Tutorial: Building Dynamic Workflows

Step-by-step guide to combining velocity curves and conditional actions for powerful context-aware MIDI controller mappings.

Overview

This tutorial will teach you to create sophisticated, context-aware workflows that adapt to:

• Time of day (work hours vs evening)
• Active application (DAW vs browser vs IDE)
• Day of week (weekdays vs weekends)
• Current mode
• How hard you hit the pad

By the end, you’ll build a complete workflow that transforms your MIDI controller into an intelligent assistant.

Prerequisites

• Conductor installed and configured
• Basic TOML editing skills (or use the GUI)
• A MIDI controller connected
• Understanding of basic triggers and actions

Estimated Time: 30-45 minutes

Tutorial Structure

We’ll build three progressively complex workflows:

1. Beginner: Time-based app launcher
2. Intermediate: Velocity-sensitive DAW control
3. Advanced: Multi-condition workflow with nested logic

Workflow 1: Time-Based App Launcher (Beginner)

Goal: Launch Slack during work hours, Discord after hours.

Step 1: Create the Basic Mapping

Open your config.toml and add a new global mapping:

[[global_mappings]]
description = "Smart communication launcher"

[global_mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 8  # Choose your pad number

Step 2: Add the Conditional Action

Add the conditional logic:

[global_mappings.action]
type = "Conditional"

[global_mappings.action.condition]
type = "And"
conditions = [
  { type = "TimeRange", start = "09:00", end = "17:00" },
  { type = "DayOfWeek", days = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] }
]

[global_mappings.action.then_action]
type = "Launch"
app = "Slack"

[global_mappings.action.else_action]
type = "Launch"
app = "Discord"

Step 3: Test the Workflow

1. Save config.toml
2. Config will hot-reload automatically
3. Press your configured pad during work hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
4. Verify Slack launches
5. Press the same pad outside work hours
6. Verify Discord launches

Understanding the Logic

IF (time is 9am-5pm AND day is Monday-Friday):
  Launch Slack
ELSE:
  Launch Discord

GUI Configuration

If using the GUI:

1. Open Mappings view
2. Click “Add Mapping”
3. Set trigger to Note 8
4. Select action type “Conditional”
5. Select condition type “And”
6. Add two sub-conditions:
   • TimeRange: 09:00 to 17:00
   • DayOfWeek: Select Mon-Fri
7. Configure then_action: Launch → Slack
8. Configure else_action: Launch → Discord
9. Save

Workflow 2: Velocity-Sensitive DAW Control (Intermediate)

Goal: Control Logic Pro with velocity-sensitive MIDI notes, boosting soft hits for expressive playing.

Step 1: Create the Mapping

[[modes.mappings]]
description = "Expressive MIDI control"

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

Step 2: Add Velocity Curve

Make soft hits more audible:

[modes.mappings.velocity_mapping]
type = "Curve"
curve_type = "Exponential"
intensity = 0.7  # Strong boost for soft notes

Step 3: Add Conditional DAW Control

Only send MIDI if Logic Pro is running:

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

[modes.mappings.action.condition]
type = "AppRunning"
app_name = "Logic Pro"

[modes.mappings.action.then_action]
type = "SendMidi"
port = "IAC Driver Bus 1"
message_type = "NoteOn"
channel = 0
note = 60  # Middle C
# Velocity is derived from mapped input velocity

[modes.mappings.action.else_action]
type = "Sequence"
actions = [
  { type = "Launch", app = "Logic Pro" },
  { type = "Delay", ms = 2000 },
  { type = "Text", text = "Logic Pro launched, try again" }
]

Step 4: Test the Workflow

1. With Logic Pro closed:

   • Press pad → Logic Pro launches
   • Wait 2 seconds → See notification

2. With Logic Pro running:

   • Press pad softly → Sends MIDI note with boosted velocity
   • Press pad hard → Sends MIDI note at full velocity
   • Notice soft notes are more audible due to exponential curve

Understanding the Flow

Input Velocity → Exponential Curve (boost soft hits) → Mapped Velocity

IF Logic Pro is running:
  Send MIDI with mapped velocity to IAC Driver
ELSE:
  Launch Logic Pro
  Wait 2 seconds
  Show notification

Velocity Curve Effect

Workflow 3: Multi-Condition Smart Assistant (Advanced)

Goal: Create a single pad that adapts to time, app, and velocity for different actions.

