SimpleMIDI
Control object parameters through MIDI Input.
A simple MIDI controller addon for Blender. It allows you to map MIDI knobs/sliders/keys to any property in Blender (Object transforms, Modifier values, Colours, etc.).
Usage
Basic Mapping
- Connect your MIDI Device.
- In the 3D Viewport sidebar (press
N), click the Midi tab. - Click Connect. Move a knob on your controller to see the "Monitor" value change.
- Click New Mapping.
- Right-Click any property in Blender (e.g., Cube Location X) and select Copy Full Data Path.
- Click the Paste (📋) button in the addon panel.
Advanced: controlling Geometry Nodes
Geometry Nodes inputs are dynamic, so you cannot copy their path from the Modifier tab directly.
- In the Modifier tab, click the "Move to Nodes" icon next to the value you want to control.
- Open the Geometry Node Editor.
- Locate the Group Input node.
- Right-Click the specific socket input and select Copy Full Data Path.
- Paste this path into SimpleMIDI.
Modes
1. Set (Standard)
Maps the knob directly to the value.
- Knob 0% = Min Value
- Knob 100% = Max Value
- Best for: Opacity, Scale, Rotation, Colors.
2. Motor (Accumulate)
Treats the input as a "Gas Pedal" or Velocity.
- Knob at 0 = Stop changing.
- Knob at Max = Increase value at Max Speed.
- Setup: Set
Min: 0.0andMax: 0.1(Adjust Max for top speed). - Best for: Endless rotation, Driving a car forward, Scrolling timeline.
Math Expressions
You can transform the input signal using math expressions. This is useful for inverting knobs, changing ranges, or creating procedural motion driven by time.
Available Variables
x: The raw MIDI input value (0.0 to 1.0).time: Current scene time in seconds.frame: Current scene frame number.
Supported Functions
Only the following math functions are allowed:
- Basic:
+,-,*,/,**(Power) - Trig:
sin,cos,tan,pi - Utilities:
min,max,abs,round,sqrt,pow
Examples
🎛️ Knobs & Sliders (Continuous 0.0 to 1.0)
| Effect | Expression | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Increase Range | x * 10 |
Outputs 0 to 10 (Good for Arrays/Counts). |
| Invert | 1.0 - x |
Turning knob right decreases value. |
| Exponential | pow(x, 3) |
Fine control at low values, fast at high values. |
| Stepped (Snap) | round(x * 4) / 4 |
Snaps value to 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0. |
| Auto-Wiggle | sin(time * 5) * x |
Object moves automatically; Knob controls intensity. |
| Speed Control | sin(time * x * 10) |
Object moves -1 to 1; Knob controls frequency. |
🎹 Buttons & Keys (Binary 0.0 or 1.0)
| Effect | Expression | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Momentary Switch | x |
Pressed = On (1), Released = Off (0). Great for checkboxes. |
| Hold to Hide | 1.0 - x |
Pressed = Off (0), Released = On (1). Good for "Mute". |
| Jump to Value | x * 45 |
Pressed = 45, Released = 0. Good for rotation snaps. |
| Value A / Value B | 5 + (x * 10) |
Released = 5, Pressed = 15. Toggles between two specific numbers. |
| Motor Drive | x * 0.1 |
(Use Accumulate Mode) Hold to rotate/move object, Release to stop. |
| Camera Cut | x * 2 |
Pressed = Camera Index 2, Released = Camera Index 0. |
What's New
0.1.14 June 12th, 2026
Couple of bug fixes. Added more wheels so it should now work on 5.1
Really nice little Addon! Does what it says under blender 4.54 LTS. Also loving the possibility of being able to use Expressions.