MPE — Guides
& Deep Dives

The full-size MiniFreak 49 is out at $799 / 789€. Here is what its keybed and performance controls offer expressive players, and where MPE fits in.

Roland's n/vision wavetable and Jupiter-08 Boutique synths launched at $549.99 / 689€. MPE is not mentioned in early coverage, so here is what to check first.

A Bungie behind-the-scenes video shows composer Ryan Lott combining vocal samples, prepared piano and the Expressive E Osmose. Why expressive instruments suit game scoring.

Pressure is the most musical MPE dimension, yet it is usually mapped to volume. Explore filter, drive, wavetable and layer mappings that make patches feel truly alive.

Arpeggiators, chord generators and step sequencers often strip MPE data. Here is why it happens and how to build chains that preserve per-note pitch, slide and pressure.

Playing MPE is a physical skill. These five short practice routines train pitch, pressure and slide control so your expression sounds intentional, not accidental.

Fred's Lab Manatee is a compact desktop spectral synthesizer with four parts, 16 voices and MPE support. We look at what firmware 1.0.7 changes and who it suits.

A practical guide to using MPE zones to play several parts of a multitimbral synth from one controller, with tips on channels, voice limits and troubleshooting.

The VPS Avenger 2.5 open beta adds a piano roll, MIDI recording and per-note pitch curves. Here is what it could mean for MPE-style editing inside a single synth plugin.

ACME Synthworks has opened pre-orders for the XP60, a compact Oberheim Xpander revival. We look at the specs and what they mean for expressive, MPE-minded musicians.

Audioblast has released V10F, a monophonic synth plugin inspired by the Kawai/Teisco 100F. We look at the launch and how expressive players can approach mono plugins.

Daisy Audio's new Seed3 kits for desktop, Eurorack and pedal builds give makers an open hardware base for custom synths. Here is what builders interested in expression should know.

CPU Micron brings a schematic-accurate Roland MC-202 emulation to desktop and iPad. We explain how to approach monophonic synths when your controller speaks MPE.

M-VAVE has opened up its FM-1 pocket synth with a browser workbench, a GitHub SDK and alternative firmware. We look at what it means for makers who care about expressive control.

Emilie Gillet's final Eurorack module, Beads, is now open source under the MIT license. Here is why open hardware and firmware matter for the expressive, MPE-minded community.

A new five-minute improvisation pairs the Expressive E Osmose with the GS Music e7 analog polysynth, showing how an MPE controller can both feed and play an analog signal chain.

Fred's Lab has revised its hybrid digital-analog Töörö into a second generation with 16-bit oscillators, an analog filter and a dedicated MPE mode. Here is what MPE players should know.

Three plugin stories for expressive players this month: a spatial granular MPE synth, a free 32-partial additive synth with MPE pressure, and a workflow update for Absynth 6.

Behringer's 8-voice Juno-60 style JN-80 is shipping in the EU with a polyphonic aftertouch keybed. We explain how that differs from MPE and how expressive players can use it.

Cherry Audio's new Pentaphonic plugin accepts polyphonic aftertouch as a modulation source. Here is a practical guide to mapping pressure for expressive playing.

Waldorf's Protein wavetable synth now has a free Chutney preset librarian. Here is why its MPE-aware modulation matrix and layer splits matter for expressive players.

Elta Music's upcoming Polivoks-8 pairs a Soviet-era filter with eight analog voices and a joystick. Early coverage mentions MPE, so here is what is confirmed, what is not, and what to ask before you pre-order.

Expressive playing exposes lag that ordinary keyboard playing can hide. Here is how audio buffer size, USB connections and host settings shape the feel of an MPE instrument, and what to adjust.

In MPE every note lives on its own channel, but the sustain pedal does not. Learn how global messages work, why pedals misbehave in some hosts, and how to fix it.

Native Instruments' free Absynth 6.2 update adds subpresets, an on-screen keyboard and reorderable macros. Here is why that matters for MPE players who map pressure and slide to the synth's 16 macros.

Behringer's Jam (98€) and Jam Play (179€) are Keystep-style sequencer keyboards with aftertouch. We look at what that means for expressive players and where MPE fits in.

Twisted Electrons has opened pre-orders for FLEXFM, an 8-voice sampling FM groovebox at 999€. It is not announced as MPE, but its hands-on modulation raises useful questions for expressive players.

Astra Creative Audio's Tesseracto 4D pairs a four-dimensional wavetable engine with camera-based hand tracking that maps gestures to per-note MPE expression.

A step-by-step tutorial for mapping the three MPE dimensions to filter, resonance and vibrato so a simple subtractive patch responds to every finger.

Tupos Audio follows its MPE FM release with MPE Subtractive, a €19.99 analog-style synth where every knob can listen to pressure, slide and more.

A new free plugin called Bubblegum lets you move, tune and stretch individual notes inside chords. We look at what it offers, what it doesn't say about MPE, and why per-note editing matters to expressive musicians.

Google says producers can build instruments and effects from plain-language prompts and export them as VST3 and AU plugins. Here is what we know, and the MPE questions it raises.

UDO Audio unveils the DMNO ON, a desktop take on its DMNO synth with two hybrid engines, 8 voices and optional control modules. We look at the specs and the open MPE question.

Native Instruments' Maschine+ 2.3.0 adds per-note probability, Euclidean and random generation to the standalone. We look at how generative sequencing and performed MPE expression can complement each other.

Aqeel Aadam's Outgrowth gets a free 1.2 update that adds sample-free synth modes. Here's what changed, what it costs, and why its polyphonic aftertouch modulation source is worth a look for MPE players.

A new unofficial firmware called SuperFreaker adds effects, legato glide and extra MIDI CCs to the Arturia MicroFreak. We look at what it offers, what it costs, and the risks of modding expressive hardware.

Hampshire Electronics has announced Apollo and Janus, two polyphonic multi-engine Eurorack voices. Neither is billed as MPE, so here is how expressive players can approach them.

The MIDI Association's Orchestral Articulation profile encodes articulation in the note itself. We look at how it compares with MPE for expressive orchestral writing.

Two new synth plugins launched without MPE support. Here is how to get useful expression from an MPE controller anyway, and what you will give up.

Delta Sound Labs' live granular synthesizer, previewed at NAMM 2026 as XStream, has shipped as Stream Pro at $99 with MPE modulation, per-voice effects and 3D spatial motion.

