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DAW Control with Conductor

Control your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) directly from your MIDI controller using Conductor’s SendMIDI action. Transform your Maschine Mikro MK3 or other MIDI controller into a custom control surface for transport control, mixer automation, and parameter manipulation.

Overview

Conductor can send MIDI messages to your DAW, allowing you to:

  • Transport Control: Play, Stop, Record, Rewind, Fast Forward
  • Mixer Control: Volume faders (CC 7), Pan controls (CC 10), Mute/Solo
  • Parameter Automation: Plugin parameters, effect sends, EQ controls
  • MIDI Learn: Map any pad to any DAW parameter using MIDI Learn
  • Scene/Clip Triggering: Launch clips, scenes, or patterns in Live/Bitwig

This enables you to create custom control surfaces tailored to your workflow, without needing hardware-specific DAW integration.

How It Works

[Your MIDI Controller]
        ↓ (MIDI Input to Conductor)
  [Conductor Daemon]
        ↓ (SendMIDI Action)
  [Virtual MIDI Port] (IAC Driver, loopMIDI, ALSA)
        ↓ (MIDI from Conductor)
    [Your DAW] (Logic Pro, Ableton Live, etc.)

Key Components:

  1. Input: Conductor receives MIDI from your controller (pads, encoders, buttons)
  2. Mapping: Conductor maps input events to SendMIDI actions
  3. Output: SendMIDI sends MIDI messages to a virtual MIDI port
  4. DAW: Your DAW receives MIDI from the virtual port and responds

Platform Setup

Before using SendMIDI, you need a virtual MIDI port that Conductor can send to and your DAW can receive from.

macOS: IAC Driver

macOS includes a built-in virtual MIDI driver called IAC (Inter-Application Communication).

Setup Steps:

  1. Open Audio MIDI Setup application

    • Found in /Applications/Utilities/Audio MIDI Setup.app
    • Or press Cmd+Space and search “Audio MIDI Setup”

  2. Show MIDI Studio

    • Go to Window → Show MIDI Studio (or press Cmd+2)

  3. Double-click IAC Driver icon

    • If you don’t see it, create it: Window → Show MIDI Studio → click the globe icon

  4. Enable the driver

    • Check “Device is online” checkbox
    • You should see at least one port named “IAC Driver Bus 1”

  5. (Optional) Add more ports

    • Click the + button under “Ports” to create additional buses
    • Rename buses to something meaningful (e.g., “Conductor → Logic Pro”)

  6. Click Apply

Verify IAC Driver is Working:

# List MIDI output ports (Conductor should see IAC Driver)
./target/release/conductor-daemon --list-midi-outputs

# You should see:
# MIDI Output Ports:
# 0: IAC Driver Bus 1

Troubleshooting:

  • If IAC Driver doesn’t appear: Restart Audio MIDI Setup or reboot macOS
  • If port disappears after reboot: Make sure “Device is online” was checked and saved

Windows: loopMIDI

Windows doesn’t include built-in virtual MIDI ports, so we use loopMIDI (free, open-source).

Download & Install:

  1. Visit Tobias Erichsen’s loopMIDI page
  2. Download the installer (free, no registration required)
  3. Run the installer (requires Administrator privileges)
  4. Launch loopMIDI from Start Menu

Create Virtual Port:

  1. In loopMIDI window, enter a port name (e.g., “Conductor Virtual Out”)
  2. Click + (Plus button) to create the port
  3. The port should appear in the list with status “Opened by 0 applications”

Keep loopMIDI Running:

  • loopMIDI must be running for the virtual port to exist
  • To auto-start with Windows: Right-click loopMIDI in system tray → “Start minimized with Windows”

Verify loopMIDI Port:

# List MIDI output ports
.\target\release\conductor-daemon.exe --list-midi-outputs

# You should see:
# MIDI Output Ports:
# 0: Conductor Virtual Out

Troubleshooting:

  • Port not found: Make sure loopMIDI is running and port is created
  • Port opens but no MIDI received in DAW: Check DAW MIDI input preferences
  • loopMIDI crashes: Try creating port with simpler name (no special characters)

Linux: ALSA Virtual Port

Linux supports virtual MIDI ports through ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture).

