| abstract |
A system and method for real-time controlling of signal processors, synthesizers, musical instruments, MIDI processors, lighting, video, and special effects in performance, recording, and composition environments. The invention provides for combinations of various physical controller elements such as foot switches, rocking foot pedals, null/contact touch-pads, pressure sensor arrays, etc., and well as alpha-numeric displays, graphical displays, and internal control signal processing. Each physical controller element may be assigned specific control message functions, values, names, temporal event sequences, and invocation rules dictated by assignable state-machines. Separate visual display of assigned name, status, and/or value may be provided for each physical controller elements. Rocking foot pedals may be multidimensional through the inclusion of twist plates, pressure sensors, touchpads, levers, wheels, etc. Touch-pads and pressure sensor arrays may be transparent and feature underlying graphical, alphanumeric, or video display. Assignments (of control signals and behaviors to physical controller elements) may be selected, and organized in to pages and sub-pages. Activation of specific pages and subpages may be done with assignable physical controller elements. Physical controller elements and assignments may be organized in hierarchical relationships and in relationships rich in potential geometric metaphors useful for human operation. The invention also provides for MIDI and non-MIDI control signals. |