Imagine having all the colour grading functions at your fingertips. Now realise that control panels enabling you to do this can come with up to a five-figure price tag. This product was developed to solve this problem.
With MIDIGrade you can take control of DaVinci Resolve using four different hardware options: Midi Fighter Twister 1 by DJ Techtools, X-Touch Mini 1 by Behringer, your keyboard and mouse, or Xbox/PlayStation gamepad.
MIDIGrade was first released in 2016. Now in its 4th major release, it includes a whopping 204 different DaVinci Resolve functions for you to access with ease!
1 Midi Fighter Twister and X-Touch Mini sold separately.
MIDIGrade lets you develop strong muscle-memory. This means that you can fully concentrate on what is most important while colour grading — the picture. It effectively is a much faster, ergonomic and intuitive way of moving your mouse and pressing keyboard shortcuts.
The functions are conveniently divided into 8 different menus which are easy to navigate between: Color Adjustments, Color Wheels, Primaries Bars, HDR Grade, Curves, Qualifier, Window, and Dolby Vision.
With MIDIGrade you can also take full control of Nodes, Stills, Keyframes, Playback and more.
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To apply for a 30% discount email support with a valid student photo ID card, or a valid teacher card to prove that you are a teacher.
I’m afraid you have misunderstood the product description. MIDIGrade is only the software-part of the equation and you will need to purchase Midi Fighter Twister or X-Touch Mini separately from wherever you can find the best deal from. Please note you can still use MIDIGrade, and all its features, with just the keyboard you already have!
You can either print them out yourself from the User Manual, or follow this link to buy a high quality vinyl sticker which will fit your controller perfectly.
No, so far I haven't found any practical way to make the mapping user-customisable. If you strongly feel a specific change would make it better, feel free to reach out to support. User feedback has greatly benefited MIDIGrade before, so I love hearing all ideas.
Unfortunately the answer is no, and here’s why: creating support for a single resolution means manually programming over 600 individual coordinates, and I need to make sure those coordinates stay accurate in the future, too. During MIDIGrade version 2.0, I noticed broadening the range to lots of custom resolutions was making the development of updates a bit too overwhelming, so in MIDIGrade 3 the amount was decreased to the 6 most common ones. Since then, 4 more resolutions have been added, so the total amount of coordinates needing of baby-sitting is now 6840. By limiting this number to a minimum, I’m making sure the workload doesn’t get out of hand, which in turn means rolling out future updates and bug fixes is faster. Quality over quantity.
Yes! Both free and Studio version will work.
There are no current plans for this. Each and every feature implemented has to be made future-proof as well, which is only possible by staying passionately up to date with the development of the parent software. Unfortunately, I don't feel this way about other software.
Yes! Thanks to MIDIGrade not requiring to be enabled as a controller in DaVinci Resolve, you can add another controller alongside with it. You can even manipulate them both at the same time as shown in this video (MIDIGrade + Tangent Ripple).
No. MIDIGrade is based on taking advantage of virtual mouse control, and moving your cursor lighting-fast in pixel-perfect fashion. Since your cursor cannot be in multiple places at once, this renders adjusting two settings in MIDIGrade simultaneously impossible. There is an exception though with Color/Log/HDR Wheels where you can adjust a single wheel’s two axes at the same time; making it effectively behave like a trackerball.
No. MIDIGrade is custom-built from ground up for Midi Fighter Twister and X-Touch Mini only. Focusing the development on specific controllers has enabled the performance to be precisely fine-tuned, so you can expect great responsiveness and reliability. Adding support to additional controllers would mean compromising on these values.
Upon creating the first iterations of MIDIGrade in 2015, I had already seen similar solutions built for other MIDI controllers, but none of them were as user-friendly, compactly sized, or intuitive to use as I envisioned. Midi Fighter Twister by DJ Techtools was chosen thanks to its 4x4 layout which matches well with DaVinci Resolve's UI layout and so, is easy to memorise. Also, it's built like a tank, has tons of hidden features which MIDIGrade takes use of, and is incredibly reliable. I'm actually still using the same Twister from 2015!
