Control OBS Studio Audio with a MIDI Controller

This guide explains how to connect and map a physical MIDI controller to the audio mixer in OBS Studio, allowing you to control your stream’s volume levels using physical faders and knobs. By using a free, dedicated OBS plugin, you can establish a direct link between your MIDI hardware and your software audio sources for seamless, tactile control during live broadcasts.

Step 1: Install the OBS MIDI Plugin

Because OBS Studio does not support MIDI controllers natively, you must install a plugin to enable this functionality. 1. Download the obs-midi-mg plugin from the official OBS Resources website or its GitHub releases page. 2. Run the installer or manually extract the plugin files into your OBS Studio installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins). 3. Restart OBS Studio to activate the plugin.

Step 2: Connect Your MIDI Controller

  1. Plug your physical MIDI controller into your computer using a USB cable.
  2. Ensure the controller is powered on before launching OBS Studio so the software can successfully detect the hardware.

Step 3: Configure the MIDI Device in OBS

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. In the top menu bar, click on Tools and select OBS MIDI MG from the dropdown list.
  3. In the plugin window that opens, navigate to the Devices tab.
  4. Locate your MIDI controller in the list of available devices, check the box to enable it, and ensure it is configured as an active input device.

Step 4: Map Faders to Volume Sliders

  1. Switch to the Bindings tab within the OBS MIDI MG window.
  2. Click the Add button to create a new control binding.
  3. Click the Listen button, then move the physical fader or knob on your MIDI controller that you wish to assign. The plugin will automatically detect and register the correct MIDI Control Change (CC) number.
  4. Under the Action settings for this new binding, set the type to Source.
  5. Select the specific audio source you want to control (such as “Desktop Audio” or “Mic/Aux”) from the list of your OBS sources.
  6. Set the command type to Set Volume.

Step 5: Test and Adjust

Once the binding is saved, move your physical fader. You should immediately see the corresponding volume slider in the OBS Studio Audio Mixer panel move up and down. You can adjust the volume curve and range limits within the plugin settings to customize the sensitivity and prevent your audio from clipping. Repeat these steps for any other physical faders or knobs you wish to map.