Summary

Python tool for configuring the Akai LPD8 Mkii (Mk2) Midi controller. Although many excellent LPD8 configuration tools exist (For example, lpd8editor, lpd8-web-editor, lpd8, LPD8-Editor), none could fully configure the Mkii variant.

Methodology

I used the official Akai LPD8 Mk2 editor in a Windows virtual machine, and used Wireshark to listen to the Sysex messages it sent over USB. For each possible input, I modified the value in the Windows tool, then examined how the Sysex message changed.

This process resulted in a mapping of the Sysex message structure:

Other Akai Devices

I designed the program configuration framework in a manner that should make supporting other Akai devices relatively simple. However, I do not have other Akai devices. Please reach out if you have an Akai device to send, or can provide the Sysex message layout, and I would be happy to support it.

Usage

import lpd8mk2.config as config
import lpd8mk2.midi as midi

# Load preset 3

prog = config.Program.from_preset(3)

# View config

print(prog.config)

# Change RGB off color to white, on color to Blue for all pads

prog.set_pad_colors([255, 255, 255], [0, 0, 255])

# Change 8th pad to have an on color of red
prog.set_pad_colors(None, [255, 0, 0], [8])

# Set toggle mode and full level on
prog.config['toggle'] = True
prog.config['full_level'] = True

# Compile out the program to view the Sysex message in hex.
# Compile it to be Program 4 in the device.
print(prog(4))

# Create Sysex message for Sending through Midi (To be assigned to program 4 in the device):
sysex_message = prog.to_sysex(4)

# Send it
midi.LPD8Mk2IO().send(sysex_message)

# On the device, change to program 4 if not already. If on program 4, then change to another then back to 4.

Command line interface

The CLI is currently rudimentary, and requires JSON configuration.

# python3 -m lpd8mk2 <program id> <json file>
# E.g., set program 3 to the program defined by configuration.json

python3 -m lpd8mk2 3 /path/to/json/configuration.json

See below for JSON file configuration.

JSON preset

JSON is used as the primary format for specifying a program. The fields are defined as follows:

• global_channel: int [1-16]. Channel through which controls assigned to 'global' channel will be sent. E.g., if this is set to 14, and knob 4 is set to 'global', then knob 4 will be sent to channel 14
• pressure_message: str {off, channel, polyphonic}
• full_level: bool
• toggle: bool . If true, pads will act as toggle switches (one press, turns them on, another press turns them off), instead of momentary switches (one press turns them on, letting go turns them off).
• pad_note: list[int] [0-127]. MIDI note values corresponding to pads 1-8. E.g., [36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43].
• pad_cc: list[int] [0-127]. MIDI CC values corresponding to pads 1-8. E.g., [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19].
• pad_pcn: list[int] [0-127]. MIDI Program Change values corresponding to pads 1-8. E.g., [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
• pad_channel: list[int] [1-17]. MIDI Channel corresponding to pads 1-8. If 17, it is set to Global channel.
• pad_off_color: list[list[int]] [0-255]. RGB Color values corresponding to pads 1-8, when off. E.g., [[255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0]] defines all-red off positions.
• pad_on_color: list[list[int]] [0-255]. RGB Color values corresponding to pads 1-8, when on. E.g., [[0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255]] defines all-blue on positions.
• knob_cc: list[int] [0-127]. MIDI CC values corresponding to knobs 1-8. E.g., [70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77]
• knob_channel: list[int] [1-17]. MIDI Channel corresponding to knobs 1-8. If 17, it is set to Global channel.
• knob_min: list[int] [0-127]. Minimum MIDI values corresponding to knobs 1-8. E.g., [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
• knob_max: list[int] [0-127]. Maximum MIDI values corresponding to knobs 1-8. E.g., [127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127]

Included presets:

The following four presets are the four programs that, to the best of my recollection, were default an the Akai LPD8 Mkii.

Preset 1

{
    "global_channel": 1,
    "pressure_message": "off",
    "full_level": false,
    "toggle": false,
    "pad_note": [36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43],
    "pad_cc": [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
    "pad_pcn": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7],
    "pad_channel": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10],
    "pad_off_color": [[255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0]],
    "pad_on_color": [[0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255], [0, 0, 255]],
    "knob_cc": [70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77],
    "knob_channel": [17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17],
    "knob_min": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
    "knob_max": [127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127]
}

Preset 2

{
    "global_channel": 1,
    "pressure_message": "channel",
    "full_level": false,
    "toggle": false,
    "pad_note": [36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43],
    "pad_cc": [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
    "pad_pcn": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7],
    "pad_channel": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10],
    "pad_off_color": [[0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0]],
    "pad_on_color": [[255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255]],
    "knob_cc": [70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77],
    "knob_channel": [17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17],
    "knob_min": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
    "knob_max": [127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127]
}

Preset 3

{
    "global_channel": 1,
    "pressure_message": "polyphonic",
    "full_level": false,
    "toggle": false,
    "pad_note": [36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43],
    "pad_cc": [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
    "pad_pcn": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7],
    "pad_channel": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10],
    "pad_off_color": [[0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0]],
    "pad_on_color": [[255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0], [255, 0, 0]],
    "knob_cc": [70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77],
    "knob_channel": [17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17],
    "knob_min": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
    "knob_max": [127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127]
}

Preset 4

{
    "global_channel": 1,
    "pressure_message": "off",
    "full_level": true,
    "toggle": true,
    "pad_note": [36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43],
    "pad_cc": [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
    "pad_pcn": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7],
    "pad_channel": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10],
    "pad_off_color": [[255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255], [255, 0, 255]],
    "pad_on_color": [[0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0], [0, 255, 0]],
    "knob_cc": [70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77],
    "knob_channel": [17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17],
    "knob_min": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
    "knob_max": [127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127]
}