MIDI

Hardware

Here is a collection of articles about different kinds of MIDI Hardware. There are MIDI instruments that digitally reproduce almost every kind of acoustic instruments from recorders, to bagpipes to drums, guitars and more.

How I Made The MIDICard

I’m Alana Balagot, maker of The MIDICard. I’ve always been excited about music and technology. My piano teacher set up a simple MIDI studio in the 90’s, with a Dell […]

Playtronica’s Orbita Makes Making MIDI Music colorful and easy

Playtronica makes playing with MIDI easy We have always been a big fan of Berlin-based Playtronica. They have done MIDI installations for Hermes and Issey Miyake. A real laboratory became alive in the […]

LEET Synth is everything we love-DIY, 3D Printable, Open Source, Modular and MIDI

You can make Johan Von Konow’s new modular synth for about $6! “I have designed a keyboard, drum pad, chord keyboard, arpeggiator and a step sequencer. One special feature is that […]

Respiro from ImoxPlus turns your breath into an expressive instrument

Respiro is a new generation software synthesizer able to reproduce the sound and behavior similar to wind-instruments.

Watermelons, Summer and MIDI from MEZERG

Sometimes you just need to relax and do something cool. So on Labor day weekend 2020 we shared this video from MEZERG enjoying some cool watermelon, some bright sun and a dip […]

Build a MIDI Controller with Arduino

Hi everyone! In this article I will teach you how to build your own Arduino powered MIDI controller. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and it is a protocol that allows […]

Jammy EVO, a next-gen stringed MIDI controller, on Kickstarter now

On its mission of creating the right MIDI device for those who feel more comfortable with 6 strings than with 25 keys, Jammy Instruments is launching a compact stringed MIDI […]

Elk Audio OS for everyone!

Elk releases open source version of award winning Audio Operating System and Development Kit for Raspberry Pi. We’ve covered ELK innovations on the site before. Check out these articles on Steinberg […]

KMI K-Board Pro 4 with a Bitwig Studio 8-Track Bundle Makes MPE Easy

The KMI K-Board Pro 4 The KMI K-Board Pro 4 started off as Kickstarter campaign in 2016 and quickly got to its funding goal of $50.000. What sets the Pro 4 apart from […]

Monogram Creative Console – A Modular MIDI Controller

Creative Console is a MIDI controller and much, much more Creative Console integrates with all your typical DAW software Logic Pro X Cubase Ableton Live FL Studio Reaper But it also features […]

Tristan Calderbank made a drum robot for acoustic music

Tristan is an acoustic musician and a coder so he combined his skills in this musical performance. What worked and what didn’t Tristan tried a number of different types of motors […]

Re.corder re.invented as a MIDI Controller

re.corder gives you three different ways to play. Play acoustically, with or without the application running. It’s a regular recorder. Play digitally (you can mute it with the supplied mute-plug) silently […]

Audio Assemble-Video Tutorials, Product Reviews, & Pro Tools

There are lots of websites that offer information on DAWs and music production. Audio Assemble takes a unique approach by offering articles, videos, reviews, interviews and information on schools that […]

GenkI Instruments Wave Ring is Now Shipping

Genki Instruments announced that they were shipping Wave, the ring that lets you control sound with motion. With three easy-to-use buttons, Wave allows musicians to easily change sounds, parameters and effects using gestures. Since being funded on […]

Bitmi – New USB MIDI Drum Pad

Hello everyone, my name is Diego Leroux. I´m from Buenos Aires, Argentina and I would like to share with the community a new product I’ve been developing for the past […]

Blokas Midihub Standalone MIDI Processor & Router

MMA Member Blokas releases a USB to MIDI router with built-in MIDI processing Midihub has 4 MIDI DIN inputs, 4 MIDI DIN output ports and a USB port for power supply and/or communicating with the PC and […]

Ólafur Arnalds’ MIDI Generative effects and Pianos that go Bleep Bloop

Ólafur Arnalds didn’t start out playing keyboards. He started out as a drummer in hard rock bands. He is not alone. Yoshiki from the legendary Japanese hard rock band X Japan comes to mind. Many people […]

Jamstik Shares Plans for New Studio MIDI Guitar

The newest Jamstik, the Studio, is a full-size, MIDI-capable electric guitar allowing producer-guitarists to create seamlessly in DAWs and music apps. Guitarists and piano players have an equal appetite for […]

How Fishman, Arturia and MIND Music Labs Followed their MUSE to a State of the Art Synth Guitar in 30 Days

British mega band MUSE is currently on tour promoting their latest album Simulation Theory performing in sold out stadiums all over the world. Each night frontman and guitarist Matt Bellamy […]

IK Multimedia iRig Keys I/O

MIDI Controller/Audio Interface for mobile musician The iRIg Keys I/O comes in two version a a 25-key MIDI controller version and a 49-key MIDI controller version. Both feature built-in audio interfaces with 24-bit/96kHz sound quality, […]

IK Multimedia iRig BlueBoard

Bluetooth LE MIDI Pedalboard for controlling iOS and Mac apps The IK Multimedia Blue Board uses the new BTLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) MIDI specification so you can control your music apps […]

Roland Brings Wireless MIDI to Digital Wind Instruments!

