Your First Route (Detailed)

This guide walks through creating a complete MIDI route with visual feedback, transforms, and testing. Perfect for understanding the full routing workflow.

Visual Overview

🔀 Interactive Routing Graph

MIDI Keyboard

source

Controller

source

Bass Synth

destination

Lead Synth

destination

DAW

destination

💡 Interactive Demo

• Click "Send MIDI" to simulate MIDI activity
• Drag nodes to rearrange the graph
• Click nodes to select and see details
• Watch the pulses travel along routes

The interactive demo above shows how MIDI flows from sources (keyboards, controllers) through routes to destinations (synths, DAWs). Try clicking "Send MIDI" to see activity pulses!

Routing Architecture

graph LR
    A[MIDI Keyboard] -->|Route 1| D[Synth A]
    A -->|Route 2| E[Synth B]
    B[Controller] -->|Route 3| F[DAW]
    C[Virtual KB] -->|Route 4| D
    
    style A fill:#10b981,stroke:#059669,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style B fill:#10b981,stroke:#059669,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style C fill:#10b981,stroke:#059669,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style D fill:#3b82f6,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style E fill:#3b82f6,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style F fill:#3b82f6,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff

Sources (green) connect to Destinations (blue) via Routes (arrows). Each route can include transforms, filters, and scripts.

Prerequisites

• Neurode MIDI installed on macOS, iPad, or iPhone
• At least one MIDI device connected (or use the Virtual Keyboard)
• A destination that can receive MIDI (synth, DAW, or virtual instrument)

The Routing Interface

Before we start, let's understand what you're looking at:

Dashboard View

The Dashboard is your command center. It shows:

• Sources Panel (left) — All available MIDI inputs
• Routes Panel (center) — Active connections with real-time stats
• Destinations Panel (right) — All available MIDI outputs

Each panel is live — devices appear automatically when connected.

Flow Graph View

Toggle to the Flow Graph to see a visual representation of your routing setup. Nodes represent devices, lines represent routes, and pulses show real-time MIDI activity.

Pro Tip

Keep the Flow Graph open on a second screen during live performance. It's the fastest way to see what's happening at a glance.

Creating a Route: Step by Step

1. Select Your Source

Sources are where MIDI comes from:

• Hardware keyboards (connected via USB or MIDI interface)
• Software instruments (via IAC Driver or virtual ports)
• Bluetooth devices (pair via Bluetooth MIDI settings)
• Virtual Keyboard (built-in, always available)

To select:

1. In the Sources panel, find your device
2. Note the green indicator showing it's active
3. Click Details to see technical info (channels, message types, activity)

Source Not Appearing?

• Check physical connections
• Restart the device
• Check System Settings → MIDI Setup (macOS)
• For Bluetooth: ensure pairing is complete

2. Select Your Destination

Destinations are where MIDI goes:

• Hardware synths (connected via USB or MIDI interface)
• DAW inputs (via IAC Driver or virtual MIDI buses)
• iOS audio apps (on iPad/iPhone)
• Virtual ports (create in Settings → Virtual Ports)

To select:

1. In the Destinations panel, find your target
2. Verify it's active and ready to receive
3. Click Details to configure per-channel routing

3. Create the Route

Now connect them:

1. Click the + button in the Routes panel (or use ⌘N / Ctrl+N)
2. Choose source from the dropdown
3. Choose destination from the dropdown
4. Name your route (e.g., "Keys to Synth" or "Studio Main")
5. Select channels (default is "All" — passes all 16 MIDI channels)
6. Click Create

Your route is now active! Play your source and MIDI flows to the destination.

4. Verify It Works

Visual Feedback:

• Watch the activity indicator pulse on your route
• Check the message count incrementing
• See the Flow Graph lines light up

Audio Feedback:

• Play notes on your source device
• Hear sound from your destination
• If no sound: check destination volume, patch selection, and channel routing

Built-in Testing:

1. Open Tools → Virtual Keyboard
2. Click notes and watch your route activity
3. Use Tools → MIDI Monitor to see raw message data

Adding Transforms

Transforms modify MIDI in transit. They're powerful, stackable, and non-destructive.

Simple Transform: Transpose

Let's shift all notes up an octave:

1. Click your route to open the Route Editor
2. Click + Add Transform at the bottom
3. Select Transpose from the list
4. Set Semitones: +12
5. Done — Play a note and it comes out one octave higher

Transform Stack

You can chain multiple transforms:

1. Add another transform — Select Velocity Scale
2. Set Scale: 0.8 (reduces velocity by 20%)
3. Reorder by dragging transforms in the list
4. Enable/disable individual transforms to hear the difference

Order matters! Transforms execute top-to-bottom.

Transform Order

Transpose (+12) → Velocity Scale (0.8)

is different from

Velocity Scale (0.8) → Transpose (+12)

In this case the result is the same, but for more complex chains (especially scripts), order is critical.

Channel Filtering

Want to route only specific MIDI channels?

1. Edit your route
2. Channel Filter section
3. Deselect channels you don't want
4. Save — Only selected channels pass through

Use Cases:

• Split keyboard zones by channel
• Isolate drum parts (typically channel 10)
• Route different instruments to different destinations

Real-Time Monitoring

Keep an eye on what's flowing:

Route Statistics

• Messages/sec — Throughput indicator
• Total messages — Cumulative count since route creation
• Last activity — Timestamp of most recent message
• Latency — Processing delay (typically <1ms)

Message Types

See which messages are active:

• Note On/Off
• Control Change
• Program Change
• Pitch Bend
• Aftertouch
• System messages (Clock, Start, Stop)

Saving & Loading

Your routing setup is automatically saved. For multiple configurations:

1. Create a Profile (Settings → Profiles)
2. Name it (e.g., "Studio", "Stage", "Practice")
3. Switch profiles to load different routing setups instantly

Next Steps

You now understand the complete routing workflow. Here's what to explore next:

• Routing Concepts — Deep dive into routing theory
• Transforms — Complete transform catalog
• Keyboard Split Guide — Split one keyboard across multiple synths
• Multi-Synth Routing — Advanced multi-destination setups

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Questions? Check the Troubleshooting Guide for help with common issues.