Stage Traxx 3
Time your lighting perfectly - right from your lyrics
🎵 Stage Traxx 3 + DMXDesktop Integration
DMXDesktop supports integration with Stage Traxx 3 using embedded MIDI Note messages, allowing you to trigger lighting cues precisely in sync with your performance - all without touching a thing on stage.
Whether you're playing solo or managing a full band setup, this integration makes sure your lights fire exactly when you want - no pedal presses or extra gear needed.
⚠️ Important Notes
- Only MIDI Note (N) messages are currently supported by DMXDesktop.
- Other MIDI types such as Program Change (PC), Control Change (CC), and Scene Select (SS) are not supported, even though Stage Traxx 3 can send them.
- MIDI commands must use Stage Traxx syntax such as:
[midi@00:01:00: N60@1]
✅ Prerequisites
- ✓ Stage Traxx 3 (macOS or iOS)
- ✓ DMXDesktop installed and running
- ✓ A virtual MIDI port (e.g. IAC Driver or "Session 1" in Audio MIDI Setup on macOS)
- ✓ MIDI input selected in DMXDesktop settings
🔗 How to Connect Stage Traxx 3 to DMXDesktop
Step 1: Create a Virtual MIDI Port
macOS:
Open Audio MIDI Setup → Window → Show MIDI Studio → Double-click "IAC Driver" → Enable and create a port like "DMX Link"
Step 2: Configure MIDI Output in Stage Traxx
Open Stage Traxx 3 → Settings → MIDI → Tick the checkbox next to your virtual MIDI port (e.g. "DMX Link" or "Session 1")
Step 3: (Optional) Enable MIDI Clock for BPM Sync
To allow DMXDesktop to sync to your song's BPM, go to:
Settings → Playback → Set Sync to "Clock"
This sends MIDI Clock messages in real time during playback, enabling DMXDesktop to follow the song tempo for beat-synced effects like strobes or chases.
📝 Embedding MIDI Commands in Stage Traxx Lyrics
You can insert MIDI commands directly into your lyrics using any of the following formats:
[midi: ...]→ Send when the song loads[midi@play: ...]→ Send when playback starts[midi@stop: ...]→ Send when playback stops[midi@mm:ss.xxx: ...]→ Send at a specific time during playback
Each tag can contain multiple MIDI commands, separated by commas or semicolons.
✅ DMXDesktop-Supported Format
Only Note On/Off messages using the N prefix are supported. Use the following format:
N<NoteNumber>@<Channel>
Examples:
[midi@00:01:00: N60@1]→ Send Note 60 (Middle C) on Channel 1 at 1:00[midi@play: N30@1]→ Trigger lighting cue on playback start[midi@stop: N90@1]→ Send blackout cue when playback stops
🧮 Need Help with Note Numbers?
To convert a Stage Traxx MIDI Note like N60@1 into the decimal value DMXDesktop uses for mapping:
👉 View our full reference here:
DMXDesktop to StageTraxx 3 Midi Note Mappings
🎛 Setting Up MIDI Mapping in DMXDesktop
- 1 Open DMXDesktop
- 2 Go to Settings → MIDI Control
- 3 Select your MIDI input (e.g. "DMX Link" or "iPad")
- 4 Use MIDI Learn to detect incoming notes or enter the mapped decimal values manually
- 5 Assign them to Cues, Effects, or Live Edits
🧠 Tips
- You can trigger multiple lighting events at once:
Example:[midi@01:00:00: N60@1,N64@1,N67@1] - Stick to Note messages (
N) - other types will be ignored by DMXDesktop. - MIDI Clock helps enable tempo-based effects, keeping your EffectCues in time.
🔍 If a Note Triggers Nothing
A binding is learned against a specific MIDI channel. If Stage Traxx or your virtual port is moved to a different channel, the notes still arrive but match nothing, and the bindings appear to stop working.
The MIDI log now shows the channel each message came in on, and marks any message that resolved to no binding, so a channel mismatch is visible rather than something you have to guess at.
🔒 Legal Disclaimer
Stage Traxx 3 is third-party software developed and copyrighted by Peter Dikant.
DMXDesktop is not affiliated with, maintained by, or endorsed by Stage Traxx. All rights to Stage Traxx 3 remain with its original creator.
