Hercules P32 DJ VDMX Template

January 6, 2023

To keep up with the times, we are releasing another VDMX template for the Hercules P32 DJ MIDI controller.

With it’s 32 pads, 19 knobs and three sliders, the P32 DJ is a jam packed MIDI controller for its size. A littler smaller than a 16” MacBook Pro, the P32 has soft pads with a higher quality feel than some entry level MIDI controllers.

For this template, the native 2 channel DJ style layout, is perfect for a VDMX 2-channel video mixer layout.

Additionally, the P32 DJ has a built in audio interface that supports stereo RCA out, and 1/4” TRS port for headphone monitoring, allowing you to DJ and VJ from the same device.

To install templates in VDMX go to: ‘Your Drive’ > Users > ‘username’ > Library > Application Support > VDMX > templates

Download here: Template File

We’ve included templates, project files, and reference images. You will need an active VDMX license to open the project files.

More about the template:

This is a template for the Hercules P32 DJ MIDI controller.

This layout functions as a two channel video mixer.

The 8 x 8 soft pads as linked to the media bin for each layer, Left and Right.

For this template to work, make sure the PADs are set to SAMPLER (not Slicer, Loop or Hot Cue). With defaul midi mappings for this controller, and the pads set to Sampler, you will be able to use all functionality of this template.

From here you can add on, and use the Slicer, Loop, and Hoe Cue, as well as the shift key functions, to make a more robust layout for your own VDMX projects.

The layout is split down the center of the controller, left functions similar to right. You can add additional presets and pages as you desire.

Other common buttons:

- Shift = Fast cut between layers

- Sync = Fade between layers

- Cue starts the track over.

- Pause/Play (pauses and plays the track.

- Cross fader, fades between videos

- Left and Right vertical sliders fade opacity and audio.

- Headphone button, mutes track audio.

- Layer FX are enabled by button under rotary encoder, then each encoder adjusts a parameter within that FX

- Top left and right corner of the controller, the Loop/Tempo, Active/Reset buttons scroll through the media bin pages. Pressing down on this endless rotary encoder will trigger a random video from the media bin.

- To the left and right, the Filter/Move endless rotary encoder will scroll through FX presets for each layer. Be aware, that this will reset the FX each time you move to the next preset. Pressing down on this knob will jump to an empty FX off preset.

- Record button starts recording a video of the master output.

- Slip button captures an image of the master output.

-Load A and B eject the media on each side.

- Browse/Main endless rotary encoder switches between main output FX presets. Pressing down resets to an empty preset.

-High, Mid, Low rotary encoders are currently not mapped to any MIDI controls, but could be mapped to main output FX or an action of your choice.

Mine S running VDMX at the Guggenheim Theater, NYC (photo @ProjectileObjects)

Getting modular with the Special Waves Mine S. VDMX custom UI tutorial

December 6, 2022

Normally when we write about a new controller, we offer up a template to get you started, but with the Special Waves Mine S controller series, we'll have to take a different approach.

For years now, users have chosen VDMX for it's modular workflow. Build out a project the way you'd like it, so when a modular MIDI controller comes along, we had to try it.

The Special Waves Mine S controller is the most budget friendly if you're out there looking for an inexpensive controller, but it does pack a range of features, quality buttons and faders, and is compact enough to fit inside any bag. Oh, and it's modular! (had to say it again).

Yes, you can build out your VDMX project, map the midi sliders, knobs, and buttons to your VDMX workspace, and then pop them out and move them around as desired without having to reconfigure the MIDI settings inside of VDMX. How cool!

Maybe you've built out a horizontal layout at your desk, but when you get to the show there's only enough space for your laptop and a vertical layout of your controller -- well, just move the buttons around!

Top down: Livid Ohm RGB slip, APC 40 MKII, Mine S, DJ2GO Touch.