This controller sparked my interest as I was searching for a more cost-efficient alternative for Twister. X-Touch Mini by Behringer has just half the amount of knobs but has toggles for Layer A and Layer B, which effectively negates this drawback by doubling the knob amount. With this controller I was not only able to map all the same functions to it as there are available with Twister, but take use of the extra slider too as a playback speed control.
Yes! I used to use mine plugged into a 4-port USB hub all the time. You can even get a compatible USB-C cable and connect the controller to your computer directly. Please note: when updating the controller's firmware, using a USB hub is not recommended.
MIDIGrade works with DaVinci Resolve 16 and higher. As of now there are no plans for adding support for older versions.
This project started in 2015 with DaVinci Resolve 12, and in 2021 is still going strong. Development of it has experienced ups and down, to the point of being completely broken two years after the release of version 2.0. This is because the software MIDIGrade was running on stopped being supported by latest macOS versions. Yet even in such a low moment I was able to fix that, and so MIDIGrade 3 was born. The ideas behind MIDIGrade 4 were in works for a full year until their release. Hopefully this proves how passionately I feel about developing this tool, and that I am committed to releasing updates and managing support for it as long as I can.
The development of MIDIGrade 5 has commenced.
Keyboard functionality has been greatly improved on macOS! Now you can simply hold an adjustment key down and use your mouse/trackpad to make an adjustment. This can significantly increase the speed and comfort of this workflow. (v.4.3.3)
New feature: 2X Scaling. Developed for Windows users using 150-200% display scaling, this feature can be found in the Settings dropdown menu. Once enabled, a screen resolution corresponding to 2x multiplying factor needs to be selected; for example with a 3840 x 2160 monitor you would choose 1920 x 1080 from the screen resolutions dropdown menu for it to match with the upscaled UI of DaVinci Resolve. (v.4.3.2)
New feature: Adjust Coordinates. Now accessible through the Settings menu, this feature has been in works for years! It lets users to customise coordinates in case their DaVinci Resolve's UI is not aligning with what is programmed to MIDIGrade by default. (v.4.3.0)
MIDIGrade Demo has been made available. This technical demo will let users to test basic functionalities of MIDIGrade 4.2.2 for free.
Xbox/PlayStation controller support added. Please refer to the user manual for instructions. Full DaVinci Resolve 18 support. (v.4.2.0)
"Dual Screen" option added into Settings dropdown menu. This replaces the duplicate resolutions in the Screen Resolution list and lessens the clutter. (v.4.1.1)
Version 4.1.0 released, introducing a new and highly requested feature: Dolby Vision Trims! There's a new chapter in the User Manual where you can find more info about this.
Support for MacBook Pro 2021 models 14" and 16" added (1800 x 1169 & 2056 x 1329).
Oh what a feeling! MIDIGrade 4 is out in the wild!! This one is huge. Support added for a new controller, X-Touch Mini by Behringer. MIDIGrade and MIDIGrade Lite have been fused into a single product. No more subscription. Really sleek new label designs, and fully re-designed cheat sheets. On top of all this, there's another round of performance improvements under the hood. Thank you everyone for staying on the ride with me all these years!
Update 3.2.3 is now available; enabling Curves in MIDIGrade, and fixing some bugs regarding keyboard shortcuts on both MIDIGrade and MIDIGrade Lite. Meanwhile, some exciting new stuff has been in development behind the scenes. Hopefully it will be ready for release by the end of this year.
Work on MIDIGrade 4 has commenced.
Update 3.2.2 released; bringing support for DaVinci Resolve 17 Beta. You can still select between versions 16 & 17 depending which one you use. Also the new HDR Grade page has been added into both MIDIGrade and MIDIGrade Lite.
UltraWide 2560 x 1080 (21:9) added. Also there's now the option to switch between Color Wheels and Primaries Bars in the Settings dropdown menu.
Get HYPED! Years of development has come into fruition and MIDIGrade 3 is finally here!! Built from ground-up on a totally different platform, it's practically a brand new product, and like no other update MIDIGrade has received to date. MIDIGrade 3 supports Windows (finally!), has a new sleek UI, and comes with huge performance upgrades. MIDIGrade 3 is available in four flavors: MIDIGrade for macOS, MIDIGrade for Windows, MIDIGrade Lite for macOS, and MIDIGrade Lite for Windows.
