Setting up MidiShaper in Bitwig
Add MidiShaper to the track hosting the software device you want to control – Curve 2, for example.
Make sure it's positioned before the devices you want to control in the device chain. MidiShaper is immediately ready to go – basic modulations (Pitch, Mod wheel and Aftertouch) work with no further setup.
Modulating software devices that support MIDI Learn
Many software instruments and effects support MIDI Learn, although the specific implementation of it varies from device to device.
Click MidiShaper's 'Teach' menu (1) and set it to the MIDI Continuous Controller (CC) of your choice – '1', for example. Activating the Teach function makes MidiShaper output only the selected MIDI CC, bypassing all other signals. Its purpose is to avoid assignment conflicts, since the MIDI Learn function of most software devices listens for all incoming CCs.
Activate MIDI Learn in your software device to assign the incoming MIDI signal to a parameter of your choice (2). Important: Once the assignment is made, be sure to set MidiShaper's Teach function to 'Off' (3). Now you can control the assigned parameter via MidiShaper's modulation matrix.
Modulating software devices that don't support MIDI learn
Software instruments and effects that don't support MIDI Learn can be controlled by MidiShaper via a virtual MIDI port. In macOS, the IAC virtual port is built into the operating system and can be configured within the Audio MIDI Setup utility. Windows users need to install additional free software such as MIDI Yoke or LoopBe, and add at least one virtual MIDI port.
Make sure the virtual port is active in Bitwig's preferences.
In MidiShaper, set the Output in the MIDI Setup section to the virtual MIDI port.
Then activate MidiShaper's Teach function, as described above.
Right-click the software device parameter you want to control in the device window, and select 'Learn Controller Assignment'.
The parameter will be assigned. Important: Once the assignment is made, be sure to set MidiShaper's Teach function to 'Off'. Now you can use MidiShaper's matrix to set up the modulation.
