v0.7.9: MIDI Controller Support — What parameters do you want mapped?

[ten9876]

MIDI Controller Mapping is here!

AetherSDR v0.7.9 adds class-compliant USB MIDI controller support. Plug in any standard MIDI controller — Behringer X-Touch Mini, Korg nanoKONTROL, Akai MIDImix, or anything that sends standard MIDI messages — and map its knobs, faders, and buttons to AetherSDR controls.

How it works

1. Settings → MIDI Mapping opens the dedicated mapping dialog
2. Select your controller from the port dropdown, click Connect
3. Choose a parameter, click Learn, then move a knob — binding created
4. That knob now controls the parameter in real time

Bindings are saved automatically and persist across sessions. You can save named profiles for different controllers.

What's supported today (50 parameters)

RX Controls (16)

• AF Gain (0–200)
• Squelch Level (0–100)
• AGC Threshold (0–100)
• Audio Pan (0–100)
• Noise Blanker on/off
• Noise Reduction on/off
• Auto Notch on/off
• Squelch Enable on/off
• Audio Mute on/off
• Tune Lock on/off
• RIT Enable on/off
• XIT Enable on/off
• NR2 (Spectral) on/off
• RN2 (RNNoise) on/off
• Step Size Up/Down (trigger)
• Tune Up/Down (relative knob)

TX Controls (5)

• RF Power (0–100)
• Tune Power (0–100)
• MOX on/off
• TUNE on/off
• ATU Start (trigger)

Phone/CW Controls (9)

• Mic Level (0–100)
• Monitor Volume (0–100)
• Speech Processor on/off
• DAX on/off
• Monitor on/off
• VOX Enable on/off
• VOX Level (0–100)
• AM Carrier (0–100)
• CW Speed (5–100 WPM)

Equalizer (10)

• TX EQ Enable on/off
• RX EQ Enable on/off
• 8 frequency bands: 63 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz (-10 to +10 dB each)

Global Controls (7)

• Master Volume (0–100)
• Headphone Volume (0–100)
• Master Mute on/off
• TX Button on/off
• TNF Global on/off
• Band Up/Down (trigger)

MIDI message types supported

Type	Use
CC (Control Change)	Knobs, faders, sliders — value 0-127 maps to parameter range
Note On/Off	Buttons, pads — toggles on press
Pitch Bend	High-resolution 14-bit control (great for VFO tuning)

What parameters would you like added?

We have room for many more. Here are some ideas we're considering:

• Filter width / filter edges (low cut, high cut)
• AGC mode selector (off/slow/med/fast)
• Mode selector (USB/LSB/CW/AM/FM/DIGU/DIGL)
• RIT/XIT offset (continuous Hz adjustment)
• NB/NR/ANF level (0–100 intensity, not just on/off)
• CW pitch (100–6000 Hz)
• CW delay (break-in delay)
• VOX delay
• TX filter low/high cut
• Waterfall gain / black level
• FFT average / FPS
• BNR intensity (0–100%)
• DEXP level
• Antenna selector (cycle through antennas)
• DAX channel selector
• Memory recall (up/down through memories)
• Slice A/B swap

What would YOU find most useful on your controller? Drop a comment with:

1. Which controller you're using
2. Which parameters you'd like mapped
3. Any workflow-specific needs (e.g., contest operation, DX chasing, ragchew)

See the MIDI Controller Mapping wiki page for full documentation.

73, Jeremy KK7GWY & Claude (AI dev partner)

[dsiminiuk]

This is amazing. I have a Behringer CMD Micro and I can't wait to play with this feature.

[Lynovation]

This is great!

I'm the creator of CTR2 radio controller products and I've already tested AetherSDR MIDI control with my CTR2-Quad controller, and it mostly works!

Many of the functions work in v0.8.20, but some do not. I can provide a list if interested, but this probably needs to go into a bug topic. Of particular interest would be getting the paddles and straight key features working, as my CTR2 controllers support these functions.

What I find missing right now is the ability to change modes (Mode Up/Down), select modes directly, and select bands directly. My controllers support 18 MIDI Change Controls (Wheels/Sliders) and up to 60 MIDI Notes (buttons), so I can map to about anything you can support. I can support everything on your list above.

Thanks for putting this together!
73, Lynn, KU7Q
Lynovation.com

[sm3sgp]

I am using the Hercules DJControl Starlight (https://www.thomann.se/hercules_dj_control_starlight.htm).
I cannot find a way to map "[RX] VFO Tune Knob" to a specific slice? I have two VFO knobs on this controller.
Same goes for other functions, or have I missed something? @ten9876

73 Gunnar SM3SGP (SK3W)

[yankneck696]

I am using a Teensy 4.1 as a USB-MIDI bridge. It will be taking in all of the front panel controls from the switches & knobs. So, I can use any commands that would be on an older transciever.

Ed
WA4SIX

[dsiminiuk]

I was able to map one large knob on my CMD Micro to "[RX] VFO Tune Knob" and it follows the active slice. I also have a 2nd large knob on this controller and I typically only use 2 slices simultaneously, so I would also like to be able to assign each knob to a different slice. But that also holds true for some of the other sliders where I have 2, AGC, Volume, etc., and it would be ideal if these could also be assigned to a specific slice. For now it is operating as designed.

[sm3sgp]

There is an issue created for this now, but marked as Low Priority unfortunately.
#3927