Please suggest MIDI controllers with well-documented visual feedback APIs

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Hello,

I am very happy (so far) with Bitwig because it allows me to create music 100% in Linux, without having to boot to Windows.

I'd like to buy some advanced MIDI controller (with PC->controller visual feedback) usable with Bitwig on Linux, for clip launching, patch editing and visual feedback on the controller itself.

At first I thought about Nektar Panorama P6 which is advertised as having "deep integration with Bitwig", including rich visual feedback on Panorama's color display. Unfortunately, this integration is only available on Windows and MacOS, not on Linux (which was not very clear until I sent e-mail to Nektar). Furthermore, according to their tech support, the protocol for PC->Panorama visual feedback is proprietary and will not be published.

So I looked alsewhere and found that Novation Launchapad and Launchkey devices have very nice "Programmers Manuals" that precisely specify how I can control almost all their visual and functional aspects using MIDI Note and Sysex messages. This is great news for me because I am a programmer and I'd enjoy writing my own Bitwig controller scripts.

However, none of the the Novation devices are exactly perfect for me (Launchkey 61 probably comes closest). Novation SL MkII 61 looks more appealing to me but the "Programmers Manual" with protocol to e.g. control the text on its LCD display is NOT publicly available for this device. I also quite like M-Audio Code 61 but, again, I am unable to find protocol specification that would allow me to control the color of its lights or the text displayed on its display from my Bitwig script.

I know that there are existing Bitwig scripts for several MIDI controllers (including Novation SL MkII) but I presume those are results of some sort of unofficial hacking.

Are there other advanced MIDI controllers that have public, detailed protocols for complete visual feedback (Linux PC -> controller), including LED lights and text displays? I am unable to find others than the abovementioned Launchpad and Launchkey specs.
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Answering my own post: Apart from Launchpad and Launchkey controllers, QuNeo from Keith McMillen also offers detailed API documentation.
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...Aaaand Ableton Push 2 full documentation was released recently: https://github.com/Ableton/push-interfa ... erface.asc
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fuxoft wrote:Hello,

I am very happy (so far) with Bitwig because it allows me to create music 100% in Linux, without having to boot to Windows.

I'd like to buy some advanced MIDI controller (with PC->controller visual feedback) usable with Bitwig on Linux, for clip launching, patch editing and visual feedback on the controller itself.

At first I thought about Nektar Panorama P6 which is advertised as having "deep integration with Bitwig", including rich visual feedback on Panorama's color display. Unfortunately, this integration is only available on Windows and MacOS, not on Linux (which was not very clear until I sent e-mail to Nektar). Furthermore, according to their tech support, the protocol for PC->Panorama visual feedback is proprietary and will not be published.

So I looked alsewhere and found that Novation Launchapad and Launchkey devices have very nice "Programmers Manuals" that precisely specify how I can control almost all their visual and functional aspects using MIDI Note and Sysex messages. This is great news for me because I am a programmer and I'd enjoy writing my own Bitwig controller scripts.

However, none of the the Novation devices are exactly perfect for me (Launchkey 61 probably comes closest). Novation SL MkII 61 looks more appealing to me but the "Programmers Manual" with protocol to e.g. control the text on its LCD display is NOT publicly available for this device. I also quite like M-Audio Code 61 but, again, I am unable to find protocol specification that would allow me to control the color of its lights or the text displayed on its display from my Bitwig script.

I know that there are existing Bitwig scripts for several MIDI controllers (including Novation SL MkII) but I presume those are results of some sort of unofficial hacking.

Are there other advanced MIDI controllers that have public, detailed protocols for complete visual feedback (Linux PC -> controller), including LED lights and text displays? I am unable to find others than the abovementioned Launchpad and Launchkey specs.
After reading about Nektar Linux Bitwg integration, it seems that this above is wrong.

Nektar is indeed supporting Linux with scripts that at least let the user inttegrate with Bitwig.
https://answers.bitwig.com/questions/68 ... n-on-linux

I am waiting for a second hand P6 and I hope to get some things working with my stuff. (not running Bitwig)

/Anders
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