uiMidiKeyboard keyboard shortcuts for changing octave and velocity

[synthmutt]

I just realized that component uiMidiKeyboard accepts computer keyboard keys A, S, D, etc. (when the keyboard component has the focus) and generates MIDI notes, after using it for a while only with the mouse; and, using the keyboard keys allows playing chords. Part of the reason that I hadn't noticed is that with a newly-created uiMidiKeyboard component, keyboard letter A was generating MIDI note number zero (too low for the synth to respond). I happened to notice in the MIDI Monitor that note on/off were being generated. I now see that in the panel editor, component property "key press for middle octave" can change the octave of the generated notes. Velocity for every note-on is at maximum (127).

Does uiMidiKeyboard have keyboard shortcuts which control the octave range, and the velocity? I tried but didn't find any such shortcuts. I was expecting something similar to GarageBand, where Z = octave down, X = octave up, C = lower velocity, V = higher velocity. If there are no predefined shortcuts for those, can a Lua method be written to intercept those keys and make those changes?

(I did find component property uiMidiKeyboardBaseOctaveKeyPress, which appears to be what the panel editor changes, so I could create a separate component which changes that property for the uiMidiKeyboard component; but I was hoping to just have uiMidiKeyboard itself respond.)

[damiensellier]

Hi, there's no shortcuts for octave keyswitch yet.
We can add key combos to change any parameters listed here :
https://docs.juce.com/master/classMidiKeyboardComponent.html

setKeyPressBaseOctave() seems to be the one you're looking for right ?
https://docs.juce.com/master/classMidiKeyboardComponent.html#ad79211e120662c2ce6079e78f724209f

Changes the base note above which key-press-triggered notes are played.
The set of key-mappings that trigger notes can be moved up and down to cover the entire scale using this method.
The value passed in is an octave number between 0 and 10 (inclusive), and indicates which C is the base note to which the key-mapped notes are relative.

It's easy to add in Ctrlr code, the midiKeyboard functions are declared in :

/Source/UIComponents/CtrlrComponents/Specials/CtrlrMidiKeyboard.cpp

https://github.com/damiensellier/CtrlrX/blob/master/Source/UIComponents/CtrlrComponents/Specials/CtrlrMidiKeyboard.cpp

EDIT :
For later help, this keyswitches topic has been covered here : https://forum.juce.com/t/fr-midikeyboardcomponent-to-allow-multiple-key-bindings-to-the-same-note/50390

[synthmutt]

Thanks! Although I was hoping for a keypress for octave change, instead I was able to create a separate button next to the keyboard component for octave up which adds 12 to property uiMidiKeyboardLowestVisibleKey and adds 1 to uiMidiKeyboardBaseOctaveKeyPress, and an octave down button which subtracts from those. After clicking either of the octave change buttons, must click on the keyboard component to give it back the focus in order to receive keypresses again.

[damiensellier]

It's possible to add it, it's pretty easy. The keyboard will need the focus on though, it will work once clicked for exemple.

If you are able to provide the different keyswitches (better if it's generic) you're used to I'll add it in the next release.

[synthmutt]

Z = octave down, X = octave up would do it

Also: is this the correct way in Lua to change the focus back to another component (named "MidiKeyboard")?

panel:getModulatorByName("MidiKeyboard"):getComponent():grabKeyboardFocus()

I have this working with the separate octave buttons, but as soon as the octave button is released, I want to force the focus back to the keyboard component instead of having to mouse-click on it each time before being able to press keys to play notes. This appears to do that with the older release of Ctrlr that I'm using - hoping that it continues to be supported in newer releases.

[damiensellier]

I'll add those keyswitches in the next release. if the keyboard has focus.
yes grabKeyboardFocus() should work on the component
You can also use setHasFocusOutline to utline the keyboard when it is focused on : panel:getModulatorByName("MidiKeyboard"):getComponent():setHasFocusOutline(true)