I have a concept of a MIDI plugin for XYZ controllers (touchpad/IR). It works like this:
If i put my hand above the Z axis (up-down) of the infrared controller, and i'll constantly bring it closer to the sensor then it'll triger just one NOTE-ON command.
If i put my hand up, so it will recede from the sensor, then the NOTE-OFF command would be triggered.
The same is for touchpads - if i press it hard, above the threshold it will then trigger NOTE-ON. If i take of my finger and the cc value will drop below threshold, then trigger NOTE-OFF.
Detailed operating principles:
step 1:
if CC#77 >= 64 then send NOTE-ON A-4 (only once)
Every value greater or equal to 64 on CC#77 will trigger NOTE-ON command, but only once. Once the NOTE-ON is triggered then every other value between 64 to 127 will have no effect, so it will not trigger any more NOTE-ONs.
step 2:
if CC#77 < 64 then send NOTE-OFF A-4 (only once)
Every value smaller than 64 on CC#77 will trigger NOTE-OFF command, but only once. Once the NOTE-OFF command is triggered then every other value between 0 to 63 will have no effect, so it will not send more NOTE-OFF commands.
Of course CC number and value, NOTE value would be freely defineable. So you can choose 'CC#' between 1 to 127, 'Triggering threshold' betwen 0-127, and 'NOTE-ON/OFF' also between 0-127.
The reason for such plugin is simple: you take off one hand from the keyboard if you play live, so its free for doing something else (making crazy wizardry experiments?) I would even say it could be somekind of FX-instrument. Just wave your hand, it will play a note. Move it more around X or Y and it could change the PB, LFOs and other kind of crap.
Taking it the other way: it's just a simple plugin that triggers note-on/off. Using it for XYZ is just a subsidiary idea, because XYZ are just simple CC controllers. The problem is if you want to modulate some synths you must have one hand on the touchpad/ir and the second on the keyboard. Having such a plugin as described above could make things simpler. Assigning the Z axis (touch pressure/up-down) to NOTE-ON/OFF would make the performance more dynamic, beacuse you could then play note by one hand - the same hand used for modulation.
The idea could be even expanded: making a CC to NOTE-ON/OFF based on note-scale mapper. You could have then instant Korg Kaossilator on your laptop touchpad
Try to imagine playing Alchemy with one hand, while simultaneously utilising all the axises to modulate dozens of parameters. You could make a theremin with this plugin in no time.What do You think Piz?
