Musescore API
Does Musescore have a comprehensive API (Application Program Interface) which can be accessed by other software? By comprehensive I mean more than just the shortcuts?
At the moment it is possible to get some hardware and software to interface with MS using shortcuts, but some functionality is not accessible. For example, with a more comprehensive API it might be possible to control the different mixer channels with a hardware or software slider interface or knobs - like a "real" mixing desk.
It is possible to activate the MS Mixer from an external control - but then the actual mixer sliders themselves have to be controlled from the normal mouse input.
Comments
You could try using OSC for this, but it seems you can only control the first 12 mixer channels with it as per https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/blob/3.x/mscore/osc.cpp#L81-L92
In reply to You could try using OSC for… by jeetee
Thanks. I don't know much about that.
I'm exploring the possibilities of driving Musescore using a macropad, such as Elgato Stream Deck or Touch Portal, or a hardware device.
So far this hasn't turrned out quite as well as I'd hoped, though eventually I might get it to work. Touch Portal seems to require too much programming effort - though might eventually work.
I've only tried the Mobile version of Stream Deck, and right now I can't even get it to work with shortcuts with more than one character - useless! However I might not be doing this right. Stream Deck does appear somewhat easier than Touch Portal. Touch Portal does have slider controls - if they can be made to work, or connected.
I don't know whether Touch Portal and Stream Deck can both work at the same time.
For MS4 - some attention to an API might help if integration with devices like these is considered desirable. That might be something for developers to think about.
Other macropad hardware/software is available - and could make it possible to use knobs as well as sliders and buttons.
I was hoping to make more progress - which so far has been much better with Stream Deck - but not being able to put in multi stroke character shortcuts does make this as useless as Touch Portal. I can initiate applications with both these tools I think, but that's not all one might want to do.
Multi-action capability is essential, but first one has to learn to crawl before walking.
In reply to Thanks. I don't know much… by dave2020X
I know Stream Deck allows multi-character shortcuts, also sequences, which is crucial for this sort of thing. So for instance, you can have a key in Stream Deck programmer to first open the palette search, then search for "fermata", then cursor down, then Enter.
In principle you could use this technique to navigate the Mixer as well, but unfortunately it is almost impossible to work by keyboard navigation alone in current versions of MuseScore (should be much better in MuseScore 4).
In reply to I know Stream Deck allows… by Marc Sabatella
Hello Marc,
For your information, see my little feddback (messge next to this thread)
of my first MuseScure experiences with Elgato's Stream Deck.
My questions:
Is there a "plugin" to facilitate integration with MS 4?
Is there already a forum topic open on the subject?
Sincerely,
Jean-Louis
In reply to You could try using OSC for… by jeetee
I felt I was having more success with Elgato Stream Deck (Mobile) but I balked at having to subscribe again without being sure or having to test out the application again.
Some things did seem easier than Touch Portal, but I've now revisited that and now have several ready made buttons which interact with MuseScore - including Inspector, Palettes and Selection Filter.
This definitely has potential now - even if only for reminding one of some of the more unused/unusual features of MS - such as the selection filter.
I'd like to be able to turn the Piano Roll on or off, but this seems almost impossible to do. "Normally" in MS this is accessed by a drop down menu, and then it might be possible to toggle between that view and the regular page. This is a situation where some other controls might be helpful.
So - to date: Palettes, Inspector and Selection Filter all work with Touch Portal - but I don't know which other ones might prove useful. Some features which could be useful may not be possible, if there's no control for them, and if it's not possible to find work arounds by reassigning shortcuts.
In reply to Thanks. I don't know much… by dave2020X
A quick update on my progress with Touch Portal.
Shown below are the desktop set up view, and also the view of the iPad used to control the software on the desktop.
This is still work in progress - but most of the obvious buttons now work. Buttons for some functions are either impossible, or very tricky, if they don't have easy to use shortcuts which can be programmed into Touch Portal.
In reply to A quick update on my… by dave2020X
@dave2020X
@Marc Sabatella
MuseScore & Stream Deck (Elgato)
Hello,
As an echo of your first experiences, I would like to share with you some of the things you discovered and experienced last weekend: My initial goal:
To become familiar with entering scores into MuseScore.
But since I didn't have a synth at hand, and doing this on the computer keyboard requires a gradual and rather slow learning curve, I made it easier for myself by programming a new profile on my 32-key Stream Deck (from Elgato) which I use for many other things on my iMac. My initial experiences seem promising in terms of "productivity".
Here are 3 "home-made" layouts that I'm about to experiment with for typing scores in the next few weeks.
In summary with this keyboard I can :
Arrange the functions in different layouts to optimize the ergonomics of the most used actions during my score entry
Compose the background of each key as I wish, using symbols or text so that learning the essentials becomes faster because it is more intuitive (no need to memorize too many keyboard shortcuts)
"Develop" macros: so that by pressing a single key I can eventually chain together the execution of a series of functions. (ideal for recurring tasks that are often necessary)
Here are some elements that may be of interest to one or the other?
For your information, I am only a beginner with MuseScore but the more I discover it the more I am interested:
Best regards
Jean-Louis