User Manual

CUSTOM CONSOLES
688
CUSTOM CONSOLE BASICS
Custom Console control items serve two functions.
First, they monitor MIDI data being played from
their target track or MIDI channel, animating in
real time to reflect the data’s current value. For
example, let’s say you have a track containing a
stream of controller #1 (mod wheel) data, and the
controllers increase in value over the span of two
measures of music (in the range from zero to 127).
A control item assigned to monitor controller #1 in
the track will move as the track is played back,
reflecting the changes in the values of the
controller.
Secondly, control items generate new continuous
MIDI controller data in real time when you take
control of them, and send the data to either a MIDI
device or track. When you take control of a control
item, the new data that it generates overrides the
data already in the track.
To demonstrate this, let’s return to the mod wheel
example above. If you play back the track and grab
the control item with the mouse half way through
the stream of mod wheel data, you will take control
of the track with the control item. The mod wheel
data remains in the track (assuming that recording
is not engaged), but it does not get played as long as
you are gripping the control item with the mouse. If
you release the control item, it will immediately
begin monitoring the existing data in the track
again.
In summary, control items monitor continuous
data being played back from their target track or
MIDI channel. Grabbing a control item generates
new data which overrides the data in its target
track. During playback (Digital Performer is not
recording), the new data does not modify the
track; it only temporarily overrides the continuous
data in the track. (If recording is engaged, then
your new moves replace existing data. More on this
later in the chapter.)
BUILDING A CUSTOM CONSOLE
Custom Console controls are created and displayed
in custom console windows. You can create as
many custom console windows as you like. They
save, close, and open like other Digital Performer
windows. They are saved with the file in which you
create them, although the Load command (File
menu) can export them to other projects.
If you would like to create your own customized
console, you can open a new, blank custom
console. To do so, choose New Console from Project
menu > Consoles or any console’s window target
menu.
Quick Reference
A new, empty console window appears. It has a
standard title bar with close, minimize, and zoom
buttons, a window target menu, mini-menu and
grow box like a standard Digital Performer
window. Drag the title bar to move it. Click the
close box to close it.
Figure 56-2: A new custom console.
Window target: This displays the current console.
If you have more than one console in your project,
you can switch between them with this menu, or
create a new console. You can also open multiple
Console windows from the Project > Consoles
menu.
Window target menu
Control
item area
Edit palette
Mini-menu