What is MIDIBridge

MIDIBridge is a software application developed specifically for the Percussa AudioCubes hardware. It lets you use the AudioCubes with your existing MIDI compatible instruments or software for audio or visuals, such as Max/MSP, SuperCollider, Pure Data (PD), Reaktor, Resolume, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Propellerheads Reason, Cubase, Logic, EnergyXT2, … and many others.

What can I do with MIDIBridge

The software can be used in a variety of scenarios, such as live performance, art installation work, sound design, … basically any situation in which you want to use AudioCubes with a MIDI compatible instrument or software. We designed the software with the professional live performer in mind. You can read more about using MIDIBridge with AudioCubes in live performance here.

How does MIDIBridge work

Up to four cubes can be connected using USB cables to a computer running MIDIBridge software. No drivers needed, the software talks directly to the hardware and looks and works the same on Mac and PC. Around these four cubes multiple wireless cubes can be used to generate notes, which can be sent via MIDI. A MIDI output and input port can be configured per cube connected with a cable.

Besides generating notes using the cubes, it’s also possible to use the cubes’ sensors to sense distances to your hands, other cubes or any other object you might want to use. The distances can be sent as a MIDI controller, or can be converted into a note trigger. The ranges, scaling and inversion of the controller data can also be configured in MIDIBridge.

For visual feedback, you can control the cubes’ colours using MIDI controllers. Intensity can be controlled for the red, green and blue channels. If you’d rather assign colour intensities to distances measured by the cubes, that’s also possible. If you have software or hardware sending a MIDI clock signal, the colours can be tied to the tempo of the MIDI clock too.

Finally, to make quick setup possible, you can save your configuration settings as a preset file. To help you get started quickly with MIDIBridge we have a number of templates / sound packs available for popular audio software. You can use these as a starting point.

MIDIBridge itself doesn’t make any sound, because it was developed to let you use AudioCubes with your existing instruments or software. If you’re looking for an application that can make sound by itself using AudioCubes, you might want to check out LoopShaper, another free application from Percussa for AudioCubes. LoopShaper lets you load your favourite VST audio instruments and maps them automatically to the AudioCubes. If you don’t have any VST instruments yet you can find some free ones at http://www.kvr-vst.com/. There are quite a few excellent VST instruments available for free.

Requirements

• AudioCubes and associated software work with computers running Mac OSX 10.4 or later, or Windows XP SP2 or later. Works with Vista, Windows 7, Leopard and Snow Leopard. No drivers necessary.
• One USB 1.1 or later port is required to configure the AudioCubes.
• We recommend to have at least 256MB of RAM in your computer, 600MB free disk space (for sound libraries) and a Pentium 3 or Mac G3 or later processor.

Number of AudioCubes

• Recommended: 4 or more
• Minimum: 1

Compatibility

• MIDI
• USB 1.1 (HID)

Pricing

Free!

More information

• Download the software from our downloads page.
• Read the manual for MIDIBridge here (available in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese and French)

Scenarios in which MIDIBridge can be used

• Live performance
• Sound design
• Music production
• Education
• Research
• Art, science, museum installations and exhibits

Videos submitted by people using MIDIBridge

MIDIBridge and Ableton Live

In this video Noone is performing live in Lyon using AudioCubes and MIDIBridge. Sequencing done in Ableton Live.

MIDIBridge and Ableton Live

In this video Noone is performing live in Lyon using AudioCubes and MIDIBridge. Sequencing done in Ableton Live.

MIDIBridge and Ableton Live

Create MIDI note on/off using relationships between AudioCubes to trigger loops, samples or enable/disable effects and controls. Create continuous MIDI controllers using your hands and cubes to control effect parameters. For example, control filter cutoff frequency in Ableton Live.

In this movie the performer uses the cubes and his hands to trigger sounds and effects in Ableton Live. The video was submitted by Jeremie, one of our users of AudioCubes.

If you’re looking for some examples and sounds to get started with AudioCubes in Ableton Live, check out our sound packs which are available in our shop at http://shop.percussa.com/

MIDIBridge and Hobnox Audiotool

In this video AudioCubes are used with popular online music platform Hobnox Audiotool, using the MIDIBridge software.

MIDIBridge and FL Studio

This video was submitted by one of our users, Spyro, from Venezuela. It’s quite a detailed tutorial on using AudioCubes with FL Studio via our MIDIBridge software. Note that we also have a soundpack available for FL Studio in our online shop at http://shop.percussa.com/

MIDIBridge with Propellerheads Reason

If you are a Reason user, you can use the AudioCubes very easily using the remote codec which is freely available (see the latest release available from our software downloads page), or you can just use a general MIDI input device in Reason. In both cases you can use MIDIBridge with AudioCubes to control Reason. The video below was submitted by Oku-san from MI7 in Japan during the Propellerheads Producer Conference in the Superclub in Tokyo.

If you’re looking for some examples and sounds to get started with AudioCubes in Reason, check out our sound packs which are available in our shop at http://shop.percussa.com/

MIDIBridge and the Elektron Machinedrum

In this movie two cubes are connected to a laptop which converts hand movements made in proximity to the cubes into various continuous MIDI controllers, which are then sent to an Elektron Machinedrum through a MIDI interface. You can control any MIDI-compatible device or software using the AudioCubes. Note that the housing for the AudioCubes shown in this demo has been customized by request. In the video, the cubes are played by Tobias Von Hofsten (aka ONE).