Imaginando's new Colapso additive synth advertises polyphonic aftertouch but not MPE. Here is why that distinction matters if you play an MPE controller.

UVI's Falcon 2027 adds a West Coast oscillator, a 3-operator FM explorer and spectral sample tools for free. MPE comes via expansions such as Particular.

Two new synth plugins launched this week, Map Audio Rhino 3 and Rob Papen QUAD 2. Neither announcement mentions MPE, so here is how expressive players can check any new release quickly.

discoDSP's OB-Xd 3.21 detects MPE from RPN messages, sets bend range automatically and maps slide and pressure to multiple destinations. A practical setup guide for LinnStrument, Seaboard, Sensel Morph and Continuum players.

zc devices has launched an open beta of Thicket, a polyphonic modular synth plugin where MPE pressure, slide and pitch are freely routable modulation sources. Here is what it offers and how to try it.

Arturia's free AstroLab 2.0 firmware improves aftertouch response and adds a sound edit layer. We explain how channel aftertouch differs from MPE per-note pressure and what each is good for.

Cherry Audio has released Pentaphonic, a plugin recreation of the rare 1981 Gleeman polysynth. We look at what it offers and use it as a case study for testing MPE behavior in any new instrument.

Squarp Instruments has launched Core, an expandable MIDI-to-CV/gate interface with generative engines. Here is what it offers and the MPE questions every expressive player should ask first.

Arturia lists 29 MPE-compatible software instruments. Here is which ones they are, the four steps to enable MPE, and the common mistakes that leave expression switched off.

Budget, playing surface and portability decide which MPE instrument suits you. Here is a practical way to compare Seaboard, Osmose, Linnstrument, Haken, Push 3 and budget options.

A new hands-on test of the YOLA multi-touch MPE terminal drives four analog oscillators through polyphonic CV and gate outputs, hinting at a November 2026 release.

A new open-source, Ableton-style DAW called Ethereal has merged MPE support covering recording, playback, CLAP and VST3 note expressions, and MPE MIDI output. It is early, but it points somewhere interesting.

From a roughly $270 hexagonal keyboard to an $1,800 flagship, here is how MPE controller prices map to real differences in sensing, layout, and sound engines, so you can choose the rung that fits.

Between Surge XT, Overtonium, a free MPE Emulator, CLAP hosting, and a new open-source DAW taking shape, a zero-cost expressive setup is more realistic than ever. Here is how the pieces fit together.

Intech Studio's ZONA is a multitouch XY pad with a 9x9 RGB matrix for the GRID ecosystem. We look at what it offers expressive performers, and where it differs from true MPE controllers.

Benjamin Dehli's Overtonium is a free, open-source additive synthesizer plugin with 32 partials and full MPE support. Here's what makes its channel-strip design interesting for expressive players.

Spitfire Audio and producer BT have released Phoenix, a six-engine hybrid synthesizer with full MPE support. Here's what expressive players and composers should know.

Skip the computer. A practical guide to connecting an MPE controller to hardware synths, covering channel setup, pitch bend range, polyphony limits and merging.

Endorphin.es Evil Pet packs an 8-voice granular engine, live inputs and MPE support into a compact box. Here is what it offers expressive players and where it fits in a controller-driven rig.

MPE's Y-axis gesture travels as MIDI CC74. Learn how it works, why different plugins respond differently, and how to map slide to the parameters that matter.

Nothing hurts like a perfect MPE take that plays back wrong. This step-by-step checklist covers zones, bend range, channel recording and playback tests before you hit record.

Strike, Press, Glide, Slide, Lift: the five dimensions of MPE are not equally well supported. Here is what release velocity actually does, which controllers send it, and how to use it in your patches.

MPE assigns each note its own MIDI channel, but what happens when you play more notes than channels or voices? A practical guide to voice allocation, note stealing and how to avoid cut-off notes.

Applied Acoustics Systems' virtual modular Multiphonics CV-3 supports full polyphony and MPE, and its free 3.1 update adds an FM operator, a phase-distortion oscillator and more.

Cherry Audio's Mercury-4 brings the Roland Jupiter-4 sound to your DAW with 16 voices, 400+ presets and comprehensive MPE support for $49.

Tupos Audio's new MPE FM plugin pairs 2-, 4- and 6-operator FM engines with per-note pitch, pressure and slide control, at a launch price of €39.99.

ConvertWithMoss 20.3 adds Prophet X/XL and E-mu Emulator formats. Why a free multi-sample converter matters for sound designers building expressive instruments.

Forma Labs Audio's Filament 1.2 adds MPE support, Auto Divisi and a Host Mode, so per-note expression follows your orchestration across layered instruments.

The free Soundpaint 5.0 sampler brings a sample editor, Time Pro stretching and polyphonic aftertouch. We explain why aftertouch is not the same as MPE support.

Cherry Audio's Memorymode 2 doubles down on the classic Memorymoog sound with dual layers, up to 48 voices, and MPE plus polyphonic aftertouch support at $69.

Hügelton's Nikolator is a polyphonic physical-modeling Tesla coil plugin for one dollar. We look at what it offers and how to get expressive results without native MPE.

Nyström Instruments' HUM 2 pairs a three-voice multi-engine synth with six built-in sensors and MIDI/CV output. Here is how it fits alongside MPE controllers.

Expressive E strips the synth engine out of its flagship Osmose keyboard to deliver a more affordable, controller-only MPE instrument starting at $999.

Haken Audio's new Slim 21 brings the legendary Continuum Fingerboard's per-finger MPE expression to a lighter, more portable $1,799 package.

A new real-time MPE visualizer and Bitwig Studio 6's reworked automation system are giving MPE musicians better ways to see and shape their expressive data.

Aodyo Instruments has frozen the design of its multidimensional Loom MPE controller at hardware revision 2.1, adding TRS MIDI input and refining the touch surface ahead of a first production run.

Squarp Instruments has released Hapax firmware 3.21, a focused hotfix that cleans up channel-output bugs and stuck notes in the sequencer's AFTR polyphonic aftertouch track type.

A free beta firmware update brings the budget-friendly Iridium Core in line with its larger siblings, boosting polyphony from 12 to 16 voices on an MPE-capable synth engine.

Artiphon's palm-sized instrument bundles a sampler, looper, and eight gesture-sensitive pads into one device — and quietly outputs MPE over USB-C or Bluetooth, making it one of the cheapest ways into expressive per-note control.

