endless encoders vs. generic MIDI controller

[antic604]

Below some issues I encountered mapping my MIDI Controller: Arturia MiniLab.

The factory script works fine, but is completely useless for me because the 16 encoders are mapped to volume sliders and pan pots in the mixer, which completely doesn't suit the type of music I make and the control scheme I'd like to have.

So, I chose Generic MIDI Keyboard first and I could map the encoders, but despite them sending relative values (relative 2's complement) Bitwig would recognise them as absolute. I could go to mapping browser and adjust that, but only if 'MIDI' was given the mapping priority, whereas it always sets that back to 'script' when launching Bitwig or opening project. If it's in 'script' mode, you can't edit the wrongly recognised mode, have to delete it and map it again and only then adjust to the right mode...

So I tried the Generic MIDI Keyboard with 8 knobs, setting up my Midilab to send absolute values from encoders 1-8 (CCs 20-27) and relative from encoders 9-16. This was promising to be a pretty useful combination, as it would allow me to control both the current device in focus as well as 8 other, specifically selected parameters anywhere in the project regardless of current focus. But there are two issues still: like with generic MIDI controller I need to set priority to 'MIDI' manually and adjust the wrongly identified 'absolute' to 'relative 2's complement' for encoders 9-16, whereas while the encoders 1-8 work correctly and are recognised as 'absolute', there's no way to set up or adjust parameter pickup behaviour, so when I'm changing the device in focus and touching an encoder the parameter instantaneously jumps from it's current position to the one, where I left the previously controlled parameter on the previous device.

Long story short:
- the selection for mapping priority whether it's MIDI or script needs to be preserved,
- Bitwig doesn't properly recognise 'relative 2's complement' data from relative encoders (I tested two other relative modes on the Minilab and they don't work at all, neither automatically or manually),
- in 'Generic MIDI Keyboard with 8 knobs' mode, there's no way to change parameter pickup behaviour, which makes moving between devices jerky

Any thoughts? Have I missed some obvious options or settings? Or are those just known issues?

[JohannesTress]

Hi, did you report this to the support team? Sounds like a bug, or a way of better implementation of midi mapping and this would be really helpful, since the script aren't as suitable to everyone as they were expected to be...

[antic604]

Hi, did you report this to the support team? Sounds like a bug, or a way of better implementation of midi mapping and this would be really helpful, since the script aren't as suitable to everyone as they were expected to be...

Yes, I did. The above is basically a copy & paste from the ticket.

It seems to me it's more of a missing feature than a bug - it appears like Bitwig doesn't even try to recognise the relative modes: in Minilab I can choose 3 different relative modes and Bitwig always recognises any of them as 'Absolute' and I need to change them manually. Whereas out of those 3 modes #1 should be seen as Bin Offset, while #2 as 2's Complement. The 3rd one doesn't work with any setting.

Sticking to 'Absolute' mode isn't perfect either, because a) lack of the parameter pickup settings, and b) because the movement is very linear, so I need to turn the encoder over 2 times around to get full movement, whereas with relative modes it all depends how fast I twist it: I can get very small, precise movements and I can go min to max with a quick, small flick of the encoder.

Live actually also struggled with this, but at least it would recognise Minilab's relative #2 mode as 2's Component reliably and I don't have to fiddle with it.