Elka MIDI Pickup

Before you try it

Elka MIDI Pickup is a pre-launch VoiceMeeter companion for Windows x64. It adds soft takeover to ordinary MIDI faders: a fader waits until its hardware position reaches the current software level before it takes control. Moving that level in VoiceMeeter re-arms pickup for the affected fader.

The current public preview is unsigned and portable, with no installer. VoiceMeeter must be installed in its standard location and running for live control. No MIDI driver, virtual MIDI port or extra .NET runtime is included or required by this native app.

Start at a comfortable listening level and test one fader first. Broader device compatibility, reconnect behavior and automatic startup still need testing.

Download and start

Use Try pre-launch above to download the current Windows test package. The download is the application ZIP, not the separate artwork package.

1. Extract the whole ZIP to a permanent, writable folder.
2. Run Elka.MidiPickup.exe from that folder. Do not run it inside the ZIP.
3. Start VoiceMeeter, choose your MIDI device, then click Connect MIDI and Connect VM.

First launch stays in monitor mode until you explicitly start pickup. Settings and the troubleshooting log are stored beside the EXE. The release page provides SHA-256 checksums for the package.

Set up your first fader

1. Open Strips or Buses, select a row, click Learn, and move a hardware fader.
2. Choose the VoiceMeeter destination in Target. There are eight Strip rows and eight Bus rows; both pages keep processing together. Your VoiceMeeter edition determines which targets exist.
3. Disable that selected fader's duplicate direct mappings in VoiceMeeter, Bome or other routing software. Elka does not change those mappings for you. A duplicate route can bypass pickup and move the gain immediately.
4. In Settings, choose Top gain and pickup tolerance. The range starts at -60 dB and ends at 0, +6 or +12 dB; tolerance can be 0–3 MIDI steps. New setups use +12 dB and three steps.
5. Tick the direct-mapping confirmation, click Start pickup, and move toward the displayed software level. Once you reach or cross it, the fader begins tracking.
6. Change that software fader with your mouse and check that it waits for pickup again. Then Save setup.

Stop returns to monitoring without writing gains. If a software level is above your selected maximum, the row shows Outside range; choose an appropriate range before trying to pick it up.

What this preview supports

• Ordinary 7-bit absolute MIDI CC faders, with MIDI Learn and independent pickup for up to sixteen mappings.
• Gain control through VoiceMeeter's Remote API, with live hardware/software values and pickup direction.
• Optional tray operation, saved setups and Windows startup.
• A show/hide button in VoiceMeeter Potato custom display button 2 on supported versions. The tray remains available when that button is unsupported.

This preview does not create a virtual MIDI port, forward other controller messages or send motorized-fader feedback. Relative encoders, 14-bit CC, pitch bend and SysEx forwarding are not supported. Other controls can stay on existing routes only if your device and driver allow the required sharing.

Try the disconnected demo

Under Settings, choose Demo mode (no live audio). It disconnects the real devices and gives you one simulated fader so you can try pickup without touching live audio.

Start pickup, move the hardware slider toward the software slider, and cross its position to begin tracking. Move the software slider again to see pickup re-arm. Your real mappings return when you leave demo mode; reconnect the devices to use them. Saving is disabled in the demo so it cannot replace your real setup.

Tray and automatic startup

Hide and the window X leave the app running in the tray. Reopen it through the tray, the supported VoiceMeeter button, or by running the same EXE again. Use Exit to stop it completely; shutdown can take about 1.5 seconds.

Under Settings, you can choose Launch with Windows, Launch in tray and Launch active, then Save setup. Test your manual setup first. Active startup waits for the saved MIDI device and VoiceMeeter, reads fresh levels, and arms pickup. It does not restore a previously acquired fader position. Stop cancels a pending connection wait.

Update or remove

To update, exit the running copy, preserve Elka.MidiPickup.ini, and replace the EXE in the same folder. Release packages do not contain your personal setup.

Before moving or deleting the application, disable Launch with Windows and save. Startup points to that exact executable location.

If something does not work

• No MIDI messages: confirm the input device, reconnect it, and check whether another app is holding it exclusively.
• Learn does not finish: use an absolute MIDI CC fader; notes and relative encoders are not pickup sources in this preview.
• The level jumps before Tracking: stop pickup and check for duplicate direct mappings in VoiceMeeter or Bome.
• Target unavailable: select a strip or bus that exists in your connected VoiceMeeter edition.
• Slow readback: the affected fader may re-arm. Move to the displayed software level to regain control; other faders can keep working.
• Output stopped or settings will not save: read the bottom status message, check the connections and make sure the EXE folder is writable. The local log is Elka.MidiPickup.log beside the app.

For support, include the app version, MIDI device, VoiceMeeter edition/version, target, tolerance and steps to reproduce the issue. Review logs before sharing them. Use the Discord or GitHub links on this page.

VoiceMeeter is a VB-Audio product. Elka MIDI Pickup is an independent ElkaSoft utility.

For source code, build instructions, and development documentation, visit the project on GitHub.