External Inputs

Use MIDI controllers or local OSC messages to control parameters, layer visibility, and playback. Live mode adds continuous input regions; Still uses direct assignments; Video supports playback control.

Last updated About 2 hours ago

In: Workspace

Connect MIDI or OSC

Open External Inputs beside Canvas Output and Audio in the right toolbar. Select your MIDI input and/or enable OSC on a loopback port, then choose Connect. Open Input monitor to check incoming messages. Connecting and monitoring alone do not change the composition; Enable control arms assigned inputs. Closing the inspector leaves the connection running. Disconnect closes it.

Control a parameter in Live

Switch to Live. Open a numeric parameter's fx menu and choose External inputs → MIDI input or OSC input. This creates an unassigned input region on that parameter's timeline track and selects its inspector. You can also use Mappings → + → Target / Input → Create mapping. Configure or learn the source in the region inspector, then turn on Enable control. You can author assignments before connecting; Learn needs a connected input. Eligible controls include supported Liquify anchor and Puppet Warp pin parameters.

Assign the source and range

Use Learn MIDI input or Learn OSC input, or enter the source manually. Numeric MIDI inputs use a channel and Control Change number. An absolute fader picks up when it reaches or crosses the current evaluated value. Binary-offset relative encoders use value minus 64 and offer sensitivity. Set Output range and Invert; OSC also has Input range so, for example, incoming −10…10 can drive 0…100. Copy the exact OSC address from the inspector or mapping options. OSC listens only on 127.0.0.1, under /madphase/controls/; it does not accept LAN senders or address patterns.

Work with continuous input regions

A Live input spans the whole project. Select it to edit, copy, disable, or delete it; it cannot be moved, trimmed, or resized. Existing keyframes remain underneath. Disable the input or Enable control to release the parameter back to authored animation. Once acquired, its held value survives Pause, Play, seeks, and loop wraps. A manual key's context menu can explicitly Replace with MIDI input or Replace with OSC input in one undo step. Controller input is not recorded into editable keyframes.

Control layer visibility

In Live, use the layer footer's visibility fx menu to add MIDI input or OSC input. MIDI visibility accepts CC or Note buttons. Switch uses nonzero for visible and zero for hidden; Momentary button toggles on each new press and ignores release. OSC zero/nonzero sets hidden/visible after normalization. Invert reverses switch states. Visibility has no numeric output range or fader pickup.

Control playback

Under Mappings, choose +, a playback Target, and MIDI or OSC, then Create mapping. Targets include Play / Pause, Play, Pause, Stop, Previous frame, Next frame, Jump to start, Jump to end, and Loop. Learn MIDI assigns a button; choosing OSC creates its exact action address. Options → Add OSC input can add OSC to a MIDI mapping. Momentary buttons act on press; Play/Pause switches use nonzero to play and zero to pause. Send integer 1 to trigger an OSC playback action. Playback mappings work in Video and Live.

Choose the appropriate mode

Still keeps untimed direct parameter assignments without a timeline. Video leaves saved parameter inputs intact but inactive and renders authored animation for preview and export. Its fx menus and mapping draft offer no parameter input authoring. Return to Live and send fresh input to take over again. Live external control remains separate from AI control (MCP) in Settings → Integrations.

Save and reopen

Assignments and source settings save with the project. Save after choosing the connection and Enable control state: reopening restores those saved choices after loading, using the exact saved device rather than an arbitrary replacement. A missing or busy device reports an error while retaining the assignment. Saved-off control stays off; reopening never starts Learn. Routine editing, undo, and saving preserve enabled control; busy operations pause application temporarily and resume automatically.

madphase 1.4.0

Was this helpful?

Still need help? Ask the team