MIDI Mapping Guide

This comprehensive guide explains how to create, configure, and manage MIDI mappings in Gamepad MIDI.

Understanding MIDI Mapping

What is MIDI Mapping?

MIDI mapping is the process of assigning gamepad controls (buttons, sticks, triggers) to MIDI messages. When you move a mapped control, Gamepad MIDI sends MIDI data to your DAW or music software, allowing you to control parameters, trigger notes, or automate effects.

Control Types

Gamepad MIDI supports mapping these control types:

Analog Controls:

Left Stick X/Y axes
Right Stick X/Y axes
Left Trigger (L2)
Right Trigger (R2)
Touchpad X/Y axes and pressure
Gyroscope X/Y axes
Accelerometer X/Y axes

Digital Controls (Buttons):

Face buttons (A, B, X, Y)
Shoulder buttons (L1, R1)
D-Pad directions (Up, Down, Left, Right)
Stick buttons (L3, R3)
Touchpad button

MIDI Message Types

Gamepad MIDI can send two types of MIDI messages:

1. Control Change (CC)

Continuous control messages (0-127)
Best for: Volume, pan, filter cutoff, effect parameters, etc.
Analog controls send continuous values
Buttons send on (127) or off (0) values

2. Note Messages

Note On/Off messages
Best for: Triggering samples, playing notes, sequencing
Can be configured as Toggle or Trigger mode
Supports dual gates for bidirectional controls

Creating a MIDI Mapping

Step 1: Open the Mapping Editor

The mapping editor is visible on the right side of the main window. If it's not visible, check that the window is wide enough.

Step 2: Select a Control Tab

Click one of the tabs to view controls in that group:

Left Stick - Left analog stick controls
Right Stick - Right analog stick controls
L Shoulder - Left trigger and shoulder
R Shoulder - Right trigger and shoulder
D-Pad - Directional pad buttons
Face Buttons - A, B, X, Y buttons
Touchpad - Touchpad axes and button
Gyroscope - Motion sensors
Accelerometer - Acceleration sensors
System - Smoothing settings

Step 3: Add a Mapping

Find the control you want to map
Click the "Add Mapping" button next to that control
The MIDI Mapping dialog opens

Step 4: Configure the Mapping

The mapping dialog presents different options based on the control type and MIDI message type you choose.

Control Change (CC) Mappings

CC mappings are the most common type, used for continuous parameter control.

Basic CC Configuration

In the mapping dialog:

MIDI Type:

Select "Control Change (CC)"

Channel:

Choose MIDI channel 1-16
Most DAWs use channel 1 by default
Use different channels to organize mappings

CC Number:

Select from CC 0-127
Common CCs:
- CC 1: Modulation
- CC 7: Volume
- CC 10: Pan
- CC 11: Expression
- CC 74: Filter Cutoff (common in synths)
- Or choose any CC number

Min Value:

The minimum MIDI value (0-127)
Sent when control is at minimum position
Default: 0

Max Value:

The maximum MIDI value (0-127)
Sent when control is at maximum position
Default: 127

Example: Mapping a Stick to Filter Cutoff

Select the Left Stick tab
Find "Left Stick X"
Click "Add Mapping"
Configure:
- Type: Control Change (CC)
- Channel: 1
- CC Number: 74 (Filter Cutoff)
- Min Value: 0
- Max Value: 127
Click "OK"

Now moving the left stick horizontally will send CC 74 values from 0 to 127.

Inverted Ranges

You can create inverted mappings by swapping min and max:

Min Value: 127
Max Value: 0

This reverses the control direction.

Limited Ranges

You can map to a specific value range:

Min Value: 32 (25% of full range)
Max Value: 96 (75% of full range)

Useful for controlling parameters within specific ranges.

Note Mappings

Note mappings send MIDI note messages, useful for triggering sounds or sequencing.

