I finally have some free time so I coded my first Juce audio app. It's way lame but I figured I'd post here as a diary and perhaps even someone is interested.
This would be trivial for a medium experienced windows desktop programmer. I'm not.

So I fought with the Juce library for several hours using an example that comes with it. I added a nice library to read the gamepad input. I made one gamepad axis modify MIDI-controller-like the velocity of every note played.

Keep in mind this can be compiled as a plugin instead of an standalone app without any changes. Well, the joystick thing wouldn't work because plugins can't receive gamepad input.

There you have a demo:

Damn, it's 5 AM... I'm too old for this
More to come...or not

PS1. In fact I spent way more time trying to compile and test the joystick library than with everything else.

[Edited.2010.12.29] Goals
Provisional codename of the app: "Stick Of Joy" (thanks @Lois Lane and @KungPaoFist )

 

Last edited: Dec 29, 2019

More please.

 

Does this make dope beats while you play Street Fighter? If not can you make it do that please?

Thanks!

 

There you go, playing with your stick of joy again. Jeez, this is a family website.

 

Well.. 1 in 8 has a contractable virus so it's always better to grip your own joystick I always say

 

You bunch of m***%&%& . I'm still too asleep to reply ... but thanks for the morning laughs

Noooo HAHAHHAA

 

I'll do my best, thanks ;)

To put some context here, my goal is to make a small MIDI app that allows to:
1. Use the gamepad as a MIDI controller (something I already do but I need two programs. But is very useful and cool)
2. Virtual piano allowing computer keyboard input.
3. Besides joystick, of course other MIDI inputs, be it virtual MIDI ports or hardware.
4. Be able to modify pitch, velocity and the rest of MIDI CC controllers (Pitch and velocity are a bit especial as opposed to Mod Wheel that is just the first MIDI CC)
5. MIDI programming capabilities like in: Reascript JS, Blue Cat Plug'N'script or JamOrigin MIDI Guitar 2. Midi Guitar has exactly what I'd like to do: only MIDI programming.
6. This seems a bit hard, but I'd like to make a regular DAW VST plugin if only to start the app and communicate between it and the plugin (the DAW). Without the need of a virtual MIDI port soft. Example: RapidComposer

More things:
E1. To not reinvent the wheel, be able to host other plugins. JUCE makes this relatively easy. Incredibly enough shouldn't be the hardest part.
E2. The MIDI programming is intended to help with programming Virtual instruments: articulations and stuff

Why point 6?
Productivity/ease of use: ideally, the DAW project should have everything it needs.
Meaning by launching it with the VST on some track the app starts automatically including all the data of the project: what buttons axis modify what, which MIDI CCs, programming snippets,....

Why not just a MIDI vst plugin?
1. It can't receive Joystick or other MIDI inputs (directly)
2. There'd be hell trying to manage the focus/visibility of the app window. It'll still be one of the hardest parts

 

Last edited: Dec 29, 2019

Added to the list of features roadmap. At the very deep end of it

I shall use it with protection, namely a condom...

 

You my friend are a godforsakken maverick, ..there are no, .."roads"

Many men have charged into action, but few have the prudence of caution... Again.., you have the eye of the ever-opened

On a side note.. You know juice?? Jedi indeed you are!

 

Last edited: Dec 29, 2019

Sorry if I missed anything, I will just lay out some thoughts on this, I don't have a solution.

It seems like DAWs are made so that only MIDI messages are sent to the Plugins, otherwise they would allow any input to be used (keyboard, mouse, I don't know).

I recall doing a theremin like instrument using Supercollider that responded to mouse movement, but this was outside a DAW too.

Seems like to achieve receiving inputs from sources that do not send MIDI messages, you would need to set cheat the DAW to recognize the Gamepad as a MIDI controller or something.

This would require a driver or the external tool that translates each message to a MIDI message.

Is it even possible to override that DAW limitation via a plugin?

 

You're right. Good question.

Developing a driver is very complex. I want to develop a plugin that communicates MIDI data directly with the app.
How? Using inter-process communication. It's a bit difficult but it can be done.
The master of Windows audio inter-process communication is jBridge creator. It turns out he also has this nice VST in his site for free:
https://jstuff.wordpress.com/ipc-midi/

So in my VST:
1. Once is instantiated runs the app
2. Hosts two instances of IPC MIDI plugin (output to app and input from app))

In the app also two instances of IPC MIDI (input from vst/DAW and output to VST/daw)
I don't know if I can pull this off, but seems doable. Anyway, using your regular virtual MIDI port will be the first I'll try.

 

Last edited: Dec 29, 2019

@Xupito MIDI velocity controlled by a game pad?
Cool!

 

Thanks ;) It's not a new thing, there're old apps I already use. Mainly a Joystick to midi translator and then a virtual piano keyboard.
But I want to code one myself that makes the process easier.

 

Ti rof og. (My secret code, you can use it if it helps)

 

Tha f*ck is that?

 

what the fuck?

xupito actually did something productive???

what the fuck...????

 

That's what I'm just gonna have to call him from now on, Otipux, or just Pux for short.

 

Okay okay I get it now sonsabit*es . Too much coding and too few sleeping. Happy new year and stuff BTW.

I know, right? It's like when you came back and started making cool music. And now even 3D art.