M-Audio Digital DJ System manual Midi Learn, Keyboard Learn, Assigning Buttons to Knobs or Sliders

Torq MixLab User Guide » Chapter 6 27

MIDI Learn

Every musician approaches their craft from a slightly different direction. DJing is no different. That is why Torq LE is basically a blank slate when run for the first time—there are no pre-set control assignments for any of the buttons, knobs, or sliders seen on screen for you to memorize. Instead, you get to assign the most important controls for you to whatever MIDI controls make the most sense to you.

Creating a MIDI Assignment

Torq LE uses a simple MIDI Learn scheme to make assigning controls on your MIDI controllers a breeze:

1.Right-click (CTRL-click on Mac) the button, knob, or slider you wish to control via MIDI. The control will be highlighted in red indicating that Torq LE is standing by.

2.Move the desired control on your MIDI controller. That is, move the knob or slider you want to use or press the button/key you wish to use.

3.Torq LE will intercept the incoming MIDI message and will instantly assign it to the control. The red highlight will disappear and the MIDI control will be active.

Clearing a MIDI Assignment

If you’ve assigned a MIDI control using MIDI Learn and you wish to clear the assignment, simply right-click (CTRL-click on Mac) the desired control in Torq LE, then press the Delete key on your computer’s keyboard. Any assignments for the control will be erased.

Changing MIDI Assignment

If you assign a MIDI knob, for example, to the Low EQ in the Mixer, you can assign it to the Mid EQ by simply right- clicking (CTRL-click on Mac) the Mid EQ knob and moving the MIDI Knob. Doing so will clear the assignment to the Low EQ knob and the MIDI control will now be mapped to the Mid EQ knob. This allows you to use a small controller for Torq LE since you can continually reassign its controls without worrying about what the previous assignments were.

Keyboard Learn

You can also use your computer’s keyboard to control elements of the Torq LE interface using the same method as MIDI Learn above. Simply right-click (CTRL-click for Mac) on a control on screen, then press a key on your keyboard. That key will then be assigned to the selected control. The same method for changing and clearing MIDI assignments described above also works for keyboard assignments.

Assigning Buttons to Knobs or Sliders

If you so desire, you can assign a MIDI button/key or a key on your computer’s keyboard to a knob or slider in Torq’s interface. When doing this, pressing the MIDI button or key will cause the knob or slider’s value to toggle between an assignable minimum and maximum value. For example, assign the “X” key on your computer keyboard to the Low EQ knob. Turn up the EQ to +6 using the mouse, then press the “X” key on your keyboard. The EQ will jump to 0. Press “X” again, and the EQ will jump back up to +6.

Assigning Knobs or Sliders to Buttons

Conversely, you could assign a MIDI knob or slider to one of Torq’s buttons. When doing this, the button will turn on anytime the knob or slider is turned past its halfway point (outputting a MIDI value greater than 64). The button will turn back off when the knob or slider is moved lower than its halfway point.