Pianimator is a high-performance utility designed for Blender 4.2+ that bridges the gap between music production and 3D animation. It eliminates the tedious, manual process of keyframing piano performances by converting MIDI data into precise skeletal motion instantly.

⚠️ Note: This product is the Pianimator Add-on. The piano model/rig shown in demonstrations is sold separately.

🚀 Audio Engine Setup

MIDI import, key animation and rendering work on every platform without FluidSynth — the engine is only required to generate the .wav audio track.

• Windows: FluidSynth is bundled with the add-on. Nothing to install.

• macOS / Linux: click Install FluidSynth in the add-on preferences. It runs Homebrew (brew install fluid-synth) or your system package manager (apt, dnf, zypper, pacman) for you. If it is already installed, the add-on detects it automatically.

ℹ️ Linux: installing a system package requires administrator rights, so the installer uses pkexec, which opens your distribution's standard authentication dialog (polkit). No other privileged action is performed.

🔒 Network: the add-on never contacts the internet on its own. Network access is used only when you click Install FluidSynth, and it respects Blender's global "Allow Online Access" setting (Preferences > System > Network).

🛠️ Core Features

• Intelligent MIDI Parsing: Import any MIDI file and let Pianimator handle the heavy lifting. The UI automatically detects piano tracks, with a manual override option for complex, multi-track files.

• Integrated Audio Rendering: Generate high-quality .wav audio from your MIDI directly inside Blender. The audio is automatically synced and placed in the Video Sequence Editor (VSE) for immediate playback.

• Universal Rig Compatibility: Designed to work with any piano rig using standard naming conventions (e.g., Note.A0, Note.A0# through Note.C8 and Pedal.sustain and Pedal.sostenuto).

• Full Artistic Control:

  • BPM Override: Manually set the tempo or sync to the MIDI’s native speed.

  • Start Frame Offset: Easily align the performance to your specific cinematic timeline.

  • Rotation Intensity: Fine-tune the key press depth directly from the sidebar.

🎹 Workflow Efficiency

Whether you are creating music videos, architectural walkthroughs, or cinematic shorts, Pianimator removes the technical barrier of musical synchronization. Import your MIDI, hit "Bake MIDI," and watch your scene come to life.

Technical Specifications

• Blender Version: 4.2 – 5.2 (including Blender 5.x)

• Asset Type: Blender Add-on (.zip)

• Audio Engine: FluidSynth — bundled on Windows, one-click install on macOS/Linux

• Rig Nomenclature: Standard (Note.XX / Pedal.XX)