TouchOSC Bridge is a free, standalone utility application that allows you to route MIDI messages wirelessly or via USB between the TouchOSC app on a mobile device and your computer. Created by Hexler, it acts as a virtual MIDI interface, converting network data into standard MIDI signals that music software (DAWs), lighting rigs, and visual tools can understand. Core Purpose & Functionality
When you press a button or move a fader on TouchOSC (iOS/Android), it typically outputs data using the Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol. Because many desktop programs only accept traditional MIDI, TouchOSC Bridge translates and routes those signals.
Virtual MIDI Ports: Upon launch, the software creates two virtual MIDI ports on your desktop system named TouchOSC Bridge—one for input and one for output.
Bidirectional Relay: It passes MIDI commands from your mobile device to your computer’s software and routes MIDI data from your computer back to your device to update fader positions or LED lights.
Minimalist Interface: The software runs silently in the background. It features no main window, appearing only as a small icon in your macOS Menu Bar or Windows Task Tray. Supported Connections
You can link your mobile device running TouchOSC to the computer running the Bridge via two primary methods:
Wi-Fi Connection: Both devices must be on the same local network. TouchOSC uses network discovery to automatically find computers running the Bridge software.
Wired USB Connection: For environments with congested Wi-Fi (such as live concert stages), iOS users can connect via a USB cable for zero-latency, rock-solid stability by selecting the
Official Support: Available as a free download for Windows and macOS directly from the Hexler TouchOSC Page.
Linux Workarounds: While Hexler does not build an official Linux binary, the open-source community has reverse-engineered its behavior with Python tools like touchosc2midi for Linux environments. Typical Use Case Setup Download and run TouchOSC Bridge on your computer.
Open the TouchOSC app on your phone or tablet, navigate to the Connections menu, select Bridge, and link it to your computer’s name.
Open your desktop production software (e.g., Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Blender, or QLC+) and select TouchOSC Bridge as your active MIDI Input/Output device.
Are you setting this up for a specific DAW or lighting software, or are you running into any connection errors you need help troubleshooting? How to Set up TouchOSC Bridge on a Mac
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