Hardware controller for Motion

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Level 1

9 points

Hardware controller for Motion

I am looking to use a hardware controller with Motion (MIDI or other). What I want to be able to do is globally assign certain parameters to hardware knobs/encoders/sliders. For instance, I want to assign X-position to one slider and have it affect the clip or clips i have selected. Select a different clip and the slider affects X-positioning of that clip only.

I am familiar with assigning parameter controls to MIDI devices, but from what I can see it limits MIDI control to a single clip and if I want to control the same parameter for a different clip, I would need to copy the MIDI behavior to that clip and disable the MIDI behavior for the first clip.

Is there any way to accomplish what I want in Motion, either via MIDI or a different kind of controller?

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jun 18, 2012 2:38 AM

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Answer 1

fox_m

Level 6

12,250 points

Jun 20, 2012 11:15 PM in response to joen

I refer you to the manual ([from within Motion 5] Help Menu > Motion 5 Help). Once the manual opens, search MIDI. You'll end up on the Parameter behaviors page, but there is a link directly to the section on MIDI in the list.

Basically, you can use just about any kind of MIDI controller (synth, etc...). Motion can be set up for Note, Control, and Learning (so basically, Motion will respond to any kind of midi message your device will send and control the parameter in response to that message accordingly.)

To use the same message for multiple parameters, try Option-click-drag (to duplicate) the MIDI parameter behavior onto the other layer that needs the same parameter. (Check to make sure the Apply To: is set correctly; and also the ID of the MIDI control matches the original.) The documentation doesn't note any restrictions for the number of objects an identical behavior is applied to.

If you run into trouble with Motion not responding to the same midi messages over multiple parameters over multiple layers/objects, then use the Link behavior on the duplicates and link to the object parameters under MIDI control in the original layer/object.

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Answer 2

joen Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 21, 2012 5:33 AM in response to fox_m

Thanks for replying, but this is not what i want to do. If I duplicate the MIDI behavior to multiple clips, the same parameter would be changed simultaneously for all clips when I twist the assigned knob. I want only the selected clip to be affected. Applying and disabling MIDI behaviors for individual clips before adjusting them works, but is too impractical and slower than using a mouse.

So, the question remains; is there anyway for a hardware controller to globally adjust a given parameter (e.g. when clip A i selected, knob 1 adjusts x-positioning for clip A; click on clip B and knob 1 adjusts x-positioning for clip B only)?

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Answer 3

fox_m

Level 6

12,250 points

Jun 23, 2012 12:23 AM in response to joen

You can assign different controls to individual clips. Motion can learn what you need (and make sure each control has a unique ID.) If it is important that all controls be the same type of control then I recommend something other than a synth, like perhaps this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/korg-nanokontrol-midi-controller?src=3W WRWXGB

I have never tried this myself, but you might also try using software like Logic or other midi sequencer to "program" midi messages to control the controller. Hopefully, Motion will read the Thru messages. If you do try something like this... I would be very interested in your results.

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Answer 4

joen Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 23, 2012 3:12 AM in response to fox_m

Yes, I am able to assign different clips' parameters to different knobs, but this is not what I want to do. I'll give an example: ten clips are placed in a group in the timeline. Select/highlight one clip and in the properties tab the x-position for that clip can be adjusted with the mouse. Select/highlight three clips and the x-position is adjusted for all three with the mouse in the properties tab. Select the group and position for all ten clips can be adjusted in the same tab. I want to be able to make adjustments in the same way, but with a hardware knob. Using MIDI learn is too impractical, as the MIDI behavior would have to be added to or removed from every clip before adjusting. Possible, but not practical. Basically, I want a knob to correspond to x-position in general, like a global shortcut. It seems like this can not be achieved through MIDI, though.

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Answer 5

fox_m

Level 6

12,250 points

Jun 23, 2012 10:44 AM in response to joen

What you want is a way to control the application via MIDI? You'd need an application that could control Motion itself and be responsive to MIDI messages.

You might want to investigate Automator. This is the only english article I could find that even comes close:

http://techvi.com/shows/inside-techvi/2009/07/use-midi-devices-to-control-applic ations-through-applescript/#awp::shows/inside-techvi/2009/07/use-midi-devices-to -control-applications-through-applescript/

Motion will respond to Gestures (requires Wacom tablet.)

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