Author Topic: blind person unable to use miniMg-v (Read 10528 times)

undrownable · « **on:** April 09, 2006, 03:37:03 am »

Hi there. I am very annoyed with arturia's lack of help on this issue, I emailed the help desk 3 months ago and didn't even get a reply!!
I am totally blind, and in order to use a computer, I require the use of a text to speech synthesiser, I use a program called jaws for windows.
I would really love to be able to use your miniMg-v emulation software but can't because there is no keyboard support, I managed to get ahold of a program called virtual midi keyboard, but the only thing I am able to do is to hop between presets. What I'd love to be able to do is to somehow twiddle the virtual knobs on the miniMg-v using the keyboard rather than the mouse.. Is there any way to do this? I really want to try out the program.

Sweep · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2006, 01:12:49 pm »

I don't know if it's possible to change settings using the computer keyboard, but it is possible to use a MIDI controller device so you can assign knobs to the various functions.

You may need to ask a sighted person to do the initial setup, but once that's done you could use the controller like a hardware synth. I know someone who did this using the Creamware MiniMg system for a blind synth player, and the principle is the same.

The setup procedure in the Arturia software is pretty straightforward, though, and you may be able to do it yourself. You click on the knob while holding down the control key and move the hardware controller's knob that you want to assign. You then save the setup on the computer when you've finished.

undrownable · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2006, 01:35:13 pm »

Hi there. What is this creamware miniMg system? is it something that plugs in to your miniMg hardware? I dont have any miniMg hardware or midi keyboard. I only have a virtual midi keyboard which is a software package that lets you play notes, in order to use it, you need to alt-tab to the window with the virtual midi application in it. What I've been able to do is to start up arturia miniMg, then start up the virtual midi keyboard and use the virtual sliders to change to the various presets.
Can you tell me something. When you use the mouse to turn one of the knobs, How do you tell it to turn the knob right or left? do you have to drag it or something.
and what is this creamware system?
Thanks

Sweep · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2006, 12:17:12 am »

Reading your posts through again and experimenting with the Arturia program, I think I may have found out why you're having problems.

I suspect you may be trying to move the knobs by moving the cursor left to right instead of from down to up. That's perfectly logical and if you can't see the knob move you probably wouldn't realise what the problem is.

If you place the mouse cursor to the left and slightly below, or put it on the knob at the bottom and follow the dial round, it'll turn clockwise - left to right. If you think of it as moving from below upwards it'll probably respond as you need it to.

That's with linear mode, which loaded as the default on my synth. I tried the two other modes to see if they're much different, in case one might be more suitable for you, but they're all pretty similar and respond in much the same way.

I mentioned the Creamware system because I know it's being used by a blind synth player, Jean-Philippe Rykiel. It's a software package with a hardware controller. I wasn't especially recommending it, and as you've already got the Arturia software it makes more sense to work with that. I mentioned it because although the hardware controller is designed specially for that piece of software it was still helpful for Jean-Phillippe to have a sighted person help with the setting up when he first got it. I thought if that was the case then you'd possibly find it helpful for someone sighted to help set up any hardware controller you might want to use with the Arturia. It must be very difficult when so many items of music technology assume sight. Blind musicians don't really seem to be considered enough when these things are being designed.

It may be that you'll find the Arturia much more responsive by trying the mouse the way I've suggested. That may just resolve the problem. I hope so. But many people find a hardware controller useful, and I imagine if I was blind I'd find it much easier to use something I could touch and feel the status of the control knobs with.

I believe Beringher make reasonably cheap and useful MIDI controllers that provide a good number of control knobs for softsynths. I've recently started using the Korg Legacy MS20 controller. but only because I bought it for other reasons and then found out it'll also double as a hardware controller.

Anyway, try a different approach with the mouse and see if that helps. Post again if you need any further suggestions or information.

