Topic by alessandro

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  • alessandro
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  • Registered: 23-12-2015
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Topic: Custom User Interfaces

The Pianoteq API (JSON-RPC) release took longer than I expected but it's really exciting news!

It finally decouples the sound engine from the UI, paving the way to endless possibilities for custom UIs like:

  1. a standalone responsive web page or PWA

  2. a mobile phone native app

  3. an embedded headless system with dedicated web interface to control both the sound engine and the server itself

  4. a large touchscreen optimized UI (a successor to Pianoteq Touch Panel but with much desired two-way feedback)

  5. a voice controlled interface, if you're into such thing

  6. an IR receiver to control Pianoteq with the same remote you're using for the power amplifier

  7. batch scripts to automate whatever you can dream of, like altering the tuning when rain is forecasted, or domotics integration to change the soundboard impedance when you dim the lights... this is really unbound

I wish these and other ideas will start to be realized soon... hopefully in a community driven open source effort (but Modartt itself, or other commercial entities, could even make for profit implementations, I guess).
I am not currently versed in serverless web programming, otherwise I would start right away with idea #1, the most useful of them all... but I itch to look into it.

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Reply by homerghost

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

This has got me really excited too! So many wonderful options but really all I want for Christmas is an android remote control app

Reply by IanL

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

Having always been very frustrated with the standard PT GUI I'm interested in this too. But is there any documentation anywhere? I.

N1X - PT Pro - Linux

Reply by alessandro

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

IanL wrote:

is there any documentation anywhere?

just launch Pianoteq with --serve 8081 and you'll find it at http://localhost:8081/jsonrpc

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Reply by IanL

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

Ah! Thank you. I was using the instruction given at: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq ('changes') which is "--serve localhost:8081" and which doesn't work - at least not on my setup. I.

N1X - PT Pro - Linux

Reply by dv

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

alessandro wrote:

The Pianoteq API (JSON-RPC) release took longer than I expected but it's really exciting news!

It finally decouples the sound engine from the UI, paving the way to endless possibilities for custom UIs like:

  1. a standalone responsive web page or PWA

  2. a mobile phone native app

  3. an embedded headless system with dedicated web interface to control both the sound engine and the server itself

  4. a large touchscreen optimized UI (a successor to Pianoteq Touch Panel but with much desired two-way feedback)

  5. a voice controlled interface, if you're into such thing

  6. an IR receiver to control Pianoteq with the same remote you're using for the power amplifier

  7. batch scripts to automate whatever you can dream of, like altering the tuning when rain is forecasted, or domotics integration to change the soundboard impedance when you dim the lights... this is really unbound

I wish these and other ideas will start to be realized soon... hopefully in a community driven open source effort (but Modartt itself, or other commercial entities, could even make for profit implementations, I guess).
I am not currently versed in serverless web programming, otherwise I would start right away with idea #1, the most useful of them all... but I itch to look into it.


Yes, very interesting indeed. I am not sure about the #2 since PTQ remains a desktop app, but it may be run headless and serving and the app would be just for controlling it, which I think is what most people would care anyway!

About about crowdfunding the option #1, after getting the Modartt approval obviously? If well done it will be adequate (even if not native) for #2 too and the same thing as #3 if I understand correctly what you mean. And again, if well done, it could cover #4 too.

If enough people would be interested, we could hire and pay a good developer to provide a very polished, open source product (rather than cobbling together whatever people who are interested but not very well versed in these things, like you and I)?

Reply by shuhao

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Re: Custom User Interfaces

I'm been working on using Pianoteq on a Linux realtime system with good results. Been meaning to port it to the Raspberry Pi and run it headless. Previously, I was going to setup a VNC system which would allow you to control Pianoteq with your phone.

With the JSON-RPC system in place, this is kind of a dream come true... I'm going to evaluate creating either a small webapp or a small android app to control the system. That said, I have very limited time right now so progress may not occur quickly. Hopefully I can post an update on both systems "soon".