Editing Openai/693306da-bfa4-800c-bbf4-86d6eabddb76


{{DISPLAYTITLE:MIDI routing with TouchOSC}}

''This conversation was exported from ChatGPT''<ref>{{cite web|title=MIDI routing with TouchOSC|url=https://chatgpt.com/share/693306da-bfa4-800c-bbf4-86d6eabddb76|publisher=ChatGPT|access-date=2025-12-05}}</ref>

== gpt-5-1 ==
=== User: MIDI keyboard  touch OSC  ableton because i want to process my midi before sending it to the DAW ===
MIDI keyboard > touch OSC > ableton because i want to process my midi before sending it to the DAW 

do you get that?

=== Assistant: Yep, I get exactly what you're doing. ===
Yep, I get exactly what you're doing.

Chain:
Physical MIDI keyboard → TouchOSC (as a processing/transform node) → Ableton (final MIDI destination)

Meaning:
* You don’t want Ableton to see the raw MIDI from the keyboard.
* You want TouchOSC in the middle to filter, remap, quantize, scale, script, transform CC/notes, whatever.
* Then only after that, forward the modified MIDI to Ableton.

Totally valid setup. TouchOSC can act like a MIDI router + transformer if configured with scripting (Lua) + MIDI routing.

===== TouchOSC is not a MIDI host by default; it won’t magically “thru” MIDI unless you: =====
# Enable MIDI bridge / routing internally
# Or use a virtual MIDI port on PC (rtpMIDI / loopMIDI)

So working setup usually looks like:

===== <syntaxhighlight>Keyboard → TouchOSC (input) =====
TouchOSC → Virtual MIDI Port (loopMIDI / IAC / rtpMIDI)
Virtual MIDI Port → Ableton

</syntaxhighlight>

===== You need to turn on: =====
* Settings → MIDI → enable input from keyboard
* Output to a virtual port, not back to the keyboard
* (Optional) Lua transformation scripts in TouchOSC

===== - Disable direct MIDI from keyboard (otherwise the “raw” signal bypasses TouchOSC!) =====
* Enable input only from the virtual port

Example:

|     |     |     |
| --- | --- | --- |
|     |     |     |
|     |     |     |

That ensures Ableton only sees what TouchOSC outputs.

===== - custom note scaling =====
* alternative tunings
* CC filtering (remove modwheel noise etc)
* velocity curves
* generative scripts
* channel remapping

If you want, I can write you:
* TouchOSC Lua: filter note range, remap CCs, transpose octave, add scale lock
* Full routing setup diagram

Just tell me what transformations you want TouchOSC to do before Ableton gets the MIDI.

What exactly do you want to process? (e.g., velocity → CC, note quantize, scale, latch, etc.)

=== User: ok so how should i go about it if using reaper? ===
ok so how should i go about it if using reaper? is there a way to do the processing in reaper?

=== Assistant: Short answer: Yes — Reaper can do the entire MIDI processing step itself, no need for TouchOSC in the middle at all unl… ===
Short answer: Yes — Reaper can do the entire MIDI processing step itself, no need for TouchOSC in the middle at all unless you specifically want that UI layer.

Reaper is uniquely good at this because:
* It allows input FX (pre-DAW MIDI processing)
* It supports JSFX MIDI scripts
* It can transform MIDI before it ever hits the track

==== 🔁 If you want the same chain but with Reaper ====

<syntaxhighlight>MIDI Keyboard → TouchOSC (processing) → Reaper

</syntaxhighlight>

but honestly, Reaper can do this internally:

==== ⭐ Option A (recommended): Skip TouchOSC, use Reaper Input FX ====

In Reaper:
# Create a MIDI track
# Right-click track input → choose MIDI keyboard
# Click the Input FX button (not track FX)
# Add: - JS: MIDI velocity control - JS: MIDI CC mapper - JS: MIDI transpose - or custom JSFX scripts

These plugins affect MIDI before it reaches the track recording/monitoring.
Exactly what you wanted: pre-DAW transformation.

===== Examples of what Reaper can do in Input FX =====
* filter note ranges
* scale lock / quantize
* velocity curve shaping
* convert CC ↔ aftertouch ↔ notes
* channel remapping
* split keyboard zones
* MIDI generative scripting (JSFX)

Reaper’s JSFX is insanely flexible — basically like writing realtime MIDI code.

==== ⭐ Option B: Still use TouchOSC as middleware ====

If you insist on having TouchOSC as the processor:

<syntaxhighlight>MIDI Keyboard → TouchOSC → (virtual MIDI port) → Reaper

</syntaxhighlight>

You must use a virtual MIDI port:
* Windows: loopMIDI
* macOS: IAC Driver
* Network: rtpMIDI

Then in Reaper:
# Preferences → MIDI Devices
# Enable virtual port as input
# Disable direct keyboard input (so raw MIDI doesn’t bypass TouchOSC)

==== ⭐ Option C: Do the processing purely with ReaScript (Lua, Python) ====

If you want custom logic but hate TouchOSC scripting:
* Reaper can run Lua scripts triggered by MIDI
* can perform transformations, routing, generative patterns

This gets nerdy but powerful.

==== 💡 So what’s best? ====

If your goal is simply MIDI preprocessing, then:

| Method                 | Best for                                               |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Reaper Input FX + JSFX | Pure MIDI shaping, CC mapping, scales, velocity curves |
| TouchOSC in between    | If you need touchscreen panel, XY pads, custom UI      |
| ReaScript              | Complex rules, generative, algorithmic transforms      |

==== 🔥 My recommendation: ====

===== Do it inside Reaper with Input FX → JSFX MIDI processors =====

TouchOSC is only necessary if you want a control surface.

If you tell me what you want to modify (e.g. convert CC1→CC74, lock to C minor scale, custom velocity curve, split keyboard zones), I can:
* make you a JSFX script
* or configure the exact chain

What transformations do you want to run on the incoming MIDI?

== References ==
<references />


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