The future of WoA, MIDI 2.0 and ASIO on Windows

Cubase
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Windows MIDI Services, including, MIDI 2.0 is currently available in the Windows Insider Canary builds. More technical customers have been trying it out on both Arm64 and x64 Windows.

At the NAMM show, I’ve demonstrated prototype versions of Cubase 13 and 14 on x64 and Arm64 using the new MIDI 2.0 SDK and sending/receiving high-resolution MIDI 2.0 messages.

The MIDI 2.0 support in Windows MIDI Services has been solid for quite a while now. We’re behind schedule on getting everything out because we rewired the old MIDI APIs to use the new service, and we are squashing all the MIDI 1.0 compatibility bugs before we release officially. (Including naming, which has been a chore because we’ve had to re-create WinMM port naming bugs so that existing apps will not break, all while providing users the option to use more meaningful generated names, or provide their own custom name).

Existing apps, with no changes, will have MIDI 1.0-level access to MIDI 2.0 devices (we do the translation in-service), as well as new features like multi-client MIDI, loopback support, etc. Apps using the new API/SDK directly will have full MIDI 2.0 access as well as timestamp scheduled messages.

Bragging a little: we were also the only OS with a demonstration of Network MIDI 2.0 at the NAMM show this past January, a standard which was passed only this past fall. I’m quite proud of that implementation. :slight_smile: BLE and rtpMIDI will be coming as well, but are after the first full in-box release.

There’s also a proper settings app that goes along with all this, which makes it easy to customize your MIDI configuration, and even move it between PCs (with some caveats about devices without serial numbers)

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There’s also a full command-line app that comes with the SDK Runtime & Tools download

Listing all the endpoints

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MIDI 2.0 device monitoring

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And for the more technically-minded, there’s a set of PowerShell cmdlets that come with the same download, which make it easy to automate MIDI in script for anything you may want to use it for. This sample shows how to use it to send messages, for example.

Work-in-progress documentation is available here.

Pete
Microsoft

5 Likes
23

You are at a bus stop. I walk up. “Hey, when’s the next bus coming?” You go, “soon”. I’m probably thinking less than an hour, more than a minute or two.

While waiting for the bus we talk about the development of fusion for energy. You ask me, “Hey, when’s it going to be technically and economically viable you think?” I go, “soon”. I probably mean 5-10 years.

Now, HYPOTHETICALLY, suppose the topic was some completely random software company working on making something available on some architecture or whatever… what would “soon” mean to you? 2-4 weeks? 3-6 months?..

hypothetically…

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This is very heartening, the fact that it works on the existing supported OS, namely Windows 11.

I am very much looking forward, to what a company such as Steinberg can do, in relation to full MIDI 2.0, implementation across both major OS platforms.

2 Likes
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If I could, I’d share a date. But it’s 100% up to PACE on the delivery date. They’ve been actively working on it for a while now.

Pete

1 Like
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BTW, I had a friend in college who could always summon the bus exactly when he wanted just by lighting up. (The bus did not allow smoking). The moment he lit up, the bus would show up :smiley:

Pete

4 Likes
27

“PACE”? Who’s talking about pace…?

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I’m missing something :slight_smile:

PACE owns iLok. You had a question above about iLok.

Pete
Microsoft

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I know… .I was just trying to get you to say anything about the timeframe without mentioning either. I was giving you “an out”, in case you knew anything at all. No worries, I know you can’t say anything.

I’ll likely buy a Macbook in the upcoming week or two because I probably can’t take the risk of waiting for iLok on Win-ARM. As much as I prefer Windows that’s just the way it is unfortunately. Otherwise I’d have probably grabbed a Samsung ARM device…probably…

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I’d love if you got a Windows PC, but you have to make the right decisions for you given the info you have.

Pete
Microsoft

1 Like
31

Seriously, Mattias?
Why don’t you address PACE with your question about when they will have a solution for WoA ready?

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What “seriously”?

Nobody has a sense of humor any more? tf?

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Maybe you can come with better humor in the future.

1 Like
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You know, I was going to offer to help you with the transition if you needed it! I thought you were serious too!

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@Thor.HOG Haha, dream on… :rofl: (insider joke(!))

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The “transition” is real, that’s not what I’m getting at. I’m saying that I was asking Pete about iLok on Win/ARM because he mentioned it, but asking only half-jokingly because I realize he can’t make any promises because he doesn’t work for PACE. I’m sorry if it wasn’t obvious. To me it’s obvious that I can’t expect Pete to answer “for” PACE.

So ‘yes’, I am looking to get a mobile setup, and ‘yes’ I am looking at Win/ARM, but if there’s no iLok and time is running out it’ll be either a Macbook or Intel or AMD.

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2 Likes
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Right on - well, if you go the MBP route (I’d suggest the M3 Max with a nice 4e:12p ratio) and run into any issues or just want to bounce ideas off of someone, I’m your huckleberry.

@Reco29 when YOU get a Mac, YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, BRO.

1 Like
38

…I already got one, I just don’t use it :wink:
I get it - no jokes when it comes to Mac. And people say Germans have no humour…:sweat_smile:

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39

We should start a band and call it The Quigley’s.

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Lots of people ask me to disclose inside info, or try to trick me into doing so – things that could kill a partner relationship, end my employment, stop work on a project, etc. – so I didn’t realize it was a joke.

No worries. :slight_smile:

Pete
Microsoft

2 Likes
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Monty Python | GIFGlobe

:slight_smile:

Pete
Microsoft

3 Likes