Wireless MPE controllers are everywhere now, but Bluetooth MIDI has its own quirks. Here's what the latency numbers actually are, where the reliability problems come from, and how to get a stable connection.

The French synth maker behind the Giorgio III project outlines a two-year plan that includes the HZ series expressive master keyboards, the SynTesla IX polyphonic synth, and an accessibility-focused instrument built with ANT.

Osmose firmware 2.3 turns the MPE keybed into a hands-on DAW controller and bundles every owner a free Ctrl-e license with more than 900 expressive presets.

GRNi packages FRCTL Audio's granular processing engine into a sample-based, 16-voice polyphonic instrument with full MPE support, launching at an introductory $34.99.

From Aodyo's long-delayed Loom controller to SynTesla's expressive master keyboards, here's a roundup of the MPE and per-note-expression hardware set to ship over the next year.

A hackathon at this year's ABLE Assembly built working MIDI controllers from fruit, foil and fabric — a reminder that letting the instrument bend to the player, not the other way round, is bigger than any one protocol.

Sound designer Marc Barnes has released a second volume of MPE-focused presets for Pigments 7, built around the Expressive E Osmose and tuned for pressure, glide and per-note pitch.

The modular French controller swaps its playing surface between pads, strings and a keyboard grid, all speaking full MIDI Polyphonic Expression out of the box.

A new macOS app maps the slide axis of a ROLI Seaboard or K-Board Pro 4 onto eight DAW faders, turning an expressive controller into a HUI/Mackie Control surface without adding hardware to the desk.

Voting on this year's 98 entries ends on 22 September. Here's how the public vote decides which projects the judges ever see — and why the MIDI 2.0 category is worth a closer look.

An MPE controller plugged into an iPad only works if every link in the chain respects all 16 MIDI channels. A practical guide to AUv3 hosts, routing traps, and the apps that get it right.

MPE polyphony is limited by two separate ceilings — MIDI channels and synth voices — and they rarely line up. Here's how voice allocation actually works, and how to stop notes disappearing.

Audio Modeling's PolySWAM turns the monophonic SWAM engine into a polyphonic ensemble instrument, with voice allocation that gives every virtual player its own expressive behaviour.

Squarp's latest Hapax firmware records and edits polyphonic aftertouch as its own track type, closing one of the last gaps in hardware sequencing of expressive data.

A new MIDI effect plugin puts every held note on its own channel and moves its pitch, pressure and timbre independently — turning a plain 61-key controller into a source of genuine MPE data.

Web MIDI passes MPE data through untouched — but only in some browsers, and only if the web app handles channel zones properly. A practical look at expressive playing on the open web.

MPE multiplies MIDI traffic by the number of notes you hold. Here's the arithmetic on what a DIN cable can actually carry, why USB behaves differently, and what to do when expression starts stuttering.

Firmware 3.0 for the Beetlecrab Audio Vector is now in beta, splitting the 16-voice synth into two independent timbres. For MPE players, that opens up a split-surface workflow on a single box.

MPE gives every note its own pitch, pressure and timbre — and then your reverb flattens all of it into one stereo bus. Here's which instruments and DAWs actually keep expression alive downstream.

MemoryTone models the 1982 Memorymoog with 16 voices, 18 oscillators in unison and MPE support. Adding per-note control to a vintage polysynth design raises an interesting question about what these emulations are for.

A practical look at the free MPE-capable synths worth loading first in 2026 — what Surge XT, Vital and the open-source field actually give you, and where the free tier stops.

Community developers are building Linux tooling and custom firmware forks for the LinnStrument, adding features like a 3×4 scalar layout and dynamic strum on top of the official open-source OS.

Lumatone's isomorphic hexagonal keyboard now ships with pitch and mod wheels as standard. Here's where it fits alongside MPE controllers, and why microtonal players keep choosing it.

Roger Linn Design dropped the LinnStrument to $1599 in August, shipped Low Row Transpose in the spring, and keeps curating player videos. A look at how the longest-running MPE grid is aging.

Martinic's new Prodigy plugin emulates Moog's budget monosynth from 1979 — then adds polyphony, a sequencer and full MPE support. Here's what per-note control does to a two-oscillator classic.

Slides that jump octaves, vibrato that barely moves, notes that snap instead of glide — almost always one setting. Here's how MPE pitch bend range works and how to fix it in every link of the chain.

Firmware 5.0 adds user sample and wavetable import to the MiniFreak hardware and plugin. A look at the format limits, the granular engine, and how MPE controllers fit into the picture.

Modartt's new Airteq plugin physically models air moving through virtual pipes rather than using samples or oscillators, and it supports MPE in full. Here's why that pairing matters.

A new open-source emulator runs the original Korg Prophecy ROM in a VST3. It's rough, CPU-hungry and ROM-dependent — but it's a useful window into pre-MPE expressive design.

EaganMatrix firmware 10.73 adds new transfer function shapes and 32 WARBL-specific presets. Here is what a transfer function actually does to your pressure and slide data, and why it decides whether an instrument feels good.

A new 64-voice additive synth gives every harmonic independent gain, ADSR, detune and pan. It is a fascinating design — and a good case study in why per-harmonic control and per-note control are not the same thing.

A new dual-layer plugin built on 24 Mutable Instruments Plaits algorithms plus 15 original engines, including modal resonators and sympathetic strings. A three-voice desktop synth is planned for Q1 2027.

Arturia's refreshed 18-in/20-out desktop interface adds MIDI I/O and a powered USB hub with MIDI host support — the boring infrastructure that expressive hardware rigs actually depend on.

Iota II turns samples into a drawable spectrogram with 12 playback paths and a physics engine — and exposes MPE slide and pressure as first-class modulation sources.

Noise Engineering added 16 free firmwares to the Legio platform, taking it to 23 official algorithms. Here's why swappable voices matter for players building expressive, MPE-fed modular rigs.

Keith McMillen's 48-key K-Board Pro 4 sends five dimensions of touch per key. In a market dominated by Osmose and Seaboard, it deserves a second look.

Guitar is already a polyphonic expression instrument. Here is how MPE finally lets pitch bends, vibrato and slides travel per-string into your synths.

Christophe Kalkau has split the keyboard, wheels and Grand Staff out of MPE Insight into MPE Keys, a focused €14.99 standalone app for Windows and macOS.