Regarding the lack of response from Arturia, I don't know how things are in the company, but I've noticed they're very helpful when they do respond, but the seem to have times when they're too busy. That makes me suspect they have only a few staff who are doing everything as best they can and they sometimes have to leave one job to do other things. This forum used to close down because there was only one person running it and sometimes there were technical problems and he wasn't available. It looks to me like Arturia is a small company who happen to have made several brilliant products that need to be supported for a large number of customers. Looking at the questions on this site about adapting the software for various different operating systems and so on, I can see why they might be slow at replying.

undrownable · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2006, 03:56:43 am »

Hi there. Thank you very much for the reply. Thats another problem I am running in to.
Increasingly I find that nearly every electronic gadget out there uses a menu based system.
Are you able to tell me, When I get myself a midi keyboard, Can I just plug it in and load up miniMg v and then just start playing?
Thanks

Sweep · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2006, 12:03:27 am »

I'm probably not the best informed person to ask about this, so hopefully someone here will add to this. Otherwise your music store should be able to advise.

Your soundcard needs to have a MIDI input, and it also needs to be fast enough to avoid latency problems - sluggish response when you play a note.

It's also wise to check whether the card has digital or analogue outputs. If you're running the sound to any kind of standard speaker system you need analogue outputs. The digital ones are for running the sound into a digital recorder or other digital gear.

I have an RME Hammerfall HDSP 9632, which has zero latency, a full complement of MIDI in and out sockets and analogue outputs, but it's quite an expensive card and there are cheaper options that might be preferable. I went for the best card I could afford.

It really depends what you want to do and how much money you have, of course. I already had two MIDI keyboards I could use, and I was buying a new computer, so my way of approaching the situation differed from yours. One of my MIDI keyboards is a Mg Voyager, which I obviously bought for its own sounds and not just as a controller for softsynths. So I'm not knowledgeable on standard dedicated MIDI controllers.

As always, the best option is to try out some MIDI controller keyboards at a music store, preferably controlling a softsynth through a soundcard that's in your price range. But that depends on what sort of music store you have locally, if any..

I think the best thing would be to spend more time with the Arturia synth first and check whether you can control it as fully as you want, and gather information on MIDI keyboards and soundcards and have a think about what would work best for you, before rushing into spending money.

undrownable · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2006, 01:59:20 pm »

Unfortunately, I dont have anyone who is able to help me assign the knobs, I live mostly on my own, so I'll have to keep bugging arturia to put keyboard control in their next version, oh and I've just remembered, I'm running the demo and can't save my presets

undrownable · « **Reply #7 on:** May 04, 2006, 03:27:05 am »

Hi there.
I finally took the plunge and got myself a midi keyboard, it's an edirol m50.
It's a mixed bag. It has 8 knobs and 8 sliders that I can assign controls for in arturia miniMg v, but I've discovered it's not quite what I need.
I want a system where I can assign knobs and switches to every control of the virtual miniMg synthesiser. Are you able to help? Arturia seems very uncooperative and either can't or more likely won't consider making their software more userfriendly.
Can anyone out there provide me with a solution. please!
Do I need to send my midi keyboard back and get something else? :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

Sweep · « **Reply #8 on:** May 04, 2006, 12:55:57 pm »

There are controllers available with more than eight knobs and sliders, though I'm not very knowledgeable about what's available. I remember someone saying they were using a Beringher one that was useful and reasonably priced.

I use a Korg Legacy MS20 controller, but only because I'd already bought that for other reasons and then found out it would also work as a hardware controller for the Arturia stuff. The layout of the knobs isn't really ideal for the Arturia synths, though it works well enough for me to stick with it and not spend any more money on a more suitable controller.

You probably don't need to send the MIDI keyboard back. I'd expect you can probably just add an additional controller for more knobs. It's certainly possible to have a keyboard controller and an additional device for the knobs, but I'm not an expert on what's available and I wouldn't be the best person to know what your PC soundcard would support.

I think the best thing to do would be to discuss the problem with the place you bought the keyboard from, and see if they have any other suggestions. They may suggest an additional controller, or they may even suggest a cheaper keyboard with no knobs plus a controller with as many as you need.

I'll ask on the Mg forum to see if anyone has any suggestions, as well.

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