Create Virtual Port with aconnect:

# Method 1: Using Conductor's built-in virtual port creation (recommended)
# Conductor can create virtual ports automatically on Linux via midir

# Method 2: Manual ALSA virtual port (if needed)
# Install ALSA utilities
sudo apt-get install alsa-utils

# Create a virtual port named "Conductor Output"
# This command creates a port that stays active
aseqdump -p "Conductor Output" &

# List ALSA MIDI ports
aconnect -l

# You should see something like:
# client 128: 'Conductor Output' [type=user]
#     0 'Conductor Output'

Using JACK for MIDI (Alternative):

If you use JACK for audio:

# Install JACK MIDI tools
sudo apt-get install qjackctl

# Start JACK
qjackctl &

# In QjackCtl:
# - Go to "Graph" or "Patchbay"
# - Create MIDI connections between Conductor and your DAW

Verify ALSA Port:

# List MIDI output ports
./target/release/conductor-daemon --list-midi-outputs

# You should see your created virtual port

Troubleshooting:

  • No ALSA ports: sudo modprobe snd-seq (load ALSA sequencer module)
  • Permission denied: Add user to audio group: sudo usermod -a -G audio $USER (logout/login after)
  • JACK vs ALSA confusion: Choose one system (ALSA is simpler for most users)

Conductor Configuration

Basic SendMIDI Example

Here’s a minimal configuration that sends a MIDI Note On message when you press pad 1:

# config.toml

[[modes]]
name = "Default"

# Send MIDI Note On (C4 / note 60) when pad 1 is pressed
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 1  # Pad 1 on Maschine Mikro MK3

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"  # macOS (use your port name)
# port = "Conductor Virtual Out"  # Windows (loopMIDI)
# port = "Conductor Output"  # Linux (ALSA)

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "NoteOn"
note = 60  # MIDI note 60 = C4 (Middle C)
velocity = 100
channel = 0  # MIDI channel 1 (0-indexed)

Test This Configuration:

  1. Save the config above to your config.toml
  2. Restart Conductor daemon: conductorctl reload
  3. Open your DAW and create a software instrument track
  4. Set the track’s MIDI input to your virtual port (IAC Driver/loopMIDI)
  5. Enable MIDI input recording on the track
  6. Press pad 1 on your controller
  7. You should hear the instrument play note C4!

MIDI Message Types

Conductor supports all common MIDI message types. Here’s a reference for each:

1. Note On / Note Off

Trigger notes in software instruments.

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

# Note On: Start playing a note
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "NoteOn"
note = 60        # MIDI note number (0-127, 60 = C4)
velocity = 100   # How hard the note is played (0-127)
channel = 0      # MIDI channel (0-15, displays as 1-16 in DAWs)

# Note Off: Stop playing a note
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "NoteOff"
note = 60        # Same note number as the Note On
velocity = 64    # Release velocity (usually 0 or 64)
channel = 0

Common Note Numbers:

  • C3 (48), C4 (60), C5 (72) - Middle octaves
  • A0 (21) - Lowest note on 88-key piano
  • C8 (108) - Highest note on 88-key piano

Use Cases:

  • Trigger drum samples in drum racks
  • Play melodies on virtual instruments
  • Trigger clips in Ableton Live’s Session View

2. Control Change (CC)

Control parameters like volume, pan, filters, and effects.

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 7   # Controller number (0-127)
value = 100      # Controller value (0-127)
channel = 0

Common CC Numbers:

CC#NamePurposeRange
1Modulation WheelVibrato, tremolo0-127
7VolumeTrack/channel volume0-127 (100=max)
10PanLeft/right panning0=left, 64=center, 127=right
11ExpressionVolume changes within a note0-127
64Sustain PedalHold notes0-63=off, 64-127=on
71Filter ResonanceSynth filter resonance0-127
74Filter CutoffSynth filter cutoff freq0-127

Example: Volume Control

# Soft velocity = low volume (CC 7 = 40)
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "VelocityRange"
note = 1
min_velocity = 0
max_velocity = 40

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 7
value = 40
channel = 0

3. Program Change

Switch between presets/patches in instruments or effects.

