JazzMutant has updated the Lemur, a multitouch control surface.
Here are the highlights:
Revamped Editor
Designing interfaces for the Lemur has never been easier. Version 1.5 features a highly improved JazzEditor, that provides a more efficient way to design your personal interfaces and lets you easily route your control data – MIDI and OSC – to your applications. Customizable window tabs allow you to keep your editor environment well organized.
Group objects, align, change properties, map to a whole range of MIDI messages – not only does the Lemur give you exceptional possibilities, it also comes with the tools to do things in a snap.
The MIDI and OSC tabs let you assign an object or a variable to an existing OSC or MIDI target from a single click. Mapping a Multiball to a couple of MIDI Control Changes is now just a matter of seconds ! The Custom MIDI object gives you even more options to allow for complex MIDI mapping involving several objects’ states.
Templates and Modules
The Lemur comes bundled with full-featured interfaces to control DAWs, MIDI synthesizers or VJ software. As always, modularity is the key word here, so you can reorganize, remap or expand on these works as you see fit.
With the Lemur v1.5 comes the concept of reusability : you no longer have to design all your interfaces from scratch. The new Import/Export feature lets you store your favourite interface components and reuse them in other contexts. With a single click, you can import and reuse that crazy MIDI keyboard you designed for a project months ago. The new online User Area lets registered users share and discuss Lemur modules or whole projects, increasing productivity in interface design a great deal.
Modules can be comprised of a single object, or a complex ensemble of objects and variables interacting with each other and neatly packed inside the new Container object.
Ins and Outs
Lemur v1.5 can now be remote-controlled via MIDI in addition to OSC. This allows you to emulate any control surface protocol, and keep your Lemur’s state up-to-date with your host software.
Record a mix of your song from the Lemur, and play it back to see the automation data on the Lemur’s screen. With the Lemur, you’re not limited to vertical motorized faders : every single object can be controlled from external input, from alphanumeric monitors to 2D areas and graphical scopes !
More Objects
For your controlling pleasure, we’ve expanded the Lemur’s object list with some cool additions. Along the new utility Container object that enables nesting of objects through unlimited levels of hierarchy, you’ll find the Knob object, coming in two flavours : one Classic mode constrained between zero and one, and one convenient Endless mode that comes in handy for DAW plug-in selection or Jog wheel control.
Speaking of DAWs, the anticipated surfaceLCD object emulates traditional control surface LCDs, making use of the new MIDI input capabilities of the Lemur. This object lets you display track names, parameter changes, timecode, all updated in real-time by your DAW. While your average control surface is limited to one such display, the Lemur modularity lets you populate interfaces with displays, each mapped to different MIDI ports !
Templates designed to control Logic Pro, Cubase and Live are provided in the examples package bundled with Lemur v1.5.
For Control Freaks
Why limit oneself to control a single piece of gear or software from the Lemur ? You can now specify up to 8 MIDI In and MIDI Out ports to for the Lemur to communicate with your setup, as well as 8 computer IPs and ports for OSC communication. Each message generating object can be mapped to any pair of MIDI and OSC targets, for tons of possibilities.
MIDI mapping goes way further than simple Notes and Control Changes : make your object send out complex SysEx messages to MIDI gear, increment counters from incoming MIDI clock ticks, or generate your own Lemur clock ! OSC messages are now fully customizable too, letting you input any OSC address for objects to adapt smoothly to the software you want to control.
