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.
🔒 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.