Basic Note Configuration

MIDI Type:

Select "Note"

Channel:

Choose MIDI channel 1-16

Note Number:

Select the MIDI note (C-2 to G8)
Shows note names for easy selection
This is "Gate A" for bidirectional controls

Note Mode:

Trigger: Momentary - note on while pressed/active, note off when released
Toggle: Latching - press once for note on, press again for note off

Velocity:

Note velocity (0-127)
Default: 127 (maximum)
Controls how "loud" the note is

Button Note Mappings

Buttons are straightforward:

Trigger Mode:

Press button = Note On (at specified velocity)
Release button = Note Off

Toggle Mode:

First press = Note On
Second press = Note Off
Note stays on until toggled off

Axis Note Mappings

Axes (analog sticks, triggers) can trigger notes when they cross a threshold.

Threshold:

Default: 0.75 (75% of full range)
Axis must exceed this value to trigger the note
Adjustable from 0.0 to 1.0

Single Gate Mode:

One note number
Triggers when axis exceeds threshold
Used for triggers and unidirectional controls

Dual Gate Mode (Bidirectional Controls)

Some controls support dual gates - triggering different notes for each direction:

Supported Controls:

Left Stick X/Y (left/right or up/down)
Right Stick X/Y (left/right or up/down)
Gyroscope X/Y (tilt left/right or forward/back)
Accelerometer X/Y (shake left/right or forward/back)

Configuration:

Note Number (Gate A): Note for positive direction (right, up)
Note Number B (Gate B): Note for negative direction (left, down)

Behavior:

Trigger Mode:

Push stick right → Gate A note on
Release → Gate A note off
Push stick left → Gate B note on
Release → Gate B note off

Toggle Mode:

Push stick right → Toggle Gate A (on/off)
Push stick left → Toggle Gate B (on/off)
Each direction has independent toggle state

Example: Dual Gate Trigger

Map Left Stick X to trigger two different notes:

Select Left Stick tab
Find "Left Stick X"
Click "Add Mapping"
Configure:
- Type: Note
- Channel: 1
- Note Number (Gate A): C3 (for right movement)
- Note Number B (Gate B): D3 (for left movement)
- Note Mode: Trigger
- Velocity: 100
- Threshold: 0.75
Click "OK"

Now:

Push stick right → C3 plays
Center stick → C3 stops
Push stick left → D3 plays
Center stick → D3 stops

Editing Existing Mappings

To modify a mapping:

Navigate to the control's tab
Find the mapping in the list under the control
Click the "Edit" button next to the mapping
Make your changes in the dialog
Click "OK" to save

The mapping updates immediately.

Deleting Mappings

To remove a mapping:

Navigate to the control's tab
Find the mapping in the list
Click the "Delete" button (trash icon)
Confirm deletion if prompted

The mapping is removed immediately.

Multiple Mappings Per Control

Each control can have multiple MIDI mappings. This allows one control to affect multiple parameters simultaneously.

Example: One Stick Controls Two Parameters

Map Left Stick X to both:

CC 74 (Filter Cutoff) on Channel 1
CC 71 (Resonance) on Channel 1

Steps:

Add first mapping (CC 74) as described above
Click "Add Mapping" again on the same control
Configure the second mapping (CC 71)
Both mappings now appear in the list

When you move the stick, both CC messages are sent simultaneously.

Use Cases for Multiple Mappings

Control multiple synth parameters with one stick
Send the same control to different MIDI channels
Create complex macro controls
Layer CC and Note messages (e.g., CC for filter and note for gate)

Control-Specific Notes

Analog Sticks

Range: -1 to +1 (centered at 0) MIDI Mapping:

-1 maps to Min Value
0 maps to midpoint ((Min + Max) / 2)
+1 maps to Max Value

Tip: For synthesizer parameters, the center position (stick at rest) sends a mid-range value (typically 64).

Triggers

Range: 0 to 1 (not pressed to fully pressed) MIDI Mapping:

0 (not pressed) maps to Min Value
1 (fully pressed) maps to Max Value

Tip: Triggers are great for volume, expression, or any parameter you want to increase from zero.

Buttons

State: On or Off CC Mapping:

Off sends Min Value
On sends Max Value

Note Mapping:

Off sends Note Off (velocity 0)
On sends Note On (at specified velocity)

Touchpad

The touchpad has multiple axes:

X Position: Left (0) to Right (1)
Y Position: Top (0) to Bottom (1)
Pressure: Light (0) to Heavy (1)
Button: Pressed or not pressed

Each can be mapped independently.

