mFusion Users Guide

Introduction Open Labs mFusion software unifies multiple MIDI interfaces, MIDI keyboards, and MIDI controllers into a single MIDI control panel for assigning MIDI channels, providing keyboard splits, assigning MIDI controllers, and setting other parameters for incoming MIDI data. In mFusion this is all called mapping. Keyboards and other controls may be mapped from one type of MIDI data to another, or mapped to other functions such as keystroke shortcuts, application launching, or even changing the mapping of another MIDI controller. All of the MIDI data mapped by mFusion is unified into four virtual MIDI ports so that any music application may receive data from all attached MIDI controllers through the four MIDI ports. Data from the four MIDI ports are mirrored (i.e. all ports send the exact same midi data). The individual MIDI ports from each separate device remain available, however, for maximum flexibility.

Control Panel Overview

Title bar: -minimize button (minimizes mFusion to the taskbar)

-(X) button hides mFusion but keeps the program running in the background

Preset list: each Preset in the preset may be expanded to show the maps within each preset, and the controls within each map. The preset list also contains the Live view to show the actual current settings of each connected MIDI controller. Panel View: shows the controller panel for the selected map and preset. Control Editor : shows the settings for the particular control selected in the panel view. Global Keyboard Settings shows: Keyboard: shows when a key is pressed on the keyboard

Midi Activity Light: shows any midi activity from the keyboard and connected controllers. Octave Transposing: Shows the shift of notes in increments of +/-12. This transposition occurs before any keyboard ranges are applied, so that key ranges and splits are shifted up and down with the global settings. Semitone Transposing: Shows the shift of notes in increments of +/- 1. This transposition occurs before any keyboard ranges are applied, so that key ranges and splits are shifted up and down with the global settings. -Transposing is displayed on the keyboard in the Keyboard map section and not on the keyboard in this section

Velocity Curve: adjusts the velocity response curve of the keyboard. At lower values, the keyboard becomes less sensitive at medium velocities, while higher values make the keyboard more sensitive at medium velocities.

Control Panel Details

Choose Layout: changes the Controller Layout Image Map Reassign CC: can reassign an individual controllers image as it appears on the controller map and therefore its behavior. Pot: knob image and behavior Button: button image and behavior Encoder: encoder image and behavior Remove CC: will delete the controller image. Midi will continue to be sent from that controller but the image of the controller will not be available for further editing Show Key Layout : At anytime you can change the layout of the controller by pressing Choose Layout. You can reassign a CC by touching the hardware controller and pressing the Reassign CC button. This will allow you to change the controller status from button to encoder or pot. Remove a CC will delete the controller, and show the key layout if the device is a keyboard.

Presets List and Maps

Your Open Labs Keyboard will typically have three or four control panels installed, for example the Master, DJ, or Rotary panels. Each of these is a complete independent USB MIDI controller. In addition, the keyboard itself, including the pitch and modulation wheels, is a MIDI controller. Users may also use MIDI or USB to attach external MIDI controllers; or hold and expression pedals through the ports provided. Each of these MIDI controllers or panels has its own settings within mFusion called a map. Each map contains settings for the buttons, faders, knobs, or other control items that may be mapped. A key feature of mFusion is the ability to make partial maps. For example the Neko Rotary panel has 24 knob controls, but it is possible to make a map that includes only four knobs, or even just one. If a map only includes settings for a few controls, all other controls retain previous settings. Maps may be saved and recalled as needed to apply different controller assignments or MIDI settings for entire panels or individual controls.

Preset List: Located on the left side of the screen, displays the controller maps in presets. Presets can have multiple maps i.e.; you may have a preset with 30 different key splits, or 100 different fader maps.

When you select a preset, you can expand it to view its maps by pressing the + symbol to the left of the title. You then can select the Maps for editing. When you select the map, its controller info will display to the right.

To the right of the selected map (from the preset list), you will see the controller image (top right) and attributes, bottom right. Before a control is selected you will see a square titled Activate. This is used to define which maps are loaded when a preset is made active. If you have more maps than physical controls, you can select which maps are loaded on default.

Selected (will load on preset activation)

Unselected (will have to be manually selected when needed)

Basic Preset List Functionality: Upon Startup, the Live Settings Preset is loaded. Its settings are a recall of the last preset loaded in mFusion. EXAMPLE, you load the Reaper Map and do some work in Reaper. After the session you reboot your Open Labs gear. When mFusion loads it will load the Reaper map into Live Settings. Live Settings is unique in functionality as it accepts changes being made live without confirmation. When editing other presets you will have to press the Make Active button to apply the changes. When creating a new preset, you will have to physically map all controllers on every Map. To do so select the controller and touch the control you wish to map. Then click the Click to Map button.

You can access the preset list by pressing the Preset Menu button or Right-click any where in the left panel.

Preset Menu Button Pressing the Preset Menu Button displays the following commands:

1. New Preset: Creates a new preset in the preset list. By default it will create one map of each controller installed on the machine based off maps currently in the Live Settings.

