VMCI Plus

VMCI (Virtual Midi Control Interface) Plus is a shareware program which allows to send most MIDI data to a MIDI device by means of gestural actions on the computer keyboard and mouse. VMCI Plus is fully configurable and provides a total control of MIDI messages, even without any MIDI interface card and without any external MIDI keyboard or controller. This program is primarily designed to control real-time versions of Csound (CsoundAV in particular),  however it can also be used with any internal or external MIDI device or computer programs such as sequencers. It provides several panels with virtual sliders, virtual joysticks and virtual piano-keyboard. The newer version of the program (VMCI Plus 2) allows to change more than one parameter at the same time by means of the new Hyper-Vectorial Synthesis control. VMCI supports 7-bit data as well as the higher resolution 14-bit data that can be handled by the newer versions of Csound.

VMCI Plus features:

1. An arbitrary number of completely configurable 7-bit slider panels. Each panel can handle up to 2048 controllers (16 MIDI channel X 128 controllers = 2048). The user can modify each controller by means of a slider.  When moving a slider, a stream of MIDI control change messages are sent to the MIDI out port, according to slider position. Most sliders are hidden from current view, because a maximum of 64 sliders can be visualized at the same time in each panel (assuming the screen resolution is big enough). The user The number of visualized sliders can be adjusted by the user for each panel.
2. An arbitrary number of completely configurable 14-bit slider panels. Each panel can handle up to 1024 parameter. Similar to 7-bit slider panels, but offers a double data resolution. Each parameter is handled by means of two controllers, the first handling the most significant data byte, the second the less significant one. Up to 32 sliders can be visualized at the same time in each panel (assuming the screen resolution is big enough). The number of visualized sliders can be adjusted by the user for each panel.
3. An arbitrary number of 7-bit virtual joystick (mouse-sensitive areas) panels. It is possible to modify two parameter at the same time by dragging the mouse pointer inside a mouse-sensitive area. These areas are similar to the 'xyin' opcode of Csound. Each panel can handle up to 2048 controllers. Up to 10 joystick areas can be visualized at the same time in each panel, handling 20 controllers. The number of visualized joystick areas can be adjusted by the user, for each panel.
4. An arbitrary number of 14-bit virtual joystick (mouse-sensitive areas) panels.  Each panel can handle up to 1024 parameters. Similar to 7-bit joystick panels, but offers a double data resolution. Each panel can visualize up to 2 areas a time, handling 4 parameters. The number of visualized joystick areas can be adjusted by the user for each panel.
5. Each slider panel can be instantly converted into a virtual joystick panel and vice-versa, preserving all current parameter values and positions.
6. Each slider (or joystick) of a panel can be moved not only by the mouse, but also by incoming MIDI control-change messages. This allows remote control of sliders (joysticks). The assignments of each remote MIDI message can be freely configured by the user.
7. Snapshots. All the slider (joystick) positions of each panel can be stored into a 'snapshot'. Up to 128 snapshots can be created in each panel. Each one of these snapshots can be instantly recalled by pushing a button.  When a snapshot is recalled, all slider positions are updated according to the corresponding snapshot content, and all MIDI control-change messages, corresponding to the new slider positions, are sent to the MIDI OUT port. Each snapshot can be also associated to an incoming MIDI note-on or program-change message, in order to allow remote recalling of any snapshot, belonging to any panel.
8. HVS (Hyper Vectorial Synthesis). VMCI Plus allows to modify hundreds of parameters with a single mouse motion, according to a structure configured by the user. This control method is called Hyper Vectorial Synthesis Control (see below). Each slider/joystick panel has an HVS panel associated to it. In each HVS panel there are two HVS areas: a one-dimensional area and a two-dimensional one. Normally the user interacts with these areas with the mouse, however a remote MIDI control is possible, by assigning the pointer motion inside each area to one or more incoming MIDI control-change messages.
9. Virtual Keyboard. This keyboard looks piano-like, but each button can be reconfigured in order to send any  kind of MIDI messages. The buttons can also activate a snapshot belonging to any slider/joystick panel. Each button can be associated to a key of the alphanumeric keyboard, as well as to an incoming MIDI message, allowing remote control of events joined with each button.

Differences between VMCI Plus
and previous versions

N.B. Previous versions are still available

How to install VMCI Plus

To install MSVC you must follow the next steps:

1. Download the zipped archive, create a folder named "c:csound"" and unzip the archive in that directory, preserving the directory structure.
2. Create a shortcut of the executable file (VMCI Plus.exe) in the desktop and/or in the start menu in order to make it faster to start it.

Here is the installation procedure to use VMCI Plus with CsoundAV:

1. If DirectX (version 5.0 or higher) is not already present on your computer, then download and Install Microsoft DirectX package. This step isn't necessary with Windows 98/ME/2000/XP.
2. Download CsoundAV at the following url:
         http://csounds.com/maldonado/download.htm
   then  unzip and copy all content of CsoundAV archive in the folder named  "c:csound"".
3. Install Hubi's Loopback virtual MIDI device. It is included in the VMCI Plus zipped archive. Create a folder named c:csoundMidiCable and unzip the content of archive mdlpbk25.zip in that folder (note that under Win2000/XP/NT Hubi's loopback doesn't work. In this case you have to downolad Midi Yoke, that does the same thing at the following url: http://www.midiox.com/ , be sure that the version you download is suited for Win2000/XP/NT)
   
   The loopback device must be installed as a device. Here is a quote from the installation notes.
   Windows 95: Start->Settings->ControlPanel->Hardware Continue-> [No] ->Continue -> [ Audio/Video/Game Controller ] ->Continue ->Diskette -> [ enter the unzipped directory (c:csoundMidiCable) ] ...
   Then you will see a list with "Hubi's Loopback v250", select this, some OK and restart Windows when asked about it.
   (See Hubi's loopback manual for more information).
   
4. Create a shortcut to  hwmdcabl.exe on the desktop and/or in the start menu in order to make it faster to start it.
5. Start VMCI and configure the MIDI port (button "MIDI setup"), the Csound Settings (button" CsoundSettings") and start a real-time orc/sco pair to test it.
6. OPTIONAL: Download and install MIDI-OX program (available separately; it is useful to monitor incoming/outgoing MIDI messages) by clicking on midioxe.exe file.