Add HUI MIDI Mapping Protocol

[Jim Fogle]

I think it would be nice if the HUI MIDI Mapping Protocol ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HUI_MIDI_mapping_protocol  ) was added to Cakewalk by BandLab.  CbB already has ACT and WAI protocols for surface controllers as well as Studioware selections for many external devices.

As described in " Understanding Audio: Getting the Most Out of Your Project or Professional Recording Studio by Daniel M. Thompson "

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The HUI MIDI mapping protocol is a proprietary communications protocol for interfacing between a hardware audio control surface and digital audio workstation (DAW) software. The protocol allows a DAW and a connected hardware control surface to exchange MIDI signals that synchronize the states of their sliders, buttons, wheels, and displays. The user can write console automation which can then be seen in the DAW.

Although the protocol was developed in 1997 It is used in new controllers such as the Novation: 61SL MkIII Keyboard Controller ( https://novationmusic.com/keys/sl-mkiii  )

[msmcleod]

This is not as simple as you think.

Firstly, the Mackie HUI protocol is "closed" - in other words, you have to get the protocol docs directly from Mackie. I've actually got some notes from someone who reverse engineered it to some extent, but they're are just notes, not full documentation.

Secondly, a real HUI controller is needed. Hardware like the SL-MKii only implements part of the protocol and doesn't have all the displays & controls a HUI has. Even the MCU has only some of the controls. You'd need a real HUI to test with in order to claim that you offer true HUI support.

Even with the docs  & hardware, this would take several weeks of development. 

I have actually toyed with the idea of doing this (based on the HUI mode of the MCU), but I really don't have the time to spare (and it would be a significant amount of time, seeing as I'd probably have to further reverse engineer the protocol), on something that would serve no benefit to my setup - MCU mode works fine for me. 

Maybe if enough people really, really want this I can be otherwise persuaded....

It would be great if Cakewalk picked this up, but even Cakewalk's Mackie Control support was written by someone outside Cakewalk (Chris Boucher).

[Jim Fogle]

Thanks for taking the time to respond.  You bring up some valid points.

Yes the HUI protocol is a proprietary communication protocol. Still, as a quote from the Wikipedia article linked above states,

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It is now used very widely. Many hardware controllers from manufacturers such as Solid State Logic, Yamaha, TASCAM, and Novation implement this protocol.

The article goes on to address the protocol's use in DAWs,

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... the protocol is also supported by a growing family of DAWs, including MOTU Digital Performer and Steinberg Nuendo, making them cross-compatible with HUI-compatible hardware controllers.

I don't believe the degree of difficulty to complete a task should negatively weigh against a feature request.  Difficult tasks just take longer to complete than easy tasks.

If Cakewalk decides to implement the HUI protocol, getting hardware to test the software shouldn't be an insurmountable obstacle.  BandLab Technologies does own a music store, https://www.sweelee.com/  and is a distributor for many music products.  Other distributors such as Sweetwater and American Musical Supply (AMS) open product, use it for training or videos then sell it  So can BandLab.

[sjcaldwell]

I've been able to get a HUI compatible ]controller  (Yamaha DM2000) to work with Ableton Live that does not support HUI.  I use Bome MIDI Translator Pro and use it to convert HUI to Mackie (which Ableton Live DOES support).  If anyone is interested, reach out to the Bome forum as I am the moderator there and can point you in the right direction.  The user I helped uses a 24 channel Yamaha DM2000 while I use a Novation Launch Control XL (in HUI mode) and Korg NanoKontrol2 (in HUI mode) to test with.