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "ProgramChange"
program = 42     # Program number (0-127)
channel = 0

Use Cases:

  • Switch guitar amp presets
  • Change synthesizer patches
  • Load different drum kits

Note: Program Change numbers are 0-indexed in MIDI (0-127) but often displayed as 1-128 in DAWs.

4. Pitch Bend

Bend notes up or down (like a pitch wheel).

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "PitchBend"
value = 0        # Pitch bend value (-8192 to +8191)
                 # 0 = center (no bend)
                 # +8191 = max up
                 # -8192 = max down
channel = 0

Examples:

# Pitch up (full bend up)
value = 8191

# Center position (no bend)
value = 0

# Pitch down (full bend down)
value = -8192

Use Cases:

  • Guitar bends in virtual guitars
  • Synth lead pitch slides
  • Trombone-style glissando effects

5. Aftertouch (Channel Pressure)

Apply pressure-based modulation to all notes on a channel.

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "Aftertouch"
pressure = 64    # Pressure amount (0-127)
channel = 0

Use Cases:

  • Vibrato after note starts
  • Filter modulation with sustained notes
  • Expressive synth control

Note: This is Channel Aftertouch (affects all notes). MIDI also supports Polyphonic Aftertouch (per-note), but it’s rarely used and not currently supported by SendMIDI.

Common Use Cases

Transport Control

Control DAW playback using MIDI CC messages. Most DAWs support MMC (MIDI Machine Control) or specific CC numbers for transport.

Logic Pro Transport (using CC messages):

# Play/Pause (CC 115)
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 1

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 115  # Play/Continue
value = 127
channel = 0

# Stop (CC 116)
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 2

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 116  # Stop
value = 127
channel = 0

# Record (CC 117)
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 3

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 117  # Record
value = 127
channel = 0

Ableton Live Transport (using Note messages):

Ableton responds to specific MIDI notes for transport in some modes:

# Play (Note 91 on Channel 1)
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "NoteOn"
note = 91
velocity = 127
channel = 0

# Stop (Note 93)
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "NoteOn"
note = 93
velocity = 127
channel = 0

Note: Actual values depend on your DAW’s MIDI remote script. Check your DAW’s documentation or use MIDI Learn.

Mixer Control (Volume & Pan)

Control track volume and panning using CC 7 (Volume) and CC 10 (Pan).

Volume Fader with Velocity:

# Map pad velocity to track volume
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 1

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 7    # Volume
value = 100       # Will be overridden by velocity mapping
channel = 0       # Track 1

# Use velocity mapping to scale velocity to volume
[modes.mappings.action.velocity_mapping]
type = "Linear"
min = 0           # Soft hit = volume 0
max = 127         # Hard hit = volume 127

Pan Control:

# Encoder left/right = pan left/right
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "EncoderTurn"
encoder = 1
direction = "Clockwise"

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 10   # Pan
value = 127       # Full right
channel = 0

MIDI Learn in Your DAW

Most DAWs support MIDI Learn - a feature that lets you map any incoming MIDI message to any parameter by clicking the parameter and moving your controller.

General MIDI Learn Workflow:

  1. Configure Conductor to send a MIDI message when you press a pad:

    [[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 1

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 20  # Arbitrary CC number
value = 127
channel = 0

  2. In your DAW:

    • Enable MIDI Learn mode (varies by DAW)
    • Click the parameter you want to control (e.g., filter cutoff)
    • Press your mapped pad
    • DAW learns the association (CC 20 → filter cutoff)
    • Exit MIDI Learn mode

  3. Test: Press the pad again - the parameter should move!

DAW-Specific MIDI Learn:

  • Logic Pro: Cmd+L → Click parameter → Move controller → Cmd+L to exit
  • Ableton Live: Click “MIDI” button in top right → Click parameter → Move controller → Click “MIDI” again
  • Reaper: Right-click parameter → “Learn” → Move controller
  • FL Studio: Right-click parameter → “Link to controller” → Move controller

Combining with Conditionals

Use Conditional actions to send different MIDI messages based on context (time, active app, mode).

