Today’s build (3574) introduces a group of changes all related to the the on-screen keyboard, the controller bar and variable string expansions.
Hi @brad… Really like these ideas as I have an AKAI MPK261 which has 3 banks of 8 rotary and faders so would be MASSIVELY helpful to know what’s going on (BlueCat’s controller is just too small). Just a quick question as I’ve been testing this out and the only way I can get this working is via the Controller Bar i.e. not directly from my keyboard.
So I have a MIDI Source “Main Keyboard” Routing to “Output Port - Onscreen Keyboard”, a custom button assigned with Action: MIDI Controller with the Channel and MIDI CC I want.
Then in ‘Notes’ screen configured as described in your post above - this works fine. But should this also work by ignoring the steps to route the MIDI Source to the Onscreen Keyboard? i.e. directly from my AKAI? I’m guessing not but the reason I’m asking this would mean to achieve what I’d like to do and build a map of the AKAI controllers onscreen in Cantabile I’d need to create 48 custom buttons… so is there a limit to how many buttons we can create? There seems to be limited screen real-estate to try and achieve that so wondering if it’s possible to get the Show Notes $(cc()) to work directly from my hardware…
I hope I’ve made sense, probably scrambled my brain trying to get this working but lovely feature 
Hi @Hunter_Barr,
The controller variables only reflect the state of the on-screen keyboard device. So to update them you need to send MIDI to them ie: your route from MainKeyboard to Onscreen Keyboard is required.
48 buttons is probably beyond what the on-screen keyboard is designed for, but if you’ve got the real-estate it should work.
Do you really need the full 48-controllers displayed on-screen? That seems like overkill. Anyone else facing something like this?
Brad
I don’t use all the controllers all the time but for one of my projects is kind of noise drone stuff so I have maybe 4 or 5 VSTi and a couple of effects and use the first bank for mixing and the second two for tweaking all the synths. So I wouldn’t need to see the faders but the rotaries are endless so having a visual representation is really useful (rhat would make 24 controllers)… I’m happy with what you’ve provided… It’s seriously awesome. I don’t actually need the buttons on the controller bar just the CC info in the notes and so far it is working fine… better than fine. Massively helping my workflow for this project… Seriously pleased.
Just wanted to check I wasn’t doing a step that wasn’t required (MIDI controller to On-screen keyboard). All good for me. Thank you thank you thank you…
Amazing job Brad!
Thanks!