2. New Map: Creates a new map in a preset. When selected, a list of the

installed controllers will display in a menu for you to choose. Must have preset title selected to get New Map dialog to appear.

3. Save Preset: Saves the preset currently selected 4. Save All Presets: Saves ALL presets in MFusion

5. Cut, Copy, Paste: Performs the selected on any map or preset selected.

6. Delete: Removes the selected preset or selected map

7. Rename: Will allow you to rename the preset or selected map.

8. Calibrate Panel: (Option on some Open Labs models)

Depending on the panel selected, this option will allow you to set the high and low positions of the physical controller. Also, all the LEDs and back-lit buttons will engage. You then can select the dimness or brightness of individual buttons by tapping them.

9. Make Active: Will load the selected map or preset of maps.

Make Active Button Will load (activate) the selected map or preset of maps.

Options Button Below the Preset list you will see an Options button. Pressing the button will launch the Options Menu.

About: Simply displays the control panel, driver version information and on some models the Open Labs model name and firmware versions of connected panels. Pressing Ok or Cancel will close the menu.

General: Settings will allow you to define the size of the graphical keyboard on the Keyboard map and also on the keyboard display in the Global Keyboard Settings area. To make changes take affect, the user must shutdown mFusion (ALT + F4) and re-launch mFusion. This does not affect the actual midi output from the keyboard. This is for graphical display only.

LED Control ( Optional on some Open Labs models/panels): In this dialog, you can click and hold one of the physical buttons on a panel and tap the dimmer or brighter button to adjust its luminance.

Virtual Controls: Virtual Controls displays a selection of Virtual (Touch Screen) controllers you can assign to a Midi CC and Midi Channel. Currently the only available controller is the X-Y Midi Gen.

X-Y Midi Gen: The X-Y Midi Gen is a virtual Pad. By pressing the settings button you can define two independent midi cc, channel, high, and low value settings. You can also change the velocity of the cc# numbers. X-Y pad can also be resized by dragging the edges.

Midi Out: The Midi Out button will display all Third Party Midi output drivers installed on the system. By selecting a Midi out, mFusion will load the Midi driver in the control panel and send all CC channel and note information to that output. When a midi out is selected it is noted by an X in square to the left of the title.

Midi In: The Midi In button will display all Midi input drivers installed on your Open Labs machine. By selecting a Third Party Midi Input you route all midi data from that controller through mFusion, thus giving it the flexibility of the Open Labs Controllers. .

When selecting a Third Party controller such as an X-Session, a dialog asking you to pick a layout for the device will appear. For new devices select new and name the device. After that you will see the new controller appear in Live Settings, as well as seeing it crossed in the Midi in list. Press Ok on the Options box to close the Options Menu.

Defining the third party controls: Your new controller will be displayed as a blank area with question marks until you define the controls on the featured device.

. To start mapping the new controls, simply turn the controls on the device. Doing so will display a prompt asking you to define the functionality of the controller.

Pot: knob image and behavior Button: button image and behavior Encoder: encoder image and behavior Press Ok when you have made your selection and the control will populate the blank controller space. Clicking on the new entry in the Preset List, will display the screen shown above. Panel Name: A text box for entering the name of the Panel Block Program Change: does not pass through Program Change messages Block Bank Select: does not pass through Bank Select messages Block Out Aftertouch: does not pass through Aftertouch messages Block CCs: does not pass through CC messages Pass CCs through unmapped: passes through CC messages without remapping in mFusion

Block Pitch/Mod Wheels: does not pass through midi messages sent through the external Pitch/Mod wheels Pass Pitch/Mod Wheels through unmapped: passes through Pitch/Mod wheels messages without remapping in mFusion Press and touch every controller and define it. When you are completed the Controller space will look somewhat like this:

You now can reassign the controls on your third party device to different values. This will help you avoid midi conflicts with your current controllers. Notice the Layout Controls buttons to the right of the controller space. At anytime you can change the layout of the controller by pressing Choose Layout. You can reassign a CC by touching the hardware controller and pressing the Reassign CC button. This will allow you to change the controller status from button to encoder or pot. Remove a CC will delete the controller, and show the key layout if the device is a keyboard.