Example: Different Transport Controls for Different DAWs

[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 1

[modes.mappings.action]
type = "Conditional"

# If Logic Pro is frontmost, send CC 115 (Play)
[[modes.mappings.action.conditions]]
type = "AppFrontmost"
bundle_id = "com.apple.logic10"

[modes.mappings.action.then_action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"
message = { type = "CC", controller = 115, value = 127, channel = 0 }

# Otherwise (Ableton), send Note 91
[modes.mappings.action.else_action]
type = "SendMIDI"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"
message = { type = "NoteOn", note = 91, velocity = 127, channel = 0 }

Troubleshooting

MIDI Messages Not Received in DAW

Check Conductor is sending:

# Enable debug logging
DEBUG=1 conductorctl reload

# Press your mapped pad
# You should see: "Sending MIDI: [0x90, 0x3C, 0x64] to port 'IAC Driver Bus 1'"

Check DAW MIDI input settings:

  1. Open DAW preferences/settings
  2. Go to MIDI Input settings
  3. Ensure your virtual port is enabled:
    • Logic Pro: Preferences → MIDI → Inputs → Enable “IAC Driver Bus 1”
    • Ableton Live: Preferences → Link/Tempo/MIDI → MIDI Ports → Enable “Track” and “Remote” for IAC Driver
    • Reaper: Preferences → MIDI Devices → Enable input for virtual port

Check track MIDI input:

  • Make sure the track is set to receive MIDI from your virtual port
  • Enable “Input Monitoring” or “Record Enable” on the track

High Latency / Delayed Response

Symptoms: MIDI messages arrive 50-500ms late

Causes:

  1. DAW Buffer Size: Larger audio buffers = more latency

    • Solution: Reduce buffer size in DAW audio preferences (e.g., 128 or 256 samples)

  2. MIDI Port Polling: Some virtual MIDI implementations poll slowly

    • Solution: Restart DAW and Conductor daemon

  3. System Load: High CPU usage delays MIDI processing

    • Solution: Close unnecessary applications

Test Latency:

# Send test Note On and measure response time in DAW
./target/release/conductorctl send-test-midi

Port Not Found

Error: Port 'IAC Driver Bus 1' is not connected

Solutions:

  1. List available ports:

    conductorctl list-midi-outputs

  2. Check port name matches exactly (case-sensitive):

    # Wrong:
port = "iac driver bus 1"

# Correct:
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

  3. macOS: Verify IAC Driver is online in Audio MIDI Setup

  4. Windows: Ensure loopMIDI is running and port is created

  5. Linux: Check ALSA port exists with aconnect -l

Wrong MIDI Channel

Symptom: MIDI messages sent but DAW doesn’t respond, or wrong track responds

Solution: Check MIDI channel configuration

# MIDI channels are 0-indexed in Conductor config (0-15)
# But displayed as 1-16 in DAWs

# Channel 0 in Conductor = Channel 1 in DAW
[modes.mappings.action.message]
channel = 0  # This is MIDI channel 1

# Channel 15 in Conductor = Channel 16 in DAW
channel = 15  # This is MIDI channel 16

Check DAW track MIDI input channel:

  • Set track to receive from “All Channels” or specific channel that matches your config

Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Port Names

# Instead of generic names:
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"

# Use descriptive names (rename in Audio MIDI Setup):
port = "Conductor → Logic Pro"
port = "Conductor → Ableton"

2. Organize Mappings by Function

Group related controls together in your config:

# Transport Controls
[[modes.mappings]]
# ... Play mapping ...

[[modes.mappings]]
# ... Stop mapping ...

# Mixer Controls
[[modes.mappings]]
# ... Volume mapping ...

[[modes.mappings]]
# ... Pan mapping ...

3. Document Your CC Assignments

# CC 20-29: Filter controls
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 20  # Filter Cutoff
value = 64
channel = 0

# CC 30-39: Effect sends
[[modes.mappings]]
[modes.mappings.action.message]
type = "CC"
controller = 30  # Reverb Send
value = 50
channel = 0

4. Use Velocity Mapping for Expressive Control

# Map pad velocity to filter cutoff for expressive control
[modes.mappings.action.velocity_mapping]
type = "Curve"
curve_type = "Exponential"
intensity = 0.5  # Gentle curve for nuanced control

5. Test Incrementally

  • Add one mapping at a time
  • Test each mapping before adding more
  • Use DEBUG=1 to verify MIDI messages are sent correctly

Next Steps

Ready to control your DAW? Start with the basic transport control example above, then customize to your workflow!