Sly Devil posted a great set of tutorials on using Nintendo Wii Remotes to control Mixmeister Fusion. The original was split over 2 parts with a excellent video to follow up. Both parts are featured here in our Tips and Tricks section for your convenience. Even if you aren't planning on using Wii Remotes the video still gives a great overview of Fusion in use with a midi controller and should be essential viewing for all! Thanks for sharing Sly Devil!

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Part 1
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Recently, I saw a TV program where 2 Wii Remotes (which are Video Game Controllers for the Wii Gaming System, which will be referred to as Wiimotes) were used to control some DJ software. After watching the program, I immediately thought – Could you use Wiimotes to control Fusion? So I decided to find out.

After doing some checks on Wiijing (the term used to describe DJing using Wiimotes), I found the site DJ Wiij which gave me the information I needed to start the project and eventually found that it was possible. I can now use the Wiimotes alone to adjust the bass/treble/midrange and looping of any of the 8 strips on the fly - using button presses and/or hand movements. Here’s how I came up with the basic set-up which is to be considered as a Work In Progress.

What is needed to use Wiimotes in Fusion?

1. Two Wiimotes that can be bought separately at various outlets.

2. Bluetooth connectivity. Wiimotes uses Bluetooth to connect to a device. If your computer is Bluetooth capable, you’re good to go. If not, then you can buy a Bluetooth USB adapter reasonably cheaply.

3. To map the Wiimote controls (e.g. combination button presses and/or hand movements to perform an action), the default Midi Learn function in Fusion cannot be used as it will not detect these types of events. So instead, I have used a freeware program called Glovepie which allows me to map any combination of Wiimote controls to computer keys and midi controls using coding.

4. Download the freeware midi utility Midi-OX . Midi-OX creates a number of virtual midi ports which should be used to map your default midi channel to the Wiimotes. The reason why this is done will be explained later.

Setting up the Wiimotes on your computer


Once Bluetooth has been installed on your computer, you would use the supplied Bluetooth Manager to define the Wiimotes to your system.

1. From within the Bluetooth Manager, select Add New Connection. This may bring a dialog asking you to choose between an Express or Custom Mode. Choose Express Mode and continue.

2. The Wizard will then scan for any Bluetooth devices. Press the 1 and 2 buttons on your Wiimote simultaneously. The LED’s on the Wiimote should flash.

3. If detected, a device list will appear with the device name of something similar to Nintendo RVL-CNT-01 which will be the default name of your controller. Select this and continue.

4. A message will be displayed saying something similar to “Now Connecting to your Bluetooth Device”. Press the 1 and 2 buttons again on your Wiimote.

5. If the Bluetooth Manager manages to detect the Wiimote a message like “Prepare to connect to the remote HID device, then click OK” will be shown. Press the 1 and 2 buttons again.

6. A final dialog should now be shown asking to give a name to you new connection. Rename as required, select the option to add an icon to the desktop and continue.

7. Your Wiimote should be defined to Bluetooth.

8. Follow the above steps to define the 2nd Wiimote to your computer.


You could now start playing with your Wiimotes in Fusion now, but I’ve found that if you did, the Wiimotes will constantly perform midi sends to Fusion – even if no button has been pressed. This means a messy display in Fusion with markers added that are not wanted plus unnecessary midi traffic. To get around this, I’ve used Midi-OX.

1. Download and install Midi-Ox.

2. Open up Midi-Ox and then Options > Midi Devices.

3. You will see that Midi-Ox has 8 Midi inputs/outputs called Midi Yokes. Click on Midi Yoke 1 in the Midi Inputs pane to highlight it. Then click on your default Midi devices which should be listed in the midi output pane. Doing this should map your default device to midi yoke 1. Select OK to confirm.

If all of the above has worked, you will now be in a position to use Wiimotes with Fusion. In the next part, I will show you the script I have developed (and am currently tweaking) as a basis for Fusion Wiijing.

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Part 2
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If you have managed to setup the Wiimotes as per part one, it is now time to play.

Wiimote Setup

1. Insert the Bluetooth adapter if required.

2. Double click on the Bluetooth shortcut created in Part One for Wiimote 1. A message similar to “Prepare to connect to the remote HID device, then click OK” should be displayed. Click OK and ress both the One and Two buttons on Wiimote 1. If you are not sure which controller is Wiimote 1, press the One and Two buttons together on both Wiimotes. Your bluetooth manager will determine which wiimote is which by it's hardware address. If connected, the Prepare ... message will now longer be displayed. Repeat for Wiimote 2.

3. Start Midi-OX. The monitor panel should say "Open Midi Input" and "Open Midi Output" in the monitor screen. Minimise Midi-OX.

4. Start Glovepie and run this script Basic Fusion Glovepie script.

5. Start Mixmeister Fusion. Using option Tools>Options>Midi, change the Control Template to Custom.

6. Use the wrist straps when holding the Wiimotes. Don't blame me if you break something .

Using the Wiimotes

The Wiimotes has been setup as shown:




At the moment, this script can only amend one strip at a time. The 8 LEDs (4 on each Wiimote) will indicate which strip is currently "active".

When you run the script, 1 LED will be lit to designate that Strip 1 can be amended. This also indicates which Wiimote is Wiimote1. To change strips, Double click the B button (located at the back of the Wiimote) on Wiimote 1 to go to the next strip. Double click the B button on Wiimote 2 to go back to the previous strip. If you Double click Wiimote1's B button on Strip 8,it will cycle back to Strip 1 and vice versa.

Only Primary tracks can be amended with this script.

To start playback, a common Wiijing technique has been used called Flickstarting. To do this, hold Wiimote 1 and move it in a sharp,downward motion. Whilst doing this, press Button B on Wiimote1. You also do this to stop playback.

Once playback has started, you can create loops (1 measure minimum unfortunately) using the loop start and end buttons on Wiimote1. You can also create an instant 2 measure loop using the One button on Wiimote1. I couldn't find the midi values for the other loop settings for all of the strips. Clear the loops by pressing Wiimote1's Home button, located between the Minus and Plus buttons.

To adjust the v/b/m/t values, hold down the relevant d-pad button on Wiimote2 and twist Wiimote1 (i.e. hold Wiimote1 with the IR sensor pointing away from you and turn the wiimote along the Z axis) left to reduce the setting or right to increase.

Using Wiimote2, the One and Two buttons can be used to scroll up and down the library and playlist panes. The panes still have to be selected by mouse, but I am working on using the Wiimotes to do that.

Use Wiimote2's Home button to add a highlighted track in the library pane to the end of the playlist.

Use Wiimote2's A button to mix the the next track in the playlist.


I think that covers everything. I reckon that once midi control of effects and video transport is possible in Fusion, then using the Wiimotes will become a lot more interesting. In fact, I am already working on my "signature moves" for when that happens.

Have Fun.

Sly

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The Video
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Click here to view the Flash video of Sly Devil working the Wiimotes with Mixmeister Fusion