Return to Zero Option:

Enable in System tab to make X/Y return to center (0.5) when not touched
Disable to make X/Y hold their last position

Gyroscope

Prerequisites:

Your gamepad must support gyroscope
Enable gyroscope in the Gyroscope tab (toggle at top)

Axes:

X Axis: Tilt left/right
Y Axis: Tilt forward/back

Range: -1 to +1 (centered at 0)

Smoothing: Adjust in System tab to reduce jitter

Accelerometer

Prerequisites:

Your gamepad must support accelerometer
Enable accelerometer in the Accelerometer tab (toggle at top)

Axes:

X Axis: Shake left/right
Y Axis: Shake forward/back

Range: -1 to +1 (neutral at 0)

Smoothing: Adjust in System tab to reduce noise

MIDI Channels

MIDI supports 16 channels (1-16). Use channels to:

Organize Your Mappings

Channel 1: Synth controls
Channel 2: Drum triggers
Channel 3: Effect sends
etc.

Control Multiple Instruments

If your DAW has multiple instruments on different channels:

Map some controls to Channel 1 (instrument A)
Map other controls to Channel 2 (instrument B)

Layer Sounds

Send the same control to multiple channels to control multiple instruments simultaneously.

Best Practices

Start Simple

Begin with one or two CC mappings
Test them in your DAW
Add complexity gradually

Use Descriptive Presets

Create presets for different workflows
Name them clearly (e.g., "Ableton Synth", "FL Studio Mixer")

Test Your Mappings

Move controls and watch the value display
Verify MIDI is received in your DAW
Use MIDI learn in your DAW for easy setup

Avoid Conflicts

Don't map multiple controls to the same CC on the same channel (unless intentional)
Keep track of which CC numbers you've used

Utilize Smoothing

Adjust smoothing for each control type in the System tab
Reduce jitter on motion sensors
Increase smoothing for gradual parameter changes

Leverage Motion Controls

Gyroscope and accelerometer add expressive dimensions
Great for filter sweeps, vibrato, or effect parameters
Enable only when needed to conserve battery

Common Mapping Scenarios

Scenario 1: Synth Parameter Control

Goal: Control a synthesizer's filter and resonance

Mappings:

Left Stick X → CC 74 (Filter Cutoff)
Left Stick Y → CC 71 (Resonance)
Right Trigger → CC 11 (Expression/Dynamics)

Scenario 2: Mixer Control

Goal: Control track volumes and pans

Mappings:

Left Stick Y → CC 7 (Track 1 Volume)
Right Stick Y → CC 7, Channel 2 (Track 2 Volume)
Left Trigger → CC 10 (Track 1 Pan)
Right Trigger → CC 10, Channel 2 (Track 2 Pan)

Scenario 3: Drum Triggering

Goal: Trigger drum samples with buttons

Mappings:

A Button → Note C1 (Kick)
B Button → Note D1 (Snare)
X Button → Note E1 (Hi-Hat)
Y Button → Note F1 (Tom)

Use Trigger mode for realistic drum playing.

Scenario 4: Effect Control with Motion

Goal: Control delay time with gyroscope

Mappings:

Gyroscope X → CC 12 (Delay Time)
Accelerometer Y → CC 13 (Delay Feedback)
Right Trigger → CC 94 (Delay Mix)

Tilt your controller to change delay characteristics!

Troubleshooting Mappings

MIDI Not Sending

Check:

Is a MIDI device selected in the dropdown?
Is the gamepad connected and responding?
Are the mappings properly configured?

Wrong Values Being Sent

Check:

Min/Max values in the mapping
Control is moving in the expected direction
No conflicts with other mappings

Stuck Notes

If a note stays on:

Move the control to trigger a note off
Edit the mapping to verify settings
Delete and recreate the mapping if necessary

Jittery Control

Solutions:

Increase smoothing for that control in System tab
Increase the threshold for note mappings
Check for gamepad hardware issues

Next Steps

Preset Management - Save your mapping configurations
Smoothing Settings - Fine-tune control behavior
Use Cases & Examples - Get inspired by practical examples