The original Livid OHM 64 went for $699 (from from a mass produced APC40MKII at $299), and a Mine S will cost you anywhere from $399-? (There are 32 slots on the controller, a slider takes up 4, and a button or knob takes up one. The Mine S Pro Bundle sitting in front of me with an extra slider will set you back around $516+ ~$30 shipping (I wish I would have purchased an additional 2 Button Module ($14 more) to balance out this setup).

The build design, and packaging are exceptional, but one thing was missing. A case! Luckily, we found this padded case on Amazon for $21.99 USD. Designed for the Donner DMK 25 MIDI Keyboard, this fits the Mine S with some room to spare -- all while fitting in a backpack.

With all that being said, we wanted this tutorial to be informational. Since every setup with the Mine S is different, we can’t give you a preconfigured template with MIDI mappings, but we can show you how to make your own custom UI with the TouchOSC editor and import into VDMX

Tutorial

I’ve made a template for the Mine S controller the way I have it configured, running their default MIDI profile (in the Mine App). You can download that here and install in your VDMX template folder. The Mine supports MIDI or OSC, either can be used for this example.

To install templates in VDMX go to: ‘Your Drive’ > Users > ‘username’ > Library > Application Support > VDMX > templates

The VDMX custom control surface plugin has a great import feature that allows you to import a TouchOSC template. The trick is you have to use the TouchOSC MK1 editor to create a compatible file.

That editor can be downloaded from Hexler’s website here.

From here you can build out your Mine S controller layout using simple vertical and horizontal sliders and faders. Simply right click on the blank interface, select the button, slider, or fader you want, and piece your layout together. Don’t worry about the alignment right now. We’ll reconfigure that in VDMX after import.

Add a new Control Surface using the + icon in the Workspace Inspector
Next, click Import TouchOSC Layout and select the TouchOSC template you saved.

Click IMPORT, the default settings are fine.

When I import my template, the layout has the wrong orientation.
No worries, we’ll fix that in a second.

Return to the Workspace Inspector, select the control surface, and at the bottom of the User Interface Inspector, select the Edit UI box.
Now you can see options to change the sizing and Rotate the UI. Click Rotate, to get the correct orientation for your controller layout.

That’s much better. From here, I can resize, adjust, the buttons, sliders, and layout. I made my UI more compact, but you don’t have to.

Before finishing up. I’ll click Minimize under the control surface User Interface Inspector.
This will cleanup my interface.

When finished make sure you uncheck the Edit UI checkbox to return the control surface back to a locked setup. The UI grid will disappear, and now you’re interface is ready for mapping.

Mapping a custom UI is completely optional. You could skip this step by mapping other aspects of VDMX directly, but from time to time, it’s helpful to map out control surfaces such as this, so you can have a visual representation of what settings your current controller is outputting.

Pros and Cons of the Mine S MIDI controller

Pros

Modular, but remembers midi settings. Buy more buttons, configure to your hearts desire.
Kensington Lockable
MIDI IN and MIDI OUT
Optional 5V DC power supply (for USB ports that can't handle the setup). I haven't had to use this.
Power on/off button.
Quality buttons, knobs, and sliders.
MIDI Notes, CC, or OSC -- all custom configurable.
Custom colors, and great range of dimmable LEDs

Cons

Only one type of medium resistance slider available, no low resistence option available for a cross-fader. (You'll have to develop stronger fingers)
No USB C port.
Not fully standalone (currently requires the Mine S software to be installed on your machine). Their website says they will release and update to fix this, but right now, you'll have to run another app.

MineApp application required for Mine S run.

If you do end up purchasing a Special Waves Mine S. We recommend buying a case, and a USB B to USB C cable to directly connect.

Numark DJ2Go2, Hercules DJ Control Starlight, and DJ Control Mix MIDI controller template for VDMX

November 17, 2022

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro. Both the Numark DJ2Go2 and Hercules DJ Control Starlight MIDI controllers offer compact features at a great price under $100 USD. Here’s a new template to use in VDMX to get started with!

