Create Your First Mapping with Chat

This tutorial walks you through creating your first MIDI mapping using Conductor’s AI-powered Chat interface. You’ll learn how to describe what you want in plain English and have the assistant generate the configuration for you.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

1. Conductor installed and running
2. An LLM provider configured (see LLM Providers)
3. Your MIDI controller connected

Step 1: Open the Chat Panel

1. Launch Conductor GUI
2. Click the Chat icon in the left sidebar (or press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K)
3. The chat panel opens on the right side

You should see a welcome message and an input field at the bottom.

Step 2: Describe Your Mapping

Let’s create a simple mapping. In the chat input, type:

Map note 36 to Command+C

Press Enter to send the message.

Step 3: Review the Proposed Changes

The assistant will respond with a plan showing:

1. Summary: “Create a mapping for note 36 to trigger Cmd+C (copy)”
2. Changes: A list showing the new mapping
3. Preview: A diff view with the new lines highlighted in green

Take a moment to review the changes. The diff preview shows exactly what will be added to your configuration.

Step 4: Apply the Changes

If the proposed changes look correct:

1. Click the Apply Changes button
2. Wait for confirmation that the changes were applied
3. The assistant will confirm: “Changes applied successfully!”

Your mapping is now active. Press note 36 on your controller to verify it triggers copy.

Step 5: Test Your Mapping

1. Open a text editor with some text selected
2. Press pad/note 36 on your MIDI controller
3. The text should be copied to your clipboard
4. Press Cmd+V to paste and verify it worked

Creating More Mappings

Now try creating additional mappings. Here are some examples to try:

Paste Action

Map note 37 to Command+V

Open an Application

Map note 40 to open Spotify

Type Text

Map note 44 to type "Hello World"

Use MIDI Learn

If you don’t know the note number:

Start MIDI Learn for copy

Then press the pad you want to use. The assistant will capture the note and create the mapping.

Using Different Modes

You can create mode-specific mappings:

In Production mode, map note 36 to save

Create a new mode called "Streaming" and map note 36 to toggle mute

Understanding the Diff Preview

The diff preview uses color coding:

• Green (+): Lines being added
• Red (-): Lines being removed (for updates/deletes)
• Gray: Context lines (unchanged)

Always review the diff before clicking Apply.

Canceling a Change

If the proposed changes aren’t what you want:

1. Click Cancel to reject the plan
2. Rephrase your request more specifically
3. Try again

Plans automatically expire after 5 minutes if you don’t respond.

Tips for Better Results

1. Be specific about notes: “Map note 36” is better than “map a pad”
2. Use standard action names: “copy”, “paste”, “save”, “undo” are recognized
3. Specify the mode: “In DJ mode, map…” when targeting specific modes
4. Use MIDI Learn: Let the assistant capture the exact note from your controller

Next Steps

• Chat Interface Guide - Full Chat documentation
• MIDI Learn - Capture notes from your controller
• Understanding Modes - Organize mappings by context
• LLM Providers - Configure your AI provider

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

• “API key not configured”: See LLM Providers
• Changes not applying: Check Chat Issues
• Wrong note captured: Use cancel midi learn and try again