I’m saddened to concede that MIDIGrade 2.0 is not, and likely will not become, available on macOS Catalina. It works as intended if you are running macOS Mojave or High Sierra though. - - As the developer of MIDIGrade, I have decided this is not acceptable, and that it is time to move forward. MIDIGrade 3 is now in works full steam ahead. With new platform and new collaborators aboard, it will be better than ever! This time around Windows users are in for a treat, too. ;)
Compatibility for MacBook Pro 16" added.
Resolve 16 Public Beta has been tested and works with the current MIDIGrade version without issues.
Primaries Bars has received a significant performance update and behaves more reliably now.
Performance optimised further. macOS Mojave compatibility improved. Setup instructions updated.
Improved keyboard functionality and keyboard calibration. Added support for ultra wide 21:9.
General bug fixes.
Added compatibility for several different keyboard models.
MIDIGrade 2.0 released!! This major update has been in works for the past six months and introduces huge performance improvements, cool new features, and a brand new keyboard functionality. Now you don’t even need to have the Twister anymore to use MIDIGrade! Learn more about 2.0 here.
Added support for DaVinci Resolve 14 on 4K iMac, 5K iMac, and 15" MacBook Pro.
MIDIGrade is now compatible with DaVinci Resolve 14. Development of a new MIDIGrade version continues.
Added support for various single and dual monitor resolutions.
ControllerMate has been updated and the problem causing issues with MIDIGrade on macOS Sierra has been fixed!
ControllerMate has major issues running on the new macOS Sierra. Starting from today I'm gradually rolling out updates with a temporary fix to each screen resolution. Please contact me if you need yours to be prioritized in the next batch, and I will do so.
Improved compatibility with DaVinci Resolve's newest 12.5.2 version. Support for 3840 x 1200 single monitor added. Also various performance improvements.
Honored to have MIDIGrade featured on No Film School! Especially since it has been one of my main resources for filmmaking news and knowledge, since 2014.
MIDIGrade 1.2 released! It is fully compatible with DaVinci Resolve 12.5.
MIDIGrade 1.2 Beta compatible with DaVinci Resolve 12.5 Beta is now online. Added support for 1920 x 1200 single screen.
New feature! Thanks to the great user feedback coming in, a new universal button has been added to bottom row: Pause / Start Playback. Also tracking in Bank 1 (Window) is now accessible by turning the knob, and Highlight has been added to Bank 3 (Qualifier).
MIDIGrade 1.1 is now online! See the new features demonstrated here. Also, MIDIGrade has been featured on Cinema5D!
I am currently working on an update which brings not only Primaries Bars into MIDIGrade, but also a set of huge performance improvements. Thank you to early adopters and their feedback! ETA is next week. A video will be posted alongside the update when it's ready.
I have received requests for implementing Primaries Bars' Lift/Gamma/Gain/Offset controls for each channel Y/R/G/B. Adding this is totally plausible since there's a 4th Bank unused on the Twister, and 6 side buttons in total so one of them can easily be programmed for getting into that Bank 4. I will add this feature in an update which will be ready later in February.
MIDIGrade for DaVinci Resolve 12 is released!
The work that continually goes into developing MIDIGrade since 2015 (3000+ hours and counting) represents the level of devotion its developer has for this project. Every single detail has been accurately tested and scrutinised in order to meet even the highest standards of the most seasoned professional.
Underneath you can find useful resources and information about MIDIGrade.
Before contacting support, please read through FAQ and "Common problems & Troubleshooting" chapter in user manual.
MIDIGrade is developed by award-winning cinematographer Julius Koivistoinen.
"I started colour grading out of necessity in 2014 and totally fell in love with it. Previously having had a decade-long career in photography, I already was familiar with the process of fine-tuning colours. I believe rich and tastefully done colour-work is crucial for any project's success!"
USD $99. Buy it once - get a lifetime license.
MIDIGrade is compatible with macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon) and Windows.
Please make sure your main GUI screen resolution matches with one below.
With the purchase you'll receive an instant download link to both macOS and Windows installers, a license key, user manual, and setup guides.
Midi Fighter Twister and X-Touch Mini are sold separately.
Charles Haine, No Film School
Richard Lackey, CineD
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