Several 2026 synth releases advertise polyphonic aftertouch and polyphonic glide while shipping without MPE. Here's the technical difference, and why the distinction decides whether your controller works.

Twisted Electrons' first software synth brings the gritty 4-operator MEGAfm engine to desktop and iPadOS with 12-voice lower-zone MPE, per-note pressure and slide routing, and ten dedicated MPE presets.

Edmund Eagan's dedicated WARBL presets for the Haken Audio EaganMatrix Micro show what happens when per-note expression comes from breath and fingers instead of a keybed.

Live 12 added a dedicated Control Surface script for the Expressive E Osmose and enabled MPE by default for Ctrl-e. Here's what that means for your setup.

The expressive acid-line generator Sting 2 is now a standalone VST3, AU and CLAP plugin for macOS, Windows and Linux — no Ableton Live required.

Making Sound Machines' Plinky 12 puts a 16x16 capacitive touch grid behind three interchangeable faceplates, turning one instrument into a sequencer, drum machine or harmonic engine.

Two years after launching with partial MPE, Audiomodern's Soundbox sampler now handles per-note pitch bend, pressure and timbre properly. The free 1.3 update also opens the door to ConvertWithMoss.

Bliss Sampler's iPadOS port brings native MPE to an AUv3 multi-sampler that can auto-sample other plugins and external hardware — a new route to expressive custom instruments on tablet.

Diego Capoccitti's free MPEdie app turns an iPhone or iPad into a four-surface MPE controller — and its latest update fixes stray MIDI, two-sided modulation sources and custom scales.

A practical guide to comping, quantising and repairing MPE recordings across Bitwig, Ableton Live, Logic and Cubase — and knowing when to stop editing.

The sixth MIDI Innovation Awards opened public voting on 8 September 2026, with a new MIDI 2.0 category. Here's how the process works and why expressive-controller makers care.

Wavea's Flite synthesizer hits version 2.0 with MPE support, new filters, an overhauled sequencer and SFZ/SF2 import. Here's what it means for expressive players.

Expressive E's Osmose CE strips out the EaganMatrix engine and keeps the keybed, pairing a $999 MPE controller with the free Ctrl-e sound platform and 900+ mapped presets.

Hapax firmware 3.0 rebuilt Squarp's architecture around MIDI Polyphonic Expression, giving every one of its 128 pads pressure, timbre and pitch bend, with per-track MPE zones.

Steinberg's free HALion 7.5 anniversary update adds MIDI Polyphonic Expression alongside real-time Decompose and Spectral Snapshot, opening one of the deepest sampler platforms to per-note control.

Melatonin's Sine Machine leaves early access as a friendly additive synthesizer with MPE and MTS-ESP microtuning built in. Here is why per-note control changes additive synthesis.

MPE and MTS-ESP both control pitch, and when they overlap the result is warbling, drifting notes. Here is how the two systems interact and how to set them up correctly.

Equator2 was built from the ground up for MIDI Polyphonic Expression. We look at what its six-slot engine and 530 MPE presets still offer players in 2026.

AAS added MPE support to its physically modelled electric piano in version 5.1. Rhodes and Wurlitzer emulations are an unusual place for per-note expression — and a revealing one.

The MIDI Clip File spec stores Universal MIDI Packets directly instead of 7-bit byte streams. For MPE players, that means per-note controller data survives a save and reload intact.

Curves & Membranes 1.4.0 gains four-voice paraphony and an Expression Mode with per-note pressure, pitch bend and CC74 control over oscillator geometry. Here's what it changes.

The multidimensional MPE controller is back on track under new ownership — with a redesigned mainboard, five playing modes at launch, and a difficult decision facing original backers.

Embodme's Erae Sound is a $89 virtual-analog synth where every preset ships with its own surface layout — and it works with any MPE controller, not just the Erae 2.

Expressive E's MPE physical modeling synth Noisy 2 gets eleven resonator types, FM and additive models, nine new effects and 150 presets — all free for existing users.

Audio Damage's MC-202 emulation looks like a 1982 monosynth but ships with eight-voice polyphony, per-voice drift and full MPE. Its intro price runs out on September 15.

FL Studio is skipping MPE and going straight to MIDI 2.0 per-note controllers. Here is what actually differs between the two, and what it means for the gear you already own.

Tracktion's physical modelling synth now supports per-note expression with an independent bend range and automatic remapping of existing patches. Here is why that second detail matters.

Aaron Jasinski's free beta synth surrounds a virtual glass cylinder with eight resonators and eight orbiting exciters, producing modal sounds that never stop moving — and raising interesting questions for expressive players.

Geert Bevin's open-source MPE recorder gets a standalone version, continuous loop recording and session files, reopening the debate about how much nuance DAWs lose when they record expressive performances.

A wave of synth plugins added MPE in 2026 updates, but the phrase covers everything from full per-note routing to bare pitch bend. Here is a practical test you can run in ten minutes.

Live 12.4.5 landed in late August 2026. Looking back across the whole 12.4 cycle, several small changes add up to a noticeably better experience for MPE players.

Vertigo 5.4 adds MPE support, three per-voice LFOs and a new Keep Section to discoDSP's additive synthesizer. Here's what per-note control unlocks in an additive engine.

Mike Martin's new cinematic synth plugin supports polyphonic aftertouch and poly glide but skips MPE for now. It's a useful case study in how the two differ.

The last of Doepfer's Superbooth 2025 modules has arrived. The revised Trautonium-style ribbon adds switchable quantisation, nine user scales, improved gate handling and an optional MIDI output.

Brad Holland has modelled the Andromeda's custom chips, its Moog 921B-style oscillators and its dual filter paths. The plugin also doubles as a SysEx editor for original hardware.

Polyend has shown a prototype mechanical QWERTY keyboard with a three-octave piano row, nine assignable encoders and open-source firmware. Pressure sensitivity is reportedly in development.

Expressive E now assembles the Osmose in its own facility in Poland rather than through subcontractors. For a category built on custom keybeds and long waiting lists, vertical integration may be the most important MPE story of the year.

The latest update to Christophe Kalkau's MPE performance environment adds Typing Keys, two playable manuals mapped to your computer keyboard, plus a new FORGE Point Cloud renderer that turns any image into a 3D field you fly through while playing.

Reason Studios has released a permanently free version of its Rack plugin with 15 devices and full Rack Extension access. It is a generous move, and it also highlights the one feature MPE players keep asking Reason for.

