[Haskell-cafe] MIDI-controlled application

[Stephen Tetley]

Hi Tim

Events in FRP / Yampa are typically key presses / mouse movement, so a
MIDI controller generating Note-on / Note-off events would be a direct
analogue to key presses.

More problematic is that FRP models hybrid (continuous and discrete)
systems. For me at least, MIDI seems essentially discrete - a stream
of control events. In MIDI files control events are twinned with a
time stamp so they can be played. Presumably events are instantaneous
in real-time interactive MIDI - not something I've looked at.

Working with an FRP system like Yampa might add a lot of complexity,
which admittedly you should be able to ignore - but initially it might
be difficult to identify what parts are needed for a "mostly" discrete
system like MIDI. (If you are time-stamping MIDI events yourself you
will presumably need to sample a running clock which seems like a
continuous behaviour...)

Unfortunately I can't think of any systems in Haskell that are "more
discrete than continuous" so you might have to choose a FRP system
anyway.


Incidentally, I've been working on a MIDI "animation language" for the
last couple of days based on the animation language in Paul Hudak's
book. I've wanted continuous behaviours to model modulating volumes
(crescendos, decrescendos) and panning, but I've found the work tough
going for modelling the note lists where I want the system discrete in
both input (specification) and output.

Best wishes

Stephen