the Reaper User Guide to explain this (Section 1.15 'Setting Up for MIDI')

You can download the Reaper User Guide (free) here:
https://www.reaper.fm/userguide.php

3. SETTING UP TRACKS TO MAKE MIDI DATA RECORDABLE
Once you have done 2. and 3., create a track by choosing:
(a) INSERT (from the menu bar at the top of the screen)
then choose
(b) VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT ON NEW TRACK
then choose
(c) the VST through which you will be playing your MIDI controller (e.g., a piano VST)
then
(d) Press ALT-B to get the Virtual MIDI Keyboard (VMK) to display on-screen.

It is crucial to get the VMK on screen because, even though you will not be using it to play the notes (because you will be using your MIDI keyboard), and for reasons I do not understand, having the VMK on screen acts as a conduit for the MIDI data to be recorded on the track; even if there is a keyboard that comes up as part of your (in my example) piano VST and even though you can 'play' the notes of that keyboard and hear them, you will not be able to record MIDI data successfully unless you have the VMC on screen.

It took me a while to get the hang of this because at first it seems like there are a million options, and it can be confusing, but you will get there in the end.

Tips
(a) Make sure you have the correct driver for your MIDI controller

(b) Consult your MIDI controller's manual in order to make sure you have set it up to transmit MIDI.

Get back to us here if you still have problems once you have done the above.

Good luck.
I appreciate this detailed response, but I've never had a problem running my actual midi controller/keyboard. The problem is getting the virtual keyboard to react to any input other than the computer keyboard. It simply doesn't work no matter what configuration I try.
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Old 03-06-2021, 03:34 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkStar View Post
This is a perfect alternative, except that it apparently doesn't like "dark mode" on my mac. It appears as a black screen and little more.
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Old 03-06-2021, 06:24 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robgb View Post
I want to do this for video demonstration purposes. To show the viewers the keys I'm playing.
ah, right. all clear now.
the virtual MIDI keyboard is MIDI out only, so you'd have to use a plugin, as others have suggested.
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Old 03-06-2021, 06:26 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robgb View Post
This is a perfect alternative, except that it apparently doesn't like "dark mode" on my mac. It appears as a black screen and little more.
i don't use a mac, but Kenny Gioia does, and he uses some sort of plugin for virtual keyboard for his videos. Not sure exactly which one though
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Old 03-06-2021, 06:37 AM   #12
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Kenny is using Synthesia (which is a standalone application): https://synthesiagame.com/
Another option to try is Geraint's Piano Display (post #3 in the link): https://forums.cockos.com/showthread...65#post2074465


There's also a Flash MIDI Editor keys on track input option in Preferences > Editing Behavior > MIDI Editor.
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Old 03-06-2021, 07:35 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robgb View Post
This is a perfect alternative, except that it apparently doesn't like "dark mode" on my mac. It appears as a black screen and little more.
I've never used a Mac and do not know what "Dark Mode" is. And JS FX cannot discover that info either.
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Old 03-06-2021, 08:32 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkStar View Post
I've never used a Mac and do not know what "Dark Mode" is. And JS FX cannot discover that info either.
I had a quick look and I believe the issue on macOS is the backward slash in the filenames pointing to the image files (hence no images are shown on macOS here on my side either).

Changing the backslashes ...
Code:
filename:0,DS_files\DS_Keyboard4oct_04.png
filename:1,DS_files\Big_ASCII_characters_DS_03.png
filename:2,DS_files\KeyMonitor_Help_01.png
... to forward slashes should work for macOS, Linux and Windows:
Code:
filename:0,DS_files/DS_Keyboard4oct_04.png
filename:1,DS_files/Big_ASCII_characters_DS_03.png
filename:2,DS_files/KeyMonitor_Help_01.png
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Last edited by solger; 03-06-2021 at 08:47 AM. Reason: Did a quick check on Linux, as well
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Old 03-06-2021, 10:11 AM   #15
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Thank you for looking into that. I'll try to remember for my other work

PS: How did you find out? Wouldn't back-slashes be invalid in "non-dark" mode too?
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Old 03-06-2021, 12:21 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkStar View Post
Thank you for looking into that. I'll try to remember for my other work
You're welcome!

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkStar View Post
PS: How did you find out?
I simply did a quick test on all three operating systems

When opening the plugin on macOS (without dark-mode) and Linux, the images were missing and it only showed the black background and 'Help' button.
So the file paths in the JSFX code were the first thing that caught my eye, because the same 'problem' regarding file path compatibility across different operating systems also exists with .lua scripts (with which I am more familiar).

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkStar View Post
Wouldn't back-slashes be invalid in "non-dark" mode too?
As far as I know: since this is mainly a 'file path issue', it shouldn't make any difference (for drawing the UI area of the JSFX plugin itself) whether dark mode is used or not. Dark-mode mainly affects the color scheme of things like window title bars and window backgrounds, as shown in this example screenshot: https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...83&postcount=2
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Last edited by solger; 03-06-2021 at 12:36 PM.
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Old 03-06-2021, 04:05 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robgb View Post
I appreciate this detailed response, but I've never had a problem running my actual midi controller/keyboard. The problem is getting the virtual keyboard to react to any input other than the computer keyboard. It simply doesn't work no matter what configuration I try.
I am getting confused - in your original post you said, "Is there a way to get the virtual keyboard to respond to my midi controller instead of my computer keyboard? I can't seem to find it, if there is."

I do not understand.

Can you give an example of something specific that you are trying to achieve? What you are trying to do?
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Old 03-07-2021, 09:17 AM   #18
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@ solger
Thank you - so "dark mode" was a "red herring"
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:25 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solger View Post
I had a quick look and I believe the issue on macOS is the backward slash in the filenames pointing to the image files (hence no images are shown on macOS here on my side either).

Changing the backslashes ...
Code:
filename:0,DS_files\DS_Keyboard4oct_04.png
filename:1,DS_files\Big_ASCII_characters_DS_03.png
filename:2,DS_files\KeyMonitor_Help_01.png
... to forward slashes should work for macOS, Linux and Windows:
Code:
filename:0,DS_files/DS_Keyboard4oct_04.png
filename:1,DS_files/Big_ASCII_characters_DS_03.png
filename:2,DS_files/KeyMonitor_Help_01.png
This is brilliant. Thank you. Works perfectly now. The "dark mode" problem was an assumption, since I've had a couple other JS plugins not like dark mode.
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:28 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gvdv View Post
I am getting confused - in your original post you said, "Is there a way to get the virtual keyboard to respond to my midi controller instead of my computer keyboard? I can't seem to find it, if there is."

I do not understand.

Can you give an example of something specific that you are trying to achieve? What you are trying to do?
Exactly what I said. More specifically, I need the midi input of the virtual keyboard to respond visually to the midi output of my midi keyboard. It's my understanding now that this is not possible.
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:45 AM   #21
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Thanks for this link: https://geraintluff.github.io/jsfx/#Piano%20Display

This keyboard display is very nice.
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