More control by control surfaces

[3mph]

I would like to see the following (MIDI) control surface features in future versions of Reaper:

-Enhanced MIDI Learn Mode: Click a control in Reaper (volume, pan, anything) and turn/push the knob/fader, and the control in Reaper should be mapped to the MIDI CC (or whatever) instantly.

-Change when changed: the button/fader in Reaper only changes if the values are the same (like in Sonar).

-Alternative configurations: more functions on the same CC value. That way you can have a lot more out of gear which doesn't have presets OR you don't have to worry about presets at all. I guess this means a bank-switching option.

-Adjustable (absolute) offset: When I assign a knob to control ReaEQ's gain and put the knob in center position (CC#?=64), the gain is set to something else that 0. I want Reaper to understand that 64=0, 63=-1, 62=-2 or 65=1, 66=2 and so on.

-Map computer-keyboard: Basically I want to use my numeric keyboard on my MIDI-controller as a "real" numeric keyboard, but my controller only sends out MIDI. The solution would be to map MIDI CC's (or whatever) to the computer-keyboard (to avoid confusion: computer-keyboard = the one with letters on it, usually in front of you).

-Non-programmers can make controller surface plugins (or an alternative to plugins): Another way to create and share controller surface mappings other than using the keymap or programming stuff (programming is FAR beyond my skills!). I've mapped my controller(s) now, but I can only share the keymap with the community, and they can only use it if they want to overwrite their own (favorite customized) keymap. The option to include a thumbnail would be nice too!

-MIDI-Dump tools: A way to include SysEx banks in the "plugin" that can set up the controller surface in an easy "point+click"-way. Multiple warnings might be a good idea! :-)

-Lock CC's (or whatever) to track: (I'm not sure this would be possible or even smart to do, but here goes) I often use ReaEQ on every track. I "MIDI-Learn" hi/mid/lo to the controller surface, so things acts like the mixers I'm used to. When I start at new project, I can apply ReaEQ on track 1 and then tick "save chain as default for new tracks", and then get ReaEQ on every track I add, but I need to "Learn" everything from scratch again . It would be VERY cool if I could make Reaper understand, that when I make a ReaEQ on track 7, it is controlled by a group of pre-defined CC's.

-All the ideas in this thread: http://www.cockos.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5466


Well.. that's the problems I've run into so far.

PS. I'm quite happy with the way controller surfaces are handled in Reaper, I just wish I could take full advantage of my gear AND using Reaper at the same time :-)

Yours,
Rolf

[JasonTheron]

Originally Posted by 3mph

-Enhanced MIDI Learn Mode: Click a control in Reaper (volume, pan, anything) and turn/push the knob/fader, and the control in Reaper should be mapped to the MIDI CC (or whatever) instantly.

Good ideas.
++1

I really like the idea of simplifying the "Learn" function but this particular implementation might be dangerous.
Think about if you have a knob mapped to say...a compressor threshold and then you go to tweak some other plugin knob that isn't mapped (lets say the attack of the compressor).
Then if you tried to tweak the threshold using the knob, it would be automatically re-mapped to the attack. whoops.

I think it would be cool if we could just right-click a knob and select "Learn".
That would be simple enough for me.
Two clicks, one twist/push.
Be cool to have an action for "Learn CC for last active plugin control" too.