A new developer has released a free public beta of Phaseburn One, a synthesizer built around a phase-locked loop borrowed from radio engineering — and its instability makes it unusually rewarding under expressive control.

Plogue's next chipsynth bundles emulations of the OPM, OPP, OPZ, and OPZII chips — the silicon behind the TX81Z, DX100, and FB-01 — into a single FM synthesizer plugin.

Steve Duda has ported Neil Thapen's legendary browser-based vocal tract synthesizer into free VST3 and AU plugins, complete with a modulation engine and an FX version that runs any audio through the tract model.

Corona 7 is a free upgrade for existing owners that adds MPE support as modulation sources, a new sequencer arpeggiator mode, and a JP-8000-style unison engine.

With 61 pressure-sensitive buttons on an isomorphic layout and open-source firmware, the Striso Board offers a third path for expressive players who don't want a piano keybed or a rectangular grid.

Nigel Stanford's Ultra synthesizer gains full MIDI Polyphonic Expression support in its 1.1 update, bringing per-note control to a plugin built around five sound sources and the UltraWave engine.

A new $189 USB MIDI controller distills the core expressive MIDI functions into a device the size of a mouse — and it solves a real problem for MPE players with hammer-action keybeds.

Numerical Audio's new iPadOS app ships Seaboard-style ribbons and MPE string grids as drag-and-drop modules, plus a node-based MIDI engine — starting at $7.99.

Ben Osterhouse's new $29 MIDI plugin records playable clips onto individual keys for live jamming. Here's how it fits into an expressive workflow, and the one feature MPE players will want next.

Bela's Trails module records up to 40 seconds of two-dimensional touch movement across four independent lanes, outputting CV and MIDI. A different way to think about expressive control.

Abyss 2 is out now with full MPE support, a deeper spectral engine, a new multi-FX section and 400+ presets. Here's what the update means for expressive players.

ROLI is restructuring to avoid a second insolvency, with products out of stock and orders unfulfilled. Here's what Seaboard owners should know and what it says about the MPE market.

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman is the latest artist featured in Expressive E's collaboration video series, demonstrating how MPE performance shapes his approach to scoring and sound design.

Sound Radix has stripped its Radical1 additive engine down to a free monophonic plugin, giving MPE players a no-cost way into spectral sound design.

Twisted Electrons' eight-voice TWISTfm pairs vintage Yamaha OPL-3 FM chips with full MPE support, letting players bend, pressure, and shape timbre per note.

Avid showed early MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) integration for Pro Tools at NAMM 2026, alongside a new MIDI Editing Mode and MIDI Playlists. Here's what was shown and what's still to come.

Expressive E's new Osmose CE strips the flagship synth engine to deliver a dedicated MPE controller bundled with free Ctrl-e software. Here's what changed and why it matters.

A new desktop app from developer Christophe Kalkau visualizes MPE data — pitch bend, pressure, and timbre — in real time, and can even add expressive motion to a standard MIDI keyboard.

Expressive E's Osmose CE controller recognizes seven distinct playing gestures and maps each to macros in its free Ctrl-e software. Here's how that gesture vocabulary actually works.

MPE support has become a checkbox nearly every major DAW claims, but how Bitwig, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Reaper actually implement per-note editing varies enormously. A practical comparison.

MPE Insight renders per-note pitch bend, pressure, and slide as real-time visuals instead of numbers on a MIDI monitor. That reframing turns out to be a genuinely useful debugging and learning tool, not just a screensaver.

Live 12.2 shipped with Expressive Chords, a free Max for Live device with 52 chord sets that respond to MPE pressure, slide, and pitch bend on individual notes within a chord.

Expressive E's controller-only Osmose CE ships with Ctrl-e, a bundled software ecosystem built from partner synths like Vital, GForce, and Kilohearts. Here's how the pairing works.

Squarp's free Hapax 3.0 firmware update adds per-track MPE zones and three-dimensional pad expression, reshaping the hardware sequencer into a live performance instrument.

AIR's new Fabric Vintage Synths collection multi-samples the Jupiter-8, Prophet-5, and Memorymoog into one unified plugin — with full MPE compatibility built into every layer.

From controller-only hardware to touch synthesizers and wearable gesture instruments, Superbooth 2026 showed MPE support spreading well past the dedicated boutique gear that used to define it.

The Hans Zimmer-developed analog modeling synth gets a 2.1 update adding MIDI Polyphonic Expression and Native Kontrol Standard compatibility, putting per-note pitch bend and pressure inside a cinematic Minimoog-style engine.

Fender's polyphonic aftertouch controllers, the Motion 16 and Motion 32, are now shipping and come bundled with a free perpetual license for Fender Studio Pro — a signal that expressive control is going mainstream.

Tone2's free Icarus 3.1 update adds MPE support for Legato and Mono modes, giving the hybrid wavetable synth finer per-note control alongside skin customization and stability fixes.

A plain-language guide to MPE's Manager and Member channels, zone sizing, and channel rotation — the plumbing behind per-note expression, and the usual culprits when it stops working.

A recent software and firmware update brings MPE support and MIDI 2.0 Property Exchange to every wavestate model, plus fresh polyphonic aftertouch modulation across hundreds of factory sounds.

The new iPadOS and macOS instrument Anima pairs physical modeling with a built-in multitouch ribbon keyboard and full MPE support, wrapped in an unusually approachable interface.

ImoxPlus's physical-modeling wind synth Respiro is a reminder that MPE isn't only for keyboards and pad controllers — breath and wind controllers speak the same expressive language.

Arturia's 12-voice analog flagship pairs true MPE support with a third aftertouch mode, FullTouch, that uses the entire travel of every key instead of just the bottom of the stroke.

The Knobula Monumatic squeezes eight polyphonic voices, 16 oscillator algorithms, and full MPE implementation into a screenless 12HP Eurorack module.

Steinberg marked 30 years of VST and 25 years of HALion with a free 7.5 update that brings MPE support, Real-time Decompose, and Spectral Snapshot to its flagship sampler-synth.

Elektron's 16-track multisampler Tonverk shipped without MPE support, and its user community is now actively requesting per-note pitch, pressure, and timbre control.

A look at the small ecosystem of Max for Live devices — including Arpex, MPE Envelope, and MPE Modifier — built specifically to extend what MPE controllers can do inside Ableton Live.