As one of the inventors the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, Roland has continued to push the boundaries of the now 36-year old protocol(!) by continuously developing MIDI-based applications which bring […]

Moritz Simon Geist aka “Sonic Robots” creates Techno Music Robots!

At SXSW 2019, Moritz Simon Geist performed and presented several workshops on using robots and MIDI. His new EP is created completely with MIDI controllers controlling robots he created himself. A […]

DrumSpider – MIDI -> Light Interface for beginner drummers

DrumSpider Indiegogo Campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drumspider-play-the-drums-in-5-minutes/x/19050349?fbclid=IwAR2aP4hc6K_kHtt-R9dYbChTI0SKM3YoBFBtJFFZyoxi2yRE8L09XPktSow#/ Group of passion electronics and musicians created DrumSpider – the device to learn how to play the drums in 5 minutes. They […]

MIDIWrist turns your Apple Watch (and soon Siri) into a MIDI Controller

Geert Bevins’ watch app lets you wear your MIDI controller on your wrist Geert Bevin (who was one of the main people who developed MIDI Polyphonic Expression) recently released MIDIWrist. MIDIWrist […]

Roland GO:PIANO with Alexa Voice Controlled MIDI

World’s First Alexa Controlled Digital Piano Translates Alexa Skills to MIDI Commands At CES 2019, Roland announced the first MIDI digital musical instrument able to be controlled by the Amazon Alexa. Like […]

The Top 5 MIDI to CV Converters in 2018

If you want to use MIDI with either pre-MIDI analog synths or with modular Eurorack analog synth systems, you need to convert digital MIDI signals into analog voltages. Fortunately, there are lots of options. […]

OceanSwift Xbox Midi Controller

Main Features VST 32/64BIT & STANDALONE WINDOWS ONLY CONTROLLER Officially supports Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and Aimpad controllers Standalone and VSTi in 32 and 64 bitsRun it Standalone or […]

midiBeam v2 ADVANCED WIRELESS MIDI TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

pandaMidi Solutions announces midiBeam v2 This two-box system connects any controller having a standard 5-pin MIDI Out socket to any of the following devices: any synthesizer, sound generator, effect […]

The Novel Features of Kara MIDI Controller

After seeing the energetic guitar playing of Muse’s Matt Bellamy, I wanted to give electronic musicians a tool to achieve similar playing style with high visual impact. Easily, without years of training. And make […]

MIDI Bag Pipes

It always amazes us that you can find a MIDI version of almost any instrument. So we decided to look at what’s available for MIDI bagpipes. There are actually a good […]

Jammy-A MIDI controller with real steel strings and authentic tone.

New MIDI Manufacturer Association member RnD64 funded their development of the Jammy MIDI controller via Indiegogo and raised $218,872. Jammy is a super portable steel string digital guitar that fits in your […]

Oddball- A bouncing ball MIDI controller

Kickstarter has been a place where some of our favorite MIDI controllers started whether it’s Mogees or the Artiphon (one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of all time). Our […]

Sonoclast: Plastic Pitch Plus – Using MIDI to Experiment with Microtonality

I created the Plastic Pitch Plus (PPP) to experiment with microtonality. My primary design goal was to create a physical interface that gives immediate and independent control of pitches in […]

GRIDI is a large scale physical Midi sequencer

GRIDI is a large scale physical midi sequencer Gridi is a large scale physical midi sequencer (2.80 X 1.65 Meters) with embedded LEDs. Itwas created by music producer Yuval Gerstein […]

SoulPedal® Beta Testing Begins – A Wearable Expression Controller with MIDI in your Shoe?

