Configuring a Midi keyboard

The joy of the original ShowCAD system was that it would accept control inputs from pretty much any source you could think of, and could control most of its operating functions this way. With Artist this is also true, and a lot easier to configure.

The key method for doing this configuration is the Patch Wizard, this is accessed by the wizard item on the menu bar.
Lets configure some basic input commands to run our lightshow using a midi keyboard.

 

 

The first screen of the patch wizard is where the input port is selected, this list will show every port that windows is aware of that can input commands to Artist. The midi port is often called MPU-401 or something similar. Select the midi port and press next
 

 

 

The Second screen shows us which type of midi message Artist is to listen for.
For a standard key push select note on/off,
To use volume or data entry sliders select Control Change.

The number of sequential elements defines how many notes to listen for.
If you are just patching a single key, select 1; if you are defining a range of keys to a function, select the number in the range.

Next we set the midi channel, start note and what type of notes are to be selected if there is more than 1 note assigned, this way we can have the black keys performing one function and the white another.

The drop down menu assigns the scope of the keys to be selected.

Next we select the system command - what do we want Artist to do when it gets the trigger. A drop-down menu selects the available options...

 

 

 

 

The next screen is dynamic, and changes depending upon the previously selected system command, and shows the options regarding what to select or action. This is a copy of the activate options

For example, selecting display client, the second window will show the 'type' menu and the 'select group' window to allow selection of what type of window to change the main client window to, and the second drop-down selects the list number

By setting the object to parameter, it will assign multiple keys to this function in numerical order depending on how many keys were assigned on the sequential elements option on the second page of the wizard

The final stage is the review options page, where you can review all the parameters that you have just set using the wizard. Clicking next will close the wizard and save the settings in the client window…and you will see it listed there.

 

 

 

 

To edit any of your patch settings, right-click on the line in question select the properties option, the wizard will reopen with the current parameters included.
 

 

 

 

 

Therefore lets add a set of keys that will select different cue lists, we'll assign these to the black keys on the midi interface we recommend, a roland pc-180 midi keyboard. First step, start the wizard from the toolbar. Select the midi interface
(its worth noting that the Roland pc-180 can now be connected via a USB connector doing away with the midi card in the PC, just install the Roland driver and away you go. Artist will then show this driver as a standard input device)

Set the message to Note on/off and assign 16 as sequential elements. Press Next
Select midi channel 1, and note type to be White notes, select the beginning white key, this is C2 by default. Press Next
Select Activate as the command. Press Next
Select Type to be Cue, Select group to be Current, Select Object to be Parameter, Press Next
Press End

This has now assigned the first 16 white keys to select the cues 1-16 in the currently opened cue window.
...now lets add the different cue list buttons.

Open Wizard again, select midi interface
Set the message to Note on/off and assign 16 as sequential elements. Press Next
Select midi channel 1, and note type to be Black notes, select the beginning black key, this is C#2 by default. Press Next
Select Display Client as the command. Press Next
Select Type to Cue, and group to Parameter. Press Next
Press End

This will now assign the first 16 black keys to change the cue list window to the relevant list number 1-16.
Lets now assign a blackout key and we have the basis of a control panel for Artist

Again, open the wizard, and select the midi interface
Set the message to Note on/off and assign 1 as sequential elements. Press Next
Select midi channel 1 and note type to be All notes, then select the end white key, which is C6. Press Next
Select Global. Press Next
Select Cue Control in category, and the Global command is Black/Restore. there are no options to set so just press Next.
Press End

So in summary, the last white key is assigned as the blackout/restore key.The Black keys sequentially change the Cue list page, and the white keys switch on and off the cues within the currently displayed cue list.

Other input methods such as Digital, serial and DMX, are configured in the same way using this wizard. Artist will show the options in the first page of the wizard, as it autodetects suitable interfaces connected to the system.