Novation's firmware v2.0 overhauls stereo controls, modulation, and effects on the Summit and Peak, but the community's long-running request for MPE support remains unanswered.

Studio-only MPE setups don't always survive contact with a stage. Here's what touring keyboardists and sound designers are prioritizing when they build an MPE rig for live shows in 2026.

A free firmware update turned Supercritical's compact analog polysynth, the Redshift 6, into a fully MPE-compatible instrument — and the company hasn't stopped iterating since.

UDO Audio's NAMM 2026 breakout synth, the DMNO, is shipping now with an Oberheim-inspired dual-engine architecture — and MPE compatibility is confirmed to arrive in a future update.

inMusic's takeover of Native Instruments folds Kontakt, Komplete Kontrol, and Maschine into a portfolio that already includes Akai and Moog. Here's what the deal could mean for MPE workflows.

Sumu combines additive resynthesis, FM, and vector-field spatialization behind a ten-module patcher — and its MPE mode makes it one of the more distinctive per-note expression engines available today.

MPE controllers aren't cheap, but you can start writing genuinely expressive, per-note parts today using free plugins and features already built into your DAW.

Arturia's new Memory V plugin recreates the 1982 Memorymoog with expanded polyphony and full MPE compatibility, letting per-note aftertouch and pitch drive any parameter.

A practical look at how Bitwig Studio, Ableton Live, and Logic Pro currently implement MIDI Polyphonic Expression, and which one fits your workflow.

Christophe Kalkau's real-time MPE visualization and performance app just got a free update, headlined by a DRIFT module that fakes expressive control from ordinary MIDI keyboards.

From the new Piano Profile to a forthcoming BLE MIDI 2.0 transport, the MIDI Association's 2026 progress reports show how MIDI 2.0's profile system could shape the next generation of expressive instruments.

reFX has released Rippler, a dual-layer physical modeling synthesizer plugin with full MPE support, developed in partnership with the creator of the free RipplerX engine.

Roland Future Design Lab and Neutone have advanced Project LYDIA, a neural sampling stompbox that reshapes one sound's tonal character onto another in real time, into a more complete hardware prototype.

Expressive E strips the EaganMatrix engine out of its acclaimed Osmose keyboard to create a dedicated $999 MPE controller, paired with a new free companion plugin called Ctrl-e.

Intuitive Instruments' affordable Exquis MPE controller gets a major firmware update with Key Freeze and MIDI Score Display, alongside new free workflow scripts for Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio, and Reaper.

A new desktop app from Christophe Kalkau visualizes MPE data in real time, giving players and sound designers a way to see exactly what their controller is sending — and finally debug expressive performances by eye.

Embodme's redesigned Erae 2 touch controller adds a grippier surface, swappable skins, and an integrated looper, aiming squarely at modular and live MPE performers.

Avid showed early MPE support for Pro Tools at NAMM 2026, alongside a new MIDI Editing Mode — a long-awaited move for one of the last major DAWs without native MPE.

Sound Radix's new modular additive synthesizer Radical1 ships with MPE-ready expressive control, giving per-note pitch, pressure, and timbral movement to a fresh spectral engine.

BaconPaul's free and open-source Six Sines FM synthesizer, built for MPE controllers, adds phase-distortion synthesis in its 1.2 update — no purchase required.

Jamstik's new LOON software instrument rebuilds its Creator plugin around a fresh MPE-capable synthesis engine with three independent signal paths.

Quantastical Sound's STRÄNG synthesizer gains native MPE support in version 2.3, letting Seaboard, Osmose, and other MPE controllers drive its real-time convolution engine with per-note expression.

Expressive E's new Osmose CE drops the internal EaganMatrix engine and cuts the price to $999, betting that keyboardists want the touch-sensitive keybed more than the synth bolted to it.

Intuitive Instruments' isomorphic MPE controller gets Key Freeze and MIDI Score Display, plus native remote scripts for Ableton Live 12, Bitwig Studio, and Reaper — a good snapshot of how deep MPE/DAW integration has gotten in 2026.

A new desktop app from developer Christophe Kalkau renders MPE pitch bend, pressure, and timbre as real-time visuals, giving performers and sound designers a way to watch their expressive data as they play.

A look at how Bitwig, Ableton, Logic Pro, FL Studio, and Pro Tools currently handle MIDI Polyphonic Expression, and why the gap between them still matters for MPE musicians choosing a production setup.

Developer Christophe Kalkau has released MPE Insight, a desktop app that visualizes per-note pitch bend, pressure, and expression from any MPE controller in real time.

Expressive E strips the synth engine out of its acclaimed Osmose keyboard to deliver a dedicated $999 MPE controller. Here's what the Osmose CE means for expressive playing.

A new desktop app called MPE Insight visualizes MIDI Polyphonic Expression data in real time, giving musicians a way to finally see what their controller is doing under the hood.

Two of the most widely used software synths have added full MPE support in 2026, joining a growing list of plugins that treat per-note expression as a standard feature.

Noisy 2, Expressive E's MPE physical modeling synth, jumps from 5 to 11 resonator types in a free 2.6 update that adds FM, wavetable, and harmonic engines plus 1,400 presets.

Image-Line has confirmed FL Studio won't add native MPE support, choosing to wait for full MIDI 2.0 implementation instead — here's what that means for producers using expressive controllers.

Berklee's ABLE Assembly 2026 spotlighted how MIDI 2.0 features like Profiles and Property Exchange are opening per-note expressive control to musicians with disabilities.

Bitwig Studio 6 brings deeper per-note expression editing to its already best-in-class MPE implementation, with expanded overlays for pan, gain, and note chance.

Expressive E unveils the Osmose CE, a synth-less controller edition of its expressive keybed with MPE arpeggiation, Press Glide, and a free preset ecosystem.

A new desktop app called MPE Insight visualizes per-note pitch bend, pressure, and expression from any MPE controller in real time, with eight rearrangeable modules.

Haken Audio unveils the Slim 21 Continuum, a compact fingerboard controller that packs the full EaganMatrix sound engine into a portable, travel-friendly frame.

A new desktop app from developer Christophe Kalkau visualizes MPE data in real time, turning per-note pitch, pressure, and timbre into a living performance environment.

A look at how three leading DAWs handle MIDI Polyphonic Expression in 2026, and what it means for MPE controller owners deciding where to produce.