Using VDMX to create online profile pictures

May 24, 2018

In this quick video tutorial we'll be demonstrating how to create a hacker visual style that can be used to create still images or short video loops as source material for animated gifs to use for profile pics online in situations where you want to apply some digital processing on your face for privacy or for fun.

Using VDMX to generate images that are published to Twitter by Processing.

Posting Images to Twitter Using Processing and VDMX

April 11, 2018

Expanding on our previous look into using Processing along with VDMX, in this tutorial we will look at how to use Processing to post images received from VDMX to Twitter. This technique can be used at live events, as part of video installations, or to create simple bots.

Streaming the output of a VDMX VJ set to Twitch

December 18, 2016

For VJs with access to a fast upstream Internet connection one of the places that can be a place to perform is over the net by streaming the output of VDMX (or any other Syphon output enabled application) with Twitch. In this video tutorial we'll look at the basic steps involved in getting this set up.

Using LUT FX in VDMX

October 1, 2016

One of the common types of image filters that are found in the workflow for photo and video editing are LUTs, also know as "Look Up Table" based FX. LUT FX are used to change the color palette of an image to create a different stylized look or feel, or in some cases to mimic the look of different print film types.

In this video tutorial we'll be looking at how to use each of the three different ways to use LUT FX in VDMX and how to add your own ".cube" LUT files.

Using VDMX as a Syphon Mixer

April 23, 2016

One of the best things about being a VJ on the Mac these days is Syphon which makes it possible for all of the different tools that are available to work together in countless ways. Within VDMX it is possible to have as many Syphon inputs and outputs as your computer can handle, which allows for it to be used as a source, mixer, FX processor or final output for other software you may want to work with.

In this video tutorial we'll look at a simple use case for connecting several Syphon enabled applications to and from VDMX by creating a two channel mixer that fades between two Syphon sources and publishes back out for other applications to use.

Media Bins: Triggering Multiple Clips At The Same Time

April 17, 2016

One of the common things you may want to set up using media bin plugins is the ability to trigger multiple clips to different layers at the same time. Within VDMX this can be configured in a few different ways depending on your use case.

4 Layer Korg nanoKONTROL2 template

June 9, 2015

One of the popular controllers used by VJs is the Korg nanoKONTROL, a versatile set of sliders, knobs and buttons that can be easily mapped to different setups. The goal of this more setup is to provide a good standard VJ rig for this controller that includes 4 layers with playback / mixing / color adjustment, clip / page switching along with a set of both manual and audio reactive FX that can be individually enabled.

How to make a customized Livid OhmRGB Slim template by eatyourwork

September 24, 2013

For today's guest post we're joined by eatyourwork who first introduced us to the possibilities of using OhmRGB Slim alongside of VDMX in a blog post a couple of years ago. Since then we've made a few basic templates for new video performers to get started with a simple VJ video mixer setup with the Ohm, but in this video tutorial Simas shows off the extent to which you can customize your layout and MIDI mapping when making your own video performance rig.

Making three templates for the Livid Base

September 5, 2013

When getting a new MIDI controller to use with VDMX, or other VJ / music making software, one of the most exciting aspects is finding out the best way to map the sliders and buttons to various controls that you want to use during performance, and along with that coming up with new ways that you can configure your software video generators and FX to get the most out of the layout of your instrument.

In this set of technique tutorials we'll be looking at three new example VDMX setups we've come up with for the Livid Base that take advantage of the controller in a few different ways including its multi-color LEDs and pressure sensitive pads.

How to build the Waveclock Demo template

August 28, 2013

In this tutorial we'll be looking a closer look at using automatic BPM detection for syncing up the timing of visual events with music by recreating the core parts of the Waveclock Demo template that is included with VDMX.