The Scenario

We want pad 10 to:

• Work hours + Browser: Open new tab (velocity doesn’t matter)
• Work hours + DAW: Send velocity-sensitive MIDI
• Evening + Any app: Launch entertainment app based on velocity
  • Soft hit: Launch Spotify
  • Hard hit: Launch Steam

Step 1: Create the Foundation

[[global_mappings]]
description = "Adaptive smart pad"

[global_mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 10

Step 2: Configure Velocity Mapping

Use S-Curve for natural dynamics:

[global_mappings.velocity_mapping]
type = "Curve"
curve_type = "SCurve"
intensity = 0.5

Step 3: Build the Conditional Logic

First level: Check if work hours:

[global_mappings.action]
type = "Conditional"

[global_mappings.action.condition]
type = "And"
conditions = [
  { type = "TimeRange", start = "09:00", end = "17:00" },
  { type = "DayOfWeek", days = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] }
]

Step 4: Work Hours Branch (Then Action)

During work hours, check which app is frontmost:

[global_mappings.action.then_action]
type = "Conditional"

[global_mappings.action.then_action.condition]
type = "Or"
conditions = [
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Safari" },
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Chrome" },
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Firefox" }
]

[global_mappings.action.then_action.then_action]
type = "Keystroke"
keys = "t"
modifiers = ["cmd"]  # New tab in browser

[global_mappings.action.then_action.else_action]
type = "Conditional"
condition = { type = "AppRunning", app_name = "Logic Pro" }
then_action = {
  type = "SendMidi",
  port = "IAC Driver Bus 1",
  message_type = "NoteOn",
  channel = 0,
  note = 60
}
else_action = { type = "Text", text = "Work mode: Use browser or DAW" }

Step 5: Evening Branch (Else Action)

Outside work hours, use velocity to choose entertainment:

[global_mappings.action.else_action]
type = "VelocityRange"
soft_max = 64
soft_action = { type = "Launch", app = "Spotify" }
hard_action = { type = "Launch", app = "Steam" }

Complete Workflow

Here’s the full configuration:

[[global_mappings]]
description = "Adaptive smart pad: Browser/DAW at work, entertainment after hours"

[global_mappings.trigger]
type = "Note"
note = 10

[global_mappings.velocity_mapping]
type = "Curve"
curve_type = "SCurve"
intensity = 0.5

[global_mappings.action]
type = "Conditional"

[global_mappings.action.condition]
type = "And"
conditions = [
  { type = "TimeRange", start = "09:00", end = "17:00" },
  { type = "DayOfWeek", days = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] }
]

# Work hours branch
[global_mappings.action.then_action]
type = "Conditional"

[global_mappings.action.then_action.condition]
type = "Or"
conditions = [
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Safari" },
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Chrome" },
  { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "Firefox" }
]

[global_mappings.action.then_action.then_action]
type = "Keystroke"
keys = "t"
modifiers = ["cmd"]

[global_mappings.action.then_action.else_action]
type = "Conditional"
condition = { type = "AppRunning", app_name = "Logic Pro" }
then_action = { type = "SendMidi", port = "IAC Driver Bus 1", message_type = "NoteOn", channel = 0, note = 60 }
else_action = { type = "Text", text = "Work mode: Use browser or DAW" }

# Evening branch
[global_mappings.action.else_action]
type = "VelocityRange"
soft_max = 64
soft_action = { type = "Launch", app = "Spotify" }
hard_action = { type = "Launch", app = "Steam" }

Testing the Advanced Workflow

Scenario 1: Monday 10am, Safari frontmost

• Press pad → New tab in Safari

Scenario 2: Tuesday 2pm, Logic Pro running

• Press pad softly → MIDI note with moderate velocity (S-curve mapped)
• Press pad hard → MIDI note with high velocity

Scenario 3: Friday 8pm

• Press pad softly → Spotify launches
• Press pad hard → Steam launches

Scenario 4: Monday 10am, VS Code frontmost

• Press pad → “Work mode: Use browser or DAW” notification

Understanding the Decision Tree

Input Velocity → S-Curve → Mapped Velocity

IF (weekday AND 9am-5pm):
  IF (browser is frontmost):
    New tab (Cmd+T)
  ELSE IF (Logic Pro running):
    Send MIDI note (mapped velocity)
  ELSE:
    Show notification
ELSE (evening/weekend):
  IF (soft hit, velocity ≤ 64):
    Launch Spotify
  ELSE (hard hit, velocity > 64):
    Launch Steam

