This browser control is used to specify the MIDI File that will be used as the input for the modifier.

Time Scale is used to specify the relationship between time as the MIDI file defines it and time as Fusion defines it. A value of 1.0 will play back the MIDI events at normal speed, 2.0 at double speed, etc.

Time Offset adjusts the sync between the MIDI file's timing and Fusion's timing. If there is an unexpected delay or if the MIDI file should start part way into or before some animation in Fusion, this control can be used to offset the MIDI data as required.

These sliders adjust the range of values produced by the modifier. By default, values between 0 and 1 (or -1 and 1 for PitchBend mode) are generated. This will not always suit the tool/parameter and scale can be used to make this range larger (such as * 0.0 - 2.0). Offset is used to provide some constant value as a base.

The Result Curve can also be used to adjust the output, however, this adjusts the curve of the result. By default, for any input MIDI data, the result will fall linearly between 0.1 (for example, a velocity 127 note will generate 1.0, where 63 will generate approximately 0.5). Result curve applies a gamma-like curve so that middle values can produce higher or lower results while still maintaining the full scale.

This menu provides Beat, Note, Control Change, Poly AfterTouch, Channel AfterTouch or Pitch Bend, indicating from which MIDI event the values are being read. Beat mode is slightly different in that it produces regular pulses based on the tempo of the MIDI file (including any tempo maps).

This menu selects what will happen when multiple events occur at the same time. In Notes mode, this can happen easily. For other events, this can happen if Multiple Channels are selected.

Use this to take the result from the most recent event to occur, the oldest event still happening, the highest or lowest valued event, the average, sum or the median of all events currently occurring.

This defines how often a beat will occur when in Beat mode. This is in Quarter notes so a value of 1.0 will give a beat every quarter.

This defines what range of notes will cause a value to be generated. For example, use this to pick out the kick drum from a GM drum track by setting the note range between 35-36.

Pitch Scale defines how much the result changes with pitch. A value of 1.0 will cause the result to vary from 0.0 to 1.0 over the entire range.

This defines how much the result changes with velocity. A value of 1.0 will cause the result to vary from 0.0 to 1.0 over the entire range. This is added to the result from pitch scale for the final result.

This specifies the MIDI controller number from which to extract events.

These define an Envelope to follow for values before, during and after the note or beat. Pre-Attack Time defines how long before the event it will start ramping up to the pre-attack level. Attack is the Time/Level to ramp to once the event has occurred, followed by the Decay ramp and Sustain, until the event stops. This stage is for Notes only. Beats have an instantaneous duration, so it goes straight to Release. Release is the ramp down time after the event finishes. When trying to do a Beat, set Release to some value, or there likely will not be much on the beats.

These values can be used to follow actual sounds in the MIDI sequence, or just to create interesting effects. All time values used in the MIDI Extractor are in seconds.

Channels checkboxes select which of the 16 channels in the MIDI file are actually considered for events. This is a good way to single out a specific instrument from an arrangement.

A single MIDI interface allows 16 channels. Typically, these will be assigned to different instruments within a device or different devices.

Usually, MIDI data is 7 bits, ranging from 0..127. This is represented as a value between 0..1 to be more consistent with the way data is handled throughout the rest of Fusion.

There are quite a number of different MIDI messages and events but the ones that are particularly useful with this modifier are detailed below.

Note On This indicates that a note (on a specific channel) is being turned on, has a pitch (0..127, with middle C being 60) and a Velocity (0..127, how fast the key was or whatever was hit).

This indicates that a note (on a specific channel) is being turned off, has a pitch (0..127, with middle C being 60) and a Velocity (0..127, how fast the key was or whatever was released).

This message indicates that some controller has changed. There are 128 controllers (0..127), each of which has data from 0..127. Controllers are used to set things such as Volume, Pan, amount of Reverb or Chorus, and generic things like foot controllers or breath controllers.

Channel Aftertouch

This event defines that pressure is being applied to the keys (or whatever) during a note. It is general, overall pressure for this channel so it simply uses a pressure value (0..127).

Poly Aftertouch}}

This event defines that pressure is being applied to the keys (or strings, or whatever) during a note. It is specific to each particular note and, therefore, contains a note number as well as a pressure value (0..127).

General}}

Pitch Bend

The Pitch Bend controller generally specifies the degree of pitch bending or variation applied to the note. Because pitch bend values are transmitted as a 14 bit value, this control has a range between -1 and 1, and a correspondingly finer degree of resolution.

For some other resources on how MIDI works, have a look at: http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/Doc/doc.html.