Node-RED Mixing Station Integration

This is a work in progress

A Node-RED module to interact with Mixing Station's APIs, allowing you to control audio mixers through Mixing Station.

Overview

This module provides nodes for Node-RED that connect to Mixing Station's REST API and WebSocket interface. It allows you to:

• Subscribe to mixer parameters and receive real-time updates
• Send commands to get or set mixer parameters
• Create automation and integration with other systems

Prerequisites

• Node-RED (version 2.0.0 or later)
• Mixing Station (Desktop version recommended for full API support)
• Network connectivity between Node-RED and Mixing Station

Installation

Install via the Node-RED Palette Manager or run the following command in your Node-RED user directory:

npm install node-red-contrib-mixing-station

Configuration

Before using the nodes, you need to:

1. Enable the REST API in Mixing Station:

   • Open Mixing Station
   • Go to global app settings
   • Enable "HTTP REST"
   • Note the port number (default: 8080)

2. Configure the Mixing Station server in Node-RED:

   • Add a "Mixing Station Config" node
   • Set the host (e.g., "localhost" if running on the same machine)
   • Set the port to match the one configured in Mixing Station

Nodes

Mixing Station Config

Configuration node that stores connection details for the Mixing Station server.

• Host: The hostname or IP address of the machine running Mixing Station
• Port: The port number for the REST API (default: 8080)
• Reconnect Interval: Time in milliseconds to wait before attempting to reconnect (default: 5000)

MS Subscribe

Subscribes to parameter updates from Mixing Station via WebSocket.

• Server: The Mixing Station Config node to use
• Path: The parameter path to subscribe to (e.g., "ch.*.mix.lvl" for all channel faders)
• Format: Value format - "val" for plain values (e.g., -5dB) or "norm" for normalized values (0-1)

The node outputs messages containing parameter updates, with the parameter values in the payload property.

You can also dynamically change the subscription by sending a message with:

• path: The new parameter path to subscribe to
• format: Optional. The value format to use ("val" or "norm")

MS Command

Sends commands to Mixing Station via REST API or WebSockets.

• Server: The Mixing Station Config node to use
• Path: The API endpoint path (e.g., "/console/data/ch.0.mix.lvl")
• Method: HTTP method to use (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• Use WebSocket: Whether to use WebSockets instead of HTTP

The node accepts messages with:

• payload: The body of the request (for POST/PUT)
• path: Optional. Overrides the configured path
• method: Optional. Overrides the configured method
• useWebSocket: Optional. Overrides whether to use WebSocket

Parameter Paths

Mixing Station uses a unified path format for all mixer parameters. Some examples:

• ch.0.mix.lvl - Channel 1 fader level
• ch.*.mix.lvl - All channel fader levels (using wildcard)
• ch.0.mix.on - Channel 1 mute state (inverted - true means unmuted)
• ch.0.name - Channel 1 name
• ch.0.eq.0.gain - Channel 1 EQ band 1 gain
• bus.0.mix.lvl - Bus 1 fader level

For a complete list of available parameters, use the REST API documentation page in Mixing Station:

• Enable the REST API in Mixing Station
• Open http://localhost:<port> in a web browser
• Explore the available endpoints and parameter paths

Examples

Here are some common usage examples:

Example 1: Monitor all channel faders

1. Add an "MS Subscribe" node
2. Configure it with path ch.*.mix.lvl and format val
3. Connect to a Debug node to see the values

Example 2: Set a channel fader level

1. Add an Inject node with payload = -6 (for -6dB)
2. Set the Inject node's path property to /console/data/ch.0.mix.lvl
3. Connect to an "MS Command" node configured with method = POST
4. The Command node will set Channel 1's fader to -6dB when triggered

Example 3: Mute/unmute a channel

1. Add an Inject node with payload = false (for muted)
2. Set the Inject node's path property to /console/data/ch.0.mix.on
3. Connect to an "MS Command" node configured with method = POST
4. The Command node will mute Channel 1 when triggered

Troubleshooting

• Connection Issues: Ensure Mixing Station has the REST API enabled and the port matches your configuration
• No Data Received: Check that you're using the correct parameter paths and that the mixer is connected
• Command Errors: Verify that you're sending the correct data type for the parameter

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.