SoulPedal® (SP) is a wearable controller that slips inside your shoe (as an insole) and wirelessly controls effects for musicians. In this YouTube demo, local Beta Tester and Musician, Kody […]

Tirare – MIDI String Instrument

The Tirare is a custom performance interface. In Italian, Tirare means: (to) throw, (to) to pull. The name refers to the primary performative action employed in order to generate sound. Initially, […]

Virtual organ console unit: how to let your MIDI devices play as an organ

Introduction We have started our project to find a way how to build full-featured organ console out of available MIDI instruments. One of our project goals was to extend the coverage […]

XT Synth

XT Synth-The expression of a violin, the playability of a guitar, with the power of a MIDI controller that shines. “The XT Synth is a mix of guitar, violin and […]

Curve – by Nathan M. Asman

This custom-built instrument is called Curve, and is named after the shape and contour of the interface itself. I wanted to create something that had a myriad of different sensors […]

Federation Bells in Birrarung Marr, Melbourne

We recently sent out a MIDI Message newsletter and asked people to describe their favorite MIDI project. Harry Williamson from the Federation Bells in Melbourne, Australia sent us this message. Favorite […]

Mixtela- A MIDI Stylophone Business Card, Music Box, and 5 Pin DIN Synth

MIDI Stylophone Business Card Last Sunday we were looking at bookmarks we had made while searching the Internet for blog topics. We had booked marked Mixtela.com a few months ago because of […]

How to make a MIDI compatible Stylophone

The Original Dubreq Stylophone The Dubreq Stylophone was invented in 1968 by Brian Jarvis. It was originally designed as a toy, but the fact that it was portable and easy […]

The Story of SMOMID

Nick Demopoulos started out as a jazz musician and played with legends like Chico Hamilton. But then he began exploring the possibilities of using MIDI and that led him to […]

My Body is MIDI Controller by Daði Freyr

When we saw this YouTube video of Daði Freyr using the Genki wave MIDI controller, we knew we had to post it right away. The Wave MIDI controller from Genki has been …. […]

Cabot- MIDI Cahon

At SXSW, we got a chance to check out the Cabor MIDI cahon. Cabot is a project of UTSUWA, Inc., a Kyoto, Japan based tech start-up. The Cabot percussion robot was conceived […]

AIR DJ controls Music, Visuals, and Lights with Motion

Air DJ displays new MIDI Controller at SXSW There were some interesting new MIDI products introduced at SXSW. One of them was the wireless BTLE MIDI controller for DMET Product Corporation. […]

Genki Instruments Wave Controls Sounds with Motion

MIDI Bling with wireless rings There are a number of MIDI rings on the market. IK Multimedia makes one and so does Enhancia. Here are links to articles on those. […]

The Enhancia Ring MIDI Controller at CES 2018

For the past several years a MIDI product has always been in the Best of CES product list including the Roli Seaboard and the Zivix JamStick. It seems that MIDI […]

Herrmutt Lobby

We got several entrees for suggested content from the December 2017 MIDI Association newsletter. One was for an article on CTRLCap from Edwin Joassart. We did a little more research and decided to do […]

Wiggle Kit: A Motion Controlled Effect Instrument for Singers

Tech company OWOW just launched a new wireless motion controlled instrument for singers. Named the Wiggle Kit, it consists of a mobile App and a small white remote controller which turns gestures into vocal effects. By twisting and […]

Mind To MIDI

What if you could control MIDI with your brain? Does that sound like science fiction? Actually there are lots of people who have been exploring how to connect brain waves Electroencephalography […]

MIDI and the Surface Pen

Pens and stylus’ have been employed as computer interaction devices for quite some time now. Most commonly they were used along with peripheral graphics tablets to give a more natural […]

BLE-MIDI, Sonar and Zivix Jam Stick- A New Way to Enter MIDI into your DAW

This is an article that was originally posted on the Cakewalk blog and they kindly gave us permission to excerpt it here on MIDI.org. Greetings! My name is Mike Green, Music […]

Itty Bitty Squishy Things Roundup

Dave Battino wrote an article which was a roundup of ultra-compact keyboard and pad MIDI controllers in the December 2013 issue of keyboard. He shared the video he created to show these […]

Alternative Controllers: Part 5 Hand-Held and Struck Controllers, and Controllers for Microtonal Tunings

Hand-Held Controllers Electronic MIDI controllers that you hold in your hands and shake or move about to make music date back to 1986. That was the year Palmtree Instruments introduced […]

Alternative Controllers: Was Part 5

Hand-Held Controllers Electronic controllers that you hold in your hands and shake or move about to make music date back to 1986. That was the year Palmtree Instruments introduced Airdrums, […]

Alternative Controllers: Part 4 from The Synthesizer by Mark Vail

Touch Controllers (continued) Another beautiful and powerful touch controller, this one featuring 150 rectangular walnut keys arranged in a five-row by 30-column matrix laid within a 29″ by 8″ by […]

Alternative Controllers: Part 1 from The Synthesizer by Mark Vail

Alternative Controllers A keyboard isn’t the only means of playing a synthesizer. Synthesist/multi-instrumentalist/composer Kevin Fortune (http://www.kevinbrahenyfortune.com) is one of many who enjoy using alternative controllers. He believes the kind of […]