Developer Nigel Rios let us know that he’s released a free update to AudioSwift, an app that lets you use your Mac trackpad as a MIDI controller.
The update adds MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) support for multidimensional control of many parameters, within MPE compatible software. The trackpad becomes an ultra-compact MPE controller for music production and sound design.
Users in Trigger Mode can play quick melodies in a chosen key with polyphonic expression. Horizontal and vertical movements send pitch bend and control change messages per MIDI note. This version also adds a new type called Chords that lets you trigger a pad and play a chord.
Here’s what’s new in AudioSwift 2.1:
- MPE support in Trigger Mode.
- New type Chords in Trigger Mode.
- Option to set scales and Chords in Trigger Mode.
- Adds labels in Trigger Mode.
- Adds 8, 15, 16 and 20 pads configurations in Trigger Mode.
- Divides the pads in banks. Up to 180 configurable pads.
- Option to copy, paste and reset pads and banks.
- CC values are shown in real time on the Console in XY and Slider Modes.
- Option to invert CC values in XY and Slider Modes.
- Adds two more options to turn off AudioSwift automatically.
- Adds new keyboard shortcuts.
- Adds automation modes.
- Updated to Swift 5 and macOS 10.14 SDK with dark mode support.
- Notarized and ready for macOS 10.15 Catalina.
Pricing and Availability
AudioSwift version 2.1 is available as free update for existing users. The regular price is $24 and it’s 30% off with coupon code GOLDENFROG30 until October 31, 2019. A demo version is also available.
$24 is way too much for this when Behringer is going to be releasing their lovely and warm Yamaha CS80 clone. There’s no need for something like this when you can buy the Behringer BS80 for even less money, filled with analog circuitry and most importantly, warmth and originality.
Totally true. The CS80 clone will likely have 16D ribbon access and multiverse accommodations vivin Z matrix.
I don’t know what the above post is about… Is it a rip on Behringer, or a 100% validation of this poster’s idioticy?
I think this is amazing. Being able to use the track pad on a Macbook for MPE: genius, I tell you.
Does anyone have a list of software that fully supports MPE?
I think I know of a few:
U-he: Ace; Bazille. Diva; Hive; and Repro
NI: Reaktor
Serum
Quanta
Yeah, it’s another sad clumsy rip on Behringer, ignore it.
This actually looks quite good for what it is, it’s a simple addition to exploit hardware that is right on front of you laptop. I kinda surprised he managed to squeeze so much functionality out of it.
It’s about time these Synaptics touch-pads were exploited.
Novation kind-of did it with their SL and Xio keyboards.
Why doesn’t someone produce dedicated MIDI controllers using more of these touch-pads ?
I thought this is what Sensel was doing with the Sensel Morph.
It is my understanding that MPE requires all 16 midi channels to function properly.
*shrug
What ever happened to Polyphony Aftertouch and Channel Pressure in MIDI ?
It still exists, but MPE is basically channel pressure with a few more channel parameters.
No, it’s more like polyphonic aftertouch on steroids, but readily available in hardware and software.
Well, no. MPE is very much *channel* aftertouch, spread across multiple channels. MPE basically opens a new MIDI Channel per press.
It’s quite clever in its simplicity as compared to polyphonic aftertouch in that the MIDI messages are both simpler _and_ open up a whole lot of possible control possibilities since each touch has the entire channel’s worth of messages to send.