MIDI Mapping in Blender 101 | ECOSYSTEM Research

Popular Add-ons for MIDI Mapping MidiController: Available via Blender Extensions, this add-on supports object property mapping, selection groups, and data path copying. [1] SimpleMIDI: Available via Blender Extensions, this lightweight plugin lets you map data paths directly from the N-panel sidebar. [2] AddMIDI / AddRoutes: A classic script-based tool used to route continuous controllers (CC) to properties like location, rotation, scale, or brush sizes. [3, 4, 5] MIDI2B: A newer workflow designed for Blender that builds a vertex-based bridge to feed MIDI notes, velocities, and CC values directly into Geometry Nodes. [6] ------------------------------ How to Map a MIDI Controller (Using MidiController / SimpleMIDI) 1. Connect your hardware: Plug in your MIDI controller (knobs, faders, or pad controller) to your computer. 2. Open the Add-on Panel: In the 3D Viewport, press N to open the sidebar and navigate to the MIDI tab (e.g., Midi or MidiController). [2] 3. Trigger your MIDI input: Move the physical knob, fader, or press a pad on your MIDI device so the plugin registers the incoming CC number or note. [1] 4. Link the Blender property: Object Property Method: Change the desired value in Blender (like light power, rotation, or scale) so the plugin detects your last action, then click Map. Data Path Method: Right-click any property in Blender (e.g., Location X), select Copy Full Data Path, and paste it into the add-on's mapping field. [1] 5. Set Range and Bounds: Define your minimum and maximum values (for example, mapping a 0–127 MIDI knob sweep to a 0–10 meter translation or a 0–1000W light intensity) and save the mapping. [1, 3] [1] https://extensions.blender.org [2] https://extensions.blender.org [3] https://www.youtube.com [4] https://blenderartists.org [5] https://timcoster.com [6] https://www.youtube.com Because Blender does not have built-in native MIDI mapping, the most reliable and user-friendly way to achieve this is by using the AddRoutes add-on (previously known as AddMIDI). Here is the step-by-step procedure to set up your controller using AddRoutes: 1. Install the AddRoutes Add-on: Download from the developer's site (jpfep.net). Download the add-on as a .zip file. In Blender, navigate to Edit Preferences Add-ons. Click Install, select the downloaded zip file, and check the box to enable the "System: AddRoutes" add-on. 2. Connect Your MIDI Device: Ensure your MIDI keyboard or controller is plugged in via USB before moving forward so that Blender can recognize the device ports. 3. Configure the MIDI Input: Open the sidebar panel in the 3D viewport (press N) and locate the new AddRoutes tab. In the configuration settings, locate the "Midi In" dropdown and select your specific MIDI controller hardware. 4. Create a Realtime Route: Find the specific parameter you want to control. This can be almost anything that can be animated in Blender. Right-click the parameter (for example, the X-Location of a cube, or the Strength of an Emission shader) and click "Create a Realtime Route". 5. Map the Hardware Control: Go back to the AddRoutes panel and find the newly created Route (usually named Route 0). Set the Engine to MIDI. Set the Event Type. If you are mapping a slider or a knob, choose "Continuous Controller 7bit" (CC). If you are mapping a button or piano key, use "Note On". Identify the CC or Note number of the physical knob you want to use (you may need to check your MIDI controller's manual or software) and input it into the route's index parameter. Once the route is configured, moving your physical slider or pressing a key should instantly update the targeted parameter in the Blender viewport. Advanced Alternative: Python Scripting If you need highly customized behavior (like triggering specific python scripts or complex conditional logic based on a MIDI note), you can bypass add-ons entirely using Blender's built-in Python console. By importing a library like rtmidi or mido via Python, you can write a modal operator script that constantly listens for input data (using a getMessage() loop) and translates those specific MIDI ticks into keyframes or property updates. This method is heavily used for generative music visualizations, where a script reads a pre-recorded MIDI file and automatically generates keyframes for 3D objects based on the BPM and note velocities.