12. Controlling Lightkey from ProPresenter on the Same Device

The necessity for automation often arises when church volunteer staffing is insufficient for every weekend position.
Unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or sudden call-outs, can leave critical technical roles vacant.
Automating software interactions, specifically between LightKey and ProPresenter, allows a leaner production team to maintain high-quality services.
This specific methodology focuses on running both LightKey and ProPresenter on the same computer; a separate workflow exists for multi-computer setups.

To facilitate communication between two applications on the same machine, the system's MIDI driver must be configured.
The process begins by opening the Audio MIDI Setup utility on the Mac, which can be found via a system search.
Once inside Audio MIDI Setup, navigate to the menu bar: Window > Show MIDI Studio.
Locate the IAC Driver icon and double-click it to open its properties.
Critical Settings for the IAC Driver:
- Ensure the checkbox for Device is online is selected.
- Verify that there is at least one bus added to the Ports section.
- If a bus is missing, click the plus sign ( $+$ ) to add a new bus and then click Apply.
This driver acts as the virtual bridge for MIDI signals to pass between ProPresenter and LightKey.

Within the ProPresenter interface, connections are managed through the settings menu.
Navigation Path: ProPresenter > Settings > Devices.
To create the link:
- Click the plus ( $+$ ) icon to add a new device.
- Select MIDI as the device type.
- Name the device "LightKey" to ensure organizational clarity.
- Enable the Auto Reconnect feature. This is vital to ensure that if either application is closed and reopened, the MIDI connection is re-established automatically without manual intervention.
Hardware and Behavior Settings:
- Hardware: Set this to Core MIDI Device.
- Behavior: This should remain set to Device.
Configuring Routing:
- Look under the Destinations column.
- Locate LightKey Input and enable it. This tells ProPresenter to send its MIDI output specifically into the LightKey software.
- Confirm the status shows as Connected.
Troubleshooting Tip: If the connection does not seem active despite these steps, restarting the ProPresenter application is recommended to finalize the handshake with the IAC driver.

Commands to LightKey can be embedded directly into slides or organized as Macros for broader use.
Steps to create a Lighting Macro:
- Add a new macro and provide a descriptive label (e.g., "Song 1 Queue" or "Song 2").
- Right-click the macro, select Add Action > Communication > LightKey > MIDI Note On.
This action simulates a physical MIDI controller sending a signal to a lighting console.
MIDI Parameter Selection:
- Device: Ensure "LightKey" is selected.
- Command: Set to MIDI Note On.
- Channel: Select a specific channel (e.g., Channel $1$ ). Using distinct channels helps prevent "crosstalk" or interference if other MIDI devices are connected to the system.
- Note: Every distinct lighting cue must be assigned its own unique MIDI note to serve as a specific signal for LightKey.
- Intensity: This represents the velocity of the note. In MIDI terms, this is a range from $0$ to $127$ . For the purpose of triggering cues reliably, it is recommended to set this to full intensity ( $127$ ) to ensure the signal is clearly received.

Once ProPresenter is configured to send the signal, LightKey must be configured to receive it.
In LightKey, identify the specific cue or preset you wish to control (e.g., a "White" light wash for a specific song).
Right-click the desired cue and navigate to External Control > Add Trigger.
LightKey will enter a "listening" mode, waiting for an incoming MIDI signal.
Return to ProPresenter and click the macro or slide containing the MIDI trigger created earlier.
A checkmark will appear in LightKey once it successfully captures and assigns that specific MIDI note to the cue.

Automated Color Changes: In the example provided, a user can transition from a blue wash to a white wash simply by clicking a "Song 2" macro in ProPresenter.
Slide-Based Triggers: Instead of macros, MIDI actions can be attached directly to presentation slides.
- Example: Adding a MIDI Note On action to a slide background so that the lighting changes simultaneously when the visual background is selected.
Song Structure Synchronization: Specific MIDI cues can be placed on the first slide of a Verse, Chorus, or Bridge.
- This ensures that as the operator clicks through the lyrics, the lighting transitions automatically to match the energy or mood of that song section.
Consistency and Efficiency: Beyond solving staffing shortages, these automations ensure that lighting cues are executed with perfect timing every week, providing a consistent experience for the congregation.