Haken Audio's Slim 21 packs the full EaganMatrix engine and per-finger Hall-effect tracking of the flagship Continuum into a smaller, more portable 21-note fingerboard.

A look at how the major DAWs handle MIDI Polyphonic Expression in 2026, including which ones have embraced it, which are betting on MIDI 2.0 instead, and what that means for players.

A new desktop app called MPE Insight visualizes per-note pitch bend, pressure, and expression data in real time, offering musicians a clearer look at what their MPE controller is actually sending.

Modal Electronics unveiled the Element One at Superbooth 2026, a €649 synth built around a 4-axis joystick and channel aftertouch that makes expressive playing approachable without an MPE controller.

Native Instruments' Komplete 26 refresh brings MPE and polyphonic aftertouch support across a wide swath of its instrument lineup, signaling that expressive control is now a bundle-wide expectation rather than a single flagship feature.

Polyend's Poly 2 is a polyphonic, MPE-compatible MIDI-to-CV converter that lets Eurorack modular systems respond to per-note pitch, pressure, and timbre from any MPE controller.

Artiphon's Orba 2 packs full MIDI Polyphonic Expression, an onboard synth and sampler, and a looper into a handheld ball-shaped instrument — proof that expressive per-note control doesn't require a full-size keybed.

ROLI's AI Music Coach pairs Airwave's hand-tracking cameras with conversational AI to give real-time feedback on piano technique, not just note accuracy — a new approach to expressive-instrument learning built into the ROLI Learn app.

Microsoft's Windows MIDI Services brings a native MIDI 2.0 stack, multi-client support, and smoother per-note data to Windows 11 — a foundational upgrade that benefits MPE controller owners even before every plugin catches up.

Berklee College of Music's Expressive Control Lab is putting Seaboards and LinnStruments in front of students, treating MPE as a performance discipline rather than just a production feature.

Cherry Audio's software recreation of the Ensoniq ESQ-1 adds full MIDI Polyphonic Expression and polyphonic aftertouch to a classic 1986 hybrid synth for its 40th anniversary.

Sunhouse's redesigned Sensory Percussion system turns an acoustic drum kit into an expressive, zone-mapped controller, extending per-note nuance to drummers the way MPE has for keyboardists.

A long-term review of the Embodme Erae 2 finds a touch-sensitive MPE controller that doubles as a modular hub and eight-track looper — expensive, demanding, and unlike almost anything else on the market.

A growing number of compact MPE controllers and modules use 3.5mm TRS MIDI jacks instead of full-size DIN — but two incompatible wiring standards mean identical-looking cables can fail silently. Here's what's going on.

Live 12.2 brings Expressive Chords — a free MPE-enabled chord device available across every Live 12 tier — plus MPE-capable pad upgrades for Push and new MIDI I/O for Move.

GeoShred Control turns an iPhone or iPad into a free, touch-based MPE controller for desktop and mobile synths alike, offering a surprisingly capable pocket-sized alternative for musicians who don't own dedicated expressive hardware.

Native Instruments' Kontakt 8.10 update introduces native polyphonic aftertouch inside the sampler engine, a small but meaningful step for a platform long criticized for its awkward relationship with MPE.

Korg's Keystage keyboard pairs a natural-feeling keybed with Polyphonic Aftertouch and full MPE compatibility, offering a more affordable, familiar-feeling route into expressive MIDI for players used to a standard piano layout.

Anukari Music's new physical modeling synth builds instruments out of virtual masses and springs, and ships with full MPE support for LinnStrument, Roli Seaboard, Haken Continuum, and other expressive controllers.

SonicModeler's new Syntropy synth generates sound through custom mathematical functions rather than traditional oscillators, and ships with MPE performance support, microtuning, and ROLI 5D controller compatibility.

u-he's first maintenance update for Zebra 3 quietly ships two meaningful MPE refinements — per-voice pitch bend and smoother timbre response — alongside new macro and modulation tools.

Steinberg's Cubase 15.0.10 update quietly fixes a longstanding MPE bug, but users are still asking for deeper note-expression editing tools.

Controller builder Yann Seven combined two Sensel Morph pads and Joué overlays into a guitar-style MPE instrument called the Ystring — a glimpse at where DIY expressive controllers are headed.

A practical look at how PreSonus Studio One and Cockos Reaper handle MIDI Polyphonic Expression, and what limitations MPE players should know before choosing either.

Arturia's new Memory V software instrument recreates the legendary Memorymoog with modern polyphony and modulation, while adding full MPE compatibility for expressive controllers.

CLAP, the plugin standard co-developed by Bitwig and u-he, bakes in per-voice note expression that goes beyond MPE — here's what that means for expressive controller players today.

Expressive per-note control is no longer limited to keyboards and touch surfaces — MIDI-to-CV Eurorack modules like Noise Engineering's Univer Inter are bringing MPE gestures into modular synth racks.

A practical walkthrough of Bitwig's on-note expression editing — how to select a note and reshape its pressure, gain, and slide curves without re-recording a performance from a controller.

When pressure or slide data feels wrong on an MPE controller, the fastest fix is seeing the raw data rather than guessing. Here's a practical approach to isolating the problem.

In a new interview, Expressive E's Head of Global Sales & Marketing explains the philosophy behind the Osmose CE and pushes back on a common misconception about what MPE is actually for.

Logic Pro has quietly become a fully capable MPE host, with native recording, editing, and per-note aftertouch support across most stock instruments. Here's what works and how to set it up.

Serum 2 carries forward Serum's long-standing MPE support with new auto-mapping options for pitch bend and bi-directional control, making it easier to get expressive results from any MPE controller.

Imogen Heap's MiMU has released Glover as a standalone desktop app, letting musicians turn phones, Leap Motion sensors, and micro:bit boards into expressive movement controllers without buying the MiMU Gloves.

UVI's latest sample-based collection samples 300 classic synthesizers and ships with native MPE compatibility, giving expressive controller owners decades of hardware tone to shape in real time.

Waldorf's second-generation Iridium Desktop adds four synth layers, per-note parameter locks co-designed with Aphex Twin, and stays fully MPE-compatible for expressive controller players.

Between a granular instrument with new MPE capability, curve-based expression editing, and default MPE mode for Expressive E's Ctrl-e, Live 12 has closed much of the gap with dedicated MPE-native DAWs.