The approach we'll take is to create a virtual video instrument in the form of a Quartz Composer composition and animate its interface controls with Step Sequencer and LFO plugins. Presets for patterns in each plugin can then be saved and switched to match the energy level of the music while VJing during a live set.

Automatic BPM Detection in VDMX using Waveclock

July 15, 2013

By enabling the “Waveclock” beat tracking feature in the VDMX Clock plugin, the music from a microphone or line input can be analyzed to automatically handle the adjustment of the BPM and measure position to ensure that the timing of changes in your video are perfectly in sync with the bands and DJs that you are working with.

VJing with a WiiMote game controller in VDMX

June 20, 2013

While MIDI devices and OSC enabled applications tend to be most commonly used instruments by VJs when getting away from the computer during a live visual performance, another extremely powerful controller that can be paired with VDMX is the WiiMote game pad which can be connected to a Mac wirelessly over Bluetooth.

The basic configuration only takes a few moments to set up and then we can begin to put together a sample project that is designed to get the most out of the possibilities of the combining accelerometers with game style buttons for performing live visuals.

DJ Mixer EQ Style Masking FX for VDMX (with bonus X-Session Pro template)

May 30, 2013

In this technique tutorial we'll focus on two different ways the idea of a DJ style low, mid, high EQ control can be interpreted in the world of video as FX in VDMX as a means to mask out or adjust the gain level on separate discrete parts of a video stream for the purposes of blending video layers together.

The first example exchanges the low, mid and high levels for the individual RGB channels of the image for raising or lowering the intensity of each independently. The second qcFX uses a similar concept to a 3-band equalizer, breaking down the image into three different sections based on the luma (brightness) level of each pixel instead of its frequency ranges.

The Dual Mix 4 Layer Livid OhmRGB Slim Template

May 27, 2013

When compositing layers of video together in VDMX or another VJ application, one of the standard techniques for combining images is the use of “masking images” which black out parts of an image by setting its transparency (alpha channel) to less than 1.0, allowing it to in front of content behind it instead of simply blending the two together.

This template is a variation on the technique described in the four channel mixer example in which we have two groups of layers (left and right bus) set up making it possible to preview and transition between mixes on the fly. Here the idea is similar, but instead of two mixes that use separate sets of clips, in this template each bus shares the same set of four clips, each with different controls for layer opacity, FX and blend modes. For an added twist, the four source for this template is used as a mask overlay for each bus that can be used in a variety of ways to combine the two separate mixes together in the main output.

In this video tutorial we quickly go through the design of this template and how it can be used to mix two movie clips along with an audio reactive or LFO driven Quartz Composer composition as an overlay or mask.

Making a customized version of 'Grid Pro' in VDMX

May 6, 2013

Building on the previous template and tutorial on recreating the classic VIDVOX Grid using VDMX, in this video walkthrough we'll show how to turn the basic triggering and scrubbing app to it's big brother Grid Pro, which added a number of powerful features like transitions for fading between clips, image FX processing, audio analysis, a text generator layer and direct to disk movie recording.

The 8 Layer APC40 VJ Mixer Template for VDMX

May 1, 2013

The Akai APC40 is one of the most known MIDI controllers designed to be used alongside Ableton Live for DJing and music production. It also happens to be a pretty good controller for working with video and in this tutorial we'll look at some tips for setting up an 8 layer setup with controls matched to the layout of the controller itself.

With this example template you can load in your own movie files and start mixing immediately, or further map the remaining knobs and buttons to your own selection of real-time video FX and other movie playback parameters.

Making a customized version of 'Grid' in VDMX

April 30, 2013

When creating new performance interfaces from scratch using VDMX it is often useful to look at the layouts of other VJ tools as a starting points. In this video tutorial we quickly recreate the main features of the classic 'VIDVOX Grid' including most of the keyboard shortcuts, playback capabilities, and general UI layout. The completed version is available for download and just like the original app it is based on, this example template can be used out of the box with your own clips for performances.