Micromap

Micromap is a Norns script for mapping incoming MIDI notes to a set of outgoing MPE MIDI notes. Each mapped note can include its own base note, pitch bend value, and velocity value.

It's similar to my Ripchord script except that the chords being sent can be microtonal.

Warning

Project is a WIP and not currently stable

Usage

Requirements:

• non-MPE MIDI input device
• MPE enabled device to send MIDI MPE to

Usage

Connect a MIDI controller to Norns so that you can send MIDI notes. Connect MIDI out to a device that supports MPE.

Micromap accepts one MIDI note at a time and maps that note to between 1 and 15 outgoing notes.

Controls

• e2: select parameter
• e3: adust parameter
• k2 + e3: fast adjust
• k2: select
• k3: shift
• k3 + k2: save
• k3 + e2: latch notes on (right) off (left)
• k3 + e3: follow mode on (right) off (left)

Reading the keyboard

The keyboard helps to reference a few things:

• The lit note is the current trigger note being edited
• Filled notes mean that the note has been edited from the default configuration
• The dot below the keyboard is the base note for the current output note being edited
• The dot above the keyboard is the currently pressed incoming note

Parameters

• Trig: select which incoming note you want to edit
• Note (1-15): select which of the outgoing notes you want to edit
  • Base (0-127): the base note of the selected output note
  • Bend (0-16383): the pitch bend value of the selected output note (8192 is no bend); MPE devices should map this between -24/+24 semitones
  • Velo (0-127): the velocity of the selected output note
• Delete key map (on the first note): delete the complete mapping for the selected trigger note; only available if the mapping has been changed from the default
• Delete note (on notes after the first note): delete selected output note; only available if there are more than one output notes

Editing a mapping

• Use Trig to select the incoming note you'd like to edit
• Use Base, Bend, and Velo to adjust the pitch and velocity of the output note
• Use Note to add/edit additional output notes (up to 15) for a trigger note
• Use Delete note to remove an output note from a mapping
• Use Delete key map to restore mapping to its default state
• Turn on latch notes (k3 + e2) to hold the last played note while you're editing; you'll see a lock on the screen when it's enabled
• Use follow mode (k3 + e3) to change the editing page when receiving a new MIDI in node; you'll see an arrow on the screen when it's enabled

Tip

The standard MPE pitch bend range is ±48 semitones (97 possible semitones: -48, 0, +48). This is mapped in MIDI to 0-16383 (16384 possible values). That means there's ≈168.9 MIDI steps per semitone (16384/97).

If 8192 is the center (no pitch bend), then 8024 would be one semitone down and 8360 would be one semitone up.

Just make sure your MPE device uses the ±48 range.

Save a preset

• Press k3 + k2 to open the save prompt
• Select a display name for the preset
• Select a file name for the preset
• Preset will be saved as data/micromap/presets/user/[NAME].mmap

Load a preset

• Go to the Norns PARAMETERS menu (k1 + e1)
• Enter the EDIT menu (k3)
• Scroll down to preset path (e2)
• Enter with k3 and use the menu to select a preset

PSETs

There are global parameters for:

• midi in device: which MIDI device to listen to
• midi in channel: which MIDI channel to listen to
• midi out device: which MIDI device to send MPE data to
• preset path: load a preset

Preset format

Presets are saved as XML in data/micromap/presets/user. The format is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<micromap>
  <preset name="Base">
    <trigger note="42">
      <!-- remap note to a different note without microtuning -->
      <note base="69" bend="8192" velocity="127"/>
    </trigger>
    <trigger note="60">
      <!-- play one note three times, each with a different microtuning -->
      <note base="60" bend="8092" velocity="127"/>
      <note base="60" bend="8192" velocity="127"/>
      <note base="60" bend="8292" velocity="127"/>
    </trigger>
    <trigger note="69">
      <!-- I don't know if this would sound good or not -->
      <note base="69" bend="8675" velocity="120"/>
      <note base="42" bend="8888" velocity="66"/>
    </trigger>
  </preset>
</micromap>

• preset
  • name: the display name of the preset
• trigger
  • note (0-127): the note you press to trigger the mapping output
• note
  • base (0-127): the starting note that will be sent as a MIDI note on message
  • bend (0-16383): the pitch offset; MPE devices should map this to -24/+24 semitones
  • velocity (0-127): the velocty for the MIDI note on message