Today French instrument-makers Expressive E introduced The MPE Collection, a suite of three sound expansions optimized for use with any MPE controller or instrument that supports MIDI Polyphonic Expression.

The 240 total sounds in the Expressive E MPE Collection are optimized for the interactive potential of MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) controllers. Designed for more intuitive music-making, MPE controllers sense continuous finger movements in three dimensions, as well as velocity.

The sounds of Expressive E’s MPE Collection respond to players’ smallest, lightest gestures, enabling interaction with a wide range of MPE controllers such as the ROLI Seaboard and Blocks, KMI K-Board Pro 4, Roger Linn Design Linnstrument, Haken Audio Continuum Fingerboard and others.

Expressive E developers explain that the expansions in the MPE Collection are created with a unique approach to multidimensional sound layering, allowing the user to intuitively shape their sonic textures. Each preset is designed and adjusted to respond precisely to even the smallest gestures to take advantage of the full potential of MIDI Polyphonic Expression. The presets work inside the free UVI Workstation and were built with UVI Falcon.

Expressive E’s MPE collection combines three banks of expressive sounds in a single suite:

MERCURY: Focusing on energetic and dynamic electronic sounds that can “radically morph at the touch of a hand,” the Mercury collection includes a broad array of basses, leads, plucks, stabs and rhythmic arpeggios. With one simple movement on an MPE controller, these sounds may move from soft to aggressive, from single notes to chords, or from a heavy bass to an electro taser lead.

 

HELIUM: the Helium pack sounds light and airy, according to the developers, with a mixture of acoustic and electronic sounds that are created with downtempo and ambient music in mind. This combination of dreamy synths and smooth, organic textures focuses on sounds that will transform “at the player’s whim.” Helium and Mercury also come with a second version of the presets dedicated to the Expressive E Touché and Touché SE controllers.

 

PATCHWORK MPE: For Patchwork MPE, Expressive E has curated a flexible selection of some of its most popular factory sounds, formerly available only for Touché owners. The company’s designers have now reworked these sounds to add “even more expressive potential” as presets for MPE controllers. As a bonus for MPE users, Patchwork MPE includes some newly-released avant-garde sounds.  created to fit a wide range of musical genres.

Pricing and Availability. The MPE Collection and its three component expansions — Helium, Mercury and Patchwork MPE — are out now on Expressive E’s website. For the next month, individual titles are available for 39€/$, and the collection of all three titles (Mercury, Helium and Patchwork MPE) are available for 99€/$. After November 22, the regular price will be 49€/$ each for individual titles, and 119€/$ for the whole collection.

More information on the MPE Collection is availalble at the Expressive E website.