Best Practices

1. Start Simple, Build Complexity

Don’t try to build the advanced workflow first. Start with:

1. Single condition
2. Add second condition with And
3. Add nested conditional
4. Add velocity mapping

2. Test Each Layer

After adding each condition:

1. Save config
2. Test the new behavior
3. Verify existing behavior still works
4. Add next layer

3. Use Descriptive Mappings

description = "Work hours: Browser tab OR DAW MIDI | Evening: Spotify/Steam"

Clear descriptions help when debugging.

4. Debug with Text Actions

If behavior is unexpected, temporarily replace actions with Text to see which path executes:

then_action = { type = "Text", text = "THEN path executed" }
else_action = { type = "Text", text = "ELSE path executed" }

5. GUI vs TOML

• Simple conditionals: Use GUI for visual editing
• Nested logic: Use TOML for precision and readability
• Velocity curves: Use GUI for real-time preview graph

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: App-Specific Shortcuts

condition = { type = "AppFrontmost", app_name = "MyApp" }
then_action = { type = "Keystroke", keys = "s", modifiers = ["cmd"] }
else_action = { type = "Text", text = "Not in MyApp" }

Pattern 2: Time-Based Behavior

condition = { type = "TimeRange", start = "22:00", end = "08:00" }
then_action = { type = "Text", text = "Quiet hours - action disabled" }
else_action = { /* normal action */ }

Pattern 3: Launch-or-Control

condition = { type = "AppRunning", app_name = "MyDAW" }
then_action = { /* control command */ }
else_action = { type = "Launch", app = "MyDAW" }

Pattern 4: Velocity-Gated Actions

[velocity_mapping]
type = "Linear"
min = 50
max = 110

[action]
type = "VelocityRange"
soft_max = 70
soft_action = { /* gentle action */ }
hard_action = { /* aggressive action */ }

Troubleshooting

Problem: Condition Never True

Check:

1. Time format is HH:MM (24-hour)
2. App name matches exactly (check Activity Monitor on macOS)
3. Day numbers are correct (Monday=1, not 0)
4. Platform support (AppFrontmost is macOS-only)

Debug:

# Add debug text to both branches
then_action = { type = "Text", text = "Condition TRUE" }
else_action = { type = "Text", text = "Condition FALSE" }

Problem: Wrong Action Executes

Check:

1. Logical operator (And vs Or)
2. Nesting structure (use proper TOML indentation)
3. Short-circuit evaluation (And stops at first false, Or at first true)

Debug:

• Test each sub-condition individually
• Simplify nested logic to isolate issue

Problem: Velocity Curve Doesn’t Feel Right

Solution:

1. Open GUI velocity curve preview
2. Adjust intensity in 0.1 increments
3. Try different curve types:
   • Exponential: Boost soft hits
   • Logarithmic: Tame hard hits
   • S-Curve: Natural feel with sweet spot

Next Steps

Expand Your Workflows

Now that you’ve mastered dynamic workflows, try:

1. Per-App Profiles: Different mappings for different apps
2. Mode-Based Logic: Use ModeIs condition for mode-specific behavior
3. Sequence Actions: Chain multiple actions with delays
4. Advanced Velocity: Combine curves with VelocityRange triggers

Share Your Workflows

Export your config.toml and share with the community:

• GitHub discussions
• Reddit r/midicontrollers
• Discord servers

Learn More

• Guide: Context-Aware Mappings - Deep dive into conditionals
• Guide: Velocity Curves - Master velocity mappings
• Configuration: Actions - All available actions
• Configuration: Triggers - All available triggers

Summary

You’ve learned to:

• ✅ Combine time and app conditions with And/Or logic
• ✅ Use velocity curves for expressive control
• ✅ Build nested conditional logic
• ✅ Create context-aware workflows
• ✅ Test and debug complex mappings
• ✅ Follow best practices for maintainable configs

Your MIDI controller is now an intelligent, context-aware assistant that adapts to your workflow automatically.

Example Configs: See examples/ directory for complete workflow examples:

• work-productivity.toml - Time-based work/personal split
• daw-control.toml - Velocity-sensitive music production
• gaming-streams.toml - Entertainment and streaming control