VIBE FM SDK

Controllers and mixers

Two short standards. With them, every VIBE FM firmware works with every controller, and nobody writes controller code into a firmware.

Built in (no profile needed): the Novation Launchpad Mini MK3, in the emulator and on the VIBE FM (since SDK 20's host, 2.11.2026): it switches to programmer mode by itself and is a whole VIBE – upper left 4 × 4 the pads, upper right PLAY STOP REC HOME, K1–K6, F1 F2, OCT − / +, ◀ ▶, the lower four rows two octaves of keys, the round buttons F1–F6, MENU, RETURN, SHIFT, ENTER and DATA – and shows the firmware's lights. Other grids (a Launchpad Pro, a Push) use a profile with "pads": { "notes": [...] }.

1. Controller profiles (for the host, not your firmware)

A profile is a small JSON file that says what a MIDI controller's knobs, buttons and pads are on the VIBE. The host applies it (the VIBE, the browser emulator), before your firmware sees anything, so your firmware just gets encoders, buttons and pads as always. The same file works everywhere. Profiles live in controllers/.

{
  "format": 1,
  "name": "My Controller",
  "match": ["My Controller"],
  "knobs": "auto",
  "pads": { "channel": 10, "note": 36, "rows": "top-down" },
  "map": [
    { "cc": 21, "to": "encoder", "id": "1" },
    { "cc": 28, "to": "encoder", "id": "DATA" },
    { "cc": 29, "to": "volume" },
    { "note": 48, "channel": 1, "to": "button", "id": "ENTER" },
    { "note": 49, "channel": 1, "to": "library" }
  ]
}

Field	Meaning
`match`	part of the MIDI port's name (any case)
`knobs`	`auto` (the host finds out), `abs`, `rel64`, `rel2c`, `relsm` (Mackie V-pots)
`map[].knobs`	(VIBE FM VST 0.7.3, the emulator, vibe-host) the same, for this one control – before the profile's; what it says is never guessed. For endless encoders the guessing gets wrong: the MPK mini's DATA wheel (CC 14: `1` / `127`, fast `2`–`3` / `125`–`126`) is `rel2c`
`pads`	the drum pads as a block of notes: `channel`, first `note`, `rows` `top-down` or `bottom-up` – or (SDK 20) `notes`: each pad's note in turn, for a grid that does not count straight (a Launchpad in programmer mode: `[81, 82, … 88, 71, … 18]`). How many pads there are, the device says (`device.json`, else 16)
`map[]`	source: `cc` or `note` (optionally `channel` 1–16 and `port`, part of a port name). `to`: `encoder` (`1`–`4`, `A`, `B`, `DATA`), `button` (`F1`…`F6`, `K1`…`K6`, `SHIFT`, `OCT_DOWN`, `OCT_UP`, `ENTER`, `RETURN`, `HOME`, `LEFT`, `MENU`, `RIGHT`, `REC`, `STOP`, `PLAY`, `DATA_PUSH`), `pad` (1–16), `volume`, `area` (`dir` −1 / +1 / 0), `library` (the firmware library), `mix` (below)

Make one without typing: in the emulator, plug your controller in, press Setup (it walks you through it), then Profile ↓ saves the file. Put it into controllers/. Send it to us (an issue or a pull request), and the controller works for everyone.

Tip: with FOCUS (SDK 10), one knob with a push (DATA + ENTER) and a HOME button already reach every control in every firmware.

2. The mixer convention (SDK 11, for your firmware)

If your firmware has tracks, report its mixer as parameters with these ids. Any mixer controller then works your tracks (Mackie Control devices over USB, and later Bluetooth), and in the plugin the DAW does. You don't write any controller code.

id	range
`mix_<n>_level`	0 … 1 (n = 1 … 16)
`mix_<n>_pan`	−1 … +1
`mix_<n>_mute`, `mix_<n>_solo`, `mix_<n>_arm`	0 / 1 (`steps` 2)
`mix_select`	1 … N (`steps` N): the selected track

Use vibe_params as for any parameter (sdk/include/vibe.h). A change from outside arrives as VIBE_EV_PARAM.
When your own panel changes one, call vibe_param_set. The simplest way is to compare once per audio block and report what differs. Then the controller's LEDs and faders follow.
The host does the rest: faders pick the value up (no jumps), buttons toggle mute / solo / arm or select, the LEDs show your values, and the controller's first four knobs are encoders 1–4.
A complete example: firmwares/obervave-src/o3_daw.h (mix_params, mix_of, mix_from_host).

This page is the SDK repository's CONTROLLERS.md – the same text, in the hub's look.