Feature Request: Support for Placeholders in MIDI Commands

TeabagTim

Currently, MIDI commands require explicit values, such as program change numbers, making them less flexible for dynamic configurations. This feature request proposes adding support for placeholders within MIDI commands, allowing users to define symbolic names that can be replaced with predefined values.

Examples
Static command:
[midi@01:20.00: PC5@1]

After (using a placeholder):
[midi@01:20.00: %TIM_DISTORTION%]
Here, %TIM_DISTORTION% would be resolved to a specific MIDI command (e.g., PC5@1).

In the settings, there should be page where these placeholders can be configured. One placeholder could trigger multiple commands.

Benefits
• Improved readability: Commands become more intuitive by using meaningful names.
• Easier configuration: Users can modify MIDI mappings without editing every instance.

peter

Yes, this is something I have on my todo list. But it will most likely not make it into version 4.0 but a bit later.

AnthonyB

Oooh. I do like that idea.

My use case is that 90% of the songs in my library, the Bank/Program change for my drummer's Roland SPD-SX PRO drum sample pad is the same. We even call it his 'default kit'. As luck would have it, I had to change it in every song just recently, thus there was a lot of lyric sheet updates and lyric sheet imports into multitrack songs that day!
Being able to set that as a variable in my lyrics sheets and reference from a 'global' (and/or playlist specific? in case people use set lists for different bands/configurations?) would've been a time-saver.

Looking forward to ST4 where support for actual MIDI file to carry this sort of MIDI automation is on the roadmap, and the method I would transition to, it does become a short-lived benefit to me.