Surface Builder is a tool for creating control surfaces that send MIDI data to one or more audio components in order to simplify remote control tasks. You start by creating a surface of a given size, adding buttons, knobs, faders, etc. to the surface and configuring them to generate the required MIDI output. Surface Builder allows you to send note on/off, controller change and program change values as well as being able to emulate modulation wheel and pitch bend data. Buttons can also be configured to send bulk MIDI data using a single key press. You can build surfaces that span multiple scenes and link between them for large complex interfaces.
Incoming MIDI data can also be used to control or trigger elements of the interface, giving a bi-directional stream of MIDI data. Surface Builder can be added as a pure MIDI plugin which allows processing of MIDI only, or as an instrument plugin, allowing you to process audio passing through it. You can even load it as an intrument and configure a surface to start and stop audio clips either manually or remotely.
Surface Builder was designed to be used as an AUv3 plugin within your favourite DAW, but it can also be used in standalone to send MIDI directly to MIDI hardware using direct access to their MIDI ports.
Many different object types are supported including buttons, switches, lights, rotary knobs, faders, sliders, XY-Pad, keyboards, as well as text, image and box objects. Each object has many different styles and colours, so no two surfaces look the same.
Drag and drop an audio file onto a button and that button becomes a clip player. Attach rotary knobs to control the clips volume and pan. Throw on top of that a LP/HP filter knob and you are cooking on gas. Drop PNG transparent image icons on buttons to customise the look and feel.
A button can record and playback bulk MIDI commands, on both button press and release. So pressing a button could send the notes of a chord when pressed, and appropriate note offs on release.
A surface can consist of up to 6 scenes for really complex designs. Buttons and switches can be used to switch scenes and also to show and hide other objects to make better use of screen space. Once your surface is complete switch to presentation mode to hide all the toolbars. Each surface can be saved with compressed audio and images all in a single surface file.
Features
○ AUv3 and standalone modes.
○ Bluetooth MIDI support.
○ Drag and Drop interface.
○ Send and Receive Note On/Off.
○ Supports all Control Change parameters.
○ Supports Program Change commands with bank support.
○ Multiple Audio Clip playback.
○ Record and playback bulk midi data.
○ Multi-Scene.
○ Multi-level undo/redo.
○ MIDI Monitor
○ Presentation Mode.
○ iPhone and iPad compatible.
Incredibly flexible and highly functional. I’ve used another similar product that feels like an old Win95 application. Would *like* some flashier appearance options (But you *can* use a picture for backgrounds which is outstanding!) Easy to learn and a great complement to any hardware controller. One little bug though. Setting any control to send a cc127 and then saving the changed value resets the value to cc0. Set it to cc126 and it saves fine.
Doesn’t allow remapping of incoming CCs?
77JAMES J77
This plugin is really impressive and deep! I was able to quickly create a complex control panel for my vintage synth. After a bit of a learning curve, I had over 30 on screen controls correcting controlling the synth. And the panel looked good! I ran into an issue when it was time to control the plug-in with my MIDI CC knob box. The problem is that when you map an on-screen control to an INCOMING MIDI CC number, it also sets the OUTPUT control number to the same number. My MIDI knob box has fixed controller numbers for the knobs. My synth (Sequential Circuits Six-Trak) and my CC knob box (keyfax phatboy) are both vintage pieces that don’t allow the CC numbers to be re-assigned. I was thinking this plug-in would be the “go between” between my knobs and my synth. Not only could I operate the synth from my iPad screen, but also from my knob box, while watching the changes on screen (so I thought).There IS a MIDI learn feature in the plug-in, but it’s deep in the edit menu for each separate control. And again it's just one setting, the input and output CC number has to be the same. They need to add a faster MIDI mapping function (outside of the edit mode) where you can enter a learn mode, wiggle each on-screen control and then turn a physical knob or fader on your MIDI contoller, all in rapid succession without entering an edit menu for each single control. In other words, once you’ve made your perfect control panel, you won’t be able to go through and quickly map your CC numbers like you can on most popular synth plugins (TAL U no, Model D, Synth One, etc)Let me know if I’m wrong, but there is no way to have an on-screen knob RESPOND to one MIDI CC number while TRANSMITTING a different CC number. (I’m not talking about the value but the controller number).
Great app! Just one problem
Howimfeeling
I use this app heavily for live performance. The only problem, is that when I export my surfaces to the Cloud and try to import them to my surface app under the same Apple account on a different iPad (with the same IOS version) the app imports the surface successfully, but when I launch it, it closes out the app immediately (making the imported surface of no value except on the iPad on which the surface was created). Very unfortunate. Otherwise, if you create and only use the surface on the iPad on which it was created, you are good. The Export/Import doesn’t work at this time. If it can be shared across iPads, this is a five star!!
Midi control made easy
rnr1957
I just made an interface for the Elektron Digitone. All I can say is I’m impressed. One of the easiest interface builders I’ve used.It’s on patchstorage.com and called Digitone.It took a lot of time to create, but quick simple things and be done in minutes, if you have a little MIDI know-how.
v1.23 B78
Update to comply with Age Ratings.
Version 1.22
The developer, 4Pockets.com, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Seller
Limelight Software
Size
33.2 MB
Category
Music
Compatibility
Requires iOS 13 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 13 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 13 or later.
iPod touch Requires iOS 13 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
