What is Chirp?
Turn your laptop keyboard into a MIDI keyboard controller. Capture musical inspiration on the go without having to lug along a hardware MIDI keyboard. Just use your laptop's keyboard or mouse to enter notes and chords in any music software requiring MIDI input or providing MIDI output. Use Chirp to audition soft synth patches in your favorite DAW or recording application. Want to write that masterpiece or work on that string part in your DAW during your cross-country flight? Chirp makes it both possible and easy. The keyboard is resizable on the user's display, and the computer key mappings are shown as labels on the piano keys and trigger pads/controls.
Chirp Features and Quick Specifications
- Runs on Mac OS X to 10.9 or Windows XP/Vista/7.
- High quality re-sizable keyboard display shows piano keys being pressed with photo-realistic shadowing
- Includes 10 programmable trigger pads map-able to any MIDI event-even SYSEX commands
- 2 controller wheels allow mouse or trackpad entry of any MIDI continuous controller
- Installs as a virtual MIDI port-appears in the MIDI Devices menu of any music software application
Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard. Virtual MIDI controller for Linux, Windows and OSX. VMPK is a virtual. 1-16 of 698 results for 'midi keyboard for mac' Best Seller in Computer Recording MIDI Controllers. AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs and Music Production Software included (Black) 4.6 out of 5 stars 236.
- VMPK 0.4.0 - Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard. Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard is a MIDI events generator and receiver. It doesn't produce any sound by itself, but can be used to drive a MIDI synthesizer (either hardware or software, internal or external). This is the version for mobile devices with touch screen and wireless local area network.
- Changing the Default Settings in Chirp Mac OS X Version. Chirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard Controller Reason Setup Guide - Mac OS X Chirp Downloads. Chirp will run in Trial Mode for 30 days before you need to buy a license key to unlock it. We encourage you to take it for.
Chirp Overview Documentation
This section contains general overview information about the Chirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard application.
Chirp Overview Brochure
Chirp User Manual
Chirp for Windows
For Windows users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.
Chirp Installation Guide
Chirp Windows Troubleshooting Guide
Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth Issues
Windows MIDI Port Limits, SongFrame and Chirp
Chirp for Mac
For Mac users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.
Chirp Installation Guide
Chirp Mac Troubleshooting Guide
Chirp Mac Pro Tools Setup Guide
Changing the Default Settings in Chirp Mac OS X Version
Chirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard ControllerReason Setup Guide - Mac OS X
Chirp will run in Trial Mode for 30 days before you need to buy a license key to unlock it. We encourage you to take it for a test drive before you purchase it to be sure it fits your needs. Please refer to the Documentation tab for installation and getting started guides, as well as detailed operational information.
Chirp Build 1.2 Downloads
These downloads work with serial numbers purchased between 2008 and June 2012. The Pace Interlok anti-piracy protection has been removed, otherwise these versions are identical to the current Build 2.0 in functionality. Please EMAIL us at [email protected] get an updated license key for Chirp Build 2.0. This is free for previous Chirp customers.
Chirp Example Screens
Examples of Chirp screen shots can be found below.
Chirp Detailed Information
Chirp turns your computer or laptop keyboard into a virtual MIDI keyboard controller with 18 piano keys, 10 drum triggers and all the control you'd expect from a piece of hardware. The program produces no actual 'sound' itself - instead it produces MIDI notes and messages, which in turn 'drive' any music software application, MIDI instrument or plug-in soft synthesizer capable of generating sound from MIDI input. Many music software applications and soft synths include some virtual keyboard capability, but very few allow the MIDI notes to be generated using your computer keyboard. Many limit input to a mouse click, which makes chord entry and real-time playing virtually impossible. Chirp accommodates up to 7 notes on the keyboard to be played simultaneously and in real-time, allowing for even complex 9/11/13 chord entry over 2 octaves.
Chirp was designed to be a low latency controller capable of both supply MIDI notes and displaying played notes from any music application with MIDI I/O capabilities. We envisioned the primary computer platform as a Windows or Mac laptop, and most likely in a remote environment where the use of a physical keyboard is impractical, such as an airplane seat, bus seat (or even your desk at work!) Chirp allows the user to choose which computer keys are mapped to the piano keyboard keys, as well as assign the trigger pads to any MIDI event.
Chirp Features
Ports
- 16 Channel Virtual MIDI Input/Output Port (installs via driver on Windows or Mac and appears in any MIDI music host application)
- Piano Keyboard and Trigger Pads assignable to different MIDI Channels
Keyboard
- High resolution photo-realistic display - large and small display sizes available
- 18 to 21 notes mapped to computer keyboard keys for generating MIDI data with assignable velocities
- 18 to 21 on-screen keys to display incoming MIDI note data
- Note velocity controlled by graphical slide or preset values assigned to top row number keys graphical octave control allows access to all 127 defined MIDI notes
Controls
- 2 programmable continuous controller wheels operated with the mouse or glide pad - assignable to any continuous controller
- Space Bar assignable as on/off pedal (damper/sustain, etc)
- 10 trigger pads assignable to any MIDI event (on a different channel than the keyboard keys)
- 'All Notes Off' Panic button
- Ability to send note data even when Chirp is not the focused application ('Send Notes Always' function.)