Keyboard Map and Key Splits

The Keyboard Map: The keyboard map is special as it is always active in some form. If it isnt you CANT PLAY THE KEYBOARD!!! When selected (see below) will display the controller info to the right of the preset list in two layers. The top layer shows the graphic display along with the Key Range per MIDI channel selection. The selected Midi Channel will be highlighted dark with its info displayed in the lower section of the screen. By default only channel 1 is open. The Bottom Section: Key Split Name: User can change the name of the Key Split Open up key split: Activates Key Split for that Midi Channel. Turns display of keyboard in upper section on Close key split: De-activates Key Split for that Midi Channel. Turns display of keyboard in upper section off/grayed out High key range/Low key range: defines the start and end notes of the selected key split. Highest possible value and Lowest possible value are defined by the settings of the Master Control Panel Keyboard in the Options dialog. Keys that are active within a Key split are white. Keys that are black are inactive. Each channel can also be transposed by semitone or octaves

Send Pitch Wheel: Dark square means its enabled and this key split will respond to Pitch Wheel messages. If square is white it will not Send Mod Wheel: Dark square means its enabled and this key split will respond to Mod Wheel messages. If square is white it will not. Send Hold Pedal: Dark square means its enabled and this key split will respond to midi messages sent by an attached Hold Pedal. If square is white it will not. Send Expression Pedal: Dark square means its enabled and this key split will respond to midi messages sent by an attached Expression Pedal. If square is white it will not. Send AfterTouch: Dark square means its enabled and this key split will respond to Aftertouch. If square is white it will not

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Other Controller Types: The Open Labs devices feature four types of controllers, Slider (pots), Knobs (also pots), Encoders, and Buttons. Each type has specific editing attributes. Sliders and Knobs: When touching a fader or knob on a selected controller the selected fader will highlight blue and display its info.

Unselected Selected

Users can name the slider and change the pot type to the following. (CC is selected by default.) Users can change the CC number being sent, to what channel it should go to, along with the highest and lowest values. This is good for setting a sweet spot for a desired control parameter, by avoiding extremes

CC: controller Volume: controller will provide a digital control over your sound card volume control panel. Pitch Bend: controller will perform a pitch bend on the midi input Aftertouch: controller will send aftertouch messages. Mod Wheel: controller will send Mod Wheel messages. Sustain: controller will send Sustain Expression: controller will send Expression

Users can invert the slider and disable if desired.

Invert: will invert the values sent, i.e. the highest point of the slider will be 0 instead of 127 Disable: disables the midi message from being routed to the application or the midi out

Encoders: Users can name the encoder, change the CC value, channel value, high and low value, init value, sensitivity, and tell it to behave like a knob, or encoder, making them useful in software that doesnt support encoders. Since encoders are continuous, the Wrap button, will start the cc data over when the highest value is reached. You can also disable and invert the encoder. Init Value: since encoders do not have a clear start/stop point like Knobs and therefore no set 0; here the user can set that value (0-127) Sensitivity: determines how big of a step a turn of the encoder changes the value (0-127) The default is 1.0

Buttons: Every Open Labs controller features buttons. Buttons have a very wide range of functions, more than any other controller type. They can be named, can send midi CCs, keystrokes, launch apps, perform map changes, transpose the keyboard, send program changes, and midi notes.

Midi CC:

Midi CC#: which midi CC# is sent Midi Ch: Which Midi Channel the CC is sent to.

Button Mode: . Toggle - one press sends the max value (127 On) and a second press sends the min value (0 Off). Momentary - max value (127 On) is sent when the button is pressed and held. When you release the button min value is sent (0 Off). Keystroke: Setting a button to keystroke allows you to assign a QWERTY key command to a button giving you quick access to common used functions. To assign, simply press the learn button, then, press the key command you wish to assign.

App Launch: To assign a button to launch an application select App Launch in the Button Type field, then click browse.

This will display a menu to find and select your app. See below.

Simply select the app, shortcut, or file you wish to launch with the button. Map Change: To select a different mFusion Map, select Map Change in the Button Type menu, then press the select button.

This will open the map selection menu. Every map of every preset will be displayed for you to choose from.

Transpose: Transpose options are simple. Select the amount of positive or negative semitones you wish transpose (-36 to 128). Select Absolute if you wish to define a specific key setting, for direct jumping to a note or no transpose for example. Relative settings are used to free transpose up and down the key scale. For example, if set to 6 and the button pressed once, the note will be transposed 6 notes up, hit twice the note will be transposed 6 again; for a total of 12 notes.

Program Change: Program changes allow you to navigate through a VSTis individual presets. You can select positive and negative values in the Program Change field to navigate up and down an instrument. Since some instruments are channel sensitive to this command you can change the midi channel as well. Similar to transpose, you can select absolute or relative program changes. Lets say you want a button to switch you back to your favorite piano sound. You would set it to the absolute value of the preset number.

Midi Note: By selecting Midi Note in the Button Type menu, you can tell a button to send a midi note on and off in a momentary and toggle setting. You can enter the note value manually or press the learn button and press the desired note on the keyboard. Toggle to turn a note on with an initial press and off with a second. Momentary will make you to hold the button to continue the note. Releasing the button will send note off command. Since the buttons are not velocity sensitive, you can adjust the velocity of the note, and also direct it to a specific midi channel.

Text Editor (Depending on Open Labs model): The text editor allows you change the text on an Open Labs LCD based controller. Its primary use is defining the unlabeled buttons on the Alpha Master Control. Each text box can hold five characters so abbreviations are a must in some cases.

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