Roger Linn Design's latest LinnStrument firmware update introduces Low Row Transpose, letting players shift key and mode mid-performance while notes stay lit and playable.

u-he shipped Zebra 3 in April 2026 after more than ten years of development, and the modular workhorse synth now includes native MPE support alongside a raft of new modulation and filter tools.

A practical look at why MPE controllers suit orchestral writing so well, and which instruments, plugins, and DAWs make continuous per-note expression usable for composers working with strings, brass, and other ensemble textures.

Surge XT's recent updates quietly refine how the free, open-source synth handles MPE timbre polarity, pitch bend interpolation, and MIDI learn — small changes that add up to noticeably better tracking for expressive controller players.

Developer tiagolr has released Rippler, a free and open-source physical modeling synthesizer with full MPE aftertouch support, twelve resonator models, and a generous built-in effects section.

Six years after its original release, Continua gets four new oscillator modes, a generative patch tool, and deeper per-instance MPE configuration — all as a free update.

Soliste is a four-instrument solo string suite built around physical modeling and real-time MPE bow control, promising expressive violin, viola, cello, and double bass without a sample library in sight.

The Argentinian-built Bree6 Keyboard pairs a fully analog six-voice engine with a semi-weighted, MPE-compatible keybed — and it's been tested directly against Osmose and LinnStrument.

From Hans Zimmer's use of the Osmose on Dune: Part Two to a new wave of controller-only hardware, MPE is reshaping how composers add human nuance to electronic sound.

Intuitive Instruments' affordable isomorphic MPE controller Exquis now ships with a free Ableton Live 12 Remote Script and expanded DrivenByMoss support for Bitwig and Reaper.

From ASM's flagship Leviasynth keyboard to Dog Paw's weighted grid instrument, NAMM 2026 showed just how differently manufacturers are approaching MIDI Polyphonic Expression.

A step-by-step look at enabling and configuring MPE mode on Ableton Push 3, covering expression settings, compatible sounds, and common workflow tips.

Native Instruments' revived Absynth 6 now ships with full MPE and polyphonic aftertouch support, letting per-note pitch, timbre, and spatial placement respond to every finger on an MPE keybed.

ROLI has rebranded and refined its flagship keyboard as Seaboard 2, and paired it with Airwave, a camera-based hand-tracking system that adds gesture control above the keybed.

Genki Instruments' Wave ring translates hand and finger gestures into MIDI and modulation data, offering a wearable alternative for musicians who want expressive control without a dedicated keybed.

ROLI's expressive instrument lineup — including the gesture-tracking Airwave and the new Seaboard 2 — is now officially distributed in Japan through Yamaha Music Japan, marking the brand's full return to the market.

Spectrasonics' flagship synth Omnisphere 3 ships with full MPE support, per-note polyphonic aftertouch, and a new Quadzone performance layer. Here's what it means for MPE players.

Independent sound designers are increasingly building dedicated MPE preset banks for Arturia's Pigments 7, turning a mainstream wavetable synth into a showcase instrument for expressive controllers.

Elastic OSC, an 8-voice macro-oscillator synth built on Mutable Instruments' Plaits algorithms, now supports MPE across iOS, Android, and a new desktop plugin, opening expressive per-note control to mobile producers.

Sound Workshop has fully funded the Flexur T2, a standalone synthesizer built around twin touch-sensitive bars inspired by the Trautonium, with USB-C and TRS MIDI output that includes native MPE support.

Fender's first MIDI controllers, the Motion 16 and Motion 32, bring FATAR polyphonic aftertouch pads to producers for under $330 — a sign that per-note expression is going mainstream.

The MIDI Association's 2026 roadmap makes Property Exchange mandatory for new device categories. We break down what MIDI 2.0 actually changes for musicians already using MPE.

A look at how mainstream plugin makers — from Xfer's Serum 2 to Native Instruments' rebuilt Absynth 6 — are adding real MPE support in 2026, and what that means for players building an expressive rig.

Aodyo Instruments has successfully Kickstarted the Loom, a compact multidimensional MPE controller with four distinct playing modes — keyboard, ribbon, strum, and drum — targeting delivery in Autumn 2026.

Delta Sound Labs has released XStream, a granular synthesizer plugin with full MPE support, per-voice effects, live sample recording, and a 3D spatialization engine — at an introductory price of $79.

Embodme has released ERAE Sound, an analog-style synthesizer plugin built specifically for the ERAE 2 MPE controller — with polyphonic LFOs, four-slot FX, and 84 expressive presets, also compatible with any MPE controller.

MIDISketch lets you draw MPE pitch curves directly in your DAW's piano roll, while MPE Insight visualizes what your controller is actually sending in real time. Together, they fill two long-standing gaps in the MPE workflow.

Squarp Instruments has released Hapax OS 3.0, a landmark firmware update that brings full MPE support, multi-track MPE routing, and virtual MIDI cables to the $1,245 hardware sequencer — at no cost to existing owners.

Bitwig Studio 6.1 is now in beta, bringing a powerful granular playback mode called Fragments, an updated FM synthesizer, and continued best-in-class MPE support. Here's what MPE players need to know.

Expressive E has launched the Osmose CE, a standalone MPE MIDI controller version of the acclaimed Osmose synth. Available in 49 and 61-key versions starting at $999, it brings the same legendary expressive keybed to any setup.

Haken Audio has introduced the Slim 21, the most compact and affordable version of the iconic Continuum Fingerboard. With the full EaganMatrix engine in a 2-octave portable form factor, it brings the Continuum experience within reach for more players.

MPE support across major DAWs has matured significantly, but differences in depth and workflow still matter. Here's where Bitwig, Ableton, Logic, and Reaper stand in 2026.

MPE Emulator by Attila M. Magyar is a free, open-source VST plugin that converts single-channel MIDI into full MPE data — now updated to v1.2.0 with macOS support and a resizable UI.

A behind-the-scenes look at how we design Loopa Presets MPE — the choices, the failures, and the philosophy behind building sounds that truly respond to touch.

From the Expressive E Osmose to the Roli Seaboard and LinnStrument — a complete guide to the best MPE controllers available right now.

A practical guide to enabling MPE in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and Bitwig Studio — with tips for routing, recording, and getting the most from your MPE controller.

MPE — MIDI Polyphonic Expression — gives every note its own independent channel for pitch bend, pressure, and slide. Here's everything you need to know.

The story behind mpesynth and why we decided to build the first MPE-native cinematic orchestral instrument.