MIDI Data Capable From Continuous Controller Wheels
- Control every MIDI continuous controller defined in the latest MIDI Specification
- Pitch Bend and Mod wheel set up as default controllers; user can define any combination of MIDI Controllers to assign to wheels
MIDI Data From Trigger Pads
- Note On/Off with assignable velocity
- Program Change messages
- Specific Controller Values
- SYSEX Messages
- Default mapping to GM Drums on MIDI Channel 10 for most commonly used drum sounds
Minimum Computer System Requirements
Windows - 2.33GHz or faster x86-compatible processor, or Intel Atom™ 1.6GHz or faster processor for netbook class devices. Microsoft® Windows® XP, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (including 64 bit editions) with Service Pack 2, Windows 7, or Windows 8 Classic. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process, and also installs the required LoopBe30 MIDI Loopback Driver.
Mac - Intel® Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor
Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8, or v10.9. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process.
Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8, or v10.9. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process.
Audio MIDI Setup User Guide
If you use MIDI devices or a MIDI interface connected to your Mac, you can use Audio MIDI Setup to describe the configuration of your MIDI devices. There’s a default configuration already created, but you can set up your own.
You can use this configuration information for apps that work with MIDI, such as sequencers, to control your MIDI devices.
Note: Make sure your MIDI devices are connected to your Mac. If you’re using an interface device, connect any other MIDI devices you’re using to the interface. Also check that any software provided by the manufacturer of the MIDI devices has been installed. For more information, see the documentation that came with your devices.
View a MIDI configuration
- In the Audio MIDI Setup app on your Mac, choose Window > Show MIDI Studio.
- In the MIDI Studio window, click the Choose MIDI Configuration pop-up menu (it may show Default), then choose the configuration you want to view.
- In the toolbar, click the following buttons to change how the configuration is shown:
- Hierarchical View : Devices in the configuration are shown as icons. If a device isn’t connected, its icon is dimmed. To view information about a device, such as channel properties and ports, and to add or remove ports, double-click the device’s icon.
- List View : Devices in the configuration are shown in a list, organized by type (such as Interface or External Device). If a device isn’t connected, it’s dimmed. To filter which devices are shown, click the Show pop-up menu, then choose an option (such as Online or Connected). To view information about a device, double-click the device. To view its ports, or to connect or disconnect devices, click the device’s disclosure triangle.
Virtual Midi Keyboard For Mac
Create a MIDI configuration
- In the Audio MIDI Setup app on your Mac, choose Window > Show MIDI Studio.
- In the MIDI Studio window, click the Choose MIDI Configuration pop-up menu (it may show Default), then choose New Configuration.
- Enter a name for the new configuration, then click OK.
- To add a new external MIDI device, click the Add button in the MIDI Studio toolbar.
- To set properties and add or remove ports for the MIDI device, double-click the device, or select it, then click the Device Info button in the toolbar.
- In the Properties window, do any of the following:
- Describe the device: Enter a name for the MIDI device; the name appears in apps you use with the device. If you know the manufacturer and model, you can enter those.
- Change the device icon: Click the MIDI device’s icon to open the Icon Browser, select a different icon to represent the device, then click the new icon to close the Icon Browser.
- Change the device color: Click the color well, select a different color to use for the MIDI device, then close the Colors window.
- Set the device channels and other properties: Click Properties, then click the channels to use for transmitting and receiving audio. To deselect a channel, click it again. Also select whether to use the MIDI Beat Clock, the MIDI Time Code, or both, then select other features.
- Add or remove ports: Click Ports, click the Add button below the list of ports, then specify the MIDI In and MIDI Out connectors for the port. To delete a port, select it in the list, then click the Remove button .
- Select MIDI-CI profiles for interface devices: If an interface device supports MIDI-CI, click MIDI-CI to see the profiles available on each channel. To turn a profile on or off, select or deselect its checkbox.
- Click Apply.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 for each MIDI device you want to include in the configuration.
- In the MIDI Studio window, specify the connection between MIDI devices:
- In Hierarchical View , drag the In or Out connectors at the top of a device icon to the corresponding connector on another device icon.
- In List View , click a device’s disclosure triangle, click the Port disclosure triangle, click the Add Connection icon, then use the pop-up menus to specify the connections.
If you have a MIDI interface connected to the USB port on your Mac, it should appear in the MIDI Studio window. If it doesn’t, see If a connected MIDI device isn’t shown.
You can’t specify a “MIDI thru” connection between two MIDI devices. To indicate a MIDI thru connection, connect the two MIDI devices to the same port of the MIDI interface device.
Edit a MIDI configuration
- In the Audio MIDI Setup app on your Mac, choose Window > Show MIDI Studio.
- In the MIDI Studio window, click the Choose MIDI Configuration pop-up menu (it may show Default), then choose Edit Configurations.
- Select a configuration, then click Duplicate, Rename, or Delete.
- When you’re finished making changes, click Done.
Midi For Mac
See alsoTest your MIDI connection in Audio MIDI Setup on MacMIDI Studio window in Audio MIDI Setup on MacIf an audio device isn’t working in Audio MIDI Setup on MacIf a MIDI device is dimmed in Audio MIDI Setup on MacIf a MIDI app isn’t using the configuration in Audio MIDI Setup on Mac